The Heights 11/10/11

BASKETBALL PREVIEW

BIG PAYOUT

DINNER AND A MOVIE

sports

Marketplace

THE SCENE

Breaking down the 2011-2012 men’s and women’s BC basketball squads, B1

Hometown Red Sox make millions in 2003 deal with the City of Boston, D1

Use a customized menu for some of your favorite foodie movies, C1

Thursday, November 10, 2011

Vol. XCII, No. 42

Spirit Day at campus school

UGBC rebrands image: four equal parts with ALC, GLC Unifying changes to be finalized next semester

By Taylour Kumpf News Editor

Next semester, the AHANA Leadership Council (ALC), along with the GLBTQ Leadership Council (GLC) will become equal parts of the UGBC, a change from their former, semi-autonomous states.

With the elimination of the UGBC’s judicial branch at the end of last year, the rebranded image of UGBC will be that of four equal branches coming together to serve the needs of the student body and

graham beck / heights staff

Student athletes, cheerleaders, and Baldwin met with children from the Campus School (above) at their Spirit Day.

Spirit Day recognizes hard work of Campus School volunteers For The Heights

On Monday afternoon, Campus School children and young adults decked out in Boston College apparel crowded the plaza between Campion and Merkert for Campus School Spirit Day. Waving pompoms and holding decorated signs, the Campus School children waited to meet BC athletes and listen to the BC marching band. Campus School Spirit Day, an event presented by the Campus School Volunteers of

Boston College (CSVBC), was a day for celebration and BC spirit.

“Spirit Day is an event we look forward to every year,” said Sean Schofield, Campus School Volunteers coordinator. “It’s a way to recognize all the hard work that the Campus School students and Campus School volunteers do, and of course, the student-athletes here at BC.… It’s a nice way to show BC pride.”

The Campus School, located in Campion, was established in 1970 for students ages three to 21 with

multiple and severe special needs.

The school is a privately-run, publicly-funded program that works to meet the educational, therapeutic, and health care needs of its students. This year, the Campus School has 43 enrolled students.

“Because the school is publicly funded, there isn’t a lot of money,” said Lauren Koslow, vice president of Campus School Volunteers and CSOM ’12. “The money [the volunteers] are able to raise provides the

See Campus School, A4

Admins reflect on Pathways initiative Program to work out kinks next year

By David Cote Heights Editor

See Pathways, A5

See Equal, A4

University looks past the labels when buying coffee

By Daniel Tonkovich Heights Editor

By Devon Sanford

Since August, residents in HardeyCushing have experienced a new type of interaction with their Resident Assistants (RAs) as part of the Pathways Initiative.

Developed by the Office of Residential Life, the program aims to foster community growth and development in smaller resident communities.

“If you were to bottle it up it would be the integration of everything that is the academic experience,” said George Arey, interim director of Residential Life. “The three pieces, the social, the intellectual, and the spiritual are all being pulled together.”

Specifically, the program lowers the resident-to-RA ratio, creates weekly programming options for residents, and aims to foster relationships between floormates and their RAs. “The grand scheme of things is that we want you, as a first year student, to know more people, to have a better social network, and to have an understanding of what it means to be a part of this institution,” Arey said.

Now, two months into the pilot program, the Office of Residential Life has gained a significant amount of knowledge on how the program is shaping up. Program administrators have aimed to collect information from a variety of sources in order to evaluate and improve the program as it progresses through its first year of implementation.

“We’re putting together some measures to really look at what the students are taking away from the experience of living in

make sure their voice is heard.

The goal of this change is unification said Michael Kitlas, president of the UGBC and A&S ’12. “The discussion basically started last year,” he said. “[Micaela Mabida and Patrick Raab, former UGBC president and vice president, respectively, and BC ’11] had the first all-inclusive retreat. It was going well last year, but it didn’t carry through the whole year.”

Kitlas said that he and Jill Long, vice president of the UGBC and A&S ’12, wanted to continue promoting a unified front. “We saw the value [in what Mabida and Raab started] and wanted to continue that this year,” he said. “We want to encourage people to step outside their comfort zones, we want to increase who we affect

The way Boston College picks its beans to fill the 7,000 cups of coffee purchased weekly in its dining facilities is likely to draw a nod of approval from Juan Valdez himself.

The nod, however, would probably not stem from the sole fact that most of the coffee sold on campus is Fair Trade certified, but rather the thoughtfulness of the University’s coffee purchasing decisions.

“I have never really been big on labels and purchasing just because they say ‘they are something,’” said Helen Wechsler, director of Dining Services. “Dining attempts to take a broader approach when selecting our suppliers. We want to have the whole picture of the companies with whom we do business. We don’t select suppliers just because they sell Fair Trade products, just like we don’t select suppliers solely on the grounds that they sell an organic or local product.”

The phenomena of buying into a label has drawn criticism from some. In regards to coffee, Fair Trade has had its share of criticism for inefficiencies. A recent Financial Times editorial criticized Fair Trade for high certification fees charged to small farms and co-ops, causing some to enter into financing arrangements just to gain entry into the Fair Trade market or in extreme cases forgo certification alto-

Creative Commons

Dean Cycon of Dean’s Beans (above), one of the Fair Trade Coffee options on campus. gether due to prohibitive costs – arguably compromising farmers’ quality of life.

The piece drew a sharp rebuttal from Fair Trade Canada, stating that the arguments were “highly flawed,” and defending not only the certification and just compensation assurance practices of Fair Trade, but noting that “Fair Trade is about much more than price.”

But despite which side’s facts are correct in the argument of social justice for coffee farmers, Dining Services takes

See Dean’s Beans, A5

the 40-hour famine

photo courtesy of the VPSA Office

Posters from an Ohio University ad campaign (above) were sent out to students via e-mail.

Halloween costumes spark discussion on racial issues

By Taylour Kumpf News Editor

Over a week after Halloween, administrators and student leaders are still talking about the holiday weekend – in the context of race.

Two unrelated events – an Ohio ad campaign and a specific incident on campus – prompted discussions about the potential for certain Halloween costumes to be racially and culturally offensive. The pre-Halloween ad campaign, started by a student group at Ohio University and depicting students holding photos of different racial and ethnic stereotypes in costume, circulated around Boston College before the weekend.

The campaign’s message, “We’re a culture, not a costume,” addressed the trend of turning ethnic and racial stereotypes into popular Halloween costumes. The ad’s message – to not reduce a culture to a caricature – was meant to apply to

all races and stereotypes, and not just during Halloween.

“The campaign wasn’t something we’d seen before, and it spurred conversation,” said Alicia Martinez, vice president of the AHANA Leadership Council (ALC) and A&S ’12. “These very offensive costumes have often gone unnoticed.”

Michael Kitlas, president of the UGBC and A&S ’12, said there was more of a dialogue about these issues than in the past. “This year was different than other years because there was more feedback from students voicing concerns,” he said. “And, some RAs sent out e-mails [with the ad campaign’s message] to be more proactive.”

With the campaign initiating the conversation on campus, a BC-specific incident – two non-black student-athletes donning blackface for Halloween – prompted a more formal discussion

See Halloween, A4

alexandra Gaynor / heights staff

The 40-Hour Famine display in O’Neill Plaza (above) is designed to raise students’ awareness of food shortages and inequalities. SEE PAGE A3 FOR FULL STORY.

TopTHREE

The Heights

Thursday, November 10, 2011

things to do on campus this week

1

Career Night for the Arts Today Time: 7 p.m.

Location: McMullen Museum

All are invited to attend an informative evening with alumni who have careers in the arts. If you have an interest in film, fashion, photography, or the arts in general, stop by to hear the advice of Boston College alumni and explore career options.

Lynch School 11th Annual Symposium

2

Today Time: 4:30 p.m.

Location: Murray Room, Yawkey Center Come hear Joy Moore, former interim head at the Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy, speak on education.

Boston College Football vs. NC State

3

Saturday Time: 12:30 p.m.

Location: Alumni Stadium Bring your friends and cheer on the Boston College Eagles as they take on the Wolfpack this Saturday at Alumni Stadium.

the

University

In s w e N

University of North Dakota votes down law to change mascot name

On Campus President of Ireland recognizes BC alumna for her essay on human rights Amanda Rothschild, BC ’11, was recognized by the president of Ireland, Mary McAleese, at an Undergraduate Awards program ceremony on Oct. 28 at Dublin Castle, according to a release by the Office of News and Public Affairs.

Rothschild majored in political science and has been named a “highly commended” entrant into the Undergraduate Awards, which recognizes undergraduate students in Ireland and has recently been expanded to seven universities in the United States. Rothschild was honored in the Human Rights category for her essay titled, “The Crime of Crimes and Lemkin’s Forewarning.” During her time at BC, Rothschild received many honors and was a Rhodes Scholarship finalist. She is currently a doctoral student in International Relations Studies at MIT focusing on genocide, humanitarian intervention, and U.S. foreign policy. The Undergraduate Awards program received 2,381 submissions, of which 23 were selected, and the ceremony in Dublin was part of a two-day summit that included networking events and sightseeing activities.

The North Dakota House voted yesterday to repeal a law that would require the University of North Dakota to change its mascot, the Fighting Sioux, according to a report by The Chronicle of Higher Education.

