The Heights will return on Thursday, March 17, 2011 electric feel
EAGLES STAY ALIVE
The Independent Student Newspaper of Boston College Established 1919 Vol. XCII, No. 13
bp drills in the arctic
Sports
the scene
marketplace
A win at Virginia Tech keeps BC’s NCAA Tournament hopes alive, A10
Pop music has recently found itself inundated with new, electronic-style beats, B1
Despite complications in 2010, BP expands drilling operations, B10
The Heights Thursday, March 3, 2011
www.bcheights.com
Voting station promotes student vote By Molly LaPoint Asst. News Editor
kevin hou / heights editor
The elections committee set up a voting station outside the CTRC on Monday and Tuesday.
The elections committee set up a voting station outside the Campus Technology Resource Center (CTRC) that presented students with information about voting and the candidates’ platforms during both the primary and final elections from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. with the intention of encouraging students to vote. “We’re trying to raise awareness about the election and about the voting process to get more of the student body engaged in voting,” said Michael O’Hara, co-chair of the elections committee and A&S ’11.
This year, there were 3,284 votes cast in the primary election, a 70 percent increase from the previous year. During the final election, 3,918 votes were cast, up from last year’s 2,887. O’Hara said he believes there were a number of factors involved in bringing these numbers up. “We think the voting station, along with the considerable efforts of the candidates, the elections committee’s other publicity initiatives, and coverage by campus media, was definitely effective in increasing awareness and increasing voter turnout,” O’Hara said. The station was implemented as a trial
to see if it had any positive effect on voting. “It [was] kind of a trial run to see what kinds of results we got,” he said. “We’re getting positive feedback because it has shown us positive results, and we do plan on increasing voting stations next year.” Because of the success, the elections committee will likely expand the number of voting stations next year to gain more foot traffic, O’Hara said. “Based on the great results and feedback that we’ve gotten during this election, the committee intends to expand its use of voting stations next year,” he said.
See Voting, A4
Online forum, SpeakUP, to foster student dialogue
UGBC ELECTION 2011
SpeakUP intends to promote open, anonymous discussion on AHANA and GLBTQ concerns By Taylour Kumpf News Editor
SpeakUP, a new online forum for discussing campus issues including, but not limited to, AHANA and GLBTQ topics, is in the beginning stages of development. Nick Domino, UGBC senator and A&S ’12, is working to bring this forum to fruition. Modeled after Orchid, a similar forum at Wellesley College, SpeakUP hopes to engage the entire student body in open and anonymous dialogue regarding a variety of student life concerns. “When students are in classrooms, they’re more hesitant to talk about certain issues because [of how they might be perceived] based on their race and gender,” Domino said. Domino said SpeakUP would allow for a larger segment of the population to be brought into these discussions. “What SpeakUP aims to do [is engage the] stu-
dents who want to talk about these issues, but who fall into this group where they don’t speak up about them. [SpeakUP] will allow students who aren’t otherwise talking about these issues to do so.” “This dialogues starts online,” he said. “But the main objective is to have it go back into the real world. It’s all about getting back to talking in person, getting dialogue going, then bringing it back to face-to-face.” Domino said that the forum can also compliment larger University events. “After a speaker comes, for example, the organizers of that event could post questions on the forum to help continue the discussion after the fact.” In addition to AHANA and GLBTQrelated discussions, Domino said the forum can similarly be a place for lighter conversation as well. “You can enlighten yourself and learn more and more,” he
See SpeakUP, A4
UGBC senate ELECTION 2011
Nick Rellas / heights staff
Mike Kitlas and Jill Long, both A&S ’12, will be representing the interests of the student body for the upcoming 2011-2012 school year.
Kitlas-Long to lead UGBC A total of 3,918 votes were cast in the final election
By Molly LaPoint Asst. News Editor
Mike Kitlas and Jill Long, both A&S ’12, won the election for president and vice president of the UGBC, with 50.4 percent of the vote. They beat out Mike Joyce and Justin Portes, both A&S ’12, by 85 votes. “We had everyone on the campaign team gathered together so we would all hear the news at once and when it was announced everyone erupted,” Kitlas said in an e-mail.
Joyce and Portes garnered 48.2 percent of the vote, with 1.4 percent of the voters choosing to vote only in the Senate elections. A total of 3,918 votes were cast in the election, up from last year’s 2,887. The senior class vote made for the largest discrepancy between the teams – Joyce and Portes received 147 votes from seniors, whereas Kitlas and Long garnered 312. Joyce and Portes led the primary elections, with 48.6 percent of the vote. Kitlas and Long received 27.3
percent of the primary votes, and as a result, they ramped up their campaigning, Kitlas said. “Mike and Justin were running a great campaign and we knew we had a lot of ground to make up to get where we wanted to be,” Kitlas said. “The one thing we heard particularly about our campaign during the primaries was that we weren’t visible enough. That’s what we changed. We became much more visible in
See Kitlas-Long, A4
Journalism to open for more students By Zachary Halpern Heights Editor
The administration recently announced that, beginning in the fall of 2011, all journalism courses currently offered through the communication department will be offered as general university courses. The number of journalism classes offered next year will not change. David Quigley, dean of the College of Arts and Sciences (A&S) said, “I’m convinced that the best approach for training journalists is to offer these courses to all arts and science undergraduates.” Lisa Cuklanz, chair of the communication department, said that there is no evidence that any student has dropped
the major as a result of these changes. She said in an e-mail that she is open to discussing the changes with any student who is uncertain or concerned about how the new policy will affect them. Quigley said he has engaged in a dialogue with the students and instructors affected by the policy. “A number of students and faculty have asked questions about the change,” he said. “I’ve been pleased with my conversations with most stakeholders on campus. I’ve explained my serious interest in journalism and A&S’s ongoing commitment to the field.” Cuklanz said that the change is part of a transformation of the communication department. “This change is part of ongoing strate-
UGBC Senate members elected for 2011-2012 term By Elise Taylor Heights Editor
In addition to voting in the UGBC presidential election, members of each class democratically selected fellow classmates who will represent them in the 2011-2012 Senate. This year’s winners were: For the Class of 2014, Sam Gervase, Molly McCarthy, Ricky Knapp, Brandon Short, and Nate Schlein. For the Class of 2013, Brian Raab, Vanessa Gomez, Scott Monaco, Constantine Schidlovsky, and Katie Moore. For the Class of 2012, Derek Lo, Cam Cronin, Danny Martinez, Nick Domino, and Layne Petrie. The UGBC Senate plays a vital role in campus life. As representatives of the undergraduate voice, they must balance approving the UGBC budget, reallocating funds, checking executive power, and initiating legislation aimed at improving the Boston College community. Comprised of 15 democratically elected senators, this governing body asserts student opinion.
“These are the leaders who listen to students’ feedback on a myriad of issues and work with other students, faculty, and administrators to address them, in a constant effort to make BC a better place to live and study,” said Ben Hall, advisor to the UGBC election committee and A&S ’12. Despite this importance, the UGBC Senate race has historically taken a back seat to the more widely promoted presidential and vice presidential elections. This year’s presidential election was a close race, with Michael Kitlas and Jill Long, both A&S ’12 winning the final election by 85 votes, but the Senate election’s results were also marginal. In this year’s overall election, 3,918 students voted, which was a 35 percent increase from last year. In total, almost 43 percent of the study body casted votes. The UGBC elections committee highlighted the importance of this positive voter turnout, especially for the senatorial
See Senate, A4
gic planning within the department that aims to create a curriculum that more closely reflects the research strengths of the faculty,” she said. “Next year, the department will offer several new electives and writing intensive seminars designed to do just that. These new courses include New Media and Society, Visual Media, Rhetorical Criticism, and Communicating Nonverbal Messages.” Quigley said that the administration will begin to develop a long-term plan regarding the journalism courses soon. “This year and the year after we’ll start to think about long term programmatic solutions,” he said. The University will analyze the level sara Davey/ heights staff
See Journalism, A4
Senate-elects campaigned similarly to presidential candidates via dorm walks and Facebook.
TopFive
The Heights
Thursday, March 3, 2011
things to do on campus this week
Green Film Screening
1
‘Nelly’s Echo’ Live Music
The Problem of Sexting
Today Time: 12 p.m. Location: O’Neill 211
Bring your friends and come to a film screening of The Greening of Southie, a part of BC is Green Month. Snacks will be provided for the movie. Admission is free.
Today Time: 7 p.m. Location: Murray Room
2
Listen to a lecture by Fred Lane, BC Law ’88 as he speaks about the epidemic of sexting among youth and its consequences. Regsistration is required. Admission is $10.
3
Today Time: 9 p.m. Location: Chocolate Bar
Experience a free live music per formance by the Nigerian-born singersongwriter Nelly’s Echo at the Chocolate Bar, sponsored by Nights on the Heights.
featured on campus
IA program aids students
Jesuit Guide to Everything
4
Friday Time: 7 p.m. Location: Robsham
Enjoy a presentation by James Martin, S.J., author of the book The Jesuit Guide to (Almost) Everything. Space is limited and an RSVP is required.
Basketball vs. Wake Forest
5
Sunday Time: 12 p.m. Location: Conte Forum
Be a Super fan and cheer on the men’s basketball team as the Eagles take on the Wake Forest Demon Deacons in Conte Forum on Sunday.
IntheNews
Four Day Weather Forecast THursday
Mostly Sunny 15°
friday
El Camino College, located in Torrance, Calif., will pay part of a $2.5 million in lawsuit settlement dues to a former secretary at the college. The secretary accused a dean, her supervisor, of sexual harrassment from 2007 to 2009 as well as rape, according to a local newspaper, The Daily Breeze. The sum will be paid by both the college and its insurance company as well as the now-retired dean. However, the dean claims that their sexual relationship was completely consensual.
36° Mostly Cloudy 33°
saturday
47° Few Showers
University El Camino College to pay part of $2.5 million lawsuit settlement
22°
40°
sunday
50° Mostly Sunny 35°
Source: National Weather Service
A Guide to Your Newspaper The Heights Boston College – McElroy 113 140 Commonwealth Ave. Chestnut Hill, Mass. 02467 Editor-in-Chief (617) 552-2223
Local News Jamaica Plain residents rally in opposition of Whole Foods chain On Feb. 28, hundreds of Jamaica Plain residents attended a community forum and rally at the John F. Kennedy Elementary School, organized by Jamaica Plain Neighborhood Council. The rally, which showed opposition against Whole Foods, after an announcement in January stated that the chain will open a store in Hyde Square. The community fears that the creation of a Whole Foods in their area will reduce the diversity and closeness of the community. However, a spokeswoman for Whole Foods said that they intend to move forward with the store’s plans.
photo courtesy of the international assitant program
The Interational Assistant [IA] Program, which aids students in their transition at BC, is now accepting applications. orientation at the end of By Phil McHarris For the Heights August.” Sean He, an international The International Assis- assistant and A&S ’13, looks tant [IA] Program, which is for multiple qualities in an designed to aid international international assistant. students in their transition “I think the most impora t Bosto n C o lta n t q u a l i ty lege, Boston, and for an IA is life in America, as the willing“I have met so well as increase ness to learn,” many people international He said. “Perawareness at BC, from around the sonally, I feel is now accepting world who I have that the interapplications. national stulearned a lot “The Internadents bring a tional Assistant from.” lot of culture Program was esand diversity tablished in 1980 to BC, and —Sean He, in response to the my interest in needs of incoming International Assistant this is what and A&S ’13 international stumade me want dents,” according to become an to the IA Program website. IA. Of course, it’s also imNiamh McCarthy, A&S portant to be friendly, ma’13, is in charge of this year’s ture and committed.” selection process. She said “This has been my first the program usually accepts year in the International between 70 and 80 people. Assistant Program and it “The only prerequisites has been amazing,” he said. to apply are availability re- “I have met so many people lated,” McCarthy said. “All from around the world who applicants must be available I have learned a lot from. I during the international have also met a lot of other
BC students who are IAs that have made a lasting impact on my sophomore year.” Some of the roles of IAs i n c l u d e s u p p o rt i n g t h e international students, acting as a resource, and sharing their culture. The IAs also play a major role in the three-day international student orientation which takes place just prior to the freshman and transfer student orientations, according to the Website. He said that both the IAs and international students benefit from the opportunity. “Both IAs and international students are rewarded with the opportunity to meet and build lasting relationships with amazing people from all over the world,” he said. “The program also gives BC students an opportunity to take a leadership role, while offering international students guidance in their transition with American university life.” n
On Campus Juniors recognized for regional and national entries in theatre festival Elise Hudson, LSOE ’12 and Nzinga Williams, A&S ’12 were both honored at the Region 1 section of the Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival, held last month. The festival brings together schools from Maine to New York and allows students to compete in all aspects of theatre, including acting, directing, playwriting, dramaturgy, design, technology and administration. Hudson received second place for her regional entry in costume design for her creations for The Magic Flute. Williams received an honorable mention for her national entry in stage management, for her managing of She Stoops to Conquer.
National Man jailed after driving 40 miles with wife clinging to hood of car MANTECA, Calif. (AP) — Police in California say a woman survived a 40-mile ride clinging to the hood of a minivan driven by her husband after the two got into an argument. Manteca authorities told KOVRTV that 36-year-old Christopher Michael Carroll is being held at the San Joaquin County Jail on a charge of attempted murder. Police say he drove off Saturday in the family’s minivan with his wife clinging to the windshield wiper and side mirror. She had attempted to stop him from leaving. The woman, whose name wasn’t released, suffered from hypothermia.
Editorial General (617) 552-2221 Managing Editor (617) 552-4286 News Desk (617) 552-0172 Sports Desk (617) 552-0189 Marketplace Desk (617) 552-3548 Features Desk (617) 552-3548 Arts Desk (617) 552-0515 Photo (617) 552-1022 Fax (617) 552-4823 Business and Operations General Manager (617) 552-0169 Advertising (617) 552-2220 Business and Circulation (617) 552-0547 Classifieds and Collections (617) 552-0364 Fax (617) 552-1753 EDITORIAL RESOURCES News Tips Have a news tip or a good idea for a story? Call Taylour Kumpf, 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 Paul Sulzer, Sports Editor, at (617) 552-0189, or e-mail sports@bcheights.com. Arts Events The Heights covers a multitude of events both on and off campus – including concerts, movies, theatrical performances, and more. Call Darren Ranck, 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 Michael Caprio, Editor-in-Chief, at (617) 552-2223, or e-mail editor@ bcheights.com. CUSTOMER SERVICE
Police Blotter 2/25/11 – 2/27/11 Friday, Feb. 25
sistance provided to an individual in obtaining a University stay-away order.
1:24 p.m. - A report was filed regarding a fire alarm activation in Devlin Hall. Newton Fire Department arrived on scene and determined the alarm was triggered by employees working in the area. 9:06 p.m. - A report was filed regarding a past larceny in Stuart Hall. A detective is investigating. 9:14 p.m. - A report was filed regarding an underage intoxicated subject in the Lower Parking Lot. The subject was transported by Armstrong Ambulance to a medical facility. 9:25 p.m. - A report was filed regarding an intoxicated subject of legal age who was unable to care for themself. The party was later released to the custody of a sober adult party.
Saturday, Feb. 26 10:10 a.m. - A report was filed regarding an ill party who was transported to a medical facility in a police cruiser. 2:04 p.m. - A report was filed regarding a past larceny in O’ Neill Library. A detective is investigating.
3:55 p.m. - A report was filed regarding as-
Voices from the Dustbowl “What would be your ideal spring break?”
Sunday, Feb. 27 2:14 a.m. - A report was filed regarding a subject operating a motor vehicle under the influence of alcohol near Vanderslice Hall. The subject’s vehicle was towed. 2:18 a.m. - A report was filed regarding a victim that received threats made to commit bodily harm. A detective is investigating. 2:27 a.m. - A report was filed regarding found property in Walsh Hall. The property will be stored at BCPD headquarters for safekeeping. 3:47 a.m. - A report was filed regarding three underage intoxicated subjects in Cheverus Hall. All three were transported to a medical facility in a police cruiser.
“Going to Peru on vacation.” —Kelly Kim, A&S ’14
“Going on a trip to Puerto Rico to visit my friends.” —Brian Charron, A&S ’14
4:50 a.m. - A report was filed regarding a fire alarm activation in the Mods. The alarm was triggered due to a stove that was left on. 5:20 a.m. - A report was filed regarding damage to Boston College property. A work order was filed.
—Source: The Boston College Police Department
“Going on Appalachia in a warmer climate.” —Matt Bartolotta,
A&S ’13
Delivery To have The Heights delivered to your home each week or to report distribution problems on campus, contact Dan Ottaunick, General Manager at (617) 552-0547. Advertising The Heights is one of the most effective ways to reach the BC community. To submit a classified, display, or online advertisement, call our advertising office at (617) 552-2220 Monday through Friday.
The Heights is produced by BC undergraduates and is published on Mondays and Thursdays during the academic year by The Heights, Inc. (c) 2011. All rights reserved.
CORRECTIONS Please send corrections to editor@bcheights.com with ‘correction’ in the subject line.
The Heights
Thursday, March 3, 2011
A wave of activism at BC
Joseph Pasquinelli In my last column of 2010, I lamented the lack of student activism. It seemed to me that students had just stopped caring about their campus. Not many had stepped up to challenge aspects of student and campus life that they thought needed changing. I concluded by encouraging students to get involved and saying that I hoped my next column would be about student activists working to make change on our campus. This is my fourth column since then, but I am pleased to say—and I never expected to say—that students have been getting involved and truly have been attempting to improve our campus and quality of life. In case this is not clear, I am not claiming that my column is the motivation behind this new activism. That would just be arrogant. To begin our look at our campus activists, we should start with a little background. Pperhaps you know about them from reading The Heights, but there are certainly things that have not been printed yet. One of the campus activists is Pharlone Toussaint, a co-founder of Spark the Truth, and CSOM ’12. She led us in the “Student Movement” to help integrate our cafeterias and our campus. While the movement may have gotten little press and ultimately did not completely break the invisible racial walls in our dining halls, it was the start of something and inspired two of the new activists on campus. Dave Lalonde and Ryan Tierney, the Vote Against Growth candidates and A&S ’12 and CSOM ’12, respectively, were involved with the student movement. Like Toussaint, they saw a problem on their campus and felt an obligation to do something about it. This year, they took issue with student voting in the UGBC elections being limited to a small portion of the student body. To combat this, Lalonde and Tierney started their own potty humor campaign for UGBC president and vice president, stressing student involvement and activism. They wanted students to vote, and they did. There was a record turn-out for the primaries, and almost four thousand students voted in the final election where every vote counted—less than 100 votes separated the winners from the losers. Call them crude, call them rude, Vote Against Growth helped to get people to the polls. Even more recently, a group of seniors founded the Revolutionary Government of Boston College (RGBC). Their organization’s mission echoed the platform of Lalonde and Tierney. They were dissatisfied with the status quo and knew others were too, but the founders of the RGBC were distraught that no one was doing anything to address the problems they saw on campus. So what did they do? They became activists, wrote a rant that became their manifesto, and started several campaigns that they hope will bring about change on our campus. Most recently, though, our campus—actually off campus—saw one of the most traditional and successful acts of activism in quite some time. Anthony Russo, a resident of 2000 Commonwealth Avenue, and CSOM ’13, realized no one had filed a formal complaint regarding the new community guidelines in the apartment complex and circulated a petition so students could demonstrate that they do object to the new rules being imposed on them. Because of Russo’s efforts, Archstone, the property management company, has agreed to review the new guidelines and will be meeting with BC administrators. Toussaint, the RGBC, Russo, and Lalonde-Tierney are proof that students are attempting to and are succeeding at creating productive dialogue and change on our campus. Now we need the UGBC to respond and to assist students in their newfound appetite for activism. Mike Kitlas and Jill Long, president and vice presidentelects of the UGBC, and both A&S ’12, have a duty to not ignore activists but to join them. Vote Against Growth backed them, I backed them, it is now their turn to back the activists. If the UGBC responds positively and supportively to student activism, there is a chance that all students will have the opportunity to be the change they wish to see in our world and on our campus. n
Joseph Pasquinelli is a columnist for The Heights. He welcomes comments at editor@bcheights.com
A3
Eagle EMS receives national award
By Daniel Tonkovich Heights Editor
Eagle EMS, Boston College’s all-volunteer student, quick response emergency medical service, has been awarded the Striving for Excellence Award by the National Collegiate EMS Foundation (NCEMSF), the foundation’s most prestigious honor. Chris Faherty, president of Eagle EMS and A&S ’13, and Kevin Wickersham, director of operations for Eagle EMS and A&S ’13, received the award on behalf of the organization at the NCEMSF Conference held in Philadelphia from Feb. 25 to 27. “It is excellent to receive such an award and to know that Eagle EMS is both recognized and appreciated at a national level,” Faherty said. “The award makes us look at the big picture. It helps us to see the progress we have made in recent years. It is motivational and a promise for more success in the future.” “We are very excited about the award,” Wickersham said. “Being a nationally recognized organization is a major accomplishment and it is a confirmation that we are headed in the right direction, both the award and the size of the organization are indicative of that.” According to the NCEMSF, the Striving for Excellence award honors organizations modeling the standard for campus EMS delivery and care, against which other organizations should compare themselves. Five college EMS agencies were honored with the award this year out of more than 300 NCEMSF member organizations.
