The Independent Student Newspaper of Boston College Established 1919
THE HEIGHTS THURSDAY, OCTOBER 28, 2010
Vol. XCI, No. 38
www.bcheights.com
Lecture series to diversify
SPECIAL REPORT
Assault statistics difficult to estimate
Federal study may void ‘1 in 4’ claim BY PATRICK GALLAGHER Assoc. News Editor
The following is the second part of a threepart series on the issue of sexual assult at Boston College ALEX TRAUTWIG / HEIGHTS EDITOR
Baby” by four members of the men’s basketball team, Vanilla Ice received a roaring response from the crowd when he performed the remainder of the song, at one point amending the chorus’ lyrics to “Ice Jam, Baby.” For some students, this guest performance provided sufficient incentive to attend. “[My friends and I] have been playing Vanilla Ice’s song on repeat for the past 24 hours,” said Brigid Riley, A&S ’11. However, some students were not aware
The commonly-quoted statistic that reports between 20 and 25 percent of women will be the victim of a sexual assault during their time at college may be outdated, according to information from the Boston Area Rape Crisis Center (BARCC). A federal government study that was completed 10 years ago regarding the frequency of sexual assaults on college campuses concluded that for every 1,000 women attending a college or university, there could be roughly 35 rapes or attempted rapes in an academic year, said Peggy Barrett, director of community awareness and prevention services at BARCC. “That has held up over time,” Barrett said, despite the fact that the former statistic is more commonly referenced. However, she said that, for the latter study, “the data is thought to be more accurate.” She said that the study only projected
See Ice Jam, A4
See Statistics, A4
The men’s basketball team performed a slam-dunk exhibition at Tuesday night’s Ice Jam - an event the administration hopes to make a tradition. CECILIA PROVVEDINI / HEIGHTS STAFF
Eric Klinenberg, a professor at NYU, spoke as part of the Lowell Lecture Series Tuesday. BY BREANA MARCHWINSKI For The Heights
On Wednesday night, sociologist Eric Klinenberg spoke at Boston College in a lecture titled “Home, Free: The Extraordinary Rise of Living Alone.” This lecture was part of the continuing Lowell Humanities Series, which has a history of attracting influential speakers from several fields. The series was designed to enrich BC students’ as well as attract people from the University’s surrounding communities. Klinenberg, a professor of sociology at New York University, is the author of numerous award-winning books and scholarly articles. His book, Heat Wave: A Social Autopsy of Disaster in Chicago, which analyzes the social impact of the 1995 Chicago heat wave, has been adapted for the stage, and is currently being made into a documentary. At the lecture on Wednesday, Klinenberg spoke about some ideas from his most recent work, an in-progress book about the sociological aspects of living alone – an issue that had appeal to college students, he said. “The book is, or will likely be, about you,” Klinenberg said. Klinenberg began his lecture by speaking about the World Kickball Association, and how the existence of such an organization shows the “second adolescence” that is starting to gain prominence. As young people extend their time in school and delay marriage in favor of more casual relationships, they are left with a lot of time with which to find themselves. Klinenberg spoke extensively about the importance
Winter sports kick off with Ice Jam Event featuring Bob Costas and Vanilla Ice draws spectators BY ADRIANA MARIELLA For The Heights
The campus celebrated Ice Jam in Conte Forum Tuesday night – an event that featured legendary sports commentator Bob Costas, Boston College football legend Doug Flutie, rapper Vanilla Ice, and the men’s and women’s hockey and basketball teams. Although this year marks the first Ice Jam for BC, the event was portrayed as the continuation of what the athletics department dubbed the “Legend of Amos Adams Lawrence,” after the Lawrence family farm that was located on the land
currently occupied by the University. Each team was introduced with an a video as well as an announcement of each player’s name and hometown and a short display of the team’s abilities. The coaches entered the arena – one entrance featured a BC Police Department car and another the BMW offered as a prize for studente who participated in a promotional scavenger hunt. Also featured were men’s versus women’s skills contests – trick-shot and slap-shot contests for hockey and slam-dunk and 3-pointer contests for basketball. After a short rendition of “Ice Ice
Volcker speaks on new bill Robsham panel also featured Sheila Bair, Barney Frank
See Lowell, A4
INSIDE SPORTS
ANDREW POWELL/ HEIGHTS STAFF
Paul Volcker, former chairman of the Fed, spoke on a panel in Robsham Tuesday night. Celebrities hit the Heights for firstever Ice Jam, A10
THE SCENE
been called the most far-reaching financial reforms since the Great Depression, and are designed – as suggested by the name – to include, above all, “very strong, independent consumer protection,” Frank said. “It says that if you lend money to people, you can’t lend money and then sell those loans and not BY PATRICK GALLAGHER worry about whether they Assoc. News Editor are repaid,” Frank, one of the act’s namesakes, said. “It On Monday, Robsham Thesays that financial instituater was filled to capacity as tions like AIG cannot get in people gathered to hear three over their heads.” of America’s foremost ecoUnder the act, the task of nomic policymakers discuss supporting unstable instituthe recently-passed financial tions would be removed from reform bill. the American taxpayer. Of For an hour and a half, U.S. chief concern for legislators Representative Barney Frank who were in support of the (D-MA), Sheila Bair, chairman act was pulling the plug on ANDREW POWELL / HEIGHTS STAFF the belief that some banks of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC), and Paul Volcker, are too big to fail. chairman of the Obama administration’s “Yes, the bill does abolish the doctrine Economic Recovery Board and former chair- ‘Too big to fail,’” Frank said. “It makes it man of the U.S. Federal Reserve System, much less likely that any institution will be fielded questions about the future of Wall at the failure point, and that’s very critical.” Street and changes to the rules that regulate He said that in the event that this should the American financial system. occur, no tax dollars will be used to prop up These changes, brought about by the a failing institution. recently-passed Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, have See Panel, A4
Law student’s letter to dean stirs discussion
OFFICE WORKS TO SUSTAIN ITSELF
BC Law student requests tuition refund Auto-tune: Ear candy of the future or audio dupe?, B1
MARKETPLACE
Locals and environmentalists are unhappy with BP’s cleanup, B10 Classifieds, A5 In the News, B10 Editorials, A6 Editors’ Picks, A9 Forecast on Washington, B8 On the Flip Side, B7 Police Blotter, A2 Thumbs Up / Thumbs Down, A7 TV Close-up, B2 Weather, A2
BY LOGAN GALLAGHER For The Heights
“I hate crybabies. BC is a good place for this whining loser,” and, “Well, welcome to the real world,” are two of the 220 comments generated by a Boston Herald piece about an open letter written by an anonymous law student at Boston College Law School (BC Law). The anonymous third-year law student submitted an open letter addressed to Interim Dean George Brown. The letter was posted on EagleiOnline, the online student-run newspaper at BC Law, and was picked up by The Boston Herald. ABC News, NECN, The Guardian, and others have since covered the story. The law student complained about his inability to secure a job upon graduation. He offered BC Law a deal. “I’d like to propose a solution to this problem: I am willing to leave law school, without a degree, at the end of this semester,” he wrote. “In return, I would like
a full refund of the tuition I’ve paid over the last two and a half years.” He continued his letter by reasoning that BC Law would benefit from releasing him in that it would avoid reporting him as an unemployment statistic. “In the short run, refunding my tuition might present a financial challenge to the law school, but in the long run, better US News rankings will help you far more than having yet another disgruntled and unemployed alumnus,” the author wrote. BC Law is currently ranked as the 28th best law school in the nation by the US News and World Report college rankings. Recent graduate employment plays a factor in the ranking of schools, along with qualities such as selectivity and “quality assessment” by fellow deans and individuals in the legal community. While Brown has declined to comment, BC Law has released a prepared response.
See Letter, A4
TAYLOUR KUMPF / HEIGHTS EDITOR
With the departure of the former director of sustainability, the office works together to maintain past programs and continue conservation and recycling programs. See Pg. A3.
TopFive
Thursday, October 28, 2010
THE HEIGHTS
things to do on campus this week
Celebrate Life Day
1
Working in the U.S.
Today Time: 10 a.m. Location: The Quad
Join the BC Pro-Life club as it hosts “Celebrate Life Day” in the Quad with free food and music. The event will last from 10 a.m. until 3 p.m.
2
Today Time: 4:30 p.m. Location: McGuinn 121
The Office of International Students and Scholars presents “Working in the U.S.: What you need to know about immigration,” for students.
The Vocation of the Church
3
Today Time: 5:30 p.m. Location: Heights Room
Paul Lakeland, professor at Fairfield University, will speak about the vocation of the Church in a lecture presented by the theology department and C21.
FEATURED ON CAMPUS
Biology professor recognized
BC football vs. Clemson
Closing Expressions
Saturday Time: 12 p.m. Location: Alumni Stadium Cheer on the Eagles as The final event of “AHANA IS” week will feature student they take on the visiting Clemson responses to the question of Tigers in an ACC showdown, with who they are and what they think BC looking for its first conference win of the season. AHANA is.
4
Today Time: 7 p.m. Location: Cabaret Room
5
IntheNews
FOUR DAY WEATHER FORECAST TODAY
71° Mostly Sunny 43°
FRIDAY
56° Chance of Showers 36°
SATURDAY
54° Mostly Sunny
University Wheelock symposium promotes mentoring for Boston’s youth On Monday, members of the BC chapter of Spark the Truth attended Wheelock College’s youth symposium, “Bridges to Our Future: The Next Generation of Leaders, A Conversation with the Youth of Boston.” Featured were Jackie Jenkins-Scott, Wheelock College president, Latoyia Edwards, anchor for New England Cable News, and keynote speakers Hill Harper, star of CSI: NY, and Charles J. Ogletree, Harvard Law School professor and founder and executive director of Harvard Law’s Charles Hamilton Houston Institute for Race and Justice.
39°
SUNDAY
54° Partly Sunny 36°
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 Boston PD to investigate incident for possible excessive use of force COURTESY OF THE OFFICE OF NEWS & PUBLIC AFFAIRS
Biology professor Marc A.T. Muskavitch was recognized for his work mapping the origin of mosquito-borne diseases. BY MICHAEL CAPRIO
fasciatus, researchers undertook the next step of uncovering the building blocks coded A Boston College faculty in the Culex genome that member has been recognized make it a deadly transmitter as being part of a team work- of disease, said Muskavitch, ing to map the origin of mos- a co-author of the first report quito-borne diseases. and the senior author of the An international group of second, which was produced researchers that includes Marc by an international team of 33 A.T. Muskavitch, a professor researchers, in a statement. in the biology department, “With the genome decoded, has sequenced the genome of we have the building blocks,” the Southern house mosquito, Muskavitch said. “We can providing new also determine insights into which buildthe most wideing blocks the “Our goal is to spread dismosquito uses determine how ease-bearing to c o m ba t a mosquito and pathogen and we can turn the shedding light building blocks of which genes the on the transpathogen avoids these mosquitoes mission of moswhen evading quito-borne against pathogens, the defenses of diseases such the mosquito.” in attempts to as malaria, enMuskavitch defeat those cephalitis, and said the genome West Nile. advances are pathogens.” Mapping being shared the genome of with scientists — Marc A.T. the Southern around the house mosquiMuskavitch, globe as part of to effectively an international Professor in the completes a effort to provide biology department p l a t fo r m fo r researchers, mosquito comdoctors, and parative genomics – a piece public health experts with the of a genetic puzzle research- best information possible in ers have sought to solve in a order to combat the spread of global effort to contain the these deadly and disfiguring spread of infectious diseases diseases. transmitted by mosquitoes, “Our goal is to determine Muskavitch and his co-au- how we can turn the building thors report in the journal blocks of these mosquitoes Science. against pathogens, in attempts Armed with the genome to defeat those pathogens,” sequence of Culex quinque- Muskavitch said. His research News Editor
has taken him to Africa to share strategies with scientists working where the diseases take their greatest toll. “That is the scientific and public health significance of this new research.” Breeding in drains, cesspools, and other polluted water bodies, the Southern house mosquito feeds on blood from birds, livestock, and humans. The insect transmits West Nile virus, St. Louis encephalitis, and the microscopic roundworm that causes lymphatic filariasis, leading to 120 million infections and over 40 million cases of elephantiasis each year. Already, researchers have sequenced the genomes of two other mosquitoes, Aedes aegypti, which transmits yellow fever and dengue fever, and Anopheles gambiae, a species that carries malaria, a disease that infects 250 to 500 million people each year and kills nearly one million people annually, mostly young children in sub-Saharan Africa. Culex differs from the two other arthropods in that its molecular “parts list” includes a staggering 18,883 protein-coding genes – that is 22 percent larger than the Aedes aegypti and 52 percent larger than the Anopheles gambiae – with multiple gene family expansions, including those controlling smell and taste, immune responses, and genes that attack toxic foreign compounds, the researchers discovered.
Following the release of a video that shows several Boston police officers using force to arrest a juvenile last Friday at Roxbury Community College, Boston Police Commissioner Edward F. Davis said yesterday that he would review the video, according to a report by The Boston Globe. Davis told the Globe that he and Boston PD internal affairs would investigate the incident to determine whether it was excessive. The video, posted on YouTube, shows at least one police officer punching the juvenile.
On Campus BC professor’s book attracts the interest of actor James Franco Paul Mariani, professor of English, penned a biography of American poet Hart Crane, The Broken Tower: A Life of Hart Crane, published in 1999, that has recently drawn the interest of James Franco. Franco, who starred in the Spiderman movies, has had conversations with Mariani about turning the biography into Franco’s next film, according to the Springfield Republican. The report said the book was commended by Publisher’s Weekly as “the first account of Crane to embrace his homosexuality and to assess its place in his poetry.”
National O’Donnell campaign threatens Delaware radio station with suit DOVER, Del. (AP) — Republican Senate candidate Christine O’Donnell’s campaign threatened to slap a radio station with a lawsuit if it posted video of an interview with the Tea Party favorite on the Internet. During the interview Tuesday on WDELAM, O’Donnell snapped her fingers and beckoned a spokesman to her side after the host of “The Rick Jensen Show” pressed her on how she would have handled the New Castle County budget differently from her Democratic opponent Chris Coons, who is the executive of the state’s largest county.
Editorial General (617) 552-2221 Managing Editor (617) 552-4286 News Desk (617) 552-0172 Sports Desk (617) 552-0189 Marketplace Desk (617) 552-3548 Features Desk (617) 552-3548 Arts Desk (617) 552-0515 Photo (617) 552-1022 Fax (617) 552-4823 Business and Operations General Manager (617) 552-0169 Advertising (617) 552-2220 Business and Circulation (617) 552-0547 Classifieds and Collections (617) 552-0364 Fax (617) 552-1753 EDITORIAL RESOURCES News Tips Have a news tip or a good idea for a story? Call Michael Caprio, News Editor, at (617) 552-0172, or e-mail news@bcheights.com. For future events, e-mail, fax, or mail a detailed description of the event and contact information to the News Desk. Sports Scores Want to report the results of a game? Call Zach Wielgus, Sports Editor, at (617) 552-0189, or e-mail sports@bcheights.com. Arts Events The Heights covers a multitude of events both on and off campus – including concerts, movies, theatrical performances, and more. Call Kristen House, Arts and Review Editor, at (617) 552-0515, or e-mail review@ bcheights.com. For future events, e-mail, fax, or mail a detailed description of the event and contact information to the Arts Desk. Clarifications / Corrections The Heights strives to provide its readers with complete, accurate, and balanced information. If you believe we have made a reporting error, have information that requires a clarification or correction, or questions about The Heights standards and practices, you may contact Matthew DeLuca, Editor-in-Chief, at (617) 552-2223, or e-mail editor@ bcheights.com. CUSTOMER SERVICE
Police Blotter 10/22/10 – 10/23/10 Friday, October 22 11:00 p.m. - A report was filed regarding assistance provided to the Boston Police Department off campus. Two parties who had been consuming alcohol but were not impaired were transported back to their residence in a police cruiser.
3:07 a.m. - A report was filed regarding vandalism to Ignacio Hall. Facilities was notified to repair the damage. 3:59 a.m. - A report was filed regarding an underage intoxicated party in Keyes North / South. The party was transported by ambulance to a medical facility.
11:26 p.m. - A report was filed regarding a large crowd that was dispersed at 2000 Commonwealth Avenue. One underage intoxicated party was transported to a medical facility in a police cruiser.
6:20 a.m. - A report was filed regarding an underage intoxicated party at 2000 Commonwealth Avenue. The party was transported by ambulance to a medical facility.
Saturday, October 23
3:08 p.m. - A report was filed regarding three parties who were ejected from Alumni Stadium for possession of an alcoholic beverage. The parties were issued a verbal trespass warning barring them from returning to the stadium for the remainder of the day.
1:43 a.m. - A report was filed regarding a suspicious motor vehicle in the Walsh Hall parking lot. Upon further investigation, it was determined the driver did not possess a valid motor vehicle license. A party with a valid license took custody of the vehicle. 1:58 a.m. - A report was filed regarding an underage intoxicated party in Walsh Hall. The party was transported by ambulance to a medical facility. 3:04 a.m. - A report was filed regarding a fire alarm activation in Ignacio Hall. The cause of the alarm was unfounded.
Voices from the Dustbowl “What did you think of Ice Jam?”
“It was great, but they could have cut it short.” —Binh Nguyen, A&S ’13
“I went. It was a great way to kick off the seasons.” —Kate Harrison, A&S ’12
8:29 p.m. - A report was filed regarding the identification of five parties who were involved in a previous disturbance. One underage intoxicated party was released to the custody of a sober adult party.
—Source: The Boston College Police Department
“It could have been better, but it’s better than other events I’ve been to.” —Caleb Swaim,
A&S ’13
Delivery To have The Heights delivered to your home each week or to report distribution problems on campus, contact John O’Reilly, General Manager at (617) 552-0547. Advertising The Heights is one of the most effective ways to reach the BC community. To submit a classified, display, or online advertisement, call our advertising office at (617) 552-2220 Monday through Friday.
The Heights is produced by BC undergraduates and is published on Mondays and Thursdays during the academic year by The Heights, Inc. (c) 2010. All rights reserved.
CORRECTIONS - In the article, “Rowers compete at Head of the Charles Regatta,” the names of the athletes who competed in the women’s rowing team’s club four boat Sunday were Coxswain Jasmine Howard, and rowers Melissa Chavez, Natalie Bowen, Emily Lewis, and Alycia Da’Loia More.
A3
The Heights
Thursday, October 28, 2010
Director of sustainability position now vacant “The majority of students are either unaware that we now have singlestream recycling or have yet to be educated about what that includes. The UGBC wants to be a part of a major push to help students re-learn their waste habits in the new single-stream recycling system.” —Daley Gruen, UGBC co-director of sustainability and A&S ’11
A number of administrators have taken on director’s duties By Therese Tully For The Heights
The position of director of sustainability is currently vacant after the departure of previous director Deirdre Manning, said John MacDonald, utilities manager for Facilities Services.
While the position remains open, a number of administrators have taken on the director’s duties. Robert Pion, capital projects manager; Michael Jednak, director of Facilities Services; Daniel Bourque, vice president of Facilities Management, and MacDonald are all be-
hind Boston College’s continued efforts, MacDonald said. “We aren’t sure when the position will be filled, considering BC is currently evaluating and developing the position,” he said. But, until then, he said, BC’s plan is to be “green.” Administrators said they
are looking to form a relationship with the Undergraduate Government of BC (UGBC) and other eco-friendly student organizations in hopes that this collaboration will increase awareness. “What we don’t have is a central position bridging the administration and the student body,” Pion said. However, Pion and MacDonald said that groups like EcoPledge and the UGBC have the opportunity to voice student opinions regarding the environment. Some students are still unaware of the University’s sustainability initiatives, said Daley Gruen, UGBC co-director of sustainability and A&S ’11. “The majority of students are either unaware that we now have singlestream recycling or have yet to
be educated about what that includes,” Gruen said. “The UGBC wants to be a part of a major push to help students re-learn their waste habits in the new singlestream recycling system.” Students wanting to learn more about sustainability at BC may not find what they are looking for online. If a student were to go onto BC’s sustainability Web site today, they would see a page that has not been recently updated, with the most current newsletter by Facilities Management dating back to summer 2008. “We are not updating the Web site because there is no current director,” Pion said. “Deirdre was in charge of that. One thing we can do, though, is to get a couple of students to get it up to date.”
Despite the empty director of sustainability position, efforts still continue. “We have a Sustain BC Meeting, which is one way to have a dialogue between faculty and staff,” Pion said. “We will also have our Spring Sustainability Forum again, which will be an update on operation services, so we can discuss what we have achieved. We have our hands in that as well. “We’re also hoping to make housekeeping supplies greener, implement more and different types of recycling, and look at grounds and landscaping practices,” Pion said. “Sustainability is not just a one person effort, but it is something that we all do, we are all aware of, we all care about very much.” n
taylour Kumpf / heights Editor
No one has yet been chosen to fill the director of sustainability position, formerly held by Deirdre Manning. Though the position is unoccupied, a number of people are continuing to push sustainable initiatives on campus.
Allston-Brighton Crime Reports 10/21/10 – 10/24/10
Police respond to armed robbery of a delivery person Boston Police responded to a call for an armed robbery on Thursday, Oct. 21, at 7:30 p.m. in North Brighton. A delivery man for Chang’s House Chinese restaurant was making a dinner delivery when he was approached by a suspect who was holding a long silver knife. The suspect threatened the delivery man and demanded that he hand over his money, which he took along with the food when he fled the scene.