The vote was 63-31, nearly opposite the vote last May for the law to change the mascot. The bill has already passed through the North Dakota Senate and will now go to Jack Darymple, the governor of North Dakota, who has said he will sign it. The university has sought to retire the nickname, which has been controversial for years, in order to comply with an NCAA ban on “hostile or abusive” references to American Indians.

Local News Poverty increases in Boston neighborhoods as costs of living rise A study has found that poverty is getting worse in Boston, according to the Boston Globe. In Dorchester, Mattapan, and Roxbury, 42 percent of children live in poverty, the densest cluster of childhood poverty in the state. The study found that this poverty is fueled by unemployment and low educational attainment. From 1990 to 2009, the cost of living in Boston increased by 68 percent, while federal guidelines that set a benchmark for government aid rose by 55 percent, further worsening the gap in wealth.

University celebrates anniversary of Pastoral document

By Jacob Bajada For The Heigbts

graham beck / Heights staff

The Center for Human Rights and International Justice recognized the 25th anniversary of “Economic Justice for All.” cluding the addition, per his own suggestion, to feature a chapter on the Biblical application to these socio-economic issues.

Consultants, economists, and even political leaders looked over these different drafts until the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops adopted a final form in 1986. “[The document] really put forth in a strong way that Church

teachings require that the dignity of the human person should be at the center of economic affairs,” said Tim Karcz, assistant director of BC’s Center for Human Rights and International Justice. “This was contrary to what they saw in the world.”

“Economic Justice for All” clarified the importance of social equality in economic decisions, especially during a Reagan ad-

ministration that relied on the ideals of laissez-faire economics.

“It [the document] really took on the dominant economic paradigm, especially as embodied

by U.S. policy at the time, and offered both a strong critique of it and a normative ethical groundwork to build on in the future,” Karcz said.

The letter stirred a wave of

attention, landing on the front page of The New York Times shortly after the document was released.

In a day and age where U.S. unemployment, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, has risen over 2 percent since its 1986 publication, this document continues to hold relevance.

Professor Bane followed up Donahue’s presentation with an analysis of the letter with respect to today’s economy.

“Much of it strikes me as timeless,” she began. “However, there’s a lot that is different.”

Bane stressed the weight of affordable education in today’s society, forcing households to save their money, and thus eventually promoting job recovery.

“We cannot repeal the laws of arithmetic,” she joked. “Balancing the budget will mean reforming spending.”

Her ideas reiterated the principles of Catholic social teaching that are key to this document’s core themes. Only this, she believed, would allow economic justice to be attained.

“What we need is to commit to the poor in a global context,” she said. “By doing this we may recognize and address the dangers of a broken social contract.” n

Police Blotter

Voices from the Dustbowl

11/06/11-11/08/11

“What was your favorite TV show as a kid?”

Sunday, Nov. 6 1:46 a.m. - A report was filed regarding a student who had been assaulted near her off-campus residence. The Boston Police responded.

12:53 p.m. - A report was filed regarding a student who reported they had been physically assaulted in Ignacio Hall. The incident is being investigated.

Monday, Nov. 7 12:35 a.m. - A report was filed by regarding two suspicious males standing outside of a student’s off-campus residence.

The Boston Police responded.

7:05 a.m. - A report was filed regarding a person who was tailgating that refused to leave Shea Field during game time.

1:52 p.m. - A report was filed regarding a fire alarm at Bourneuf House. Officers and the Newton Fire Department responded. The cause was determined to be a faulty smoke detector. There was no actual fire.

6:53 p.m. - A report was filed regarding a BC student who may have broken his right ankle at the Flynn Sports Complex.

An officer/EMT provided assistance and the victim was transported to a medical facility.

9:16 p.m. - A report was filed regarding a BC student who was experiencing pain

at Bapst/Burns Library. An officer/EMT responded and the victim was transported to a medical facility.

“Even Stevens.”

—Ria McMahon, CSOM ’14

Tuesday, Nov. 8 1:48 p.m. - A report was filed regarding a fire alarm at Roncalli Hall. Officers and the Newton Fire Department responded. A Stanley Elevator employee reported that while doing work in the area, dust set off the alarm. There was no actual fire.

2:13 p.m. - A report was filed regarding a BC student who felt like he was going to pass out at Corcoran Commons. The victim was transported to a medical facility.

“Spongebob Squarepants.”

—Andrew Babbitt, A&S ’15

“Scooby Doo.” —Priscilla Restagno, A&S ’14

6:07 p.m. - A report was filed regarding a fire alarm at St. Thomas More Drive.

The cause of the alarm was a hot hair dryer that was being used by a student.

There was no actual fire.

—Source: The Boston College Police Department

“Hey Arnold!”

—Brandon Choi,

A&S ’15

62° Rain 48°

Friday

54° Partly Cloudy/ Windy 38°

Saturday

55° Partly Cloudy 43° 58° Partly Cloudy 45°

Source: National Weather Service

A Guide to Your Newspaper The Heights Boston College – McElroy 113 140 Commonwealth Ave. Chestnut Hill, Mass. 02467 Editor-in-Chief (617) 552-2223 Editorial General (617) 552-2221 Managing Editor (617) 552-4286 News Desk (617) 552-0172 Sports Desk (617) 552-0189 Marketplace Desk (617) 552-3548 Features Desk (617) 552-3548 Arts Desk (617) 552-0515 Photo (617) 552-1022 Fax (617) 552-4823 Business and Operations General Manager (617) 552-0169 Advertising (617) 552-2220 Business and Circulation (617) 552-0547 Classifieds and Collections (617) 552-0364 Fax (617) 552-1753 EDITORIAL RESOURCES News Tips Have a news tip or a good idea for a story? Call Taylour Kumpf, News Editor, at (617) 552-0172, or e-mail news@bcheights.com. For future events, e-mail, fax, or mail a detailed description of the event and contact information to the News Desk.

Sports Scores Want to report the results of a game? Call Paul Sulzer, Sports Editor, at (617) 552-0189, or e-mail sports@bcheights.com.

Arts Events The Heights covers a multitude of events both on and off campus – including concerts, movies, theatrical performances, and more. Call Darren Ranck, Arts and Review Editor, at (617) 552-0515, or e-mail arts@ bcheights.com. For future events, e-mail, fax, or mail a detailed description of the event and contact information to the Arts Desk.

Clarifications / Corrections The Heights strives to provide its readers with complete, accurate, and balanced information. If you believe we have made a reporting error, have information that requires a clarification or correction, or questions about The Heights standards and practices, you may contact Michael Caprio, Editor-in-Chief, at (617) 552-2223, or e-mail editor@ bcheights.com.

CUSTOMER SERVICE Delivery To have The Heights delivered to your home each week or to report distribution problems on campus, contact Dan Ottaunick, General Manager at (617) 552-0547.

Advertising The Heights is one of the most effective ways to reach the BC community. To submit a classified, display, or online advertisement, call our advertising office at (617) 552-2220 Monday through Friday.

The Heights is produced by BC undergraduates and is published on Mondays and Thursdays during the academic year by The Heights, Inc. (c) 2011. All rights reserved.

4:01 p.m. - A report was filed regarding a BC student’s stolen ID. Several unauthorized transactions were made.

A detective is investigating.

10:22 p.m. - A report was filed regarding a pedestrian that had been struck by a motor vehicle off campus. The victim refused medical attention. The Newton Police responded.

Today

Sunday

featured story

Boston College’s Center for Human Rights and International Justice hosted a panel on Tuesday to commemorate the 25th anniversary of a Pastoral document that addressed the issues of economic justice, human dignity, and personal responsibility.

The event, which was held in the Murray Room in the Yawkey Center, featured biblical scholar Rev. John Donahue, S.J., and Harvard professor, Mary Jo Bane, to discuss the relevance of the Pastoral letter, “Economic Justice for All,” in today’s economy.

Donahue, a contributor in the drafting of the document, discussed the piece’s history throughout the past century, explaining the Church’s progress in forming its own standpoint on the issues of social justice and economic equality.

“The Church has always had the responsibility to scrutinize in light of the times,” said Donahue. “[The economy] must be judged based on how it protects the human dignity of the people.”

Donahue recounted the different forms that the document took over a six-year period, in-

Four Day Weather Forecast

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

The Heights

Thursday, November 10, 2011

A3

Sartorialist blog gains popularity at BC

By Adriana Mariella While the stereotype of a Boston College student would be a J.Crew-clad, preppy teenager, a walk around campus might prove otherwise.

That’s why Alex Lee, A&S ’14, sought to give those students who break from the norm some credit for their style.

His Tumblr, The Sartorialist of Boston College, publishes his photographs of the unique fashion choices of students around campus. Inspired by the original Sartorialist, Scott Schuman, whose blog The Sartorialist publishes similar content; Lee’s blog is a showcase of distinctive outfits.

Lee, who transferred to BC this year from Syracuse University, said he had the idea to start a similar blog there.

“I had been a follower of the original Sartorialist when I was at Syracuse,” he said. “I told someone to do it [at Syracuse] but it just never happened.”

When he arrived at BC, he had the idea to start the blog here, especially after noticing the shortage of “artsy” students.

“People think [BC] is all preppy kids, but [when I got here] I saw people doing something different,” Lee said. “I thought they deserved some recognition.”

“People think [BC] is all preppy kids, but [when I got here] I saw people doing something different.”