Eagle EMS was established as a student organization in 1997 and provides basic life support emergency medical services for a variety of events on campus, ranging from club sporting events to football games and concerts. The organization also offers CPR, EMT, and continuing medical education courses, as well as EMS awareness and campus safety promotion activities. Administrators praised Eagle EMS for its involvement on campus and demonstration of leadership. “This is the most professional and self-directed organization I have seen,” said Thomas Nary, director of Health Services and advisor to Eagle EMS. “They do a terrific job. They are disciplined and self-directed and certainly an incredible asset to the campus. There are many EMS organizations on college campuses, and to win the award nationally is on par with something like the hockey championship. The only difference with this is that it is not a competition but a testament of excellence.” Wickersham and Faherty credited both the organization directors and general members for Eagle EMS’s success, as well as support from university departments. “Credit belongs to the coordinators and directors who have worked hard in the past few years to build the organization to what it is today, but primarily credit belongs to our general members,” Wickersham said. “The enthusiasm of all of our members is inspiring. They staff events in inclement weather, on weekends, and when finals and midterms approach. There is no way Eagle EMS could exist and have the success it has today with-
Photo courtesy of katie davis
Kevin Wickersham, left, and Chris Faherty, both A&S’13, accept a NCEMSF award. out its dedicated members.” “The award is a testament to the hard work of all of our 165 members, from observers to EMTs to directors,” Faherty said. “We also appreciate all of the university support, from Residential Life to Student Affairs to Health Services, that has helped us to develop into the organization we are today.” The growth and success of the organization noted by Faherty and Wickersham is not only validated by the award, but also in the organization’s numbers. Eagle EMS’s 70-plus certified EMT members have provided 3,090 man-hours of service to the BC community to date this academic year. When Eagle EMS’s current EMT class graduates
this April and its students pass the Massachusetts Emergency Medical Technician examination, Eagle EMS will have 1 percent of all registered EMTs in Massachusetts. Eagle EMS also boasts a more than 90 percent pass rate for its students who sit for the Massachusetts EMT exam. Wickersham said the organization will not cease improving. “While we are excited about the honor, at the same time we are looking for ways to improve and expand our practices,” Wickersham said. “The award is great for the organization, but we are never truly content with our position. We will continue to grow and provide the highest quality EMS services for the Boston College community.” n
Allston-Brighton Crime Reports 2/23/11 – 2/25/11 Suspect claims to have been thrown out of hotel On Friday, Feb. 25, at approximately 12:45 a.m., officers responded to a call regarding a victim who was assaulted. Upon arrival, the officers spoke to the witness who stated that he and two of his friends, one of whom was female, had been at the Liberty Hotel Bar but had been thrown out. He stated that “he wanted justice” and that he owns the apartment complex. He also stated that he pays the officer’s salary and bought the police car that he was driving. The officer explained the victim’s options for proceeding, and upon hearing them, the victim was not satisfied and the officer called for backup. This unknown male victim was uncooperative, appeared to be drunk, and refused to provide the officer with any information. The second officer urged the officer to leave the scene.
Man attempts to use stolen debit card On Wednesday, Feb. 23, officers responded to a radio call regarding a larceny in progress at a convenience store on Commonwealth Avenue in Allston. Upon arrival, the officers spoke with the store clerk, from whom the suspect attempted to buy two Visa gift cards, valued at $25 and $50. She stated that the suspect walked up to the register and stated that “he was having a bad day” and that he was going to purchase some gift cards for his employees. On the signature strip on the back of the debit card that the suspect attempted to use, it read “SEE ID.” The clerk then asked for ID, which the suspect said that he left in his car. The clerk said that the suspect then became nervous, and that she asked where the suspect parked his car. He responded that he had parked it in the back of the store. The suspect left the store through the back door and then disappeared into the ally behind the store. The suspect was caught on surveillance video that will be reviewed by detectives.
Suspect shoplifts, attempts to hit employee with skateboard At about 10:30 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 24, officers responded to a radio call regarding a fight at the Shaw’s supermarket on Commonwealth Avenue in Allston. Upon arrival, officers were directed to the loss prevention officer who stated that he observed the suspect place numerous items in a shopping bag and then leave the store without paying for them. The loss prevention officer stated that he approached the suspect outside the store as he was waiting for the MBTA bus. He stated that he took the bag from the suspect, as well as his skateboard, away from him and directed him to come into the store so that he could file a no-trespass order for the suspect. The suspect refused and began to block the man from re-entering the store, tackled the man knocking both to the ground, and attempted to hit him in the face with the skateboard. When the prevention officer was able to get up, the suspect fled, but later returned, offering to pay for the merchandise. At that point, the police had already been contacted and the suspect was arrested for shoplifting, assault and battery, and assault by means of a dangerous weapon.
Woman on bicycle vandalizes man’s truck On Wednesday, Feb. 23, at about 7:15 p.m., officers received a report of vandalism in Brighton. The victim stated that he had been backing into a parking space when a woman on a bicycle hit his window. He stated that the woman said, “Watch where you’re going,” at which point he got out of his car in an attempt to calm her. However, the woman rode off on her bike and said, “I know where you live, I’m going to make your life miserable.” The victim stated that he felt like something was going to happen and stated that he waited on his front porch for 15 minutes. He observed the woman circle around the block and come back to his house to vandalize his truck by keying the driver’s side. He attempted to run after her, but she rode away.
- Courtesy of the Boston Police Department, District 14 Compiled by Adriana Mariella, Assoc. News Editor
The Heights
A4
Thursday, March 3, 2011
Kitlas, Long seek to build community, improve programming Kitlas-Long, from A1
the second week with a larger presence in the quad and around campus in general. It really got our name and message out there to all the students and was what helped to make up the votes we were down in the primaries.” Kitlas and Long, who have both been involved in the UGBC since freshman year, chose the slogan, “Building Community Through Programming, Outreach, Accessibility, and Formation.” Kitlas said in a previous interview with The Heights that their first action will be to revamp the UGBC website this summer. “What we’re looking to do this year is create it as a pay-
ing position, so it becomes a professional site, it’s well done, it’s easily navigable, all that stuff,” he said. They will also begin working on plans for Maroon and Gold Homecoming Week, as well as expanding upon current programs, such as Ice Jam, to create lasting traditions. “Kitlas has extensive background in programming, and we want to use it in a way that can bring positive programs that really promote tradition,” Long said in a previous interview with The Heights. Kitlas and Long will work to increase programming, expanding the budget of Nights on the Heights (NOTH), and establishing more pre-event programs to reduce drinking before big campus events.
“Coming from a strong programming background, I know a lot of the troubles that arise from the larger scale events on campus,” Kitlas said. “So having events before them to really get kids out of their dorm rooms before, where a lot of the drinking and the issues occur, and to basically just charge students to rethink if they need that extra shot before they go out.” Improving the academic advising process is also a priority for Kitlas and Long. They plan on improving advising during freshman orientation and creating a seminar for students to learn how to better approach advising sessions. “[Advising] is a two-way street,” Kitlas said. “You can’t go into an advising meeting thinking the
advisor’s going to have all the answers if you don’t have the right questions for them.” To further increase UGBC’s accessibility, Kitlas and Long will publicize office hours on their website and publish minutes from the general meetings so students can see what UGBC members are discussing. “Since we are the voice of the students, it’s impossible to truly do that unless you have a way of opening up to them, and show that you are approachable,” Long said. Kitlas and Long are looking to promote the creation of an ethnic studies major. Currently, few ethnic studies departments have majors, Long said. They hope to begin with adding new classes, and hope
popularity will increase from there. “There is a demand for it here,” she said. “It seems as though there isn’t, because the numbers are low in a lot of the departments, but I think once we start getting interesting classes, more students will want to take them.” Ultimately, they hope that there will be multiple majors. “Initially, it would most likely start out as one general major, just so the administration could see the interest there, and from that it would basically build,” Kitlas said. “It’s not going to be a quick process, and in all likelihood, it wouldn’t be completed during our administration, but we’ll be able to lay the groundwork.” n
alex Manta/ heights editor
Journalism classes redesignated Journalism, from A1
of student interest in journalism in order to determine the appropriate long-term solution. “As we go forward, I’m trying to imagine the best way to offer the best opportunities in studying journalism,” Quigley said. “I don’t believe there is an argument for a journalism department right now, but rather journalism classes that compliment other majors. I’m interested to see where students are at. We’ll be interested to see if people are clambering for this.” Quigley said that there are a number of possible long-term solutions. He said that the University of Notre Dame, for example, offers a journalism concentration under its American Studies major. Other universities, such as Emory, offer a co-major or minor within their journalism program. “There are a number of permeations possible,” Quigley said. With 33 years pf experience as a professional journalist, Joe Bergantino, a professor of journalism at Boston University, said that journalism classes are
invaluable to an undergraduate education. “I think it’s important for every college in the nation to teach its students how to be more critical readers, viewers, and listeners of the news,” Bergantino said in an email. “One way to do that is to have them participate in classes like news ethics or news reporting.” “Those classes provide students the opportunity to learn about the news and news media from the inside,” he said. “Those insights are the building blocks to media literacy - something sorely lacking in our culture and our society.” Quigley said that this is a rather timely change given the current state of the newspaper industry. “In a moment of crisis for journalism, it’s important to encourage students from across the liberal arts to think about careers in journalism,” he said. Bergantino agreed that more students should consider careers in journalism. “There are few professions that provide one the opportunity to be a part of history in the making,” he said. “Few professions that provide the opportunity to bring about profound change. Journalism is one of them.” n
Voting stations deemed successful Voting, from A1 “We are currently looking at putting voting stations in the dining halls, in an effort to reach more students on Lower, Upper, and Newton Campuses.” Though students could not vote at the station itself, it was placed right next to the computers outside the CTRC, O’Hara said. Despite this, many students
came to get information and voted elsewhere. “In both the primary and final elections, students stopped by the voting station outside the CTRC frequently, often to pick up a flyer or ask for more information about how to vote,” he said. “Some students chose to vote using the computers outside the CTRC. Most asked questions and said that they intended to vote at home.” n
Future senate members elected Senate, from A1
election. “The Senate race is important for BC students to participate in because it is one of the many avenues through which students can get involved with campus politics and get elected to represent their student body,” Hall said. When asked what contributed to the increase, Hall said he attributed it to a number of factors, including, “the dedication and visibility of the candidates, students’ desire to get involved and engage important issues, coverage by campus media, and the elections committee’s increased publicity efforts.” Many Senate candidates contributed their victories to their campaign strategies. Many decided to use the common campaign strategy of dorm walks, which are exceedingly time consuming, but effective. Recently re-elected senate members Molly McCarthy, A&S ’14, and Sam Gervase, CSOM ’14, echoed this sentiment. Campaigning together, McCarthy and Gervase said they knocked on every single door on both Newton and Upper Campuses. “[The dorm walk] was challenging because we had to put in so many extra hours, especially during midterms,” McCarthy said. “But I really believe knocking on every door made all the difference.” Brian Raab A&S ’13, who ran with Vanessa Gomez, A&S ’13, agreed. “The campaigning is time consuming and a lot of effort,” he said. “Some students don’t want to be disturbed and don’t care what you have to say.” Some candidates, like Danny Martinez, A&S ’12, decided to employ the Internet as their main campaign vehicle. Currently studying abroad in Switzerland, Martinez said he relied on Facebook to help get his campaign messages across. “I thought not being present at BC while running for Senate might be a hindrance, but with Facebook, I felt just as connected as if I was there,” he said. Layne Petrie, A&S ’12, said she also used Facebook. “I created a Facebook event, and invited my friends from my classes, and my roommate used her creative talents to make a campaign poster-style
picture for me to make my profile picture on Facebook,” she said. Regardless of how they got elected to office, each Senate member-elect has ideas from their platform that they hope to introduce into the Senate in the upcoming months. “My goals for Senate as a representative body, and as a branch of UGBC in itself, is to shift from a reactionary to a more proactive role,” said Derek Lo, A&S ’12. Gomez also stressed the importance of the UGBC to keep up with the needs of the students. “My main goal for legislature at the moment is to continue to work to improve the current UGBC constitution to fit the increasing needs of the organization,” she said. “As an organization grows, those within it are able to pinpoint the things that do and do not work as well as any improvements that should be made.” Another popular issue is improving student life. “I want to help BC run smoother for students, like reviewing the single door access policy and expanding the hours at Hillside,” Martinez said. Petrie also said she that she believes that dining hall hours should be expanded. “I would also like to see the Rat open later, at least on weekends when events aren’t being held there,” she said. Gervase and McCarthy mentioned other specific campaign points regarding student convenience. “Our campaign platform was based off a number of different goals aimed at the direct needs of the students,” Gervase said. “This includes initiatives like filtered water in the residence halls, forming a Senate committee to reevaluate the housing section process to make it more transparent and less stressful.” Overall, the newly elected senate members acknowledged the sense of responsibility required by their positions. “What makes us unique from another branch or any group on campus is that we are directly elected by our peers,” Lo said. “This gives us an enormous responsibility to speak for students whether in minority or majority, to be the catalyst for change through not only reactive but proactive action, and using advocacy, policy making, and the resources of Senate to achieve even that which is difficult.” n
nick rellas/ heights staff
“Some people are worried about the anonymity because they believe these conversations should be happening face-to-face. But, at the moment they’re not.” —Nick Domino, Senate member and A&S ’12
Online forum planning underway SpeakUP, from A1 said. “Some conversations are forced, but we can even have lighter questions on the forum, like, ‘What do you miss most about home?’” This will increase diversity without starting any controversy.” Despite the forum’s potential for open dialogue, Domino said he has received some criticism regarding the ability to post anonymously. “Some people are worried about the anonymity because they believe these conversations should be happening face-toface,” he said. “But, at the moment they’re not. With SpeakUP, students can remain anonymous [if they feel] self-conscious saying these things publicly.” Considering the possibility of hate crimes, Domino said the posts will be regulated by a student committee in charge of judicial sanctions, and, most likely, a member of the Office of the Dean for Student Development (ODSD). Domino also mentioned the seriousness of the hate crime protocol as a good measure for regulation. “The hate crime protocol is nothing to mess around with,” he said. Though SpeakUP is still very much in a conceptual stage, Domino said he has spoken with a number of student leaders, including members of the AHANA Leadership Council (ALC) as well as Ines Maturana Sendoya, director of AHANA student programs, about the forum. “We’ve had a lot of student support, but the more the better,” he said. Sendoya said she generally likes the idea of this kind of forum, but said that students should take responsibility for their comments. “I think it’s a good idea to use the tools that students are using to communicate most regularly, but I was concerned about [students commenting] anonymously,” she said. “I think we need to teach students to take responsibility for what they say. I think student should put their name with their comment.”
Sendoya, as well as Domino, discussed an orientation tutorial that would be a prerequisite to commenting on SpeakUP. “I think it would be good to have some kind of introduction [to the forum] discussing how you interact in forums like this, and how you can have a civil conversation with topics that could be controversial,” Sendoya said. “Online, people are very disrespectful to each other, very uncivil.” “We might make [the hate crime protocol] part of the tutorial,” Domino said. “I would be concerned about people making any statement and not taking responsibility for it,” Sendoya said. “A lot of times people hide behind pseudonyms and never put their name on things [online]. Some kind of orientation would be good to set the expectations.” Domino said the next step in moving SpeakUP forward is to establish a focus group of students to discuss the idea to determine if a forum such as this would prove effective. “We want to put together a study group of students who don’t normally speak up and gage this kind of forum’s effectiveness,” he said. “I know people still have their concerns about it, however we wanted to run this student study group to hear the voices of the students we’re really trying to reach out to with this panel,” Domino said in an e-mail. In addition, students behind this online forum plan to meet soon with Information Technology Services (ITS) to discuss some of the practical questions of launching this program. The next meeting regarding SpeakUP will be today at noon in the UGBC offices, Domino said. The biggest push right now, he said, is just trying to get more people to talk. “We need people who don’t already talk about these issues, but who think the forum is a good idea, to come,” he said. n
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The Heights
Thursday, March 3, 2011
Community Help wanted
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Looking for a job NANNY FOR HIRE Professional nanny, available Monday to Friday. Cooking and light cleaning. Excellent references from Harvard families. Cell (617) 459-5359.
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The Heights
Editorials
Quote of the DAY
Words of advice
Thursday, March 3, 2011
“We do not have to visit a madhouse to find disordered minds; our planet is the mental institution of the universe.”
— Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
The Heights offers its advice for the Kitlas-Long administration in the form of key issues we hope they remain focused on In response to the release of Tuesday night’s election results, we at The Heights would first like to offer our congratulations to Mike Kitlas and Jill Long, both A&S ’12, on their election to the UGBC presidency and vice presidency. We are certain that they will dedicate themselves to the student body and we wish them the best as they assume their new positions. Along with our commendation, we feel it pertinent to stress a few topics on which Kitlas and Long should focus during their time in office. First, it is imperative that the two follow through on their intention to emphasize programming as a way to create unity among the Boston College student body. Unique, new, and exciting programs, such as the proposed outdoor concert on Brighton campus or a more organized Marathon Monday celebration, have the potential to unite the student body through mutual participation in tradition-forming events. Kitlas already boasts such experience, having organized the phenomenally successful Ice Jam this past fall. We look forward to seeing the same dedication brought to new events in the coming year. Regarding student formation, the newly elected duo should work with the Office of First Year Experience to encourage
school spirit surrounding both athletic and academic traditions beginning with the youngest members of our community. Establishing the importance of supporting BC athletics with freshmen would increase attendance and boost school spirit. By establishing promising new traditions, the team can determine the future of the BC experience. Most importantly, Kitlas and Long must act as advocates for the student body. Following controversy surrounding recent events like homecoming and the Fall Concert, the administration has rightfully taken measures to curb student drinking on event days. By advocating for students when dealing with the administration, Kitlas and Long have the unique opportunity to win back and even increase the trust between both groups. Along with their own platform, it is also important that Kitlas and Long take into account the ideas held by their opponents, Mike Joyce and Justin Portes, both A&S ’12. Though they may have lost the election, their ideas still have the potential to improve student life. By keeping an open mind to these ideas, Kitlas and Long have the potential to make a lasting and positive difference in the coming year.
A universal field
The journalism classes offered by the University being more accessible will hopefully lead to a more diverse student interest On Feb. 7, The Heights editorialized that journalism classes should not be moved from the communication department, citing our disagreement with the notion that the classes did not fit within the interests of students within the major. Our fear was that, without a departmental home, the classes would be overlooked. However, upon further investigation and consideration, our sentiment has changed. By having these classes listed as University (UN) courses, they can attract students from a breadth of disciplines to whom a journalism class would be beneficial. By possessing a “UN” listing, a course is considered fair game for all majors to explore and, ideally, will attract students who are truly passionate about the subject matter. Instead of filling valuable seats with communication majors who might only be looking to fulfill an elective requirement, the classes will attract students who value instruction in this field. This will hopefully foster an increasingly engaged classroom setting – a benefit for many of the journalism professors who aim to establish a newsroom ambiance in their classes.