Delivery person held at gunpoint, robbed On Sunday, Oct. 24, at 12:50 a.m., police were called for a firearm-assisted robbery. A Papa John’s Pizza delivery man was making a delivery in Brighton when he was approached by two men who asked, “Hey, pizza man, you know what time it is? Do you have any extra pizza?” The victim responded “No,” and made the delivery. When he tried to re-enter his vehicle, the suspects approached him and allegedly held the victim at gunpoint as he gave over a total of $360 in cash. The suspects fled the scene, and the victim was not injured.
Letter of apology appears to have strange intentions Boston Police were called to investigate an incident on Friday, Oct. 22. The victim reported having received a letter from a suspect who had broken into her apartment on Oct. 11. The letter stated, “I feel at this moment I have a great desire to party with you guys. Let’s make friends, not enemies. You like Halloween parties? Big ‘Ol party comin’ up. I really think you all should come.” The victim said in the report that she found the letter disturbing and creepy. The letter was copied for evidence.
Restaurant cited for serving past operating hours On Saturday, Oct. 23, at 2:21 a.m., Boston Police investigated the previously cited Hoy Hing Resturant for serving patrons past operating hours. When Boston Police arrived at the restaurant, 20 minutes after the 2 a.m. closing time, four patrons were waiting to be served, and the kitchen was in full operating order. The restaurant had attempted to conceal the activity with a curtain in front of the kitchen door. The police issued the manager a licensed premise violation.
Police pull over party bus, driver issued citations On Friday, Oct. 22, at 9:50 p.m., Boston Police noticed a decorated party bus driving hazardously around the intersection of Commonwealth Avenue and Greycliff Road. The bus stopped in the right lane, stopping all traffic, as passengers entered carrying seven cases of beer and a keg. The bus had brightly colored flashing lights, a disco ball, and loud music. As the bus eventually proceeded into the Boston College area, the driver occupied both lanes of traffic, blocking other vehicles from passing. The officers finally pulled over the party bus, finding most of the passengers to be of legal age, but the driver did not have a “party bus” permit. The driver was issued citations for the lights, music, and traffic violations, and the BC Police Department was called to address the two underage passengers.
Man suspected to be involved in Brighton fire On Friday, Oct. 22, officers responded to a radio call regarding an unconscious person at 147 Kelton Street in Brighton. Upon arrival, officers met with the building manager who said that there was a fire in the apartment at about 2:51 a.m. He also stated that after the fire, a man was found unconscious, sleeping in the upstairs bedroom. This man, the suspect, was the lone occupant at the apartment when the fire had taken took place. The suspect was placed under arrest and transported to District 14 for booking.
– Courtesy of the Boston Police Department, District 14 Gathered by Kendall Bitonte for The Heights
Thursday, October 28, 2010
The Heights
A4
Tuesday’s Ice Jam pep rally packs Conte Forum out free mini drinks, $2 coupons for Dunkin Donuts, and cups that could be won by spinning a prize that Vanilla Ice, whose appearance wheel. was kept secret until the event, Additionally, the “U-Crew” and Doug Flutie were to be in gave tutorials on the new “snap attendance. feature” in Windows 7 and handed “They should have advertised out free drawstring bags for fillthat more,” said ing out a short Nick Doering, survey. “They should have A&S ’14, “More The event, p e o p l e wo u l d advertised [Vanilla Ice] open to the pubhave come.” lic and free of more.” The f irst charge, attracted 1,000 students many local resi— Nick Doering, to show up at d e n ts , s e a s o n A&S ’14 Conte Forum reticket holders, ceived free Ice and other fans. Jam T-shirts. After that, students Kim Rakauskas, whose husreceived Liberty Mutual foam band is a local hockey coach and torches, Ice Jam posters, and free had received an e-mail for the glow necklaces. event, brought four kids with her. Parked outside the event was a “This is awesome!” Rakauskas Dunkin Donuts truck that passed said. n
Ice Jam, from A1
alex trautwig / heights editor
The event featured a slam-dunk contest as well as the giving away of a BMW 128i to a student - both efforts aimed at promoting this year’s winter sports teams.
Disgruntled law student tries to strike a deal Letter, from A1
“As a Jesuit law school we are particularly concerned with the well being of our students,” the statement reads. “But no institution of higher education can make a guarantee of a job after graduation.” The BC Law Office of Career Services reports that 97.6 percent of the Class of 2009 is employed. The listed median salary for private sector jobs is $160,000, $35,000 for public sector jobs, and $57,000 for government jobs. The letter has generated a buzz on the Internet with the Boston Her-
ald article displaying more than 220 comments. Many of the responses attack the author, but also lash out at BC, the legal system, and President Barack Obama. The piece has also generated discussion at BC Law. “Students began arguing about the points raised by the ‘Refund Letter’ almost immediately, shaking up the lunchrooms and classrooms,” said Noah Rabin, managing editor of EagleiOnline, in a recent editorial. The anonymous author declined to comment further on his open letter. n
Fed stats show difference in data Statistics, from A1 data for the frequency of sexual assaults or attempted sexual assaults for a given nine-month period, however, and said that the 35 out of 1000 statistic still showed that sexual assaults are vastly underreported on college campuses. Last year, there were nine calls to Boston College’s Sexual Assault Network (SANet), a 24-hour hotline that provides immediate assistance to students calling for aid, according to Paul Chebator, senior associate deam in the Office of the Dean for Student Development (ODSD). Annually, the BARCC, which serves all of Boston and the surrounding communities, received over 3,000 calls to its 24-hour assistance hotline – averaging out to about 10 calls a day, Barrett said. While callers are not always asked their age, she said she expected that most were college students. “There is very often an attitude, particularly if it’s women being assaulted, that’s very victim-blaming,” Barrett said. “Everyone is thinking that, ‘If only people didn’t take certain risks then they would be safe.’ That’s one of the big problems on college campuses – the environment.” Barrett called on colleges and universities to take a more proactive stance by encouraging victims of sexual assaults to report incidents to the police or to university disciplinary bodies. “I think it would make all the difference in the world,” she said. “I think it would change the whole environment that’s preventing people from talking about their experiences. People would come forward. There would be more discussion.” For college and university administrators, being more vocal, Barrett said, would “let people know that this is not a safe place for perpetrators.” While many institutes of higher education attempt to tackle the issue of sexual assaults through risk reduction initiatives, Barrett said that the BARCC is pushing for more “perpetrator prevention” programs. “I think schools in general aren’t doing much about prevention – meaning, perpetrator prevention,” she said, a process that would involve friends stopping their peers from becoming perpetrators. At BC, the ODSD will be starting
a bystander initiative next year, in order to communicate to the student population about sexual offenses and how to intervene in potentially threatening situations. “We want to translate what is appropriate and inappropriate conduct to the student body – telling a guy friend not to go off with a woman who is clearly intoxicated, or making sure a woman friend gets home safely,” Chebator said. This bystander program hopes to address confusion over what defines a sexual assault, among other things – one barricade that many victims have difficulty hurdling, according to Alison Rhodes, GSSW ’17, who oversees SANet. “Some survivors are confused about whether it meets the definition, because they don’t know what the definition is,” she said. “You need consent at every step of the way. Even if they are very intoxicated, it meets the definition.” Chebator said that he handled a case in which a victim’s roommate was telling the victim not to report the crime. “She was telling the victim that he [the assailant] was just as drunk and she was going to ruin his life by reporting it,” he said. “But this needs to be the victim’s decision, not her roommate’s.” Based on studies, there are two major risk factors that may lead a male to commit sexual assault, Barrett said. “One is [if] an individual holds beliefs that are hyper-masculine,” she said. “Part of that is they think women lead men on sexually … They think it’s the victim’s fault because they led them on.” The second factor depends on an individual’s surroundings and peers. “The second risk factor is [if] they have people in their environment who also support those beliefs,” Barrett said, citing an incident involving the Delta Kappa Epsilon International Fraternity at Yale University earlier this month. According to reports, pledges were led around the campus, blindfolded, while shouting chants such as “No means yes and yes means anal.” Rhodes said that the social environment plays a major role when it comes to the issue of sexual assault. n Michael Caprio, News Editor, and Molly LaPoint and Rebecca Kailus, Heights Staff, contributed to this report.
andrew powell / heights staff
Eric Klinenberg, a professor at NYU, spoke as part of the Lowell Series on Tuesday evening. The Series is looking to expand its content, its director said.
Lowell Lecture series looks to add diversity as it enters into sixth decade Lowell, from A1 of living alone in developing one’s sense of self. “Use solitude to deepen selfknowledge,” he said. Living alone, he said, gives people the opportunity to experience freedom and the ability to express oneself. Klinenberg said he takes a positive view of living alone. Rather than being a mark of solitude, the professor said he champions living alone as liberation, referring to it as “restorative solitude.” A Cambridge woman in the audience later said that living alone was one of the best things she had ever done for herself. “It can be lonely at first, but soon you start to like the freedom and personal space,” she said. The Lowell Humanities has featured many different established guests since its creation in 1957. Its inaugural speaker for the series was Robert Frost, and other speakers have included T.S. Eliot, Maya
Angelou, and Seamus Heaney. Carlo day. “There is nothing like an author Rotella, a professor in the English reading from his or her own works,” department and director of the Sweeney had said. Lowell HumaniThis semes“I have a personal ties Series, has ter, the series said that he hopes interest in expanding has hosted Govto include an even ernor Deval Patthe range of fields wider range of rick, award-winspeakers. ning non-fiction represented by “I have a perwriter Jane Brox, Lowell speakers: sonal interest in journalists Dexexpanding the ter Filkins and more journalists, range of fields repBatuman, as more science writers, Elif resented by Lowwell as Klinenell speakers: More berg. There will more musicians, journalists, more be at least nine moviemakers, and science writers, more lectures other performing more musicians, this school year, moviemakers, and which will include artists.” other performing speakers such as artists,” Rotella a Pulitzer Prize fi— Carlo Rotella, said. nalist, a New York Professor, English Rev. Francis Times bestselling Sweeney, S.J., science writer, Department founded the Lowand a renowned ell Humanities Series in 1957 in the Holocaust historian. hopes of exposing BC students to Rotella said he hopes that the sesome of the finest authors of the ries will bring together BC students
and people from the surrounding communities. So far, this year’s lectures have been quite successful in this regard, Rotella said. “We had someone drive up from Connecticut to see Dexter Filkins. They wanted to hear what was going on from somebody who really knows.” This is Rotella’s first year as director of the Humanities Series, and he has been appointed to the position for three years. He has replaced Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences David Quigley, who ran the program for several years previously. One of Rotella’s main goals is to expand the range of topics covered by the series. “We always have novelists, poets, journalists, and scholars, but we’re also on the lookout for others who can diversify the series. Having Governor Patrick, for instance, was a bit of a departure for the Lowell Series, and I think it’s useful to expand the conversation as much as possible.” n
Panel addresses recent finance bill ing the future of jobs in the financial industry, Frank said Under the act, the FDIC that he also expects to see a will now be responsible for reduction in size of the overall monitoring financial institu- industry. tions to ensure that funds are “I think we have had too responsibly invested, as well many people working in the fias for putting financial insti- nancial institutions,” he said. tutions “out of their misery,” “Some of what the financial as Frank said, in the case of a institutions do is essential. We failing entity. have to improve our savings. Bair said that she thinks But if there are many fewer the additional market dis- people involved in trading and cipline that comes with the credit default swaps two years new regulations will pres - from now, I’ll feel good about sure f inancial institutions the bill. The financial system is to condense in supposed to be s i ze – s o m e “I believe we need a the intermedithing she said complete change in ary.” wouldn’t be a Responding the way we spend our to a question bad thing. “ Th e s e a re regarding the money..” tools that the criticism the FDIC has used re f o r m s h ave — Barney Frank, for a long time,” faced regardU.S. Representative she said. “They ing a possible … can and will loss of jobs to (D-MA) be applied to overseas finanlarge, systemic financial in- cial markets, Bair said that she stitutions in the future in a doesn’t see the potential for job way that imposes losses again losses as having a major impact on unsecured creditors and on the development of the shareholders, not on taxpay- American financial industry. ers.” “This argument is used time In response to a question and again – that we’re going to posed by a Carroll School of starve our financial innovation Management student regard- by providing some clear, com-
Panel, from A1
mon-sense regulation,” Bair said. “But basic common-sense standards, like make a loan to somebody that can repay and document that they can repay it, I don’t view that as overly prescriptive.” While the Dodd-Frank Act was not intended to directly address unemployment and America’s soaring national debt, both issues were raised during the course of the question-and-answer session. Volcker said that resolving both issues will require a patient and balanced approach. “We have to increase savings,” he said. “We have to deal with the government deficit over time – that’s not limitless. There’s no easy answer to this. Large levels of debt built up from the previous 10 years are strangling us. It takes a while to work off that excessive level of debt.” While many Democrats in Congress are calling for a new stimulus package to boost businesses and spur job growth, Volcker said that, realistically, Congress is very unlikely to pass another major stimulus spending bill for fear of adding to the country’s debt – this is despite the fact that nearly all the funds
dispersed by the Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP) are expected to be repaid, Frank said. “It’s going to take some time to deal with these very deep-seated problems with the economy,” Volcker said. Frank said that he is waging a campaign, along with Ron Paul, to “substantially reduce America’s military footprint in the world,” as a means of reducing spending so that additional funds can be directed to assist the unemployed. “I do agree that we should be doing a good deal more,” Frank said. “I’d go much beyond that. I believe we need a complete change in the way we spend our money.” “We have to do a better job with the quality of life at home,” he said. Frank said that he was impressed by the awareness and interest by audience members, particularly those students who were at the presentation. “It’s very important and I’m glad they are [here],” he said. “Paul [Volcker] is 85-years-old. As he said, he’s working on this because he cares about what goes forward, so I think this is very important.” n
CLASSIFIEDS
A5
THE HEIGHTS
Thursday, October 28, 2010
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MISCELLANEOUS The Heights wishes Kris Robinson (Oct. 31) a very happy birthday! Interested in blogging for The Heights? Contact Dara Fang at fangda@bc.edu for more information or to submit a tip.
Stop pestering me, boyfriend. Answers to the Crossword are below the Sudoku
Directions: The Sudoku is played over a 9x9 grid. In each row there are 9 slots, some of which are empty and need to be filled. Each row, column and 3x3 box should contain the numbers 1 to 9. You must follow these rules: · Number can appear only once in each row · Number can appear only once in each column · Number can appear only once in each 3x3 box · The number should appear only once on row, column or area.
Answers below Answers to Crossword and Sudoku
A6
The Heights
Editorials
Etymologies
In the locker room
As the season wears on and the losses pile up, the football coaching staff should be proactive about updating fans on issues. The Boston College football team is hear a bit of what the team gets in the struggling. The Eagles won their first two locker room. In his game overview at games, but have lost the five subsequent the Maryland postgame press confercontests, four against ACCopponents. ence Spaziani said, “Congratulations BC fans are not used to this kind of re- to Maryland. They did a good job. sult because the last 11 years have been Obviously we are disappointed. We wining seasons. This past weekend, BC practiced well. We made some progress played the Univerduring the week. It sity of Maryland just didn’t translate and lost again, but into a victory. That This team is on the only after a strong, is where we are at.” verge of having a losing fourth-quarter ralFans anywhere, BC record for the first time ly. Though it was an or otherwise, want in 11 years. The coach’s exciting comeback to hear more from try, the majority of comments should give some their coach than a fans who came to press-friendly deindication of the team’s support the Eagles rivative of a statehad already left. frustrated ambitions. Fans m e n t . S p a z i a n i This season, more went on to answer can relate to emotions, than any other other questions, positive or negative. of late, there is a but from the outstark detachment side there appears between the fans to be no emotion. and the team. The Heights believes that This team is on the verge of having a Coach Spaziani needs to head an effort losing record for the first time in 11 to get the fans involved again. years. The coach’s comments should When a football team wins, it is give some indication of the team’s difficult to question the actions of the frustrated ambitions. Fans can relate coaching staff. Their end goal is to win to emotions, positive or negative. football games. When the team loses, The coaches know what is best to the responsibility for the loss falls to make a football team successful. They the coaches. They must, in turn, ex- can prescribe the appropriate defensive plain to the fans why there was a failure schemes and call the best plays. This and what is going to be done about it. season, the Eagles are facing a situation The Heights feels that BC fans are not not known for more than a decade. The fair-weather or flaky, but rather lack hopes that this year can be successful investment because of the deficiency of in terms of winning games are all but visible energy and charisma brought by gone. Coach Spaziani should take this Coach Spaziani to the program. We do opportunity, a season with no important not doubt that Coach Spaziani is doing post-season implications, to connect all in his power to get the Eagles back on with the fan base. Tell the fans what’s the winning track while working on the happening on a micro level. Tell them practice field and in the locker room, what’s working and what is not. Fans will but, to paraphrase the chant, we’d like support a coach that they see working a little more. The 12th man deserves to hard. The first step is letting them in.
A tradition is born
The inaugural Ice Jam was a major success, kicking off what is sure to be a fantastic winter sports season for both fans and athletes. On Tuesday evening, Superfans crowded into Conte Forum to witness an event that was the first of its kind. With the help of sports announcer Bob Costas and rap artist Vanilla Ice (and, might we add, the dance moves of head women’s basketball coach Sylvia Crawley), Ice Jam 2010 was a major success. The Heights would like to commend both the Undergraduate Government of Boston College (UGBC) and the athletics department for their execution of this entertaining event. This event was a testament to the underappreciated strength of BC fan culture. Ice Jam was packed at the start
and still had a strong crowd at the end – on a Tuesday night, no less. Student attendance at football games is an example a type of fandom that often draws negative criticism, but Ice Jam proved that it’s not that BC doesn’t have supportive fans, you just have to give them something to cheer about. Ice Jam successfully rallied students together in excitement for the upcoming basketball and hockey seasons. The Heights hopes Ice Jam will become a yealy tradition, and that the same students who turned out Tuesday night will bring their friends with them to the upcoming games.
Halloween how-tos
This Halloween weekend, costumes should be creative, scenery should be spooky, and parties should be risk-free. As children, Halloween was that one time each year that we could gather candy from our neighbors, dress up as our favorite book or movie characters, and pretend not to be scared by The Nightmare Before Christmas. After the age of 14, however, the trick-or-treating became less fruitful, the costume buying felt more awkward, and sneaking into R-rated movies offered a greater adrenaline rush and sense of fright than your neighbor using a black light on their porch. However, college gives us a second chance. Upon entering university, our passion for Halloween festivities is reignited. Unlike childhood get-ups, college costumes require a delicate balance. Cute yet clever, funny but not juvenile, and above all creative. It’s easy to dress in lederhosen, braid your hair, and call yourself a barmaid. Similarly, any guy can put on a bathing suit and t-shirt,
string a whistle around his neck, and call himself as a lifeguard. Sure, “sexy” can be entertaining, but it certainly doesn’t speak to your stunning wit and nuanced grasp of pop culture. It just speaks to how great your gams look. As students at a prestigious university, we should bring more to the table than can be found in any old costume store. More seriously, though, keep Halloween festivities in check. In the interest of the community, fellow guests, and your party’s hosts, keep the party lively but safe. Off-campus violations have decreased since last year, so continue the trend and avoid the write-up. Mixing Four Lokos and an apple bobbing contest is not the best decision if hoping to survive the weekend. Consider your safety and the safety of others during this weekend, avoid the unimaginative or lazy costume, and Halloween will be a night to remember.
The Heights The Independent Student Newspaper of Boston College Established 1919 Matthew DeLuca, Editor-in-Chief John O’Reilly, General Manager Darren Ranck, Managing Editor
Editorial
Kaleigh Polimeno, Copy Editor Michael Caprio, News Editor Zach Wielgus, Sports Editor Jacquelyn Herder, Features Editor Kristen House, Arts & Review Editor Daniel Martinez, Marketplace Editor Hilary Chassé, Opinions Editor Ana Lopez, Special Projects Editor Alex Trautwig, Photo Editor Margaret Tseng, Layout Editor
Contributors: Kevin Dicesare, Diana Nearhos, Mollie Kolosky, Sara Bakrow
Thursday, October 28, 2010
Portal peek (port•al•peek) (v) 1: The use of the Agora directory search tool to find the names, ages, and other personal information of classmates. Example: After the first lecture, I Portal peeked all the cute girls in my discussion section.
Mary Kate McAdams/ Heights Illustration
Letters to the Editor Response to “By the numbers” I applaud The Heights for covering this issue. This editorial sheds light on how little information is out there about sexual assault. However, even if university groups are not providing certain statistics specific to Boston College, as a highly circulated campus publication, The Heights can and should publish information about rape and sexual assault going beyond the one in four statistic. For example, are students aware that on college campuses, 90 percent of survivors know their attackers? Are students well-versed in what constitutes sexual assault? A number of resources exist where this information can be found. The Boston Area Rape Crisis Center (BARCC) Web site is one, for example, that discusses not only the prevalence of sexual assault, but also
lists common survivor responses, as well as prevention techniques: http://barcc.org/information/facts/ I encourage The Heights to continue exploring this issue and not only write about the need for campus statistics, but make meaning from these numbers. The Heights can help by discussing how students can serve as bystanders to prevent sexual assault, and how our campus culture could be altered to be less tolerant of this act. Additionally, The Heights should place a heavier focus on letting survivors know that they are not alone, and point them in the direction of where they can receive help. Erika Vargas LGSOE ’11
Helicopter parents to blame for stress After reading Kris Robinson’s article, “Out with the new and in with old,” I was reminded of my eighthgrade cousin. She has taken the SATs twice, swims every morning before school, and has a general tutor that she meets with twice a week. Robinson notes that this generation of children is growing up quickly, which I agree with, but I feel that he has missed one of the primary causes, as I see it. Helicopter parents. Robinson mentions “the excessive responsibilities [children] take on,” but he fails to consider that these responsibilities can be forced on children. I’m certain my cousin did not ask her mother if she could take the SATs, but a new trend has developed where some parents will be extremely competitive in how they raise
their children. This type of parent puts pressure on their children, and forces other parents to apply the same pressure with the misguided belief that they are better preparing their children for life. It’s these helicopter parents that ruin it for regular parents. They are so constricting that children aren’t given the ability to relax and enjoy their carefree years. Of course they will be nostalgic in the future for their missed childhoods. But in some cases, it’s not that they gave up their childhoods, it’s that their childhoods were taken from them. Zach Frank A&S ’14
The Online buzz Reprinting reader comments from www.bcheights.com, The Online Buzz draws on the online community to contribute to the ongoing discussion. In response to “Campus culture may deter assault reporting” by Molly LaPoint
In response to “Safe sex that’s just senseless” by Joseph Pasquinelli
“To clarify Dean Chebator’s statement about something happening off campus and it not being a reportable offense at BC, the act still can be reported, just through the police department of the town or city in which the assault took place, rather than through BCPD. Survivors of sexual assault, as well as their friends and family, can still reach out to supportive resources at BC and in the Boston area because they are out there to help you, no matter when or where the assault took place.” Anonymous
“Want to know where the Safe Sites are on and off campus? Just go to BCSSH’s Web site: www.bcssh.com/ safesites or look for the BCSSH logo on the person’s dorm room door and just knock. As all of the material says when they are handing out condoms on CoRo, one in four college students today has some kind of sexually transmitted infection (STI), and according to the Center for Disease Control, 19 million new cases of STIs occur every year, half of them being among 15-24 year olds, so please practice safe sex.”
