ROLL THE DICE INAUGURAL DRESS
BACK TO CAMPUS SPORTS
METRO
SCENE
NFL star Luke Kuechly returns to BC to finish degree, A10
Eleven developers compete for space in and around Boston, B10
The Scene takes a look at Presidential fashion through the years, B3
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HEIGHTS
THE
The Independent Student Newspaper of Boston College
established
1919
Thursday, January 24, 2013
Vol. XCIV, No. 2
Stokes Hall opens after years in the works
Law office defaced over long weekend
BY ELEANOR HILDEBRANDT News Editor
is rooted in the Jesuit philosophy of cura personalis, or ‘care of the whole person,’” read the April 9, 1998 issue of the Boston College Chronicle. “By siting academic, dining and co-curricular activity spaces in close proximity, administrators aim to foster faculty-student interaction outside the classroom, thereby enhancing the educational experience of Boston College students.” BC sought approval for the construction, then termed the “Middle Campus
The office of Lambda, Boston College Law School’s GLBTQ coalition, was vandalized over the three-day MLK weekend. Words and phrases including “gay bukkake,” “gangbang,” “frig,” “MILF,” and “bean flicker” were written in capital letters on the wall of the office, which was left unlocked over the weekend. Jason Triplett, co-chair of Lambda, received a call about the vandalism Tuesday morning—after instructing members of the group not to touch anything in the room until he arrived, he immediately reported the incident to BC Law Dean Vincent D. Rougeau. BCPD is currently conducting an investigation in conjunction with the Newton Police Department, according to an email from Rougeau. Rougeau sent out a letter to the BC Law community yesterday. “The administration of Boston College Law School condemns this reprehensible action and will not tolerate hateful or threatening speech of any kind,” the letter read. “This behavior is the antithesis of all we stand for as an institution, and is an assault on our shared values of a welcoming, loving, and inclusive community.” On Wednesday, a similar letter from Dean for Students Paul Chebator and Office of Residential Life Director George Arey was sent out to the BC freshmen living on Newton. “This incident causes us to be concerned because it strikes at the very heart our community, the respect that we share for all human beings and for one another,” it read. “I am sure you agree that this is not only an irresponsible act, but
See Stokes, A4
See Lambda, A4
ALEX GAYNOR / HEIGHTS EDITOR
Newest academic building represents the University’s investment in the liberal arts BY ELEANOR HILDEBRANDT News Editor Last week marked the first time that Stokes Hall, Boston College’s newest academic building, opened its doors for classes. The $78 million, 183,000-square foot building is named in honor of a $22 million donation from Patrick T. Stokes, former CEO of Anheuser-Busch Companies, Inc.,
former chair and current member of the BC Board of Trustees, and BC ’64. Completed last December, Stokes Hall houses the English, history, philosophy, and theology departments, the College of Arts & Sciences Honors Program, the Arts & Sciences Service Center, the Academic Advising Center, and the First Year Experience offices, as well as significant classroom space and a new Coffee Bar, and represents
a noteworthy investment in the humanities at Boston College. What would become the Stokes Hall project began in 1996, when BC first proposed three connected humanities buildings that would run along College Road from Lyons Hall to McElroy Hall, said University Spokesman Jack Dunn. The proposed building was intended, in part, to honor current University Chancellor and former University President J. Donald Monan, S.J. “Combining a new academic building—Monan Hall—with a student center that will replace McElroy Commons
University honors MLK
Internship fair draws BC students
BY ANDREW SKARAS Asst. News Editor
BY DEVON SANFORD Assoc. News Editor Last night, the Boston College Career Center hosted the Spring 2013 Internship Fair in the Heights Room in Corcoran Commons. The event ran from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. and hosted an array of companies, including Big Brothers Big Sisters of Massachusetts Bay, Dunkin Brands, Citi, Epsilon, Liberty Mutual, Northwestern Mutual Financial Network, Saks Fifth Avenue, and Vistaprint. Students came to the Heights Room, dressed in corporate attire with resumes in hand, in the hopes of landing a spring or summer internship. In preparation for the Internship Fair, the Career Center has been offering resume, cover letter and interview workshops for BC undergraduates throughout January. Students attended resume crash courses, interview prep workshops and career launch meetings to hone their interview skills and perfect their resumes. This year, the Career Center saw a significant turnout to the events. “Students seem really prepared for the Internship Fair this year,” said Erin Hughes, Career Center Peer Advisor and A&S ’15. “A lot of students have used the resources available through the Career Center. The resume and cover letter workshops, interview workshops and resume critiques have prepared students for meeting with employers at the fair.” For most of the night, the Heights Room was crowded with students. Liberty Mutual, Citi and Vistaprint were some of the more popular companies at the fair,
See Internship Fair, A4
ALEX GAYNOR / HEIGHTS EDITOR
On Monday, members of the BC community gathered to commemorate Martin Luther King, Jr.
“We gather the spirit of our ancestors which moved us from a nation of unborn hopes and a history of discrimination to today’s expression here in this room of a more perfect union,” said Mario Powell, S.J., opening the annual Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial Gathering on Monday evening. Focusing on the life and legacy of King, the memorial brought together traditional religious elements, such as Bible readings and praise and worship songs, with speeches concerning the consequences of King’s civil rights struggles. Under the musical direction of David
Altenor, an award winning artist, producer, and songwriter and BC ’09, the United Voices of Freedom performed the anthem of the Civil Rights Movement, “We Shall Overcome,” as well as traditional songs of praise, such as “How Great is Our God.” The group was composed of students from Against the Current, B.E.A.T.S., the Liturgy Arts Group, and the Voices of Imani. Coming from different spheres in and outside of the University, the speakers brought different nuanced understandings of King’s legacy. Tracy Akufo, president of the Black Student Forum and A&S ’13; Chris Osnato, UGBC president and A&S ’13; and Rev. Howard A. McLendon,
See MLK, A4
Admissions adds essay, number of applications falls 2013 sees 10,000 fewer apps than 2012 after adding 400-word essay BY DAVID COTE Editor-in-Chief Boston College received almost 10,000 fewer applications for admission this year, down from 34,051 applications in 2012. Officials have attributed this 26 percent decrease mostly to the addition of a 400-word supplemental essay, a first since the University joined the Common Application in 1998. According to John Mahoney, director of undergraduate admissions, part of the goal of adding the essay was to select for students who were truly interested in attending BC. “We wanted to identify students who were more serious, more thoughtful, and more deliberate about applying to BC,” Mahoney told The Chronicle of Higher
Education. “It seems that we’ve lost the ‘Why Not?’ applicant.” Before instating the change, Mahoney and the admissions department weighed the pros and cons of adding a supplemental essay. The addition of the essay gives students another chance to explain why they are interested in BC, an opportunity that the common personal statement on the Common Application does not provide. On the other hand, the essay had the potential to decrease the total number of applications and thus potentially increase
the admissions rate. The admissions department also held focus groups with students at BC, who were asked if the addition of an essay would have made them less likely to apply. The consensus, according to Mahoney, was no—because students who ended up attending BC would have been willing to put the extra effort into a 400-word essay. The supplemental essay for the incoming class of 2017 provides four choices. One references St. Ignatius of
MAGGIE BURDGE / HEIGHTS GRAPHIC
Loyola, founder of the Jesuit Order, and his call to service. Another quotes David McCullough’s 2008 commencement address at BC, and asks applicants about “a time you had all of the facts but missed the meaning.” The third question asks applicants to respond to a quote from Colum McCann on the topic of changing perceptions, and the final question asks potential students what book they would select for the freshman academic convocation. The goal of these questions, Mahoney told The Chronicle, was to give admissions counselors a better picture of applicants as individuals. In terms of numbers, the addition of the supplemental essay could have a variety of effects beyond decreasing the total number of applicants. BC, which boasted an admissions rate of 28 percent last year, has long been noted as one of the more selective schools in the country,
See Admissions, A4
TopTHREE
THE HEIGHTS
A2
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Thursday, January 24, 2013
A Guide to Your Newspaper
things to do on campus this week
1 2 3 Internship Fair
A Capella Benefit
Today Time: 10:00 a.m. Location: The Heights Room
The Boston College Career Center will be hosting the second day of its annual internship fair. Employers from a myriad of industries will be present for students interested in summer internships.
IEPPE Seminar
Today Time: 7:00 p.m. Location: Gasson 100
The Campus School is holding a fundraiser for their programs for their students with disabilities. The line-up includes the Bostonians, Sharps, Acoustics, Beats, Dynamics, Voices of Imani, and Heightsmen.
Monday Time: 4:00 p.m. Location: Stokes 195S
The International Economic Policy and Political Economy Seminar is hosting Athanasios Orphanides who will present a lecture on the political and economic ramifications of the Eurozone crisis.
FEATURED STORY
Portfolio Challenge teaches investment strategy BY JULIE ORENSTEIN Heights Editor The Boston College Portfolio Challenge (BCPC), a new club dedicated to providing students with an opportunity to learn about investing in the stock market, held its first event, featuring investment advice from three BC alumni, Tuesday night. The presentation, entitled “Investing on a Budget,” was meant to offer advice for college students on how to effectively invest with a limited amount of money, and specifically provide information for students interested in taking part in a three-month-long portfolio challenge organized by the club. Guest speakers Kevin Queally, BC ’83, Brian Hanson, BC ’96, and Jennifer Fo, BC ’09, all hold positions in the investment field and shared insight for young investors getting into the stock market. Queally, a senior vice president at Morgan Stanley, discussed the “macro standpoint” on investing in the stock market, a viewpoint he said involves taking into account bigger-picture ideas such as economic cycles, interest rates, and global circumstances rather than simply looking for the “best stock.” “You can pick the best stocks out there, but if the market goes down 15 percent, 95 percent or more of the stocks are going to go down,” he said. For this reason, specific stocks labeled as “good” would not necessarily be beneficial if the entire market climate is suffering. “Knowledge is power…[you have to] find out where we are and what’s going on,” he said. Using this macro standpoint, Queally said he spends probably 40
GRAHAM BECK / HEIGHTS EDITOR
Queally (left) discusses investment strategies based on the big picture viewpoint. percent of his time just reading, figuring out which industries are good investments at which times. Currently, Queally said, transportation companies are booming, due to the stability of energy prices. Hanson, a director of research at Fidelity Investments, and Fo, an equity research analyst at Fidelity, spoke to a second way of approaching investing, which is a bottom-up, “micro” perspective in which analysts delve down and try to find the best of the best stocks. Hanson indicated, though, that young research analysts do not try to call the market based on macro assumptions. A key factor that must be explored when researching stocks is what stock drivers are at work for an individual company. Figuring out the most relevant stock drivers, two to three swing factors that could include data or product releases or new earnings reports, is an “art form” according to Hanson, who told students to “try to sort through all the noise” to focus on the most important drivers.
Fo added that the time horizon impacts investment decisions as well, and that young investors should try to look for companies with catalytic events approaching in the trading period. Stocks that have been beaten down recently, she said, also have the potential to rise in the near future. As for the size of the bet made on each stock, Fo said she ranks the bet sizes in order of her level of confidence in the stock and the probability of risk and reward. Hanson emphasized a problem that new investors often encounter when choosing stocks: differentiating between companies that are successful and companies whose stocks are also successful. “Just because you’re a good company doesn’t necessarily mean you’re a good stock,” he said. In general, Hanson advised against “swinging for the fences” with risky picks and too much reliance on trends and momentum. Not only would teams have trouble justifying an unconventional and perhaps unwise virtual investment
POLICE BLOTTER
strategy in a real-world scenario, but also, if a stock with momentum takes a fierce turn, teams “would be obliterated.” Queally also described how a diverse stock portfolio has “lower risk, but also lower return”—therefore, for participants in the challenge, there might be a trade-off between winning and truly learning about investing. BCPC was founded by five Carroll School of Management (CSOM) students who wanted to learn more about the stock market without any personal financial risk, according to Luke Stephan, co-founder of BCPC and CSOM ’14. With guidance from Michael Barry of the finance department, the students took their interest beyond themselves, creating the club and competition that allows anyone to gain experience investing on a virtual stock market. Competing teams will have a period of 52 trading days and $100,000 in virtual money to create a diverse stock portfolio on marketwatch.com. The three teams with the highest return at the end of the trading period will be invited to present before a panel of judges on their investment strategy and results, with the winning team earning a trip to Boston-based Fidelity to tour the trading floor and meet with a portfolio manager. Beyond simply learning about the stock market for personal investments, students successfully participating in the challenge also have the opportunity to garner attention from investment companies such as Fidelity, which recruits heavily from BC, alongside Ivy League universities and other top institutions.
1/19/13-1/23/13
Saturday, January 19
Monday, January 21
Chemistry Center.
12:27 a.m. - A report was filed regarding medical assistance provided to an underage intoxicated BC student who was transported by ambulance from the Mods.
3:45 a.m. - A report was filed regarding a larceny from Gabelli Hall.
3:52 p.m. - A report was filed regarding a BC student transported by ambulance to a medical facility from the Flynn Sports Complex.
Sunday, January 20 12:06 a.m. - A report was filed regarding medical assistance provided to a BC student who was transported by ambulance from the lower lots. 4:58 a.m. - A report was filed regarding the arrest of a non-BC affiliate from Brockton, MA for trespassing.
ON THIS DAY... 41 A.D.
Roman Emperor Caligula is assasinated by his Praetorian Guards. His uncle, Claudius, is proclaimed Emperor.
1679
King Charles II dissolves the Cavalier Parliament, the longest serving English Parliament.
1848
1961
9:02 a.m. - A report was filed regarding medical assistance provided to a BC student who was transported to a medical facility by cruiser from Merkert
January
24
Kosmos 954, a Soviet satellite propelled by nuclear power, broke apart during reentry, scattering radioactive debris.
1857
1993
The Allied Forces bomb Bangkok, which leads Thailand to declare war on the Allies.
Tuesday, January 22
1978
1984
1942
9:46 a.m. - A report was filed regarding a vandalism to Duchesne West.
A B-52 Stratofortress carrying two Mark 39 nuclear bombs crashes near Goldsboro, North Carolina.
The California Gold Rush begins when James W. Marshall finds gold at Sutter’s Mill near Sacramento. The University of Calcutta is founded as the first full-fledged university in South Asia.
8:05 a.m. - A report was filed regarding an activated fire alarm in the Law Library.
Wednesday, January 23 2:38 a.m. - A report was filed regarding medical assistance provided to a BC student who was transported from Edmond’s to a medical facility by ambulance.
—Source: The Boston College Police Department
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 Metro Desk (617) 552-3548 Features Desk (617) 552-3548 Arts Desk (617) 552-0515 Photo (617) 552-1022 Fax (617) 552-4823 Business and Operations General Manager (617) 552-0169 Advertising (617) 552-2220 Business and Circulation (617) 552-0547 Classifieds and Collections (617) 552-0364 Fax (617) 552-1753 EDITORIAL RESOURCES News Tips Have a news tip or a good idea for a story? Call Eleanor Hildebrandt, 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 Austin Tedesco, Sports Editor, at (617) 5520189, 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 Sean Keeley, Arts and Review Editor, at (617) 552-0515, or e-mail arts@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 David Cote, Editor-in-Chief, at (617) 552-2223, or e-mail editor@bcheights.com. CUSTOMER SERVICE Delivery To have The Heights delivered to your home each week or to report distribution problems on campus, contact Jamie Ciocon, General Manager at (617) 5520547. 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) 2013. All rights reserved.
CORRECTIONS Please send corrections to editor@bcheights.com with ‘correction’ in the subject line.
VOICES FROM THE DUSTBOWL “What movie quote do you use most often in conversation?”
“On Wednesdays, we wear pink.” —Kristyn Fields, A&S ’13
“Something from Good Will Hunting.” —Brett Fortin, A&S ’16
The first Apple Macintosh computer goes on sale. Ugur Mumcu, a Turkish journalist and writer, was assasinated near his home in Ankara.
2011
A suicide attack kills 37 and injures 173 in Domodedovo Inter-
“Yippeeki-ya...” —Raffi Morales, A&S ’14
“All you sucker MCs ain’t got nothin’ on me!” —Kevin Miranda, A&S ’16
The Heights
Thursday, January 24, 2013
A3
The end of Baseball Night at Fenway Park features John Farrell a BC era By Greg Joyce
Heights Senior Staff
Matt Palazzolo
Last semester I wrote a column questioning the purpose behind Stokes Hall. I recognized the necessity for extra classroom space while also lamenting the tragic death of the Dustbowl. Now that Stokes Hall is open for academic business, I felt obligated to write a follow-up evaluation. I arrived at Stokes Hall for the first time last week, 10 minutes early for class for the first time since the New York Jets were relevant. I marveled at the spacious and clean classrooms, which are a welcome upgrade from the grimy netherworld of Carney Hall. I also immediately called second semester dibs on a seat in the second floor hallway connecting the North and South buildings. On weekdays I frequently read in this corner, where I can relax comfortably while peoplewatching through the massive windows. Finally, I ventured cautiously to the mysterious fifth floor, where I discovered a locked penthouse. I have a sneaking suspicion that a vicious three-headed dog sits behind this mystifying door, guarding the sorcerer’s stone which University President Rev. William P. Leahy, S.J., uses to preserve his immortality. My initial enthusiasm for Stokes Hall evaporated when I found the newly opened Chocolate Bar. During my freshman and sophomore years I frequently visited the original Chocolate Bar in McElroy. Their delicious Oreo and moose tracks frappes were the elixir I needed to cure my writer’s block. To my horror, I discovered the new Chocolate Bar doesn’t serve any kind of frappe or ice cream, but instead offers an extensive variety of espressos and coffees, along with gelato. I understand that the vast majority of Boston College students have a relationship with coffee that resembles a car’s dependence on gasoline to function, and that the new Chocolate Bar is meeting the demands of its customers. However, I am one of the elite one percent of students who does not need caffeine to perform basic human actions. The original Chocolate Bar’s frappes were a staple of my underclassman meals. Unfortunately, this scrumptious dessert has disappeared as tragically and suddenly as the Dustbowl. Even after thoroughly exploring the new Stokes Hall with an open mind, my opinion remains unchanged from my original September column. I fully appreciate the new classroom space, and am grateful that I don’t have to trek across the ends of the earth to a humanities class in Gonzaga like I did sophomore year. On the other hand, I still mourn the untimely death of the Dustbowl over two years after it was unceremoniously roped off for the construction of Stokes Hall. One of the reasons I chose BC, apart from my spurned courtship of Georgetown, was its hybrid rural and urban campus. The Dustbowl was the defining, postcard-worthy feature of BC’s rural features before its sudden demise. To be fair, a small part of the original Dustbowl has been preserved between Stokes and Carney. However, my gut reaction as I walk past the Quad toward McElroy is still the same as that dark day two years ago. It feels cramped. Devlin, Carney, and Stokes are practically on top of each other, much like an urban university squashes academic buildings together. The surviving part of the Dustbowl is too small for the exciting Welcome Weekend activities of freshman year, where free food was omnipresent as a magician and musical performers entertained the awkwardly comingling Class of 2013. I understand that Stokes Hall provides dozens of urgently needed classrooms. One nostalgic column won’t convince the board of trustees to tear down this brand new Gothic monstrosity. Stokes Hall is here to stay, and the Dustbowl, along with my treasured frappes, is gone forever.
Matt Palazzolo is a Heights senior staffer. He can be reached at news@ bcheights.com.
Last night was a special one for the Boston College baseball program, as it held its 21st annual Baseball Night in Boston at Fenway Park’s State Street Pavilion. New Red Sox manager John Farrell served as the keynote speaker for the event, which helped raise funds for BC baseball. Speaking to the players in attendance, Farrell focused his talk on the challenging road from college baseball to the major leagues. He said the first thing everyone had to do was put aside their bats, gloves, and statistics, and focus on their character. “The greatest challenge you are going to face is yourself,” Farrell said. “You have to know who you are as a player. You have to figure
that out.” Farrell then asked the players how they wanted to be known, and gave his advice on what might make them successful on any team. “Be known as a team player,” Farrell said. “That is my advice to you. Give yourself up to something bigger.” He noted that players won’t be remembered for what they did statistically, but instead what team they won a championship with. Besides baseball advice, Farrell told the crowd stories from his time in baseball, ranging from his time as the director of player development for the Cleveland Indians, to the pitching coach for the Boston Red Sox (which included a World Series Championship in 2007), to the manager of the Toronto Blue Jays, and now coming back to be the manager of the Boston Red Sox.
The team joined former players, their families, and BC fans who were in attendance for the night, which started with a dinner and a silent auction. Then, Boston Herald columnist Steve Buckley took over as the emcee for the night introducing the various speakers. The Diamond Club, a group of alumni supporters for the baseball program, gave the annual Eddie Pellagrini Award to former player and current director of baseball operations Pete Frates, who is battling ALS. The award is given for service to the program, honoring Pellagrini’s motto of “make it better for the next guy.” “This award means so much because it solidifies all the thoughts and dreams I have for this program,” Frates said. “Be passionate about our team. Be passionate fans. Be passionate alumni.”
Head coach Mike Gambino and athletic director Brad Bates spoke about how special the night was for the program, and thanked those in attendance for coming. “Some of these boys that are going to end up in the big leagues, some of these boys that are going to end up really successful in their careers off the field when they leave here, this team that has a chance to make a run in the postseason, and this program over the next five to 10 years, which I think is going to be a lot of fun to watch, is a direct result of what you guys do for our program,” Gambino said. Gambino also announced that senior Matt Pare will wear former player Sonny Nictakis’ No. 8 this year, an honor that goes to the player that demonstrates unselfishness and handles adversity
with class. Before Frates and Farrell spoke, former player John Spatola directed the live auction for three more prizes to raise money. As a Division I baseball program in the Northeast, BC is forced to spend the majority of its early season in traveling back and forth from the South where they begin their schedule. The proceeds from the event helped defray that cost, as well as contributing to operating expenses including recruiting, equipment and scholarships. “This event is the lifeblood of our program,” Gambino said. “It gives us the resources to do what we all want to do and help these boys reach their potential on the baseball field, in the classroom, and as people. We couldn’t do it without this event.” n
BC alum presents new, natural candy brand By Qian Deng For The Heights
alex gaynor / Heights editor
Robert Bach, past president at Microsoft Corporation, spoke at the Winston Center for Leadership and Ethics.