Most importantly, the true definition of journalism must be considered when coming to peace with the University’s decision to move the courses. Journalism is not a field limited to any one major or set of interests – it is the manner in which we tell the story of society, which is comprised of all of these fields. A biology or political science major may not have previously considered journalism beneficial to his or her field. However, with these classes under the University’s jurisdiction, these types of students may see that journalism encompasses all subjects and can help communicate the findings of all fields. The microcosm that is a college campus, with its congregation of students studying in dozens of academic and preprofessional fields, is full of individuals from a variety of perspectives, who wish to comment on their particular set of interests – and they can do that through journalism. To limit journalism classes to the communication department is to limit the scope of this field and the ability of students of other majors to thrive in these classes, which they may have otherwise felt were closed to them.
The millennial gap
Several media figures have recently commented on the selfabsorbed nature of today’s youth. We ask, who is responsible? Two items released last month have begotten a storm of pundit-driven criticism of the current “me” generation of American youth. One recent study by University of Michigan researchers found that college students reported being more satisfied by receiving a compliment than by engaging in their favorite sexual activity or eating their favorite food – indicating that, for pre-professional millennials, social gratification trumps all else. The second item, the memoir Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother, details the parenting life of law professor Amy Chua, a mother of two highly successful children, whose strict child-rearing practices have caused many authorities to criticize Western parenting standards as lax. Put simply, too much thought has been put into studying today’s youth. The preceding Baby Boomer Generation, a product of a time that has seen substantial advancement in the social sciences, has played the parenting game by the book, adopting the modern dogma of positive reinforcement. As the millennials grew up, they again became experiments of studies,
only this time, the studies focused on the effects of the new dogmas. To no surprise, some students turned out to value self esteem over sex. As chroniclers of student life at a major U.S. university, we cannot help but remind the public that this new generation has welcomed the second millennium anno domini with gusto and is prepared to adapt as the next stewards of this country. To quote Langston Hughes, they, too, “sing America.” While the researchers pour over data to develop new strategies for integrating these seemingly ungovernable students into the workplaces, millennials are out fighting two wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Some have even begun governing, pursuing careers in law and public service. They are staring eye to eye with an economy that rejects their college degrees and cries for employment. But they are not blinking. As a final message to the critics, the current generation is ready to step up to the plate. They don’t need fanfare; they don’t need applause. All they ask for is their chance at bat.
The Heights The Independent Student Newspaper of Boston College Established 1919 Michael Caprio, Editor-in-Chief Daniel Ottaunick, General Manager Hilary Chassé, Managing Editor
Adriana Mariella/ Heights Illustration
Letters to the Editor In response to “New Wisconsin bill threatens unions” by Jim Havel I was quite astonished by the recent piece found in the Marketplace section of The Heights by Jim Havel. I sincerely believe that Mr. Havel has misinterpreted the recent labor crisis in Wisconsin and leveled several serious, and unwarranted, charges against both public employees and unions in general. Mr. Havel claims that Gov. Scott Walker of Wisconsin is merely trying to close a very large deficit and that it is only natural for public employees to accept changes that private employees long ago accepted. Yet, Mr. Havel seems to be unaware that union officials have offered to agree to all of the monetary demands requested by Gov. Walker in exchange for the preservation of their collective bargaining rights. The public employees offered to give Gov. Walker all the money he asked for, yet he still turned them down. Why would he do this? Because, the issue in Wisconsin, and in Mr. Havel’s column, is not money, but rather power. After all, if Gov. Walker and Gov. Chris Christie, who Mr. Havel also cites, were truly serious about closing their respective deficits then they would not have fought for, and received, tax cuts for the wealthiest members of their respective populations. Perhaps teachers ,leaving their students to fight for the right to be heard is slightly irresponsible, as Mr. Havel claims, but the idea of cutting taxes while complaining about a lack of funds is pure madness. As I said before, the issue is not money, but power.
Gov. Walker and Gov. Christie recognize that unions are a threat. Unions represent the common people against the corporate interests that are amongst the Republican Party’s biggest backers, such as the billionaire Koch brothers in Wisconsin. Mr. Havel is quite right in pointing out that union membership has been steadily declining for the past few decades. The idea, however, that this decline is somehow a good thing is quite perplexing. Why would any American oppose the right of individuals to work together for both fair treatment, and a better tomorrow? The answer is explicitly provided by Mr. Havel, “Unions actually harm the economy.” This sentiment is what I believe is wrong with our country. Instead of working for an America where children don’t go hungry at night, where veterans don’t have to sleep under bridges, and where teachers are rewarded for their contribution to the future of our republic, we are working for money, and only money. But, some things are more important than money. A good economy does not help the poor, teach children how to read, or protect us from criminals. Over 80 percent of this nation’s wealth is owned by the top 20 percent of the population. The rest of us are left with the scraps, especially since the vast majority of American workers don’t have a way to fight back against the relentless greed of corporate America.
Boston College and the war in eastern Congo David Wilner The war in the eastern region of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has been raging for almost two decades. Over five million innocent people have lost their lives, making it the deadliest conflict since World War II in terms of civilian casualties. Rape is so rampant in the DRC that advocacy groups have deemed it the “worst place in the world to be a woman.” When faced with violence at such a high level, it is easy to feel discouraged. It is hard to imagine how we, as students, can help bring an end to some of the world’s worst atrocities when they seem so far away. As far as the war in eastern Congo goes, the conflict is actually closer than you think. Many items we use everyday are connected to the violence. Minerals illegally mined in the Congo, such as tin, tungsten, tantalum, and gold, are in our cell phones, laptops, and videogame systems. These minerals, known as “conflict minerals,” are being used to fund multiple armed groups committing the violence. Whenever an armed group takes control of an area that contains these high-valued minerals, the group controls the trade. The money
earned from mining, smuggling, and trading of conflict minerals is lucrative enough to fund each group’s war effort. It is estimated that these profits exceed $180 million per year. Advocacy groups such as Global Witness, have traced the supply of minerals from their origin in the Democratic Republic of Congo to their final destination in our cell phones and laptops. From illegal mines in eastern Congo, minerals are smuggled into neighboring countries such as Uganda or Rwanda. From there, they are sold and sent to smelting companies in Asia that process the minerals. The minerals are then purchased by consumer electronics companies like Apple, Dell, and HP. In order to cut the connection between consumers and the war in eastern Congo, a system of transparency is needed to trace, audit, and certify all minerals being put into our electronics. Several companies, such as Motorola and HP, have already begun efforts to investigate their supply chains. However, most companies are still unsure about the origins of their minerals. More pressure is needed to ensure the removal of all conflict minerals from consumer electronics. This is where BC comes in and where we, as students, can make a
The Heights welcomes Letters to the Editor not exceeding 200 words and column submissions that do not exceed 700 words for its op/ed pages. The Heights reserves the right to edit for clarity, brevity, accuracy, and to prevent libel. The Heights also reserves the right to write headlines and choose illustrations to accompany pieces
difference. As a major purchaser of consumer electronics, BC can encourage companies to investigate and trace their supply chains and work toward certifying their products as conflict-free. For a successful model of a similar campaign, one need only to look at the movement to end the sale and trade of “blood diamonds” from places like Sierra Leone and Angola. Due to the efforts and actions of consumers and institutions, the international community passed a certification scheme requiring businesses and countries to certify the export and import of all diamonds. By cutting off a significant source of funding to armed groups, this helped bring an end to some of Africa’s most brutal wars in recent memory. In our increasingly globalized world, the actions of our university can have a significant impact on the brutal war happening halfway around the world. We are currently building a movement at BC to work for a system of transparency in eastern Congo. Join our group, BC for Congo, and help bring an end to some of the world’s worst violence. To join the movement, please email bcforcongo@gmail.com. David Wilner is a junior in the College of Arts and Scienes.
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Business and Operations
Editorial Clara Kim, Copy Editor Taylour Kumpf, News Editor Paul Sulzer, Sports Editor Kristopher Robinson, Features Editor Darren Ranck, Arts & Review Editor David Cote, Marketplace Editor Ana Lopez, Opinions Editor Dan Tonkovich, Special Projects Editor Alex Trautwig, Photo Editor Lindsay Grossman, Layout Editor
Patrick Keating A&S ’12
Mollie Kolosky, Graphics Editor Dara Fang, Online Manager Therese Tully, Assoc. Copy Editor Chris Marino, Asst. Copy Editor Adriana Mariella, Assoc. News Editor Molly LaPoint, Asst. News Editor DJ Adams, Assoc. Sports Editor Greg Joyce, Asst. Sports Editor Brooke Schneider, Asst. Features Editor Brennan Carley, Assoc. Arts & Review Editor
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The Heights
Thursday, March 3, 2011
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Opinions
Thumbs Up Spring Break – Finally, a chance to get ahead on your economics reading, go to bed at 8 p.m., maybe fit in a few heart-healthy workouts, and watch some PBS specials. Ha, who are we kidding? It’s time to eat, drink, and be debacher … er, merry. Safe travels and best wishes for Spring Break 2011! Men’s Basketball - Here’s a shoutout to the men’s basketball team for keeping our last, suffering, dying hopes alive. Tuesday night’s win over (or should we say slaughter of) Virginia Tech sets the team up to make a legitimate run at the tournament. Hopefully our hopes won’t be left to die in the murky depths of the ACC tournament.
Thumbs Down Anchovies – On pizza? Fine. I can pick those off. In my honey mustard? Not cool. Not cool at all. Due to a mix-up in restocking, dining services has an excess of anchovy-laden honey mustard that it’s trying to pass off as no big deal in the self-serve sauce pumps in McElroy and Corcoran Commons. Thankfully, the foul-tasting alternative isn’t being used on sandwiches or wraps. We knew something was fishy …. Ford’s Smartcar – Ford is set to release a “smartcar” in coming months that will allow drivers to sync their smartphones with their dashboard. From behind the wheel, the car will now allow drivers the ability to check their e-mail, find a restaurant, change the lighting to fit their mood, and, of course, tweet. The plus side to this further bombardment of technology into what was once personal, focused space? The tweets that may emerge. “ZOMG!1! Just ran a red light b/c I was checking my horoscope!! Lolz!” Cocoa Prices – Thank god Chocolate Lover’s Month is over. Due to the ensuing conf lict taking place on the Ivory Coast, the prices for cocoa futures peaked at their highest level in over a year this past week. This came after the incumbent leader in the area declared that major banks suspending business in the top cocoa region would be nationalized—a move meaning serious inflation for the Ivory Coast economy and for the hindquarters of all those who have to consume all those excess cocoa products. Breast Milk Ice Cream – Looks like we need to revive the boundaries discussion with the British Isles—and we’re not talking about borders, we’re talking about our bodies. Ice cream made from human breast milk—cleverly called “Baby Gaga”—went on sale in London recently. Not only is the concept not right, but neither is the price: $23 per serving. While defenders of the snack purport its organic status, TU/TD thinks it’s crossed the line from natural to gnarly. Oreo Topping – TU/TD has gone far too long with the crunchy teeth-clinging supplement for our fro-yo and we hope to see it’s speedy return in dining halls campus-wide upon our return post-Spring Break.
I am not Mark Zuckerberg
Benjamin Key Very little happened at Sunday night’s Oscars that could be easily defined as a surprise. The supporting cast of The Fighter had big evenings, as did a very pregnant Portman and a very British Firth. All four fully deserved the honors. The hosts both bombed. Hathaway stumbled over her effort to be either sexy-zany or zany-sexy and Franco neutralized his natural likeability in his continued campaign to appear mercurial and artistic. But equally unsurprising was the big win going to The King’s Speech. Its victory ended what the media insistently portrayed as a horserace between this brilliant period piece and The Social Network. The latter film, a how-to for sharp writing and tight directing, has already settled into an odd place in the national psyche. As Julian Sancton points out in his Esquire article, there was a sense of generational competition at this year’s Oscars. It was a media-proposed battle, pitting Generation-Y’s Inception and The Social Network against the Baby Boomer’s True Grit and The King’s Speech. The former brandished slick effects and of-the-moment references. The latter appealed to nostalgia for the movies of the past. But just as the established dichotomy between the two categories of film was overblown, so too was the assertion that 2010’s most timely movie was the embodi-
ment of our generation. The Great American Novel was once a concept that mattered – the book that captures the zeitgeist of a nation. It is Huckleberry Finn and The Great Gatsby. It is a novel that encapsulates us; our American version of the national epic. But no one reads books anymore. The idea is not totally abandoned, though. The literati continue to squabble over which works of fiction are truly, nationalistically, great. The rest of the country goes to the cinema. I am a believer in film, and I do not question the medium’s ability to capture the essence of a nation, or a generation, but The Social Network is not that film. There are’s three basic reasons: 1. We do not all go to Harvard. Harvard is a wonderful place. It has produced minds that have gone on to shape the world. But the Harvard depicted in the film is absurd. Students have conference calls with their father’s in-house councils. The male culture is sub-divided into elite clubs into which women, with no personal ambitions, but sleeping with the members, flock. Boston College is not a good representation of the social strata, but Harvard is even less accurate. 2. We are not (all) exceptional. The film’s young cast plays like a group of super humans. Two are Olympians and one makes $300,000 in a single summer trading oil futures. Everyone has a firm grasp of computer programming and the basics of intellectual property law. All of them speak hyper-quickly in stilted, unnaturally clever English. This is not my generation. We’re comparatively welleducated and we’ve grown up in the digital age, but we are not all computer hackers and we do not all talk like Aaron Sorkin. On the other hand….
3. We are not Mark Zuckerberg. Certainly not his character in the film. We are not a generation of shutins. We are personable in spite of our texting and social media. In fact, we’re probably the most self-assured generation in American history. We do not have a collective chip on our shoulder, though perhaps we could use one. We are no pettier than our parents before us and we are, as a whole, neither vindictive nor sycophantic. Zuckerberg is all of these things. We are spoiled and lazy and most of us would not take the initiative to develop Facebook, even if we had the idea. The characters of The Social Network, are not at all representative of our generation, but what the film itself is representative of is an older generation’s attempt to understand its progenies. The film was written and directed by baby boomers, and it is baby boomers in the media who have expounded it as our generation’s film. And, to be clear, I loved the film. I think it was exceptionally crafted. Sorkin deserved his Oscar, and Fincher was robbed. But the film was a only a chance for our parents to understand a facet of who we are. Online social networking is a new beast and it is us who first wrangled it, but internet proficiency will not be our generation’s defining quality. We will not be a body who stumbles onto a concept and makes a fortune. We will not all make a quick billion. Our generation, like each generation, will change the world, but our greatest revolutions won’t involve profile pictures.
Benjamin Key is a staff columnist for The Heights. He welcomes comments at bkey@bcheights.com.
The men who stare at ... senators?
Jocelyn Rousey How many articles attacking United States’s. generals does it take before we can safely say that Rolling Stone’s Michael Hastings has made embarrassing top military brass his unofficial beat? Last summer, Hastings shook things up in Afghanistan with his piece “The Runaway General,” which forced four-star General Stanley McCrystal, then in charge of operations, into early retirement. This past week, Rolling Stone published a second Hastings scoop, this time attacking Lt. Gen. William Caldwell. “Another Runaway General” alleges that Caldwell, who oversees the training of Afghan security forces, ordered a team of men who were specially trained in psychological operations, or “psy-ops,” to profile visiting U.S. senators for the purposes of manipulating them into providing more support and troops for the war. The article is based largely on the testimony of Lt. Colonel Michael Holmes, who commands the unit in question. Holmes and his team were deployed to Kabul last March to assess the effectiveness of U.S. counterinsurgency efforts in winning the hearts and minds of Afghans. They’re sort of crack propagandists, if you will. Once there, the unit was instead instructed to help profile visiting U.S. lawmakers, including Senators John McCain, Joe Lieberman, Jack Reed, Al Franken, and Carl Levin, as well as other high profile visitors like Adm. Mike Mullen of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Holmes was uncomfortable using his training against U.S. citizens rather than focusing on his mission. Even though his team was only
Party Time
BY BEN VADNAL
supposed to use publically available information to build the profiles, Holmes questioned the legality of his new orders and resisted following through with them. (There also seems to have been some ambiguity about whether Holmes’ unit had been permanently reassigned to PR duties or if its larger mission was still information operations.) The ensuing administrative scuffled ended when Holmes was issued a formal (possibly career-ending) reprimand and sent home. Hastings’ article panders perfectly to our conspiracy-loving media. Military scandal? Check. Premise worthy of the best dystopian literature? Check. Hastings’ name in the byline? Check. The opportunity to capitalize on the ambiguity of the phrase “psy-ops” and joke about psychic Jedi mind tricks or reference George Clooney’s character in The Men Who Stare at Goats? Bonus check. Since the article was published last week, plenty of pundits have called for Caldwell’s resignation or decried the military’s apparent willingness to manipulate lawmakers. Meanwhile, Caldwell’s staff continues to deny the allegations and Gen. David Patraeus, the senior commander in Afghanistan, has ordered an official investigation. But amidst the accusations of misused resources and ulterior motives is the question of whether this incident really is the scandal that it’s made out to be or if, instead, it might simply be a management problem blown out of proportion by a scandal-happy media. It’s not uncommon for missions to change or for soldiers to be reassigned. If Holmes thought he was still assigned to his original mission, then it makes sense that he would interpret the new orders as a request to use his information operation skills to help manipulate visitors, an act that could, arguably, be illegal. But if the team had, in fact, been reassigned, then this whole thing could simply be a case of a specially
trained unit balking at the idea of participating in regular, less glorifying PR work instead of completing their original mission. Similarly, the reprimand may have just been an overreaction by Holmes’s superiors. It’s important to remember that creating profiles of distinguished visitors and briefing staff members about them in advance is standard practice in the military, and among any major organization for that matter. And of course, personal visits are always carefully orchestrated to give a good impression. In that light, there’s nothing illegal about compiling public information for commonplace briefings. If Caldwell did cross a line and ask for more in-depth research on the visitors, then yes, this story is worth the hype. More likely, however, is that this is not the case of another runaway general but rather the story of how Caldwell’s staff mismanaged the situation in such a way that Holmes went to the press. Either way, the saddest part of this whole scandal isn’t actually the scandal itself. Rather, it seems like these scandals are the only way for the war in Afghanistan to make headlines nowadays. (This is particularly ironic given that how much attention is given to the national deficit and how much of the national deficit is due to military spending in the Middle East.) The media could focus, for example, on the news last week that U.S. troops are withdrawing from Pech Valley, a region once considered crucial in the war. Instead, however, the biggest story to come out of Afghanistan of late has been this tale of “psy-ops” and military management. In that case, the misused resources aren’t the specially trained military propagandists but the power of the media to bring attention to the real issues in the war. Jocelyn Rousey is a staff columnist for The Heights. She welcomes comments at opinions@bcheights.com.