The Heights welcomes Letters to the Editor not exceeding 200 words and column submissions that do not exceed 700 words for its op/ed pages. The Heights reserves the right to edit for clarity, brevity, accuracy, and to prevent libel. The Heights also reserves the right to write headlines and choose illustrations to accompany pieces
submitted to the newspaper. Submissions must be signed and should include the author’s connection to Boston College, address, and phone number. Letters and columns can be submitted online at www.bcheights.com, by email to editor@bcheights.com, in person, or by mail to Editor, The Heights, 113 McElroy Commons, Chestnut Hill, Mass. 02467.
Anonymous
Business and Operations Michael Saldarriaga, Graphics Editor Christina Quinn, Online Manager Laura Campedelli, Multimedia Coodinator Brooke Schneider, Assoc. Copy Editor DJ Adams, Asst. Copy Editor Patrick Gallagher, Assoc. News Editor Taylour Kumpf, Asst. News Editor Maegan O’Rourke, Assoc. Sports Editor Paul Sulzer, Asst. Sports Editor Kristopher Robinson, Asst. Features Editor
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The Heights
Thursday, October 28, 2010
A7
Opinions
Please, don’t vote
Thumbs Up Sylvia Crawley – Ice Jam gave TU/TD a lot to be excited about for the upcoming winter sports seasons: 7 foot slam dunks, 100 mph slapshots, inexplicable Vanilla Ice appearances, and one more. Ms. Crawley, the women’s basketball coach, stole the show with her turn on the floor, teaching us all how to Dougie. With that kind of swagger, the ladies’ team is bound to deliver big things this season. Water fountain – Rejoice, Plexaholics! The gods of refreshment and rehydration have smiled upon you. Instead of the miserable dribble of the previous bubbler, the new, state-of-the-art machine has the water pressure of a fire hydrant and separate bottle filling station. You may now turn your full attention back to yourself in the weight room mirror.
Thumbs Down Lack of cake – When did dining services turn into some reverse Marie Antoinette? The lack of desserts of any kind, and more specifically of the cake variety, has been completely shameful. Some of us like to end our nights with some sugar bread topped with sugar cream and maybe a side of some frozen sugar milk, so please do a better job of feeding our addiction. Awkward tours – As eager high school students are beginning to pile into Devlin in ever-increasing numbers, the site of tour guides leading these young’uns through campus is becoming more common. All of this is well and good, but TU/TD can’t help but wonder how a guide, no matter how perky, could possibly assuage a parent’s concern that the campus is too Catholic when confronted with posters of fetuses at various stages of development. PJs – TU/TD understands it’s midterms season, it’s starting to get chilly, and that the motivation that might have driven students through the last month is now dwindling, but there’s never a reason to make no distinction between your bed and the classroom. Gentlemen of the Heights, let’s class it up to sweatpants. Heat wave – Just as we were breaking out the scarves, hats, and, unfortunately, Uggs that the season requires, Mother Nature decided to throw a curveball and turn Chestnut Hill into the Bayou for a week. Begrudgingly, TU/TD admits that we might have condemned flip flops to the back of the closet too hastily. Four Loko – The evil mastermind behind this love child of Red Bull and Colt 45 might be getting into some legal hot water sometime soon, with students falling deathly ill after imbibing in a sip or two of this absolutely toxic brew. Most freshman bros have enough energy to power a small city on the average Friday night. TU/TD doesn’t see the upside in amping them up any further. LeBron – What should you do, LeBron? Not waste millions on fancy advertising (with no discernible product to plug besides yourself) and then choke during your season opener. Apparently the super friends are stoppable.
John Blakeslee I love election season. Even more, I love election night. I always stay up late, glued to the television, eagerly awaiting precincts to report their results. There are few things more thrilling to me than to watch as one candidate comes from behind to narrowly defeat the other. It is something I have been fascinated by since I was a little boy. As you might imagine, my passion for elections has naturally fostered a great enthusiasm for voting. I cherish my right to vote, and will cast my vote with pride on Tuesday when the country decides its 112th Congress. While I certainly wish that more people shared my enthusiasm for voting and elections, I have no intention of advocating for everyone to go out and vote on Election Day. On the contrary, my message is simple: If you don’t care, please, don’t vote. One of the most annoying movements during the 2008 elections was the “Rock the Vote” campaign. The aim of this organization was, and is, to increase voter registration by fostering a new generation of informed and passionate voters. This sounds noble enough. However, what I disagree with is the message that is clearly ascertained from a viewing of any of their advertisements: Voting is cool and if you don’t vote, you’re not cool. Make no mistakes, voting is not cool. It is not sexy. If you vote, you are not entitled to anything. If you vote, you will not be effecting the dramatic change that the “Rock the Vote” people would have you believe. Voting is boring. It is sobering. The U.S. government is organized in such a way as to make sure that its decision-making process is insulated from your vote. Ultimately, your political consequence will be diluted by millions
of other voters, stymied by a system of checks and balances, and every four years restrained by an electoral college. When looking at this picture, I have difficulty conjuring up images of Bob Dylan or the Rolling Stones. My grandmother knitting to an Al Jolson record seems far more appropriate. It is those citizens who want to vote in spite of this sobering reality who are the ones who should vote. Going into the voting booth, you should have no delusions about what voting is. You shouldn’t be in the booth because you have been guilted into doing so or because you slavishly follow the “it’s my civic duty” platitude. If you don’t care, don’t vote. Do not feel guilty about not voting. In this case, it is the responsible thing to do. The second part of my “don’t vote” campaign is if you are not informed about the issues and candidates, then you should abstain from voting. Furthermore, if you do not display the most rudimentary competence in understanding American politics, you should not vote. I will never forget meeting a girl who was unable to name the second president of the United States or one of the countries that fought in the American Revolution (America would have been an acceptable answer). This girl came from a privileged New Jersey town where she attended a private, and very expensive, high school. When I asked her whether she voted, she answered in the affirmative. She explained that she did not care about history or politics, but that it was her right to not care and that she would vote anyway. This statement is terrifying. But why vote if – as I argued earlier – voting is not as consequential or sexy as television commercials would have you believe? You should vote for the same reason that others should not vote. First, you care about the direction in which the country is headed. You understand that political leaders will play an important role in directing the nation and you want your opinions to be represented. Second, you are knowledgeable about the choice being placed before the public, and therefore
are in a responsible position to render your opinion. If you are knowledgeable about the issues and you care about the direction of the country, it only follows logically that you would want to vote. Although you are still one of millions, your vote is an authentic expression of political participation that is more significant than a single tally mark next to a candidate’s name. These arguments will likely strike some readers as elitist. They should. I am tired of the American electorate being referred to as “Mama Grizzlies” and “Joe SixPacks.” We should stop glorifying the title of a “regular American” and start encouraging voters to be “excellent Americans.” We should be promoting the idea that the citizen who cares about the country’s future and educates themselves about the problems it faces is fulfilling the duties of citizenship in an excellent way. Success and intelligence should not be scorned, but exalted. I am certainly not advocating that you need to be a policy expert in order to vote. You don’t even need to be a high school graduate. You just need to have passion for your country and a basic knowledge of why it is you are voting. The American people are not stupid. They should be expected to use their intelligence and participate in the political system that has afforded them all of the luxuries that are enjoyed by being an American. But America is, as my friend from New Jersey would remind me, a free country. If you do not care or are not informed, then please do not vote on Tuesday. You would be doing a disservice to the nation and all those citizens who do take voting seriously. Perhaps you will use your time at home to reflect on what it means to be born in the United States and what it means, in a historical context, to be able to vote. I hope that such reflection does not lead to guilt, but to a genuine desire to participate in political life. Maybe I’ll even see you in line at the voting booth next election cycle. John Blakeslee is a staff columnist for The Heights. He welcomes comments at opinions@bcheights.com.
Nutrition by the numbers Marye Moran During the first week of school, when one of my friends discovered the nutritional information for all dining hall food on Boston College’s Web site, my friends and I had the same reaction: “I don’t want to know!” For each of us, that initial rush of fear was followed by the same indecision. “Well, just tell me how many calories are in the Honey-Q wrap. Or, “No, that’ll just depress me. Just tell me if it’s bad or really bad. Wait no, I don’t think I want to know.” After this mix of thoughts, we all came to the same conclusion. “Okay, let me look. I should know.” It was scary to see the nutritional information for the foods that we had been carelessly eating. If the facts aren’t right in front of us, we can assume that we are keeping a generally healthy diet by throwing a salad into the mix every once in a while, choosing wheat bread over white, and only going to late night a few times a week. However, this delusion will inevitably catch up to us and our thighs. After looking at all of the nutritional data, I can’t say that I am shocked by any of it. I mean, of course I could have guessed that the grilled chicken would be a better choice than the bacon cheeseburger. However, before seeing the numbers, I didn’t particularly think about all of this when ordering. I did not immediately look at that Honey-Q wrap and think “787 calories.” I thought, “Yum.” Now, after seeing the figures, there is no way for me to hide from my choices. I still choose higher calorie options on a semi-regular basis, but now I am doing so consciously. I know what I’m getting myself into. This data could also help some people
Party Time
BY BEN VADNAL
with distorted nutritional assumptions. Thinking that they’ll be healthy, many people stop into Eagle’s Nest for a chicken Caesar salad, which contains only 909 calories. Or, for dinner, they will decide to be good and go with the turkey burger (517 calories), instead of an “indulgent” sirloin steak sandwich (451 calories). Though this information is available online for everyone to see, I doubt that more than a few students really look at it and make informed choices before ordering. And honestly, even if you look through and decide on, say, the grilled salmon, once you walk into the dining hall, who knows if you’ll still be in the mood for fish? And if you’re eating at peak hours, that station could have a line twisting almost out of the dining hall. Planning ahead is simply not ideal in most circumstances. In my hometown, a law stipulates that all chain restaurants have the calorie counts posted on menu boards. This trend is spreading, as a new law applying to all restaurants with over 20 locations in most major cities will be required to have nutritional facts listed on their menus. That makes the process of finding healthy options that much simpler, as you no longer have to plan so far in advance, and can compare your options as you wait in that painfully long line. Unfortunately, this can cause diners to think only about calories, and not fat, protein, calcium, and other important nutrients that should influence a decision. However, compared to being completely in the dark, knowing the calories is definitely a step up. Some of my friends from home have complained about this in-your-face information, as they think that it takes the fun away from eating out, and makes them feel too guilty to order what they really want. However, what is fun about unwittingly ordering high-calorie items? If a food is really worth it, then knowing the nutritional information should not stop someone from ordering it. Nutritious
food can be just as enjoyable as fried and fat-laden fare, and being informed about which foods are which allows people to make choices that will make them not just look, but also feel, better. When Starbucks started posting their nutritional information, the average calories per purchase at their stores was lowered by 6 percent, a significant difference, especially for those caffeine addicts who stop at each Starbucks they pass, which definitely adds up if they’re walking no more than a block. Although Tufts researchers have shown that actual calorie content in restaurants can vary from posted information by up to 200 percent, having some guide can’t hurt. If you eat in any of the BC dining halls, you know that, depending on your server, you can get a plate overflowing with pasta, or just a measly few squiggles. Of course the calorie counts are not going to be exact with imprecise serving sizes, but it is certainly better than nothing. You wouldn’t buy an article of clothing without knowing how much it was going to cost you, and likewise, you shouldn’t eat something without knowing how many calories it “costs.” What you consume impacts you just as directly as the money you spend, and if students do not know the facts, they will whip through their daily recommended calorie allowances faster than a football player spends his dining bucks. BC should join the trend and begin posting the calories on the menu boards in its dining halls. If the figures are already calculated, all this would entail would be physically posting the numbers, a relatively small undertaking. Yes, you can expect a few screams when people look at the sign for “pasta with cream sauce du jour” (listed online as 1,241 calories), but when we rock our Lady Gaga leotards on Halloween, it will be worth it. Marye Moran is a staff columnist for The Heights. She welcomes comments at opinions@bcheights.com.
The pitfalls of politesse Zamin Husain College has confronted me with an array of new challenges to face. I have stayed up past 3 a.m. on numerous occasions studying, have dealt with the stupid buses, and been “sexiled” by my roommate on the weekend (and that one Wednesday …). However, I expected all of these challenges. I prepared myself for them. One problem, though, caught me off guard, and from what I have observed, not even seniors have mastered the art of dealing with it. It is a challenge that faces freshmen and upperclassmen alike. Straight-edge or hardcore partier, no one is immune. The bane of all of our existences: holding doors open. Imagine the scenario: You are walking through O’Neill Plaza to enter the library. It is the beginning of the period, so there are people out and about, but not the rush-hour traffic that plagues the last 10 minutes of every hour. You begin to approach the library doors. You feel as if someone behind you is also following the same path to the library, but you are uncertain about how far away they are. You could look back to determine this distance, but in doing so, you would awkwardly make eye contact with your “pursuer,” and if you don’t hold the door open it is clear that you were aware of their presence and selfishly left them to open the door for themselves. To avoid this uncomfortable social interaction, as you approach the glass doors of the library, you bobble your head and subtly (but actually very apparently) twist your body so that you can catch their reflection in the sleek glass panes. This technique proves itself unsuccessful, as now you are at the door and forced to open it. You conclude, “I’ll be polite and keep it open for her.” You hold it open on the outside chance that she may enter before you. Turns out, she is a solid 15 feet behind you. Her relaxed and content pace now transforms to an uncomfortable and hasty shuffle as she bitterly struts past you at the door. Don’t worry, it has happened to the best of us. This scenario is repeated almost 20 times a day, be it when entering the dorms, holding the keypad-locked common bathrooms open, and the cursed double set of doors in almost all academic buildings. The amount of possibilities for these situations to go wrong is endless. You could hold the door open for a guy, who could just stare at you blankly wondering why you aren’t entering, or you could not hold the door open for a girl, at which point you become an automatic jerk. You could hold the door open because you hear someone behind you, but it turns out they are on their phone or aren’t planning on entering the building. Generally, a safe bet is opening the door from the inside with your hand behind you pushing the door open until someone behind you follows suit. However, this method generally only works best during high traffic hours, and when the flow is less, the waiting time may be a bit too long for that contortion of your arm. We are driven mad by constantly deciding what method, what timing, what approach we are going to use to open the doors. We’ve all judged the kid who could’ve waited four seconds longer to keep the door open so you wouldn’t have to get your ID card out of your pocket and swipe in, as we would proceed to bitterly pronounce his lack of character all the way up to our rooms. We’ve all slowed down our walking pace so that the person behind us could catch up, or speed up so that we could safely enter a building without having this interaction. I have even pretended to text in order to avoid the awkwardness of the situation, of course not alleviating any of the discomfort. There is one case in which everyone’s decision comes to a mutual consensus. In this one scenario, people may be upset with your decision, but no one judges you. In the event of weather, be it rain or snow, all bets are off. As a matter of fact, I would judge the person who does hold the door open when it is pouring outside. It is raining. Get inside so that when I step into that indoor oasis, I won’t feel bad about making you wait in the rain in addition to being miserable because my pants are sticking to my legs. Individually, we need to make a stance. Decide. Are you going to be a door-holder or the dominant enterwithout-looking-back person? You are either going to make people very uncomfortable or very angry, but when it comes to doors, nobody wins. The doors do. Zamin Husain is a staff columnist for The Heights. He welcomes comments at opinions@bcheights.com.
A8
Thursday, October 28, 2010
THE HEIGHTS
BOSTON COLLEGE VS. CLEMSON
When BC runs the ball
Montel seems to be back to normal after two straight 100-yard performances. Against a Clemson run-defense that has allowed 157.4 yards per game, he should be able make it three straight. He also collected two TDs last week, so look for him to get into the end zone again. Advantage:
When BC passes the ball Chase Rettig has shown improvement in the past few weeks, and the two interceptions against Maryland were not all his fault. Many BC fans are waiting for him to break out, but the Clemson secondary might not let him. Unless the receivers step up and stop dropping balls, advantage Clemson. Advantage:
When Clemson runs the ball Speedy Andre Ellington has found the end zone 10 times through the rush game, in addition to averaging 91.7 yards per game. He will have a tough time against the BC defense, but with Alex Albright out, Ellington may be able to have his way on the ground. Advantage:
When Clemson passes the ball Last year, Kyle Parker threw for only 102 yards and two interceptions against BC. He has looked better this year, and facing a BC secondary without Wes Davis, this match-up looks like it may be a field day for Parker. He also won’t be facing the pass rush of Albright. Advantage:
Special teams Ellington has run back one kickoff for a touchdown for the Tigers, and his speed in the return game is dangerous. But Clemson’s kicker Chandler Catanzaro has missed three field goals this year, two of which were from under 40 yards. Nate Freese has continued to be solid, so advantage BC. Advantage:
Coaching and intangibles As the head coach of Clemson, Dabo Swinney has won both of his games against BC. Spaz, meanwhile, has yet to win an ACC game this year, and may soon be on the hot seat. The Tigers hold the advantage here, coming off two straight ACC wins with an energetic coach. Advantage:
FOOTBALL NOTEBOOK
Holloway remorseful, but ready for first shot BY DREW MCKAY For The Heights
Max Holloway will start at left end this week, as captain Alex Albright is out for the season with a broken fibula. Although he has been a regular part of the Eagles rotation all season long, Saturday’s game against Clemson will be Holloway’s first collegiate start. “Max is out there every day,” said head coach Frank Spaziani. “He works.” Now the team will see if that hard work can pay off as more of an every-down end. Holloway is fifth on the team in tackles for loss with four, and he also had an important forced fumble against Notre Dame. While he has experienced limited playing time, Holloway is pleased with his individual performance so far. “It was going well in the beginning,” Holloway said. “We were rotating D-linemen, and I was getting more comfortable on the field. I was noticing that I was relaxed and playing my game, and I was happy with what was going on. Not as happy with the results with us losing of course, that was a shocker. But I was excited to be out there making plays and watching guys make plays.” The sophomore’s solid 2010 campaign didn’t stop him from feeling some jitters early in the first quarter after Albright went down. “I was really nervous, then I calmed down and started playing my game and I felt comfortable,” Holloway said. Holloway laments Albright’s injury, but the Floridian embraces the opportunity his absence provides. “I feel bad for Albright, his third year getting seriously hurt, especially because he’s our team captain and the guy I’ve been looking up to for the past three years,” Holloway said. “At halftime of the Maryland game, [Albright] told me, ‘The job is yours, go do your thing.’ I’m really excited, even though I know I’ve got giant shoes to fill.” Holloway comes from a family of athletes. He is the son of
former Patriots offensive lineman and three-time Pro Bowler Brian Holloway. Max’s brother, David, was a three-year starter at linebacker for Maryland before a brief stint in the NFL, and his maternal grandfather is former NHL forward, John McKenzie. Being an athlete is in his pedigree, but with a number of veterans out with injury, the defense is in need of a leader. “I just feel like everybody needs to step it up,” he said. Rettig’s Maturation Freshman quarterback Chase Rettig has matured in his three starts this season. In his collegiate debut, Rettig threw for 72 yards and a touchdown on five-for-10 passing before he went down with an ankle injury. Rettig sat out the NC State game, and then went nine for 24 for 95 yards against Florida State upon his return the following week. Rettig’s best performance came against Maryland, when he completed 18-of-33 passes for 189 yards, one touchdown, and two picks. Offensive lineman Rich Lapham has been impressed by Rettig’s maturation in his three starts, especially against Maryland. “[Chase’s] ability to make plays stood out to me,” Lapham said. “Something might break down or not go as smoothly, and he wasn’t afraid to break down and make the receivers make plays. He’s more competent, you can see that in the huddle. He’s the voice of the huddle.” Although Rettig is pleased with his progression as a college quarterback, he refuses to settle. “I felt like I got a lot from Saturday,” Rettig admitted. “I need to be quicker and need to speed up the process while I’m back there making my decisions.” Spaziani is also pleased with Rettig’s maturation, but notes the freshman can improve. “Chase has a long way to go himself, but there seems to be leadership, camaraderie, and cohesiveness there,” Spaziani said. “Execution overcomes a lot of things also.”
ALEX TRAUTWIG / HEIGHTS EDITOR
Though Kyle Parker was limited to 102 yards and two picks in last year’s contest, he has been safer with the ball this year, throwing just four interceptions.