Microsoft exec relates his experiences By Connor Farley Heights Editor Last Friday in the Newton Room of Corcoran Commons, the Winston Center for Leadership and Ethics hosted guest speaker Robert Bach, former president of the entertainment and devices division at Microsoft, at the Center’s Lunch with a Leader Program. The program, which focuses on offering students the opportunity to meet and engage with prominent business leaders, allowed Bach to speak to both his experiences at Microsoft and his take on the value of leadership. “I want to talk a little bit about the Xbox experience from a strategy perspective,” Bach said. After briefly introducing the room to his experiences and background up until working with Microsoft (including his role in the implementation of Microsoft Office in the ’90s), Bach detailed his oversight of the launching of Xbox–a revolutionary gaming system that aimed to afford gamers an incomparable experience. First envisioned in 1999, Xbox was Microsoft’s initial attempt at entering the video gaming market, and sought to outperform, and outsell, Sony’s PlayStation 2. “There was not really a whole lot of strategy behind the original Xbox besides making it bigger and more powerful than PlayStation 2, and to do so really fast,” Bach said on the planning behind the gaming system. After Bach and his team decided that Xbox consoles would need to ship by the holiday season of 2001, the research and development groups at Microsoft had only 18 months for design, production, and global shipping. “[Xbox] needed differentiation and needed to get [into homes] soon,” he said. Bach, responsible for heading the project, explained the initial struggle that Xbox faced–over the course of five years, Xbox lost about $6 billion. “The reason we were losing that money was because we had to sell each console at the price [Sony] was selling PS2s,” Bach said. “So we lost about $50 to $100
on every console.” Despite having shipped on time, Xbox systems were expensive to manufacture: each console’s production cost exceeded its selling price. “We decided we had to do a much better job on thinking about a strategy,” Bach said. In a determined response to overcome the first Xbox’s challenges, Bach and his team developed a “3-30-300” plan–an extensive documentation of the goals for the future of Microsoft gaming experiences and an explanation of what developers hoped the new Xbox would become. The idea was to first write a three-page synopsis for the company’s new idea–the Xbox 360. The document laid out in just three pages a simplified summarization of the product’s purpose–the essence of what those working on Xbox 360 wanted the product and business to become. Once the three-pager’s purpose was comprehensively understood by those working on the project, it was forwarded to a group of leaders within Microsoft who then turned the “outline” into a 30-page, in-depth explanation of the document, providing the more advanced facets of the concept. The more elaborate analysis expounded upon in the 30-pager was finally communicated to the Xbox team, who then composed a 300-page exposition on the detailed specs on every aspect of the product. Xb ox 360 dominate d the video gaming market and is now closing in on 100 million units sold. Still selling eight years later, the console has surpassed Microsoft’s market longevity expectations of five years and has become one of the most profitable and highest-selling videogame consoles of all time. “Xbox 360 was made smaller, opened to a wider audience, content was altered, and a new tagline for the product was established: ‘Jump In,’” Bach said on the inclusiveness and wideranging appeal of the Xbox 360. “The market share went from about a 90 percent male gaming audience to about a 65-35
[percent] male-to-female gamer demographic.” Bach holds that the success of Xbox hinged on three basic rules he considers necessar y for the success of any business endeavor: “Purpose, principles, and priorities.” “Simplify your vision,” Bach said. “When it comes to priorities, have five absolutes–five unwavering primary concerns and stick with them … Know your purpose and the purpose of your product in two sentences–it made all the difference for us and our team between Xbox and Xbox 360.” On a broader note, Bach emphasized three other factors that have contributed to his success and formation outside of the business world, one of them being the importance of “having a really strong faith in your goals.” “If you don’t have a strong faith in what you’re trying to accomplish, how can you get people to follow you?” Bach said. He als o encourage d a willingness to be open to serendipitous events in life, and noted the relationship between skill and hard work: “When you can’t outsmart, outwork.” After having led the division responsible for the Xbox, Xbox 360, Windows Games, Windows Mobile, and the Mic ro s o f t T V p l at fo r m , B a ch retired from Microsoft in 2010, and now serves as the chairman of the Boys and Girls Clubs of America’s National Board of Governors. He also engages in consulting work for both nonprofit and for-profit companies by walking them through the same process that made the Enter tainment and D e v ices Division at Microsoft the success it is today. The Winston Center’s Lunch With a Leader Program stimulates discussion on leadership and ethical responsibility betwe en student s and leaders within their fields of businesses and communities. For more information, please visit: http:// www.bc.edu/leadership. n
John Burns, BC ’94 and CEO of Unreal Brands, is a man on a mission. Bringing experience from key roles at two venture capital firms, Highland Capital and now Raptor Consumer Partners, Burns has already had success with companies such as Lululemon and Pinkberry, and spoke Wednesday evening on the history, challenges, and decisions at his current project, Unreal. “Businesses in the 21st century need a purpose,” Burns said. “With Unreal Brands, that purpose is to “prove that things don’t have to be the way they are,” and specifically to “take the ‘junk’ out of junk food.” Although they are in the process of launching “unjunking” efforts for soft drinks, breakfast cereal, and other goods, they have chosen to start in the most unlikely place: candy. “We picked it because it’s the hardest,” he said. “If you can do it with candy, you can do it everywhere.” He described candy as a $30 billion industry that has rarely seen innovation. With 40 percent less sugar, no preservatives, no corn syrup, no GMOs, and all materials traceable to non-child labor sources, Unreal comes in at the perfect place. An audience member asked whether candy was the wrong field to enter, considering the overall mission of healthy food. Burns said, “Giselle Bundchen eats candy. Jillian Michaels eats candy. Everyone eats candy. We’re not trying to force more candy on you, but if you do eat it, you should know that this is the better choice.” The mission also has major implications in branding. Unreal has attracted big-name supporters such as Matt Damon, Tom Brady, John Legend, and Leonardo DiCaprio, who, as Burns exclaims, “never does anything for companies!” These celebrities were willing to offer their assistance in marketing the product because they believed in its message. In candy, as in any industry, there is the age-old tension between the purity of the mission and the ability to market the product. In other words, while the candy should produce
social good, it must also become popular enough to make a lasting impact. The method Burns has taken is to distinguish his product, not through raising the price any higher than traditional candies, but through wisely positioning the brand so as to create loyalty. A key strategy is to target people in their 20s and 30s. “We want you to believe that this is your candy, not something that your grandparents were eating,” he said. There are several reasons the younger generation might enjoy the candy that Burns describes as “at the forefront of the movement called conscious capitalism”: “You are socially responsible, digitally connected, and want to be a part of things.” While at BC, Burns majored in finance and information systems, and one area that draws his interest is the digital part of marketing, so Unreal has been partnering with services such as Foursquare in addition to traditional advertising, in an attempt to show young people the candy that “has a mission, is better for you, and just more fun.” Throughout the presentation, the audience responded enthusiastically with their questions and opinions, sharing their comments on three types of potential packaging for the candy. In particular, they voted so overwhelmingly for a simple black package that Burns decided to take a picture reflecting the consensus in the room. “Packaging is crucial,” Burns said, as “billboards” that clearly reflect the product’s identity. Unreal’s candy is already sold in 20,000 stores, but Burns has even greater ambitions: “In the coming year, you will go nowhere without seeing Unreal.” He also said that the company will work continuously to make “the best candy humanly possible.” Event coordinator Derek Switaj, CSOM ’15, said, “The attendance at Wednesday’s EMixer reflects the Boston College Entrepreneur Society’s goal of catering to a wide variety of people and groups on campus.” Audience members ranged from freshmen to graduate students, and Switaj hopes for a similar turnout for the Grindstone, a weekly event for aspiring entrepreneurs. n
emily fahey / Heights Staff
John Burns presents his brand of candy, Unreal, to BC students and staff.
The Heights
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Thursday, January 24, 2013
ResLife fills key positions By Eleanor Hildebrandt News Editor The Office of Residential Life at Boston College is in the process of filling several key administrative positions. Catherine-Mary Rivera, former director of the Pathways program, was recently promoted to associate director for education, a spot that had been vacant since current Director of Residential Life George Arey left the position in October 2010. The responsibilities of the associate director position include supervising live-in staff, overseeing academic initiatives, and crisis response. The process of filling such a significant position was intensive, according to Arey. “We worked through a multi-month process,” he said. “We brought five candidates to campus: one internal candidate, and four candidates from literally across the country.” All the candidates came to campus for an intensive day-and-a-half-long interview process, which included conversations with internal stakeholder groups, those groups candidates would potentially be supervising; a collegial group, those with whom they would be working; and finally a stakeholder group comprised of offices across the campus that are directly involved with ResLife, such as AHANA student programs, the Office of First Year Experience, athletics, and the Dean of Students. Each person involved in the interviews completes evaluations for the
candidates, which Arey reviews before a decision is made. Rivera moved to BC in July 2005 and spent her first three years working as the assistant director for the first year area, supervising Upper and Newton Campuses. She then took on the assistant director position for the senior area for another three years. After that time, Rivera spent a year as the manager of the Pathways program, which is being piloted on Newton Campus. “It was very different, more project management-oriented, assessment-heavy—working with the University stakeholders and resources to build this initiative,” she said. “What I really loved was that there was a strong tie to making our mission of student formation a reality. We took that concept, that theory, and were able to then practically build a program to present for students.” After the program was renewed for a second year, Rivera kept working on Pathways over the summer, and then decided to apply for the associate director position, which would allow her to combine her interests of project management and staff supervision, when the search opened up. As Rivera transitions to her new position, she is also involved in the process of filling other key positions in ResLife. Greg Jones, from Brandeis University, was hired as the Assistant Director of Housing Occupancy and Assignments last Tuesday, Jan. 15. Jones, who has more than five years of experience with
BC celebrates King’s legacy MLK, from A1
graham beck / Heights editor
Newly-appointed associate director of ResLife, Rivera (left), with Director George Arey. assignments, will begin working in early February. The position of tech manager, who will manage all of the office technology, such as the room selection platforms, and will be involved in project management, remains open. The Associate Director for Operations & Financial Management has also been vacant since April of 2011. Arey said that, after an initial search, he was unimpressed by the depth and quality of the applicant pool. The search was closed, the job description revised, and a new search commenced. “Traditionally, the position was heavily focused on finance,” Arey said. “Now, it’s heavily focused on operations and facilities. So in the past it was very focused on running the overall department budget. We now have, in our division, another relatively new addition is Jonathan Hinrichs, and Jonathan is the chief financial officer for the division. So this takes a little bit
of the financial burden off of this person—we retooled the position to be focusing more on construction and renovations, the condition of the residence halls, and then working with some of our processes: room selection, end of the year closing, opening.” Although by no means a newcomer to the University, Rivera acknowledged that, as she is not a BC alumnae, she had to “grow into BC” and work to learn the culture. “A big initial goal for me in this transition is just relearning the culture of the live-in staff,” she said. “What they need to be successful, and what processes and procedures need to be in place so they can then spend the time with their students, they can spend the time creating initiatives and experiences that are in line with the University’s mission and our individual mission of student formation in the residence halls.” n
New academic building consolidates humanities at BC Stokes, from A1 Project,” from the Board of Aldermen of Newton beginning in 1996. While the proposal attained a majority of votes, it lacked the two-thirds supermajority necessary for approval. The University subsequently took Newton to Massachusetts land court, arguing that the city’s decision violated the Dover Amendment, a subsection of Massachusetts General Law that states, in part, “No zoning ordinance or by-law shall … prohibit, regulate or restrict the use of land or structures for religious purposes or for educational purposes on land owned or leased by the commonwealth.” After a lengthy trial, conducted over several months in 1998, and almost two years of consideration, Court Justice Karyn F. Scheier decided in favor of BC in January of 2001. According to an account of the case on masscases.com, the judge ruled that “BC had demonstrated a ‘pressing need’ to replace ‘outdated and cramped’ facilities while the board failed to demonstrate that applying the FAR requirement to the Middle Campus generally would result in an appreciable advancement of Newton’s legitimate zoning concerns.” “It cost the city of Newton upwards of $100,000 to defend itself, and Boston College prevailed in court,” Dunn said. “But by the time the court case was resolved, the plans for those three interconnected humanities buildings were obsolete.” In 2004, the University purchased the land for what is now BC’s Brighton Campus from the Archdiocese of Boston, which in turn led to the design of a new plan for future construction that would integrate the Brighton land. One section of BC’s 10-year Institutional Master Plan Notification Form, submitted in 2007 and approved in 2009, listed proposals to construct, among other
buildings, “Stokes Commons, an 85,000 square-foot academic facility to be used as an interim student center and dining hall, [and] a 125,000 square-foot academic facility for the humanities.” Construction on the finalized plan for Stokes Hall began in October of 2010. According to University officials, despite variations from the original plan, the underlying intent to invest in the humanities at BC remained consistent. “It’s a wise investment for a University whose commitment to liberal arts remains unwavering,” Dunn said. Dean of the College of Arts & Sciences (A&S) David Quigley agreed: “As the Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, I’m thrilled that we’re kicking off the university’s sesquicentennial year with the opening of Stokes Hall,” he said in an email. “It reminds us all of the vital importance of the liberal arts on this campus, now and on into the future.” “As much as anything, it was strategically designed to foster interaction between faculty and students,” Dunn said. “We took that concept of cura personalis, and how vital it is to the Jesuit experience, and we brought it to the architects so that they could help to design a building to reinforce that key component of student formation, which is faculty-student interaction. It’s also designed to foster interdisciplinary collaboration, so that the philosophers and the theologians are speaking, so that history is talking with English, so that the members of the First Year Experience are interacting with faculty and the academic advising center. That was the plan—to foster interdisciplinary collaboration within the humanities.” “I think Stokes opens up rich possibilities for integration, bringing departments together while providing new spaces for rich student-faculty interaction,” Quigley said. “I especially like the way it connects the
underclassmen on Upper Campus to the heart of the university.” The location of Stokes and the appropriation of BC’s largest green space on Middle Campus, the former “Dustbowl,” garnered a significant amount of controversy when construction began. From a design standpoint, however, Keating said that the location made perfect sense. “The feeling was, it had to be on Middle Campus,” Keating said. “That’s where the academic core of the campus was, and the building was going to be the vehicle for much of the core curriculum.” After determining a location, the University decided to construct Stokes so as to reflect the architectural heritage of BC. The local architectural firm of Tsoi/Kobus & Associates was hired to design Stokes Hall in keeping with the Gothic design of BC’s original buildings. A programming committee from A&S, including Quigley and his department chairs, consulted with the architects to discuss the placement of departments within the building, according to Keating. Stokes was intended in part to bring all the humanities departments from their separate locations in Carney Hall and Maloney Hall into one location. “We decided that we wanted to create this single building for humanities, and to replace the classrooms in Carney—Carney was considered in tough shape, it really needed significant repair—and our classroom configuration wasn’t optimal,” Keating said. “So we needed a new building to be able to provide more smaller classrooms, and a different variety of classrooms than what Carney offered. “You don’t build buildings quite like this very often,” Keating said. “You don’t have the opportunity in universities to build such a significant building. But, you know, it’s similar to Bapst or Gasson or Fulton or Devlin, back in its day. “It’s a high-quality building, there is
Lambda responds to crime
Number of applications to BC drops
Lambda, from A1
Admissions, from A1 and also one that receives a relatively high number of applications. This explosion of applications, however, has been concentrated in the last five to 10 years of the University’s history, and has been coupled with a general decline in yield, the percentage of students offered admission who choose to enroll. Although the effects of the supplemental essay cannot be predicted exactly, it is likely that the University’s yield will increase for the coming year, and while the decrease in applications is significant, Mahoney pointed out that the total number is not always the most important indicator. “The big question is, ‘How many apps are enough?’” Mahoney said. “It’s diminishing returns.” In terms of applicant quality, the addition of the essay seems to have had little effect. Students applying this year had similar average SAT and ACT scores to those who applied the year before, despite the loss of nearly 10,000 applications. “Probably what we’ve done is right-size our applicant pool,” Mahoney said. n
no question,” he said. “You walk into that building—the materials, the way it’s laid out, the feel of the building—this is a first-class building. That says something about the University’s commitment to the humanities, to undergraduate education, to the student experience.” As faculty members begin to utilize the new classrooms in Stokes, the commitment to humanities has moved away from the symbolic to the tangible. Responding to a question about investing in humanities rather than the typically higher-demand fields of science, technology, math and engineering (STEM), Keating noted that there was a greater immediate need for a humanities building, considering the state of Carney. “The facilities at Higgins and Merkert were newer and had newer investments,” he said. While a plan for an integrated science building is under way, Keating said that the space available on Middle Campus lent itself to a humanities building. “The science building is a little more complicated in that it requires Nursing to be relocated first. So that domino makes a new science building a little more difficult, and, in fact, this location was ideal for the humanities. This would not have been an ideal location for the sciences—the sciences need to be near Merkert and Higgins.” Logistics aside, Quigley stressed the importance of teaching the liberal arts at BC. “I’m supportive of the balanced and thoughtful approach that the university’s leadership has taken in recent years, hiring faculty across the humanities and the natural sciences,” he said. “To become the kind of university we’re called to be, it’s imperative that we commit to excellence across the liberal arts. As someone who sees teaching as central to the university, this investment in high-quality teaching spaces is worth celebrating.” n
interfaith campus minister, all greeted the audience, before the two keynote speakers gave their remarks. “When we look back on the years of the Civil Rights Movement and beyond, it is clear that our nation has come quite a long way,” Akufo said. “Nevertheless, even though we have come far, we have not come far enough. We have silenced many of the injustices taking place with the few advances we have made. The dream has been interrupted halfway, and I believe that it is safe to say that there is much work to be done in our community and our nation.” In his introduction, McLendon worked to engage the audience in the memorial service, calling to mind the dialogical tradition of the African-American Baptist church, while also bringing some levity and humor to the service. “In the African-American church, everybody is expected to sing, whether you can sing or not,” McLendon said. “There’s sopranos, altos, tenors, and then none of the above. Whatever God has given you, you use it.” Representing the student body, Sandra Dickson, Martin Luther King, Jr. Scholar and CSON ’13, spoke about the importance of peaceful change and broader meaning of his speeches. “There is no doubt that Dr. King’s ‘I Have a Dream’ speech is one of the greatest in our time,” Dickson said. “Personally, the speech is not just a story, but the untold narrative of millions of Americans, suffering under the weight of injustice. He was bold, determined, and forceful and reminded the country of, what he termed, ‘the fierce urgency of now.’ There are still pockets of discrimination. We must not be satisfied with what is, but strive for what can be.” After Dickson spoke, Allen Currelley, A&S ’13, introduced the keynote speaker of the event: Rev. Gina Casey, pastor of the Columbus Avenue A.M.E. Zion Church in Boston. The daughter of an ordained Baptist preacher, Casey studied at Howard University and married before answering the call to ministry in the ’80s. She studied Theology at the Fuller Theological Seminary and assumed her current pastoral position in June of 2010. “I want to talk to you this evening on the path of fearlessness,” Casey began. “The Rev. Martin Luther King could have easily chosen a different path. This man had everything going for him. He could have decided to choose a path that would have allowed him to earn tons of money. But he was a fearless man. He was only 26 years old when he led a bus boycott in Montgomery, Alabama. In the midst of threats, Dr. King was not deterred. He chose a path of service and remained fearless to the very end.” In addition to the relating the trials that King faced, Casey also recounted the experience she had in Honduras. She talked about her trip to a garbage dump in Tegucigalpa and the poverty she witnessed there. Seeing the plight of the children who had no real hopes for their future, she described the hope she was given by a school recently opened there and extolled the accomplishments of the pastor who set this school up. “My question for you today is what path have you chosen,” Casey asked. “Have you chosen a path where you can ignore the homeless on the street? If you want the legacy to continue, I challenge you today to step off your primrose path." n
eun hee kwon / for the Heights
The Spring Internship Fair, held yesterday and today, attracted a variety of BC students.
Students seek career options Internship Fair, from A1 with lines of students often running past the companies’ tables. Other local companies, including GateHouse Media New England and Big Brothers Big Sisters of Massachusetts Bay, greeted students interested in internship positions. BC’s own start-up company, Jebbit, had its own table at the fair. “It’s so nice that Boston College offers an opportunity like this right on campus,” Emily Hoffman, CSOM ’15, said. “There were companies that I was interested in beforehand and many that I hadn’t thought of previously but would definitely look into in the future.”
Lucy Smuckler, an English major and A&S ’15, was pleased with the turnout of students at the fair but felt the diversity of companies was lacking. “I felt that a lot of the employers were geared toward CSOM students,” Smuckler said. While some students found more success than others, there are more opportunities to come. The Career Center will be hosting the second day of the internship fair in the Heights Room today. Other companies attending the event include Boston Ballet, Cigna, Deloitte Consulting LP, Ernst and Young, KPMG and TD Bank. Students interested in the event should stop by Lower Campus between 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. n
a cowardly one as well.” The letter also requested that anyone with information concerning the incident contact BCPD. Triplett said that response from the BC community was instant. “Everyone has been unbelievably supportive,” Triplett said. “The administration got on it immediately, got the police involved—other student organizations have reached out to us to let us know, however they can help us—someone even offered to donate a security camera. We’ve had people reach out and say that we can use their listservs if we want to get the word out, for anything we need.” Triplett also stated that the alumni response so far has been significant—he has received supportive emails from alumni as far away as California, and one alumnus offered to donate paint and paintbrushes in order to cover up the graffiti. Besides noting the supportive community response, Triplett emphasized how atypical the incident was. “Our organization is one of the most active and well-liked on campus,” Triplett said. “We’ve never had a negative incident, in my two years here—this is not normal.” The administration of the Law School echoed that view, noting that events targeting student groups were highly unusual. “As far as my knowledge goes, I don’t think I’ve ever heard of anything ever happening, to any of our groups,” said Nate Kenyon, BC’s director of law school
marketing and communications. “The general response from Lambda members as they found out yesterday— every single person I talked to, the first thing they said was, ‘It can’t be someone at the Law School,’” Triplett said. “And I think that sets the tone for the community we have here—that that first thought is, it can’t be someone who goes here.” As the investigation is ongoing, the University is considering the possibility that the perpetrators may not have been members of the BC community at all. “In light of that—that it was an unlocked room in an unlocked building, over a holiday weekend—as a result, police are considering all possibilities,” said University Spokesman Jack Dunn. In the meantime, Lambda is still weighing its response to the vandalism. “We don’t want it to be a one- or twoperson response, we want a response from the community,” Triplett said. “We’ve called a meeting for tomorrow [Thursday, Jan. 24], and we’re all going to meet to discuss how we’re going to move forward. The most important thing to us right now is that we just respond with a positive response. We don’t want to focus on the negative of what happened—I think this was a one-off type thing, and it’s not of the culture, of the community that we all know here at BC. We don’t even want to focus on that at all, we just want to say, let’s do something positive, let’s move forward, let’s make something good out of this.” n
CLASSIFIEDS Thursday, January 24, 2013
THE HEIGHTS THE HEIGHTS
A5 A5
Thursday, January 24, 2013
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Directions: The Sudoku is played over a 9x9 grid. In each row there are 9 slots, some of which are empty and need to be filled. Each row, column and 3x3 box should contain the numbers 1 to 9. You must follow these rules: · Number can appear only once in each row · Number can appear only once in each column · Number can appear only once in each 3x3 box · The number should appear only once on row, column or area. T:5.6875”
T:10.5”
That 9 dollar lunch is worth more than you think. Like 19,000 dollars more. Pack your own lunch instead of going out. $6 saved a day x 5 days a week x 10 years x 6% interest = $19,592. That could be money in your pocket. Small changes today. Big bucks tomorrow. Go to feedthepig.org for free savings tips.
The Heights
A6
Lambda office vandalism is inexcusable
Thursday, January 24, 2013
QUOTE OF THE DAY A genuine leader is not a searcher for consensus but a molder of consensus. -Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr., civil rights leader
The Heights supports Lambda’s decision to make a message out of the wall, not cover it up Over the long weekend, the office of the Lambda Law Students Association, the GLBTQ student group at Boston College Law School, was vandalized. Quite possibly on the same day that the President of the United States delivered a speech that made explicit reference to the equal rights of GLBTQ citizens—symbolizing our country’s progress on that issue—someone was scrawling offensive words across the wall of the Lambda office. It is even more saddening to know that this occurred over Martin Luther King, Jr. weekend, a time set aside for the advancement of equal rights. It is regrettable that this crime comes at a time when not just our country but Boston College in particular has been making great strides in regards to GLBTQ rights. With the creation of the Spectrum retreat and
the highly popular Ellen2BC campaign, it seems that BC, which historically has been relatively unwelcoming to GLBTQ students in comparison with other universities, has been working to make this group more comfortable. The Heights, however, believes that the situation has been handled commendably and in a way that may further the cause of GLBTQ students, rather than set it back. Lambda has received much support from the law community as well as alumni, and we urge them to go through with their plans to transform the vandalized wall into a space that celebrates their cause. Taking this action would send the message that those who share the beliefs of the vandal(s) are, in fact, the minority and that such behavior will not be tolerated by the BC community.