Viva Lady Gaga
Janine Hanrahan In 1989, Madonna took over the airwaves with “Express Yourself,” an empowering song that reminded women that they were better on their own than with “second best.” Almost 22 years later, Lady Gaga has released her own manifesto of empowerment with the single “Born this Way.” Unlike its precursor, “Born this Way” isn’t just about women—it’s about everyone. Lady Gaga gives a shout out to all marginalized and minority peoples, reminding them of her mother’s words, “We are all born superstars.” A great message, right? Wrong. Although the song debuted at No. 1 and is the fastest selling song in iTunes history, the critical response has been mixed, with some critics calling the song boring, cheesy, and a rip-off of “Express Yourself.” Sure the song is no “Poker Face,” but boring? Boring is Taylor Swift running around in a wedding dress thinking she and her boyfriend are Romeo and Juliet (is she unaware of what happens at the end of that story?), it is not Lady Gaga inventing a creation story and breaking it down in a leather bikini. Furthermore, while the call to love ourselves certainly isn’t new, Gaga has extended it to people whom our society seems hell bent on tormenting. In Tennessee, two Republican lawmakers have introduced a bill that would prohibit the use of the words “gay” and “homosexual” and ban any discussion of GLBTQ topics in elementary or middle schools. Despite far more pressing issues, John Boehner vows to uphold the Defense of Marriage Act, a key law for anti-gay rights activists. The Westboro Baptist Church protests military funerals because there are GLBTQ persons in the service. Perhaps these people could use a reminder from Gaga that “God makes no mistakes.” Maybe the real problem some people have with “Born this Way” is that it actually says something important. Not only is it great to dance to and blast in the car, it makes people feel good about who they are. This is a dangerous prospect for a consumer society that functions on making people hate themselves so that they will buy the latest diet book or invest in cosmetic surgery. It is hard to imagine something like laser vaginal rejuvenation emerging in a society with a healthy self-image. Though dressing and acting the way she does has made Lady Gaga incredibly wealthy, it has also made her a rightful cultural icon. In a sea of starlets posing on the red carpet, Gaga stands out as the woman who shows up inside of an egg to prepare for her performance. Unlike other celebrities who take their fans for granted, Gaga is undyingly loyal to her “little monsters.” And while she is not a Puritan by any stretch of the imagination, she has managed avoided the pitfalls that other megastars have very publicly stumbled into (“I am on a drug, it’s called Charlie Sheen!”). Yet one of the most unique and thrilling aspects of Gaga’s reign as pop-culture queen is that she has not been turned into a commercial sex object. Gaga is provocative and is usually half naked, but not in a way that titillates the readers of Maxim. In her looks and her lyrics, she has managed to create a unique sexual formula without being all about sex. This alone makes her a pioneer. Frankly, I don’t care if Lady Gaga decides to sing about something as mundane as grocery shopping because there is no doubt in my mind that she is fundamentally authentic. With so many people worked into a lather attempting to be like someone else, Lady Gaga is herself. Following the Lady’s lead, maybe we will all exclaim, “I’m on the right track, baby, I was born this way!” Janine Hanrahan is a staff columnist for The Heights. She welcomes comments at opinions@bcheights.com.
Write for The Heights
The Heights
A8
Thursday, March 3, 2011
Back in the hunt
Full team effort goes a long way
Eagles Down Hokies, A10
emotional and exerting win brought the Hokies into Tuesday’s game seeming mentally unfocused and even offensively stagnant at times. “It’s hard for young kids to come back and understand how hard each game is,” Donahue said. “It’s human nature. They just beat the No. 1 team in the country and they’re on an extreme high. I guess kids don’t realize sometimes that every day is different, you’ve got to live in the moment and figure out how to be successful.” After the first minute of play, the Eagles opened effectively, going on a 17-2 run fueled by a Jackson scoring streak with three successful 3-pointers, two converted foul shots, and two rebounds in two minutes. “[Raji and Jackson] both played very well throughout the whole game,” Donahue said. “I thought Reggie got us off to a great start, which just picks us up.” With seven minutes left in the first half, BC’s offense stalled out, allowing Virginia Tech to go on a 15-3 run with Hokies senior Malcolm Delaney scoring at will in the paint. The streak ended as BC went into halftime with a 35-27 lead. For the first five minutes of the second half, the teams traded baskets until BC broke away on a 16-4 run made up of mostly free throws. Senior John Cahill played a huge role in the scoring with 12 points, six of which came from the foul line. He finished the night with a perfect shooting percentage and five rebounds. Raji was dominant as well, scoring consistently throughout the game and grabbing a team-high 12 rebounds on the night. “Corey was really a hard match-up for them the whole night,” Donahue said. “He just does so many things off the dribble, he can shoot the three, and then obviously his offensive rebounding was key.” After BC’s final streak, the Eagles began to drain the clock each possession, drawing late fouls on several trips down the floor. At 1:55, Virginia Tech head coach Seth Greenberg, who received a technical earlier in the game, removed Delaney and senior Jeff Allen, effectively ending the competition. With 44 seconds left, senior Biko Paris made the last shot of the game, an uncontested 3-pointer off a textbook assist from Jackson, a final play symbolic of BC’s range and success throughout the night. n
Team Effort, from A10 formidable opponent with this starting five. Don’t get me wrong, they did look really good, almost like a team that could do some damage in the NCAA tournament, but Virginia and Virginia Tech are not the cream of the crop. If we had played UNC with this starting five and beat them, I’d be writing about the tournament right now. Instead, we’re still living life on the bubble. By no means should anybody be booking their flights to the first round of the NCAA tournament just yet. The two wins looked great, but there is still plenty of work to do. A win against Wake Forest on Sunday is obviously a must. And even though Wake is the bottom-feeder of the ACC, they can’t be overlooked, especially on Senior Night after coming off a big win (see, Virginia Tech vs. BC, March 1, 2011). Banking on the win over Wake, we still have to play well in Greensboro for the ACC tourney. Depending on how the final standings work out, we could possibly get a first-round bye. If not, we’d be playing the likes of Wake Forest or Georgia Tech. A loss to either of those teams would probably end the season for good. A win would likely pit us against Virginia Tech, Clemson, or Florida State. Another win against any of those teams would probably secure us a spot in the Big Dance. A loss would secure us a spot on the bubble come Selection Sunday. Bubble predictions aside, Steve Donahue’s efforts as a coach need to be acknowledged. Donahue has pulled out all the stops along the way, and it seems like he has some of the magic left over from Cornell, and Jackson and Co. have caught onto it. Finally, the team is coming together. Donahue’s philosophies may have taken a while to get to the players, but now it’s finally connecting. As much as I’ve bashed this team, and besides the fact that I’m still not ready to declare us a tournament team, I’m on the verge of believing. Please, coach, just don’t let me down. I want to hear Gus Johnson calling “rise and fire” on Cahill threes.
Matt Gentry / AP Photo
Corey Raji was one of many Eagles who stepped up against Virginia Tech, as the senior recorded a double-double with 19 points and 12 boards.
alex trautwig / heights editor
BC ended its regular season in free fall, but if the Eagles can create a run in the ACCs, a postseason bid might open up.
ACC tourney set to begin
By Kim Schroer For The Heights
The women’s basketball team is looking for a deep run in this weekend’s ACC tournament to revive its fading NCAA tournament hopes. The Eagles will have a chance to avenge last week’s loss to North Carolina State in a critical first round rematch tonight at 6 p.m. at Greensboro Coliseum. After starting the season 11-0, the Eagles have struggled with consistency, posting a 7-11 record in their last 18 games. The recent slide brings their conference record to 5-9. Each loss leaves Boston College looking to correct a new problem, and the team is looking to put everything together against the Wolfpack tonight. “Once we take care of one thing, something else pops up,” head coach Sylvia Crawley said. “First it was offensive rebounding, then it was the turnovers, and in our last game it was our shooting percentage. I’m looking forward to the ACC tournament when we just put it all together.” The Eagles are looking to slow down a Wolfpack team that is hitting its stride at the perfect time. NC State has won three of its last four games, including an upset victory over No. 12 North Carolina on Feb. 21. The Wolfpack are looking to continue their streak with a run in the ACC tournament. The Eagles are hoping for a better shooting performance Thursday following last week’s disastrous outing in Raleigh. Though the team shot 43 percent from the field, it attempted only 11 free throws. Even worse, BC converted just 22 percent from the stripe. Containing NC State forward Bonae Holston will be crucial for the Eagles as she comes off a 28-point performance in their previous meeting. The team will also need a big night from senior captain and leading scorer Carolyn Swords, who was named to first team all-ACC for the second consecutive year on Tuesday.
“Carolyn wants to take the highest percentage shot and she takes pride in striving for excellence,” Crawley said. “On and off the court, she’s a true leader for our team and I’m excited for her because she’s getting what she deserves right now.” The Eagles will also need to limit their turnovers, a problem that has plagued them throughout their recent slide. They are averaging 19.1 turnovers a game, including 17 in last Thursday’s loss at NC State. Crawley attributes this high number to risky decisions and a failure to take care of the basketball. “It’s a matter of our decision making,” she said. “We try to make a spectacular pass versus just making the easy pass.” The team hopes the energy of its three senior leaders will keep their dim NCAA tournament hopes alive. Swords, Stephanie Murphy, and Jaclyn Thoman are all four-year starters who are looking to end their BC careers on a high note. Swords had a strong game against the Wolfpack last Thursday, scoring 23 points and collecting eight rebounds. Murphy and Thoman will need to take advantage of the open looks created by the attention Swords will attract. Shooting guard Kerri Shields, whose three-point shooting has been instrumental in several BC victories, will also have an opportunity for a big game. The road wouldn’t get much easier after Thursday’s game, as the seventh-seeded Eagles would face second-seeded Miami in the quarterfinals if they win. BC is 0-2 against the Hurricanes on the year, committing a season-high 31 turnovers in a road loss on Jan. 16. Crawley, however, refuses to let the Eagles’ recent slump affect their mindset heading into the most critical week of the season. “This is a new season for us,” she said. “We have a goal to be ACC champions.” As the Eagles fly to Greensboro with an NCAA tournament berth in sight, they hope to finish the year the same way it started: winning. n
Greg Joyce is the Assistant Sports Editor for The Heights. He can be reached at sports@bcheights.com.
The Heights
Thursday, March 3, 2011
Editors’ Picks
A9 The Week Ahead
Standings
The women’s Hockey East tournament and ACC tournament champion will be crowned this weekend. Also, men’s hockey has a home and home with UNH. Next weekend is the men’s ACC tournament. Before that, Duke will travel to UNC for a top-25 showdown.
Paul Sulzer
22-8
DJ Adams
21-9
Greg Joyce
21-9
Heights staff
19-11
Recap from Last Week
Series of the Week
The women’s basketball team lost at home to Maryland, while the men won a crucial game at Virginia Tech. On the ice, the men’s hockey team swept UMass. Baseball was swept by Florida. Jimmer Fredette and BYU pulled off the upset over San Diego State.
Men’s Hockey
Guest Editor: Jamie Ciocon
New vs. Boston Hampshire College
Collections Manager “Live every week like it’s Judgment Week.”
Paul Sulzer Sports Editor
This Week’s Games Women’s Hockey East tournament
DJ Adams Assoc. Sports Editor
Greg Joyce Asst. Sports Editor
Jamie Ciocon
Collections Manager
BU
BU
BC
BC
Women’s ACC basketball tournament
Miami
Miami
Duke
Maryland
Men’s ACC basketball tournament
Duke
Duke
Duke
Duke
Men’s hockey: No. 2 BC vs. No. 7 UNH (Series)
BC
Split
BC
BC
College Basketball: No. 4 Duke at No. 13 UNC
UNC
Duke
UNC
UNC
It all comes down to this series. UNH is one point ahead of BC in the Hockey East standings, so the Eagles have some work to do to win their first regular season conference title since the 2004-05 season. The Eagles need two wins or a win and a tie to clinch the title. Paul Thompson leads the scoring attack for the Wildcats, recording 26 goals and 22 assists on the year. Friday night’s game will be played at Kelley Rink, while Saturday night’s game is at the Whittemore Center in Durham, N.H. UNH won the only meeting between the two teams this year by a score of 2-1.
Friday 7:30 p.m. & Saturday 7 p.m.
Parallels between St. John’s, BC teach lessons Andrew Klokiw
Game 1: five seconds remain, the unranked team trails one point behind the No. 4 school in the nation in a game that was never supposed to be close. David has an entire city on its feet, fingers crossed, praying for a moment that will signal that the team and the city are back on top where they belong, that Goliath will soon fall. Most of the time you know how this would end, but in this case you don’t. The ball wasn’t inbounded by Corey Raji, and it didn’t go to Reggie Jackson for a chance to pin back the North Carolina Tar Heels in their own building. Instead, St. John’s star, Dwight Hardy, receives the inbounds pass, feigns to the middle to free up the baseline, takes three tightrope steps under the hoop, reaches around and flips a desperation prayer up that finds nothing but net. Final score: St. John’s 60, No. 4 Pittsburgh 59. Game 2: five seconds remain. The unranked team trails the ranked team by two in an away game that most gave them no chance to win. This time the star guard receives the pass, steps behind the three-point line, and unleashes the potential game-winning
shot that … clanks off the back rim. Final score: North Carolina 48, Boston College 46. I pause at this juncture to give all Eagles fans who may stumble on this column a crash course in St. John’s basketball. The Red Storm came to prominence in the ’80s and ’90s with a string of deep runs in the NCAA tournament. During that run they established dominance over the basketball mecca of the world, New York City. And they gave New York the collegiate love affair it had craved for so long. However, starting in 2002, the program amassed innumerable violations and collapsed in a devastating heap. The Red Storm’s 2010-11 resurgence has been led by new head coach, Steve Lavin. He was brought in to guide a team that had lost its way, much like Steve Donahue. You may be asking yourself why any Superfan would care about a program based in Queens that hasn’t made the NCAA tournament in 10 years. But if you take a closer look at the Red Storm and the Eagles, you’ll see some interesting parallels between the two squads. BC, as I’m sure some of you remember, put itself squarely in the national conversation back in the early ’00s when the likes of Jared Dudley and Craig Smith raised the program’s
national profile to heights previously unreachable for a college basketball squad in the Boston area. Boston, rival to New York in many things, has adopted BC as its unofficial college team (sorry, Harvard) whose successes and failures it shares, much as New York relates to the Red Storm. To recap: St. John’s: Best in a big city (New York), new coach, strong history, lost its way recently, plays in a power conference, led by an uber-talented guard (Hardy). BC: Best in a big city (Boston), new coach, strong history, lost its way recently (sorry, Al Skinner), plays in a power conference, led by an uber-talented guard (Jackson). So why is it that St. John’s has joined the national rankings, while the Eagles recently bowed out to an inferior Miami squad at home, most likely bursting its NCAA tournament bubble? I give this answer purely from a Monday morning quarterback perspective, but I give it nonetheless: BC can’t win the big games down the stretch. St. John’s, playing in the tougher Big East with a team that Lavin inherited entirely from his predecessor, has beaten not only Pittsburgh and Villanova this past week, but also Duke, Connecticut, Notre Dame, and Georgetown, all ranked in the top 15 at
Baseball Preview
Eagles head south again
By DJ Adams
Assoc. Sports Editor As most Boston College students take off to various tropical locations to kick back and relax for their Spring Breaks, the Eagles baseball team will travel to Daytona Beach, Fla. Instead of taking a breather in the sun, though, the ballplayers will face a grueling 12-day trip, including an important four-game series this upcoming weekend against Bethune-Cookman, Southern Illinois, and Michigan State. “It’s not a vacation by any means,” head coach Mike Gambino joked. “We’re down there working. It’s not Spring Break the way some normal college students think of Spring Break. I want to get down there and win some baseball games. We will worry about Southern Illinois after we are done with Bethune-Cookman, and then when we are done with them we will worry about Michigan State. It’s an old baseball cliche, but it’s true. Win one game at a time and worry about one game at a time, and then see how the rest of the trip works out.” The pitching rotation, which hasn’t been able to get into its regular routine yet this season due to exhibition games, will resume its normal state this weekend. “We’re going to go at them this time with Mike Dennhardt on Friday, Nate Bayuk on Saturday, and then John Leonard on Sunday,” Gambino said. Last weekend, the Eagles faced such highclass competition as No. 1 Florida and the Boston Red Sox and went 0-4, causing the team to refine its approach during practice this week. After some letdowns in the bullpen against the Gators, Gambino stressed to his pitchers the importance of dictating a proper attitude on the mound, both athletically and mentally. “What we really want from all of our pitchers, especially those in the bullpen, is when we get them in the game just to go after people,” he said. “Trust your stuff and go after people. We talk about what you can control and can’t control. If they hit it hard, they hit it hard. You can’t control that. But if we go in there nervous or passive and let them dictate what happens, we aren’t going to win baseball games.” The bullpen, the head coach said, is where he hopes to improve BC’s game, specifically. If the relievers can provide a few consecutive innings of zeroes, it will go a long way toward a successful few road games for the Eagles.
“The guys in our bullpen are going to have a ton of chances to pitch, and everyone is going to have opportunities,” Gambino said. “We need some of these guys to step up so we can really get on a roll and start feeling good here.” Offensively, BC has lacked the ability to swat balls over the fence thus far. The Eagles come into the weekend still without a single home run to their name in seven games. NCAA influences outside of BC’s control, though, have contributed to this absence of power. After a surge of home run totals in the past few seasons, the NCAA changed the regulations for the types of bats allowed in order to reduce the number of balls leaving the park in the collegiate game. “One thing that’s happened is the new regulations on the bats,” Gambino said. “They have dumbed down the bats this year, so everybody’s power numbers across all of baseball are way down.” The coach believes that the Eagles are built to be more of a doubles team, and the new changes might favor rather than hinder BC’s offensive strategy. Instead of swinging blindly for the fences, Gambino has worked with his batters to aim for the gaps and be aggressive on the basepaths so to take extra bases anywhere they can. “The thing that we have talked about is that we want to lead the ACC in doubles,” he said. “We are not going to lead the ACC in home runs, and if we did, we wouldn’t be successful. “When you are looking for home runs, you end up getting a lot of fly-ball outs, and when you do that, your strikeout numbers go way up and hard contact goes way down. So we want a lot of doubles, to do a really good job of going first-tothird, and hit-and-run. We aren’t just going to sit back and wait for the three-run home run.” The past week provided a tough test for the Eagles, but Gambino believes that this upcoming road trip can teach BC the important lesson of going into every match-up with a similar game plan in mind. “Whether we are playing a three-inning scrimmage in the bubble, the University of Florida on a Friday night, or Dartmouth on a Tuesday, it doesn’t matter who we are playing or where we are playing,” he said. “We want to be the same guys and go about our business in the same way every day. Try to avoid the peaks and lulls that can happen in the season, and when you can do that you can be a really good baseball club, and that’s what we are trying to do.” n
the time. The Eagles on the other hand, came out against more talented teams like Duke, UNC, and Miami playing not to lose, and were played out of the building. But here’s the crucial thing to take away from all of this: BC almost came out of Chapel Hill with a win, demonstrating an ability to hit back against the heavyweights. The St. John’s model is one that the Eagles seem to be trending toward, and that’s the silver-
lining in our 18-11 record. While the Red Storm have been anointed the next big thing in college basketball, it may not be too long before Donahue’s men join them atop the national conversation. Next game out, don’t be surprised if Jackson finds the same thing as Hardy at the buzzer: nothing but net.
Andrew Klokiw is a guest columnist for The Heights. He can be reached at sports@bcheights.com.
alex trautwig / heights editor
Had Jackson hit more clutch baskets, BC would be waiting comfortably for Selection Sunday.