Defense must survive injuries Injuries Mounting, from A10
usual offensive firepower since the graduation of electric tailback C.J. Spiller, this group features the up-and-coming Andre Ellington, the current ACC leader in all-purpose yards and touchdowns. And with BC’s offense having difficulty putting points on the board, the pressure on the Eagles defense to keep the score low is even greater. While that task will certainly be more difficult with a new starting lineup, linebacker Luke Kuechly was able to find a bright spot in the loss of Davis and Albright. “The guys that got hurt got hurt in the beginning of the game [against Maryland],” Kuechly said. “We did get to play a little bit together, and guys stepped up and made some plays. Chris Fox made a ton of plays. Holloway
had a big tackle for a loss.” Fox came into last week’s game against the Terrapins to replace starting cornerback DeLeon Gause, who suffered a knee injury but is expected to play on Saturday. “It’s not like the guys we’re putting in there have never played before,” Kuechly said. “We’ve rotated them in before, and now they’re getting a chance to go out there and show what they can do.” But the injuries didn’t just sap talent away from the Eagles defense. They also took away two of the most vocal leaders and experienced players on the entire team. “[Alex] is our team captain and the guy I’ve been looking up to for the past three years,” Holloway said. Davis was also elected as a captain by his teammates. Even though the unit features
several other seniors, including former ACC Defensive Player of the Year Mark Herzlich, it’s clear that the team will miss two of its most experienced players on the field. And for those players whose time on the field thus far has been limited, adapting to the mental and physical rigors of playing almost every down takes some time and adjustment. Kuechly knows that all 11 defenders need to be aware of both their own role on every play and their teammates’ whereabouts, as well. “The biggest thing for a defense is to come together and play like a unit,” Kuechly said. “That’s what we’re going to try to do this week.” If the Eagles want to earn a victory against the Tigers and avoid a loss in their sixth straight contest, they’re not going to have a choice.
BC finally home, faces Merrimack Home Opener, from A10
This team can flat out score. The Warriors hung seven on UConn in their home-opener, and through three contests, they are averaging 4.3 goals and 38.3 shots per game. Leading the offense is Da Costa, who already has three goals and three assists after recording 45 points in his freshman campaign. Then again, the Eagles have faced their fair share of prolific scorers – Hobey Baker winner Blake Geoffrion of Wisconsin in last year’s championship game, for instance – and have neutralized them with trademark stout defense. “We certainly are aware of him, and when he is on the ice we will be very conscious of him, but we’re not going to put a shadow on him,” York said. “We expect to be able to play defense and play well, but he’s somebody you know when he is on the ice.”
BC has a few things to focus on itself, committing a costly 32 penalties this year, including nine in Saturday’s 2-1 loss at Notre Dame. The Eagles lived in the penalty box during the third period of that game, which prevented them from mounting a comeback. They mustered only five shots on net. “It’s been a real problem for us,” York said. “We’ve addressed it and talked about it. You’re going to have to take penalties in the course of a game. They’re like foul shots – you’re not going to go through a game without any foul shots against you. But we have to cut down on what I think are foolish penalties. You can win taking a lot of penalties, but it makes it that much harder on you.” What saved them in their first three penalty-laden affairs was the goaltending of John Muse and Parker Milner. Muse stopped 32 shots in the loss to the Fighting Irish, and owns a .959 save percentage in three starts,
while Milner’s lone start was a shutout of Denver. York revealed that both would start a game in the Merrimack series, but has not decided who will start Friday night. “We will see a lot of both goalies as the year progresses, based on our early games and early practices,” York said. “That’s been probably the strength of our team so far.” After four games, BC has a much better idea of where its strengths and weaknesses lie. So, too, does Merrimack. The Warriors saw what Notre Dame was able to do to take down the former No. 1 team in the country, and the Eagles must remember what it takes to rebound from a loss, their first since Feb. 19. “It’s stung a little bit – it stung a lot actually, to lose to Notre Dame,” York said. “But we’re going to prepare the same.” But this time, they will be preparing for a home game.
Tennis holds its own at regionals BY ALEX MANTA For The Heights
Before the Women’s Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) Northeast Regional Tennis Championship even began on Oct. 22, the Boston College women’s tennis team had already accomplished something never before done in school history: qualifying the maximum number of players to the ITA championship. Instead of being satisfied with their new record, the team remained focused on the tournament ahead and battled to what turned out to be one of the best finishes in school history. The tournament rules allowed for each school to have only six singles players and three doubles teams in the tournament, and when the selections were released, BC had filled every slot allowed for the first time in team history. The tournament was organized in a bracket style, and of the six singles players from BC, four of them made it to the round of 16. “It was really remarkable,” said head coach Nigel Bentley. “To have four players make it to the round of 16 rarely ever happens.” In the doubles main draw, two of the three pairs from BC also made it to the round of 16. In a tournament that featured 88 players in the main draw and 32 more in qualifying from almost 40 different teams, BC managed to make their presence felt. “Overall, we rocked,” Bentley said. “A lot of the other coaches were calling it the BC Invitational.”
The team saw solid performances from players across the board. Erina Kikuchi made it the farthest of the BC players in the tournament, advancing all the way to the semifinals before losing a close match in three sets, 3-6, 7-5, 7-5. “[Kikuchi] is a special talent and a special player,” Bentley said. “Her biggest weapon is her feet. She’s got remarkable footwork.” But Kikuchi wasn’t the only BC player
“Overall, we rocked. A lot of other coaches were calling it the BC Invitational.” -Nigel Bentley Head Coach who proved her talents at the tournament. Veronica Corning advanced through the round of 16 as well, before losing in the quarterfinals, although she was still one of the most talkedabout players at the tournament because of her underdog performance earlier. In her round of 16 match-up, Corning pulled off the upset of the tournament by beating the No. 1 seed and top player in the East from Princeton University. Team captain Katharine Attwell, as well as Alex Kelleher, also made it to the round of 16. Katarina Gajic was knocked out in the round of 64, and Olga Khmylev was knocked out in
the qualifying round of 32 in three sets. In the main doubles draw, Khmylev and Corning, as well as Kelleher and Kikuchi, both made it through to the round of 16. Attwell and Haley Dixon were knocked out in the round of 32. “I was really proud of our overall team performance,” Bentley said. “We’ve all felt like this year’s team is a really strong one, and we were all curious to see how we would do [in the tournament].” Bentley has been particularly looking forward to this year’s team because he feels they have a key element that they’ve been lacking in the past. “The difference in this team than any other team we’ve had in recent memory is our depth, and that is the way you win at a high level on the national scene in tennis,” Bentley said. “You’ve got to have lots of good players, and that’s what this team right now has.” The team realizes, however, that they are not the only team in the ACC or the East region with a lot of talented players. “We’re a lot better [than in previous years],” Bentley said. “But everyone in the competition is getting a lot better, too.” The team anticipates that they will have to go up against tough opponents and difficult match-ups this year. But they also feel a certain element of pride in having such a hard schedule. “We’re looking forward to the challenges ahead,” Bentley said. “I think it’s a real privilege to play matches that have pressure, because that means you’ve done something successful in the past to earn that opportunity.”
THE HEIGHTS
EDITORS’ PICKS
Thursday, October 28, 2010 The Week Ahead Men’s hockey will raise its long-awaited national title banner Friday, while the women play a pair with UConn. Football looks to snap its five-game losing streak against Clemson. The women’s soccer team travels to Florida State for a key ACC match-up.
Standings
A9
Zach Wielgus
15-20
Maegan O’Rourke
15-20
Heights Staff
15-20
Paul Sulzer
13-22
Picks are becoming a weekly embarrassment for the editors. We went 2-18 last week. Zach nailed men’s soccer’s tie with Virginia, and Paul correctly predicted Reggie Jackson as the Ice Jam slam dunk champ. That’s it. Let’s pretend last week never happened.
Guest Editor: Michael Caprio News Editor “You can take it to the bank.”
This Week’s Games
Zach Wielgus Sports Editor
Maegan O’Rourke Assoc. Sports Editor
Paul Sulzer Asst. Sports Editor
Michael Caprio News Editor
Split
BC
BC
BC
Women’s Hockey: Boston College vs. UConn (series)
BC
BC
BC
UConn
Clemson
Clemson
Clemson
Clemson
Florida State
Florida State
Florida State
BC
Missouri
Missouri
Nebraska
Nebraska
Women’s Soccer: Boston College vs. Florida State College Football: Missouri at Nebraska (-6)
Field Hockey On Wednesday night in Cambridge, the No. 13 BC field hockey team defeated the Harvard Crimson by a score of 5-0, thanks to a hat trick by Janna Anctil. The senior got the Eagles on the board just 46 seconds into the game, and scored her second goal just five minutes and 17 seconds later. Anctil locked up the hat trick early in the second half, before Courtney Tavener and Nicole Schuster added the last two goals. Tavener also added two assists in the game, coming on Anctil’s first two goals. BC outshot Harvard, 22-4, and improved its record to 11-6 on the season. The team wraps up the regular season at home against Wake Forest on Saturday.
Women’s Golf
Men’s Hockey: Boston College vs. Merrimack (series) Football: Clemson at Boston College
BCnotes
Recap from Last Week
The BC women’s golf team took home first place at the Santa Clara Invitational that finished on Tuesday in San Jose, Calif. The two-day tournament included seven teams, and the Eagles shot the lowest team score of 610, winning by nine strokes. The team shot a 310 on Monday, and secured first place on Tuesday by shaving off 10 strokes to shoot a 300 on the day. Stephanie Hu was the low-scorer for the Eagles, shooting a 150, which placed her third overall in the event. The Invitational concluded the fall portion of the 2010 schedule for the golf team.
Pep rally breaks ice heading into season Late goal gives BC a win “It was a very difficult, tactical soccer kind of game. Their style is not our style. We try to play on the ground, but they just don’t let you.” -Ed Kelly, Head Coach
Ice Jam, from A10
currently ranked sixth in the country. Seniors Kelli Stack and Molly Schaus, who missed last season because they played on the U.S. Olympic team that won the silver medal in Vancouver, showed off their Olympic medals. Then head coach Katie King made her appearance in a BC Police Department cruiser, and stepped out wearing her gold medal. Up next in the event was the women’s basketball team. One of the most entertaining parts of the night came after they were introduced, and BC’s hip-hop dance team Aero-K challenged them to a dance-off. The team responded with an amusing choreographed dance, topped off with the players donning cowboy hats. Head coach Sylvia Crawley then surprised everyone in attendance when she broke out her best dance moves to “Teach Me How to Dougie.” The men’s hockey team then got its chance on the ice. The defending national champions entered the event to the YouTube video of young Joshua Sacco re-enacting Herb Brooks’ locker room speech from Miracle, and even touched the ice Mighty Ducks style. Head coach Jerry York was then introduced to a standing ovation in a BMW. Hockey player Tommy Cross then beat out Jimmy Hayes and Phil Samuelsson of the men’s team and Blake Bolden of the women’s team to win the fastest shot competition with a blistering 99 mile-per-hour shot. The last team of the night to be introduced was the men’s basketball team, which was welcomed to the court by a message from former Eagles star Jared
Dudley, now playing in the NBA for the Phoenix Suns. The players were introduced (guard Reggie Jackson even backflipped), and the crowd cheered when new head coach Steve Donahue came out in a flame-colored truck. The men’s basketball team introduced Vanilla Ice by beat-boxing “Ice, Ice Baby,” and the crowd went crazy for Vanilla Ice’s appearance. After the performance, the teams participated in a three-point shooting contest, trick shot competition, and the most-anticipated event of the night, the slam-dunk contest. Freshman Danny Rubin of the men’s basketball team bested teammate Biko Paris, as well as Kerri Shields and Jaclyn Thoman of the women’s team, to take the 3-point contest. Hockey player Barry Almeida then received high scores from the judges to win the best trick contest, coming in first ahead of Mary Restuccia, Andrea Green, Joe Whitney, Stack, and Pat Mullane. Dallas Elmore, Joe Trapani, and Jackson competed in the slam-dunk contest. Elmore managed a windmill dunk, and Trapani slammed home a dunk after receiving a feed from Paris off the side of the backboard, but Jackson brought down the house with his dunk over 6-foot-11 Josh Southern.
For more photos from Ice Jam, please visit www.bcheights.com/sports
BY DIANA C. NEARHOS Heights Senior Staff
The No. 18 Boston College men’s soccer team (8-2-5) needed a bit of luck and some last-minute heroics to secure a 2-1 win over Dartmouth (6-6-1) last night, and with just over Boston College 2 a minute left in the game, 1 Dartmouth Amit Aburmad provided the spark the Eagles needed. The midfielder took the ball from defenseman Patrick Chin, cut inside, and fired a shot, burying the ball in the deep corner of the net for the game-winner. “[That] is kind of his M.O. for when he shoots,” said head coach Ed Kelly. “He puts on that way and curls them into the far corner.” After playing to five ties on the season, with three in the last six games, the Eagles were searching for a win. “Finding a way to win is important. That has been something that has been difficult,” Kelly said. “It looked like [we might end in a tie] again, but we found a way to get a goal and win.” The first half passed without either team scoring. The Big Green kept the Eagles from playing their usual type of game. Dartmouth plays a physical style of soccer that is based less on finesse plays and more on seizing opportunities near the net. “It was a very difficult, tactical soccer kind of game,” Kelly said. “Their style is not our style. We try to play on the ground, but they just don’t let you.” Last night, Dartmouth did just that, as BC was not connecting on many of its passes. The Eagles often had to back track to recover the ball, losing momentum and the timing of the play.
“We didn’t really get our passing going,” Kelly said. “We got a little better in the second half and brought our fullbacks into it, making them defend us a little bit more and taking the game away from them.” The game was aggressive from both sides, though the referees kept the pace by not calling many fouls. BC had one close call in the first quarter when Kyle Bekker took a shot on goal that rang off the right post. While both teams took their fair amount of shots on net, few had a good chance of putting the first tally on the board. Taylor entered the game in the second half for Aburmad, and quickly put his team on the board. In the 52nd minute of the game, forward Charlie Rugg fed him the ball, and Taylor shot the ball into the net from 10 yards out. Twenty minutes later, Dartmouth did what many teams had done before them against the Eagles: tied the game in the second half. Forward Lucky Mkosana sent a bicycle kick toward the goal, ricocheting off the top post. Defenseman Teo Larsson-Sax cleaned up the rebound and headed the ball past goalkeeper Justin Luthy. For a while, it seemed that the score might remain at a 1-1 tie. The Eagles brought back Aburmad, though, looking for something different in the final 17 minutes of the game. “We brought Amit back in when they tied it up, and that was a good switch for us,” Kelly said. “Sometimes they don’t work out when you make a switch like that. Sometimes you just get a bit of luck.” Against Dartmouth, it happened to be the latter.
The lighter side of athletics Inaugural Success, from A10 excited for the upcoming winter sports seasons. Most fans didn’t know the women’s hockey team had multiple Olympians, or that Reggie Jackson could dunk over Josh Southern. I also didn’t know Jared Dudley’s opinion on partying in the Mods before Ice Jam. The Undergraduate Government of BC and the athletics department deserve a significant commendation from the student body and the teams for not only providing the evening of entertainment but also executing it successfully. It’s obvious a serious amount of time, energy, and resources went into making the event come together. In the end, Ice Jam gave the students what they wanted (glow sticks included), and allowed the athletes the freedom to have some fun, too. On this night, it wasn’t about serious competition, wins and losses, or ACC and Hockey East rivals – it was about showing off the teams of which the school can be proud. I came away from the night with great admi-
ALEX TRAUTWIG / HEIGHTS EDITOR
The men’s and women’s hockey teams competed in a trick shot contest, and celebrities judged the slam dunk contest.
ration for the coaches of the four teams – Katie King of women’s hockey, Steve Donahue of men’s basketball, Crawley, and York. All four showed they have a lighter side, too, and really seemed to genuinely appreciate all the support with which they were showered. The coaches proved what great representatives they are of the University. Because of the first Ice Jam’s success, BC has set a precedent. This needs to become one of the University’s yearly traditions, one that could be on par with Saturday tailgates and Marathon Monday. The event worked, and now it only has the potential to become even bigger in the years to come. How it develops from this year to next will help determine its long-term impact. So let’s hope Ice Jam becomes an annual tradition attended by all students. Because I already have a question for next year: Jerry, can you teach me how to dougie?
Maegan O’Rourke is the Associate Sports Editor of The Heights. She can be reached at sports@ bcheights.com.
SPORTS THE HEIGHTS
Thursday, October 28, 2010
A10
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 28, 2010
Athletes throw down at first Ice Jam BY MAEGAN O’ROURKE Assoc. Sports Editor
It was the first of its kind in the country, and it isn’t likely that Boston College’s first Ice Jam will be easily forgotten. Featuring the men’s and women’s basketball and hockey teams, Ice Jam was an extravagant pep rally and BC’s first attempt at the traditional Midnight Madness held by colleges across the country for the opening practices of basketball season. A half-ice, half-court Conte Forum set the scene for BC’s exhibition of its winter sports teams. Hosted by legendary broadcaster and BC dad Bob Costas, Ice Jam was a spectacle that celebrated BC’s teams on the ice and the court. The purpose of the event was to celebrate the teams’ accomplishments and upcoming seasons, but to also show the lighter side of the athletes supported by the student body. Ice Jam was a terrific blend of entertainment and humor, and sparked excitement for the hockey and basketball teams. One of the most anticipated events of Ice Jam was the performance by Vanilla Ice, best known for his hit jam, “Ice, Ice Baby.” Vanilla Ice both performed the crowd favorite and acted as a judge for the slam dunk and best shot contests. Besides Vanilla Ice, the judges and special guests for the event included Doug Flutie, former Boston Red Sox manager Joe Morgan, former BC basketball player Malcolm Huckaby, and BC football and basketball radio voice John Meterparel. Current BC football player and senior Will Thompson also acted as a host for the competitions. The crowd was first treated to a video filmed across campus that featured all four teams, with everything from the women’s basketball team passing a basketball down Beacon Street and Tommy Cross waking up in bed with Joe Whitney. The first team introduced to the Ice Jam crowd was the women’s ice hockey team, ALEX TRAUTWIG / HEIGHTS EDITOR
See Ice Jam, A9
The University’s first-ever Ice Jam showcased the men and women’s basketball and hockey teams in a variety of skills competitions, dance skits, and interviews by event host Bob Costas.
Injuries thrust young backups into spotlight
BC, teach me how to Ice Jam
BY TIM JABLONSKI For The Heights
MAEGAN O’ROURKE So there I was. Sitting courtside at Ice Jam, thanks to the press pass The Heights scored, just trying to take in the spectacle. To my right was Vanilla Ice, who seemed to still be in awe that Boston College kids were actually excited to see him. One seat down from him was our beloved Doug Flutie, who continuously bopped his head and played air guitar to “Shippin’ Up to Boston.” In front of me was the transformed halfice, half-parquet Conte Forum, which played host to the grand exhibition. Needless to say, Ice Jam might just be one of the highlights of my short journalistic career. From across Conte, my friend sent me a text that just simply read NARS, short for our coined expression “not a real school.” I don’t think I could have said it any better. Was all of this actually happening after so many years of shunning the traditional Midnight Madness festivities? But now, BC is the first school in the country to have a combined basketball and hockey preseason glorified pep rally. Do you think Boston University or Notre Dame is pulling this off? Yeah, I didn’t think so. So there were multiple times during Tuesday night when I had to make sure I was actually at BC. Jerry York shooting across the ice in a BMW? Sylvia Crawley breaking out “Teach Me How to Dougie”? And let’s just say it again – Vanilla Ice? Who would have thought Ice Jam could be this entertaining? There’s no doubt that Ice Jam was a spectacular success, especially for an inaugural event. Everything ran smoothly (albeit a little long), the players were hilarious, and the contests were entertaining. And most importantly, I think it made everyone in attendance a hundred times more
See Inaugural Success, A9
ALEX TRAUTWIG / HEIGHTS EDITOR
With Alex Albright out for the year, Max Holloway is expected to fill in at defensive end.
As if getting a win wasn’t difficult enough already, with injures piling up on defense, several players will be making their first career starts for the Boston College football team on Saturday against the Clemson Tigers. Senior captain and defensive end Alex Albright is out for the season with a fractured fibula, and safety Wes Davis is unlikely to play on Saturday with a neck injury, therefore the defense will be sporting a new look come game time. Defensive end Max Holloway will be starting in place of Albright. Holloway has seen playing time in every game this season, recording 11 tackles, four of them for a loss. Despite questions about how effective this defense can be without two of its senior leaders, not to mention best players, Holloway is ready to prove that he belongs in the starting lineup. “I’m really excited even though I know I’ve got giant shoes to fill,” Holloway said. “Knowing you’re a starter in the ACC is excit-
Eagles return home to raise title banner
ing for me, and I’m ready for that. I’m ready for my opportunity.” Meanwhile, the struggling secondary will replace Davis with sophomore safety Okechukwu Okoroha, who has seen limited action in six of BC’s games this season. Okoroha will try to help out a unit that currently ranks 11th in the ACC in passing defense. On Saturday, the defense will attempt to slow down an up and coming Clemson team that has out-performed its 4-3 record. Back in September, the Tigers almost knocked off Auburn, currently ranked No. 1 in the BCS standings, on the road before falling in overtime. While Clemson has not maintained its
See Injuries Mounting, A8
Saturday, 12 p.m. Live blog on bcheights.com/sports
YORK HONORED
BY ZACH WIELGUS
foe Merrimack (1-0-2). The Eagles took down the Warriors in last season’s home opener, but lost It’s been three weeks and four games in North Andover in the second game on the road, but finally, the men’s hockey of the home-and-home series. Merteam is home. And marking the return of rimack struggled through a down year the No. 2 Eagles (3-1-0) back to Kelley with a remarkably inexperienced team, Rink is the raising of the 2010 national though its 16 wins was the team’s most since 1988, when it was a championship banner. member of the ECAC. As “The home opener in York warns, this year’s itself signifies a certain squad isn’t the same as start, but now we have the one that finished with a chance to reflect back single-digit wins in four of and hang a banner,” Friday, 7 p.m. the last six years. said head coach Jerry Live blog on “They return a bulk of York. “We’re always bcheights.com/sports the team from last year, about hanging banners. led by [Stephane] Da That’s one of our major, major goals. To see it accomplished will Costa, who is one of the top players in the country,” York said. “They’re a lot be nice.” Of course, Boston College isn’t tak- stronger than when I’ve started coaching ing the ice to watch another get hung in here. It’s not your grandfather’s Merrithe rafters. Once the University’s fourth mack. It’s a different type of team.” hockey championship settles in, the Eagles will square off against conference See Home Opener, A8 Sports Editor
I NSIDE SPORTS THIS ISSUE
Aburmad lifts soccer late
Midfielder Amit Aburmad scored a goal in the final minute to push BC past Dartmouth......A9
JOHN QUACKENBOS / BC MEDIA RELATIONS
Jerry York was presented with the Lester Patrick Trophy, which honors individuals for outstanding service to hockey in the United States, by former Eagle Brian Leetch.