In the future, BC should focus on STEM
With Stokes as a beacon for the humanities, the administration must now look to the sciences Along with the beginning of the new semester came the much-anticipated opening of the impressive Stokes Hall, the new home to the A&S Honors, history, English, classical studies, philosophy, and theology departments, as well as the Office of First Year Experience and the Academic Advising Center. The Heights welcomes this beautiful addition to our campus for all the aesthetic pleasure it provides, and for the fundraising opportunities it presents: donors may contribute significant amounts in order to have a floor, a classroom, the Honors library, the lawn, the commons, or the function room named in their honor. The administration has touted Stokes Hall as a celebration of the humanities and Boston College’s stake in a liberal arts education. While The Heights praises their pride in BC’s tradition and defining dedication to the liberal arts, we question the timing and extravagance of the gesture. The entire project cost $78 million and was completed just when job prospects for students majoring in the humanities are among the bleakest they have ever been. We are not, in any sense, sug-
gesting that BC abandon the devotion to the liberal arts that has shaped and distinguished it for 150 years. We do, however, believe that the $78 million may have been better spent had a portion of it been devoted to science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) disciplines. As it is, any significant investment in the sciences has been delayed until more funds have been accumulated, which may be several years down the line. BC prides itself on graduating students prepared to change the world. The world needs people well-educated in all disciplines, but, because of the current economy, fewer graduates with degrees in the humanities are being hired. If BC neglects the subjects that are currently employing the most graduates, are they truly able to accomplish their goal? To what extent can graduates who can’t get a job effect significant change? With Stokes open and St. Mary’s undergoing construction, we urge the administration to now focus its attention on math and science. The Heights believes that BC’s next step is to show that it can maintain tradition while also embracing the changing world.
Admissions is wise to add supplemental essay The benefits of adding an extra essay to the BC application far outweigh the potential negative effects In 2012, Boston College received 34,051 applications for admission. In 2013, the University received about 25,000 applications. At first, these numbers are frightening. Why did 10,000 fewer people want to attend BC in 2013 than in 2012? The answer is simple—starting in 2013, aspiring high school seniors were required to write one 400-word supplemental essay to the Common Application. The Heights fully supports the addition of a supplemental essay to BC’s application. First, most prestigious universities and almost all of the universities to which BC is often compared already require a supplemental essay. Simply adding an essay to the application visibly implies a more selective school. Yes, the addition of a supplemental essay was probably the significant factor behind the decrease of the University’s applicant pool by 10,000 applicants. If a single 400-word essay is all that it took to dissuade a potential student from applying to BC, however, they probably were not very interested in our school in the first place. In a way, adding the essay trims the fat—by asking students to put a little more effort into their application, the admissions department is ensuring that those who do apply are truly interested in coming here. As a result, while the admissions rate may increase slightly from the current 28 percent—though it also may not—the University’s yield will probably increase similarly. While admissions rates are often compared between schools, yields are, in many ways, a more accurate measure of a school’s prestige and attractiveness to applicants. Lastly, by ensuring that those who apply are truly interested in BC, the University’s freshman-to-sophomore year retention rate, a measurement of how many students return to the University for their second year, will also likely increase. Preliminary data from this year’s applicant pool has indicated that the quality of students
applying, as indicated by average GPA and standardized test scores, has stayed the same. While 10,000 fewer students are applying, those students were, in general, not significantly above or below BC’s average applicants. As a result, the University is ensuring that high quality students are still being admitted, and that the essay will not discourage high-scoring high school students from applying. That is not to say that there are not potential downsides to adding the supplemental essay. It is possible that the admissions rate could increase significantly this year, which could indicate to less informed observers that the University’s quality of applicants went down, and thus that its prestige is also falling. In addition, just because a student does not want to write a 400-word supplemental essay does not mean that the same student would not thrive at BC. A decrease of 10,000 applications is significant, and it is certainly possible that some of those missing applicants could have found a home at BC. At its root, though, the supplemental essay gives students a final chance to express who they are and why they belong at BC. Prospective students are given several choices from which to select, allowing them to pick a question that they feel will most accurately reflect their interests and personality. As a school that does not currently interview applicants, the addition of a supplementary essay can only help admissions counselors gain a more accurate and complete picture of each applicant. As an institution, BC often seems more concerned with who a person is, rather than what a person is. Adding a supplemental essay aligns with this goal—by shifting the focus away from numbers like GPA and standardized test scores, this third and final essay may assist admissions counselors in selecting prospective students who will thrive during their time at BC.
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Letter to the Editor BC Bookstore should re-evaluate their bag drop policy As a relatively new student to Boston College, I have been impressed at how friendly, supportive, and accommodating people and offices have been—I am excited to call myself an Eagle. However, on a recent trip to the BC Campus Bookstore, I was disappointed at what I saw. The Bookstore requires students to place their bags outside the store. According to store assistant manager David Werda, this practice is “designed to provide an added measure of safety and security for bookstore patrons as well as to protect the assets of Boston College and the Bookstore.” While this practice may be accepted by students at BC, I question the message it is sending—students are not to be trusted so they must place their bags outside the store—It reminds me of the 7-11 across the street from the high school in my local community, where students are asked to place their bags outside due to the potential of theft. Furthermore, how does this practice provide an added
measure of safety and security for students? It seems to me placing bags, unattended, outside the store places students at a greater risk of theft or damage to personal property. Finally, if the policy is in place to protect the assets of the bookstore and BC, have other mechanisms been examined, such as providing detectors at the store entrance as most libraries do, or better yet having employees keep an eye out for an suspicious behavior by store patrons? This policy is a sad reflection on the attitude of the Bookstore management at BC—students are not to be trusted. Thankfully I can and will purchase books and other materials from other retailers, such as Barnes and Noble, that do not engage in the practice of requiring patrons to place their bag outside the store. Chris Miller STM ’13
The following letter is in response to “Study abroad” by Marye Moran, originally published on 12/6/12: Marye, I want to begin this email with a disclaimer that everything I am about to communicate to you is meant with all due respect. However, I feel very strongly about what I am going to say, and unfortunately I have a feeling you might take some of this personally. So please keep that in mind as you read. I really don’t know where to begin. I guess I should start by saying that I was appalled at your column, and for a variety of reasons. For starters, I cannot believe you would have the audacity to write so freely and with conviction on a topic you have so little knowledge about. I don’t care how much research you have done into studying abroad, or what motions you have gone through to get ready for your semester abroad this spring, because what it all boils down to is this: you have not studied abroad. Therefore, you have not the slightest clue what you’re writing about in terms of studying abroad being “worth it” or not. I’m not a journalist, but if I was, I can tell you right now I would never, ever, write an article (even an opinion piece) on a subject that I was not fully aware of, educated on, or had not experienced for myself. I cannot believe you had the thought to do that. Secondly, I believe you have done a great disservice to the Boston College community by running this article. If one freshman or sophomore who reads that column decides not to pursue any interest in studying abroad because of what you said, you have cheated not only them, but also the entire community here at BC. In short, my experience and the experience of my friends was nothing but amazing. I was immersed in Spanish culture, made lifelong friends, learned a new language, and developed new and fresh perspectives on life that I have taken back to the Heights with me. I understand in your article you say that “most” people don’t get the kind of experience I had, and you believe that is not the time or place for that experience anyway. Well then, when is? When you are out of college trying to start a career? And I’ll tell you right now, going to Europe for a month with your friends after college to gallivant around and take pictures is not the
same as spending five months in a foreign country trying to live, eat, make friends, and establish a life for yourself. You go so far as to say “While cultural understanding and language skills are helpful, both of those qualities can be achieved in a context other than a semester abroad”.... Who are you to say that? How do you know that can be achieved in such a way? I was not fluent in Spanish before I left. It was sink or swim when I got there, and I trusted the stories I heard all my life about how when you get to a country you just “pick it up” so much more easily. And you know what, those stories (not opinions) were right...and I can confirm that because my friends and I actually did it. Fifty BC students in Madrid will testify that we all had an amazing cultural experience and learned a language, something that you claim just doesn’t happen for most who go abroad. When you go abroad, you become a new person. And I mean that from the bottom of my heart. You develop a perspective on life that you will just never get from sitting here in the U.S. your whole life, and you won’t get it either from spending a few weeks abroad traveling with friends. All that perspective you gain, you bring back to the U.S., and specifically back to the Heights. Marye, our BC community thrives on new ideas, new perspectives, and diverse identities. When a individual in our community goes abroad, they come back with new perspective and ideas that help our community to flourish and move forward. In your column, you pretty much told people not to go abroad because it’s “not worth it.” By doing that, you have committed a grave disservice to individuals and this community. What’s more, you did all of it out of uninformed or misinformed opinion, with no factual evidence or experience to support your claims.
The Heights welcomes Letters to the Editor not exceeding 400 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.
Seth Weil A&S ’13 Editor’s Note: This letter was shortened due to space constraints. You can read the entire letter online at www.bcheights.com.
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The Heights
Thursday, January 24, 2013
A7
Shrinking attention spans
Matt Auker P*mp our logo - Thumbs Up, Thumbs Down has gotten a makeover. Our faithful readers have no doubt noticed our vamped-up logo. While it may not seem like much to you, we are wont to liken it to a coming of age of sorts. We feel that as an institution (which we of course consider ourselves), we have really come into our own, as they say. In line with this, we would like to take this time to clarify our mission: to be hilarious, observant, sassy, and a voice for the students of Boston College who are known in general to be a smart, sarcastic bunch. So please do the following things: 1) Take out your phones and follow us on twitter, @BCTUTD, and 2) If you notice anything particularly TU/TD worthy, tweet it at us, or hashtag TU or TD (#TU or #TD). Depending on the hilarity of your contributions, your tweet may be printed in the next issue of The Heights. Does it get any better than that?? mmmm Hot Cocoa - Even though you will see as you read further down this column that we later vehemently thumbs down the recent cold weather, we at TU/TD like to see the bright side of every situation. That is why we are giving a thumbs up to hot chocolate. Though we fully condone the consumption of this delicious beverage at all times of the year, drinking it while snuggled up in a blanket after just coming in from an outside temperature that sounds more like a time of day than anything that should be followed by the word “degrees” just feels so right.
So, welcome back everybody. As I sit here in O’Neill on the second day of classes writing for The Heights in a desperate attempt to pad my barren resume so that I may one day graduate and enter into whatever field of corporate slavery my political science major and exceedingly average grades will thrust me into, I find myself reflecting back on my past two and a half years here at BC. Don’t worry; this isn’t going to be some lame article about “how fast it has gone by” and “making the most of my time here”. This is about how, as I was in the process of deep, contemplative, existential self-analysis, I was abruptly brought back to reality by a text message, or a Facebook notification, or an email, or whatever; it doesn’t matter really: I’m making this part up. What I’m trying to get at in this shamelessly fabricated anecdote is how little time myself and other kids of this generation spend without some form of electronic distraction sapping our attention. I know you’ve heard all this before, but bear with me. As I was walking to class today, I passed by a group of five girls who were clearly standing together. All five of them were furiously typing away on their iPhones without a single word being said among them the entire time I was within earshot. Naturally, I silently mourned the fate of the ADHD generation I was unlucky enough to be stuck in, and, without even realizing it, simultaneously reached into my pocket, grabbed my smartphone, and checked my email. I swear that entire scene actually happened. I got through two and a half emails before the irony of what had just taken place
dress well, test well - The Internship fair, if only because it forces countless of our classmates to look classy as hell all day, which makes us feel classy by association, since we go to school with these dapper-looking, internship-seeking people.
brr, it’s cold out there - Thumbs down this weather. Anytime it takes us 20 minutes to get dressed in the morning due to the sheer number of clothing items we are piling onto our ghostly pale bodies deserves a huge thumbs down. Two, in fact. Every single thumb we have is pointing downwards. beanpot, schmeanpot - In the same vein as above, if we want tickets to the Beanpot we have to be up and out the door before 7 a.m.? We know we’re addressing the school that still uses UIS, but isn’t there some way to do this electronically from the comfort of our twin XL beds? zero dark three hours - Okay, we can’t understand this epicly long movie trend. Does it make any financial sense? They spend more, but can’t charge any more for tickets, and are probably only dissuading people from going to see it. We at TU/TD just want an explanation.
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to the policies while only 41 percent said they would like to see their representative vote against them. The problem is that while the majority of Americans are in favor of a seemingly necessary reevaluation of gun control laws, that same majority is also made up of the smartphone zombies referred to earlier. Well-meaning and somewhat informed, yes, but Sandy Hook happened over a month ago. How exactly are we all still to care about gun control when we’re being bombarded with new headlines, sound bites, and Manti Te’o’s nonexistent girlfriend on an hourly basis? So while the silent majority is being distracted by what a jackass Lance Armstrong turned out to be, interest groups like the NRA insert themselves into the discussion and make their presence felt on Capitol Hill. Before you know it, what was once a popular idea is now subject to partisan bickering and lobby group influence. It’s a microcosm of how our lawmakers operate year round and the reason no meaningful legislation gets passed. We care about one thing in the news for a little while, our representatives say all the right things that their constituents want to hear, and then it fades into obscurity—because the interest groups that helped get these representatives elected care a whole lot more than the American people do. I don’t know what solution, if any, there is for this. I’m certainly not getting rid of my phone anytime soon, and the benefits of this technology still far outweigh the drawbacks. But there is something to be said for a country that is consistently the most entertained while being the most uninformed that complains when nothing gets done on their behalf.
Matt Auker is a staff columnist for The Heights. He can be reached at opinions@ bcheights.com.
To sleep another minute Patrick Angiolillo
i was lost, but now I’m...still lost - Every student who has set up a meeting with a professor lucky enough to have had his/her office relocated to Stokes has, like us, come to the realization that the labyrinth of cubicles hidden in the upper floors of Stokes is just as hopelessly difficult to navigate as was the dreaded Maloney maze. What’s worse is that other departments, such as math, who previously had an extremely wellorganized system of offices (albeit in hideous Carney), are now being relocated to Maloney. Pretty soon no one will ever be able to find any professor’s office, all office hours will be cancelled due to lack of demand, tour guides will no longer be able to boast of professor’s accessibility, and general havoc will ensue. But man, is Stokes pretty or what?
pretty much smacked me in the face. And even then—did I put my phone away, look up as I was walking and make eye-contact with passersby, or did I allow the attention-whore that is my phone to prevent any meaningful human interaction from taking place for the next, I don’t know, 10 Facebook posts? I feel confident that whoever has actually read this far down can accurately guess. The point here is that constant preoccupation with online interconnectivity on an individual level has resulted in our nation’s collective attention span being reduced to that of a gnat’s. Think about the last time you had to go take a sh—relieve yourself—without your phone or any other reading material. Admit it, you’ve probably never felt more like a fiending crack-addict in your life. To a single person, the negative effects of this borderline addictive behavior are limited to themselves. But when an entire country of smartphone-carrying zombies that can’t sit by themselves and just think for 10 minutes without needing a screen to look at is called to address a real national concern, this can pose an issue. Forgive me for wading into Sandy Hook territory, but it’s currently the most relevant example for this argument. The first few weeks after the incident saw a consensus among Americans that our national gun policies needed to be addressed. Notice the wording of “national gun policies needed to be addressed.” This has a much different meaning than “gay socialist Muslim Barack Obama wants to take all of our guns and give them to alQaeda so he can impose martial law.” Yet there seems to be far more clamor about the latter statement in recent weeks as Obama announced new gun control proposals. Nationwide protests and strong language from the NRA could easily lead casual media-observers to assume the proposals are wildly unpopular, but in a Gallup poll released Jan. 21, 53 percent of Americans reported positive reactions
I watch a little game every morning. My bedroom is the arena, my roommate the contestant, and his alarm clock the challenge. As I roll over half asleep, my eyes only cracked, I am witness to a gymnastic feat that compares to something an Olympic athlete might do to impress a crowd of spectators. The alarm’s shrill buzz tears through the cold morning silence. Just seconds pass, and the contestant is off—a runner down the track, a thoroughbred out the gate. The covers fold forward in beautiful unison as a flesh-colored blur leaps toward the opposite side of the room, where the alarm is inconveniently, but for the sake of the challenge, cleverly stationed. A few loud squeaks of the hardwood floor under his dashing foot, and he is back in the bed, the alarm vanquished with a slap of the snooze button. All is well. Warmth is restored. Sleep is once again recalled. No further disturbance. Until, 10 minutes later, the game begins again… It’s not much compared to The Hunger Games or Gladiator—and I imagine Russell Crowe would do a lot more to “vanquish” the alarm than simply smack the snooze button—but it’s still a contest, a game we play, but not with each other, rather with ourselves, and not for survival, but perhaps for sanity. I’m not one to “snooze,” myself. When I hear the alarm, I’m up and out of bed, however untimely ripped I may be from sweet, sweet sleep (not to mention a good dream or two). It’s simply how I’m wired. (My only complaint is that I share my alarm’s sound with the waffle makers’ in the dining halls, so that when the latter announces the waffle’s completion, I twitch at the sound and involuntarily remind myself—and those around me—that “I’m awake already!”) A number of folks I know, though, have trouble with these pesky little timekeepers. One must look no further than the
Imbroglio
iPhone, though—or so I am told. Aside from the clock and alarm that are programmed on the phone, there is a plentitude of apps that cater to the “sleeper-in” and “only-five-more-minutes-er.” Take, for example, any of the apps in Apple’s App Store (“Alarm Clock Pro” and “Alarm Clock 4 Free”) that are simply nothing more than an alarm clock—yes, the very same thing your iPhone comes well-equipped with already. For the more seasoned sleeper, there is—don’t hold your breath—“Sleep Cycle alarm clock.” It does (or is supposed to do) what its name claims. This app only requires your phone on the bed with you and a range of time in which you want to wake up. It will (allegedly) measure your sleep pattern and cause your phone to ring in the morning when you are at the lightest point of sleep within the range of hours you set. Amazing, right? Well, like I said, don’t hold your breath. You’ll be lucky if you get up in time for that 11 a.m. (or, for some of you, that 3 p.m.). And so the game continues. There is radio—where the rationale is: “If I hear music and not a buzzing, I’ll get up, because I’ll want to hear the music more.” I know this to end only one way: a weird and confusing dream about playing in the band whose song you are supposed to be waking up to (and it doesn’t end well). Then there is talk-show radio—“Perhaps if I wake up to people talking, then I’ll get up, because it’s, you know, people’s voices talking to me.” This one only lands you in the middle of an awkward early morning interview with some little-known indie band, or probably more likely a soloist who’s yet to “really make his big break.” In short, these don’t work either, but they probably do provide some interesting case studies for Freudians or the psychology department. I admire my roommate’s effort the most. His is a real game. And if you’re wondering where this whole thing was going, here it is—his way is not some silly iPhone app or a strange-dream-inducing method. His way is a man, his alarm, and the early morning chill of a room that is barely heated by an old ping-panging radiator. His is a real challenge and seems most noble, in the most prosaic way. It
speaks most to that human ability to spring to action, succeed, and then do it all over again—whether it’s 10 minutes later, 20 minutes later, the next morning, or all year every year in the course of the average human lifespan. His is the Sisyphean effort of sleeping, alarms, and waking up. Every day, the same task before him, the same result, the same drudgery—every day, the same. But, as Camus advises us, “[we] must imagine Sisyphus happy.” And even though I think that my roommate would claim no happiness in his little morning charade (and that Sisyphus would probably claim his effort a bit more demanding than my roommate’s), there is, I believe, a shadow of success and reward in these quotidian tasks—either in my roommate’s case or the myth’s. In each, there is a hint of hope, the hope that we catch only in glimpses. Without hope, either case would be futile— they would be no better than, and have no more potential than, treading water for eternity. But because we humans have hope, and if we can imagine that Sisyphus does too, there is meaning to these actions, and we can encounter this meaning, even if we do not understand it completely, every now and again. For my roommate, it is that one morning he happens to wake up of his natural accord just moments before the alarm is to set off, blaring in the pin-drop silence. For Sisyphus, it is that moment of intense relief between hauling the immense boulder up the hill and its tumbling back down. Each can bask in these moments—as we all can in similar moments through our lives, however tooth-brushing mundane or world-shaking extraordinary—because it is then that we glimpse the hope of the rectification of all things, the hope of knowing full well there is a vast depth of meaning to what we do, day in and day out, the hope of our shared human experience. Or maybe that’s just my reasoning for twitching when the waffle-makers buzz and I make a fool of myself. But I’d like to think not.
Patrick Angiolillo is a staff columnist for The Heights. He can be reached at opinions@bcheights.com.
BY KALEB KEATON
The opinions and commentaries of the staff columnists and cartoonists appearing on this page represent the views of the author or artist of that particular piece, and not the views of The Heights. Any of the columnists and artists for the Opinions section of The Heights can be reached at opinions@bcheights.com.
Work hard, play harder Kristy Barnes With Stokes now open, I assume each and every one of you is having flashbacks to the horrid days that happened anywhere between one and eight semesters ago. That’s right, I’m talking about when you were the new kid and you frantically looked for your classrooms in a foreign building with the sinking thought that maybe you should have left five minutes earlier. Well, let me tell you, from the balcony overlooking the Chocolate Bar, we all looked like frantic freshmen last week as we ran into the halls, into each other, and into the wrong classrooms (or was that only me who managed to do all of that in the span of my first hour?). The addition of a new academic building just heightens the thrill that accompanies a new semester. There is nothing quite like the excitement of returning to school, with, of course, your newfound prospective and appreciation for Boston College after your life-changing Arrupe trip. There are new classes, new classmates, and best of all, new professors, none of which know how you never prepare the readings for your Wednesday classes because every Tuesday you are magically transported to MA’s against your will. But hey, that was the old you. It’s a new semester, you’ve inevitably told yourself, and this is the semester where everything will be different. So no more weekday drinking, no more weekend procrastination, and no more avoiding Bapst. You promised yourself you would finally receive marks your mom could brag about to your aunt. Oh, and that internship you picked up, along with the leadership position in [insert club that goes by an acronym here], will help you get the fancy job in NYC this summer so you just have to do those too. Yep, it’s a new year and a new you. Watch out world. We all convince ourselves this, that we have become totally transformed, and for the first week, when our teachers hand out the syllabi and our clubs are just starting up, it all seems true. Hey, maybe a life with a 4.0, 3 extra curricular activities, an internship and a social life isn’t impossible. And then the first weekend comes. And it’s a long weekend. And you don’t have too much to do, so you go out. All three nights. Sound familiar? Then Tuesday hits. Hard. Somehow work that you swear didn’t exist before you started your weekend activities has accumulated, and your summer job application is due so you need to get those recommendations. Yesterday’s hangover mixed with last night’s wine seems to be hitting you extra hard and the sluggish feeling that accompanies the bags under your eyes keeps you from being anything near productive. But that’s not an option. You’ve got an event for [insert acronym here] to plan and isn’t there a bio quiz next week? By Wednesday night you’re so tired all you want to do is open a beer and watch some hockey. Immediately the promise you made yourself about your weekday habits come to mind, but something (is it reason?) overcomes you, and you tell yourself that one beer isn’t really drinking, and it was such a tough day that the beer will do you good. And so will the second... and the third. Thursday hits even harder. This vicious cycle of work hard, (you can’t waste $60,000 a year) and party harder (you are only young once) leaves the student body exhausted, and probably quite dehydrated. But isn’t that the cost of being a good student and having friends? My advice for this never-ending cycle of sleep deprivation caused by both a mountain of work and an awesome night in the Mods? I don’t really have any, or at least anything new. All I have is the expression my mother says every time I tell her about my newest activity: “don’t bite off more than you can chew Kristy, because you will choke. And die.“ (For those of you wondering, yes, my mom has seen Mean Girls.) While I realize this expression is over-used, I don’t think BC students listen to it enough … or ever. As we enter into the new semester, with whatever energy you have after this past weekend, I suggest you reflect on your time here. I know that sounds like a BC cliche, but really, consider if you are doing things you care about or whatever will boost your resume. Remember classes are important, but so is your social life. I find being a BC student is similar to a tightrope walk: it’s all about balance. Too much school will make you miss out on the wonderful people and opportunities BC has to offer, while not enough will mean a pile of rejection letters from every grad program. So take the time to find your personal equilibrium, for it takes the right amount of books and beers in each hand to feel balanced. But I promise reflection pays off, for after you find stability, that first step onto the thin wire that is our semester doesn’t seem so impossible.