OFFENSIVE HALLOWEEN COSTUMES: On Halloween night, the Heights comes alive with characters. The costumes students wear often exhibit their creativity, style, and sense of humor. BC-specific costumes such as a Mod are always appreciated, and watching “the 99 percent” from the Occupy Wall Street movement face off against “the 1 percent” is thoroughly entertaining. Although irreverent costumes often get laughs, some cross the line of what is appropriate.

This is the focus of a student group from Ohio University, “Students Teaching About Racism in Society,” that has recently received national attention for starting a poster campaign that criticizes racism in Halloween costumes. Each poster features a student of a certain race holding a picture of a Halloween costume he or she finds offensive to his or her culture. Racist costumes are only one of the many types of inappropriate Halloween costumes that have become commonplace:

Photos Courtesy of bcsartorialist.tumblr.com

Style choices captured by Lee (above) appear on his blog, The Sartorialist of Boston College.

-Alex Lee, Blog Creator and A&S ’14 Lee has no particular criteria for the individuals he chooses to feature. “[I’ll choose] anything that catches my eye, anything that I think is unique,” he said. “I like when you can tell that they put some effort into it.”

Lee, though he said he doesn’t consider himself a fashion expert, hopes to work in fashion after college.

“Hopefully I’ll end up working in fashion, whether it’s managing my own brand or something else,” he said.

Photography, too, is something that he had to pick up in order to make the blog a success, buying a Canon camera specifically for the purpose.

“I’m just settling into photography because of [the blog],” he said.

“I’m learning to take better pictures, but it’s something I’m going to stick with no matter what.”

The blog, which had its first post on Sept. 21 of this year, has nearly 4,000 views.

“I’m starting to hear people talk about it,” he said. “Originally, my roommates thought it was creepy, and they had no faith in it, but I got some business cards and starting leaving them in random places. Friends tell friends and [its popularity] went from there.”

“People are starting to come up to me and recognize me,” Lee said.

When he started The Sartorial-

Demonstration in O’Neill Plaza sheds light on food inequalities

By Andrew Schweiger

“I want people to reflect about their access to food because not everybody has that” -Zachary Desmond, Creator of the 40-Hour Famine and A&S ’12 The 40-Hour Famine is designed to raise students’ awareness to food shortages and inequalities around the world. Starting at 12:01 a.m. on Wednesday, participants in the 40-Hour Famine began their fast that will eventually conclude at 4:01 p.m. today with a final prayer and reflection. During

ist of Boston College, he said didn’t know how it would take off.

“I was hoping it would be [successful], but I wasn’t sure what to expect. I just followed through and did it,” he said. “My goal for it is to be a staple at BC, for people to want to be in it—I think it has that potential.”

Lee tries to post updates almost everyday.

“I try to take at least one a day, but sometimes if I won’t if I have a test,” he said. n

-Racist costumes: The group from Ohio University has commented on the inappropriateness of dressing as a geisha, terrorist, or gangster.

College students are not the only ones at fault, though, as Phoenix Coyote’s left-winger Raffi Torres was photographed in blackface on Halloween night.

-Classist costumes: There is a difference between dressing up as a disgruntled Wall Street occupant and a homeless person. Wearing a fake, dirty beard and carrying an empty bottle of alcohol can promote untrue stereotypes.

-Costumes that reference atrocities: Prince Harry’s infamous Nazi Halloween costume was a mistake he still hasn’t lived down. There is no humor in bringing up tragic events.

-Costumes that mock the recently deceased: Soon after Steve Jobs died, many people believed they had their costume figured out. The same occurred with Billy Mays and Steve Irwin. Too soon.

-Andrew Millette FAIR TRADE COFFEE: Fair Trade Coffee has placed its stamp upon the coffee bean industry as a result of its unique production guidelines. Its beans don’t necessarily taste better, but they are marketed as “made better.” Despite accusations of misrepresentation, Fair Trade has only helped companies spread the awareness of labor treatment, worker conditions, and environmental responsibility.

Starbucks prides itself as a major supplier of Fair Trade Coffee, advertising, “We have always worked to buy our coffee in a way that respects the people and places that produce it.” In 2000, they began selling Fair Trade products, and are now the largest buyer of Certified Fair Trade coffee in North America—representing 10 percent of the total market.

Dean’s Beans Coffee is also part of Fair Trade. The company is quite insistent on promoting itself as not only satisfying Fair Trade standards, but also selling only organic coffee. On many occasions the company has taken a stab at some larger coffee firms, claiming that they spend much more money on advertising than on actual purchases of Fair Trade coffee.

Green Mountain Coffee Roasters, popular for its Keurig “KCups,” also cites Fair Trade Coffee as an enhancement of corporate social responsibility. After adopting Fair Trade products in 2002, Green Mountain compounded its efforts as it introduced an all-natural paper hot beverage cup in 2006.

-Marc Francis n

Allston-Brighton Crime Reports 10/17/11 – 10/23/11

Underage female cited for carrying can of Coors Light On Oct. 22, at approximately 12:39 a.m., officers responded to a call regarding a large party in Allston. Upon arrival, officers observed approximately 150 people fleeing from the rear of the residence. When investigating the party, one of the officers observed a female who appeared to be under the legal drinking age, carrying a Coors Light beer can. When asked for identification, the suspect produced an ID that indicated that she was 18. Officers identified her address and issued a City Ordinance Violation.

For The Heights

Erected late last night, dozens of white trash bags filled with thrown away cardboard, old paper products, and used plastic bottles hung conspicuously from a well-engineered wooden frame.

Students walking through O’Neill Plaza could not help but notice the unusual scene. Most students glanced only momentarily at the strange contraption, a brief flash of bemusement crosses their face as they hurried to class.

Zachary Desmond, A&S ’12, the creator of the 40-Hour Famine and the reason why there are trash bags hanging in O’Neill Plaza, watches from his table as dozens of students walk by, eager to promote the 40-Hour Famine and explain the significance behind the hanging trash bags.

“I find that public demonstrations, when inviting and not alienating, can be something that sticks with a person even if they are just passing through…to imagine what it feels like to not know where your next meal is coming from is a big deal,” he said. “I want people to reflect about their access to food because not everybody has that.”

Consider

This...

Assoc. News Editor

Property manager reports discovery of revolver in trash can At approximately 9:30 a.m. on Monday, Oct. 17, officers responded to a call from a property manager of a condo on Beacon Street in Brighton. The officers, upon arrival, spoke with the caller who informed them that his maintenance crew found a revolver in the middle lobby of the complex.

They had discovered the weapon, which had been found wrapped in a plastic bag, inside a box, and placed next to a trash can, on the previous Friday. No ammunition was found in the weapon.

Victim reports breaking and entering on Chestnut Hill Ave. During a normal patrol on Oct. 21, at approximately 8 p.m., officers responded to a call regarding breaking and entering at a home on Chestnut Hill Ave. in Brighton. The victim told officers that they arrived home and found that a variety of items had been stolen from the residence. Among the items stolen were a Kate Spade wallet, a working visa, a Dell laptop computer, multiple credit cards, a Coach purse, a Panasonic camera, and a cell phone. Further investigation by the officers revealed a trash can that had been overturned and smudges on the rear window sill, which appeared to be the point of entry.

Victim’s neighbor witnesses theft of television alexander gaynor / heights staff

Students observing the 40-Hour Famine display in O’Neill Plaza (above). those 40 hours, events and activities aimed at engaging the Boston College community, including a key-note speech from Rev. Mario Cisneros Mendoza, S.J., LGSOE ’12, are scheduled to take place.

Dave Cronin, A&S ’12, was inspired to participate in the 40-Hour Famine as an act of solidarity with the ongoing famine in the Horn of Africa and all who go hungry around the world. One final meal and 17 hours later, Cronin is well aware of the nagging discomfort emanating from within his stomach due to lack of food.

“I entered into a 300-person class today and we had a guest lecturer who brought cookies and drinks for everybody,” he said. “That was difficult, watching 300 people sitting around eating cookies and brownies while I was sitting there hungry. I was walking through the dining hall to meet up with a friend earlier today and just watching everyone eat food and then noticing how much was left over that people were throwing out … I wonder what someone would say from the Horn of Africa if they came here for one day and watched how we ate and

what we do with our excess food.”

Desmond stresses that the fasting is not meant to be a harmful exercise for participants. Each participant is encouraged above all to take care of themselves and to be wary of pushing their bodies too far.

“The emphasis is going to be on understanding and embodying what hunger feels like as opposed to having an intellectual grasp of how many people are hungry,” Desmond said.

In O’Neill Plaza students have added to the overall effect by writing out in chalk statistics and information about food inequalities faced by other communities around the globe, while others have added the names of students who have pledged to participate onto overturned trash cans. Students stopped by Desmond’s table, questioning him about the 40-Hour Famine and what they could do to help.

“I want people through the fasting and creation of art to recognize that our actions here have enormous effects on the lives of others outside this community,” Desmond said. n

A victim, on Oct. 16, at approximately 6:30 p.m., entered the Brighton police station to report that an unknown suspect had entered his home and had stolen his television. The victim told police that at some time between 6:30 p.m. and 7 p.m. that day, the victim’s neighbor said that they observed an Asian female leave with the television in a taxi cab but did not call the police.