Title at stake in crucial series BC-UNH, from A10
ability to win tough, close games has been a big part of our make-up this season. Whether it’s a late kill on a penalty, or a face-off goal. It’s all about the small things.” York realizes that in order to secure two victories against UNH, his team must remain prepared and concentrated on its goal. “We’ve got to be sharp and really focused,” he said. “One hundred percent focused, especially in this particular Friday’s game. A win Friday can put us in a situation to have the league championship for one thing. It’s imperative that we play well. We really need to be functioning on all the top parts of our game.” One important aspect of both teams’ games is their ability to play well defensively. Heading into the weekend, UNH ranks first in the league with only 51 goals against in conference play, while the Eagles are close behind them with 55 allowed. “That’s a good stat,” York said. “Usually that puts you at the top of the league. But we’re both high-
powered offensive teams. So we’re capable of scoring some goals. It’s going to be a good test for both of our defenses to hold back the other team’s offense.” BC has already tailored its focus to pinpoint this aspect of the game. “First and foremost we want to be very solid coming out on the defensive end,” York explained. “And then hopefully we’ll solve that puzzle to get some goals on a tight defense.” Critical to this will be the play of Jimmy Hayes, Pat Mullane, and Chris Kreider, all of who have emerged as catalysts behind their team’s recent success. Heading into the postseason, the play of this line will be relied on, a concept that York has a lot of confidence in. “They’ve really been instrumental to our success,” he said. “All three are players that mesh well together. They have great chemistry. They’re playing good, solid power hockey. Nothing fancy, just going to the net hard, protecting pucks. And they’re going against a lot of top lines, too, so they’re playing against some of the top lines we’re facing and still playing solid defense.” n
SPORTS The Heights
Thursday, March 3, 2011
A10
Thursday, March 3, 2010
Too little, too late for the Eagles? Greg Joyce Can somebody tell me who that team was that won down in Blacksburg on Tuesday night? I don’t think I’ve seen such a complete game by the Eagles since the scrimmage against Philadelphia before the season began back in November. Granted that was just a scrimmage against a D-II team, but in both games we made our shots from beyond the arc, controlled the tempo of the game, and received a solid team effort. Basically everything was going right last night for Boston College. Reggie Jackson established himself early. Corey Raji was a force on defense and on the offensive glass. John Cahill hit both treys he took and was perfect from the charity stripe. Even Josh Southern looked like he took some post moves from Kevin Garnett’s playbook. As encouraging as the victory was, it makes you wonder, “What if?” I know Tuesday night’s win pushed us into Joe Lunardi’s end-all, be-all “Last Four In,” but if this team had played the way it did Tuesday night during the rest of the season, we wouldn’t be analyzing the bubble right now. First off, the starting five of JacksonParis-Cahill-Raji-Trapani may be one of the most unorthodox lineups in the country on paper, but on the court they can play together well enough to win some big games. There may not be a big man, but if they can make their shots like they did last night, that will not be an issue. Every starter made a shot from downtown last night, a claim that most teams cannot make. Last month, had you told me that we would win a game with Trapani only scoring six points and grabbing four boards, I would have called bull. Thanks to other players beyond Jackson stepping up, however, that became a reality. Not only did we beat the Hokies by 15 points, we also outrebounded them by 16. The offensive potential of this team has been stated again and again throughout the season, but recently, the defensive side has been coming up big. The last time we played Virginia Tech, Jeff Allen was unstoppable, recording 25 points and 19 boards. Tuesday, he was completely shut down, only putting up 14 points and three rebounds. Where was that interior defense when we were trying to contain the likes of Tyler Zeller or Mason Plumlee? I’m feeling more confident about our play, but we haven’t actually played a
See Team Effort, A8
All the right moves Matt Gentry / AP Photo
Reggie Jackson drops 20 points, Raji and Cahill assist in crucial win at Blacksburg By Sean Hyatt For The Heights
Matt Gentry / AP Photo
Steve Donahue (bottom) was able to breathe easier after Tuesday night’s win, thanks to Reggie Jackson’s (top right) dominating performance in the opening minutes of the game.
Men’s hockey
Hockey East season title on the line By Chris Marino Heights Editor
The time has finally come. Postseason hockey in New England is easily one of the most exciting times in all of sports. Even more perfect is this weekend’s two-game series of No. 2 Boston College versus No. 7 New Hampshire. The No. 2 and No. 1 teams, respectively, in this year’s Hockey East regular season standings. If the Eagles (24-7-1, 18-6-1) are able to earn more points than the Wildcats (19-7-6, 17-4-4),
they can secure their first regular season crown since the 2004-2005 season. Head coach Jerry York understands the importance of this series, not only for the regular season title, but also for moving forward into the postseason. “It’s been a long drought for us,” York said. “We’ve won a lot of other trophies, but this has been an elusive one. Plus, two wins over a highly ranked team like New Hampshire will help our stock in terms of seeding for the NCAAs.” Despite his thoughts on his team’s
alex trautwig / heights editor
John Muse will have to come up big this weekend for BC to earn the top spot in Hockey East.
i nside S ports this issue
playoff future, York is by no means ignoring the challenge ahead this weekend. “We’ve got our hands full because they’re ahead of us in the [Hockey East] standings, because they’ve had an outstanding season,” he said. Heading into the season’s final weekend, the Eagles have played some upand-down hockey. After their overtime victory in the Beanpot title game, the team struggled against the runner-up Northeastern Huskies. The Friday night match-up saw the two teams scoring at will against one another, ultimately ending in a 7-7 tie. The following night proved to be a more defensive-oriented contest, as the Huskies won by a score of 2-1 due in large part to a 36-save performance from NU’s Chris Rawlings. The next week proved to be a rebound series for the Eagles, as they swept the University of Massachusetts. Relying heavily on the play of goaltender John Muse, the first night saw a 2-1 Eagles’ victory, while the second proved just as close in a 4-3 win. Both games were crucial going into the final weekend of the season in terms of points, but also from a momentum standpoint. “Each weekend is an entity in itself,” York said. “They’re all different. But our
See BC-UNH, A9
Baseball travels to Florida again
The Eagles will once again hit the road, traveling to Florida for four games this weekend.......A9
Boston College prevailed in a do-ordie game with serious NCAA tournament implications on Boston College 76 Tuesday night, Virginia Tech 61 76-61, over Virginia Tech in Blacksburg, Va. With the Eagles recently labeled as one of the “Last Four Out” of the tournament by ESPN, a road win against the Hokies on their Senior Night was a must for any chance of gaining a spot in the March Madness bracket. With the clear importance of every game here on out, the team tries to stay focused less on the upcoming tournament and more on winning each match-up. “We don’t talk about the NCAA tournament,” head coach Steve Donahue said. “We have no control over that either way
because there are other teams, and other teams can do things. What we control is how well and how hard we practice every day and get ready for Wake Forest on Sunday.” Junior Reggie Jackson and senior Corey Raji led scoring with 20 and 19 points, respectively. The two also shot 50 percent from beyond the arc, and BC drained shots from deep throughout with an overall 45.5 percentage and 10 3-pointers. “On the offensive end, we did what we do well,” Donahue said. “Share the ball, spread them out, when you get your opportunity to knock down a three, knock it down, and when someone flies out, you go make a good play for your teammates.” Virginia Tech entered into the game coming off a momentous win against the previously No. 1 Duke Blue Devils. The
See Eagles Down Hokies, A8
Eagles in hockey east tournament
alex trautwig / heights editor
For the final time, seniors Katelyn Kurth (left) and Molly Schaus (right) will lead BC through the Hockey East tournament. The Eagles will face Providence in the semifinals on Saturday. For more coverage, visit sidelinesuperfan.wordpress.com.
Eagles ready for ACC tournament
The women’s basketball team plays tonight in Greensboro, trying to spark a run to the NCAA tournament....A8
Editors’ Picks..............................A9 Series of the Week...........................A9
MUSIC NOOK
scene and heard
EDITOR’S CORNER
BLACK SWAN SPARKS INTEREST IN BALLET page B4
A SATIRICAL TAKE ON A REAL SITUATION page B2
THE rETURN OF SWAN LAKE
SHEEN MAYHEM
THE STROKES
THE BEST IS YET TO COME? page B5
Thursday, MARCH 3, 2011
W
hen Britney Spears’ new single premiered last month, it was clear that she had bought in to the revitalization of the electronic sounds from the ’80s and ’90s. The style permeates our pop world today, from the futuristic synthesizers of Katy Perry’s “E.T.” to Lady Gaga’s supersonic “Born This Way.” Its current incarnation owes a debt of gratitude to bands like Depeche Mode, Talking Heads, and Daft Punk. Its sounds, from computer-altered effects and heavy synthesizers to a thumping baseline, are familiar to anybody. Today,
artists are both sampling (think Kanye West’s “Stronger”) these effects, or integrating them in a way that evolves who they are as artists (think Lady Gaga’s “Born This Way”). Maybe the resurgence follows the old adage that trends tend to repeat themselves every 20 or 30 years, or maybe it’s because one artist remembered just how fantastic the ’80s and ’90s were. No matter the cause, it seems that electronic music is here to stay. See Electro-pop, B3
mollie kolosky / heights photo illustration
The Heights
B2
Thursday, March 3, 2011
+Editor’s Corner
Sheen goes for gold Darren Ranck America’s on a drug, and that drug is Charlie Sheen. Charlie Sheen is also on Charlie Sheen, but the Food and Drug Administration shows no signs of stepping in to take care of this endemic. Despite starring on the highly-rated Two and a Half Men, Charlie Sheen’s face never splashed more front pages than in the present. After a scandalous past involving drugs and women, Sheen finally checked into rehab, halting production on the CBS sitcom. His exit prompted a full-scale media blitz, and it’s Charlie Sheen versus the world. First, let’s be frank – Sheen, ever-affable, full of wit to rival Oscar Wilde, and the Marlon Brando of our generation, totally does not need CBS! Who would believe such a thing? Would you question the star power of a man with a resume that boasts Hot Shots, Scary Movie 3, and All Dogs Go To Heaven 2? To answer that question, I quote his iconic character from Major League’s Ricky ‘Wild Thing’ Vaughn: “I got news for you Mr. Brown, you haven’t heard the last of me. You may think I’m s— now, but someday you’re going to be sorry you cut me. I’m going to catch on somewhere else, and every time that I pitch against you I’m going to stick it up your f— a—!” Sheen surely gave a similarly harrowing and eloquent declaration to Les Moonves and the other executives at CBS. No one can stop him from hitting home runs in the realm of show business! The enemy, Two and a Half Men producer Chuck Lorre, simply does not know who he’s working with. What do you expect from the producer of blips on the televised radar, blips like Big Bang Theory and Roseanne? Who ever heard of those? This man obviously devalues the champion who works under him. His vanity card, the logo following each episode of his production, usually contains a brief message. Not too long after Sheen checked into rehab, Lorre’s vanity card said many things about Sheen’s drug use and hardpartying life, ending with the line, “If Charlie Sheen outlives me, I’m going to be really peeved.” Alright, Chuck Lorre, you may not smoke like a chimney (on national television, no less) like Charlie Sheen. You may not have been hospitalized for drug overdose in 1996 like Charlie Sheen. You may not pound back hard liquor every night with dinner, rack up a $50,000 bill on prostitutes alone, or engage in physical altercations with known wrestlers, much like Charlie Sheen, but what of your family history, Chuck Lorre? That could sink you earlier than Mr. Sheen. Sure, empirical evidence is on your side, but genetics might bet against you. Sheen, America’s stalwart champion, the white knight of primetime, has committed actions that many consider wrong. Multiple women accuse him of abuse, and that cannot be argued as anything other than wrong. Currently, though, he houses not one young woman but two. He calls them “the goddesses,” and what an apt name for these lovely girls! Former women of the night, Sheen took them in and now they care for his twin sons while he works the media circuit. He’s like a modern day Rudy Giuliani, that one, cleaning up the industry two at a time. His behavior could be considered reprehensible, immoral, and downright crazy, but he’s winning! He’s always winning! Doesn’t everyone love a winner despite how maniacal, contrived, and deluded they appear to be? Obviously, sarcasm is rich (maybe even as rich as Sheen), but if there’s one thing to recognize in this situation, it’s that the actors worth Sheen’s requested price ($3 million per episode) do not shout from the rooftops of CNN. They’re actually doing the work that gets them recognition. Why is Sheen running his mouth when he should be putting his supposed acting chops to the test? Game over, Charlie. This one’s yours to lose.
Darren Ranck is the Arts & Review Editor for The Heights. He can be reached at review@bc.edu.
an independent frame of mind
Radio singles by Katie Lee
Oscars flop spectacularly
Manchester Orchestra “simple math”
willow “21st century girl”
Foo fighters “rope”
big sean feat. Chris brown “My last”
Manchester Orchestra’s previous album, Mean Everything To Nothing, gained the attention of a good number of alternative music fans. Yet “Simple Math,” the mellow single off their upcoming album, exemplifies the growth and progression of the band’s sound as well as their overwhelming potential for future success. The name of this single is also the future name of their album that is expected to drop on May 10.
It is hard to believe that a 10-year-old would be able to come out with two hit singles. After the release of the widely popular “Whip My Hair,” Willow is at it again with her new single “21st Century Girl.” The popdance tune features more of Willow’s trademark sassy and confident lyrics. It will be interesting to see the development of her career, deemed by some to be too provocative.
This week, the Foo Fighters released the single from their upcoming album Wasting Lights. “Rope” takes a little bit of a different line of attack than their usual tracks. Foo Fighters uses a more stripped down, back-tobasics approach with likeable drums on the chorus and a strong guitarled ending. All in all, the single would get any Foo fan excited for April 12, the expected release date of the band’s latest endeavor.
Two of the biggest names of the hip-hop/R&B scene collaborate for the newest single, “My Last,” a song that is sure to quickly rise to top of the charts in the upcoming weeks. “My Last” is the catchy and appealing single off Big Sean’s upcoming album. However, fans of Big Sean may be disappointed by this track considering its radio-like beat and overall popinfluenced sound.
use a computer frequently. Secondly, it’s important to realize that there have been plenty of unproductive uses of time before the screen was invented. There is no reason that the TV should be an impediment to our productivity. The real danger of such high volumes of media consumption lies in the content. By unconsciously donating hours of your free time every day to the movies, TV programs, websites you love, you are essentially ceding control of your time to the people who make the content. In a sense, half of our lives (nine waking hours every day) are under the direct control of a handful of corporate entities that may or may not have any regard for our best interest. The media consumer is, by nature, in a vulnerable position. In fact, the statistics than enabled me to write this column were part of a multi-million dollar market research study, the purpose of which was to better access and advertise to consumers. This column will be based on the notion that if you’re going to spend nine hours of each day unconsciously doing something, then it is a good idea to sit down at some point and do some conscious thinking about that activity.
On Tuesday, Ricky Gervais suggested that he could be swayed to host the Golden Globes again if, and only if, he could have Charlie Sheen by his side as co-host. Judging by Sheen’s interview frenzy this week, it would surely be doubly as entertaining as 2011’s Oscars. Seriously, what was that, guys? I’ve been watching the Academy Awards since I was a little kid, begging my parents to stay up past my bedtime to watch awards given to people whose movies I hadn’t even heard of. I’ve laughed as Billy Crystal serenaded the audience, and shed a tear when Kate Winslet finally took home the award that had eluded her for so long. It’s the one night a year when average Americans like myself can actually feel like they can take part in all the glitz and the glam for a few hours. This year, however, the producers decided to court a younger viewing demographic and hired the young and sexy Anne Hathaway and James Franco to co-host the biggest night in entertainment. At the time, I could see it working splendidly. Franco was on his game, recently starring in a string of critically acclaimed movies like 127 Hours and Milk, and it was clear that the overworked star could be pretty funny at times. Meanwhile, Hathaway, apart from being drop dead gorgeous, has showed off her dramatic and comedic chops in films like The Devil Wears Prada and Love and Other Drugs. She could surely hold her own on stage in the Kodak Theater. This begs a question: Was there a gas leak in the theater at this year’s ceremony? I mean seriously, there really can’t be any other explanation for the train-wreck that sent millions of viewers fleeing on Sunday night, unless Franco was, as widely speculated, handing out bong hits backstage to calm everyone’s nerves. The producers made a series of fascinatingly dumb decisions that all failed spectacularly. The awkward and random scenes of old movies projected on the stage were just weird and seemed like filler. Something was wrong with the picture that found Jennifer Hudson upstaging the very musical performances she was hired to announce. When Melissa Leo plastered her very best “who me?” look on her face as she accepted the Best Supporting Actress trophy, there was an audible groan in The Heights office. It was clear that we were in for a long night. The Oscars are supposed to be Hollywood’s biggest night, but Franco and Hathaway treated it like it was the MTV Movie Awards. It even bordered on offensive at times. After Kirk Douglas’ uncomfortable but ultimately comedic appearance, Justin Timberlake and Mila Kunis were next to present. I understand the logic behind the decision, as each star had shining moments in heavily nominated films (he in The Social Network, she in Black Swan) and, if I’m being frank, I think the producers of the show felt that they needed to sex the show up a little bit. However, their banter fell flat. Someone should alert Timberlake to the fact that making snarky jokes at the expense of a Hollywood legend, and a stroke victim no less, won’t make him any friends. There were brief moments of the Oscars I know and love. When the bouncy haired, recent NYU-gradturned-filmmaker Luke Matheny took the stage and did a jig in celebration of his win for Best Short Film (Live Action), a nation collectively smiled. Likewise, watching Cate Blanchett’s face crinkle as she muttered, “Gross,” after viewing a snippet of The Wolfman made for a wonderful moment. I know it might be a hard pill to swallow, but Charlie Sheen has done Hathaway and Franco a bucket-full of good this week. The young stars should be on their knees thanking the unemployed winner for detracting from what could have been immense backlash surrounding their Oscar hosting duties. Speculation has already begun about how the awards could save face next year. Someone should get Betty White on the phone while they still have the chance.
Tony Cuneo is a columnist for The Heights. He can be reached at review@ bcheights.com.
Brennan Carley is the Assoc. Arts & Review Editor for The Heights. He can be reached at review@bcheights.
photos courtesy of amazon.com
THis week on tv by Charlotte parish
‘the bachelor: the women tell all’
‘glee’
‘the big bang theory’
With this season coming to a close and Brad’s heart on the line, Melissa, Ashley, and Michelle join the line of rejected girls who will tear Brad apart on the preview to the finale where one girl will receive a ring. Everyone wants to get the last word in on the guy who broke their heart, and what better way to do it than on national television? Tune in to see the tears, drama, and spunk leading up to the big season finale.
Gweneth Paltrow will make a triumphant return as Holly Holiday on this week’s episode of Glee. With the title of “Sexy,” Paltrow is sure to entertain as the substitute sex education teacher who helps New Directions come up with new numbers and undoubtedly will stir up some of the love triangles for which Glee is famous. With all the couples breaking up and making up, “Sexy” will hopefully prove a continuation of last week’s hilarious train wreck for the group.
This week on The Big Bang Theory, Leonard is faced with a dream situation for any nerd. His hot girlfriend, Priya, tells him to stop spending time with his hot exgirlfriend, Penny. Who knew that nerdvana could be so difficult? Meanwhile the neurotic Sheldon is sure to have some hilarious moral opposition or childhood trauma – another chicken anecdote, please – to do with the magic trick that Howard is determined to show him. photos courtesy of Google
screen time
photo courtesy of google
With programs aimed at all ages, from children’s television to late night comedy, television distracts America for hours on end.
Excessive screen time merits contemplation Tony Cuneo In first grade, I was strongly admonished that, “TV rots your brain.” It was frightening news, but not frightening enough to stop me from daydreaming about the Dexter’s Laboratory marathon that would be on Cartoon Network that night. As a student budding into a responsible young adult, I am dismayed to announce that my brain still works this way. I recognize that watching TV, killing time on the Internet, etc, are things that I should obviously avoid spending time on, but I like these things. They’re really fun. They were made that way by an entire industry of people whose vocation in life is to entertain and distract. The impulse to sit back, be amused, and disregard what else we could be doing with our time is a constant pull today. There is no question that the media reaches out and grabs our interest. The question is: How much does indulging these impulses negatively affect us? If there is any truth at all in the words of my first grade teacher, then the world should be coming to an end any day now. The average American adult spends around nine hours every day looking at screens – nine hours of screen time. That is over half of our waking hours. That nine hours includes everything from texting to
TiVo to Microsoft Word, but by far the most dominant medium is non-recorded TV, weighing in at a hefty five hours and nine minutes per day. At first, the figure of five hours of TV screen time seems impossible. We must have a very poor conception of our own appetite for media consumption. It is true that technology has engendered growth, allowing media to extend into an increasing portion of our lives. But our cultural response to these developments is far more important. Media has been made widely available to us and we throw it down voraciously. We watch it, play it, read about it, blog about it, and link it to each other. Let’s face it, we love our screens. They greet us when we wake up, we take one with us in our pocket everywhere we go, and some even curl up in bed at night with one. There is no questioning that our affinity with digital entertainment is stronger than most of us would like to admit. But is there necessarily anything wrong with that? Is it really possible that this generation, not to mention future generations, will be able to tackle sustainable resource management while simultaneously wolfing down nine hours of screen time per day? First, we must consider that a large population of extra ravenous media consumers inflates screen time statistics. There are still a few people who actually don’t watch TV or
Brennan Carley
The Heights
Thursday, March 3, 2011
B3
By Darren ranck arts & review editor | brennan carley assoc. arts & review editor | charlotte parish asst. arts & review editor
Over the last few years, the rapid rate at which mass culture has embraced electronic music into its Top 40 atmosphere is astounding. However, what listeners may not realize is that all of today’s synthesizer-infused songs owe something to the seemingly unremembered ’70s, ’80s, and even ’90s. Some say it began with the rise of disco in the ’70s, a style of music infused with computer blips and supersonic bleeps. However, with the invention of faster and more advanced computers in the ’80s, music experienced a sort of technological revolution. Bands like Depeche Mode, Pet Shop Boys, and New Order took on the task of introducing the world to synthpop. After the breakup of the Talking Heads, a pioneer in of the movement, several remaining members rebranded themselves as the Tom Tom Club. Their classic song “Genius of Love” paved the way for today’s electronic movement resurrection. Artists like Mariah Carey and 50 Cent have heavily sampled the track, proving the style’s true staying power. Mainstream artists seemed hesitant to jump onboard the electro train, with a few key exceptions. Rapper Grandmaster Flash seamlessly integrated techno beats with his iconic raps on one of the most influential albums of the 1980s, The Message. Madonna and Bjork were both instrumental in the genres’ thrust into the mainstream consciousness. Artists like Moby and Daft Punk kept the movement alive in the ’90s, with hits like “We Are All Made of Stars” and “Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger” respectively. U2, R.E.M., and Radiohead all intertwined computer beats with their signature alternative sounds. Still, it never really took off as anything more than a subculture of music, an oft forgotten style that was left in the clubs after dancing the night away. However, over the last decade, electronica has finally garnered the attention it deserves. Interpol and The Killers drew upon the sounds of the ’80s in their music, while Justin Timberlake proved that these beats could burst out of the club with his hit “Sexyback.” Outkast adapted the sound in their 2006 hit “Hey Ya,” while Kanye West grounded his entire “Graduation” album in computer-generated beats, relying on Daft Punk for the chorus of his massive hit “Stronger.” LCD Soundsystem mocked the hipsters who thought they knew everything about the genre with his witty “Losing My Edge,” and is now poised to take a victory lap when he plays his last show ever at the sold out Madison Square Garden in April. Electro-Swede Robyn took the world by storm with her three-part Body Talk trilogy in 2010. Its infiltration into the mainstream is just one more notch in the belt that is its continual and hopefully neverending rise.