Kristy Barnes is a staff columnist for The Heights. She can be reached at opinions@bcheights.com.
The Heights
A8
Thursday, January 24, 2013
Kuechly is following through on promises to finish his degree Kuechly, From A10 was never a question. He knew all along he was going to come back. “I knew I needed to come back, I just didn’t know when I was going to do it,” Kuechly said. “Talking with some of my friends, I thought this would be a good opportunity to do it because all those guys are still here and it would make going to class a lot easier if all my friends are still here.” Since he left BC, Kuechly continued to keep in touch with Warren Zola, an assistant dean in the Carroll Graduate School of Management (CSOM). Zola doubles as the chair of BC’s Professional Sports Counseling Panel, where he worked with Kuechly as a junior when he decided to enter the NFL Draft. Throughout the season, Kuechly and Zola talked every few weeks about everything, from football to academics. Zola had made a promise of his own, to Kuechly’s parents, that he would do everything he could to get Kuechly to return to BC during the spring semester to take more classes for his degree. He didn’t have to do much convincing since Kuechly, too, had promises to keep. Kuechly had also been in touch with Richard Keeley, the undergraduate associate dean in CSOM. Even before he had made his decision to go pro, Kuechly sat down with Keeley to talk about his future academically. Keeley laid out different options for how Kuechly could finish his degree, depending on various scenarios. “He was always pretty proactive about it,” Keeley said. “You know it’s important to him too because he doesn’t leave bases uncovered. There are so many people that have those intentions, but it can be very difficult to do it, given the fact that there are so many demands on you as a professional athlete that exceed the season.” The only question to those closest to Kuechly was when he would come back to finish his degree. They all believed he would fulfill his promise—it was only a matter of time. “I absolutely knew he was going to come back,” Gallup said. “Was I sure he was going to come back this year? You don’t know what the teams are going to do. They say in advance, ‘Yeah, you can do that. But we want you training here, we want you doing this, we want you doing that…’” “I think he did know all along that he was going to be coming back,” Kuechly’s mom, Eileen, said. “We would kind of jokingly, in different conversations, say, ‘Well Luke, it sure is going to make your mom happy if you go back.’ And it does make me very happy. Probably somewhere deep, Luke knew that this was something that he needed to do, not just for me, but for himself, too.” His parents, his friends, Gallup, and even his older teammates on the Panthers all encouraged him to come back to BC right away, but that process is often easier said than done. Kuechly didn’t know if the Panthers might have other plans for him during the offseason. Or, there was the fact that this was the first kind of break Kuechly was getting in a year and a half. “He hasn’t had a moment off since summer [going into] his junior year because he’s been on the go,” Zola said. “He went from a semester where he’s a junior in the fall semester and a full-time football player to a semester where he’s working out to make himself ready for the draft, to a summer where he’s trying
Alex Trautwig / Heights Senior Staff
to make a team, to a fall where he’s the leading tackler in the NFL. And all of a sudden, he’s got a couple of months before OTAs (Organized Team Activities) in April—one could certainly understand him wanting to relax.” But once he knew the Panthers wouldn’t be playing playoff football in January, the idea of taking time off to relax wasn’t in Kuechly’s plan. With his promise in mind, Kuechly got in touch with Keeley again in October. The two discussed a plan for Kuechly to enroll in the upcoming spring semester and worked out the details for his schedule. “Before we made any commitments, we looked at the courses he needed to take, had consultations with faculty members, looked at the number of classes he might miss, how he might make them up, and only when we were sure that he could complete them legitimately did we say, ‘Yeah, this is a go,’” Keeley said. Currently enrolled in five classes in CSOM, Kuechly will still have three courses remaining after this semester until he can graduate. He’ll likely take those courses online next spring to complete his degree. For now, Kuechly is back where he feels most at home, immersed in a college culture with his closest friends. “I think that was one of the reasons I came back,” Kuechly said. “To finish my degree was the biggest one, but also to be around my friends. I hadn’t seen them in a while. It’ll be fun to have one more semester up here in Boston and be around those guys.” “He is so excited to be back,” Gallup said. “He’s like a kid in the candy store.” But that culture had changed when
by the time Kuechly made it official that he was coming back to BC. Kuechly is now living off-campus, but has found himself sleeping on his friends’ couch in Edmond’s on multiple occasions so far this semester, Gallup said. He’s finally back in his natural habitat, around guys like his junior-year roommates Mike Naples, Mike Javorski, and Nate Freese, even if that means sleeping overnight on a couch. Besides his excitement in being back around his friends at BC, what the people closest to Kuechly have noticed most is that he hasn’t changed at all from the moment he left the Heights. All of the accolades he has earned over the past year could have the potential to go straight to an athlete’s head. But none of it has changed Kuechly, his mom and Gallup said. “He deserves all the notoriety, but he hasn’t changed. That’s what I like. It’s really refreshing,” Gallup said. “He doesn’t want to be treated like an NFL player. He wants to be treated like a college student.” “Honestly, I think he is [still the same person],” Eileen Kuechly said. “I don’t think he’s changed his habits or what he does. When he’s home, he’s the same kid that I remember.” During the season, though, Eileen would have to do double takes at times to make sure that No. 59 on the Panthers really was her son. He was racking up tackles left and right, bringing down some of the best players in the NFL every week, some of whom were 10 or 15 years older than him. “We still just think, ‘Wow, could that really be the Luke that we know, that goofs around when he’s just here at home?’” Eileen said. “And then to see him on an NFL field—I keep on shaking my head, ‘Okay, that really is my child.’” No matter how many tackles he made or awards he won, however, Kuechly remained the same person when he’d walk off the field each Sunday. That’s the way his parent raised him. “Well, I guess I would like to say that’s because of how he was brought up, I’m hoping that that’s a part of it,” Eileen Kuechly said. Eileen Kuechly also said that Luke’s friends played a role in keeping him grounded throughout the past year, not making a big deal about him playing in the NFL. “Hopefully a combination of all that is what’s going to keep Luke just being Luke,” Eileen Kuechly said.
Alex Trautwig / Heights Senior Staff
Luke Kuechly is enjoying life back at BC with his former teammates after a year in the NFL. Kuechly joined the Panthers last April. He was no longer surrounded by his peers, but instead a team full of players of all different ages. A lot of Kuechly’s teammates were married and had kids to go home to once practice was over each day. For a 21-year old that was accustomed to going back to the dorm and hanging out with his roommates after football practice during college, the new environment was quite a change. “It’s just different,” Kuechly said. “In the NFL, you go back and you’re by yourself in your own apartment. People are married, have kids, they have different lifestyles. In college, everyone’s kind of on the same page. Guys are all your age, going through the same thing. So it does make it easier to be back here.” For this reason, one of the best parts of being back for Kuechly has been being
around people his own age, the friends that he was always around during his five semesters at BC. “That’s what Luke is—he’s just 21 years old,” his mother said. “So I think he’s happy to be back with guys that are now all trying to work towards their same thing, trying to finish their education. I think he lives with those guys pretty much 24/7, doing everything, and he has fun with them. So I think he’s looking forward to being able to have stuff to do with somebody again.” Though he could have rented some luxurious apartment off campus to live in this semester, Kuechly wanted no part of that. All he wanted was to live on campus with his roommates from last year in their apartment in Edmond’s. That space had filled up, though, as had the rest of the open rooms on campus,
Last year, Kuechly was one of the last underclassmen to declare for the NFL Draft. He was struggling with the choice—to enter the draft and begin his life-long dream, or stay at BC, where he had made himself at home around his best friends. He knows he made the right choice, but that hasn’t made it any easier. “He knows that he left a void in his life when he left here,” Gallup said. For now, he is back, even if it is only for three months. In April he’ll be flying back to Carolina to join his teammates to officially start the 2013 season with OTAs. But until then, he’ll be fulfilling the promises he made to his parents and Gallup a year ago. “I’m not surprised that he’s back,” Zola said, “but he’s a shining example of what’s right about this place.” n
Johnson can coach Boudreau like a senior Boudreau, from A10 foot jumpshots,” they told Johnson. He was confused. “If this kid’s as good a shooter as they say,” Johnson thought, “Why is that like the fourth thing they mention?” After coaching her, he’s figured it out. “You realize that what Nicole brings to the game is so much more than making deep jumpshots,” Johnson said. “She’s got a sense, she’s got a poise about her, she defends, she runs the floor, she’s got the highest assistto-turnover ratio and she’s one of our best passers.” There were three jumpballs in BC’s double-overtime game against Wake Forest on Sunday. All three times, Wake got the tip. But all three times, Boudreau swooped in and stole it away because she read exactly where the Demon Deacons were trying to get the ball. It’s not just her value on the court that’s important to Johnson, though. “It’s really valuable when you can get on your best players,” Johnson said. “It shows the rest of the team that nobody’s above criticism.” He knows that she’s going to respond well when he has a critique. She shows it in her body language and her whole deameanor. It’s everything he’s looking for. She needed to sprint her lane faster and with more efficiency. When Johnson told her about it, she fixed it. She wasn’t pushing the ball down the court with the dribble as much as she could, so she fixed it. “That’s our job,” Johnson said. “It’s to keep raising the bar and not just be happy that she’s so far along as a freshman but
to say ‘Hey, there’s another level, there’s another level, there’s another level.’ She just keeps stepping up to it, which is fun and I think it’s fun for her as well.” If the team isn’t sprinting the court hard enough, he can get on his freshmawwn guard to go harder. He knows she’ll look him in the eye, say “Got it coach,” and pick up the pace. The rest of the team will follow suit. “You’ve got to have somebody with that kind of character to be able to do that,” Johnson said. “And Nicole certainly has that.” She also has that great jumper, but it’s one she admits is unorthodox, especially for how effective it is. Her right shooting arm goes up smoothly with a near-perfect release, but her left thumb on her guide hand pushes the ball as well. She also throws her right hip at the basket as she shoots. Maybe the two awkward motions balance each other out, or maybe all of her repetitions practicing the shot since she was five have just made it work. “Maybe some of those unconventional things allow her to get a few more feet of range than the average kid,” Johnson speculated. Since it works, and since it seems to add some extra range, Johnson didn’t try to change Boudreau’s unconventionalities. “By the time they get to us, a lot of times the habits are so ingrained, so if a kid’s successful a lot of times the best coaching you can do is just get out of the way,” Johnson said. Dave Fazio, the men’s basketball coach at Boudreau’s high school and a mentor to her since she was little, tried desparately to change her shot since he found it so strange, but eventually he gave up too. Boudreau also has that clutch gene that
all great shooters need. “What makes her special as a shooter, just like everything else, is that nothing bothers her,” Johnson said. “The moment is never too big and she never has too much pressure.” She’s also efficient with the ball, leading the team in an assist-to-turnover ratio with a mark of 1.7 to 1. “Making shots is great, but I’m a huge assist-to-turnover ratio coach,” Johnson said. “That’s my favorite stat outside of shooting percentage and she’s got our highest on the team. She takes care of the basketball which is remarkable for a freshman and she finds people in difficult situations.” Against Florida State a week ago, BC began to cut into a 13-point Seminole lead late in the second half. Kristen Doherty hit a jumper to cut the Eagle deficit to six points. On the next possession, Kerri Shields drove baseline in transition and kicked it out to Boudreau who was spotting up on the perimeter. With a Florida State defender closing out on her, she rose up, threw her right hip forward, flicked her right wrist and pushed her left thumb forward. The Seminole’s hand covered her eyes before the release, but it didn’t matter. The shot swooshed in and she turned to Shields, letting out a scream and moving for a low five. The run ended there, though. Florida State started forcing turnovers and BC no longer got stops. As Boudreau and her younger teammates get more comfortable in ACC play and in Johnson’s systems, those runs may not end. BC may not even need those comeback runs, but until then she and her team will keep clawing their way back into contention one step at a time. n
Graham Beck / heights Editor
Boudreau has spent her first year defining herself in more ways than than just her shooting.
THE HEIGHTS
EDITORS’ PICKS
Thursday, January 24, 2013 The Week Ahead
Standings
Men’s hockey takes on Maine on Friday and Saturday night. Women’s basketball plays Virginia Thursday night. Men’s basketball also plays at Virginia Saturday night. Women’s hockey hosts Connecticut on Sunday afternoon. The Bruins have their fourth game of the season Friday night against the Islanders.
Chris Grimaldi
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Marly Morgus
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Heights Staff
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Austin Tedesco
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Recap from Last Week
Series of the Week
Men’ hockey beat Northeastern 9-3. Women’s basketball was bested by Wake Forest in two overtimes 92-87. Women’s hockey split the series with Mercyhurst with a 5-1 win and a 3-2 loss. Men’s basketball lost to Maryland 64-59. The Ravens earned a trip to the Super Bowl over the Patriots.
Men’s Hockey
Guest Editor: Andrew Millette
Collections Manager
After an upsetting loss to the University of Massachusetts last weekend, the BC men’s hockey team looks to recover with a couple of wins over Maine. Currently 14-5-2, the Eagles hope to maintain their top-three status going into the second half of the season. On Nov. 2, the two teams met and BC came away with a 4-2 win. Two weeks later, Maine met up with UMass and came away with a tie. Although Maine’s record is a shaky 5-14-4, they have put up strong performances against competitive teams like Notre Dame and Cornell and can be expected to be a challenge this weekend.
“You’ve got to risk it to get the biscuit.”
Marly Morgus Asst. Sports Editor
Andrew Millete Collections Manager
Austin Tedesco Sports Editor
Chris Grimaldi Assoc. Sports Editor
Men’s Hockey: No. 3 BC vs. Maine (series)
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Women’s Basketball: BC at Virginia
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Women’s Hockey: No. 3 BC vs. Connecticut
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Men’s Basketball: BC at Virginia
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NHL Hockey: Bruins vs. Islanders
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This Week’s Games
Two former Eagles go in first round
BY ANDREW KLOKIW Heights Staff
PHOTO COURTESY OF MLS
Kyle Bekker, a Canadian native, is returning to his home country to join Toronto FC. Of late, Bekker has also featured for the Canadian national team at the under23 level, where he brought the squad to within one victory of qualifying for the past Olympics. There has been talk of Bekker earning his first appearance with the senior national team, and as such there will be a lot on the plate of the former Eagle. Drafted lower than his former teammate, former BC striker Charlie Rugg will be joining a team of much greater fortune. The Galaxy are the winners of the past two MLS championships and currently feature international stars Landon Donovan and Robbie Keane. Rugg’s departure leaves another large hole in Kelly’s team, as he was named to the All-ACC first team three times. So often the beneficiary of Bekker’s assisting prowess, the former captain finished his career on the Heights fifth all-time in goals
scored (28) and points (74). Rugg was ranked as the 40th player on the list of the top ranking service, Top Drawer Soccer, and it is thought that his goal-scoring abilities elevated his status in the SuperDraft. “Goals find him,” ESPN soccer analyst Alexi Lalas said of the Massachusetts native after he was drafted. “That is not something you teach when you talk about a guy like Charlie Rugg.” Becoming the first pair of Eagles ever to be drafted in the first round is no small feat for Bekker and Rugg, and it reflects well on the success of Kelly’s departing senior class. Though they enter the league on opposite sides of the first round, as well as polar opposites in the standings, both departing Eagles will have the opportunity to continue to showcase their talents on North America’s greatest soccer stage in the MLS next season and beyond.
Free-throw shooting continues to stall BC Basketball from, A10 enabled us to stay in the game, and then I think we make five or six out of our last eight at the half,” Donahue said. “I thought we were playing good basketball.” As the second half took shape, both teams continued to match each other point for point thanks to a resurgent Eagle attack on offense. Neither team could amass more than a one-possession lead on its opponent until well past the 10-minute mark in regulation. Catalyzed by a timely 3-pointer from
freshman Jake Layman, Maryland took off on a 12-1 run that stretched their lead to eight points and left the Eagles with an uphill climb they would never surmount. The Eagles managed to bring the Terrapin lead down to 49-42 off a lay-up from Ryan Anderson, part of his team-high 19 points on the night, and another drilled 3-pointer from Patrick Heckmann. After Maryland regained a seven point lead late in the quarter, Donahue’s squad made one last try at a dramatic comeback when Heckmann drained another triple, cutting the deficit to three points with under five seconds to play. Yet it proved to be
GRAHAM BECK / HEIGHTS EDITOR
Sophomore Ryan Anderson led the Eagles with 19 points on Tuesday night against Maryland.
m. hockey
scoreboard
Friday and Saturday at 7 p.m.
Mewis and DiMartino both drafted into NWSL
Soccer from, A10 midfielder will leave the Heights ranking second all-time in program history in assists (22), eighth in points (56) and tenth in goals (17). Coming off a 2012 campaign that was statistically his least effective in four years under Kelly, Bekker’s draft stock was a bit of an unknown. Yet, he put all those doubts to rest at the MLS pre-draft combine in Fort Lauderdale, FL, where he was named MVP of the three-day event. ESPN soccer analyst Taylor Twellman said of Bekker after he was selected, “How about the free kick goal he scored in game three [of the Combine]? Spectacular. The one thing I love about him is his movement off the ball—very clean. He never loses the ball—right foot, left foot—and he loves set pieces.” The former Eagles captain is an Oakville, Ontario native, and much has been made of Toronto bringing him back home with this selection. His pace and creativity in the center of the field will be a boon for a team that finished dead-last among the 19 teams that comprise the MLS in 2012. “It’s definitely a little more special for me,” Bekker said of being drafted by his home team. “It’s a chance I can play in front of my friends and family back home and it means a lot. There’s a lot of pride in being Canadian and playing for a Canadian team.”
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too little too late for a BC team that once again saw its chances for victory slip away in the final minutes, as Maryland converted on two attempts from the line to send the Eagles packing with their fourth loss in five conference games. Ultimately, the Eagles’ fate was sealed by their inability to counter Maryland’s execution around the net at the defensive end or answer with high-percentage points of their own. The Terrapins outscored BC by a wide margin of 34-12 in the paint, forcing the Eagles to compensate by recording 28 shots from the arc. On a night when BC shot just 32 percent from three-point range, depending on long-range accuracy to stay in the game was not an answer. As the Eagles try to keep pace while getting limited minutes from big man Dennis Clifford, who posted one point in 19 minutes of play against Maryland, they will need to seek a more balanced attack on the offensive end without so much reliance on the three-ball. “There’s definitely things we can improve on, and the guys are all trying to do their best about playing another game and getting back on the winning trail,” Donahue said. “I think we’re really close to being a good basketball team. I think a couple guys can play better, and I think we can execute better on both sides. Hopefully we get a 40-minute game, and let that snowball into really good things down the road.”
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Women’s soccer took a major step up on the world stage in 2000, as the Women’s United Soccer Association was founded as the world’s first soccer league to pay women as professionals. The league would cease operations shortly after its third completed season. The void of a women’s league would be filled six years later in 2009 by Women’s Professional Soccer, but that organization also only lasted three seasons. Former Boston College Eagles Kristie Mewis and Victoria DiMartino were drafted into the nascent National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) last Friday, a start-up that seeks to last longer than its predecessors. Mewis was selected third overall by the FC Kansas City franchise, while DiMartino was selected No. 22 by the Western New York Flash from Rochester. “I really wanted to stay in the United States and play in front of the fans,” Mewis told USsoccer.com. “I think this league is going to be the best one yet and I’m so excited to be a part of it. I can’t wait and I’m really excited that U.S. Soccer decided to have a league this year.” BC head coach Alison Foley’s squad will sorely miss the presence of Mewis, the program’s all-time leading scorer in points (116) and goals (39). In addition, the star midfielder and captain leaves BC with the second-most all-time assists at 39. The Massachusetts native earned plenty of individual accolades while playing in Chestnut Hill, including NSCAA All-America first team honors and finishing as a finalist for the prestigious Hermann award. In anticipation of starting her professional career during what would have been her last semester at BC, Mewis earned her diploma following the fall term. Upon completing her course load, the midfielder set off for Australia where she joined the A-League’s Canberra United. She was only able to play in two matches, but made her presence felt by scoring a goal in each game before the team was eliminated from the postseason. “I had never been to Australia before and it was really fun,” Mewis told BCeagles.com. “The people were so welcoming. It was a really good experience for my first professional encounter. It was good to get that under my belt, as some professional experience will help me with the new league.” Mewis has also played in the U.S. national
team program, and she will be attending a three-day camp in February with other national team hopefuls to give new head coach Tom Sermanni an opportunity to evaluate his squad. This would be the former Eagle’s first step in a long process that could eventually land her on the senior national team. In addition, the change of scenery in Kansas City will be drastic for Mewis, but she does not seem daunted by the prospect. “It’s going to be a really good experience to move somewhere that I might be a little uncomfortable with the surroundings,” Mewis told BCeagles.com. “It will be really good for me as a person to try something different.” DiMartino will leave the Heights third all-time on the career points and goals lists. The former ACC Freshman of the Year is the second DiMartino to be drafted by a women’s league, as older sister and former Eagle Gina was taken by the WPS’ Boston Breakers. “It’s pretty exciting, having played soccer since I was so little and with the league folding and now coming back,” DiMartino said. “It hasn’t hit me I guess. I feel blessed, but I have to finish school first, which is my main priority.” DiMartino, who plans on earning her degree in elementary education in May, said of the prospect of joining the Rochester-based organization, “It’s a new place and a new beginning, and I’m ready to start there.” She will have plenty to learn with Western New York, as she joins two of the most experienced and decorated players in U.S. soccer history, Abby Wambach and Carli Lloyd. Wambach, a five-time winner of the U.S. Soccer Athlete of the Year award, will be an important influence for the young striker out of BC. “When I was younger I always looked up to [Wambach and Lloyd],” DiMartino said, “I remember when I was little, we had to write a note to someone [for school] and I wrote mine to Abby. Now I’m going to be teammates with her and interacting with her everyday. She’s a great player and I’m going to learn a lot from her.” With uncertainty hanging above the inaugural campaign of the league, it appears that the NWSL and the two former Eagles that joined its ranks last Friday have a lot in common. If Mewis and DiMartino can find success in Kansas City and Rochester, there is reason to think that they may soon feature side-by-side on another squad: Sermanni’s national team.