Victim reports two years of harassment by suspect On Oct. 19, at 3:20 p.m., a victim walked into the Brighton police station to report harassment. She stated that the suspect walked into the middle of the entrance to her apartment building and kept screaming “snitches get stitches, lay down in ditches,” along with another suspect. About a week prior to the report, the suspect tried to get into a physical altercation with the victim. The victim told officers that she had placed a harassment order against the suspect, but that his harassment hadn’t stopped and it had gotten to the point where she could not walk to work without being harassed. She said that she was constantly called racial slurs and offensive names and that after two years of harassment, she was sick of it.

Victim mugged, kicked, and punched by unknown suspects Around 7:30 p.m. on Oct. 23 in Allston an officer responded to a call about a victim who had been jumped. The victim stated he had been pushed down from behind and then punched and kicked.

The man demanded money from the victim until a cab pulled up next to them. The victim was not able to identify the suspects.

Victims’ laptops stolen after breaking and entering Around 5:40 p.m. on Oct. 18 in Allston, an officer responded to a call regarding breaking and entering into an apartment. The victims stated that their front door and bedroom doors had been pried open and two computers were stolen. The victims also stated they heard someone trying to break in around 4:00 a.m.

- Courtesy of the Boston Police Department, District 14 Gathered by David O’Donaghue and Adriana Mariella, Assoc. News Editor

The Heights

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Thursday, November 10, 2011

Obama moves to accelerate ALC and GLC come together with ‘Pay as You Earn’ loan reform UGBC to create four branches

By Tanner Edwards Heights Staff

In an address at the University of Colorado-Denver two weeks ago, President Barack Obama announced a plan to accelerate the Income Based Repayment (IBR) Consolidation Loan Program known as “Pay as You Earn” for student borrowers. The president aims to enact the legislation by sometime next year, two years before the measure’s original 2014 implementation date.

The initiative Obama is attempting to accelerate includes a slate of reforms to the student loan process. Prominent measures include allowing college graduates to cap federal student loan repayments at 10 percent of discretionary spending and the forgiving of all federal student loans after 20 years, five years earlier than is currently allowed by the government.

Other aspects of the program include an initiative to consolidate federal student loans and reduce the interest rates imposed upon

them, as well as the promotion of a “Know Before You Owe” model financial aid disclosure form that, when distributed by universities, will help students compare financial aid packages and institutional costs more easily.

Bernard Pekala, director of student financial strategies at Boston

The president aims to enact the legislation by sometime next year, two years before the original implementation date.

College, discussed the impact of the accelerated reform on BC students engaged in federal loan programs.

“Students with federal loan debt should consider the IBR (Income Based Repayment) program as one of their options,” Pekala said.

In evaluating the reforms, Pekala alluded to the obstacles blocking the acceleration of the changes, including a bureaucratic process

known as “Negotiated Rulemaking,” according to the United States Department of Education. Such a process might alter the proposals and effectiveness of the reform, according to Pekala.

“The proposed changes could increase the attractiveness of the IBR program, but we will have better information after the Negotiated Rulemaking,” he said.

In spite of his optimism, Pekala urged students to consider all their choices in addressing federal student loan debt, and emphasized caution before signing on to the new IBR program.

“Depending on the amount and types of federal loans, the IBR may not provide the (students’) best option for a repayment schedule,” he said.

Pekala urged BC students questioning aspects of the reform, especially the consolidation of federal student loans, to contact Student Services and its Student Loan team to help analyze the new measures relative to their personal loan packages. n

Equal, from A1 with programs and policies, and we want to affect the largest amount of change by working together.”

Though nothing is finalized yet, the UGBC will be incorporating ALC and GLC into their constitution next semester. “We want to incorporate them appropriately, as we don’t want them to lose the voice they’ve gained,” Kitlas said. “We want to make sure everything’s in check.”

According to Kitlas, the ALC and GLC have been very receptive to this change, as a collaboration between the branches will allow them to reach out to students as one organization working together.

ALC and GLC leaders agree with this sentiment. “I am actually very excited for this change,” said Joshua Tingley, vice president of the GLC and A&S ’13.

“GLC has worked hard to get to this point. Until now we have been on the fringe of UGBC, and

by becoming a branch we believe we will be able to become a much more prominent part of the organization and in turn continue the progress we have made on

“This is definitely a positive change. The campus is kind of fragmented, and the UGBC was fragmented as well. Now we’ll have a more united student voice, rather than being separate ‘communities.’”

—Alicia Martinez, Vice President of the ALC and A&S ’12 this campus for GLBTQ students and Allies.

“We will continue to maintain our ability to do what we do now, while also becoming a more

contributing member of UGBC,” he said.

“This is definitely a positive change,” said Alicia Martinez, vice president of ALC and A&S ’12. “ The campus is kind of fragmented, and the UGBC was fragmented as well. Now we’ll have a more united student voice, rather than being separate ‘communities.’

“We’ll now work as a more cohesive unit and be able to share the same perspective, in addition to sharing space and resources,” she said.

Gururaj Shan, president of ALC and A&S ’12, said, “Issues that ALC and GLC work on are really BC issues – they’re not separate. All students can benefit from the additional perspective.

“We don’t want to lose what we’ve gained over the past 15 years, though,” Shan said. “But, bringing ALC into the UGBC will strengthen the overall government. This change emulates the behavior we want to see on campus.” n

Campus School celebrates its students and volunteers at Spirit Day Campus School, from A1 school with services that they wouldn’t otherwise be able to have.”

The Campus School Volunteers was established in 1996 as an official undergraduate club. The volunteers focus on fundraising, student interaction, and advocacy of the Campus School. Many

volunteers are paired up with a student of the Campus School. For one hour a week, volunteer classroom buddies, literacy buddies, and eagle-eye buddies meet with a student. Over time, the volunteers develop lasting bonds with their buddies.

“The buddies hang out with one student [of the Campus School] for four

years,” Koslow said. “People are absolutely bawling when they graduate. Many students come back to visit their buddies.”

Along with student interaction, the CSVBC works annually to raise money for the Campus School. This year, the CSVBC presented a check for an astounding $110,000 to Don Ricciato, director of the Campus School. The money was raised through a culmination of several fundraising projects last year. Some of the projects included a golf outing, the Campus School marathon team, and all proceeds from the BC Dance Ensemble’s shows.

“We are really working hard to maintain the excellence that we’ve accomplished over the last several years,” Schofield said.

The first check presented by the CSVBC was around $1,000. With hard work

and continued advocacy, the CSVBC has been able to raise over $100,000 for the Campus School over the last six years.

“We are really working hard to maintain the excellence that we’ve accomplished over the last several years.

—Sean Schofield, Campus School Volunteers Coordinator “Spirit Day is when we present the check for the money the volunteers raised in the school,” Koslow said. “But the whole reason its Spirit Day is because we

invite the athletic teams here to interact with the kids. The marching band comes and the kids get to play with the instruments … The kids absolutely love it.”

The Campus School children took pictures with some of the members of the BC football team, soccer team, track team, and hockey team. BC cheerleaders waved pom-poms with the children and Baldwin paraded through the crowd.

Later in the afternoon, the children and volunteers sang along to the BC marching band as the band performed the fight song. When the Campus School Volunteer officers presented the check to Dan Ricciato, volunteers, family members, and students broke into applause.

“The money raised is a wonderful tribute to what students can accomplish when they put their hearts and souls into a project,” Ricciato said. n

graham beck / heights staff graham beck / heights staff

The Campus School Volunteers (above) presented a check for $110,000 to Don Ricciato, director of the Campus School, at Spirit Day.

Athletes in blackface spur dialogue on race, ethnicity Halloween, from A1 at a recent meeting of the Vice President Advisory Committee.

Kitlas, who was present at the meeting, said, “Because the students were on an athletic team and they have close ties to the University, the issue was pushed to the forefront.”

The two student-athletes have not yet been identified.

Though Kitlas said the student athletes were not trying to be offensive, he said, “The deeper cultural ties with costumes do tend to get lost.”

The committee, which advises Patrick Rombalski, vice president of student affairs, looks to be more proactive next year.

“In the past, we have put on small events,” said Gururaj Shan, president of the ALC and A&S ’12. “At [the committee meeting], though, Dr. Rombalski suggested we do a pre-Halloween event next year. He said it should come from the students, not from the administration.”

With the Ohio University campaign

in mind, Martinez said, “We’ve talked about it on an individual basis, but we’ve never done an actual campaign through ALC.” “Education is a big part of solving the problem,” she said. “A lot has been accomplished in the past few years with getting the campus engaged in conversation. Conversations are happening with administrators, as well as students, but students still need to step outside their comfort level.”

“I think overall, our student body generally understands the norms of society and political correctness, especially in public settings,” Shan said. “In private settings it’s different, though, we kind of divide up. We divide into groups based on similarities, and these groups aren’t integrated. And this goes beyond racial lines – also socioeconomic and geographical divides.”

“It’s important to have a proactive education aspect,” Kitlas said. “Students need to think of the deeper implications, and it’s definitely something UGBC as a whole is really pushing this year.” n

photo courtesy of the VPSA OFFICE

The Heights

Thursday, November 10, 2011

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University strives to make educated decisions when purchasing coffee Dean’s Beans, from A1 additional precautions to ensure the cups of Joe served on campus reflect the University’s commitment to social justice and quality food products.

While most of the coffee Dining Services sells is Fair Trade certified, its suppliers go beyond providing fair wages for coffee growers and pickers.

Suppliers of many food products to BC, not just coffee, are vetted for quality and alignment with the University’s mission throughout their supply chain.