Women’s tennis competes at ITA Regionals
Earning the most berths in program history, the women’s tennis team held its own...........................A8
Editors’ Picks..............................A9 BC Notes.....................................A9
MUSIC
TAYLOR SWIFT’S NEW ALBUM
DOES ‘SPEAK NOW’ HOLD ON TO THE MAGIC? PAGE B5
FILM
RUNAWAY KANYE
WEST’S AMBITIOUS PROJECT PAGE B2
DRINK
DRINKS AT DRINK
LIFE AT THE FORT POINT BAR PAGE B4
Thursday, October 28, 2010
WHEN AUTO-TUNE TREADS THE LINE BETWEEN ARTISTIC AND ARTIFICIAL.
ROBO-POP BY K R I ST E N H O U S E | A RTS & R EV I EW E D I T O R Z A K JAS O N | AS S O C. A RTS & R EV I EW E D I T O R A N D A L L I S O N T H E R R I E N | AS ST. A RTS & R EV I EW E D I T O R
S
cientists like to posit that our increasing obsession with technological advancement will lead to an apocalypse. We see it in fi lms like I, Robot and Apocalypse Now, and it becomes a tangible reality for Dwight Shrute in one episode of The Offi ce when his computer – as part of a ruse by prankster Jim – begins to speak to him, and worse, sell more paper than
him. Is it possible that robots could take over the world? That probably depends on your understanding of “taking over the world” and your defi nition of “robots.” So riddle us this: If some of the most famous people to grace our iPods and televisions are the regular patients of an audible auto-tune overdose, then might we conclude that the invasion of the robots has already begun? See Auto-tune, B3
MIKE SALDARRIAGA / HEIGHTS PHOTO ILLUSTRATION
Thursday, October 28, 2010
The Heights
B2
+Editor’s Corner
Batman trick-ortreats
arts events calendar, oct. 28 – 31
The powers that be have dusted off their overgrown spiders and multi-colored spider web decorations and Kristen House scattered them about campus, which can only mean one thing: Halloween is coming! The festivities, for those who are so inclined, have probably already kicked off in many basements and dorm rooms. While many are going to be dressing as characters from anything from Arrested Development to Rachel Getting Married, it got me thinking as to which fictional characters I would actually want to hang out with on Halloween night. I’m not referring to some knock-off person who really majors in physics and lives in Gabelli. I’m talking the real thing. But what if, by some magnificent twist of fate, you found yourself with the real versions of your favorite fictional characters on Halloween weekend? There are certain people that would make this curious, spooky night spent traversing Cleveland Circle and the mod lot that much more curious. Here’s a few people that I can’t help wishing will turn up at my door this Friday night. Friends’ Chandler Bing is my obvious top pick. His physical inability to hold back from a joke would far from detract from my night. His impressive Halloween track record, which consists of “The One with the Halloween Party,” proves he’s a good sport and can pull off a pink bunny costume incredibly well. I would hang out with him the entire night, hoping for a prime Chandler-ism. “Could the Mod numbering system be any stupider?” On the other end of basically every spectrum, Mad Men’s Sally Draper would prove to be an interesting companion. Television’s sketchiest child has been known to get violent when provoked, and would probably prove to be an incredible asset if confronted by revelers who make fun of my costume or by an inebriated Gringott’s guard spilling her rum and coke on my feet. Sally knows a thing or two (thanks to momma Betty Draper) about covert spying and wild retaliation. I’d take Christian Bale’s Batman without a second thought, on the condition that he bring Michael Caine’s Alfred with him, for some more high voltage Halloween fun. His presence appears to make everyone around him act decadently sinister. Plus, he could fight evil unnoticed since his crime-fighting bat suit would blend in seamlessly beside Wonder Woman and Spiderman look-alikes. He’d merely appear a bit more overzealous than his bulletproof vest-less friends. Another major plus would be access to the Bat Mobile, which would negate any hasty iPhone “translocing.” It would be incredibly brilliant if I could be, rather than accompany, Melissa Joan Hart’s Sabrina from Sabrina the Teenage Witch. That way, for once, I’d be in possession of the powers that I always dreamed of throughout elementary and middle school. I could wave my finger and make time stop, rewind, or fast forward. I would also have the invaluable ability to magically create a costume. When you’re a witch, trips to the Garment District become irrelevant expenses. Halloween is a time of mixed up identities and opportunity. The excitement is in the lie. As the poet Lord Byron once wrote, “And, after all, what is a lie? ’Tis but the truth in a masquerade.” So, guys and girls, get your best masquerade garb and head out on the town. Perhaps some of you will come to a point where you think you are Sabrina the Teenage Witch. Just make sure that you don’t attempt to ride a broomstick all the way home. Chances are that they will be the handlebars of an innocent citizen’s bike.
Kristen House is the Arts & Review editor for The Heights. She can be reached at houseka@bc.edu.
thursday
friday
An independent frame of mind
saturday
sunday
A Gorey Halloween! Burns Library
A Gorey Halloween! Burns Library
A Gorey Halloween! Burns LIbrary
A Gorey Halloween! Burns Library
Chile: 1810-2010 Burns Library
Ancient inspires new Burns Library
Literary Lives McMullen Museum
Chile: 1810-2010 Burns Library
Anberlin Paradise Club, 7:30 p.m.
Organic Sound Project Middle East, 8 p.m.
Supervolcano PAs Lounge, 8:30 a.m.
florence and the machine House of Blues, 7 p.m.
The Two gallants Harper’s Ferry, 8 p.m.
The Joshua Tree Harper’s Ferry, 8 p.m.
Hallelujah the hills Great Scott, 9 p.m.
Viva viva Midway Cafe, 11 p.m.
videos on the verge
Comedians make light of today’s big issues
There are some conflicts that eloquence alone simply cannot solve. You may have experienced the frustration of wasting a well-composed logical argument on what seem to be deaf ears. What happens when the fruit of the high road is not ripe? When all seems lost, when classical rhetoric bounces off the seemingly impenetrable armor of your debate partner’s rigid perspective — crack a joke. A sardonic jab at the argument itself might be just what you need to break the ice. Luckily for us, YouTube showcases some of the funniest and revealing spins on today’s big issues. — David Riemer
photos courtesy of youtube.com
FCKH8 Campaign
Jon Stewart’s Rally to Restore Sanity
BP Spills Coffee
Politicians and average citizens alike have argued the issue of GLBTQ marriage on nearly every platform available. It is no surprise, amid all the confusing dialogue, that many people have lost sight of the original conflict. California’s FCKH8 campaign video aims to dispel any ambiguity in as “straight,” funny, and curse-flinging of a manner as possible.
In response to Glenn Beck’s “Rally to Restore Honor,” Stewart and colleague Stephen Colbert have joined forces to host a rally of their own in the Washington Mall on Oct. 30. While the rally is non-political, it still is serious – well, mostly. If you are tired of partisan controversy and pointless bickering, Stewart and Colbert aim to demonstrate the often neglected unity shared by average folks in the United States.
A mockery of BP’s botched attempts to contain the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, this skit addresses the lack of precision with which BP dealt with the aftermath of the spill – during a board meeting coffee spill. The methods used plug the coffee spill make for a hysterical frenzy of activity in the conference room. Mom never said anything about not crying over spilled coffee.
bc tube
Halloween: Characters are welcome
photos courtesy of lifetime.com
This could be you! Kenneth Parcell, or “Kenneth the Page,” as he’s affectionately known, could become an instant costume success. Happy Halloween, ghouls and gals! OK, I’m already tired of this conceit, too, but ’tis the season to be scary (I promise I’ll stop). One of the beauDarren Ranck tiful things about All Hollows’ Eve is the chance it gives people to show off their pop culture knowledge. Flash back to last year, if you will. The Joker and Hannah Montana shared a drink or two at probably every party across America. If you looked closely enough, you probably saw Wall-E rocking out to Rihanna’s “Disturbia.” These pop culture figures were relevant one year ago, but can they possibly endure the test of 365 days’ time? No – only TV lives forever. The perfect Halloween costume must involve a combination of visibility, originality, and personality. Applying this to the small screen, here’s some costume ideas for a wicked night of debauchery. 1. Kenneth Parcell, 30 Rock: This affable country mouse turned NBC page would be a welcome addition to any Monster Mash. Best of all, the wardrobe is relatively simple. Combine a black blazer with grey pants and a white shirt. Don’t consider even at-
tempting this outfit, however, without the NBC peacock pin. No self-respecting page would serve without it. Attend every Halloween event with the utmost earnestness and refrain from all alcohol (unless it’s referred to as “hill people milk”). 2. Don Draper, Mad Men: With Banana Republic producing suits based on this critical hit, the costume for this strong and silent advertising maven should be a cinch. This one’s all about the extras. Slick your hair to perfection until it’s utterly immobile. Squire about the scream scene with a consistently filled martini glass, as well as a flask in your suit coat pocket (because drinking is acceptable at any moment in the day. You should probably be buzzed by 3 p.m. if you choose this option). Never enter a party without a lovely lady on your arm, and just to drive home the point that you’re not to be messed with, have a smoke haze surround you. Just do yourself a favor and don’t pass out the entire weekend. 3. Gossip Girl, Gossip Girl: For those looking for a cleverer, conceptual costume, look no further than this mysterious stalker of the NYC prep school elite. Now, a lot of this costume will be what you make it. For instance, my take on Gossip Girl is that she’s rather sad and stressed with all the
postings on Big Apple ridiculousness. Therefore, I imagine she’d have a laptop strapped to her hip along with her iPhone or BlackBerry, as she constantly tries to keep up to date with the scoop. She never gets out of bed due to the fatigue of keeping up with resilient teenagers, so she wears strictly sweat pants and whatever tshirt is in her drawer. She’s about 40 (in my mind … I feel like such a blog is too much of an endeavor for lazy teens) so play the age factor up with some fine lines. Again, this is just my interpretation. And I’m not sure any costume could top its scare factor. 4. Joel McHale: I aspire to dress and emulate this character daily, but if you need suggestions, stretch yourself to your tallest height, thin your hair a touch, and put on your winning clown smile. Perfect the art of expressing the idea, “Really?” with just your eyes and stock up on the pop culture knowledge to mock. Come with a trendy tailored suit perfect for California clubbing, and you’re good to go. 5. Tyra Banks: Wear a ridiculous dress, a wig, and go around pretending you’re a media maven. Fierce, indeed.
Darren Ranck is a Heights editor. He welcomes comments at ranckd@bc.edu.
Epic art by Kanye
It’s funny how movies can come along out of nowhere and completely take you by surprise. Let me Brennan Carley explain: I had every intention of coming into this week’s column with a timely discussion of the thriller Paranormal Activity 2, which I had the pleasure (in a sadistic sort of way, I suppose) of seeing on Saturday night. When I got home in the wee hours of Sunday morning, I checked my Twitter feed, like I always do before I fall asleep, and found that the biggest trending topic was #Runaway. That, in turn, sparked something in me, and before I knew it, I was watching Kanye West’s visually stunning, long-form music video. How can I sum up Runaway without seeming at a loss for words? The film, really a standalone piece of performance art, is a 35-minute epic music film that Kanye has spent the greater part of the last three months developing in cohesion with the songs he drops every Friday night (the aptly titled “GOOD Fridays”). Featuring several of those songs, Kanye’s art film tells a loosely strung-together tale about a phoenix that falls to earth (played by the stunningly beautiful Selita Ebanks) and gets sucked up into the human world. As the bird rockets towards earth, rap goddess Nicki Minaj puts on a British accent as she playfully rhymes about “the watered down one, the one you know, was made up centuries ago,” rife with her trademark growls and vocal absurdities. Her narration segues into a car driving through a forest as the RZA-produced “Dark Fantasy” blares in the background. From there on, I found my mouth dropping at almost every scene. A giant float made to look like Michael Jackson’s head accompanied a marching band playing the as-of-yet unreleased “All of the Lights,” featuring the Barbadian beauty Rihanna. Dozen upon dozens of beautiful ballerinas alternately twirled and froze to Kanye’s VMA-apology, “Runaway.” A small boy dressed in trademark Kanye-red ran through an open field with a torch trailing (what else) plumes of red smoke. The rapper runs down a long road as a camera follows his every pounding footstep. Ebanks’ gorgeous phoenix rises into the heavens as an auto-tuned Bon Iver captures the moment perfectly on one of West’s best tracks, “Lost in the World,” also featuring the poet Gil Scott Heron. The track perfectly marries these two musically polar opposites in one majestic, awe-inspiring moment in the film. What did it all mean? I wish I could answer, but all I can do is guess. My best attempt at explaining it all is that it obviously had to do with Kanye’s last two years. Without the attempt to mourn his mother’s death, he spiraled into a dark place (hence the fallen phoenix) leading him to self-destruction at 2009’s VMAs (otherwise known as Taylor Swift-gate). He took some time off, got to know himself (a clear-cut comparison to the phoenix’s time adjusting to the human ways), and reemerged as the sort of reinvigorated hero that America loves. The best and most recent thing I can compare it to is Mickey Rourke’s rise to ’80s fame, his succumbing to the allure of hard drugs, and his subsequent rise to glory with Darren Aronofsky’s award-winning The Wrestler. That’s not to say that West should expect to win any sort of awards for his movie, but he should certainly expect an invite to this year’s Grammy Awards based purely on his “GOOD Friday” releases. Kanye tells his fair-feathered muse, “The first rule in this world, baby: Don’t pay attention to anything you see in the news,” with a sly and knowing twinkle in his eyes. I can only hope that he’s paying attention to the critical adulation following Runaway. When it comes down to it, regardless of its true meaning, Kanye’s ambition is wonderfully mystifying and ultimately redeeming. Viva Kanye and Viva Runaway.
Brennan Carley is a staff columnist for The Heights. He can be reached at review@bcheights.com.
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THE HEIGHTS
Thursday, October 28, 2010
THE USE AND ABUSE OF AUTO-TUNE HIDE YOUR KIDS, HIDE YOUR WIFE “People are frustrated with pop music because it’s all the same over and over again, in terms of being love songs or a song about someone going away. These are songs that aren’t about anything you’ve ever heard a song about,” said Andrew Gregory, of “Auto-tune the News” fame, in an interview with ABC News. Indeed, the auto-tune trend has become one of the most marketable forms of comedy and satire. Have you seen Antoine Dodson, also known as the “Bed Intruder,” melodically urge the public to “Hide your kids, hide your wife?” Chances are you have. The Gregory Brothers first banded together in 2008, producing an auto-tuned version of 2008 presidential elections footage. From there, they built the platform for their series “Auto-tune the News,” which gives the same auto-tune treatment to news clips from across the nation. The “Bed Intruder” song alone has had approximately 36 million views, and is even available for purchase in the iTunes store. This satire of the news is filling a need in a big way. The produced “songs” are unquestionably unique and, all the same, bringing the distorted reality of our lives under a parallel, technical distortion. With an eye toward the mainstream media, in 2009 the brothers parlayed their success into a partnership with Sony, running a “viral marketing campaign” featuring Justin Timberlake and Peyton Manning. The absurdity of auto-tune has caught ears, but can it capture wallets, too? Sony is banking on it. Aside from the Gregory Brothers, there is the champion of auto-tune himself, Sir
T-Pain. T-Pain has based his entire persona on the auto-tune craft, and many even go so far as to say he has lost his humanity and become a literal sex “machine.” His body (pardon the pun) of prolific work includes, “I’m In Love with a Stripper” and “Buy U a Drank.” There’s something amusing about a man mating with a machine. As if he doesn’t even need a lady to buy a “drank” for, he’s got his lovely woman: the auto-tune microphone. The “I Am T-Pain” iPhone application has garnered about 3,000 reviews on iTunes, with an average of 3.5 stars out of 5. The application makes you sound as slick (or as out of control) as T-Pain himself. Even reading off your grocery list will make you sound like a seasoned Lonely Island collaborator. Auto-tune has become a response to the culture of cultivating a technological persona. We find humor in condensing our lives into a zany audiofile. There isn’t a formula that can accurately predict which sound bites will explode to become 36 million view phenomenons like Dodson’s. The beautiful thing is that any of us could be the next “Bed Intruder” – and I mean that in the innocuous, viral video sense. —KH
THE DELICATE ART OF EXPLOITATION Why would Cher use autotune? For someone who has built a half-century career on an unmistakably wobbly, masculine croon, why would she employ a machine to make her sound like everyone else? A veteran singer using auto-tune is like an editor warping James Joyce prose to sound like Newsweek. But of all people, Cher pioneered autotune in 1997 with her chart-topping single “Believe.” So began the phenomenon.
through auto-tune throughout the entire self-titled album. Such an effect gave Discovery its hypnotically catchy feel, and revealed the versatile talents of Miles.
There’s a fine line between using auto-tune for its literal purpose, to conceal off-key voices, to hide the fact that the singer cannot sing, and using it for the sake of art. Cher incorporated auto-tune to once again reinvent her image and sound for her 23rd album. The digitized, robotic sound caught the ears of the people as the millennium approached and the Internet began to saturate the world. Like the banjo during the Great Depression or the distorted guitar of the riotous late ’70’s, auto-tune seized the spirit of the Y2K crowd. Since then, many talented artists have worked auto-tune into their work for purposes beyond improving their pitch. Justin Vernon of Bon Iver, who has become known for his hallow, raw, folksy voice, ended his EP Blood Bank with a six-minute bath in auto-tune the single “Woods.” Containing only his voice in layers and echoes, the auto-tune effect renders his voice into a full symphony. Even indie acts, known for their spangly, organic, againstthe-hyper-produced-mainstream tunes, have begun to incorporate the program. While indie pioneers Death Cab for Cutie publicly protested auto-tune at the Grammys, many of their successors have adapted. Ra Ra Riot earned critical acclaim and a cult following with its use of strings and homemade dramatic flair. But when lead singer Wes Miles crafted his R&B side project Discovery, he worked his voice
Even Vampire Weekend, who emerged with its synthesis of Caribbean stylings, African beats, and indie tradition, used auto-tune on its sophomore album Contra, which topped the Billboard charts. “California English,” a song about the contradictory minutia of modern life – with lines like “fake Philly cheese steak but you use real tooth paste” – becomes simultaneously critical and carefree through the use of auto-tune. The deliberately cheesy vocal effect feels as fun as it does emblematic of what the singer attacks in the lyrics. Though auto-tune is inherently a tool made for the inept, established artists can exploit it to make their music all the defter. —ZJ
THE MAGIC ERASER
music industry. Producers call it a musical “nip-tuck,” and Jason DeRulo calls it “the ear candy of the future.” Neither is incorrect, because criticizing auto-tune is like criticizing prescription drugs or blue eye shadow. How it should be judged depends entirely on the way in which it is used. It is when auto-tune is used as a secret, pitch-perfecting tool that one has to make the obvious Stepford Wives references and wonder: Since when did picture-perfect, hyper-polished performances become the aim? Pop music these days has the tendency to become so overproduced that artists start to sound increasingly similar and repeatedly get credit where credit is not due. A less-than-great singing voice does not become a prerequisite for musical success in a world ruled by auto-tune. Worse, artists bolstered by the error-wiping capabilities of auto-tune top radio charts, while those daring enough to actually present their voice untouched are called out for being “pitchy,” as if that is the worst possible thing.