GRAHAM BECK / HEIGHTS EDITOR
Kristie Mewis was selected third overall in the NWSL draft and is headed to FC Kansas City.
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Thursday, January 24, 2013
THURSDAY, JANUARY 24, 2013
Fans heard at Bates’ Town Hall
TACKLING A PROMISE IN THE CLASSROOM Luke Kuechly is back in Chestnut Hill finishing his degree
MARLY MORGUS It’s no secret that Boston College football has been going through a huge transition period. What started with the firing of Frank Spaziani and hiring of Steve Addazio has followed a careful process of growth, as most of the coaching staff has been overturned. It’s been a big first year for athletic director Brad Bates. Through so many changes, it would be easy for the BC faithful to feel like the football program that was once so familiar is rolling along without them. Aware of this, Bates chose to reach out to season ticket holders and get their feedback at a Town Hall on Jan. 16. Game day experience was the main objective, and after Bates introduced a few initial questions (what BC is doing well, what it can do better, and what it can do to engage people), the fans in the room came up with some valid concerns about the experience for fans, students, athletes, and prospects alike. Responses varied from parking and traffic (one alumnus recommended that lots open earlier for night games to avoid work day and weekend traffic), to improving the scoreboards, promoting a more interactive fan environment with big pictures and replays. Another qualm was student involvement on game day. Yes, we have the band, the cheerleaders, and the pom-squad, but what about the rest of the student body? “Students: that’s what distinguishes college from professional sports,” Bates said. “They make the atmosphere.” Alumni also said the improvements would help with future recruiting efforts. A game with out-of-date scoreboards and a docile student section, especially by the second half, doesn’t compare with the experience, both for fan and player, in stadiums with massive mega-trons that highlight every play, sold out crowds, and section after section of roaring students. Empty seats keep BC from being a truly competitive, high caliber ACC program. Few things inspire more of a home field advantage than a crowd wearing the school colors, doing everything to make its noise a factor in the game. Alumni Stadium fails to produce this effect. Hundreds of open seats leave gaps, and the student section filters out at halftime. This is not something that is easy for the athletic department to fix. It can open the parking lots and spend as much as it wants on jumbo screens for either end of the field, but ticket sales will take time. The simple solution, far easier said than done, is to win. Steps have been made with the move to Addazio, and if BC has any luck he will be a strong recruiter, but BC enters a conundrum here: The same things that attract fans—big screens, excited students, and a truly entertaining game—also attract prospects to other universities that do game day better than BC. These improvements will come down to the long and arduous process of time, but right now, ticket holders had a lot of good things to say about the game day experience as well. Fans have embraced the Eagle Walk, the honoring of past BC greats after the first quarter, and the family-friendly atmosphere at Alumni Stadium as elements that deserve to be preserved and expanded in the future. Other attendees took lighter approaches, commending the food and the work of employees in concessions and ticket stands, but the most common sentiment was of thankfulness to Bates. Several people took the opportunity to thank him for holding such an open meeting and asking their opinion. It’s steps like these that will ease the rebuilding of the BC football program. As long as there is still a faithful fan base that supports the program, further leaps can be taken using its feedback that will allow the athletic department to move forward and revamp the program. Bates left attendees with these encouraging words: “This thing is, as they say in the south, fixing to take off. There is enormous history and tradition here, and the trajectory is nothing but upward.”
Marly Morgus is the Asst. Sports Editor for The Heights. She can be reached at sports@bcheights.com.
BY GREG JOYCE
Heights Senior Staff On the day he was named the NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year by Pro Football Weekly and the Pro Football Writers’ Association, Luke Kuechly was on the phone with the Boston College registrar’s office. He had a promise to fulfill. It was one that Kuechly had made multiple times since he left BC a year before to begin his career as an NFL linebacker. The first time he made the promise was on Jan. 6, 2012, the day he declared for the NFL Draft. Kuechly promised his parents, and shook on it, that he would return to BC to finish his degree. Three months later, on the night that Luke Kuechly was drafted ninth overall by the Carolina Panthers, he made the same promise to BC’s director of football
operations, Barry Gallup. “I’ll be back next semester,” he told Gallup at the Kuechly household in Ohio. 16 NFL games and a league-leading 164 tackles later, Kuechly has returned to Chestnut Hill to fulfill the promise he made to his parents and Gallup, to finish what he started. “It’s important,” Kuechly said. “When you start something, you have to finish it. It was important to my parents to get the degree and it’s one of those things where [my mom] said, ‘That’s fine, you just have to eventually go back and finish.’ I’m trying to get it done early.” It’s a promise that many athletes make upon leaving college early to turn pro, but few follow through. For Kuechly, though, returning to school to get his degree
See Kuechly, A9
ALEX TRAUTWIG / HEIGHTS SENIOR STAFF
Eagles downed by Terps BY CHRIS GRIMALDI Assoc. Sports Editor
GRAHAM BECK / HEIGHTS EDITOR
Freshman guard Nicole Boudreau is leading the ACC in minutes played so far this year.
Boudreau settles in at BC The deadly shooter is defined by more than just a smooth jumper BY AUSTIN TEDESCO Sports Editor As the first shoutaround of the season ends, Erik Johnson starts talking some trash. Johnson, the first-year head coach for the Boston College women’s basketball team, is sure that he has the best half-court shot out of anyone on the court. The ball sails through the net on only his third attempt. He yaps a little bit more about his prowess from midcourt. One of his freshman guards doesn’t agree. She walks out to the same spot and fires off a one-handed push shot that doesn’t fall. Unfazed, she tries again. “Yeah, Coach,” she says, walking away after draining the shot, “it only took me two.” It wasn’t the first time that ACC Rookie of the Week Nicole Boudreau had bested her head coach. During a camp before Boudreau officially came to BC, Johnson challenged her to his favorite 3-point shooting contest. Both shooters alternate 3-point attempts, with points racking up in the pot after each consecutive make. When one shooter misses, he or she takes on the points. Get seven points, and you’re out, unless you can make a half-court shot to reset your score to zero. “I fancy myself a pretty good 3-point shooter,” Johnson said, recalling that he still holds the record for threes made in a season at his alma mater, University of CaliforniaSan Diego. Not good enough, though. Boudreau won that game too, quipping to Johnson afterwards that he shouldn’t feel bad. He still has his inside game. “It never ends,” Johnson said. “She loves competition. She thrives on it. She’s never
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afraid to take the big shot, make the big play, guard the best player, and she certainly relishes that role, but it’s not a ‘me, me, me’ thing. She just wants to do whatever it takes to win.” Given her relatively small frame, Boudreau should be defined by her incredibely efficient jumper. Even as a freshman, she leads the ACC in threes made per game and is in the top 10 for 3-point percentage. She has shooting contests with her teammates where they take shots from behind the free-throw line, but she stands behind the arc shooting treys. Johnson first saw her play when Boudreau was in high school. As he sat next to former BC assistant coach Geoff Lanier on the road for a recruiting trip, it was easy for him to think that her size made her potentially questionable. “Yeah I know,” Lanier said, cutting Johnson off mid-thought. “She doesn’t look like an ACC player, but trust me, this kid can play.” When Johnson got the job at B C last April, he talked to a lot of people about B oud re au , w h o was committed to join BC as a freshman in the upcoming season. Usually with a player her size, people will say that she’s a great shooter and she does a few other things well. “That wasn’t ever how they described Nicole,” Johnson said. They said she’s a competitor. They said she’s got a swagger to her. They said she’s a winner that can do it all. “Oh, and she can make 25-
See Boudreau, A8
Series of the week: Men’s Hockey The Eagles look to shake their winter slump in weekend series with Maine.................A9
Looking to avenge last week’s nail-biting loss at home to Miami, the Boston College men’s basketball team looked to steal a victory on the road 64 Maryland against ACC rival Maryland. Boston College 59 The Eagles took the court Tuesday night having lost four conference matchups by a combined nine points, in need of flawless play down the stretch to avoid a three-game losing streak. Yet head coach Steve Donahue’s squad was unable to take the late-game stand necessary to secure a win, and fell to the Terrapins by a final score of 64-59. Each of the Eagles’ four conference losses have now been by five points or fewer. “Whereas in the last couple games I think we did everything well except foul shots, this game on offense, our spacing wasn’t good, shot selection wasn’t good, our execution
wasn’t good.,” Donahue said. “We’ve got to do that well late in the game if we’re going to win on the road.” The matchup began as a back-and-forth battle despite the Eagles’ cold shooting, as they posted a lackluster 3-for-18 mark from the field to start the half. Though Maryland dominated around the rim with 12 points in the paint and 7 second-chance points, BC responded by drilling six of its last 10 shots in the first frame. Coming off his third selection as ACC Rookie of the Week, freshman guard Olivier Hanlan continued his impressive stretch of play by leading the Eagle charge with nine first-half points and four assists. He and his teammates made the most of seven Maryland turnovers to transform a slow start into a 29-29 tie heading into the locker room at halftime. “Obviously we weren’t making shots and I thought we got good looks, but at the same time I though we defended very well which
See Basketball, A9
GRAHAM BECK / HEIGHTS EDITOR
Free-throws continue to haunt the men’s basketball team in ACC games down the stretch.
BC’s Kyle Bekker taken third overall in MLS SuperDraft BY ANDREW KLOKIW Heights Staff
Since its inaugural season in 1996, Major League Soccer (MLS) has chosen only five Boston College players to join its ranks by way of its annual college draft. From the time when BC graduate Paul Keegan was made the league’s sixth ever pick in 1996 to the selection of Paul Gerstenberger in 2009, only five players were deemed good enough to join the ranks of North America’s top professional soccer league. Last Thursday’s SuperDraft in Indianapolis, IN, would see that number grow by two, as BC’s Kyle Bekker and Charlie Rugg were selected by Toronto FC and the Los Angeles
Mewis and DiMartino join NWSL
Two former BC women’s soccer players were selected in the new league’s recent draft...A9
Galaxy, respectively. Bekker was chosen third overall by the Canadian organization, while Rugg was snapped up by former U.S. national team coach Bruce Arena at No. 19, the final pick of the first round. “It’s a nice surprise, definitely, to hear your name called, but I’ve always been confident in my own abilities,” Bekker said in an interview with Toronto FC’s official website. “For the last few days I think I showed well. Personally I think I belong here and I deserve to be here and I’m just excited to have the opportunity.” Bekker will leave BC coach Ed Kelly’s squad with a sizable hole in the midfield, as he made 79 starts across 80 matches during his four year career. The center
See Soccer, A9
Editors’ Picks.............................A9 BC Notes...................................A9
The Heights
A2Critical curmudgeon
beyonce
examining the lip-sync phenomenon, page B2 netflix nexus
saturday night live
netflix instant streaming offers years of comedic gold, page B4
Thursday, January 17, 2013
album review
‘Beta Love’
Ra Ra riot explores new electronic sonic textures while pleasing old fans on their third and latest release, b5
inaugural dress By: Sean Keeley, Arts & Review Editor Ariana Igneri, Associate Arts & Review Editor John Wiley, Assistant Arts & Review Editor see page B3
MAGGIE BURDGE / Heights PHoto illustration
THE HEIGHTS
B2
WILEY’S FOLLIES
Lupe and the white canvas
Thursday, January 24, 2013
SCENE AND HEARD
BY: MARY AUSTIN WILLIAMS
JOHN WILEY Rapper Lupe Fiasco was ushered off stage at the StartUp RockOn unofficial inaugural ball in Washington D.C. last Sunday, after what organizers described as “a bizarrely repetitive, jarring performance that left the crowd vocally dissatisfied.” Fiasco was performing “Words I Never Said,” an anthem for protest, at the time of his removal. The subversive implications of Lupe’s work are far more pervasive than the partisan jabs typical in hip-hop culture. He has gone so far as to declare President Barack Obama “the greatest terrorist,” noting the irony of an idealistic, antiwar president authorizing drone strikes. So was Lupe merely being too repetitive or was he telling a story not many are willing to tell? Was this an elaborate ploy for national attention or a legitimate performance met by an untimely silencing? Having witnessed Lupe Fiasco’s performance in Conte Forum last October, I find it hard to believe the happenings at Startup Rockon were anything but deliberate. Unlike most rappers, whose lyricism holds its greatest weight in the studio, Lupe commands superior control on stage. He commonly augments his music with historical narratives, evoking the voices of relatively obscure civil rights leaders. This fall during his performance at BC, half the crowd left before the end of his spirited two-hour set. Lupe seemed unabashed, perhaps even honored, by the crowd’s departure, and such is his style—he doesn’t play to the crowd, but rather plays the crowd, upsets them, stirs their emotions. Last Sunday, the organizers of StartUp RockOn, the self-declared “exciting, energetic, and authentic event series,” attempted to bereave art of its most basic right: to offend, and dissatisfy, its audience. Why else would the Scary Movie series be allowed to repeatedly sneak its way into theaters? Surely audiences are not satisfied by the barrages of B-listers blithely milking the cow of banality in these films—and yet, the same hapless moviegoers who stumbled into Scary Movie 4 in 2006 will find themselves again captive to Scary Movie 5 this April. And although lacking in form, the Scary Movie series serves an important artistic function, if only through its ability to highlight the vacancy of the human condition through the continual torment of select crowds. If every movie left its viewers satisfied, I would question the purpose of cinema. Movies should not distract from the day-to-day, but rather disturb and rework it. In this year’s bountiful movie crop, several films had me leaving the theater exhausted and disjointed, most notably Django Unchained. The film’s rash approach to addressing typically tempered racial themes built up a strange tension throughout the theater, driving many patrons to leave the theater well before the halfway mark. Even with a relatively crude notion of reverence, I couldn’t bring myself to laugh at several of the film’s jokes. I left the theater thoroughly distraught, as if I woke up on the wrong side of history. When asked if I liked the movie, I merely replied, “I’m not sure,” later adding, “I’ll need to think about it.” Surely such a film rightfully earned its accolades. Modern art, at its best, stirs similar sentiments. In an obscure corner of the Museum of Modern Art in NYC, there’s a painting by Kazimir Malevich titled “White on White.” To the untrained eye, it’s just a white canvas. This draws an endless stream of frustration from the museum’s patrons. However, the trained eye can see a masterpiece—watching distressed visitors making spectacles of themselves over a white canvas. Art does not come to exist through what’s put into it, but rather what’s taken out of it. This realization is the basis of the modern movement, a sacrifice of ornate form in favor of emotional resonance, whether it be awe, disgust, or in the case of Lupe, dissatisfaction. The crowds at StartUp RockOn were not expecting a “jarring” performance. The concert series is aimed to function as a networking opportunity for trendy entrepreneurs looking to “forge real relationships” through cultural experiences—a group whose existence I’m still slightly skeptical of. Granted the event previously took place at the 2012 Democratic National Convention, it seems possible the audience was expecting a more conventional political agenda. It’s equally possible they did not want to hear about drone strikes, or how the 30-year-old rapper didn’t vote for the president because “Obama didn’t say s—t.” However, it’s most probable they were upset by Lupe spending 30 minutes inaudibly rambling about politics. Regardless, it was an exceptional musical feat, to have a room full of businesspeople howling at a white canvas.
John Wiley is the Assistant Arts & Review Editor for The Heights. He can be reached at arts@bcheights.com.
1. TE’O HUNGRY FOR ‘CATFISH’ Following news Notre Dame linebacker Manti Te’o’s online relationship was a hoax, he is scheduled to appear for his first on-camera interview to discuss the matter with talk show host Katie Couric. The Heisman trophy runner up (and BC rival) has denounced speculation he was involved in the ruse, stating that he “wasn’t faking it” and had sustained a relationship with whom he believed to be a 22-year-old Stanford University student, who died of leukemia within hours of Te’o’s grandmother last September.
2. THE INAUGURAL BLITZ Performances at the President of the United States Barack Obama’s second inauguration included Beyonce, Katy Perry, and Kelly Clarkson. Michelle Obama made a statement, wearing a Thom Browne dress to the inaugural parade and a Jason Wu gown that evening. However, rapper Lupe Fiasco left a poor impression—he was escorted off-stage for allegedly performing an anti-war song directed at Obama.
4. THE SUNDANCE KIDS This time of year, snowy slopes can only mean one thing: 2013’s Sundance Film Festival in Park City, Utah. Buzz-worthy projects include Joseph Gordon-Levitt writing, directing, and starring in Don Jon’s Addiction, Matthew McConaughey starring in Mud, and Daniel Radcliffe portraying poet Allen Ginsberg in Kill Your Darlings. For those eager to learn about these films but are not among the fortunate who scored tickets to this event, fear not: many of the projects, like director Alison Elwood’s History of the Eagles, were picked up by HBO and other premium cable channels.
3. IT’S BLACKBERRY SEASON
5. #BELIEBERWIN
Just when it appeared that BlackBerries were being phased out, the smartphone is reportedly getting a new look to rival that of the iPhone 5. Mobile platform developer RIM is set to announce the release of the BlackBerry 10, which will feature a 4.2 inch touchscreen display as well as Siri-like voice control functionality. The news follows Apple’s predicted launch of at least three iPhones in 2013, including the iPhone 5S and 4.8 inch iPhone Math.
Justin Bieber has claimed the title of the most popular person on Twitter, narrowly beating former frontrunner Lady Gaga with a total of 33,333,397 followers at the date of print. Bieber raised eyebrows recently for posting a racy photo on his Instagram feed, which generated over 86,000 likes before it was taken down. Pop singer Katy Perry takes third place for most popular Twitter Queen with 31.5 million followers, while President Barack Obama rounds out the ranks by taking fifth place with 26 million followers.
THE CRITICAL CURMUDGEON
@AGUYWITHNOLIFE (ELIJAH DANIEL, WRITER/COMEDIAN)
“THE KIDZBOP VERSION OF GANGAM STYLE IS WHY TERRORISTS HATE US.” @JOHNMOE (JOHN MOE, HUMOR) PHOTO COURTESY OF GOOGLE IMAGES
Dissappointing the country, Beyonce relied on a studio recording rather than her live vocal talent at the President’s inaugural address.
Beyonce’s live lip-syncing slip-up MATT MAZZARI During Beyonce’s rendition of “The Star Spangled Banner” at the inauguration yesterday, the only thing the viewers saw by the dawn’s early light was a big, fat phony. Originally, Knowles had impressed sources with her alleged chutzpa when she removed her headpiece mid-“bombs bursting in air,” but the meddling Marine Band (and their stupid dog, too!) later revealed that she’d actually lip-synced the entire piece. The beloved songstress decided to pre-record at the last second before showing up to deliver her dazzling mouthing of our nation’s anthem. Whether or not Beyonce removed her headpiece to add bogus flair to her rendition is unknown. Personally, I like to think some bitter purist like myself got a hold of her frequency and was furiously whispering the words “Liar, liar, pants on fire!” in her ear. For shame, Beyonce! Or is it? After the news got out, the online media was seized by an apparent epidemic of wishy-washiness. The pop blogosphere’s been flooded with headlines like “Is it Really a Big Deal?,” “She’s Not the First,” “C’mon It Was Really Cold Out,” and “Boy, I Sure am A BrownNoser,” all postulating basically the same pro-Beyonce argument: artists lip-sync big venues all the time, so we should cut the woman some slack. After all, she still sang, right? She just did it 12 hours before she needed to. Heck, she over-achieved!
When a notorious hack like Ashley Simpson botches an SNL take, no one hesitates to be indignant. It gets trickier for people when it’s someone as immensely popular as the mighty Beyonce. No one wants to turn around on the music they’ve been throwing Grammies at since the ’90s. Granted, if your band starts playing the wrong song entirely and you respond by doing a jig, then you deserve more than the standard amount of flak. Still, the crime is the same: when a musician goes on stage under the pretense of a live display of talent, how can it be acceptable that they’ve got a studio recording being funneled through the amplifiers? This was neither the first nor last instance of a high-profile artist miming at a high-profile event. In 2009, Jennifer Hudson also lip-synced the national anthem at the same Super Bowl where Faith Hill lip-synced “America the Beautiful.” Pop artists of all shapes and sizes have been getting caught in this fib for ages now, from Milli Vanilli’s record skipping during an MTV concert to 50 Cent wandering around stage aimlessly when the wrong version of “Amusement Park” started playing. The best gloriously awkward moment from that latter one is when the hype-man, apparently not in on the whole lip-syncing bizz, started to question, “Yo, what’s up, Fif ’? Fiddy responds, “I’m just trying to figure out where everybody at!”, still strutting in wild anticipation of his voice to come on, to which the hype-man
counters: “Um…We’re all right here, Fif.” Screw-ups like these are embarrassing for plenty of obvious reasons, but even if the singer gets through his fakery without a hitch, shouldn’t he be embarrassed anyway that he couldn’t accomplish what he’s supposed to do for a living? I understand that singing live in a stadium is far from easy. A great deal could go wrong, and it takes a real gift to make it happen, but… isn’t that the whole point? The live show is the acid test of an artist’s merit, far from the comforts of the studio, the editing and the second takes. It’s what separates the boys from the men in the industry, the producer-driven cannon fodder from the real cream of the crop. Lip-syncing is just cheating at your job, no matter how you slice it. It’s just like using steroids in sports…in fact, lip-syncing is arguably even worse than getting sauced, because if every professional athlete was a juicedup superhuman going ’roid-rage berserk, then at least golf would be watchable. No matter how nice it sounds being belted out through the speakers, lip-syncing instantly turns a great concert into a farce. If you want to say the technical or climate conditions won’t allow for an authentic performance, I’m still intensely skeptical. Cut it short if you must, but, for Christ’s sake, don’t fake it!
Matt Mazzari is a staff columnist for The Heights. He can be reached at arts@bcheights.com.
“I’M GLAD THAT JODIE FOSTER AND LANCE ARMSTRONG ARE PARTICIPATING IN ADMITTING THINGS WE ALREADY KNEW WEEK.” @THEDWECK (JESS DWECK, WRITER)
“WOW, BEYONCE IS JUST LIKE US. SHE LIP-SYNCS TO BEYONCE.” @RAINNWILSON (RAINN WILSON, ACTOR)
“IS THERE A LORD GAGA? AN EARL OF GAGA?”
@STEPHENATHOME (STEPHEN COLBERT, THE COLBERT REPORT)
“CLEARLY OBAMA FLUNKED HIS FIRST TERM SINCE HE’S BEING FORCED TO REPEAT IT AGAIN.” SUBMIT YOUR FAVORITE TWEETS OF THE WEEK FOR CONSIDERATION AT ARTSEDITORS11@GMAIL.COM.