“It is not always about Fair Trade or organic or local,” Wechsler said. “It is about what meets the expectations of consumers, both in quality and the way it was produced. That said, I would never say Fair Trade isn’t worth it.”

BC’s vetting of coffee suppliers for alignment with student desires and University mission has resulted in three suppliers for students’ cups of Joe: Equal Exchange, Dean’s Beans, and Peet’s Coffee.

Each roaster has its own unique commitment to its product and the producer.

Equal Exchange and Dean’s Beans sold on campus are both Fair Trade certified. Dean’s Beans only purchase beans from small farmers and cooperatives

and returns a portion of their profits from the communities from which the coffee beans they purchase originate in addition to their Fair Trade commitment. Equal Exchange also purchases its beans from organized small farmer cooperatives. Peet’s Coffee offers Fair Trade blends, though not all products are Fair Trade certified. Some of the non-Fair Trade certified blends at BC, however, respond to other social justice issues.

Wechsler noted Peet’s Uzuri African Blend features coffee from the producers of Rwanda Lake Kivu and Tanzania Peaberry. The blend is a result of the company’s partnership with Technoserve and farmers who did not originally meet Peet’s quality standards. A portion of the profits from the blend are returned to the region to improve farmer incomes and improve quality.

For Wechsler, the choice of one’s coffee provider involves numerous factors for consideration, some of which go beyond just the Fair Trade certification.

“Labels are easy to buy into, but they can be deceiving,” Wechsler said. “There is always more to learn. Purchasing decisions for conscious consumers are never simple. They are always filled with a number of considerations. The same applies to BC.” n

creative commons

Dean Cycon (above) is the founder of Dean’s Beans coffee, one of Boston College’s Fair Trade Coffee options, decided upon by Dining Services.

Falling Whistles to come to BC campus

By Elise Taylor Heights Editor

daniel lee / heights staff

Freshmen in Hardey-Cushing (above) participate in a Pathways program in September. The Pathways initiative will continue as a pilot for another year.

Pathways initiative to be tested for another year Pathways, from A1 Hardey and Cushing, and also how we can use that to change our program philosophy,” said Christopher Darcy, associate director of Residential Life.

Pathways program manager Catherine-Mary Rivera echoed Darcy’s sentiments.

“We are creating multiple tools to get different perspectives,” she said. “We’re doing a combination of focus groups, which are small group question and answer groups, as well as observations—taking as much note and detail as we can.”

Rivera also described the importance of “quicktime assessments,” where RAs and staff get feedback from residents immediately after events.

The Office of Residential Life is also working with Campus Labs, an external company that Rivera described as “experts in the assessment field” who are helping the program managers analyze the success of the program.

The implementation of the program has not been without difficulty, however. Administrators

pointed out that there has been a learning curve associated with the program’s development, even with several years of planning. Darcy and Elizabeth Teurlay, Hardey-Cushing’s resident director, recently met with RAs to discuss both the challenges and the successes the program has seen over its two months of existence.

“I think we’re learning a tremendous amount,” Darcy said. “I would say right now that the RAs who are on the ground, day in and day out, gave us some fabulous feedback on things that they would like to see us make some adjustments to.”

Specifically, RAs pointed out the challenges in having what Darcy called, “a presence in the building.” Originally, RAs in the Pathways Initiative would be available in their rooms at specific times throughout the day, similar to the office hours of a professor. However, Darcy said that typically residents have been telling their RAs when they were available, rather than the other way around.

Teurlay said that the program has gained positive feedback from residents.

“Some of the comments that are starting to float up to my office are that residents feel bad that other students don’t have the same opportunities for weekly programs,” Teurlay said. “That’s really positive feedback as we’re starting to see the differences.”

Though the Office of Residential Life has been planning Pathways for some time, Darcy emphasized that the program would still need to be fine-tuned.

“We’re trying to look at the goals of the program, to see if they’re attainable and if they’re what’s necessary for our first year students,” Darcy said. “It’s important that we look at the program in a variety of different ways.”

The program was planned as a one year pilot in Hardey-Cushing that would lead to an eventual roll out in all freshmen residence halls. However, due to the program’s development, Darcy said the pilot would be extended to two years.

“We’re going to keep learning, keep making a difference, and be open,” Darcy said. n

The nonprofit organization Falling Whistles is coming to Boston College to speak in Cushing 001 next Thursday at 7 p.m.

Based out of California, Falling Whistles’ goal is to bring peace to the Democratic Republic of the Congo, a war torn country that has been undergoing civil strife since it gained its independence in 1960.

In the past decade, the violence in the country has escalated severely and spiraled out of control. According to the British Broadcasting Company (BBC), the Democratic Republic of Congo “has been the centre of what could be termed as Africa’s World War.” According to the Falling Whistles’ website, over six million people have died in the past 10 years and about 1,500 people lose their lives daily.

The main focus of Falling Whistles is rehabilitating the war-afflicted children in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. In 2008, the founders of the charity found themselves talking to child soldiers who had escaped imprisonment during a trip to Africa.

After learning their story, they decided to make it their mission to stop the abuse of children in the Congo. By working with local community leaders and organizations, Fallen Whistles regenerates these afflicted children through education, art, sports, music, human rights education, vocational skills training, medical treatment, and nutritional services. In the end, they hope that these children will grow up to be “whistleblowers” in their own community.

Next week’s presentation will feature a video presentation as well as the introduction of an iPhone app that allows users to

take a picture of their face, which is then automatically sent to Congress as a virtual signing of the petition for peace in the Congo.

There will also be a speaker from the Congo with first-hand experience of the crisis. Merchandise, including their signature item, whistles, will also be sold.

Carolina del Busto, A&S ’13, is the main coordinator for the event. After seeing a presentation by Falling Whistles, she was inspired to help spread the word about the organization. When she heard that they were planning a national tour, she got in contact with the coordinator.

“It was such a moving presentation that I got involved in the sense that I don a sticker of the whistle on my computer and when someone sees it, we start a conversation about the organization and by doing so, I help spread the word,” she said. “I also have a friend who interned at their L.A. office during the summer, and she let me know when the tour leaders were planning the upcoming tour, so I got in contact with the coordinator and we set the whole thing up.”

Carolina said she believes that this is a very promising and educational event. She also said she hopes that this will bring an awareness of the situation in the Congo and help inspire change.

“It is important for students to be aware of things that are going on all over the world, and to know that they can make a difference.

Either by getting a friend interested in Falling Whistles, buying a whistle, or signing a petition, there is so much that we can do to get involved,” she said. “It may sound silly, but I always believe that organizations like Falling Whistles aim to save the world one step at a time. Who wouldn’t want to be a part of saving the world?” n

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The Heights

Editorials

QUOTE OF THE WEEK

Equality for campus groups starts with unity The move to make the ALC and GLC equal parts of the UGBC is one that will allow for more open and equitable discussions The AHANA Leadership Council (ALC) and the GLBTQ Leadership Council (GLC) were created with the aim of offering a voice for students who were traditionally underrepresented at Boston College. The struc-

As the ultimate aim of these groups is unity, The Heights feels that the decision to incorporate them fully as equal parts of the UGBC, instead of as semi-autonomous branches, is a brilliant one. ture of these organizations serve as the means through which students fitting these demographics can champion change in the BC community.

They seek to eradicate roadblocks

Thursday, November 10, 2011

“I once had a sparrow alight upon my shoulder for a moment, while I was hoeing in a village garden, and I felt that I was more distinguished by that circumstance that I should have been by any epaulet I could have worn.”

Henry David Thoreau, (born David Henry Thoreau; 1817 – 1862), American author

to the BC experience based on race, culture, or sexual orientation.

As the ultimate aim of these groups is unity, The Heights feels that the decision to incorporate them fully as equal parts of the UGBC, instead of as semi-autonomous branches, is brilliant. It will not only help them achieve their endeavors more efficiently, but it also underscores the integrity of their fundamental missions. When the change occurs, the organizations will have an equal voice in discussions regarding campus issues as do the UGBC Executive Cabinet and the UGBC Senate.

To have each of these groups, which have traditionally supported different aims and whose membership is representative of differing facets of the BC community, engaging one another in conversation and debate is a benefit for the larger population. It guarantees that perspectives spanning the spectrum of the undergraduate student body are being accounted for.

Hopefully, this change will mark the first step in the journey toward equality and true unity on campus for which the past and present leaders of these organizations have striven for years.

Pathways to success are not always paved with ease The pilot residential program is not without its issues, but it is representative of dedication toward the student experience In an effort to improve freshman housing at Boston College, the Office of Residential Life has been developing a new initiative, known as the Pathways Program, to change the way residents and Resident Assistants (RAs) interact by creating small floor communities.

The Pathways Program is in its pilot year in Hardey-Cushing Hall and has not had a flawless start. RAs have found it difficult to manage the increased demands on their time and some residents have been slow to respond to the program. When making such a large-scale change, challenges are inevitable. In an effort to resolve these issues, ResLife has used a variety of methods, including small focus

groups, to collect feedback from RAs and residents alike. The fact that ResLife has taken the effort to listen to the RAs and students who are directly involved in the program should be applauded.

While the large amount of research and effort put into the program before its inception gave ResLife a comprehensive blueprint for the initiative, the experience they have had over the past two months has shown them many things they could change and improve.

With the best interest of the students in mind, and a flexible attitude that is accepting of possible changes, ResLife has created an initiative whose early beginnings have been successful.