Look at Bob Dylan, Mick Jagger, or Jimi Hendrix. At their best, they are far from robotic pitch perfection. They are spontaneous, edgy, and very human. Almost a thousand people have signed an online petition calling for a stop to auto-tuning on the hit television show Glee. It isn’t hard to see why. Any follower of the show will admit that transition from the moments preceding a Glee performance and the performance itself is actually comical. Suddenly the voices of these so-called high school students are infused with synthetic sound, and the performance becomes equally flashy and fake, a sad thought, since the cast is overflowing with musical talent. Even the U.K. show, X Factor, was recently censured for its revealed habit of tweaking prerecorded performances before they aired, both to make favored contestants appear more on-key and transmit to unlikely contenders the plague of pitchiness. Perhaps worst of all, some artists even use auto-tune as a safety net during performances. In other words, the chances that we will ever hear the real voices of some of this decade’s biggest pop stars is becoming increasingly unlikely. When does it end? Yes, we do live in the age of touch-ups, airbrushing, and Photoshopping one model’s legs onto another model’s torso when neither of them are quite good enough for a particular shot. Obsession with the apparent appearance of perfection is nothing new. Autotune has some critics, notably Jay-Z with his song “D.O.A. (Death of Auto-tune)” and Death Cab for Cutie, who caused waves with their anti-auto-tune blue-ribbon campaign. Still, auto-tune will continue to hold the power to set the standards for pop music today until artists can hark back to a time when imperfection was embraced, rather than brushed off with a magic eraser. —AT
Since its 1997 release, autotune has grown to become a silent but ubiquitous proponent of musical OCD. It was invented by Andy Hildebrand, who, having amassed his fortune through the development of technology that could be used by oil drillers to gauge potential sites, was presented with a new challenge: To make it possible for out-oftune singers to sing in tune. Thus, auto-tune was born, and 13 years later, it has become the not-so-secret magic wand wielded by nearly every producer in the
“ CRITICIZING AUTOTUNE IS LIKE CRITICIZING PRESCRIPTION DRUGS OR BLUE EYE SHADOW. HOW IT SHOULD BE JUDGED DEPENDS ENTIRELY ON THE WAY IN WHICH IT IS USED. ” RACHEL GREGORIO / HEIGHTS ILLUSTRATION
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Thursday, October 28, 2010
The Heights
+Fashion and Culture Chronicles of Campus Fashion
The art of the thrift
I
By K ai l ey kramer | F or T he H eights
n response to a critique implying that I concern myself too much with the fashions of others, I would have to agree, because it’s plainly in my job description. Come every Monday and Tuesday, what people around me wear does tend to affect my stress levels. It is directly pertinent to the subject of this column,
and I simply have a deadline to meet. Whether it be a paper or writing an article, I tend to immerse myself in the subject of any task I receive, ensur-
Gold trim blazer ($18; Second Time Around), lace blouse ($0; inherited from Julia’s grandmother), denim shorts ($5; thrift store in Miami), 1950s style bag ($3.50; Urban Renewal), necklaces ($10; Stagecoach Antiques in Akron, Ohio), same boots.
ing that anything I attach my name to is executed at the highest caliber of my ability. Therefore, if anyone would like to critique me for doing my job with vigor and intensity, critique away. I respect your opinions, although I stand by mine. As for failing to mention the academic achievements of the scholars that attend our school – the subject matter of this column is campus fashion, and that’s what I will write about. If accomplishments and projects relate to fashion on campus, I will certainly write about them, as I have done before. Additionally, I believe my comments on “sweatpants” were a bit misconstrued as appearing harsh to those less fortunate or not “fashion-savvy.” My words were certainly not meant to critique the budgets or lack of brand names within students’ wardrobes, but instead were intended to call students to take initiative in dressing (as I thought sweatpants were widely agreed to be the uniform of laziness). I agree that fashion is a “privilege” to an extent. High fashion is indeed a luxury, but I’m not suggesting that everyone wear the latest Rag and Bone to class. Fashion and style is not a matter
of allotting an entire paycheck to an outfit, but rather of allotting creativity and thought toward designing one. That is the spirit I try to capture in this column as I attempt to seek out a variety of students’ personal styles from week to week. Most students who do have an interest fashion are not exempt from the college student’s budget. Therefore, I find these same students are usually also vintage and thrift aficionados, and rightly so. It’s the easiest way to shop on the cheap – one person’s trash is truly another’s treasure. Good used finds often become signature, one-of-akind pieces in a wardrobe and add more character to an outfit than any couture ever could. Additionally, vintage pieces often serve as inspiration for the latest in runway fashion – so why spend hundreds on labels when you could easily hit up a local secondhand shop and have the real deal? At times, rifling through racks of thrift may be unbearably tedious, but the same can easily be said for any department store. The gems you discover and money saved is worth it in the end. Other than the fiscal pros, thrifty pieces have unique personalities and a mysterious history hidden within their very fibers.
Kailey kramer / for the heights
Fringe suede jacket ($60; Bobby from Boston), blouse ($3; Urban Renewal), velvet shorts ($10; eBay), vintage Coach bag ($0; Mother’s closet), Dior scarves ($0, $5; inherited, Second Time Around) leather boots ($80; sale and student discount at Madewell). Some might say it’s easier said than done, but it’s really quite simple and infinitely more satisfying to know that you don’t have an overdraft notification in your inbox at home. Speaking of home, you can get thrifty there as well. Sifting through your mother or grandmother’s past wardrobe may pay off big while costing nothing. That is, if you have a good track record with your elders. Unfortunately, I’ve been pseudostranded in my hometown for a bit (air travel – ugh) and haven’t been present on campus for photos. In lieu, I asked Julia Bendix, A&S ’13, to model some of our secondhand collection on short notice (see captions for prices and retailers). Considering how extremely
self-indulgent I already feel for utilizing my own wardrobe, I will not be rambling and singing its praises as I normally do for students. I would also prefer not to preach, but share some of my firsthand experiences with secondhand shopping. So, enjoy the eye candy (if you so view it that way) and my roommate’s cute half-smile. For your next retail excursion, be sure to hit up the secondhand or discount scene. For a complete list of my recommendations, see bcheights. com/arts/the-scene.
Kailey Kramer is a Heights contributor. She can be reached for comment at arts@bcheights.com.
dorm-cooked Grilled pork chops
Photo courtesy of flikr user mykronson Diana C. Nearhos / heights senior staff
By Diana C. Nearhos
not, you can use a peeler or a small, sharp knife. Heights Senior Staff You only want the outer-most part of the peel, not the soft, whitish-yellow interior. Carefully When we think of proteins, we tend to think peel that away from the lime and chop it into chicken and beef, and sometimes fish. Pork, the very small pieces. other white meat, largely gets forgotten and goes Make sure you zest the lime before you juice uneaten, especially in a college diet. it. It is much easier with the fruit in its original Actually, pork can be a rather inexpensive and form, when it’s softer and cut in half. Roll the easy way to mix up your meat selections. A pork lime with a bit of pressure before cutting to juice tenderloin is delicious but might be a bit pricey it. This gets the juices flowing a bit more. If it is and take some time and effort to prepare. A pork really cold, just out of the fridge, you can even chop, however, can be marinated and frozen, then microwave it for a few seconds. grilled, all with the ease of a chicken breast. Chop the onion and garlic up really small, so You can get pork chops in a few different that the flavor is more evenly spread. The small forms, bone-in or boneless and thin-cut or pieces will stick to the pork, but you can scrape regular. I like thin cut because it grills faster, them off if you do not want them in your final but many people like the regular cut (about an product. inch thick). Likewise, some people like the taste Since I like the tart flavor of the lime, I might of cooking the pork chop with a bone and oth- add more zest and juice than someone else. You ers like the convenience of buying it without. can make it however you like it best. Whatever you choose, you can cook them pretty Another pork marinade is one of molasses and much the same way. coffee. I know, coffee and pork? But bear with me I really like marinades as a way to get more for a minute on this one. I do not like coffee. I flavor. Sauces added after you cook the meat can barely stand the smell of it. But somehow it are another option. Marinating gives a stronger works well with the sweetness in this marinade. flavor, and combines with that of the meat. To be fair, I do tone down the coffee, but again, My mom’s standard pork chop marinade is you can make yours with different proportions if really simple and features sherry, Dijon mustard, you like the coffee flavor. honey, soy sauce, and salt. It only takes about a If you don’t have molasses in your cabinet, you minute or two to make. And if you’re like my dad can use brown sugar (which contains molasses). It and enjoy your pork chops with applesauce, this will be sweeter with the brown sugar, but you can recipe compliments those flavors very nicely. add more coffee to counter that if you like. I grew up on those pork chops, as well as my In addition to the coffee and molasses or dad’s insistence that pork chops be served with brown sugar, you need apple cider or red wine applesauce. We also used to have rice and broc- vinegar, Dijon mustard, garlic, salt, and ginger coli as side dishes. My sister and I did not like and thyme, if you have them. the plain flavor of rice when we were little, and For any of these marinades, just mix up the we mixed it with the applesauce. Eventually, I ingredients and throw them in a plastic bag with wanted a new flavor for my pork chops and I the pork. If you only have a couple hours, you found new recipes. can leave it on the counter, but if One option is a lime-flavored you have more than two, you should Want to make marinade. I am a big fan of citrus stick it in the fridge. Diana’s pork dishes flavors in just about anything I The best way to cook these is yourself? Check out make, so this was a hit when I first on the grill, but a saute pan will www.bcheights.com/ tried it. All you need is lime zest, work nicely as well. If you use the arts for the specific limejuice, honey, onion, garlic, olive thin-cut pork chops remember that recipes featured oil, and salt. they will need much less time. Let in this week’s If you do not have a zester, as the pork sit for a few minutes before Recipe of the Week. many normal college students do you slice it. Enjoy!
on The Session
Drinks for your personality It’s a place where you could see yourself conceiving your first child, announcing your election campaign, proposing, confiding in someone that thing you’ve kept secret for 10 years, and trying a cocktail made with a raw egg. After a few Old Fashions, you may feel like you could perform all of these in one night. It’s a place called Drink. Drink Fort Point, Zak Jason officially. Nestled beneath Congress Street, by the Children’s Museum and the Wharf, you cannot stumble into Drink as a hapless passerby. Without any signs, and far from the reaches of public transit, Drink requires the person seek and trek to the place. It’s not a Comm. Ave. shuttle bus ride dollar draft waltzing back arm in arm with that mamacita you wooed over with a couple of rum and Cokes until you vomit the entirety of your Corcoran Commons steak and cheese at the gates of the Evergreen Cemetery kind of night. It’s a night on the town, deep in the town. Grab a group of your closest friends and take a cab to Drink. Or better yet, ride the T to Government Center and walk past some of Boston’s best foliage and most dignified streets to the bar. Drink boasts three square bars that can seat about 20 patrons each. In the center bar, a wooden island holds fresh fruit and a glacier of homemade ice, which the bartenders shave from for cocktails. At each of the bars, you cannot see any bottles. Whereas most bars stock their alcohol on display against shelves of mirrors and lights, Drink hides its booze within cabinets. Without the booze to look at, we’re less likely to think about drinking, more likely to enjoy our friends. The bartenders, however, entertain and awe. Though the bar has no dress code, all of the men wear ties and starched shirts, and the women skirts. At Drink, most new patrons don’t order a drink. Rather, the bartenders chat with you for a
few minutes, gathering a feel for your personality and your “spirit background,” your preferences for one spirit over another. For example, when I visited Drink for the first time, after we determined I would enjoy a gin-based drink, the conversation went as follows: “Egg or no egg?” “Is it safe?” I asked. “Completely.” (Allegedly, the alcohol emulsifies the egg as they mix it). “Do you like berries or citrus?” “Berries.” From there, like an alcoholic aptitude test, the bartender exercises their encyclopedic knowledge to craft the cocktail best suited to my personality. Before I entered, I was nervous they would prescribe me a Shirley Temple or chocolate milk. Fortunately, he granted me a raspberry Ramos gin fizz. What that says about my personality, I don’t know. I did learn, however, that egg cocktails are surprisingly refreshing – a great summer drink – and the egg becomes a thick layer of froth. Any spirit you can imagine, Drink will have the finest quality of. Regulars are wont to order whiskey drinks, but the bartenders have the ingredients and violent mixing skills to morph the most basic cocktail into something living. You could spend your evening talking with the bartender about the subtleties of whiskey distillation and the back stories behind certain cocktails, or you could mingle with your friends. Beyond the three bars, the walls around the perimeter of drink feature benches for people to place their drinks on and stand by. If you become bored with your friends, you can pass the time staring at the preserved beetles and crickets lodged within the glass benches. But without any TVs, with lively jazz buzzing throughout the place, and with a spaciousness that summons you to move about, you have no reason not to seize the night with your companions.
Zak Jason is a Heights editor. He can be reached at arts@bcheights.com.
THE HEIGHTS
Thursday, October 28, 2010
B5
+Music & Notes
OUT NEXT WEEK
Swift is back with powerful ‘Speak’ BY BRENNAN CARLEY
O Heights Staff
n country superstar Taylor Swift’s new album, the question that so many critics have been asking since last year’s MTV Video Music Awards is finally answered. Yes, she did write a song about Kanye West, but it’s not the oh-so-biting, I’ve-beenwronged-but-now-I’m-stronger Swift that audiences have grown to embrace. As a matter of fact, Speak Now is a wonderful step forward, particularly lyrically, for the international superstar. Of course, she includes the requisite songs about her exes, her family, and her rapid rise to superstardom. With each song, Swift digs emotionally deeper than she ever has before, resolutely exploring unfamiliar territory with bountiful and successful new results. Some of the most widely speculated rumors swirling around Speak Now deal with the subjects of Swift’s jilted-lover songs. Ever since lead single “Mine” leaked in August, bloggers have been furiously dissecting the lyrics to figure out which of Swift’s quickly growing number of former boyfriends it could be about. The singer playfully winks at her audience, capitalizing key letters in the CD booklet’s lyrics as a way of hinting at their respective subjects. Take, for instance, “Back to December,” a mea culpa of sorts in which a regretful Swift laments, “This is me swallowing my pride / Standing in front of you saying I’m sorry for that night.” The CD liner’s message reads TAY, a pointed reference to Taylor Lautner. The track sorrowfully and chronologically traces what went wrong in their relationship. On “Innocent,” which favors darker chords and wordplay over her usual poppy, perky style, Swift’s voice sounds more developed and lovelier than ever. It is a cinematic and cathartic song, purportedly about West, which takes a
MARIAH CAREY MERRY CHRISTMAS II YOU
SPEAK NOW TAYLOR SWIFT PRODUCED BY BIG MACHINE RECORDS RELEASED OCT. 25, 2010 OUR RATING 9/10
WEEZER DEATH TO FALSE METAL
CHART TOPPERS PHOTOS COURTESY OF AMAZON.COM AND POPWATCHBLOG.COM
brighter turn on its hummable chorus, as she reminisces, “Who you are is not what you did / You’re still an innocent.” It’s a wise move on the part of Swift who, at only 20, has done a remarkable job navigating her way through the backlash of the past year. Swift goes on the offensive on “Mean,” a song that if recorded by another artist, might have seemed like a whiny, petit-four of a song. In Swift’s more than capable hands as a songwriter, the single is rich, meaningful, and biting. As she addresses the critical backlash that followed her Grammy performance, Swift acknowledges journalists’ grievances with her, playfully puttering, “You pointed out my flaws again / As if I don’t already see them,” as gleeful banjo strings find themselves plucked and twanged exultantly in the background. Judged solely on its musical merits, the song sounds like something Dolly Parton would have released way back when, which makes the teasingly bitter lyrics that much more impish. We find the singer that America knows and truly adores on “Better Than Revenge,” a scorching number that begins with a stern command: “Now go stand in the corner and think about
‘Speak Now,’ derives its material from Swift’s most publicized relationships and flings . what you did.” What could have easily veered into hokey territory instead premieres as the revenge song ‘Table of Honor,’ a song right alongside Alanis Morisette’s “You Oughta Know.” It’s probably a safe guess to say one of the country star’s best friends, Hayley Williams of pop-punk group Paramore, lent the fired-up Swift some rock inspiration. The uncharacteristically sassy and brash Swift bashes an unnamed actress, snarling, “She’s not a saint and she’s not what you think / She’s an actress / But she’s better known for the things she does on a mattress.” It would be easy to speculate the target of “Revenge” (some say it’s about the “ever-present frown” of starlet Camilla Belle), but half the fun of listening to Speak Now is guessing for oneself, like on one of the album’s best (and longest) songs, “Dear John.” The song, with a droll sense of humor, borrows some bluesy guitar trills sounding suspiciously like those of the rumored subject, John Mayer. As a matter of fact, Swift sounds her most vulnerable (and even a tad vocally shaky) on the track, as she laments, “Don’t you think I was too young to be messed with? / The girl in the dress
cried the whole way home / I should’ve known.” “The Story of Us” may also be about John Mayer, as Swift’s secret code in the lyrics is “CMT AWARDS” at which both singers were present. It’s all useless speculation, because Swift is notoriously good at evading questions concerning subject matter, deflecting it with some sort of variation of “I tell the story in my song!” Whether about the “Your Body is a Wonderland” singer or not, “The Story of Us” is still a boisterous number in which Swift describes the feeling of being alone in a crowded room when she first spots “him,” whoever he may be. The song has the most poppy sound on the album and feels almost tailor-made to be a single. Though not the best on the album by any means, it has the potential to be as big as “You Belong With Me.” The most commendable aspect of Swift’s third album, however, is how simultaneously accessible and blissfully mature it is. Over the course of 22 songs, Swift stops treading water in teen-pop and emerges a confident adult songstress whose future looks brighter than ever.
SINGLES
1 Like a G6 Far*East Movement 2 Just the way You Are Bruno Mars 3 Just a Dream Nelly 4 Only Girl (In The World) Rihanna 5 DJ Got Us Fallin’ in Love Usher feat. Pitbull 6 Back to December Taylor Swift 7 Teenage Dream Katy Perry 8 Dynamite Taio Cruz COLLEGE ALBUMS
1 Teen Dream Beach House 2 Transference Spoon 3 One Life Stand Hot Chip 4 Contra Vampire Weekend 5 ODD BLOOD Yeasayer Source: Billboard.com & CMJ.com
POWER IN A PAINT CAN
‘Parent Trap’ parallels more than just Lindsay Lohan Recently, a favorite pastime of mine has been renting movies on iTunes. Maybe it’s because my dreams of watching Austrian television were squashed on move-in day. My apartment came equipped with a TV that has long ago decided to stop working (Our landlord told us, “Nein, kaput!” KRISTIN CANFIELD before walking away). Or perhaps it’s because the closest I can get to home all the way over here in Austria is by completely withdrawing for a solid 90 minutes, spent somewhere completely different. Needless to say, if iTunes was like the brick and mortar video rental store of days gone by (R.I.P.), I’d be on my way to my second free pound of gummy bears by now, not to mention sporting various disguises all in the name of not being mistaken for a loner, loser, or single woman (note how I define them as distinct stages of low). This last week, in a stroke of genius, I decided to rent The Parent Trap. Not classic 1960s Parent Trap, but the better one. I’m talking Natasha Richardson, Dennis Quaid, and Lindsay Lohan – twice. How could this not be your favorite movie? It’s such a great deal for the money spent. As an aside, I realize these skewed values will make me forever an American – no matter how long I reside overseas. Only in America do we continually confuse quantity
with quality and think “two-fers” are a good idea, but I digress. When I confess to other people here how I’ve been spending my time, the most common reaction I get is that it took them forever to realize that Lindsay Lohan was not actually a twin. Seriously people, what kind of monsters of parents did you think this girl(s?) had? They didn’t even give each girl her own name? That’s a step beyond matching outfits. In all seriousness, it is pretty amazing how well they pulled it off. I heard that Lindsay’s agent got calls for years asking to book that Lindsay Lohan girl, and if she was booked, the follow-up question was, ‘Well, what about her twin?’ There’s a small glitch in my narrative here, because what I should have been doing instead of watching The Parent Trap twice (okay, three and a half times) was finishing up my reading and studying for my art history midterm. My last set of readings before the midterm were all about St. Stephen’s Cathedral in Vienna or Steffl, “Little Stephen,” as the Viennese affectionally call it. St. Stephen’s is the hallmark of Viennese Gothic architecture. It is anything but little and its combination of a Romanesque facade with a Gothic Cathedral attached, decorated with Baroque art, is truly awe-inspiring. What strikes me the most about St. Stephen’s is the scale, especially of the roof. How did they ever build something this large in the 15th century? The problem with St. Stephen’s, as I discovered when I eventually did the reading, is that a great deal of it is a lie. After the roof collapsed at the end of
the war, its replacement was reinforced with steel. Moreover, many of the most famous works of art inside the church are copies. Their originals are hidden out of sight so as to preserve them or lost forever. Surprisingly, this knowledge didn’t really bug me like I thought it would. Sure, I felt a certain amount of necessary indignation at the deception, but at the end of the day, had the lies in St. Stephen’s really impeded my aesthetic experience? Did they prevent me from understanding or recognizing what constitutes the Romanesque or the Gothic? I’d have to honestly say no to both questions. If I hadn’t read the picture captions in my book, I’d never had known the difference. Most visitors to Vienna never learn that much about St. Stephen’s, even if most do seem to visit it. Just as the creative filmography and the abundance of split screen shots once convinced many that there were two Lindsay Lohans running around (luckily, at the time they were little and cute and not legally
permitted to operate a motor vehicle) our eyes can be tricked by a replica of a 15th century sculpture. Ultimately, what I think this boils down to is how much we allow criticism, or any outside information for that matter, to influence how we perceive the world around us. When I watch The Parent Trap with the knowledge of how it was made, does it interfere with my movie-watching experience? Of course. Simultaneously, this knowledge also makes me notice things in the movie I never would have otherwise. In other words, I, the girl who consumes gummy bears by the ton and watches a movie more times than should be possible in 24 hours, am urging you to find balance. After all, Lindsay Lohan’s twin is probably a senior in college by now, and the alternative is rather dreadful.
Kristin Canfield is a Heights contributer. She can be reached at arts@bcheights.com.