THE HEIGHTS
Thursday, January 24, 2013
B3
from 1776 to 2013, we take a look at the most iconic outfits from the white house wardrobe GEORGE AND MARTHA WASHINGTON George Washington was quite the dapper fellow, a solid foundation for all presidential fashion to follow. Ruffled collars and ascots proudly framed the Virginia native’s staunch visage. Washington, robust in his masculinity, was unwilling to mask his iconic revolutionary flow with the conventional powdered wig. Our first
president was relatively conservative in his dress, especially in the context of the flamboyant trends of the social elite at the time. This did not stop him from spending considerable sums to acquire the latest styles from London, frequently sporting a golden embroidery synonymous with wealth. The Revolutionary War regrettably severed Washington’s ties to British fashion, but the subtle taste dandyism continued to grace Washington’s apparel well into the golden years of his life. He was reportedly the most athletic of our founding fathers, a master of dance and equestrianship as well as war. At 6’2”, George rarely fit well into his impressive symphony of attire. Contrary to popular belief, his teeth were not made of wood, but rather gold, ivory, and lead—his refined chomps were capable of putting most rappers to shame. For this presidential dime, fashion and moral duty were inseparably connected. Martha Washington, wrongfully characterized as a frump, was in fact quite attractive according to many historians. Although there’s no way to properly ascertain the amount of hollers our founding mother solicited from the passing horse and buggy, Martha Washington partook in a tradition of high fashion similar to that of her husband. Martha had a taste for English jewelry and silk textiles. She fancied fine lace and delicate material, evidenced in her wide collection of bonnets and flowing gowns. Perhaps Martha Washington was not quite an icon of feminine mystique, but she certainly filled her shoes nicely. – J.W.
TEDDY ROOSEVELT Teddy Roosevelt surely runs Lincoln a close second when it comes to iconically dressed presidents. Roosevelt first gained his national reputation as a Rough Rider, leading cavalry charges in Cuba in full cowboy mode. The tan uniform with prominent buttons, the collar embroidered with “U.S.V.” (for United States Volunteer), the accompanying horn, and the fedora were all prominent hallmarks of this first look. When he became president, of course, Roosevelt adopted more formal attire, with smartly tailored grey and black suits complete with matching vest and a pocket watch. But for both main looks of his life—Colonel and President—some things remained consistent. The thick mustache and eyeglasses were both constants, though they certainly adopted over time. The mustache became greyer over the decades, naturally, while as President, Roosevelt replaced the traditional eyeglass look for more elegant pince nez glasses, which lacked earpieces and which were decidedly in style during the late 19th century. Whatever his fashion, though, Roosevelt’s burly frame and gruff exterior projected the image of a man you didn’t want to mess with, lest you incur the
wrath of a big stick. Roosevelt’s second wife, Edith Kermit Carow Roosevelt, was First Lady during his presidency, but she never left much of an impression in popular memory. Perhaps Teddy’s overwhelming personality was enough for both of them—or perhaps America was still waiting for the truly significant Roosevelt woman, Teddy’s niece Eleanor. – S.K.
When it comes to the iconic, no American president can top our 16th and greatest, Abraham Lincoln. Of course, Lincoln’s reputation largely rests on his not-so-easy feat of guiding the country through a bloody civil war while successfully eradicating slavery. But in the less significant realm of fashion, Lincoln was certainly no slouch. Indeed, he is one of the hand-
ful of historical figures who can be universally recognized even in silhouette: the tall and lanky frame and protruding top hat are uniquely his. Together with his signature black bow ties, long black coat and vests, he crafted an iconic ensemble that have been re-appropriated by filmmakers, iconographers, and costume makers for 150 years. Lincoln also sported one of the most impressive presidential beards. Indeed, it’s so much a part of the Lincoln look that it’s disconcerting to look at pictures of a younger Lincoln and see him clean-shaven. In fact, Lincoln didn’t have a beard until late 1860, when 11 year-old Grace Bedell wrote him a letter suggesting that he grow one, claiming “All the ladies like whiskers and they would tease their husbands to vote for you and then you would be President.” Mary Todd Lincoln, for her part, favored white lace, elaborate head decorations, and flowery dresses. Mrs. Lincoln was very conscious of appearances, as she reportedly felt insecure about her place in Washington society and hosted elaborate balls and banquets to prove the Lincolns’ elegance and style. –S.K.
JOHN AND JACQUELINE KENNEDY The effortless elegance and sure simplicity that became characteristic of the Kennedys was not just a fashion statement, it was also a defining feature of their all-American lifestyle. Their embodiment of these ideals—of grace and unassuming confidence—made them authentic, revered style icons. Known and beloved for her demure, pillbox hats, delicate pearls, and large, opaque sunglasses, Jackie Kennedy represented a medium between tradition and modernity. She branded herself, her husband, and even the White House—through her clothing choices—as “forward thinking,” garnering the support of the country. The public, more than ever, was interested in the First Lady. In order to maintain national support, she generally wore American fashions, despite her initial preference for European designs. With such charisma, Jackie transformed fashion from a decadent, elitist preoccupation, exclusive to the wealthy, into a simple, timeless look that every woman in the U.S. wished to emulate. John F. Kennedy, like his wife, was illustrious for his basic, yet classic, wardrobe choices. A Massachusetts native and a Harvard graduate, JFK signified the epitome of “The Ivy League Style.” Tweed blazers, crew neck sweaters, Wayfarers, and leather boat shoes
were pre-election, Kennedy favorites. Once in the White House, though, he sported two-buttoned suit coats, solid, silk ties, and plain, black oxfords, reserving his more laid-back look for the weekends. He balanced formal and casual as well as traditional and original. Ushering in a new presidential style, Kennedy was actually the last president to wear a top hat to his inaugural address. Whether behind a podium delivering a speech, at his desk in the oval office, or boating in New England, Kennedy, with his hair perfectly tousled, emanated class and charm. – A.I.
BARACK AND MICHELLE OBAMA
RONALD AND NANCY REAGAN Ronald Reagan and his wife Nancy, like the Kennedys, possessed a notable degree of personality and magnetism. A former Hollywood actor, Reagan exhibited the same panache in the White House as he did on the silver screen—thus, for Reagan, it wasn’t so much the clothes that he wore that defined his style, but, rather, the way that he carried himself that did. Reagan was a trained performer—he knew the importance of image. So, when he was home on his California ranch sporting a purely-American, denim, button down as well as when he was working in Washington, D.C. wearing his basic, formal suit and red tie, Reagan understood how to present himself in a way that the public respected, supported, and loved. Restoring ornate glamour and elegant formality to the White House, Nancy Reagan was perceived to be the most fashionable First Lady since Jacqueline Kennedy. Both in her dress and in her affairs, Nancy placed a central importance on flair. Luxury designed dresses, suits, and gowns filled her wardrobe, often in bright shades of red. In fact, she wore the shade so often that it become known as
ABRAHAM LINCOLN
“Reagan Red.” She made a statement not only by her chic clothes, but also by the spirit with which she organized her White House affairs. In order to keep up the presidency’s sophisticated appearance, for example, Nancy arranged for a new state china service to be created. Scarlet and gold, the porcelain set represented presidential refinement and class, true to the Reagan style—a style that has become an important facet of American fashion and culture. – A.I.
President Barack Obama’s political tact is reticent to compromise, and his wardrobe behaves quite similarly. Put bluntly, it would seem the president emerged from the womb in a custom fitted Hart Schaffner Max suit, and hasn’t taken it off since. Shirt selection should come as no chore to the President, who dons a crisp white oxford at near every occasion. His ties alternate between solid and simple striped, with the occasional polkadot creeping its way into his otherwise presidential ensembles. His collection is unapologetic, a robust frame for an idealistic politician. While opponent Mitt Romney frequently sported blue jeans on the campaign trail, Obama was much more hesitant to make such a sacrifice. Romney dressed to convince the country he was human. Obama dressed to convince the country he was president. Even when frequenting with television personalities such as Jay Leno and Ellen DeGeneres, Obama refused to surrender the pleated pants and stoic two-button suit. Perhaps in his second term, the president will take off the jacket more often to roll up his sleeves, but until then, the American flag pin will coyly bask on the notch of his lapel. While the president dresses to his part, Michelle Obama tailors hers. The first lady’s style matches the panache of Jackie Kennedy with the power of Hilary Clinton, stopping nowhere short of defining Michelle as one of the most powerful women on Earth, in fashion and
otherwise. New York City designer Jason Wu developed both of the first lady’s Inaugural Ball dresses, drafting bold contours through a sleek frame composed of chiffon and silk. Otherwise, Michelle has shown few favorites, democratic in her selection of American designers. In contrast with older generations of first ladies, content as accessories to the president, Michelle Obama has made it clear she’s quite capable of running the show, and the nation can’t help but watch. – J.W.
THE HEIGHTS
B4
Thursday, January 24, 2013
KEELEY’S CORNER
NETFLIX NEXUS BY RYAN SCHMITZ
Netflix satisfies comedy cravings with ‘SNL’ archive TITLE: Saturday Night Live YEARS: 1975-present CREATED BY: Lorne Michaels WHY: From 1975 to the present day, SNL has provided topically relevant belly laughs while launching countless comedic careers
PHOTOS COURTESY OF GOOGLE IMAGES
For any avid follower of comedy shows, the Netflix Instant Streaming feature is about as useful, if not more so, than any other Internet convenience. One show that is particularly well distributed on the site is Saturday Night Live. As any fan of SNL knows, the show has been on the air for nearly 40 years and thus, has way too many episodes to just randomly go searching for. What Netflix does is breaks down the show into decades, then seasons, then episodes which are labeled according to the host and musical guest. The simple system of finding and instantly watching various SNL episodes is a huge help for whenever you have some time to kill and feel like enjoying some topical comedy or maybe a trip into the dated SNL vault reaching back to 1975. After deciding what decade you feel like delving into, there is a seemingly unlimited selection of celebrity hosts and musical guests to choose from. With such a legendary reputation preceding it, the SNL stage attracts all types of celebrities, from actors like Alec Baldwin, to athletes such as Michael Phelps. Even musicians have been known to step away from their instruments and try acting on for size. So if you have an hour to spare and are looking for a lighthearted comedy, you can’t do much better than SNL on Netflix.
FASHION FORWARD
The ‘BC Look’: does it really exist? Despite stereotypes, fashion diversity thrives on campus
BERNADETTE DERON It’s no secret that there are well known stereotypes regarding fashion at Boston College. It’s all about leggings, Patagonia fleeces, Tory Burch accessories, Brooks Brothers, boat shoes, and snap backs here on the Heights, right? It’s true, a lot of people do view our collective campus “look” this way, but I don’t. This homogenous stereotype does hold some truth, as most stereotypes do, otherwise they wouldn’t exist. But what everyone must at least try to do is look beyond that stereotype and discover the true colors of BC fashion. There is an overwhelming sense of the desire to fit in with the so-called “prep” stereotype on campus, but have you ever really taken a good look at everyone sitting at Corcoran Commons, studying at the library, or walking through the Quad to his or her next class? It’s not all classic New England out there—we really do have an eclectic student body (although it may be hard to notice at times). As a freshman last year, I found it hard to notice people that dressed differently from this stereotype, until I discovered “The Sartorialist of Boston College” on Tumblr, a blog run by a former fella of the BC student body that would post photos of students a few times per week, whose ensembles caught his attention. As already mentioned, the BC Sartorialist does not attend this school anymore, and as such, does not do BC related posts on his blog anymore. His presence on campus made a significant impact on me personally, however. This was a dude who would sit for prolonged periods of time observing students as they walked by, and acknowledging those who didn’t fit the preppy stereotype. While a lot of students struggled to fit in lookswise, this guy was praising those who chose to stand out. It was something that I was comforted by when I felt that this campus was lacking any appreciation for diversity. It made me feel more comfortable with my personal appearance knowing there was at least one person out there
who valued unique and different fashion. However, because the Sartorialist had an eye for the unusual and quirky he himself created the presence of the “hipster” stereotype on campus. I’ll admit it, sometimes I hoped for the Sartorialist to notice my so-called “bold” outfit choices and feature me on his blog (and I know a number of you guys secretly wanted him to notice you too) and get individual recognition for, well, being an individual. But what did this now create? The need for me to stand out so much so that it felt like I was forcing myself to dress differently and stand out, which didn’t feel like myself. So now there are two categories of style: either you strive to fit in or make yourself stand out. I still see this dynamic present throughout campus. I’m not saying that everyone is behaving like this, but to those of you who feel as though you do fall in either one of the two categories I mentioned, I invite you to observe a different approach to fashion: just do you. I have tried to embrace this philosophy to the best of my ability. It’s hard to try to eliminate cultural influences, but trying to do so is the best way to discover your true style. If nobody around you is wearing a brand or style that you absolutely love would you still wear it? Similarly, if somebody is wearing something you wouldn’t necessarily chose to wear would you automatically say they look bad or don’t have a good sense of fashion? The answer to that last question is most likely yes. I’ve done it—we’ve all thought, “WTF is he/she wearing?” It’s a part of the human condition to judge. But who are we to judge others? When we judge others we limit their wardrobe options, and homogenize how people should dress. Of course there are groups of people who have similar style, but just because one group is different than the other doesn’t make it less unique. So if you really like preppy clothing for the look and not just because everyone around you is sporting that style, do it. And if you really do like looking different because your sense of style is not as popular on campus, and you’re not forcing yourself to look different, do it. Just make sure that however you dress, you’re doing you and doing it for yourself and not others. That way nobody’s judgments can affect you, because, at the end of the day, you dressed for yourself, and that’s the only thing that matters.
Bernadette Deron is a columnist for The Heights. She can be reached at arts@bcheights.com.
PHOTOS COURTESY OF GOOGLE IMAGES
Although BC students are often said to be unanimous followers of the New England prep look, looking closer reveals more fashion diversity than expected—and expressing yourself through your fashion choices is most important.
THIS WEEKEND in arts
BY: ARIANA IGNERI | ASSOCIATE ARTS & REVIEW EDITOR
Friday
Saturday
Sunday
1. LOIS MAILOU JONES EXHIBIT (FRIDAY 1/25)
3. DOBC PRESENTS 13 (SATURDAY 1/26, 7:30PM)
4. INVISIBLE MAN (SUNDAY 1/27 2:00PM)
Born and raised in Boston, Lois Mailou Jones specializes in contemporary African art. Her new gallery at the MFA displays her distinct vision— it chronicles her career and highlights her contribution to modern art.
The Dance Organization of Boston College—featuring special guests Fuego del Corazon— is performing their show 13 this weekend in the Robsham Theater. Tickets are $10, with a portion of the proceeds being donated to Relay for Life.
The Huntington Theater Company’s play, Invisible Man, is rounding its last performances at the Avenue of the Arts BU Theater. Delving into themes such as race, power, freedom, and liberty, the play tells the story of a young, African American in the 1930s.
2. MOVIE 43 (FRIDAY 1/25)
5. TEGAN AND SARA CONCERT (SUNDAY 1/27, 8:00PM)
A massive series of interconnected shorts brings acting favorites such as Emma Stone, Hugh Jackman, and Gerard Butler together in Movie 43, a comedic film featuring 12 different storylines, 12 different directors, and one of the biggest cast ensembles in film history.
A couple of days before the release of their new record, Heartthrob, the Canadian Indie rock duo, Tegan and Sara, will be performing Sunday night at the Brighton Music Hall.
PHOTO COURTESY OF DOBC
‘Zero Dark Thirty’ and movie controversy
SEAN KEELEY Controversy is a funny thing. For the past month, as Kathryn Bigelow’s Zero Dark Thirty has begun to open across the country and rack up awards nominations, it’s been almost impossible to read anything about the movie that doesn’t address the issue of torture. The discussion kicked off with an inflammatory op-ed by Glenn Greenwald, a political columnist for The Guardian who took issue with the movie’s supposed glorification of torture and its suggestion that waterboarding was essential to finding bin Laden. Greenwald based his initial argument on early reviews before seeing the movie for himself. Nonetheless, his fervent argument that the movie is a piece of pro-torture American propaganda has drawn plenty of supporters, from The New Yorker’s political writer Amy Davidson to Senators John McCain, Dianne Feinstein, and Carl Levin, who wrote a letter to Sony Pictures calling for the studio to correct public perception about the film, which they call “grossly inaccurate and misleading.” It’s understandable that any movie about a subject as politically touchy as bin Laden’s killing will draw controversy. But having seen Zero Dark Thirty, I find that most of the arguments against it are rather specious, and refuse to look beyond the surface. Yes, the movie suggests that torture provided at least one clue that eventually led to bin Laden’s doorstep, and according to many sources this is not strictly true. But we do know that torture was a reality of the U.S. War on Terror, and to ignore this fact would be to sanitize an ugly period of our recent history. Bigelow put it most succinctly when she said that “depiction is not endorsement.” In fact, I think Bigelow’s depiction of torture is the exact opposite of endorsement, showing in excruciating detail just how ugly and inhumane the practice is. From the very beginning, the movie doesn’t shy away from the subject. After an opening which harrowingly evokes September 11th through the sounds of emergency calls against a black screen, the movie cuts to a secret base where a suspect is being held. We are soon introduced to the film’s protagonist, the CIA officer Maya (Jessica Chastain) and her colleague Dan (Jason Clarke), who does the dirty business of interrogation. What is striking about these opening scenes is not only the uncomfortable detail that Bigelow shows, but also how she implicates the movie’s leads in the ugly business of torture. Maya watches the torture and does nothing—when the suspect asks her for help, she replies coldly that he can help himself by being truthful. The viewer is plunged into an uncomfortable world of moral ambiguity, in which the supposed heroes are compromised by their reprehensible actions. This ambiguous vision extends to the movie’s tour-de-force climax, as we watch the Navy SEALs break into bin Laden’s camp, killing several men and women as their children whimper and cry in the background. Up to the open-ended question that closes the movie, Zero Dark Thirty is not a patriotic apologia for U.S. policy, but a thoughtful and troubling look at the moral costs of the War on Terror. It seems to me that the vitriol reserved for Zero Dark Thirty in some corners would be more deservedly given to a few other Oscar contenders. Take Beasts of the Southern Wild. It’s not a movie I condemn unreservedly—there are great things about it, from Quvenzhane Wallis’ precocious performance, to its moving depiction of a father-daughter relationship, to its expressive use of music and fantasy elements. But I do think there is something problematic about turning Hurricane Katrina into a fantastical parable about self-reliance. Especially since the U.S. government was so slow in giving necessary aid to its victims in 2005, there is something dubious about how the movie creates an idealized portrait of a poor, selfsufficient community that rejects government help. Even more questionable is the depiction of the 2004 Southeast Asian tsunami in The Impossible. Anyone who has seen the trailer knows that the movie focuses not on the tribulations of the local population, but on a family of rich tourists vacationing in Thailand. What the trailer doesn’t tell you is that this “true story” is actually based on a Spanish family, who have been reimagined for the movie as an English family headed by Ewan McGregor and Naomi Watts. It’s telling that the movie had to change its characters’ race to be more palatable to an American audience. Even though The Impossible presents itself as a sobering reminder of a too-soon forgotten tragedy, it seems to me a cynical and manipulative movie that whitewashes that disaster and turns it into a tearjerker about the triumph of the human spirit. Call me crazy, but to my eyes, that’s a lot more offensive—and a lot less interesting—than the ambiguous ethical territory explored in Zero Dark Thirty.
Sean Keeley is the Arts & Review Editor for The Heights. He can be reached at arts@bcheights.com.
THE HEIGHTS
Thursday, January 24, 2013
B5
Allan’s ‘Free’ is an uneven country concept album
CHART TOPPERS TOP SINGLES
BY DMITRY LARIONOV For The Heights Gary Allan’s 10th studio album, Set You Free, digs its feet into the ground to hold together as a concept album at a time when the record industry would rather pull it apart single by iTunes single. A linear narrative documenting a breakup, Set You Free has released just in time to fuel the lonely consumption of selfgifted Valentine sweets. I’m going to try and ignore the image that Allan gives off of a recycled badboy—tattoos fading into a former glory like his tobacco-yellow sex appeal and instead, focus on the fact that the album is generally without direction. One is left with the impression that Allan knows a lot more about being left and how to heal his own wounds than about love itself. It is instantly clear that the production on this album is of expert quality. “Bones” jumps in on a whiskey-fire riff, and so far everything makes sense. Allan may easily stare into a mirror as he sings “I’ve got a bone to pick with you.” He laments some more: “It ain’t the whiskey / it ain’t the cigarettes / it ain’t the stuff I smoke…it ain’t the whiskey that’s killing me” on “It Ain’t The Whiskey.” He clearly reaches for Hotel California grandiosity on “Sand In My Soul” and, though it doesn’t quite get there, it’s pleasant enough. But here, the
careful listener will notice the subtle ingenuity that plagues Set You Free. It is hard to take Allan’s self-loathing seriously over an optimistic male choir cheerfully “oh”-ing their way to pop-country success. After the blistering self-acknowledgment of the first half of the album, it’s strange that Allan begins to wish for “One More Time” with his ex-lover. Surely he must have realized at this point that he was living in an illusion (or is living in one now). After such candid, honest thoughts, surely he must understand that his girl had a life before him, continues to have one after, and that it isn’t crazy or sad, even, it’s just a fact of life. But Allan doesn’t go so deep before he jumps into “No Worries”—a track that sounds like a recording of Zeppelin’s “D’yer Mak’er” adapted for a Sandals resort, then covered by your Hawaiian-shirted boss on your company’s annual “Bahama Mama” day-cruise. Perhaps the most telling aspect of Allan’s psychology on love comes with the final three songs. “Drop” is actually the best track on the album; a lead guitar under the influence of reverb and an aggressive crunch here and there tastefully accent the standard jazz progression. But who exactly is Allan seducing here? Is this a wet dream about his exlover? Is this another woman? The following song, “Pieces,” shows him
1 Locked Out Of Heaven Bruno Mars 2 Thrift Shop Mackelmore & Ryan Lewis Feat. Wanz 3 Ho Hey The Lumineers 4 I Knew You Were Trouble. Taylor Swift 5 Diamonds Rihanna 6 Scream & Shout will.i.am & Britney Spears
SET YOU FREE GARY ALLAN PRODUCED BY MCA NASHVILLE RELEASED JAN. 22, 2013 OUR RATING C+
TOP ALBUMS PHOTO COURTESY OF MCA NASHVILLE
Gary Allan’s ‘Set You Free’ displays the country star’s capacity for pleasant tunes, but the emotions ring hollow. looking back on the relationship with a haughty sense of triumph. Does this suggest that Allan was able to forget the love of his life after a random sexual encounter? Set You Free finishes with the victory lap that is “Good As New,” and its unsettling how Allan portrays love as a battle which one must champion. The album jumps from anger to self-loathing to regret to triumph,
but there is no crushing, deep understanding of self that allows for an acceptance of heartbreak. It is true that the process of recovery is anything but logical—clarity is always subjective, truth is always tainted with uncertainty. Hope distorts. But there is not enough here to suggest that Allan has actively produced a disjointed album to simulate healing. He also doesn’t bother to delve
into why the relationship broke apart, and in fact, the only flaw he mentions about himself is his alcoholism (which, by the way, he seems to be okay with). The point of catharsis happens behind the scenes, and in an album that is so obviously personal, Allan seems unwilling to share the details—or he simply hasn’t thought them through.
1 Burning Lights Chris Tomlin 2 Notes from the Underground Hollywood Undead 3 Les Miserables Original Soundtrack 4 Red Taylor Swift 5 Pitch Perfect Original Soundtrack Source: Billboard.com
Ra Ra Riot’s ‘Beta Love’ explores new synth pop soundscapes BY SEAN KEELEY Arts & Review Editor When a rock band has a name like Ra Ra Riot (emphasis on the riot), one might expect a harsh, power metal sound to go along with it. But Ra Ra Riot, an indie rock
group from Syracuse, NY, delivers something a little more light and poppy than their name suggests on their third and latest album, Beta Love. The album also marks a change in the band’s personnel, after the departure of their cellist Alexandra Lawn last year. Despite this loss,
the band emerges on their latest release in strong form, delivering a swift 11-song collection that often sounds more like chamber pop than indie rock. Although Beta Love isn’t a very weighty musical statement (the songs themselves are extremely short, with the longest clocking in at
BETA LOVE RA RA RIOT PRODUCED BY BARSUK RELEASED JAN. 22, 2013 OUR RATING B
PHOTO COURTESY OF BARSUK
Ra Ra Riot’s latest release ‘Beta Love’ displays the band’s traditional use of strings combined with new electronic sounds.