Take care to consider before consuming The vast amount of coffee choices on campus make it easy to be a conscious consumer and effect change With the recent discussion about the efficiency of the fair trade coffee process, The Heights urges Boston College students to take a closer look at labels they are

Inquire into the coffee choice you make, because your money and your taste have the capacity to contribute to significant global change. drinking.

Currently, there are four coffee brands available on campus; Dean’s Beans, Peet’s Coffee, Green Mountain, and Equal Ex-

change. All of them have been chosen carefully by the school because of their unique commitment to quality, whether it is their fair trade commitment, their organic nature, or both. When you buy a cup of coffee, you affect those people in countries as far away as Tanzania as well as those in our own Native American reservations. It all depends on what label you choose.

As consumers, we should all strive to be educated about the products we are buying. The Heights asks BC students to inquire into the coffee choices they make, because your money and your taste have the capacity to contribute to a significant global change. Take the time to look at your choices, and pick a brand that aligns with your personal beliefs. Know where your money is going as well as what it is supporting. It is our duty as consumers to be responsible and well-informed about our purchases.

The Heights The Independent Student Newspaper of Boston College Established 1919 Michael Caprio, Editor-in-Chief Daniel Ottaunick, General Manager DJ Adams, Managing Editor

Mary Kate McAdams / Heights Illustration

Letters to the Editor What will become of Maloney Hall space I am writing in response to your recent coverage of space on the second floor of Maloney Hall.

This space, formerly utilized by Registered Student Organizations in general and performing arts groups specifically, was rarely used by these groups except for storage space. The space was repurposed this fall for the Alcohol and Drug Education BASICS Program and student exams.

As of mid-month, students participating in the BASICS program, and students working in conjunction with Disability Services in the Dean’s Office will be the primary users of this space. The newly configured space represents a relative-

ly small footprint including two small offices (approx. 97 square feet each) and a waiting/storage area (approx. 195 square feet). The BASICS program is moving from a location in McElroy that will now be used by the Volunteer and Service Learning Center for their programs.

Open space for students remains a pressing need on our campus and is a top priority for University administration.

In the past year, the University has repurposed or renewed over 17,000 square feet of additional open space for students in the form of the Vanderslice Cabaret Room, lounge space in residence

M ark M iceli Associate Director, Student Programs Office

Too far right to see the forest for the trees In response to “Washington The Deepest Root of Problems,” by Michael Allen: You make a lot of bold claims, but you cite no sources. Besides some far flung right wing propaganda originating on Fox News, what substantive evidence do you have that HUD policies are the predominant cause of the late 2000s financial crisis and not predatory, subprime lend-

ing, eight years of a progressively deregulated financial sector, or outright fraudulent practices by megacorporations like Citi or AIG? The notion that barely two years of pseudo-Keynesian economics damaged our economy is insane considering the consequences of the eight years of laissez-faire policies that dominated the United States markets before that. Furthermore, the argument that taxing rich business owners

will further hurt our economy is preposterous. The tax rate on the highest tax bracket was at least 80 percent for more than twenty years during America’s arguably most prosperous period.

I’m a longtime Heights reader and this is easily the worst piece I’ve ever read.

A nonymous

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Business and Operations

Editorial Clara Kim, Copy Editor Taylour Kumpf, News Editor Paul Sulzer, Sports Editor Kristopher Robinson, Features Editor Darren Ranck, Arts & Review Editor David Cote, Marketplace Editor Ana Lopez, Opinions Editor Dan Tonkovich, Special Projects Editor Alex Trautwig, Photo Editor Lindsay Grossman, Layout Editor

halls, and open space for latenight studying in Hillside Cafe and the Chocolate Bar. Later in this semester, the basement of Trinity Chapel on the Newton Campus will also open as a renovated lounge/study space.

The Student Programs Office and the Division of Student Affairs look forward to its ongoing collaboration with all interested students and the UGBC to creatively address this issue and to continue to expand available open space for students.

Mollie Kolosky, Graphics Editor David Riemer, Online Manager Therese Tully, Assoc. Copy Editor Katherine Doyle, Asst. Copy Editor Adriana Mariella, Assoc. News Editor Molly LaPoint, Asst. News Editor Greg Joyce, Assoc. Sports Editor Chris Marino, Asst. Sports Editor Brooke Schneider, Asst. Features Editor Brennan Carley, Assoc. Arts & Review Editor

Charlotte Parish, Asst. Arts & Review Editor Matt Palazzolo, Asst. Marketplace Editor Kevin Hou, Asst. Photo Editor Woogeon Kim, Asst. Layout Editor Alex Manta, Asst. Graphics Editor Dara Fang, Asst. Online Manager Elise Taylor, Editorial Assistant Katherine McClurg, Executive Assistant

Jamie Ciocon, Business Manager Christina Quinn, Advertising Manager Zachary Halpern, Outreach Coordinator Cecilia Provvedini, Systems Manager James Gu, Local Sales Manager Amy Hachigan, Asst. Ads Manager Seth Fitchelberg, Business Assistant

The Heights

Thursday, November 10, 2011

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Opinions

The embarrassing candidate

Thumbs Up Registration – It’s the most wonderful time of the semester. Beginning Friday morning, the Class of 2012 will register for the very last time, hopefully snagging a spot in those coveted electives that fill up faster than a Mod with strobe lights on Halloween. The remainder of the undergraduate population will electronically duke it out to get into not only the classes they want, but actually need (economics majors understand this plight). If you find yourself stuck in Calculus II at 8 a.m. on MWF, never fear—drop/add is the second best time of the semester.

Pumpkin Season – It’s truly amazing how many food items are made to taste precisely like pumpkin pie in the time frame spanning from Oct. 1 to the close of November. No longer do you need a fork or even a crust to delight in pumpkin-y goodness; you can drink it, slurp it through a straw, or eat it frozen from a cup. Two mediums that deserve particular mention: pumpkin spice lattes from Hillside and the Chocolate Bar and pumpkin frozen yogurt from Pinkberry.

Thumbs Down I Want You Back – The mysterious death of Michael Jackson, the late King of Pop whose passing shook the world two summers ago, has finally been resolved. Dr. Conrad Murray, in whom Jackson placed a great deal of faith, has been charged with involuntary manslaughter. Some, including MJ’s family, call it justice, while others claim the verdict to be unfair. The vast majority of fans just refer to it as a tragedy, and no amount of jail time for Murray could ever equal what Jackson could have created culturally if he were still alive.

More Pain for Cain – With new polls showing Obama still skating by ahead of his Republican opponents, it’s not a good week for any Republican presidential candidate—but Herman Cain is at a new low.

With women coming out of the woodwork like a jaded clown car accusing him of sexual assault, gone are the days of debating his 9-9-9 Plan, replaced by analyses of how he’s spinning the charges. As author Douglas Adams once said, “Anyone who is capable of getting themselves made president should on no account be allowed to do the job.”

You Stay Classy, BC – Ten points for anyone classy enough to head to Shaw’s and reserve a corsage for their homecoming date tomorrow— that’s one high school relic that never gets old. What does get old is having to provide your own transportation to and from the dance at the Sheraton and then inevitably watching your football team lose the next morning during the last home game of the season.

Here’s to hoping we’re proven wrong.

Shifty Seating – “You can’t sit with us,” has hit a new, literal low when it comes to Notre Dame football game tickets.

Those planning to attend the game in what we hear is the only happening place in South Bend have to coordinate picking up tickets at the same time as all of their seatmates if they wish to sit together. While we’re sure that this rule will easily evaded on game day, who really wants to risk it with the Fighting Irish—this is all they have. @BCTUTD

Janine Hanrahan According to the latest polls, Herman Cain is a front-runner for the Republican presidential nomination. Although Cain has an impressive record in the private sector and has what some would consider a compelling personality, the fact that he is doing so well is disturbing if one looks at his campaign with some scrutiny.

First, Cain’s economic plan is nothing more than an insane gimmick. Cain claims that his 9-9-9 Plan, which would impose a 9 percent individual income tax, a 9 percent national sales tax, and a 9 percent corporate income tax, while eliminating estate, gift, and capital gains taxes is fair and revenue neutral.

Yet an independent analysis of the plan by the Tax Policy Center found that on average households with incomes below $30,000 would have their after-tax incomes reduced between 16 percent and 20 percent while households making more than $200,000 would see their aftertax incomes increase between 5 percent and 22 percent. One does not have to be an Occupy Wall Street sympathizer to find this plan absolutely ridiculous at a time when poverty is surging.

Second, Cain has proven himself to be woefully ignorant. In one of his more recent gaffes, Cain said that China is “trying to develop nuclear capability.” News flash: China conducted its first nuclear weapons test in 1964 and is estimated to have 240 nuclear warheads. Earlier in the campaign, when asked how he would deal with “gotcha” questions, Cain said, “When they ask me, ‘Who is the presi-

dent of Ubeki-beki-beki-beki-stan-stan?’

I’m going to say, ‘I don’t know? Do you know?’ And then I’m going to say, ‘How’s that going to create one job?’” Even at a time of economic crisis, the president must do a lot more than create jobs, a fact that seems lost on Herman Cain.