MUSIC COLUMN
Yuill channels autumn At the peak of every fall season, when raincoats, rain boots, and sweaters begin to make regular appearances throughout the Boston College campus, I always try and find a new artist or album that helps to make the transition to fall a little bit easier. Let’s face it: It’s rare to continue KATIE LEE listening to your favorite summer bands that remind you of driving with your windows down, a time when your only concern was if there was going to be traffic on the way to the beach. Earlier this week I stumbled upon a musician I had never heard of before, James Yuill, a folktronic artist from London. From listening to just a few of his singles, I realized that I had found my ideal transition to fall music. His music is tranquil, refreshing, mildly upbeat, and most of all, comfortably satisfying. The idea of electronic music mixed with folk usually turns a lot of people away. Even something about the word “folktronic” seems totally unlikable. But let me assure you, Yuill knows how to combine the two styles and has been doing so successfully in the United Kingdom for quite some time. The one thing that is so captivating about Yuill’s work is the way it seems to always catch you pleasantly off guard. He is a one-man band who uses an acoustic guitar layered over computermade synth sounds. The result: Catchy beats and simplistic lyrics that usually reflect moments of love, or love lost. At times, the lyrics can be solemn, with a touch of loneliness echoing in his vocals. Rarely do any of his songs stay mellow for too long. Just as soon as he slows it down, foot-
tapping beats seem to be rising again. Yuill has a few singles that you just can’t miss no matter how unappealing the word “folktronica” seems. First off, “This Sweet Love” may be the most popular track that he has released. The lyrics are brief and simplistic, yet sweet in nature. There is something captivating about the song, even upon its first listen, that makes it difficult to not ask for more when it ends. Another track worth checking out is “No Surprise.” The song follows the same simplistic pattern as the previous single, with solemn, gut-wrenching lyrics such as, “But it’s no surprise that your eyes are crying my name / And it’s no surprise that your eyes are seeing the same.” By hearing just these two tracks earlier this week, I was hooked. Just a few weeks ago, Yuill released a variety of different EPs that each feature electronic remixes of some of his most well known singles. All of the EPs are named after particular singles from previous albums such as the This Sweet Love EP or the No Surprise EP. Yet, if you are looking for an entire album to listen to, Turning Down Water For Air, released in 2007, is his most well known work. The album exemplifies Yuill’s unique and captivating style. Some of the more memorable tracks on the album are “No Pins Allowed” and “Over the Hills.” All of the tracks on the album are the perfect accompaniment to a rainy fall day or just any lazy Sunday afternoon spent attempting to conquer the week’s upcoming workload. That said, if you like artists such as The Postal Service, Radiohead, Animal Collective, or Sufjan Stevens, you don’t want to pass up Yuill. I just can’t get enough.
Katie Lee is a Heights contributer. She can be reached at arts@bcheights.com.
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THE HEIGHTS
Thursday, October 28, 2010
THE HEIGHTS
Thursday, October 28, 2010
Reform necessary and legal
ON THE flip side
JOHN GLYNN
THE ISSUE:
Congress passed landmark health care legislation in March. The Republican Party instantly denounced the bill and demanded its repeal. Their chief argument concerns the bill’s provision that mandates all citizens must purchase a health plan if they have the financial resources. Democrats cited Article I of the Constitution, which allows the federal government to regulate interstate commerce. Republicans claim it is unconstitutional and that citizens must have the choice whether they wish to purchase health care. Is the bill constitutional?
Interference unconstitutional earned money and telling them what to spend it on. While Last March, Congress health care is certainly not passed health care legislathe same as a Ferrari, the idea tion that requires American behind the two is similar. It is citizens to purchase a health not the government’s right to care plan if they can afford it, tell its citizens what to spend or face up to $900 in fines. The their money on. bill also stipulated numerous Now imagine that the govgovernment interventions in ernment told every car manuthe health care market, such as facturer in America that they the ability to regulate rates and had to sell all of their products premiums. The health care bill for $500. Manufacturers would is blatantly unconstitutional be outraged and would have to in its regulation of private lower the quality of their prodbusiness, and unnecessarily uct to cut losses. The elimiincreases government interfernation of competition would ence in areas of the private in turn eliminate innovations sector. as well as new research and First, it’s important that development. The exact same the constitutional issues are situation exists with health cleared up. Proponents of the care. If the government plans health care bill to set the rates The health care defend it under at which health Article I of the care compabill is blatantly Constitution, nies sell their unconstitutional which states products, they that the federcan expect a in its regulation of al government stagnant health private business, can “regulate care system commerce … that provides a and unnecessarily among the sevdown increases government watered eral states.” It product and is rather obvidoes not funcinterference. ous that Article tion as well as I is being taken out of context it would under a free market. when used to defend government A large issue with so-called regulation of health care. First, “universal health care” is that health care isn’t a good you can health is not universal. The buy across state lines, removing simple fact is that some people it from the category of interstate get sick very often and some commerce. Second, is it possible people don’t. Some people can to even imagine the writers of afford broad health care plans, the document had health care in some can’t. Some people mind when writing this clause? It want health care, some don’t. is more likely they were think- These differences can’t be just ing about furs or tea, or maybe ignored and pushed under the tobacco. table. Equality is great, but Another argument for the only equality of opportunity health care bill is that it is – it’s a ridiculous notion that defended as an extension of all Americans fit into three Congress’ right to tax the citicategories of coverage, as zens for the betterment of the asserted by the recent legislanation. However, when asked tion. The more important issue if the health care reform could is that all have access to some be considered a tax increase form of health care. in an interview with George The argument that people Stephanopoulos, President need affordable health care is Obama responded by saying, “I frequently used to defend our absolutely reject that notion.” recent legislation. Granted, If the health care bill can’t be citizens who can’t afford health considered interstate comcare from private industries merce and it isn’t an extension should have ways to work of Congress’ power to tax, toward obtaining a health care where is it found in the Constiplan. However, this is already tution? accomplished through MedLet’s pretend, for the sake icaid, which provides health of argument, that Congress had care to impoverished individuinstead enacted legislation reals and families, and through quiring all citizens with ample Medicare, which provides financial resources to buy a health care to retirees and Ferrari. Imagine the outrage seniors. Unlike the health care against such a bill. Americans bill passed in March, Medicare would be in an uproar against and Medicaid are available to the government for ordering a specific set of citizens with them where to spend their hard specific circumstances, not
DAVID COTE
B7
foolishly applied universally. The most telling argument behind the failures of the recent health care legislation is that out of all the Republican congressmen, not a single one voted for the bill. This represents a sizable chunk of the population that simply did not agree with the provisions involved. Despite all the talk by President Obama and other Democratic leaders about the importance of bipartisan cooperation is, the bill was forced through Congress merely because of a Democratic majority. We’ve all experienced government inefficiency at some point in our lives, whether it was while filling out tax forms or waiting in line at the post office or DMV. Giving the federal government another area of the economy to control is, quite obviously, a bad idea. The government frequently mismanages and earmarks money (last year’s stimulus bill, anyone?) and is permeated at all layers by corruption. It is necessary for health care, along with the rest of the economy, to remain a part of the free market. David Cote is a staff columnist for The Heights. He welcomes comments at marketplace@bcheights.com
The health insurance market in America is a national one in nature, and therefore under the purview of the federal government via the Commerce Clause in the Constitution. Mandating that all people be insured or else suffer a penalty is constitutional in that it fits into the power of Congress to regulate commerce between the states. The mandate discourages risky playing of the new insurance system and works toward making premiums low for all members of insurance pools. The federal government absolutely can mandate that everyone have health insurance. The government stakes its claim to mandate on the power that it believes is given in the Commerce Clause of the U.S. Constitution, Article I, Sec. 8, Clause 3, which states that Congress shall have the power, “To regulate Commerce with foreign Nations, and among the several States, and with the Indian Tribes.” Since the 1930s, the U.S. Supreme Court has recognized the importance of uniformity in law when it comes to regulating commerce. In an age when significant commercial activity is interconnected within the nation without great heed to state boundaries, the federal government’s role in regulating commerce has grown as a matter of practicality. In one of the major lawsuits against the health care reform bill passed in March 2010, several attorneys general of the states joining the suit have not gone so far as to say that health insurance is not a form of interstate commerce. Rather, the lawsuits are grounded in a legal argument that distinguishes between interstate commerce of an
economic nature and commerce tem. To properly regulate the that is non-economic in affect. health care market, the governThe lawsuit, filed by 13 state ment needs to be able to disattorneys general, with Florida courage people from staying off leading, claimed, “Regulation health insurance rolls, as the of non-economic activity under bill has done away with some the Commerce Clause is possible of the significant practices of only through the Necessary and the current system. Insurers no Proper Clause.” The suit claims longer have the ability to drop that the health insurance market coverage to a person for havis “non-economic” in nature. ing what is determined to be If there was a type of data a preexisting health condition that the American citizens were that led to a serious illness. inundated with during the health Congress deemed the preexistcare debate, it was the eco- ing condition power of insurers n o m i c i m pa c t as too often used of the price tag This reform bill is unjustly against of health care. fair-paying projected to reduce policy holders One out of every $6, as a percentwho were denied future American age of Ameriwhen deficits over the next coverage ca’s GDP, goes illness made covten years by 138 toward health erage necessary. care. America’s Since insurbillion dollars. health care ers now cansystem’s costs, not turn away compared to the average of most people from buying a policy countries, are double. on the basis that they have a Warren Buffet’s own preexisting health condition, it remarks reflect the common will become easier for people sense conclusion that hefty to wait to buy insurance until costs of health insurance aban illness develops or reveals solutely affect the economics itself. A cause of concern is of our nation. In maintaining that if too many people wait that America’s spending on until they are seriously ill to health care is unsustainable, buy insurance, premiums will Buffet added, “that kind of be very high, as there will be cost, compared with the rest of a higher risk of illness among the world, is like a tape worm the many sick people buying eating at our economic body.” insurance, counter to the need The italics are my own, so to lower insurance costs. as to show that the Oracle of To discourage people from Omaha himself views reform playing the system in this way, of the health care system as a and to encourage stability in a national concern. This reform market that is of obvious value bill is projected to reduce futo our economy, the governture American deficits over the ment instituted a mandate for next 10 years by $138 billion. people to buy health insurance. Let’s not prattle on with sayThis penalty for those who do ing that the health insurance not buy health care coverage industry fits into a category of encourages healthier people commercial activity not above to purchase policies, thereby regulation. It is in great part lowering overall risk of illness because of the gross expenses among policy holders, keeping of health insurance that our premiums lower, and guaranentire country’s fiscal calamiteeing to all people a health ties are so great. care policy they can rely on in Given that regulation of case of illness. the health insurance market is within the power of the federal John Glynn is a staff columnist for government, the government The Heights. He welcomes comments has the power to penalize people for not buying into this sys- at marketplace@bcheights.com.
ALEX BRANDON /AP PHOTO
President Obama and Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius speak at a Maryland political rally.
INTERNATIONAL INSIGHTS
Sanctions against Iran are effective, to a limited extent BINH NGUYEN I have always been amazed by how determined Iran has been in challenging different economic penalties targeting its disputed nuclear activities. No matter whether the sanctions come from the UN Security Council, European Union, or individual countries, Iran has always seemed to find a way around the laws. Recently, Iran has been trying secretly to set up banks in Muslim states around the world in an effort to elude the sanctions by the United States and European Union. All of Iran’s secret banks are financial institutions that have opaque ownership and dummy names. Since July, the U.S. has tightened its penalties against Iran. Congress passed the Comprehensive Iran Sanctions Accountability and
Divestment Act to deter countries from doing business with Iranian banks. If foreign banks trade with any of the 16 targeted Iranian banks and businesses or the country’s Revolutionary Guards, they will be denied access to the U.S. financial system. The European Union, Japan, Australia, and other Western allies followed suit and passed their own resolutions to restrict investment in Iran’s energy sector. Just last month, the Obama administration gained the consent of prominent European oil companies to halt investing and trading with Iran. Reports from Tehran indicate that the sanctions are hurting the economic situation, but do not specify to what degree. Besides the usual complaints about unemployment and inflation, growing unhappiness about shortages and pay add further woes for Iran. The Culture Ministry warned the print media that if they reported opposition criticism, they would face closure. In recent
weeks, repression has been evident in Iran as dozens of reform activists are said to have been jailed. The public’s response to much-delayed plans by President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, which aims to slash the $100 billion annual bill for state subsidies for food and other staples, is another worry to Iran domestic politics. U.S. officials say that Tehran’s search for new banking avenues is an indication of the growing effectiveness of the sanctions and shows that Iran has had limited real success in secretly setting up banks. “The Iranians, we believe, are trying to set up operations in a number of places, and it’s an indication that they can’t do normal banking,” a senior administration official told reporters. He was speaking on the condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to discuss the matter publicly. Iranian Finance Minister Shamseddin Hosseini told reporters that Iran, indeed, has faced some trouble from
sanctions, but the country has had few problems trading with other countries or securing hard currency. “The world is big, and the people who are trading [with us] find ways to transfer money,” Hosseini told reporters in Washington. “When you block the stream of water, it goes another route.” I am not surprised with this attitude, because it is how Iran has been responding to sanctions for a long time. Iraq is one of the Muslim countries where Iran is trying to set up secret banks. Tehran has established at least two banks in Baghdad, one of which is affiliated with Bank Melli, Iran’s largest commercial bank. In 2008, the U.N. Security Council listed Bank Melli as being involved with Iran’s nuclear activities. Since then, the European Union has closed all of its offices in Europe. Iran has also tried, but failed, to create commercial banks in the Kurdistan region of northern Iraq. The United Arab Emirates (UAE) was an important
passageway for Iranian goods and financial transaction, but has stopped Iranian activities in the area since the latest U.N. Security Council sanctions were approved in June. The UAE has made an effort to curtail financial dealings with Iranian banks blacklisted by Washington. A U.S. official commented that Iran has attempted to convince Malaysia to be a new financial hub, but also without success. The Malaysian government announced that it had passed an export-control law to improve its ability to control trade in material for weapons of mass destruction. U.S. officials have praised Malaysia’s efforts in enforcing the sanctions, and at the same time repeatedly warned financial institutions of the reputational risks of doing business with any Iranian entities. Revolutionary Guard Corps, the primary organization that pushes nuclear and missile activities, has expanded into many industries. As a response, U.S. officials have blacklisted a comprehensive
list of companies associated with the corps. I think that U.S. efforts to punish Iran have worked so far, but only to a limited extent. Iran made the world more aware of its determination not to succumb by announcing on Wednesday that its $20 million uranium enrichment program, which is the chief focus of U.S. nuclear weapon worries, was advancing quickly. Neither sanctions nor diplomacy can wholly eliminate the possibility of a military confrontation because, despite all the pressure and some recent positive signs, Iran’s top leadership is not willing to fundamentally change its agenda. Ahmadinejad’s provocative position in Lebanon last week made that clear enough. The U.S. needs to pursue Iran more aggressively. However, I admit, Iran most likely will stick to its stubborn ways, even if new measures are taken.
Binh Nguyen is a staff columnist for The Heights. He welcomes comments at marketplace@bcheights.com.
B8
Thursday, October 28, 2010
THE HEIGHTS
Newspaper reflects government policy Uganda, from B8 photos, and addresses of Uganda’s “top 100 gays and lesbians” adjacent to a call to “hang them.” While the merits of the massive violation of privacy that this atrocity entails are worthy of analysis, this implicit injustice is meek in comparison to the issues stemming from the cultural inanity that has bred such radical stances against GLBTQ persons. Strikingly, Rolling Stone’s fervid stance against the rights of GLBTQ citizens is not so different from that of the Ugandan government, which has helped promote the notion that GLBTQ people are unworthy of the rights given to heterosexual citizens. Homosexuality has long been illegal in Uganda. Current penalties for committing homosexual acts mandate that violators be jailed anywhere from 14 years to life in prison. Though this punishment is unquestionably harsh, radicals in the country have proposed a bill, known as the “AntiHomosexuality Bill,” which, if passed, would punish those who have violated the homosexuality laws more than once, those with HIV, and those who commit homosexual acts with minors, with the death penalty. Considered on their own merits, these are items worthy of the fiercest condemnation. However, when examined within a greater cultural context, the extremity of Uganda’s laws becomes mitigated, considering the nearly transcontinental condemnation of homosexual-
ity in Africa. Homosexuality is completely outlawed in 38 African nations, and those who break the various laws banning certain prohibited acts are typically punished with prison sentences or fines. The laws vary by nation, with some permitting female homosexual acts while outlawing acts of male homosexuality. With the sole exception of South Africa, where policies have recently been changed, every single African nation permits discrimination based on sexual orientation, and, unsurprisingly, South Africa is also the only nation that permits same sex marriage. Perhaps most shockingly, Sudan, Mauritania, and parts of Nigeria actually punish those caught engaging in homosexual activity with death. How is it that African nations have such strong stances against homosexuality? If we are to examine the history of many of these countries, it becomes clear that this continental condemnation perhaps originated elsewhere. According to “This Alien Legacy,” a report by the Human Rights Watch, about half of the 80 nations that prohibit homosexual acts were once British colonies. According to the report, the colonizers believed “laws could inculcate European morality into resistant masses.” The British imperialists acted under the post-Enlightenment notion that knowledge could lead to rightness, and thus strove to impose their supposedly normative values on the cultures they conquered.
DANNY MARTINEZ
MATT PALAZZOLO
HILARY CHASSE
PATRICK GALLAGHER
Are Sharon Angle’s antiimmigration campaign ads racist?
Yes, to say the least, but it’s nothing out of the ordinary in election season.
On a scale from one to Don Imus, the ads are very racist.
A Tea Partier, racist? Now that makes no sense whatsoever!
Is having a snowball fight with pitching great Randy Johnson a bad idea?
Will the Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert joint rally be a success or failure?
The mass media thinks the pair is just funny, but in reality, Colbert and Stewart are doing their jobs better than the “pros.”
It will be cancelled due to low ratings and replaced with a more marketable partisan shouting match.
Is the Pope a Catholic? Wait, that doesn’t work. Yes, it’ll be successful.
Colbert’s campaign to keep fear alive will drive Stewart insane. In other words, pencil in a complete success.
Is the Tea Party going to remain influential after the mid-term elections?
I don’t think they have the institutional and popular support in the long run.
It’s hard to have power in government when you plan to dismantle it.
As long as they have tricorner hats and Bud Light, they’ll be making noise from their lawn chairs.
Until unemployment drops, Tea Party support will remain strong.
Will President Obama’s approval rating rebound from a new record low of 37 percent?
No, I just think he is going to mail it in. He doesn’t seem like an ambitious or confident person at all.
It will when America realizes he is not Hitler disguised as a Muslim, so never.
Well, why would he be worried? Bush was reelected with barely any more popular support.
In June of 1993, Clinton’s approval rating was 37 percent. Just saying.
Marketplace Editor
Likewise, Christian missionaries who imposed their religious values on Africans derided homosexuality as savage and unclean, which was in line with the Christian stance on homosexual acts at that time, which still lingers in the Church today. This directly impacted the 18 nations that experienced varying degrees of British colonization, and influenced what has become the current culture of Africa in regards to homosexuality. Though the British eventually abandoned their colonies, leaving the majority
Asst. Marketplace Editor
of them in shambles due to the ultimate flaws of their Westernizing policies, their values became parts of those cultures, and are now reflected in the radical laws and policies that many of these nations still hold today. Although the policies against homosexuality in much of Africa are atrocious, worldwide views of homosexuality are not much better, with laws relating to homosexuality ranging from moderate toleration to absolute condemnation. While many nations in Western
Assoc. News Editor
Opinions Editor
Europe have liberalized their stances, the United States has not, as a majority of states still prohibit same-sex marriage, with many not recognizing same-sex couples. The problems in America are different from those of Africa. While laws here prohibit the press from abusing their power in the ways that Rolling Stone has done in Uganda, much of American culture still clings to outdated social norms and backward cultural ideals. Though we, as Americans, have condemned Uganda and
many African nations, this does not excuse the culture of shame that still exists around identifying as GLBTQ in America. Uganda’s problems can highlight those of America. By examining what social constructs have influenced our opinions of certain groups of people, we can shed what corrupting persuasion society has imposed upon us and strive for rational laws and viewpoints. Dan Ottaunick is an editor for The Heights. He welcomes comments at marketplace@bcheights.com.
Summit may result in further deadlock G-20, from B10
IMF’s managing director, told reporters. The consensus gathered by the emerging markets was positive, with the main thought being that despite the fact it did not correct all the issues, the meeting was certainly a start. Indian Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee echoed these sentiments when he said that the IMF had been “corrected, not to the fullest extent, but substantially, with the change.” An interesting note about these goals is that any G20 agreement has no law for enforcement. Instead, countries hope that through “peer pressure,” other nations will tackle deficits and surpluses by implementing both fiscal and monetary reform. James Anderson, chairman of Boston College’s economics department, gave some insight into the purpose of the G-20. “The key idea is that while there is no international ‘court’ to enforce agreements, concern for reputation induces some degree of compliance, just as it does in social relations between college students,” Anderson said. “As to the particular, I think my best guess is that the proposal
to give the IMF more ‘authority’ to guide on exchange rates is meaningless, and if meaningful, would be impossible once it conflicted with a major country’s interests.” Currency valuation was also deemed critical at the gathering. U.S. Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner told reporters. “Countries with surpluses and countries with deficits, the advanced economies and the large emerging economies, all have a responsibility to play their part in contributing to stronger and more sustainable growth.” This statement is especially relevant in the U.S., which currently faces a budget deficit of nearly 3.2 percent. How can the government combat this? Not only could they raise taxes, but they could also lessen the number of imports and increase the number of exports. Basic macroeconomic theory would dictate that this would lead to a weaker dollar, but in turn, U.S. goods would become more attractive to foreign investors. Conversely, in countries with an excess amount of surplus, the idea is to become more reliant on imports rather than exports. Thus, nations such as China (a highly manufactur-
ing-based entity), will see its currency value increase as a result. Unfortunately, China has been reluctant to allow its currency to fluctuate. This practice has allowed them to make their exports cheaper in comparison to those of other producers. Many members of international community have labeled this practice unfair. To tackle this, the U.S. has offered proposals for a maximum surplus of 4 percent. U.S. Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner preached for excess account balances to be “below a specified share of GDP over the next few years.” Germany, with its surplus hovering at 6 percent, would have to employ fiscal policy that aims to reduce this value, while Japan, which is operating at 3 percent, would have to increase it slightly. China’s surplus currently registers at 4.7 percent, but is projected to reach 8 percent by 2015. The U.S. government stood firm in its stance when it said that the yuan’s value would have to rise in order for China’s surplus to stabilize. The event itself solidified the international community’s interest in both reforming the IMF and promoting the financial well-being of others. “We
have shown with this meeting the G-20 can function as the premier forum for international economic matters,” said South Korean Finance Minister Yoon Jeung-hyun. Already, as a result, the Federal Reserve is expected to lower the U.S. dollar. In short-term trading, the euro has surged in the European financial sector while oil prices have risen. Whether the G-20 can further initiate change has yet to be seen.