3 minutes and 10 seconds), it does offer an enjoyable listening experience complete with some surprising musical flourishes. The opening track, “Dance With Me,” expresses one of the most basic urges in pop music: the urge to just let it all go, and take up a dance. “Come and dance with me, bittersweet fool / I wanna be your toy, I wanna be your toy,” lead singer Wes Miles exclaims over a background of bouncing synth beats. It’s a highenergy opener that flows nicely into the second track, “Binary Mind.” The song touches on themes of technology, as Miles sings of a “technocratic future world” and repeatedly declares in the chorus, “I wanna read you with this binary mind.” “Binary Mind” also shows off the band’s new focus on synthesizers and electronic pop sounds, as opposed to their past efforts dominated by an orchestral string section. The title track, “Beta Love,” continues this exploration into electronic sounds, prominently featuring a highly auto-tuned falsetto, though it also displays the band’s traditional strings in a key part. The
album’s theme of love in a world of futuristic technology is especially visible here, with lines like “In this city of robot hearts, ours were made to beat.” One of the album’s most successful moments is “For Once,” a propulsive two-and-a-half-minute song that skillfully integrates Ra Ra Riot’s various musical styles, and utilizes violin to great effect without ever becoming overbearing. The band strikes a similar balance on “Angel, Please,” one of the poppiest efforts on the album, featuring a catchy chorus, appealing harmonies, and a clap track over a musical soundscape dominated by keyboards and strings. Unfortunately, the band does not always pull off such a tricky balance. “What I Do For U” is a discordant attempt to join electronic pop with R&B and hip-hop elements, and has a rather annoying falsetto. (Thankfully, it’s also the album’s shortest song, at one minute and 44 seconds—though this only underscores how unnecessary it is.) The track that follows, “When I Dream” is much more restrained and has some
of the finest vocals on the album, with Miles singing “When I dream, it’s not of you” in a song that’s less of a put-down and more of a reflective look back at a prior romance. It’s a nice, soft break from the album’s more bombastic moments. But then the album gets a little more bombastic with tracks like “That Much,” which starts off nicely but by the end dissolves into clashing electronic sounds that are, well, a little too much. But Beta Love closes on a strong note with “I Shut Off,” whose electronic soundscape, compelling beats, and quality harmonies recapture the energy of the opening track and bring the album full circle nicely. Ultimately, Ra Ra Riot should be commended for their willingness to explore beyond their musical comfort zone, and on Beta Love’s best moments the experiment is pulled off quite nicely. Even with a few clunkers and head-scratching decisions, Beta Love is a worthwhile effort proving Ra Ra Riot’s continued relevance in the American indie rock scene.
Despite topical punk protest, Bad Religion’s ‘North’ feels strained BY JOHN WILEY Asst. Arts & Review Editor In three decades time, the avant-garde becomes the norm— thus is the challenge of punk band Bad Religion’s 16th album, True North. How does a band that has spent the last 34 years writing a formula stay relevant in a genre dependent on their breaking? True North in principle is a redirecting of the listener’s moral compass, and its careful lacing of humanist philosophy with classic skepticism does so with a discipline few punk groups achieve. But while the message is eloquent and succinct, the messengers seem exhausted, and there comes the definite irony of a finely tuned punk band. In an era of doughnut songwriting, True North favors the box of munchkins. To frontman Greg Graffin and lead guitarist Brett Gurewitz, too often the heart of a song is missing from the doughy crust. True North cuts to the core, with only one of its 16 songs breaking the 3-minute
mark. Some songs in their entirety sound like a chorus. Others sound like a verse. The title track of the album, “True North,” is Graffin’s ode to the punk youth, the convergence of adolescent frustration and selfcritique. There’s condescension in Greg’s whine (“The world’s not my responsibility.”), a fateful billing of the punk culture. There’s a strange profundity in a middle-aged man rekindling the uncertainty of his youth—it’s an eery implication that a lost teenager is never found, but rather further loses himself with age (“The mapmaker’s legend has direction and a key / He set the declination, but what good is it to me?”). True North is the wistful story of a generation that never kept its promises. Back-to-back tracks “Robin Hood in Reverse” and “Land of Endless Greed” are wittily answered by the song “F—k You.” The titles quite plainly outline the band’s view of Wall Street, with the tracks serving as an upshot of the Occupy movement (“But out here in the lap of luxury / Unlim-
ited guarantee for your insatiable need / In the land of endless greed”). Subtlety certainly is no part of the album’s charm, but there’s something commendable about a band willing to open a can of beans and spill it out onto the counter. There’s no shorting Bad Religion of their “oozin’ aahs,” but other wise, the production is minimalistic on True North. Harmonically, Bad Religion is in top form. Their sound echoes contemporaries such as The Germs, while leeching deep down into their punk roots, channeling The Ramones and The Clash. However, True North’s chomping rifts and anthemic tone also seemingly evoke the sound of younger rockers like Green Day and Reel Big Fish, and ventures rather brazenly with the ska sound. The result can be stodgy, even incestuous at times, but in a genre quite willing to cannibalize itself, this is expected, and more often than not, Bad Religion finds liberation from an exhausted sound through deft lyricism and superior musi-
cal chops. The album’s closing track “Changing Tides” is the pained admission of the band’s growing old. Punk culture detests the life of quiet desperation, while exploring the struggles of the alternatives. Graffin wryly chants “Clinging to the past has got you straining /
Comes the recognition now you’re on a mission that is born to fail.” At base, it’s the crisis of the aging artist, but the heart of True North is far more disturbing, suggesting perhaps there is no true north and the world has no direction. However, the philosophy of Bad Religion is far from disparaging,
but rather a hopeful, nonpartisan, but certainly political charged tenet of environmentalism and humanism. It’s anything but juvenile. Punk never outgrew Bad Religion. Rather, Bad Religion has outgrown punk through the scope of its message. It’s time for a new box of doughnuts.
TRUE NORTH BAD RELIGION PRODUCED BY EPITAPH RECORDS RELEASED JAN. 22, 2013 OUR RATING B-
PHOTO COURTESY OF EPITAPH RECORDS
On ‘True North,’ the classic punk group Bad Religion addresses political topics, but the musicianship is tired.
SINGLE REVIEWS BY DAN LYLE Justin Timberlake feat. Jay-Z “Suit & Tie”
Fantasia Barrino “Lose To Win” Remember Fantasia? She’s got a new song out. The American Idol Star, turned R&B sensation is back again with a release off her untitled fourth album. The song is an honest reflection on an old relationship gone awry. Even with her top-notch vocal abilities demonstrated, the repeating choruses towards the end will have you waiting for a choir to kick in.
JT’s long overdue return lives up to the standard of stylishness the title infers. This soulful beat, made by his friend and collaborator Timbaland, exemplifies Justin’s capabilities. To anyone out their wondering, this is classic JT: complete with a catchy opening, well-placed sexual innuendos, and a cameo by Jay-Z. It’s a track for longtime fans and new ears alike.
Paramore “Now” Paramore’s lead single for their new self-titled album is a cleverly written exploration into the concept of past, present, and future. The past is acknowledged to contain a person’s mistakes, and the future (implicated to be a better alternative to the past) is undesired. Instead Paramore, calls for the future gratification to be had in the moment; hence, “Now.”
B6
The Heights
Thursday, January 24, 2013
THE HEIGHTS
Thursday, January 24, 2013
B7
THIS WEEK IN... BY TRICIA TIEDT | METRO EDITOR
EDUCATION
POLITICS
The 16 candidates competing in the 2013 Miss Boston and Miss Cambridge pageants were announced Tuesday, Jan. 22. The pageant will be held on Feb. 10 at the Park Plaza Hotel, with contestants representing MIT, Bentley, Wheelock, New England Conservatory, Wellesley, UMass Boston, Emmanuel, and the Boston Conservatory. Boston College, however, is not represented in the pageant.. The pageant is hosted by the Miss Boston Scholarship Organization, a nonprofit company that provides scholarships to women between the ages of 17-24 seeking their college degree. After BU sophomore Olivia Culpo won the title of Miss Universe in December, all eyes are on the beauty queens of Boston and Cambridge. Tickets for the event range from $25-40, available through Eventbrite.com.
President of the United States Barack Obama was inaugurated on Martin Luther King, Jr. Day Monday, Jan. 21 at the 57th annual inauguration ceremony. To begin his second term, Obama conducted a speech bolder than his opening address four years ago—he called for the expansion of gay rights, a more forceful defense of the nation’s safety net program, addressed the ever-present environmental problem of climate change, and called for the safety of “all our children” in the wake of the Newtown tragedy. Beyonce Knowles performed the National Anthem [with a flawless earpiece removal in the process], preceded by poet Richard Blanco—the first Hispanic and openly gay poet to appear at a presidential inauguration. The inauguration has been considered an overwhelming success by citizens and press alike.
NEWS CUISINE Three robberies were reported in the span of three hours this past Friday (from 11 p.m. to 1 a.m. early Saturday), all involving Boston University students in the direct vicinity of the BU campus. The robberies, all unrelated, consisted of zero injuries to anyone involved, one armed suspect, and multiple smartphone thefts. Other items taken included cash, wallets, and purses. In each case, BU students were identified as the victims. The BU Police sent out a campus wide alert on Saturday, alerting students of the robberies and urging them to exercise caution: “...your personal commitment to your own safety is crucial.” Patrols around campus will be increased due to the incidents of this past weekend in order to protect against additional crimes.
On Jan. 23, the Panera Bread Foundation opened “Panera Cares,” a cafe with an innovative new way of serving the community. This nonprofit cafe is the fifth to emerge nationwide, and the first on the east coast. The cafe’s policy is “pay what you can.” There are no set prices and no cash registers. According to the Panera Cares press rele a se, the c afe is the product of a social experiment “to help combat food insecurity in America,” dedicated to serving each customer with dignity and respect. In its location across f ro m G o v e r n m e nt C e nte r ( 3 Center Plaza), the cafe’s opening took place at 6:30 a.m. Wednesday morning. The founder of Panera Cares, Ron Shaich, expects immediate, successful results from the nonprofit project.
BUSINESS Jebbit, one of today’s most successful startup companies in the Boston area , celebrated their success of raising nearly $230,000 last week. Jebbit’s goal is to further advertising for companies through an online medium targeted at college students. For each company, Jebbit users are asked a series of questions relating to the company’s brand, website, and media content: for each correct answer, they get paid. Jebbit’s CEO Thomas Coburn, CSOM ’13, and CPO Chase McAleese, CSOM ’13, will be taking an official leave of absence from Boston College by the end of this month to continue the company’s growth. COO Jonathan Lacoste, CSOM ’15, will finish out the semester, joining Coburn and McAleese in May.
RESTAURANT REVIEW
Johnny’s twist on comfort
TAYLOR CAVALLO / HEIGHTS SENIOR STAFF
BY JORDAN PENTALERI Heights Editor
HOUSE AD
Often restaurants beaming with rambunctious kids in soccer uniforms and colorful decorations care more about singing you a song for your birthday than about high quality dining. At Johnny’s Luncheonette, however, the warm neighborhood feel and laid-back atmosphere do not outshine its incredible selection of breakfast and lunch entrees. Johnny’s ’50s decor and candy-colored hues create an upbeat and nostalgic atmosphere. The family feel is seen everywhere. From graduation class pictures on the walls, to the sign on the front window that promises a free lunch to any diner with the initials of the day, Johnny’s always puts a focus on its loyal customers. The dining room full of cozy booths is often stuffed to full capacity with large families. The t-shirted staff is abundant and friendly, but, as Johnny’s often has long waits and crowded dining rooms, can seem at times to be neglectful. The restaurant overall is clean and well kept, but bares some burden of its time. The booths and floors are battered but add to the feeling of nostalgia and history of the restaurant. Johnny’s has been serving all-day breakfast to the heart of the Newton community since it’s opening in 1993. The diner takes the mantra of “Where the folks get their yolks!”—and the expression could not be more accurate. The folks are never in short supply, as the wait is often so long the diner takes reservations for any diner who calls an hour before arriving. In regard to the yolks, the menu is full of various egg-based frittatas, breakfast burritos and omelets that allow diners to enjoy breakfast staples in a new and delicious way. Maya’s Frittata has a unique flavor twist of turkey bacon, while Waban’s Frittata is topped with scallions, mashed potatoes and Swiss cheese. Eggs Chestnut Hill are served poached on an English muffin with Canadian bacon and a unique cheese sauce. Each egg dish has a unique flavor and Jewish twist, which keep customers returning for a new take on a seemingly simple food. The breakfast menu also boasts French toast, waffles, and pancakes. The French toast comes in three unique varieties: old fashioned, crunchy, and coconut. The crunchy French toast, although questionable in name, is one of the diner’s most loved dishes, as it uses the
thick Jewish Challah bread and is cooked until crunchy. In addition, the pumpkin pancakes are unbeatable, and are far-from-your-mom’s ordinary Saturday morning staple. Finally, the Jordan Marsh blueberry muffins are too delicious to be overlooked, and are served as a side to many other dishes. Diners at Johnny’s may find it hard to stop eating especially because the portion sizes are large, if not extreme in some cases, as most plates include various side items. Johnny’s also serves salads, entrees, burgers and sandwiches, although the dishes often pale in comparison to the all-day breakfast food for
LOCATION: 30 Langley Rd., Newton Centre CUISINE: American Diner SIGNATURE DISH: Jordan Marsh Blueberry Muffin ATMOSPHERE: 9/10 AVERAGE MEAL: $15 OVERALL EXPERIENCE: Awhich the diner is known. The Harvest Salad with cranberries, walnuts, and goat cheese is satisfactory, but is little more than a repetition of what is found in similar restaurants. The hummus plate, as well, is barely above noteworthy. Reuben sandwiches, meatloaf dinners, turkey dinners, and mac and cheese remain popular choices for dinner, and add to the diversity of the menu. The menu is quite extensive, making Johnny’s a rare combination of breakfast place, diner, luncheonette, and restaurant. Johnny’s unique personality is enough to gain a significant following of repeat offenders, but the quality of its food keeps its patrons coming back for more. The huge and diverse menu allows diners to return time after time and still be amazed by a new dish. If the long line of locals that weaves out the door into the freezing January air isn’t proof enough of Johnny’s success, just look to the five “Best of Boston” awards above the soda fountain counter.
THE HEIGHTS
B8
Thursday, January 24, 2013
BOOKISH BOSTONIAN
The art of inaugural poetry
RYAN TOWEY Just when you start thinking again that poetry might be dead for good, it shows up at the Presidential Inauguration. You would think poetry would show up with the face of an old, wizened man wearing circular spectacles and a suede jacket, touting old books heavy with the weight of the entire nineteenth century. Or you might anticipate a mousy former English professor, the only thing longer than her poem being her scarf, a gift from her hippy lover back in the ’60s. But the 2013 inauguration shattered those images when President of the United States Barack Obama’s choice in inaugural poet came in the form of Richard Blanco, 44, a gay, Hispanic male. Though only the fifth person to have acted as the inaugural poet, Blanco was the first Hispanic, the first immigrant, and the first openly GLBTQ male to fill the role. A discussion regarding the poignancy of Blanco’s racial identity and sexual orientation can be discussed elsewhere—and it is worth discussion. Here, however, I prefer to discuss the craft of his writing, for fear that a study of Blanco’s place in American demographics will overshadow the significance of his poetic contribution. The first inaugural poet was Robert Frost, who read at John F. Kennedy’s inauguration in 1961 just two years before Frost’s death. It was not until 1993 at the inauguration of Bill Clinton that another poet, Maya Angelou, was given the opportunity to share her work in honor of the inauguration. Suffice it to say, then, that a poet receiving a chance to read his work at a presidential inauguration is a rare occurrence. Poets are used to acting behind the scenes, making sounds that amount to little more than whispers through the written world. It can be expected that, if given the chance to read their words into a microphone before the National Mall, a poet will come equipped with their best product, as they will rarely encounter direct access to a larger audience. Blanco rose to the challenge. Not unlike the poem by Elizabeth Alexander at Obama’s first inauguration, “Praise Song for the Day,” Blanco’s poem “One Today,” focused on the sense of unity that so many seek on inauguration day. With political infighting at a fever pitch, it is refreshing to sit back and listen to the poetic side of American life. “My face, your face, millions of faces in morning’s mirrors / each one yawning to life, crescendoing into our day,” writes Blanco, a meditation on the idea that each American wakes up every day just trying to begin. The poem beats on to describe the minutia of everyday live, from the youthful “pencil-yellow school buses” to the industrial “silver trucks heavy with oil or paper.” Blanco highlighted the general by not avoiding the personal, providing space in his poem to pay homage to both the speaker’s mother, who rang up groceries, and to the speaker’s father, who cut sugarcane so that he and his brother might have “books and shoes.” This personal touch catapulted the generalities of the rest of the poem to even greater significance, allowing every American to access some facet of Blanco’s work. Blanco’s poem included an effort to remind listeners that America was a work in progress, filled with small steps like “the first brush stroke on a portrait / or the last floor on the Freedom Tower / jutting into a sky that yields to our resilience.” Blanco ended the poem with a discussion of hope which, regardless of one’s politics, is the light with which we forge onward. The nation owes some thanks to Blanco, who reminds us Americans to reflect. When it is easy to say that all is lost, when it’s common to be blinded by dysfunctional politics and the drudgery of the hard days, all Americans should take solace in the knowledge that there is always a kind of rhythm—a certain poetry—in what we do.
Ryan Towey is the Asst. Metro Editor for The Heights. He can be reached at metro@bcheights.com.
BSO Cello Quartet gains publicity with debut Cello Quartet, from B10 Lecarme is a native of Grasse, France, and has appeared on the Rockport Chamber Music Festival, Hammond Performing Arts Series, Copley Society Series, Hebron and Thayer Academy Concert Series, Temple Emmanuel Chamber Music Series, and the chamber music series of the Boston Symphony Orchestra. The four cellists met in 2008 when three of them joined the prestigious Boston Symphony Orchestra (BSO). According to the press release, the four members decided to collaborate in January 2010 simply “to play good music with a unique twist.” This represented the first time that such a collaboration was attempted. They have since been hailed as “The Groovy BSO Chamber Ensemble” by the Boston Globe. The Boston Cello Quartet began by performing classical staples—however, in an effort to further explore the instrument that unites them, they soon expanded to play jazz, tango, and comic medleys as well. They rotate the role of leader for each piece, which is a unique practice for
cello quartets. Their debut concert was in July 2010 at the Koussevitzky Music Shed at Tanglewood. The Berkshire Eagle described it as “The best Prelude Concert at Ozawa Hall since the hall was built.” Since this start, they have enjoyed considerable success, including opening for the Grammy award-winning band “Train” and recording a soundtrack with composer Olivier Deriviere for the video game “Of Orcs and Men” for Xbox 360, PS3, and PC. They have also performed in a variety of engagements in New England and New York City. Their style and playlists drew an international following on the music scene. Their fans range from BSO season ticket holders to e ver yday music lovers who have never been to a chamber music performance. “When we began collaborating, we collectively decided that we wanted to do something a bit different than what you’d expect from a classical music group,” Esbensen said., according to the Quartet’s press release. “We quickly discovered that our sound and style drew in a diverse
audience of all ages and music tastes.” Their album Pictures will feature unique arrangements of classical pieces as well as original compositions. It will also feature their signature yet playful style that stretches the stylistic and musical range of the cello. “There isn’t a whole lot out there in regards to repertoire for cello quartets,”
Dejardin said, who writes new arrangements for the Boston Cello Quartet. “So this allowed us the opportunity to write our own arrangements and have fun with it.” There will be an exclusive CD release concert on Feb. 1 at the Hotel Revere in Boston. The album will be available on iTunes, Amazon, and CD Baby.
PHOTOS COURTESY OF BECKI COOPER
The BSO Cello Quartet will release their debut album on Feb. 11, available on iTunes.
As ammo shelves clear, debate on gun policy remains heated Ammunition Shops, from B10 on a gun violence prevention agenda. Mayor Menino co-founded the coalition of Mayors Against Illegal Guns (MAIG) and Warren will be taking many of the coalition’s initiatives to the Senate. Warren is supporting a comprehensive approach to gun violence, including three Senate bills focused on gun control reform, which reflect the three main priorities of the coalition’s recommendations sent to Obama in December: requiring every gun buyer to pass a criminal background check, getting military-style assault weapons and high-capacity magazines off city streets, and making gun trafficking a federal crime. MAIG has created and advocated for legislation to create stricter background checks and make communities safer since its founding by Menino and Mayor Michael Bloomberg in April 2006. The Massachusetts delegation of MAIG now includes 25 mayors. With all the discussion about gun regulation, storeowners are struggling to maintain their inventories. Obama’s speech last Wednesday focused on closing background check loopholes
to keep guns out of dangerous hands, banning military-style assault weapons and high-capacity magazines, and taking other steps to reduce gun violence. Following the speech, Oven said that he had over 45 people in his shop. “For the past month it’s been crazy. Basically, we are sold out of everything. I don’t see any sign of slowing down,” a sales associate at the shop said. Massachusetts G overnor De val Patrick is also working with Menino, and recently proposed a plan outlining “commonsense gun safety measures.” These will include amending current laws addressing weapons on school grounds, limiting sales to individuals by licensed vendors to one gun per month, and also closing loopholes and requiring purchasers to undergo background checks at gun shows. “I am encouraged by the palpable consensus in our Legislature that the time for action is now. All of us must pull in the same direction to bring about real change in this state and across the country,” Patrick said in a statement. Menino and Patrick also called for an “important investment in mental health programs” and the reduction of access to high-powered rounds of am-
munition. Oven admits that conditions for this access are not clearly defined. A s for the governor ’s push for change on background checks, Oven was on board with the suggestion. “This thing about background checks and increasing background checks for mental illness, that’s a good thing,” he said. “No one would argue about that.”
“Responsible gun ownership has a reasonable place in this country, but no one needs Rambostyle, high-capacity magazines to protect a family or to hunt game.” —Senator Elizabeth Warren Those wishing to purchase guns are struggling to find stores with ammunitions in stock, especially after the closing of the historical gun shop,
Roach’s Sporting Goods in Cambridge, last May. “Responsible gun ownership has a reasonable place in this country,” said Warren, who, according to The Boston Globe, added that she comes from a family that owned guns. “But no one needs military-grade assault weapons, and no one needs Rambo-style highcapacity magazines to protect a family or to hunt game.” With strong opinions from the National Rifle Association (NRA) and a Republican House, however, the debate is likely to continue. NR A Executive Director Wayne L aPierre originally suggested that public schools be equipped with armed guards in order to combat future gun violence. Following Obama’s Inaugural Address on Sunday, LaPierre responded with a speech on Tuesday by proclaiming that Obama’s efforts to increase gun control forsake the inalienable rights of U.S. citizens. “We believe that we deserve and have every right to the same level of freedom that government leaders reserve for themselves—to defend ourselves and our families with semi-automatic firearms technology,” LaPierre said.