F A D T
PU
L ECTRIC SIX
E
The amped synthesizers and strong thumping beats of electro-based sound crosses the boundaries of genre. Electro-hybrids are continuously forming, bringing together the most recognizable aspects of popular music and the hypnotic sound of electronic music. What makes these new genre hybrids so infectious and who uses them to maximum effect? The catchy, toe-tapping nature of electro-pop offers a dance beat in its most dizzying and immersive form. No matter how melancholy the song, MGMT’s “Kids” for instance, the electronic elements entrance the listener, putting them under the spell of the music. This infectious force leads to remarkable popular success, and now, everyone’s cashing in on the shocking sound. Wiz Khalifa promisingly uses electronic sampling to expertly drench the listener in his aural culture. Although currently known for his rhythmically strong “Black and Yellow,” Khalifa’s best song off of his EP Burn After Rolling, titled “The Thrill,” uses the beat of Empire of the Sun’s “Walking On a Dream.” Mixed with the dreamy synth chords, Khalifa’s gritty lyrics feel delightfully commonplace and nearly humorous, but interminably listenable. Similarly, R&B music veers away from the smooth, slow beats and moves toward flashy, emotional production values, driven by synthesizer beats. Usher exemplifies this steady progression, transforming from a baby-faced crooner to a hip, digital mastermind. His record “O.M.G.” brought to life some of the most brilliant aspects of electro-pop, most specifically the looped crowd chant that doesn’t just incite a crowd to party but brings the party to you. The R&B/hip-hop electro movement surges on, but electro slowly but surely seeps into the bubblegum pop realm. Britney Spears’ latest sound is more manufactured than ever, but also couldn’t be more centering or club-ready. What’s the next hybridgenre? Country electronica? Electro-punk? The digital beat goes on.
N U S E H FT O E R I P EM
“THAT IS WHAT THE WORLD IS FOR, MAKING ELECTRICITY”
NK Many troops are rallying around the change in pop sound, and leading the charge on this synthetic calvary is new British pop sensation Jessie J. Her new album is hitting stands in a little over a month, but already she is changing the female pop icon with her gritty, Minaj-esque single “Do It Like A Dude.” Jessie J is a master mixer of vocals and autotune, creating a wealth of sound that is enhanced by digital effects without falling into the pit of a T-Pain computer voice that sounds like the super computer Watson with extra inflection. And though they’ve yet to release a full album, MNDR looks to be a forerunner in this new sound, turning from the hip-hop variation of Jessie J to her own metallic sound. Part techno, part dreamy lyricism, MNDR boasts the style that tectonique dancers favor with a flair for synthy background beats. Even old artists are reworking their sound to join in this new movement. Britney Spears is certainly stepping away from her “Hit Me Baby One More Time” roots and focusing on the electronic manipulation of her voice and electronic keyboard and guitar in “Hold It Against Me” rather than the sugar-glossed pop hits of her debut. Another bandwagon joiner is Chris Brown, who certainly needs a new image makeover as he attempts to make a comeback. With “Beautiful People” and “Look At Me Now,” Brown is beginning to change his sound, as well. His seamless integration of rap and techno would have been a weird mix a year ago, but excels. The ultimate test of these artists will be creating unique music that does not relinquish too much musicality to computer creation.
The Heights
scene and heard
B4
By taylor cavallo
1
2
‘Born this way’
Thursday, March 3, 2011
For The Heights NYCB Swan Lake
Feb. 26 marked the New York City Ballet’s last performance of Swan Lake with nine performances that sold out within hours on the first day of sales. After that, tickets under $300 were nowhere to be found. Trust me, I tried. Swan Lake was added to the NYCB’s Winter Repertory Season as a result of ‘popular demand.’ It makes sense that one of the worlds most prestigious ballet companies is taking its repertoire from popular culture demands, but it’s also upsetting that the show was sold out largely due to Black Swan, which really has no focus on the ballet itself. Regardless, there is no doubt that the NYCB’s rendition of the famous ballet was a beautiful success.
anne hathaway
Eight dresses in one night would be excessive for anyone, anywhere, except if you’re the host of the Oscars. Anne Hathaway was definitely a centerpiece of the show due to her numerous costume changes. All the dresses she wore were floor length, except for that one suit, a Lanvin tuxedo, which was my personal favorite. Oh, and that happened while James Franco was wearing a dress. Although having more dresses than can be counted on one hand seems dramatic, it’s the Oscars! Plus, it was a much-needed distraction from her lack of hosting abilities and questionable jokes.
3
Lady Gaga’s performance at the Grammys certainly gave an idea of how strange the video of “Born This Way” would be, filled with reproduction innuendos and kaleidoscopic sexual imagery. Gaga’s commentary seems to tell the story of the fertilization of an egg, then, cue catchy club music and cut to Gaga dancing in her underwear in front of an army of equally underdressed, newly‘birthed’ humans. Saran wrap, machine guns, and wax heads are some of the confusing items featured in the video.
Food for thought: Rachael ray phenomenon
Courtesy of google.com
I like olives. All of cooking something themselves, something they them, except the gross, can be proud of. canned black ones. I The last few weeks have been rough. Midcould eat the Picholine terms, papers, late nights, and going to class ones by the pound. In in what you fell asleep in the night before, can fact, I can’t make it really get you down. As you make the transithrough Shaw’s withtion first from high school to college, then from out sampling—our lowly freshman to composed upperclassman, little secret. Some of the standards just keep getting higher. After my friends, well, hate one particularly grueling day, I returned to the olives. They think they solace of Edmond’s Hall and could do nothing are too salty or that but bake. My stress-induced baking is nothKristin Canfield the texture is odd or ing new to me. It picked up in high school and they refrain from eating anything that sits in its other than a brief recess at the beginning of own juice. My point is that olives are divisive. college it has been in full swing ever since, but People have strong feelings either way and I finally realized why I enjoy it so much. It is when it comes to food don’t expect anyone to the (somewhat) instant gratification. While I back down anytime soon. am willing to toil away my One thing I’ve never college years in the name “One thing I’ve never understood is how strongly of intellectual developpeople feel about Rachael understood is how strongly ment, sometimes it is Ray. Some people hate to see the fruits people feel about Rachael refreshing her so much that they feel of all your labor in front Ray. Some people despise of you. compelled to create websites about how much they despise What I guess I am gether so much that they her. I first discovered the ting at is the real role of feel compelled to create existence of these websites people like Rachael Ray. websites about how much She exists to make us feel on a shameless evening spent watching her E! True Hollyproud of ourselves and they hate her.” wood Story – a guilty pleasure what we can accomplish of mine from time to time. – even if we only have 30 Before this, I was oblivious. I wasn’t the bigminutes a day. With that in mind, I can see gest fan of Rachael, but I’d seen her show on little reason for anyone to persist in dislikThe Food Network from time to time and made ing her. My roommate last year would have a few of her recipes with great results. said that she disliked olives. Her complaint: Now, I know Rachael is not a classically too slimy or too soft. Fast forward, include a trained chef, but she doesn’t claim to be. semester in Seville, and she is a completely Sure her personality is a little over the top, different person in this regard. She gave olives but doesn’t the cool, robotic nature of Maranother chance, so maybe you should do the tha Stewart’s persona freak you out more? same for Rachael. After all, pride in your work Rachael’s show can, at times, burst with such in the classroom is sometimes hard to come by, overly cute expressions such as EVOO (Extra but pride in the kitchen is waiting around the Virgin Olive Oil) and “YUM-O.” However, she corner. makes cooking accessible to more people. She encourages people to forego another evening Kristin Canfield is a Heights columnist. She of frozen dinner or greasy take-out in favor of can be reached at arts@bcheights.com.
verymarykate.com
4
I don’t know why Mary-Kate Olsen was chosen to be the focus of a video blog, apart from publicity. Either way, verymarykate.com will become a video craze. Getting her start with her role as MK on CollegeHumor.com, actress Ellen Carroll portrays Mary-Kate as an incompetent person attempting to partake in every day life. The videos poke fun at her relationship with Ashley, dependence on her bodyguard and many other ridiculous, mundane, aspects of her fictional life. The quotes that come out of these videos are priceless, and I guarantee that this video series will leave you laughing hysterically. You’re just going to have to watch for yourself.
Beatles on ‘idol’
Featuring the typical, not to mention great, songs one would expect on a Beatles compilation album, only the back-story of this latest throwback album concerns me. This CD consists of the Beatles tracks that American Idol contestants performed last week. According to Ryan Seacrest, some of the contestants hadn’t heard a Beatles song in their life before the show. How one could think they have a potential for a career in music and not have heard ever heard a Beatles song confuses me, but we can appreciate this CD as just another Beatles compilation album, which is something that (so far) hasn’t gotten old.
5
The Heights
Thursday, March 3, 2011
B5
+Music
NEW RELEASES
‘Going Out In Style’ fails to deliver By Matt Mazzari For the Heights
The seventh and most recent release of the Quincy Irish punk band, The Dropkick Murphys, Going Out In Style was released yesterday with relatively little noise, which is especially ironic considering that noise is basically all this album is. Don’t get me wrong. I love the occasional raucous Irish-pirate drinking tune as much as the next man. Still, somewhere around the third song on the album, the listener starts to get the feeling that he has passed this way before. It doesn’t take a tin ear to think that the choruses of “Hang ‘Em High” (No mercy / no quarter / they’ll pay for their sins) and “Take ‘Em Down” (We gotta take the b— down / let ‘em know) are remarkably similar in mood and tempo alike. While I’d like to believe that the Murphys were attempting some sort of artistic parallelism, it hardly seems likely since the other 11 songs are almost identically structured as well. Parallelism doesn’t quite work when there is only one side to the coin. In spite of an inexplicable guest vocal appearance by Bruce Springsteen, Going Out in Style does little to shift the tone of the Murphys’ career. The destructive power chords and barroom style yelling are almost always present to obliterate any attempt at a song that honestly stands apart from the rest on this mess of an album. I acknowledge that the Dropkick Murphys have already established their niche. Why should they step outside of their comfort zone when
Lupe Fiasco Lasers
Going Out In Style Dropkick Murphys produced by DROPKICK MURPHYS released March 1, 2011 Our rating C
Avril Lavigne GOodbye Lullaby
Chart Toppers Courtesy of google.com
The Dropkick Murphys released a tragically flawed album last Tuesday, filled with destructive power cords and a few brief encouraging moments. they already have a listening demographic that considers their style refreshingly foreign? In response, I would say that the trouble with the album is less a lack of originality in general and more a fundamental problem of the album lacking differentiation between its own songs. Whether it’s a concept album, like The Who’s Quadrophenia, or one in which every song is capable of being its own single, like The Beatles’ Revolver, the key to making a functional record is to bestow every song with its own distinctive feel, thereby making it memorable to the listener. The tragic flaw of Going Out In Style is that there is far too much overlap in terms of what each song seeks to do, making the listening experience rather monotonous.
Almost all of us have heard “Shipping Up to Boston,” and almost all of us, to some degree, like it. The song’s energy and fierce, rebellious tone makes it a perfect storm – a soundtrack for total chaos. However, the problem enters the equation when you stagger 13 equally riotous and energetic power-ballads and try to have a person listen to them in succession. The result is absolute madness. I don’t think I have ever felt crazier than after hearing the fifth brawl-themed punkrock river dance to mention a mysterious “they,” who seem to be constantly interfering with the Murphys’ collective alcohol dependency. However, despite its tendency to infuriate after repeated administration, there
are a few redeeming elements of the Murphys’ patented song construction and style. The most engaging moments of the album are those in which the Murphys’ very legitimate passion for Celtic-style music breaks through. I say “breaks” because it’s the only fitting term to describe the sound of bagpipe and mandolin playing emerging from suffocation under yelling and bar chords. There is something truly majestic about these old-style instruments, and the way they are expertly played deserves credit. Almost every song begins with a chilling opening that promises an interesting and even beautiful tale of the Irish homeland, but it usually seem to devolve into the same brand of nonsense, such as “Sunday
Hardcore Matinee” or “Climbing A Chair to Bed.” The Dropkick Murphys are a band tragically skewered into a fatally limiting position in which the only two forms available within their selfdetermined boundaries are breakneck-speed rock odes to heavy drinking and forced, dragging ballads. The album does have its moments of brilliance, particularly during the openings and breakdowns, but even they do not disguise the fact that this album is just more of the same. That said, if you already like the unruly and vaguely buccaneer-ish Dropkick Murphys sound, this album is for you. On the other hand, if you were looking for something less predictable and inspired, your search will have to continue. n
Singles
1 Born This Way Lady Gaga 2 Forget You Cee Lo Green 3 On The Floor Jennifer Lopez feat. Pitbull 4 E.T. Katy Perry 5 S&M Rihanna Top Albums
1 21 Adele 2 Never Say Never Justin Bieber 3 Sigh No More Mumford and Sons 4 Now 37 Various Artists 5 My World 2.0 Justin Bieber Source: Billboard.com
‘Alexander’ explores wide range of emotions
By Dan Siering Heights Staff
Time to break out the tambourines and streamers. Alexander, the eccentric lead singer of the fun-loving, 11-piece folk band Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic
Zeros, is back with the release of his self-titled solo album. Alexander shows that the apple doesn’t fall too far from the tree, as he uses his band’s string-heavy and tambourine-driven style to craft his own emotional journey. Alexander tops his ’60s influ-
enced melodies, which he composed entirely by himself, with his ever-insightful lyrics that layout a complex journey of emotion. With this album, Alexander shows that the party that the Magnetic Zeros began with their debut, Up From Below, is definitely a festival that
Alexander Alexander produced by Vagrant Records released Mar. 1, 2011 Our rating a
Courtesy of google.com
Alexander, the hippie lead singer of Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros, delivers a wonderful first solo album.
should keep on going. Alexander kicks off with a welcoming introduction, “Let’s Win,” a song that lays out the forthcoming 10-song journey. Alexander keeps it simple with fast-paced acoustic chords and a catchy drum beat. The singer then begins to express the struggles that he hopes to alleviate with his solo musical production. “And I hear myself screaming for the truth / Everybody talking but I’m still confused,” Alexander declares in the opening verse. The album continues its upbeat instrumentals and catchy choruses until it reaches its first climax with the album’s first single “Truth,” released last September. Here Alexander trots very closely to the path paved by the Magnetic Zeros, deploying his band’s patented whistle melodies and enchanting background vocals. Perhaps pulling from his days as head of the electro-rap group Ima Robot, Alexander spits his dense verses at a quick pace before slowing down to meet his background vocals in the chorus. The album then commences on an up-and-down journey that sways across the emotional spectrum. The compilation reaches a
trough with the sluggish ballad, “Old Friend,” a song that seems to discuss Alexander’s previous drug addictions. “Old friend trying to hunt me down again / Old friend this is your exit,” exclaims Alexander during the chorus. Spirits are then quickly brought back up with, “A Million Years,” a reggae-flavored track that Marley could have easily written while lounging on a Jamaican beach. The most poignant songwriting, however, comes with the somber “Glimpses.” “I’ve found peace in my ways / but it didn’t last beyond the day,” Alexander states in the opening lines, an outright exclamation that there is still work to be done. The heartfelt verses are anchored by a the chorus in which the somber singer is “so tired from the bulls—.” Yet, before the song trips over its own misery Alexander adds, “But I know I can make it with you by my side.” Alexander shows his inherent abilities to tend to a vast array of emotions. There are songs here that give you the urge to prance around a maypole with your friends, but there are also tracks that scrape the bottom of some deep emotional cellars.
It’s those moments of gloom that you begin to make out the emotional demons that Alexander battles. Alexander’s ability to formulate such struggles into graceful and concise lyrics is talent that seems to be quickly diminishing in the music industry. Alexander also shows that his instrumental talents are up to par with his skills as a lyricist by personally playing almost all the instruments heard on the album. He takes the notion of a solo album to a whole new level. Alexander’s solo album will undoubtedly be pinned up against the Magnetic Zeros’ Up From Below. While it might not outshine his bands’ exceptional debut release, Alexander has certainly crafted something special. The singer has taken the overarching lyrical themes and music style of the Zeros and shaped them into an album that is bursting with the intimacy of a personal story. Unlike most solo projects by lead singers, Alexander does not treat his solo efforts as a means of escaping the confines of his band. He is simply painting his own portrait on a familiar canvas. n
Music Nook
Will the Strokes come back bigger than ever? By Dan Ottaunick Heights Editor
In 2001, Julian Casablancas was on top of the world. Before even releasing Is This It, his first album with The Strokes, his band was already touring the nation and the album was being praised as one of the best of all time. Upon its release, the album lived up to every bit of the hype. The Strokes captivated an entire generation of music fans with an album that revived the garage band genre that had all but disappeared from the scene. Ten years later, many fans are left with the stinging question: What happened? Since the release of Is This It, The Strokes have released two mediocre albums that, while containing some solid songs, have failed to meet the impossibly high standard set by Is This It. The band’s simple yet catchy guitar riffs and the youthful and rebel-
lious vocals have not disappeared from the band’s later works, but the band’s vigor is no longer a driving emotional force. As the band prepares to release Angles, its fourth full-length album, many are hoping to hear a revival of the sound found on Is This It. Serving as a strong counterpoint is the band Arcade Fire. Like The Strokes, Arcade Fire released its first album to extraordinary acclaim, with Funeral becoming ingrained in indie rock folklore upon its release. However, the band struggled to match its early effort with the release of its worthy yet less satisfying second album, Neon Bible. Though the album received some critical praise, many fans were let down because the album did not meet the standard set by Funeral. As Arcade Fire prepared to release its third album, The Suburbs, many assumed that the band would continue its downward trend
in quality. However, to the surprise and delight of critics and fans, The Suburbs managed to truly expand upon the soundscape of Funeral, serving as a much better follow-up to Funeral than Neon Bible was. Though Funeral will likely always be the band’s best album, Arcade Fire managed to escape this trend by releasing a wildly successful and critically acclaimed album after its apparent peak. Should fans of Is This It hope that The Strokes follow this same trend? With Arcade Fire winning the Best Album Grammy for The Suburbs and Radiohead releasing a surprise album, The Strokes will certainly be presenting their music to an elated indie rock audience. Additionally, the album’s first single, “Under Cover of Darkness,” fulfills the band’s claim that the album would mark a return to the band’s basic and earlier sound. Like Arcade Fire did with The Suburbs, The Strokes are trying to
Courtesy of google.com
The Strokes could stage a massive comeback with their fourth studio album, a long awaited project due in March. return to a form that they know fans will enjoy. Though this is not always easy to accomplish, fans of The Strokes should have every reason to believe that Angles can capture some of the same chords of brilliance struck on Is This It. This is not to say that bands
should stick with successful formulas. Radiohead has changed its sound multiple times and still finds consistent success. However, there is a virtue in the adage, “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.” The Strokes have never released a true successor to Is This It, and in
continuing in that direction, they may very well surprise critics and fans. Though they are perhaps seven years too late, the influence of Is This It still resonates, and such recaptured brilliance will feel as modern as Is This It did a mere 10 years ago. n
B6
The Heights
Thursday, March 3, 2011
marketplace The Heights
Thursday, March 3, 2011
B10
Thursday, March 3, 2011
Health & Science
in the News
Dangers of over sunning
Politics The U.S. House of Representatives passed a new budget bill on Tuesday. The bill will extend federal government funding through March 18 and reduce the budget by $4 billion. Former House Speaker, Newt Gingrich will launch a committee to explore a possible 2012 presidential run. No major Republican contender has declared a presidential run. President Barack Obama announced that the Justice Department will no longer defend the Defense of Marriage Act. The act defines marriage as explicitly between a man and a woman.