While these issues alone are enough to give one pause, they are minor in comparison to the sexual harassment imbroglio surrounding Cain. Reports reveal that during the 1990s, two women received financial payouts from the National Restaurant Association after alleging that then-CEO Herman Cain had sexually harassed them. One woman said that Cain persistently propositioned her during work events and that after

complaining about it, the work environment became hostile. She subsequently negotiated a $35,000 severance packaged. The other woman, who received a $45,000 settlement, said through her lawyer that she was the victim of “a series of inappropriate behaviors and unwanted advances.” Two other women have made similar accusations.

In response to the allegations, Cain has put forth a variety of contradictory explanations. First, he denied the allegations and said that he had no knowledge of the financial settlements.

He also suggested that the women did not understand his sense of humor. Then he

acknowledged that financial payouts had occurred, but said that they were “agreements” not settlements. Next, he blamed the Perry campaign for leaking the story.

Now, a campaign ad says that he is the victim of a “high-tech lynching.” The ad compares Cain to Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas, who was accused of sexual harassment during his Senate confirmation hearing, and warns, “Don’t let the LEFT do it again.”

Cain would have the American people believe that the allegations against him are the product of liberal fantasy and racism—an explanation that is convenient but patently ridiculous. Not only were allegations made by three separate women, they have also been confirmed by various people. This fact, coupled with Cain’s inability to coherently explain what happened, lends credence to the women’s stories. People want to know if a candidate for office has a habit of sexually harassing women.

Whether that person is black, white, liberal, or conservative does not matter—sex sells (see Hart, Gary and Clinton, Bill). For Cain to play racial politics with this issue is pathetic.

In light of all of this, the fact that Cain continues to be taken seriously

by Republican voters is an embarrassment to the party. Cain’s economic plan is weak and overly simplistic, he is smugly ignorant of foreign policy, and his character is decidedly lacking. Even if Cain did not sexually harass anyone (which I highly doubt), his smear campaign against the women is reprehensible, as is his attempt to blame racism. Ultimately, he is unqualified, unserious, and at times unhinged. Republicans will make a mockery of themselves and the presidency if they nominate Cain.

Janine Hanrahan is a staff columnist for The Heights. She welcomes comments at opinions@bcheights.com.

Dreams money can buy

CJ Gustafson Recently, a columnist for The New York Times pointed out that with the $10 million Kim Kardashian spent on her wedding, the television reruns of which will rack up more hours than the actual hours the marriage lasted, she could have sent 40,000 underprivileged kids to school for a year in a third world country.

When I first read that I thought, “Wow, Kim. Real considerate of you.

While you party like it’s 1969, and denigrate the institution of marriage, there are millions of kids who can’t even read. Those kids wouldn’t even know you are wasting your money because they couldn’t read the article that talked about you wasting your money. Get your financial priorities in order.” But after some deliberation and Google research on Kim K., I decided that this was altogether a wild comparison. Sure, many, including myself, see the wedding as an exorbitant waste of money. But should the true value of all monetary transactions be held in comparison to some alternate use that would potentially change the world for the better? Right now I’m drinking an iced coffee, the money of which I could have donated to National Public Radio.

I probably didn’t need the coffee. I’ve consumed like six caffeinated beverages today. Besides my heart hating me, does that make me a bad person?

I began to mull over if money is the best way to instill change in the world. I

don’t have as thick of pockets as Kim (nor do I carry a pocketbook). But it does feel good to know that one’s money has made a change. As a college student, many times you can give your time, or winter break up for a service trip, but don’t have the bank account to write a big check.

Nicholas D. Kristoff, the aforementioned writer for The New York Times, paralleled the gift giving of libraries over the years

by Andrew Carnegie and John Wood. You probably know of Carnegie, a business magnate and philanthropist steel tycoon.

John Wood is a relatively unknown and average man who decided to leave his day job at Microsoft in 1998 to establish Room To Read. This organization has set up over 12,000 libraries in impoverished regions all over the world, leading a battle to fight illiteracy. He did all this without a major philanthropic backing.

The libraries built by Room To Read pale in comparison to the size and resources of Carnegie’s libraries, but there now exist nearly five times as many and the numbers are growing. In addition, they are located in regions where most in a business suit would scoff at trekking to. In an era of Wall Street bailouts and greedy executives, the negative results of capitalism are screamed in news headlines. But money can still do a lot of good.

The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, dedicated to education, healthcare, and ending poverty, has an endowment of $37.1 billion. Besides Gates, the most notable donator to this foundation is Warren Buffett. As a result of incredibly successful business careers, people such as Carnegie, Gates, and Buffett have been able to literally share the wealth with those less fortunate. By taking advantage of the capitalist world they live in, they became rich and helped others. American business institutions gave them the op-

Bazoomie Wagon | BY BEN VADNAL

portunity to change the lives of millions of people both inside and outside this country’s borders.

But a number of notable others have taken advantage of an American capitalist system to achieve less than charitable endeavors. Former Tyco CEO Dennis Kozlowski threw a $2 million birthday party for his wife using the company’s money.

Bernie Ebber organized an $11 billion accounting fraud to convince investors to stick with World Com. And we all see Bernie Madoff as the poster boy for capitalist corruption after he fooled investors for a total of $50 billion.

Has money created more problems than it has solved? Or is the subject matter we are teaching students in business management classes actually going to allow someone to change the world for the better someday? Greed has been around since cave men walked the earth.

I guarantee there was a guy in every tribe that was hoarding the group’s berries for himself. That element of society isn’t going anywhere, no matter if we rely on bartering, stealing, or credit card payments to obtain our means. Men like Carnegie have elevated themselves to levels of financial superiority and chosen to use that success to help others achieve their dreams. This leads me to believe that it is not the capitalist system causing corruption but what individuals sometimes chose to do with the benefits they reap from the system. It’s not the system itself that has plunged our economy into recession, but the way in which players have played the game. The game has the power to change the lives of many, but when people cheat everyone gets hurt.

CJ Gustafson is a staff columnist for The Heights. He welcomes comments at cmangiardi@bcheights.com.

Examination of the ‘pregame’

James Kaberna Leaving my ultra cool, off-campus residence last Thursday for work at Corcoran Commons was tough. Cutting through my roommates offering Jell-O shots and neighbors, requesting my participation in the imminent game of slap-a-ho, required heightened concentration and skill. Yes, loyal readers, it is fact. If you were not one of the 188 hungry Superfans who swung by the Loft at Addie’s before the big match with Florida State, you’re hearing this for the first time. I was not in attendance at Alumni last Thursday.

Yes, it’s true. But after preparing more flatbreads than the pizza station could support, I, needless to say, had some time to think between dance breaks with my coworkers.

Here’s what I came up with: Maybe I’m grateful I’m not at the game. Since freshman year, major sporting events on campus, for me, have been strongly associated with embarrassment. I entirely “get” the concept of school spirit.

Or, at least, I think I do. I’m proud to go to school here, and I love the time I spend here. I mean the folks are cool enough; Boston is different. Having polled close conversation partners, they, by majority, seem to think that I like BC. For some reason or other, yelling or chanting and swinging my arms rhythmically with my peers makes me uncomfortable. And rationally it seems that cheering at a football game is the most realized form of school spirit.

Everyone has the same shirt on; some are high fiving and chest bumping. And I am just standing, arms clenched tight to my chest, and praying that a stranger won’t catch my wandering eyes and lob his hand or chest in my direction. I can’t get on board! And I am sorry.

Tangentially, early last May, I underwent a more acute feeling of this same type of embarrassment. The evening that the United States learned of Osama bin Laden’s murder I was in Walsh Hall.

Shortly after President Barack Obama’s address to the nation, havoc broke out in the Mod Lot and throughout the campus. Most memorable was a large, young man rollerblading past me and my cigarette in front of the residence hall. He flew past with a small following and a lacrosse stick, to which he had attached an American flag. Every atom I possessed felt uncomfortable.

I was trembling, as I recall, and nearly became ill.

And this feeling that so overwhelmed me does in a similar fashion, though not to the same extent, also overwhelm at these large school sporting events. So I suppose, returning to my original thought, that while concocting new barbeque sauce design’s for Addie’s specialty flatbreads, I wasn’t missing the football game but the pregame. And from what I heard, it was a time! I caught only a glance on my walk over; everyone in preparation, the campus was electric, like just before a storm. Shea Field was allegedly throbbing with merrymaking.

When I returned home from my lonely, five hours of contemplation, a few of my roommates were already lounging in defeat and in the living room. The entire game was broadcasted on ESPN; I cracked open a beer and, sore and droopy eyed, watched what was left of the second half. Evidentially, my roommates were not the only Superfans to exit early. I have never (granted, I don’t watch ESPN with frequency) seen an event on ESPN 1—or 2, 3, 7, or U—so poorly attended. The people I’d seen so excited in preparation must have run from the stadium after the first half.

So maybe I’m not the only BC student more excited for the pregame than the game itself. (Or most just require a bit of a buzz before being bumped at or high fived). Anyhow, I know that’s the part of the evening that I missed most.

Less crowded and more casual than a more typical weekend college party, the pregame is a very enticing idea; and there’s always a better chance of barbeque and bags. I do wonder how such lighthearted merriment has come to compete with the game that put BC on the map. Not everyone is as awkward as me, right?

James Kaberna is a staff columnist for The Heights. He welcomes comments at thughes@bcheights.com.