PERSON TO WATCH BY: DANIELLE DALTON | FOR THE HEIGHTS
“If you define a person by what they do most, then the answer for me is simple—I’m a fencer,” penned Andrew Shirman BC ’10. As a student, Shirman was captain of the fencing team. He demonstrated his philosophical side, as any true philosophy major would, in a witty yet poignant reflection of his time as a member of the fencing team, which appeared in The Heights in March 2009. After graduating with a degree in philosophy and a minor in Asian and Film studies, Shirman headed to Fengqing, China, for two years as part of Teach for China. Through the program, graduates from the U.S. and China provide poverty-stricken rural Chinese communities with high-quality education. Teaching 3rd, 4th, and 7th grade English in a low-performing school,
Shirman worked diligently to help students. In quantitative terms, he raised the average of his 7th grade class on the county level exam 14 points in just one semester. Qualitatively, however, Shirman’s impact exceeded far beyond percentage points and the proper conjugation of English verbs. Shirman worked with a team of fellow young teachers to find a way to outfit low-income students with vision problems at Pingcun Primary School with eye-glasses. His experiences in China ignited his passion for educational equality and led him to found Education in Sight with John Kuo, another Teach for China Fellow, and George Dong, a Fellow of Teach for America. As stated on its website, Education in Sight’s mission is to “improve the academic performance of underprivileged students who suffer from poor vision.” Focusing its efforts on children in the U.S. and China, the organization provides vision screening and glasses to students. In a unique twist, however, the organization also strives to foster cross-cultural relationships. Through Education in Sight’s pen pal program, in addition to receiving a pair of glasses, a student is paired with another student across the globe. The nonprofit shows that education is not only found on the board of a classroom, but also from the world around you. The organization’s website features testimonials from
students: recipient Yang Guimei of China wrote, “The glasses have helped me to see the colorful world around me with crystal clarity, to walk out the solitude of a blurry and bleary world, to help me shed my frustrations due to my inability to WHO: Andrew Shirman, A&S ‘10 WHAT: Post grad work with Teach for China, educating elementary students in English WHERE: Fengquig, China WHY IT MATTERS: Shirman collaborated with fellow teachers to provide visually impaired students with eye glasses, going beyond his obligations.
see the blackboard, and to give me the confidence and courage to continue sailing and thriving in the sea of knowledge.” Fellow recipient Li Xing-Shui echoed the sentiment, “I am extremely thankful for Education in Sight for giving me eyeglasses and changing my life.” Four years ago Shirman wrote the following quote about fencing in his reflection in a 2009 edition of The Heights: “At the same time, though, it will take all the agility, cunning, and precision you have to get through a tough bout.” Today, Shirman applies the same skills to craft creative solutions to the problems of educational inequality around the globe.
THE HEIGHTS
Thursday, January 24, 2013
B9
Applicants compete for rights to casinos in Mass. Gambling Rights, from B10 lineup of developers includes MGM Springfield, Penn National Gaming, Inc.; Plainridge Racecourse; Hard Rock MA; Wynn, LLC; Mohegan Sun; Sterling Suffolk Racecourse; Raynham Park; Mass Gaming Entertainment, LLC; PPE Casino Resorts and Crossroads Massachusetts, LLC. Marketing his site in the Greater Boston category, which is the location that is predicted to be the most profitable in the state, Nunes competes with Suffolk Downs and its partner, Caesars Entertainment, and with Las Vegas casino magnate Steve Wynn. The latter competitor is a renowned billionaire who boasts multiple casino hotels on the Las Vegas Strip, including the Mirage and the Bellagio, and whose application submission in November came as a surprise, at least compared to developers like Nunes who had been harboring casino plans even before Massachusetts officially legalized gambling. The Suffolk Downs-Caesars Entertainment partnership in particular faces tough questions regarding access and traffic because of their urban development proposals. The developers have plans for a $1 billion gambling resort on the East Boston/Revere line at the 78-year old Wonderland Racetrack. Just five miles away and still within the area of the city, Wynn has plans for an additional $1 billion hotel and casino development in Everett on industrial land situated on the Mystic River. Four developers are competing for the western Massachusetts license, including Hard Rock International, MGM Resorts, Mohegan Sun, and Penn National Gaming. Chicago billionaire Neil Bluhm of Rush Street Gaming and the Baltimore-based Cordish Companies have entered wildcard positions in the contest, as both have submitted an application and fee but have not specified a location nor the particular license for which they wish to compete. Neither company needs solidified plans until Phase 2 of the application, unless they decide to pursue the single slot parlor license. Two competitors, Plainridge Racecourse and
Raynham Park, have each applied for this type of license. A third casino license allows for development in the southern region of the state, but for now, this is reserved for the Mashpee Wampanoag tribe, which is pursing a tribal casino in Taunton under federal law. For Phase 1 of the process, the MGC is only considering applications on whether the applicants are qualified based on checks of financial background and criminal records, rather than on each company’s project in terms of revenue and jobs. MGC Chairman Steve Crosby, however, did allude to the latter criteria in a statement on the MGC website, saying, “The Massachusetts legislation drafted the Expanded Gaming Act prioritizing competition as key criteria.” The gaming commission has vigorously carried that charge forward resulting in the achievement of a gaming competition that is robust and primed to obtain that absolute maximum benefits in job creation and economic growth to the residents of the commonwealth.” Regulations for Phase 2 of the application process will be released this summer. The competition has already begun to heat up. Nunes, for example, has previously discussed budgets for his suburban casino project of $750 million, but then recently declined to reveal how much his development company actually plans on spending. To gain an edge, some developers are laying claims to alleged local roots. Nunes, having spoken about his hometown of Bolton, Mass. and being a 1978 graduate from Nashoba High School, has also claimed that he worked with the Wampanoag Tribe of Aquinnah in the past. Richard Fields, lead investor of Suffolk Downs, promotes the racetrack as a cultural icon, as the venue where “super-horses” Seabiscuit and Cigar raced, and where the Beatles performed in 1966. For the next year, the rival developers will continue to outdo each other in hopes of winning the gambling license by proposing high-end, high-priced projects in an effort to capture the attention of the curious Massachusetts public.
MIND YO’ BUSINESS
Customizing satisifies expression PHOTO COURTESY OF FACTORY 63
One floor plan of what Factory 63 calls an “Innovation Loft” on Boston’s Melcher St.
Factory 63 builds community M Block, from B10 space in 51 Melcher Street. 63 Melcher Street, called Factory 63, is comprised of residential units that cater especially to artists. On the first floor of Factory 63, there will be a gallery space called the Design Innovation Gallery for the Design Museum Boston, a series of exhibitions that launched on Jan. 23. “It’s their first gallery space outside of the design museum,” said Samuel John Yarborough, who works for Kortenhaus Communications, the company in charge of Factory 63’s public relations. “All of our public relations efforts have been about developing relationships in the community,” said Yarborough. This included communication especially with local businesses and the Fort Point Arts Community (FPAC). Regarding the Innovation District’s impact on the character of Factory 63, Yarborough said that the initiative to develop the Innovation District has the demand for housing growing as well. “I think certainly that the initiative is driving the need for apartment spaces in the area for the people that work in the innovation economy and want to live near where they work. Promoting the innova-
the government wants? Have any terrorists actually been stopped? According to Mac Daniel, a Boston Globe staff writer, in the first two and a half months of random searching no weapons were found and no arrests were made. However, there were nearly two-dozen false alarms. These false positives were from “items such as asthma medication and hand cream.” Frankly, knowing these facts will not make me feel any safer next time I ride the T. I would probably be annoyed if, with no particular cause or suspicion, I was stopped for a random search further delaying my trip on the already inefficient T. I would definitely be annoyed if their test came up positive, was further searched and questioned only to later find out that the test was a false alarm due to my favorite White Citrus hand cream. There has never been a specific terrorist threat to the MBTA. There have not been any arrests made since the random searches have started. On these grounds, I personally believe the MBTA is violating our constitutional rights. The random bag searches are simply an ineffective preventative measure that is putting law-abiding citizens through unreasonable searches and seizures.
I recently purchased a new case for my iPhone that takes the form of a Lego block. The case is suited up with detachable pieces and has caught the attention of many. Besides the case’s ability to distract its user during a boring class—rearranging the Lego pieces is quite entertaining—it also speaks to the consumer’s desire for customization. I usually scan a few auctions on Ebay. com and eventually bid on a $3 case, as opposed to purchasing a $40 case in the AT&T store. My most recent purchase, however, was not purchased for a cheap price on the Internet, but in an actual store. Its unique qualities captured my attention and my wallet. The concept of mass customization has been a prominent feature of hundreds of manufacturers for about two decades. Mass customization makes it possible to significantly lower production and inventory costs by eliminating the potential for overproduction and underproduction, all while increasing customer satisfaction. For instance, most consumers purchase computers over the Internet, individually selecting almost every feature, ranging from RAM data storage to the color of the desktop’s outer shell. Consumers almost always respond positively to the option of personal customization, partly because they feel like they are somehow contributing to the production process. Whenever I observe any form of self-expression, especially on a campus like Boston College, I am immediately intrigued regardless of whether I approve or disapprove of the person’s decision. Nowadays, consumers have focused their craving for personal customization onto their smartphones as they purchase wallpapers, ringtones, casings, and even designed chargers. I am amazed by our innate desire to customize products to officially make them our own. Online stores like Iwowcase.com play to the modern consumer’s interest, selling cases that serve as bottle openers and ones covered with the Union Jack emblem. The major risk that such retail firms possess is miscalculating the interests of the public and creating products that do not sell. Nokia has recently taken the idea of customization to a whole new level by allowing its users to alter elements of their phones’ hardware according to their individual needs. Last Friday, the firm launched its “3D-printing Development Kit” (3DK) that can be attached to the back of the Lumia 820 cellular phone. As reported by Fortune.com, community and developer marketing manager John Kneeland stated that the “Lumia 820 has a removable shell that users can replace with Nokia-made shells in different colors, special ruggedized shells with extra shock and dust protection, and shells that add wireless charging capabilities found in the high-end Lumia 920 to the mid-range 820.” Although Nokia is now a standout among its competitors, copycats will most likely arise within the year. But for now, Kneeland is confident in the success of Nokia’s take on customization: “Those are fantastic cases, and a great option for the vast majority of Nokia’s Lumia 820 customers. But in addition to that, we are going to release 3D templates, case specs, recommended materials and best practices — everything someone versed in 3D printing needs to print their own custom Lumia 820 case,” Kneeland said. By inviting its customers to take part in the construction of their phones’ hardware, Nokia is likely to maintain its customer base and steadily attract new users. I constantly wonder if smartphones are slowly replacing boredom. Just by taking a look at the people around you at any time of the day, you are bound to see a large number of bright mobile devices fixed upright in the palms of users. And as firms are becoming more cognizant of the innate desire for personalization, we will most likely develop further attachment to our phones. Personally, I have already eliminated the boredom in my life as I keep one hand on the keyboard and one on the removable Lego piece of my customizable case.
Maggie Powers is an editor for The Heights. She can be reached at metro@bcheights.com.
Marc Francis is an editor for The Heights. He can be reached at metro@ bcheights.com.
tion district has been a big driver.” Factory 63, a former shoe factory originally owned by the Boston Wharf Company, held open houses last week and began accepting applications for apartment leases. Yarborough said that they hope to begin moving in residents on Feb. 1. Rent at Factory 63 ranges from $1,699 to $2,400. Factory 63 is comprised of 38 units, including 27 innovation units, which are essentially lofts. With only the 38 units at Factory 63 available, the building’s developer, Gerding Edlen, will have completed an additional tower of 20 floors and 202 residential units this upcoming fall at 319 A Street Rear. Moves to increase residential space in South Boston’s Fort Point have been praised by Boston Mayor Thomas M. Menino, according to the Boston Redevelopment Authority. “From the very start of our plan for the waterfront and Fort Point Channel, we knew housing would be a crucial part of the equation,” said Mayor Menino. “There are a lot of exciting things happening down here—from the arts to the restaurants and more—and people want to be part of it. They want to live down here and continue the momentum.”
THE ISSUE:
Random bag checks by the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) were implemented by former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney in 2006. As of January, protesters have begun to take action, claiming that these checks are a violation of their constitutional rights. Does this added security measure violate the 4th Amendment right to protection against unreasonable search and seizure?
PHOTO COURTESY OF GOOGLE IMAGES
Security above inconvenience Searches are unnecessary JULIE ORENSTEIN In the post-Sept. 11 world, heightened security in public spaces has become more and more a part of our everyday lives. We have gotten used to long lines at TSA airport checkpoints, metal detectors at the entrances of sports arenas, and even increased security in schools, particularly in light of recent events. In each of these instances, we have come to accept time-consuming or inconvenient security measures as unfortunate, but necessary, elements of life. Yes, it might be a bother to have to open your bag for inspection or take off your shoes at the airport. But, in my opinion, I would rather take a few more minutes to comply with security guidelines then face a life-threatening act of violence. Recently, a group of Bostonians has spoken out against random bag inspections at MBTA stations, saying it infringes upon our Fourth Amendment rights to protection against unreasonable search and seizure. Their claims, though, seem a little extreme. The plan to impose random bag inspections was implemented by then-Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney in 2006 “as part of an overall layered strategy to deter and prevent a terrorist attack,” according to the MBTA’s website. The key element of the practice that prevents it from potentially violating the Fourth Amendment, in my view,
is that the searches are done by “swabbing” the handles, zipper, or seam of a bag to look for explosive material. If dangerous materials are discovered, then the owner of the bag may be asked to open it for further inspection. In 2006, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 2nd Circuit in New York upheld a decision involving the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, holding that bag inspections do not violate individuals’ Constitutional rights, according to an MBTA press release. Unwarranted inspections must be based on “special need” and meant to protect the rights of individual riders, who receive general notice of the inspections that are conducted for a short duration of time and involving people selected with a predetermined cycle. While random bag inspections might seem like an unjustifiable invasion of privacy to some, I maintain that the practice, especially when it embodies only “swabbing” of bags and not even opening them, is an acceptable form of security. Privacy and protection against unlawful search and seizure is one of the greatest safeguards our Constitution offers us, however in this case, a brief and relatively non-intrusive security scan is something we should all tolerate in exchange for a more secure city.
Julie Orenstein is an editor for The Heights. She can be reached at metro@bcheights.com.
MAGGIE POWERS “The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizure, shall not be violated.” The Fourth Amendment of the United States Constitution is a right granted to all American citizens, yet I often take it for granted. In fact, I fail to consider it unless it is called to my immediate attention. The random bag inspections performed by the MBTA have done exactly that. These random bag searches are a violation of our constitutional rights. Let me add a qualifier to this somewhat bold statement. By no means do I disagree with the ideology behind the bag searches; terrorism is a very real threat in the age we live in and absolutely anything that can effectively be done to combat it should be done. The random bag searches, however, do not fall into this category. According to Law Practice Today in order to perform searches without a warrant “…the search must be reasonable in light of balancing factors including: the weight and immediacy of government interest; the nature of the privacy that will be compromised and the efficacy of the search in advancing the government’s interest.” The last point is the one I hold contest with. How effective are these random searches? Are the searches achieving what
MARC FRANCIS
METRO THE HEIGHTS
B8
B10
Thursday, January 24, 2013
THURSDAY, JANUARY 24, 2013
BREAKING BOUNDARIES
Mother knows best
UPPING THE ANTE Eleven developers officially apply for gambling rights in Massachusetts BY LAUREN TOTINO Heights Staff
Last week, Crossroads Massachusetts submitted a last-minute application for the Greater Boston casino license as the 11th and final
developer, effectively entering the competition for gambling rights in the state of Massachusetts. David Nunes, the company’s head developer who has been advocating his 177-acre site in Milford for several years, entered the competition with an application
to undergo background checks and the $400,000 entry fee just 10 minutes before the 5 p.m. deadline on Jan. 15. The Massachusetts Gaming Commission (MGC) will finally choose a winner on or before Feb. 26, 2014, and until then, one can expect to see plenty of corporate-powerfueled competition and politics as big names and big egos come out to play a game of high stakes. The 2011 Massachusetts casino law
authorizes up to three resort casinos in the state, with no more than one in each of three designated regions, and one slots parlor that can be constructed in any region. 11 pre-qualifying developers are vying for the Greater Boston and Western Massachusetts resort casino license (Category 1), in addition to one slot parlor license (Category 2). The
TRICIA TIEDT Alright, let’s be real: we all know that I’m not the biggest fan of the BC Bubble. My mission is to get you outside of it and take a breath of fresh air every once and a while. Another honest truth: we all take that quaint, suburban, suffocating BC Bubble for granted. Because when I got a text message from my ever-worrying, constantly up-todate mother last Saturday night, informing me of armed robberies in Boston, I thought nothing of it and went about my weekend shenanigans on Lower Campus. However, some startling news awaited me when I finally rose from my Mod-induced weekend hibernation on Monday: three separate, unrelated robberies took place in the vicinity of Boston University —in the span of three hours. On Friday, Jan. 18, three different incidents were reported, with BU students cited as the victims in every report. Fortunately, no one was harmed in these incidents, although one suspect was armed, brandishing a handgun to three victims in Brookline. Items taken included cash, purses, wallets —but smartphones or cell phones were stolen in every robbery. The first victim was approached on the west end of BU’s campus, near the Shaw’s Supermarket, at approximately 11 p.m. The last incident reported occurred around 1 a.m. Saturday morning on Babcock Street. The assailants were all males, with the exception of one female, and spanned multiple races (white, Asian, and African American). It is clear that none of these robberies were correlated to the others in any way. Which, when you think about it, is downright alarming. The hours in which the robberies took place occurred during peak “going out” hours for college students. Had I been out on BU’s campus Friday evening, that victim easily could have been me. It could have been any of my young, vulnerable, female friends. It could have been you. But it wasn’t. On Friday night, the majority of BC students “out” were probably in the vicinity of Chestnut Hill—close enough to campus to see the glow of Gasson Tower. Armed with their cell phones, BC ID, and “water” bottles, students traipsed through campus for what promised to be a good night—the first weekend back from break. I sure wasn’t thinking about lurking dangers or putting myself in harm’s way—even after my mother’s text (sorry, Terri). Were you? Most likely not. And why weren’t we? Because we don’t have to. We live in the Bubble. The Bubble that we so often criticize is also the Bubble that keeps us safe, keeps us out of harm’s way, keeps us from having to file any police reports. We live in a world where you can leave your books, smartphone, and laptop at a desk in O’Neill while you grab a drink. Hell, I thrive in that world. The world before the real world. That world is the world that keeps me going. The Bubble. For all the limitations of Chestnut Hill, I have been reminded this week to be thankful. Thankful for the comfort I find on Commonwealth Avenue, the security in our own police department, and the faith I have in my fellow students at BC. Thankful for the Bubble. In addition to being thankful for not being in harm’s way, I am reminded just how much we have to be thankful for. Whenever you do venture out of the Bubble again—and I still highly recommend that you do—be careful. Be aware of your surroundings, be cautious, and be smart. And, if I may suggest, take a minute to be thankful for the Bubble we have the privilege of calling home. Oh, and always remember: mother knows best.
Tricia Tiedt is the Metro Editor for The Heights. She can be reached at metro@bcheights.com.
See Gambling Rights, B9
JORDAN PENTALERI / HEIGHTS GRAPHIC
Looming gun control laws sell out ammo shops BY SHANNON INGLESBY Heights Staff The gun control debate has attracted controversy in recent months, with the tragic events at Newtown, Connecticut’s Sandy Hook Elementary School, where 22 children and 6 adults were killed by a gunman, igniting national attention. President Barack
Obama plans to take executive action on the gun control issue and even mentioned Newtown in his inaugural speech. In Boston, however, citizens are frantically scrambling to buy guns before executive actions takes effect. With this rush, ammunition shops are struggling to keep their shelves stocked. Uncertain about the federal and
state actions that will unfold, many Boston residents have flocked to ammunitions shops to buy guns while they still can. “It has been great for business, but we can’t get anymore stock . Ever ything is out,” said Ted Oven, owner of the Northeast Trading Company, according to BostInno. “People are trying to buy accessories, magazines and ammunition. They are
just afraid. They are buying everything they can right now. Ammunition is becoming scarce.” Gun enthusiasts and those anxious to own guns for protection are facing many officials, including Boston Mayor Thomas M. Menino and Senator Elizabeth Warren, who are collaborating
See Ammunition Shops, B8
Melcher St. becomes home to Boston’s newest neighborhood BY RYAN TOWEY Asst. Metro Editor
PHOTO COURTESY OF BECKI COOPER
BSO Cello Quartet: Blaise Dejardin, Adam Esbensen, Mihail Jojatu, and Alexandre Lecarme.
BSO’s Boston Cello Quartet releases ‘Pictures’ album BY JACQUELINE PARISI Heights Staff On Feb. 5, The Boston Cello Quartet’s album Pictures will be released. This is the debut album for the quartet, whose members include Blaise Déjardin, Adam Esbensen, Mihail Jojatu, and Alexandre Lecarme. Déjardin was born in Strasbourg, France in 1984. He has performed in many festivals in France, and was invited for two summers at the Steans Institute of the Ravinia Festival in Chicago. From 2001 to 2004, Déjardin traveled all over Europe, Russia, and
I NSIDE METRO THIS ISSUE
South America with the European Union Youth Orchestra. Before joining the Boston Cello Quartet, Esbensen spent five years with the Oregon Symphony. He has performed around New York State as a part of the Mozart and Chopin festivals. Jojatu was born in Romania. He won the concerto competition at the Boston University School for the Arts and subsequently appeared as a soloist with Keith Lockhart and the Boston Pops Orchestra.
On the Flip Side
Boston is a famously young city. Melcher Street, called “M Block” by some brokers and developers involved in the South Boston neighborhood, is what many hope will be a new home to this young population. Until recently, Melcher Street was a throughway to the draw of the surrounding Innovation District, but now the neighborhood is becoming a destination in its own right. “The area is emerging as a central part of the Innovation District if you look at the development activity,” said Taidgh McClory, senior vice president at CBRENew England, the organization that handles leasing at 51 Melcher Street
See Cello Quartet, B8
Protesters are beginning to resist the MBTA’s random bag checks. Is this security measure a violation of constitutional rights? ..................B9
according to The Boston Herald. “You’ll see a major transformation of the neighborhood. The concept of connection and collaboration is extremely important to the companies that are attracted to the Innovation District, and that’s the kind of momentum and message that we’re trying to wrap the M Block around.” Buildings of specific interest include 49 Melcher Street and 51 Melcher Street. Factory 63, a separate project at 63 Melcher Street run by developer Gerding Edlen, is also transforming the image of Melcher Street. 49 Melcher Street, according to Curbed Boston, incorporates 23 loftstyle apartments with the classically citified brick-and-beam structure. The lower levels of this building will be made up of Bastille Kitchen, a French bistro comprised of 140 seats that owner Seth Greenberg plans to open in the fall. On a lower level, there are plans for a smaller, private dining area called Chalet. According to The Boston Herald, Greenberg said that he sees Melcher Street as “potentially similar to the Meatpacking District in New York.” These residential spaces will accompany the 94,220 square feet of commercial
See M Block, B9
Restaurant Review: Johnny’s Luncheonette..........................................................B7 Person to Watch: Andrew Shirman.............................................................B8