Economics The Securities and Exchange Commission charged former Goldman Sachs board member Rajat Gupta with insider trading. Gupta allegedly gave information to hedge fund manager Raj Rajaratnam. Gold reached an all-time high of $1431.20 an ounce on Tuesday. Recent protests in Libya and Iran contributed to the price hike. Silver also reached its highest price in 30 years. J. Crew agreed to a buyout by Chinos, a private equity affiliate of TPG Capital and Leonard Green & Partners. The buyout will cost $3 billion and will take effect on March 7.
Science & Technology A small percentage of Gmail users had their e-mail account information completely wiped out last week. Google said that the losses were caused by a new automatic software update. Verizon announced that it will eliminate unlimited data plans for cell phones in the middle of the summer of 2011. Rival AT&T ended unlimited data plans earlier this year. Facebook plans to share users’ phone numbers with third-party companies soon. Facebook announced a similar plan in January, but backed down after a large public backlash.
in numbers 82.7 percent of the app market share attributed to Apple’s handheld devices.
6.0 magnitude earthquake that struck Chile Sunday, exactly one year after an 8.0 magnitude one struck.
150,000 followers on Twitter amassed by Charlie Sheen in an hour and a half.
in quotes “
I am sure they are exaggerating and distorting things to justify an invasion.
”
-- Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez on the U.S. toward Libya
“
I thought we were sinking in a hole of water.
”
-- Debbi Scarborough after her water bill rose from $200 to $1,800
Rachel Newmiller
and engineering practices for the safe extraction of hydrocarbon resources from the Arctic shelf.” With the backing of the Russian government, the two companies are fairly confident in their ability to engage in safe operations in the explorations and extraction of resources in the Russian Arctic. BP’s expansion into the Indian natural gas and oil markets hinges upon a deal reported by The New York Times this week that announced BP’s deal with Reliance Oil to pay $7.2 billion for a 30 percent stake in oil and natural gas fields owned by Reliance in India. The two companies also agreed to a 50-50 joint venture in the transportation and marketing of natural gas. Experts agree that BP’s rapid involvement in international business expansion in the last month shows management’s increased desire to guide BP to a new growth path after the catastrophic loss it faced because of the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. Jason Kenny, an ING analyst, told The Wall Street Journal that, “The deal is yet another signal that BP
The recent snowfall, cold rain, and desire for the arrival of a much-anticipated Spring Break have many students dreaming of a warm and sunny getaway, far from the bitter New England weather. Thoughts of sandy beaches, tropical locations, and the reappearance of flip-flops are soothing to those of us who are officially tired of long and chilly winter days. And regardless of whether you are heading somewhere balmy for break, or simply hoping for the coming of spring, it is important to understand how to protect yourself from the dangers of spending too much time in the sun. According to the American Cancer Society (ACS), cancer of the skin, your body’s largest organ, is the most common of all cancer types, accounting for almost 50 percent of all cancer cases in the United States. Two major groups of skin cancers exist, non-melanomas (basal and squamous cell) and melanomas, and are distinguished by the kind of cell from which the disease originates. Although melanoma occurs less frequently overall than basal and squamous cell carcinomas, it is the most common type of cancer for young adults from ages 2529. It is also the most lethal, responsible for approximately 75 percent of all skin cancer-related deaths. Early detection is generally
See BP, B7
See Sun, B9
Photos courtesy of creative commons
Left, BP explores the arctic in an attempt to recover from last year’s disastrous oil spill. Right, the rig which began the 2010 catastrophe in the Gulf of Mexico.
BP begins Arctic oil venture Despite last year’s crisis, BP expands to cold Russian waters By John Morrison Heights Staff
BP announced last month new investment opportunities in natural gas and oil markets. Deals are in place with the Russian oil company Rosnfet and the Indian oil company Reliance Oil. According to analysts, despite BP’s public relations disaster following the catastrophic oil spill that occurred last year in the Gulf of Mexico, the British Company has shown that partnering with oil companies to explore offshore drilling in the emerging oil fields of Russia and India may be immensely profitable. The New York Times reported that the deal with the state-owned Russian company Rosnfet was estimated to be worth roughly $7.8 billion. In the agreement, BP would hold a 9.5 percent stake in Rosnfet while Rosnfet would hold a 5 percent stake in BP. Together the two companies plan to use BP’s experience with offshore drilling and
Rosnfet’s access to nearly 50,000 square miles of water on the Russian Arctic continental shelf to develop new sources for oil and natural gas. Robert Dudley, the CEO of BP, said in a statement to The New York Times, “We are very pleased to be joining Russia’s leading oil company to jointly explore some of the most promising parts of the Russian Arctic, one of the world’s last remaining unexplored basins.” He believes that this investment is truly promising and could become a significant asset to BP’s natural gas and oil fields in the near future. The president of Rosnfet Oil, Eduard Khudainatov, was also very enthusiastic about the size of the proposed joint operation, telling the reporters of the BBC, “This project is unique in its complexity and scale both for Russia and the global oil and gas industry. We see it as the next step in developing our relations with BP.” Although a deal with the Russian oil giant may be very lucrative for BP’s investors, there have
been various criticisms stemming from political and environmental sources. Rep. Edward Markey (D-Mass), the chief of the House Natural Resources Committee, was quick to point out that, “If this agreement affects the national and economic security of the United States, then it should be immediately reviewed by the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States.” Furthermore, he told reporters, “This acquisition will almost certainly complicate the politics of levying and collecting damages from BP following their Gulf of Mexico oil spill.” The primary environmental criticism of this new deal is the dangers Arctic exploration poses to offshore drilling. According to experts, the formation of ice and the nature of the weather in the Arctic Ocean, which can lead to days with little or no daylight, would be extremely problematic if a spill, such as the one last year, occurred because clean up would have to take place in the dark and icy waters of the Arctic Ocean. In a joint statement, the companies said that they are planning to assemble an Arctic Technology center in Russia “to develop technologies
Bombings in Afghanistan By Michela Gacioch Heights Staff
A suicide bomber detonated himself Saturday at a sports field in Afghanistan’s Faryab province, killing four and injuring 30 others. The crowd had gathered at the field for a game of buzkashi, a traditional team sport that involves men on horseback attempting to snatch a dead goat from each other. The provincial governor, Abdul Haq Shafaq, told reporters that the attacker was a 17-year-old boy. This occurrence marks the seventh suicide attack in Afghanistan in less than a month. “By targeting civilians, our enemies are now losing their honor among people,” Shafaq told reporters. “Faryab is the province where the Taliban were badly defeated, and now they are trying to show that our secure province is insecure and they want to prove they are here in this province,” he revealed. “The people who were killed and injured, they were civilian, they had nothing to do with the Afghan government. Why, why would they target them?” The attack came as the National Directorate of Intelligence held a lengthy press conference in Kabul, where the spokesman for the organization, Lutfullah Mashal, criticized the insurgency’s attacks on innocent civilians. He described the bombers to attendees of the conference as mostly young men who were persuaded, bribed, and threatened into carrying out the fatal acts. “These people try forcefully to force teenagers, 18, 17, 15-year-old boys, to do these acts,” he told re-
A Green Piece
UGBC platforms on sustainability Meg Lister
Dar yasin / ap photo
Afghan police stand guard over a storefront recently attacked by bombers. porters. “They threaten them that they will harm their mother and brothers, their family members, if they don’t do the attack.” Mashal also revealed to reporters that 90 percent of the suicide bombers in Afghanistan were from the neighboring country, Pakistan. However, NATO military officials have told reporters that they have little information about the backgrounds of suicide bombers in Afghanistan. While many come from the Pakistani tribal areas to the southeast of Afghanistan, some of them are of Afghan origin, making it unclear whether they should be considered Pakistani or Afghan. Both of these
i nside Marke tp l a c e
this issue
groups speak the same language, Pashto, and have a nearly identical culture. The Afghan National Directorate of Intelligence brought a number of attempted-bombers to the news conference. Each of the attempted criminals showed strikingly different emotions. However, all of them had been convinced that by becoming a suicide bomber they would go immediately to heaven and that the people they were attempting to kill, even the Afghans, had to be killed because they were infidels. Akhtar Nawaz, a 14-year-old
See Bombings, B7
On the flip side
I don’t know if you noticed, but something happened on campus this week. You were probably inundated by Facebook posts and group invites and accosted by one of the flash mobs/coordinated dances/overly enthusiastic hand-shakers in the Quad/O’Neill Plaza/dining hall/sporting events. After the 30th time a candidate pleaded for my vote, I decided to do some research—after all, elections are not all about the coolness of the logo or awesomeness of T-shirt designs. I found and evaluated the following statements listed as the respective teams’ sustainability goals. From the campaign website of the winning team, Mike Kitlas and Jill Long, both A&S ’12: First, the candidates hope to advocate to have a director of sustainability in the administration. Luckily, Boston College has recently replaced the director of sustainability, though the position was admittedly vacant for far too long. Look for an announcement soon. Second, the Kitlas-Long team wishes to work with administration to make sure that the Master Plan does not merely settle for the minimum standard to be Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certified but rather achieves one of the
This week on the flip side will explore both sides of the issue of teaching creationism in public schools........................ B8
higher levels: bronze, silver or gold. LEED certification details a range of features that qualify a building as environmentally friendly. The city of Boston now requires all new buildings to comply at least with basic LEED certification. Boston College has also adopted this certification into the Master Plan, which is already finalized. The LEED certification of most of the buildings included in the plan, including Stokes Hall, will have LEED Silver certification. Third, the candidates cleverly hope to work withthe athletics department and administration to regulate admission to sporting events through the use of BC IDs rather than paper tickets. This is a great idea, and one that I fully support. I do, however, doubt its feasibility. Are students really going to want to give up the opportunity to sneak in non-BC students with their roommate’s borrowed ID? How technologically feasible is this for the athletics administration? Finally, the candidates hope to push to have a unified recycling system that is clearly designated as single stream. The recycling system has been single stream for a year now. Most recycling bins have some single-stream designation or label on them, and bigger ones are coming out this week.
See Sustainability, B9
Geneva Connection............................B9 Market Report....................................B8
B8
The Heights
Thursday, March 3, 2011
THE ISSUE:
Recently, there has been much controversy in Louisiana surrounding the Louisiana Science Education Act. The Act is designed to allow open and free discussion of scientific theories, most notably evolution. A direct result of the bill would be the presentation of intelligent design and evolution in a side-by-side, comparative fashion in all Louisiana public schools. Supporters of the bill argue that it allows students to form their own opinions after being presented with a variety of views. On the other hand, the opposition argues that the bill inherently encourages religious beliefs in creationism, violating the separation of church and state.
Teaching the controversy Clara Kim Since June 2008, after Governor Bobby Jindal of Louisiana signed the last of three bills to approve the Louisiana Science Education Act (LSEA), there has been much controversy regarding its necessity. The bill would allow local school boards of Louisiana to approve additional classroom materials for the critique of scientific theories regarding (but not limited to) the creation and evolution of human beings. Opponents of the bill argue that all public schools in the United States should uphold the separation between church and state, and by teaching various theories of evolution, the LSEA would promote religious theories of creationism. On the other hand, advocates of the bill urged the state’s Board of Education to “assist teachers, principals, and other school administrators to create and foster an environment within public elementary and secondary schools that promotes critical thinking skills, logical analysis, and open and objective discussion of scientific theories.” Indeed, it seems appropriate that the state Board of Education should allow teachers to bring in outside supplementary information in order to give their students the most thorough education. By teaching their students the theory of evolution side by side with the theory of intelligent design, it does the fundamental job that is obligatory of public schools: to give their students the most information in order for them to make independent, sound judgments and decisions. After all, education stems from reading what is in a textbook or listening to a lecture and being able to discern for oneself what one believes is pertinent and what is particularly not of great importance. We can only ask public schools to do their job by supplying the students with as much knowledge and information that is relevant and from there, teach the students how to use their resources to make informed conclusions. There’s no reason to ban intelligent design or creationism from the lessons of scientific theory and evolution. It’s not like one theory has more “proof” than the other, since scientific theories are bound to change with the discovery of new information. Therefore, today, theories are just summations of what we believe. If religion is a larger matter at hand, in particular, separat-
ing church from state, then a student can take this occasion to practice acumen and accept what is being taught for the sake of learning, while on the side continuing to believe in what they believe to be “truth.” However, it’s important to recognize the fact that creationism and intelligent design are not the same thing, and in no significant way does intelligent design promote religious beliefs. Intelligent design refers to supernatural explanations of how the world is, and that the world was created in this particular way for an intelligent reason, therefore discussing evolution alongside DNA and global warming. Creationism simply starts from a religious text (usually the Bible’s Old Testament) and works its way from there. So, unless teachers are using the Bible to teach intelligent design, incorporating all of these theories into science lessons should not promote any particular religious belief. But even if intelligent design and creationism were connected, expelling them from scientific lessons seems dramatic. Not being exposed in public schools to the ideas of intelligent design or creationism does not mean that one is never going to be exposed to it. In fact, the story behind creationism is probably one of the most well known anecdotes for children: Adam and Eve. If schools are banning the story of Adam and Eve, then they should also ban the story of Noah and the Ark and the birth of Jesus, whose holiday happens to be Christmas. It’s probably important to note that while teach-
ing creationism, public school teachers are prohibited from pushing religion to their class or branding a crucifix to one’s arm. They’re simply teaching theories, comparable to the theory of gravity and the Big Bang theory. With more options on the plate, who can complain? Besides, teaching the controversy is where things get interesting in school. Proponents of the bill agree that this will foster and become a stepping-stone for critical thinking—thinking outside of the box. After all, science education standards emphasize learning the process of science, especially scientific inquiry. It urges students to develop testable questions, guided by scientific theories, and form conclusions that can be backed by their own logic or analysis. Teaching the controversy by teaching evolution side by side with intelligent design isn’t just a ploy for creationists to slip fundamentalist religion into biology class, but rather doing justice to the education system by teaching everything they know to students who want to learn. So let Louisiana give their students a comprehensive and proper education. Let their students run wild with their imaginations and let them learn how to formulate their own beliefs by creatively thinking while practicing discernment. Teach the controversy, and keep the world turning by letting new theories emerge from it. Clara Kim is a Heights editor. She welcomes comments at marketplace@bcheights.com
Alex Manta / heights graphic
The danger of religious theories Gerard Farara School – what an enormous sphere of influence it has on today’s society. It’s the fast track that brings its pupils up to speed with the knowledge that we, as a species, have come to acquire. It demands the analysis of our collective triumphs, forces them to critique our blunders, and subsequently, aims to equip and prepare the world’s youngest and therefore newest scholars for the political, social, and economical endeavours that will inevitably come to define their generation. This is quite a responsibility, one that if neglected or misused can have enormous long-term repercussions. Yes, indeed, we teach the artists, engineers, presidents, and politicians of the future. Quite a scary thought. Yet the merit behind teaching, socializing among friends, and experimenting within a common area for such an enormous part of your life is really extremely undervalued. The implications of education, the methodology, and the substance of what teachers teach are often not fully comprehended. Often, the gravity of it all doesn’t truly settle in. It is not substantially economically valued, or pecked on the right hierarchal level. But where it certainly has some platform of which its cry for help can be heard is within, believe it or not, the political arena. The enactment of the Louisiana Science Education Act (LSEA) has recently turned the spotlight on the American educational system. The topic of debate: the pertinence of intelligent design in the classroom. Now some will argue that it is a necessity, an excellent alternative to the too widely accepted theory of evolution. Teaching the ins and outs of intelligent design will stimulate
our young scholars and force them to think critically. Having two theories as opposed to one is better. It brings in a new perspective. It encourages students to analyze and evaluate both arguments so that they themselves can reach a sounder conclusion as to what they believe in. That is a characteristic that will certainly serve them well in the real world. But I say teaching intelligent design may just indeed blur the line between what is scientific and what is religion. And consequently, it hinders necessary dialogue between the two fields of study. The thread that connects each scientific theory together is first and foremost the scientific method. It is a comprehensive and basic formula that all scientists must strictly follow for their hypotheses to have any merit. Observe, hypothesize, experiment, and conclude. Four simple steps. But while the well-documented story of Charles Darwin in The Origin of Species clearly highlights the methodology and experimentation behind his theory of evolution, intelligent design doesn’t necessarily follow suit. It’s a theory that has an omnipresent religious clout. The idea that some higher power has come to create and define ‘certain features of the universe’ is quite comparable to the opening scriptures of the Bible, which says, “In the beginning God created the heaven and the Earth … and God said, ‘Let there be light,’ and there was light.” Quite comparable indeed, don’t you say? In truth, the foundation on which intelligent design is constructed on has very little scientific backing, but rather formidable pillars of religion Thus, how can it be taught in a science class? What is science should be taught in the realm of science and what falls
under the umbrella of religion should be taught in a class of theology. No, I don’t support the isolation of science and religion or any other field of study for that matter. In fact, I encourage dialogue between the two, as it is certainly imperative as we advance into the future. But in order for that dialogue to have any validity both fields of study must have well defined boundaries that clearly outline what they are the study of. In essence, they must know themselves before they can know each other. Yes, I agree. The right to academic independence should not be curbed in any way, shape or form. But when you allow a theory with no scientific legging to infiltrate the minds of our young scholars, it can certainly inhibit their ability to prove theories scientifically and analyze situations critically. It is comparable to schools teaching geocentrism (the theory that the Earth is at the center of the solar system) alongside the theory of heliocentrism (that the sun is at the center). This is not to say that evolution should be taught as if it were a fact. Despite its wide acceptance, it is only a theory. The desire to have a new perspective in the classroom is valid, for it does force analysis, comparison and a synthesis of each theory’s elements. However, validity in that perspective is imperative. Science clearly dictates how observations become hypotheses which then become theories and eventually laws. But intelligent design, unlike Darwin’s evolution, has not gone through that rigorous test. And until it does, then and only then can it be considered to be taught in the classroom. Gerard Farara is a staff columnist for The Heights. He welcomes comments at marketplace@bcheights. com
Market Report
How does creativity fit into the calculation of a nation’s worth? Ameet Padte Once, out of curiosity, I went to the Communications Fair. It was an excellent opportunity to network, learn about different companies, and ascertain the suitability of different career paths. I vividly remember speaking to one representative from a direct marketing firm who asked me, “What are you studying?” After I shared “finance” he countered, “Ah. A numbers guy.” Believe it or not, this rather narrow-minded and binary view of career personality is quite prevalent, particularly among students. I can recall countless instances in which my fellow students have stated “I could never be in CSOM. I’m a rightbrain thinker.” Do they believe that accounting and finance are devoid of imagination? Whenever I hear the epithet “Carroll School of Money,” I retort with one of my own non-descriptions: the “College of Arts &
Crafts.” Believe me, it requires substantial original thought to generate something as erudite as a “Credit Default Swap.” Nevertheless, creativity is valued and prized in business. In advertising, for instance, account planners closely examine consumer research data from which they attempt to glean unique insights. Business strategists analyze existing business practices and problems, determine strengths and core competencies, and generate unique and novel methods and processes. Even financial advisors compute vast models and seek to exploit different fund allocations to achieve optimal balances for various purposes. That individualism and creativity are so prized in America’s top corporations may be related to the value our country places on these traits. As Obama stated in this year’s State of the Union address, encouraging American innovation is paramount in the effort to “win the future.” Citing the examples set by Edison, the Wright brothers, Google, and Facebook, he said, “What America does better than anyone else is spark the creativity and imagination of
our people.” tinction at this point. I am Does it? Supposedly, creativfully aware that a large group of ity scores (yes, they exist) had Boston College students have been steadily increasing until benefited from some sort of pri1990, at which point they have vate education and are therefore consistently declined. This can somewhat less educated on the be attributed to a number of tribulations of the proletariat. factors, the first offender. One While many private institutions which you may have already foster the type of Socratic disconsidered, includes the inorcussions and novel instruction dinate number methods, which of hours children encourage indeWe cannot expect pendent thought, spend captivated by television and schools our advantage in public the Internet. lack the time ingenuity to last and resources With a plethora of media options to facilitate forever without readily available, such a process. substantial why take the Creativity exists time or effort to reinvestment and only the few art generate a story of classes one has reinvention of one’s own? in elementary Another injurischool. However, our educational ous aspect is the like the painting system. lack of creativity and drawing, one development and washes his or her nurturing in our schools. With small hands of it before dutifully increasing significance actrooping down the hall for math credited to standardized tests, or social studies. attaining grades (see: No Child A recent memoir by Yale Left Behind), and formulaic cur- Law professor Amy Chua, Battle ricula, teachers have little opHymn of the Tiger Mother, raised portunity or incentive to instill the ire of many devout “mura sense of wonder and imaginacans.” When excerpts from the tion in students. book were published in the Wall I should establish a disStreet Journal it received thou-
sands of vitriolic comments, many of which purported that her severe parenting methods will stifle creativity and independent thought. I happen to believe that the sole repetition and memorization that Chua endorses would cultivate creativity. The aversion with which many Americans regard these tasks prevents young students from forming a strong foundation of conceptual knowledge upon which they can then generate new and novel concepts. One would not expect a virtuoso from a violinist who did not master the basics. It’s easy for Americans to point to China as a case in point for the lack of creativity. Thomas Friedman once wrote, “In China or Japan, the nail that stands up gets hammered, while in Silicon Valley the nail that stands up drives a Ferrari and has stock options.” The platitude refers to Americans’ justification for our youth’s deficiency in math and science fundamentals. Supposedly, this is outweighed by the independence and creativity we instill. Even Chinese scholars agree that while their country wields strong technical capabilities in
imitating technology such as fighter jets and Nike sneakers (and, recently, our aircraft carriers and social media websites), they somewhat lack the capacity to gestate these inventions autonomously. One of the reasons for China’s technical paucity was the “brain drain” in which the nation’s best talent left to seek superior opportunities elsewhere. With a surfeit of jobs and a booming economy, they are increasingly choosing to linger. Look to the impressive opening games of the 2008 Olympics as evidence of their astonishing abilities. As the result of a government five-year educational initiative towards invention and a tremendous infusion of funds, even a cursory examination reveals that creativity in industry, art, science, and media has become a national mission. We cannot expect our advantage in ingenuity to last forever without substantial reinvestment and reinvention of our educational system. Ameet Padte is a staff columnist for The Heights. He welcomes comments at marketplace@bcheights. com
The Heights
Thursday, March 3, 2011
B9
David Cote
Matt Palazzolo
Adriana Mariella
How long will the Tea Party remain a prominent political force?