KIM JAE-HUAN /AP PHOTO
Leaders from the G-20 countries pose together during the summit meeting.
Apple unveils new MacBook
BY JEB THOMAS For The Heights
Apple recently announced an updated MacBook Air at a keynote held last Wednesday, which, according to the company, brought the focus “Back to the Mac.” Also announced at the keynote were the firm’s latest operating software, a new iLife suite, and the Mac App Store. The first product Apple rolled out during Wednesday’s keynote was iLife ’11, which introduced updated versions of the popular iPhoto, iMovie, and Garageband applications. To showcase iPhoto ’11, Steve Jobs brought out Phil Schiller (BC ‘82), VP of Product Marketing at Apple. Slideshow enhancements, improved geotagging, and Facebook integration were some of the main features Schiller demonstrated to the pleased crowd. Afterward, Jobs went back on stage to reveal some of the new features of iMovie ’11, including audio editing and the ability to create movie trailers with little effort. Garageband received a facelift as well. One of the new features of Garageband ’11 is “Flex Time,” which easily adjusts the timing of music so that a song can have perfect rhythm. Another feature demonstrated was “Groove Matching,” with which a user can select one instrument to become the “groove track,” applying that groove to the remaining instruments in the song. Enhancements were also made to iWeb and iDVD. Jobs then gave the crowd a sneak-peak of the company’s latest operating software – Lion OS X. Most promising about the new OS is a Mac App Store. Users can now download apps from the Mac App Store and view them on their Mac computers using a feature called Launchpad, which transforms their desktop into a large iPad-like home screen. With Lion, apps similar to Scientific Data Analysis, designed for the iPad by BC chemistry professor Evan Kantorwitz, can be viewed full-screen on Mac computers. John Gallaugher, associate professor of information systems and TechTrek coordinator at BC, said of the App Store, “Apple has changed the economics of software development. The App Store makes it possible for the guy in the garage to make a lot of money with little overhead. Huge [Apple app] hits are rare, but they are possible.” Gallaugher said the App Store makes the distribution of software easy and efficient, with great potential for profit. Another potent feature of Lion OS X is Mission
Control, which Apple refers to as “Mac Command Central.” With Mission Control, users can view all their open windows, grouped by application. Mission Control combines Expose, Dashboard, and Spaces into a simple, unified view. Lion OS X won’t come out until next summer, but in the meantime, Apple is releasing Facetime for the Mac to keep consumers happy. The video chat service that was once exclusive to iPhone 4 users will now provide cross-functional video chat between iPhone 4 and Mac users at no charge. This means that people can video chat on their iPhone 4 with someone on a computer using Facetime. In the final act of Apple’s keynote, Steve Jobs introduced “One More Thing …” which had Apple enthusiasts going crazy on the Web following its announcement – a redesigned MacBook Air. The new MacBook Air boasts an all-flash storage, a Multi-Touch Trackpad, longer battery life, and Intel Core 2 Duo Processors. Apple offers the Air in two models, an 11-inch and 13-inch, with up to 256GB of flash storage. A look inside the Air shows that most of the internal space is used for the batteries. The new Air has up to five hours of battery life on the 11” and up to seven hours of life on the 13”. “The MacBook Air is really amazing. The fact that Apple is offering the whole computer for $999, which was the price of a storage upgrade in earlier models, shows Moore’s Law is in action,” said Gallaugher, “Apple produces the best tools in the game right now, and everyone else is playing catch-up.” The Air’s move to an all-flash storage provides evidence that Apple predicts people will begin to store more and more information on the cloud as time progresses. Apple recently began expansion of its North Carolina Data Center, and has plans to double the already massive 500,000-squarefoot space, according to MacRumors.com. The 11” MacBook Air starts at a base price of $999, and the 13” starts at $1,299. At this low cost, Apple hopes to widen its share in the computer market, which currently is over 20 percent. iLife ’11 now ships pre-installed on all Mac computers, and is available for purchase at $49. iPhone sales were up 91 percent over the year-ago quarter, and with a CDMA-enabled Verizon iPhone on the horizon, sales are likely to continue their ascent. The company posted revenues of over $20 billion in a press release last week. Apple’s shares valued $307.83 at closing.
The Heights
Thursday, October 28, 2010
B9
BP is still under fire for ineffective response to disaster Oil Spill, from B10
was. These dispersants are found to be more toxic than the oil itself, and only increase the difficulties of the cleanup by settling the oil in less accessible areas. His message resonated amongst most of their community as he yelled to the BP representative, “You’re messin’ me up now, and you’re messin’ me up for the rest of my life.” His story is only one of the thousands affected, but through his sheer anger, one can tell these issues are not taken lightly throughout the region. The EPA demanded that, “BP shall implement measures to limit the total amount of surface and subsurface dispersant applied each day to the mini-
mum amount possible,” but again, most of the damage was already done. Photo after photo showed the true destruction on his tours of Grand Isle, Barataria Bay, Raccoon Island, and small barrier islands south of New Orleans. All were in close proximity to the spill, and were once some of the most vibrant shorebird and aquatic habitats. Carey noted that while people were having trouble defending themselves against BP, the wildlife there certainly was not gaining the attention they needed. The National Wildlife Foundation sampled species throughout the Gulf, finding birds with internal exposure that “lead to ulcers, pneumonia, liver damage, and other life-threatening conditions,”
fish populations struggling from larvae being killed, and large mammals were noted with high ingested levels of dispersant from their prey. Many of the physical habitats have also been destroyed, leaving species without necessary protection, food sources, and space for breeding. While some marshes have simply become oil-soaked, additional degradation has resulted from the cleanup equipment itself. Oil booms, or weighted plastic barriers intended to stop oil from reaching shorelines, have uprooted much of the natural plant life as they become dislodged and crash upon the shore. Carey documented them strewn amongst barrier islands, polluting and obstructing the wildlife there.
While some of these cleanup efforts increased the degradation, others only seemed to be covering it up. Methods used along shorelines included raking the sand, removing only surface oil, shoveling lower-level sand into 60-gallon plastic bags to be taken to a landfill, and “surf washing,” which relied upon the tides to pull oil residue out to sea. When asked about the number of cleanup crews he saw during his visit, Carey responded that there were few, if any, in some locations still heavily coated with oil. One of their ship captains explained that he frequently saw volunteers sitting upon their boats, waiting for periods of time without any instructions or supplies. While these are only a few experi-
ences, an oil leak this large simply should not go unattended until it is resolved. Many people Carey met in the Gulf have now left due to frustration with the cleanup organization. A fisherman summed it up best by simply posting a sign upon his lawn, which read “GREED,” among small crosses with the names of species native to the region’s waters. Carey’s dedication to the visual documentary of the disaster has fortunately spread a greater awareness of these issues, and he now calls for others to do the same. Elizabeth Barthelmes is a staff columnist for The Heights. She welcomes comments at marketplace@bcheights.com.
Political Belief
Sharia and Western laws clash, lead to double standards Olena Savytska Judges in European countries such as Italy and France are, at times, presented with cases that involve Sharia – Muslim law. Such cases are most often related to marital or other family issues. Although these cases do not delve into the more controversial criminal realm with the accompanying corporal punishments, the legal conundrum they present is worth exploring in a broader context. Certainly, judges find it expedient at times to fill in gaps in jurisprudence by citing legal precedents from other countries in their rulings, but even this practice is of dubious validity. A citizen of the United States does not, for instance, fall under the jurisdiction of the French government and should not be subjected to French laws. Also, as a matter of norm, continental European courts apply the rules of their home country to foreign residents, insofar as these rules do not violate the “public order” of the host country. For nations with a sizeable Muslim population, Sharia represents a relevant body of law as well. Yet, certain ideas embodied in Sharia do not fit together neatly with
Western legal principles – equality under the law is absent, for instance, in inheritance disputes, whereby daughters get half as much as sons. Equally thorny is the principle that a Muslim woman cannot marry a non-Muslim man, although a Muslim man is free to take a wife of a different faith. On the other hand, application of Western law means that
third wives have little luck in joining their expatriate husbands in European lands. Should Sharia have a place in European courtrooms? The dissonance between European civil codes and the ideals of Muslim law creates a chasm of uncertainty and inconsistency. There is a double standard, both social and legal, that goes along with blending together two distinct sets of beliefs. Once Sharia is applied to some Muslim men and women, a number of questions arise: Should this law apply automatically to all Muslim residents of European countries? Or even, for the sake of uniformity and equality under the law, to all citizens of these
heights photo illustration / Sara Bakrow and Mollie Kolosky
countries? The Western legal system, which is shared by much of modern-day Europe, is a distant relative of the legal system that evolved in the
Catholic Church beginning in the 12th century. As Harold Berman points out in the first volume of Law and Revolution, the legal philosophy of the Catholic Church was one of light, hope, and forgiveness. This represented a sharp departure from the gloomy world of eye-for-an-eye vendettas and trials by ordeal that characterized Medieval Europe. No less significant was the codification and organization of laws within the Church, which would serve as a precedent for the various secular legal codes that would evolve in Europe over the centuries. Legal disputes would no longer be settled on an individual basis by a council of elders – although judges could use their discretion, their decisions were less frequently tainted by private biases and societal pressures. Perhaps, then, the question of Sharia is not one of secular law versus religious law, for each set of laws has some moral foundation. Rather, it is a matter of keeping the body of law harmonious and consistent. The idea that individuals can move between jurisdictions, choosing the set of laws they want to live under, has been central in shaping the Western legal system. Thus, both Protestants and Catholics could find a home principality which espoused their beliefs in 16th-century Germany. Although matters may be more complex for Muslim residents of European countries today, we should still keep in mind that the law is not a geographically moving body - it is
not something that can be exported or imported. Although private arbitration based around Sharia exists in a number of Western countries, the US among them, as do rabbinical and Christian arbitration services, this legal system’s underlying set of beliefs differs considerably from the innocent-until-provenguilty mentality of Western law, from its emphasis on individual liberty as well as on privacy and impartiality. This contrast decisively bars the mixing of Sharia with European or American legal codes in the public legal realm. Sharia’s tenets invite a comparison to the stringent, community-based, and retributive system of law which was succeeded by the modern Western legal system. Its ideals place more emphasis on obedience and conformity and are not fundamentally compatible with the individualism that is at the heart of most Western nations. Legal recognition of a talaq, or a divorce in which a husband renounces his wife, is probably not the kind of precedent modern Western courts would want to set. While it is, perhaps, reasonable to allow Muslim families to settle private affairs in a medium of their choosing, including Sharia-based arbitration, bringing Sharia into Western courtrooms will inevitably create undue confusion and foster double standards, failing to do justice either to Sharia itself or to Western law.
Olena Savytska is a staff columnist for The Heights. She welcomes comments at marketplace@bcheights.com.
Health officials concerned disease might proliferate Cholera, from B10
Dieu Nalio Chery/ap photo
Patients wait outside the St. Nicholas Hospital in St. Marc, Haiti. Scarce medical treatment has contributed to the cholera outbreak.
Modern Day Philosopher
By Gregory Kita
magnitude earthquake that hit Port-au-Prince and its 2 million inhabitants this past Jan. 12. Aid workers in the region say that the risk of the disease spreading is magnified by the extreme poverty of those displaced by the earthquake, a disaster which left as many as 300,000 dead and buildings in the capital city in ruins. Approximately 1.3 million survivors now live in unsanitary camps and slums, which will undoubtedly serve as breeding grounds for the disease should it come to the capital. The international NGO Doc-
tors Without Borders issued a statement revealing that a number of Port-au-Prince residents were suffering from watery diarrhea, the primary symptom of cholera, a disease which can cause vomiting and diarrhea so intense one can die from dehydration within hours. Doctors have yet to confirm that these patients are carriers of the disease. Aid workers stress that diarrhea has not been uncommon, because the earthquake polluted water sources and affected economic activity nearly nine months ago. They also maintain that the presence of cholera patients in Port-au-Prince does not necessarily mean that the epidemic, which established its epicenter in St. Marc, approximately 60 miles north of Port-au-Prince, will effect the city. Cholera rarely spreads person to person. Rather, contamination of water sources, as well as inadequate personal sanitation, are the main factors in transmittance. Unfortunately, poor water conditions and insufficient hygiene are both results of the January earthquake. Immediately after the tremor, authorities braced for the water-borne diseases they expected could become an epidemic. At the time, cholera was not one of the most worrisome. The disease has not been seen in the country for almost 50 years. Today, with a population of approximately 9 million people migrate back and forth between cities, Haitian officials know containing the disease will be the most difficult part of their battle. However, some are more optimistic about the cholera situation. “You have to have quite a few people to contaminate a body of water,” Jason Erb of medical aid group International Medical Corps told reporters. Erbs said that the situation “is not good ... but it’s not going to lead to a massive outbreak,” welcome words to the millions of inhabitants of
Port-au-Prince and its perimeter regions. However, Ariel Henry, the chief of staff at Haiti’s Ministry of Health, is not as optimistic. “It [the outbreak] will arrive during the next week, probably,” Henry told reporters. In the event that Henry’s prediction is correct, the World Health Organization (WHO), as well as the Pan American Health Organization, have been preparing themselves for the outbreak. “Cholera is an easily treatable disease,” said a representative for the WHO. Even among the severely ill, deaths can be kept down to approximately 1 percent. Only 1 to 5 percent of those infected will reach the most severe stage of the disease. The fate of those diagnosed with cholera greatly depends upon the level of preparation made by the WHO and Pan American Health Organization. Oral rehydration treatment – which consists of giving fresh water and a packet of electrolyte salts to patients– must be readily available, wrote Richard Knox of National Public Radio. Treatment centers, rehydration kits, unpolluted water, as well as public information on the importance of washing one’s hands with clean or chlorine-treated water, must be supplied to citizens. “It is not difficult to prevent the spread to Port-au-Prince. We can prevent it,” Gabriel Timothee, Health Ministry director, told reporters. The ministry is currently restricting the movement of patients and cautiously disposing bodies in an attempt to prevent any forthcoming medical disaster. David Manzo, a professor in Boston College’s philosophy department, has spent a significant amount of time volunteering at Wings of Hope Fermathe, an orphanage in Haiti for 38 abandoned children with special needs. “My biggest concern is for the people who I’ve worked with,” he said. “Everywhere in the world should have clean water.” n
MARKETPLACE THE HEIGHTS
Thursday, October 28, 2010
B10
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 28, 2010
G-20 set on reform for IMF B Y K ARN K HUNGER
A GREEN PIECE
6 months later, Gulf is still reeling Locals, environmentalists alike angry at BP for lackluster, superficial cleanup
Heights Staff
This past Saturday, 20 of the world’s largest economic powers met to discuss the current state of the financial recovery and to address any major budget issues. The members emerged from the meeting with several new ideas. For one, the G-20 countries acknowledged the growing importance of emerging markets (China, India, Turkey, etc.) in the world economy. In terms of currency issues, the countries agreed to “move toward more marketdetermined exchange rate systems” and “refrain from competitive devaluation of currencies.” A statement issued by the group said, “Advanced economies, including those with reserve currencies, will be vigilant against excess volatility and disorderly movements in exchange rates. These actions will help mitigate the risk of excessive volatility in capital flows facing some emerging countries.” Much of the media has been focusing on the recent economic and political tensions between the U.S. and China, and rhetoric such as this may be an effort to soothe tensions between the two over currency devaluation and excess budget surplus. As for direct effects, two of the nine European seats (as part of the 24-seat International Monetary Fund), have been given to emerging powers. In addition, an estimated 6 percent of the voting and finance quotas for the IMF have been relegated to these countries. “This makes for the biggest reform ever in the governance of the institution,” Dominque Strauss-Kahn, the
Shawn Carey, top left, photographs Leanne Sarco, a ranger at Louisiana’s Grand Isle State Park and a mock cemetery created by a resident memoralizing the wildlife.
See G-20, B8 SUMMIT SUMMARY THE KEY PLAYERS: United States, China, Japan, England, the European Union THE PROBLEMS GOING IN: Currency devaluation conflict, U.S. vs. China THE DECISIONS MADE Exchange rates need to be stabilized WHAT TO EXPECT: Continued disagreement between nations as a result of lack of enforcement of the newest IMF policies and the stubbornness of federal governments.
ELIZABETH BARTHELMES With the waning of media attention on “The BP Oil Disaster,” an oil rig explosion that released about 185 million gallons of oil into the Gulf of Mexico this past summer, environmentalists are concerned that the cleanup efforts, too, are starting to decline. As the nation
moves into an election period and the budget is tighter than ever, many feel a lack of attention is being paid to the aftermath, the continuing struggles of fisherman and costal businesses, disappearing marshes and estuaries, and the contaminated marine life. BP oil seems to have dug in under the radar, evading many of the locals’ demands and moving forward with even riskier offshore drilling in Alaska. While the company states it is making an effort to clean the waters and compensate those affected, it remains unclear who is overseeing these projects. Now officially the largest marine oil spill in our history, BP has left many wondering what these “ef-
PHOTOS COURTESY OF SHAWN CAREY
forts” actually looked like and what this destruction means for the future. Shawn Carey, environmentalist and Mass. Audubon wildlife photographer, was one of these people left wondering as he watched the story unfold. He realized that amid all the media coverage, he still could not gouge the accuracy of these reports, and became determined to travel to the Gulf and portray the reality through his photography. Speaking to Boston College students this week on his tour of a number of New England environmental groups and universities, Carey said that what he found in the Gulf, unfortunately, was more than disappointing. Traveling down to
Louisiana twice, once in July and again in September, he traveled with a small team and local hosts throughout the marshes and shorelines documenting the scenes and speaking with the community there. Each story revealed a bit more about where BP was “a day late and a dollar short,” according to Carey. One town meeting with BP, which Carey captured on film, showed a fisherman shouting with outrage about BP’s method of sinking the oil with dispersants so that it is no longer noticeable, leaving only a trail of white bubbles where the oil once
See Oil Spill, B9
P S Cholera strikes Newspaper condemns GLBTQ officials devastated Haiti OLITICALLY
PEAKING
DAN OTTAUNICK Investigative journalism has unearthed political scandals, government corruption, and the spreading of false information. Indeed, working to research information and reveal it to the public is a trait imbedded within the essence of the ideal journalist. Imbued with such power, however, the journalist has a duty to those whom he reports on to temper the boundaries of his power. He becomes a trusted source of information, and must therefore report stories that are both factual and non-discriminatory. The editors of Rolling Stone, a Ugandan newspaper unaffiliated with the American magazine of the same name, have severely violated this boundary. Citing accordance with their nation’s policies against GLBTQ persons, the newspaper printed the names,
RAMON ESPINOSA / AP PHOT0
In a rural hospital in Saint Marc, Haiti, a cholera patient recuperates.
IN THE NEWS
On Oct. 21, the Center for Disease Control (CDC) confirmed an outbreak of cholera in Haiti. Since then, 250 people in the rural areas surrounding Port-au-Prince, Haiti, have perished, and the disease has
infected more than 3,000 others. Now, with the disease at the doorstep of the country’s capital, Port-au-Prince, panic is erupting among Haitian officials. The epidemic comes while the country tries to rebuild from the disastrous 7.0 AP PHOTO
See Cholera, B9
In a recent issue, the Ugandan ‘Rolling Stone’ exposed and threatened the lives of 100 GLBTQ citizens.
POLITICS
ECONOMICS
SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
President Obama filled out his Illinois absentee ballot on Wednesday. The president voted for the Democratic senatorial and gubernatorial candidates.
GlaxoSmithKline plc settled a falseclaims lawsuit for selling tainted drugs for $750 billion. Cheryl Eckard, the whistleblower who introduced the case, will receive $96 million.
An anti-abortion ad showing bloody fetuses is aired on Washington, D.C. television stations. Federal law requires that ads air from qualified candidates completely unaltered.
Ford Motor Company reported profits for the sixth consecutive quarter. The company’s success comes less than two years after it lost a record $14.8 billion in 2008.
Limewire, a popular file-sharing company, was ordered by a New York judge to permanently stop distributing and running its file-sharing software. The case had been pending for more than 4 years. Sony has stopped production of its 30-year-old tape-cassette Walkman in Japan. Sony insists that the Walkman is not dead and will continue to be sold in the United States.
I NSIDE MARKE TP L A C E
THIS ISSUE
On the flip side
See Uganda, B8
19
The proposition on the California ballot that would decriminalize marijuana. Recent polls show the measure is too close to call.
50
Nuclear missiles with which the Air Force lost partial communications for one hour. Officials stressed there was no threat of accidental launch.
This week On the flip side will explore both sides of the issue of the constitutionality of Obama’s health care reform......................................B7
IN QUOTES
Heights Staff
IN NUMBERS
BY MICHELA GACIOCH
“
The single most important thing we want to achieve is for President Obama to be a oneterm president.
”
– Mitch McConnell Senate Minority Leader discussing the Republican Party’s long term agenda
Politically Speaking.........................B9 International Insights.................................B7