Probably until Ron/Rand Paul gets into the White House ... so forever.
Forever, clearly President Obama is keeping his friends close and his enemies closer.
Until they see a major conservative force reinstated.
As long as Washington continues to blatantly ignore the debt crisis facing our nation.
They’re going to fizzle as soon as people realize how deranged they are.
Should Robert F. Kennedy’s killer Sirhan Sirhan be granted parole?
No, but not because he killed RFK specifically. He is a murderer after all.
Yes, Andy Dufresne is waiting for him in Mexico.
His assassination of Kennedy was completely premeditated. Parole shouldn’t be an option.
No, he’s been denied parole 12 times, now is no different.
He should be granted the same rights accorded to other criminals.
Should Republican presidential candidates still be allowed to work for Fox News?
It usually seems more like Fox News is working for them. On a more serious note, no.
Only if they donate their salary to Glenn Beck University. Yes, it does exist.
Should democratic presidential candidates be able to work for CNN?
For the most serious contenders no, but others have the right to stay.
Whether or not they are staff of Fox News, they still work for Fox - and vice versa.
Should the U.S. establish a no-fly zone over Libya?
Yes, Gaddafi is off his rocker. And we thought Mubarak was bad....
Sure, just have Jet Blue assume control of all Libyan airports.
I’m all about making a statement.
With UN backing. The U.S. should not just watch Gaddafi commit genocide.
Yes, but enforcement will be an important issue to consider.
Marketplace Editor
Asst. Marketplace Editor
Assoc. News Editor
Tomas Castella
President, College Republicans
Kristoffer Munden President, College Democrats
Geneva Connection
Geneva’s history produced the international finance city of today Danny Martinez While Geneva has a reputation of being a very international, business-like city (read: tepid), it has a fascinating and interesting history that dates back to the time of Julius Caesar. I thought it would be worthwhile to discuss the early history of the city. Strolling through the Old Town, one comes across beautiful murals, depicting Caesar triumphantly coming to the city in 58 BC, when he was governor of the area of Geneva and the surrounding areas. With his position as governor, Caesar shrewdly maneuvered his way to the apex of Roman politics by choosing his battles, literally. He annihilated various tribes (in manners that would not impress the various human rights organizations that now call Geneva home) that posed a threat to Roman expansion in Gaul, and won him favor and fame with the Roman people. In the next thousand years, Geneva followed much of Europe as the Catholic Church strengthened its position in the city. The history is focused around the various municipal bishops, of
whom there is little to mention. However, true to the avant-garde attitude they still display today, Geneva thirsted to be free from imperial reigns. In the 13th century, the first evidence of a true multi-cultural state emerged. Over the next 300 years, the Swiss Confederation would develop, with Geneva allying with the future cantons of Fribourg and Bern (yet, not actually becoming a member of the Federation). Furthermore, the city gradually was given self-determination in the 14th century by the city bishops. Despite the influence of Catholicism in Europe and even elsewhere in the Confederation, most notably, Fribourg, the political and religious landscape of Geneva would soon change. While there were many reformers preceding him (like Jan Hus), Martin Luther officially began the Protestant Reformation on the eve of All Saints’ Day in 1517. Second to Luther on this list of reformers was a French priest by the name of John Calvin. Calvin’s influence on Geneva cannot be understated. He published various works and treatises on the subject of Reform in the Church, which were hotly debated and even led to his dismissal from the city for three years. He returned and created a school that would later become his most indelible mark on the
city: the University of Geneva. Shortly after Calvin’s death, one of the most notable events in Geneva’s history transpired. Long coveted by the Duke of Savoy, Geneva came under attack on the night of Dec. 11, 1602. Known as L’Escalade, the battle still remains salient in the minds of the Genevois. The Savoyards gathered at Plainpalais, still an open space that is located next to the present-day university and a brisk five minutes from the Old Town. The army attempted to infiltrate the city by sending a group scaling up the high walls and opening the gate. Much to their chagrin, the night guards quickly defeated the scaling soldiers and raised the town alert. The men of Geneva awoke, and the Savoys were defeated with minimal casualties. However, this is not how a Genevan knows the story. As the legend goes, a woman was making soup for her ill husband late in the night. Unexpectedly, she caught a glimpse of a Savoyard outside her window, and bravely raised the cauldron of soup, flung it at the solider, killing him. The cacophony caused by the metalon-metal contact stirred the citizens, sealing the fate of the invading army. Whatever version you believe (or whatever version you’d like to), the event is celebrated every year as La Fete de l’Escalade.
Skin dangers of Spring Break Sun, from B10
linked with high survival rates, but avoiding skin cancer entirely is certainly the best way to keep yourself healthy. Fortunately, there are ways to reduce your risk of being diagnosed, and evaluating your relationship with the sun is a good place to start. Excessive exposure to UV radiation is a major risk factor for developing skin cancer. The sun emits three types of UV rays: UVA, UVB, and UVC. UVC rays do not pass through the atmosphere and are consequently considered a “non-player” in this discussion. However, both UVA and UVB rays do come down to earth. The former are thought to cause skin damage, including unsightly wrinkles and unwanted signs of aging, along with some cancers. The latter can directly harm DNA and are believed to be the main contributor to sunburns and the majority of skin cancers. The ACS has created a catch phrase to help people remember the most effective methods for reducing their exposure to UV radiation: “Slip! Slop! Slap! Wrap!” You should slip on a shirt, slop on sunscreen, slap on a hat, and wrap on sunglasses. Although most clothing will not block out all UV rays, it can provide some defense. Using a water-resistant, broad-spec-
trum sunscreen with a sun protection factor (SPF) of at least 30 is highly recommended by the American Academy of Dermatology (AAD). It is important to remember that no sunscreen can provide complete protection, and an SPF of 30 does not give three times the protection of an SPF 10 sunscreen. As the AAD explains, “The SPF numbers on the packaging can range from as low as two to greater than 50. These numbers refer to the product’s ability to deflect the sun’s burning rays (UVB). The sunscreen SPF rating is calculated by comparing the amount of time needed to produce a sunburn on sunscreen-protected skin to the amount of time needed to cause a sunburn on unprotected skin.” For instance, if a person who normally burns after five minutes of unprotected exposure decides to use an SPF 30 sunscreen, it will generally take him or her 150 minutes (five times 30) to burn. However, this number can be an overestimate because it is greatly affected by a number of variables, including the weather and amount of product used. In addition to applying (and reapplying) sunscreen, you should wear a hat to cover the top of your head and certain parts of your face. Sunglasses can provide additional protection too, shielding your eyes
and surrounding skin areas from UV radiation. Check the label to ensure the lenses serve this function. So, does this mean visiting a tanning salon is a safe alternative to lying out in the sun for an extended period? No! Tanning beds are dangerous, damaging to your skin, and greatly increase your risk of developing skin cancer because they expose users to high levels of UV rays. The National Cancer Institute reports that “women who use tanning beds more than once a month are 55 percent more likely to develop malignant melanoma.” And the World Health Organization declared that these tanning beds were “carcinogenic to humans” in 2009, according to Danielle Taghian, a professor of cancer biology at Boston College. The bottom line: although some time under the sun can help your body produce vitamin D, lengthy exposure to UV radiation can be harmful to your health. While a few risk factors for skin cancer are out of our control (i.e. family history and skin tone), we should all strive to protect ourselves by using sunscreen and common sense when enjoying the outdoors.
Rachel Newmiller is a staff columnist for The Heights. She welcomes comments at marketplace@ bcheights.com
Part of the tradition is buying a cauldron made entirely of chocolate (only in Switzerland), filled with red-and-gold wrapped candies and vegetables. The cauldron is smashed, almost pinata-style, by members of the family, shouting “Thus perish the enemies of the Republic!” A seven-kilometer road race around the historic Old Town commemorating the night takes place on the day as well. Finishers are treated with a bowl of hot soup.
An interesting footnote of this event was that the captured prisoners were hanged as thieves, not soldiers. The fact that the Duke of Savoy had attempted to conquer the citystate was shelved when peace accords were signed a year later in 1603. Switzerland’s famous neutrality, after all, had begun over 80 years earlier in 1515, although this seemed to be in name earlier. It would be ambitious to cover Switzerland’s history in
one column. However, much can be learned from the early Swiss history. During the next four hundred years, Switzerland would consolidate its power and neutrality. Yet, it became thoroughly involved in world affairs, cultivated a reputation for secure banks, and developed into the center for international relations it is today. Danny Martinez is Heights senior staff. He welcomes comments at marketplace@bcheights.com
photo courtesy of Danny Martinez
A mosaic of Julius Caesar visiting Geneva in 58 BC. Notice the Roman SPQR is present under the legendary Roman wolf.
Effective new green methods Sustainability, from B10
Students have also pushed to put stop sign-shaped posters above both the trash and recycling cans. Look for brand-new signs this week that the UGBC directors of sustainability and Ecopledge have worked with facilities to put up. This coalition is also working towards putting standard blue recycling bins in all buildings, as the budget allows. Next, the sustainability platform of the team that lost, Mike Joyce and Justin Portes, both A&S ’12, from their campaign website: first, the team planned to work with University administrators to set a target date for BC to become carbon neutral. This is a wonderful idea. It’s an absolutely fantastic target, but sadly it is also unrealistic. In order for an organization to be carbon-neutral, they must buy or create their own carbon offsets for every ounce of waste they generate. The amount of waste that BC generates on a daily basis is enormous, and it would take a lot of money and tremendous effort to make the entire campus carbon-neutral. I’m willing to bet the administration would rather direct their time and money elsewhere. This goal could be reconstructed to apply to one building on campus, perhaps a dedicated floor in the residence halls or a few
classrooms. nation’s top universities, but Second, the Joyce-Portes we will be left behind on many duo wished to expand the NRG fronts if we do not address the games conservation competiissue of sustainability. Small tion between residence halls to but determined steps on current a semester-long competition environmental issues can lead with the added incentive of the way for future progress. The free Chipotle or Pino’s for the newly elected UGBC president winning residence hall. As a and vice president should fierce NRG games competitor, I advocate for increased recycling welcome the challenge. The rest among freshmen, who typically of the student body, however, have the lowest recycling rates is slightly less enthusiastic. and also the most potential to A Chipotle grow. Furthermore, reward is the candidates By taking efforts already in should recognize place. Perhaps value of installtoward increasing the participation ing a “power dashsustainability, the board” in every would increase with a larger newly elected duo residence hall, alprize. Enough lowing students to of Kitlas and Long monitor their daily students competing in has the potential consumption rates. NRG games, Though Joyce and to make a great even if only for Portes may have a month, would lost the election, it difference in the create a carryis imperative that coming year. over effect. It the winning team is important to take into account foster sustainability for the sake their excellent ideas to decrease of sustainability, not only for BC’s negative impact on the competition. environment. By taking efforts What do these goals say toward increasing sustainability, about each candidate’s willingthe newly elected duo of Kitlas ness to address sustainability at and Long has the potential to BC? Unfortunately, not enough. make a great difference in the The administration is slowly coming year. embracing the issue, but will Meg Lister is a staff columnist for only move forward if students The Heights. She welcomes commake it known that this is ments at marketplace@bcheights. one of their top priorities. BC com prides itself in being one of the
Thursday, March 3, 2011
The Heights
B7
Muammar Gaddafi
By Matt Palazzolo
Asst. Marketplace Editor
Alex Manta / Heights graphic
Muammar Muhammad al-Gaddafi was born on June 7, 1942 in Sirt, Libya. The country, in the midst of World War II, was still occupied by Italian forces. He enlisted in the Benghazi Military Academy in 1961. After graduating, he received additional training at the Royal Military Academy in Sandhurst, England, and later the Hellenic Military Academy in Greece. He joined the Free Officer’s Movement after Libya’s embarrassing defeat in the Six Day War against Israel in 1967. Gaddafi, along with a small group of junior military officers, staged a bloodless coup d’etat on Sept. 1, 1969. While King Idris was abroad receiving medical treatment in Turkey, Gaddafi and the conspirators placed the crown prince Hasan as-Senussi under house arrest. They then abolished the monarchy and proclaimed a new Libyan Arab Republic. The officers formed a Revolutionary Command Council,
with Gaddafi as chairman. At age 27, Gaddafi had become the head of state in Libya. Gaddafi has been criticized for his support of Islamic terrorists. He harbored Abdelbaset al-Megrahi and Lamin Khalifah Fhimah, who were responsible for the bombing of a Pan-Am flight in which 270 people were killed. The bombing occurred in 1988, and Gaddafi refused extradition of the terrorists until 2000. Many countries, including the United States, subsequently imposed economic sanctions and severed diplomatic ties. Gaddafi also built up a nuclear weapons program in the 1990s, but dismantled it with UN support after the successful U.S. invasion of Iraq. Currently, Gaddafi’s 42- year rule is in danger of collapsing. Libya has become engulfed by popular protests demanding his resignation. Gaddafi, unlike his counterparts in Tunisia and Egypt, has refused to step down. The UN Security Council recently passed sanctions against Libya, though Gaddafi has vowed to stay in power until he dies. n
Suicide bombings in Afghanistan kill over 100 civilians Bombings, from B10 Pakistani boy, spoke quietly to reporters, revealing that he had been pressured into attempting a suicide attack while he was attending a madrasa, an educational institution, in Miram Shah. “A man named Gul Agha met me after school and he said, ‘You will do an attack where you sacrifice yourself.’ I told him, ‘No, I don’t want to do a martyrdom attack,’ Then he started forcing me. He said infidels have come to Afghanistan and you need to fight them and if you don’t, we will harm you.” Akhtar was then trained for about six weeks. During training, he was taught to shoot and given an explosive vest. He was then instructed to go across the Afghan border wearing the vest, kill two soldiers and then, once inside the Afghan army base, detonate the vest. However, Afghan soldiers
caught him as he attempted to to heaven,” Ghami told reporters. journey across the Pakistani-Af- “He was saying, ‘Heaven is right ghan border. near you. All you need to do is go Ghami, a 19-year-old shop- ahead and sacrifice yourself.’” keeper from KanFo r fea r t h a t dahar, was the Ghami might run “Capture and second would-be away, Mirwais addsuicide bomber ed that he would kill any Afghan presented at the Ghami’s family who is supporting pay conference. He 500,000 Pakistani was recruited first rupees, or about and working for to fight American $5,800, for carrying coalition forces. ” soldiers in the Arout the attack. As ghandab District, he told such stories but was eventu-Taliban Leadership to reporters, Ghami ally persuaded smiled. He said he to the people of to become a suiwas being treated Afghanistan cide bomber by a well and that the recruiter named food was very good M i rwa i s , wh o in the intelligence vowed to the young boy that such department’s prison. an act would ensure him a place On Monday, two bomb exploin heaven. sions tore through a crowd of “Mirwais was telling me about villagers watching a dog fight in heaven and the benefits of heaven the southern province of Kandaand the way he was telling me har, killing 10 people. An Agence about it, it was as if he had the keys France-Presse correspondent at
the site reported, “I can see flesh all around me. There are pieces of clothes, shoes and hats scattered all around. I can see a dead dog just next to me.” Dog fighting is popular in southern Afghanistan, but the Taliban banned it as antiIslamic. In February 2008, a suicide bombing killed more than 100 people gathered at a dogfight. There are about 140,000 foreign troops, most of them American, deployed in Afghanistan at this time to help Kabul defeat the Taliban. According to a directive issued by Mullah Omar, the spiritual leader of the Taliban, in June 2010, Taliban fighters have been told to “capture and kill any Afghan who is supporting and working for coalition forces” and the Afghan government, as well as “any Afghan women who are helping or providing information to coalition forces.” Last month alone, over 100 Afghan citizens were killed by the Taliban. n
Allauddin Khan / Ap photo
A hotel facade that was recently destroyed by suicide bombings in Afghanistan.
BP looks north BP, from B10
can move on from the nightmare year of 2010 and is acknowledged by key resource owners as a still very capable and competitive company able to assist in the development of their resources effectively, safely and with technological and commercial discipline The Reliance-BP joint venture allows BP to bring its expertise and ability to find deep-sea oil reserves with Reliance’s long standing relationship with Indian government and the oil industry in India.” BP’s entrance into the Indian natural gas and oil market in India is not without risk. There are several concerns regarding the environmental dangers in deep sea drilling, and many environmentalists wonder whether BP should be
engaging in the same type of deep sea offshore drilling that lead to the Gulf Spill last year. However, BP Chairman Carl-Henric Svanberg pledged to develop new assets “safely, sustainably, and responsibly.” On an economic level, analysts are concerned about the potential troubles the Indian government could impose on BP because of the governments tendency to regulate foreign investments tightly, especially in the oil and natural gas industry. Reporters of The New York Times summed up BP’s partnerships and agreements with these two companies in new emerging oil markets as “one of the few ways to gain access to new exploration projects and meet growing energy demand.” It remains to be seen how successful these ventures will be. n