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The Heights

Thursday, November 10, 2011

2011

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Basketball preview

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Alex Trautwig / Heights Editor; Graham Beck / heights Staff; nick rellas / heights staff

The H eights The Heights

B6 B2

B2 basketball PREVIEW

A tale of two journeys

Thursday, October 13, 2011

tHURSDAY, november 10, 2011

Graduate students Salah Abdo and Deirunas Visockas share life experiences with teammates

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By DJ Adams | Heights Editor

tepping onto a college campus for the first time is a moment of significant transition – leaving behind familiar settings of hometowns and high schools for a foreign and enlightening environment. It’s where students begin their academic paths by searching out potential majors to study or clubs to pursue. It’s the starting line for many in the trepid journey of life.

Whether it’s the inaugural batch of laundry or the immense pressure of midterm week, even those with remarkable pasts find themselves initially stifled by the collegiate lifestyle. It’s meant to challenge self-imposed boundaries over a rapid span of four years, provide unexpected passions, and inspire more valuable insight than any lesson plans on proper insurance policies or pre-existing theories of law could ever offer.

Yet, exceptions to the rule always exist.

In the case of Boston College, there are two newcomers arriving to the Heights this fall that stand out from the entire pack, and they both happen to be international graduate students on the men’s basketball team.

Though it may be common knowledge that two 23year-old international citizens would have more notable stories to offer than the average incoming Division I student-athlete, the tales of Salah Abdo and Deirunas Visockas could each fill an entire epic on their own.

“Wild stories, man,” head coach Steve Donahue said.

“Both of them, it’s amazing.”

For Abdo and Visockas, an experience in Chestnut Hill might simply be a stepping stone compared to the monumental events they have already encountered in each of their respective lives.

How does a small suburb on the outskirts of Boston provide an engaging environment for someone like Abdo, who was forced into exile from his native Somalia at the age of three during a civil war?

And what obstacles could possibly impose any more difficulty upon Visockas, a young man who has faced six severely-derailing injuries in his life, five of which occured during the past three years?

How does a small Boston suburb provide an engaging environment for someone like Abdo, who was forced into exile from his native Somalia at the age of three during a civil war?

With just one year of NCAA eligibility remaining on each of their slates and so many moments of maturation already under their belts, what a brief stay at BC could possibly offer in fresh perspective for the two is a muddled concept, but nonetheless one that both are excited to explore.

“Whether it be off the court or on it, or even in the practice gym, there is a lot I can teach and even more I can still learn,” Visockas said.

“I already truly love BC, and I’m not just saying that,” Abdo said. “There is a great culture here. I’m ready to take on this challenge and do whatever I can to help this team, and I’m excited to see what that means.”

Hopefully taking just one more journey will be able to reveal that meaning.

Salah Abdo was born on Feb. 12, 1988, in the Somalia Republic, a medium-sized country on the east coast of Africa. His father maintained an agricultural position within the government, a Communist-controlled regime manned by Mohamed Siad Barre. In 1991, though, riots led to a civil war that forced Abdo and his family to promptly escape under the radar.

“A lot of people were desperate,” he said. “Basically, the warlords took over the country. Because we were wealthy, there was a big target on us, and so it wasn’t safe to be there. We actually escaped in the middle of the night and spent a few weeks on a motorboat with family and friends out at sea. We had no map or compass or captain, so it was kind of tough.”

The Abdos ended up in Egypt after a brief stay in Yemen, remaining there for a few years until some extended family in Revere, Mass. provided them with visas for what would become a permanent move to the United States. Abdo, at the prime age of six, was given his first obstacle to achievement upon the relocation, as he knew just a few words of English.

“The whole language barrier was difficult at first,” he said. “I had a hard time interacting with my peers, but fortunately I have a pretty strong foundation at home.

My parents always put an emphasis on education, putting me in some ESL classes and things like that. It took me a few years to pick it up, and I hit a few obstacles along the way, but I was able to get it down eventually after a few years.”

Abdo’s migrant lifestyle continued, though. After attending public school in Chelsea through his freshman year, he was approached by his AAU coach with an opportunity to apply to St. Mark’s School in Southborough, a private boarding school.

Infused with new scholarly potential, Abdo grew on the court at St. Mark’s, as well. Although St. Mark’s was known, at the time of his enrollment, primarily as an academy with a strong hockey reputation, Abdo and his teammates enabled the basketball team to rise to the national reputation it maintains today as one of the best programs in the Northeast.

In four years, St. Mark’s lost just 15 games, including Abdo’s junior year in which the Winged Lions went 27-0 and the guard earned team MVP honors for his outstanding play.

“My recruiting class paved the way for what St. Mark’s is now,” Abdo said. “We went from having like 12 people at games my freshman year to, by the time junior year rolled around, the gym being packed to the brim.”

Facing a similar situation now at BC, as the Eagles replace last year’s team with nine new players, Abdo believes there is no reason that this season’s large bunch of arrivals can’t repeat that accomplishment in a collegiate setting.

“Coach D has every piece of the puzzle that he needs to build a strong program here,” Abdo said. “This year, we are definitely going to hit some bumps. We are going to be disappointed. But we have to use that disappointment as a learning experience and move forward. What I envision is, in a year or two, this place is going to be jumping, and the Superfans are going to be excited to come to basketball games.”

Abdo is still recovering from injuries sustained during his undergraduate career at New Hampshire and Trinity College, but it’s those persistent travels and obstacles even more so than his basketball ability that can instruct his teammates on the proper way to succeed as a student-athlete – a notion that can sometimes be the toughest adjustment of all.

“A lot of them are 17 or 18 years old, and they really don’t understand how hard it is to be a student-athlete,” Abdo said. “They hear about it, but they don’t actually know that they are never going to be healthy. You have to play hurt, or sore, always through the pain.

“I can help these kids realize that, it’s why they call me The Godfather, you know.”

It’s that nurturing attitude that was the primary reason Donahue brought in the veteran guard.

“I was a little bit apprehensive at first about bringing him in, not knowing him at all, but just getting to know him and watching him interact with our guys and the student body, I was very impressed,” Donahue said. “He will be a great leader for us off the court and help us push these younger guys to really appreciate this opportunity.”

graham beck / heights staff

Graduate student Salah Abdo escaped war-torn Somalia when he was three years old, spending a few weeks on a motorboat at sea.

As Abdo mentioned, sometimes things don’t go according to plan. Injuries occur, and forks appear upon roads that previously had seemed so defined. More than any other member of BC’s team, Deirunas Visockas champions this philosophy.

Born in Lithuania, Visockas grew up playing basketball at a young age in the image of his father, an Olympic medalist for the Lithuanian national team.

It wasn’t until he was 14, when his parents separated, that he moved to the Los Angeles area with his mother.

Visockas spoke English well, as he took classes throughout his life, but the basketball fanatic brought a more physical burden with him instead.

“I wanted to be like my dad, who played in the ’92 Olympics and against the Dream Team,” he said.

“But at the age of 12, I had a serious skiing accident.

I broke my leg, shattered the bones, and couldn’t play basketball. My doctor said I might not ever play again.

After two years, coming off this injury, I just wanted a new perspective, where I could keep trying to play the game.”

As soon as he broke into high school, Visockas started playing again, and succeeded. In four years with no further injuries, some schools out East heavily recruited the star guard, resulting in his eventual commitment to Lafayette.

Primed for a successful basketball career, in the last week of his freshman year, everything changed for Visockas. Playing pickup with a couple of friends, getting ready for a summer stint in Lithuania on the country’s under-20 national team, he tore the anterior crucial ligament in his right knee.

“It was completely unrelated to any prior injury, just a freak accident,” he said. “After that, it spiraled out of control. I missed half of my sophomore year, and then came back for about a month until I tore that ACL again. Junior year came around, and I was still recovering when I got hurt again. I hurt my foot and missed the entire season. Finally I was feeling good, working out in Lithuania, prepping for my senior year after such a long time not playing and, out of nowhere again, I broke my foot again and had to have surgery.

After the surgery, I broke that same foot again and missed my entire senior season.”

A quick count of Visockas’ lifetime injuries results in six, five of which occurred during an abbreviated three-year span. Remaining confident and dedicated to the game of basketball resulted in more than just a grueling physical battle: It trembled his psyche. He might never play again.

“I really don’t know how I did it,” Visockas said.

“Most of my teammates told me, ‘I would probably quit after the first two injuries, let alone six.’ But I don’t know, I just had that drive in me. I guess the love for the game each time is what helped me get through it, just that thought of playing again, you know?”

But Visockas kept working this offseason and,

through a mutual connection, met Donahue. Injuries aside, the basketball junkie inspired Donahue and led him to offer Visockas a spot on the squad for one more chance.

Whether or not Visockas gets on the court this season, just being able to play basketball is all the veteran needs. Donahue believes this is an important concern for every athlete to remember — that no matter how chaotic the situation, there is always a reason for remaining part of the game.

“If our guys look at what Deirunas is going through, they are going to learn a lot,” Donahue said. “You see him in there for 45 minutes after practice, completely drenched, working on his game. That’s what you want, that’s how you change a culture. You see a kid working his tail off who’s just trying to get on the floor to practice, let alone get in a game.

“He’s going to be a basketball lifer. He will always be around the game.”

The stories of Abdo and Visockas are astounding and demonstrate the depth of each man’s character, but neither player is letting his extraordinary circumstances affect who he is at BC. To both, Chestnut Hill is just another leg of the rollercoaster ride they have experienced thus far. Whether it will be a thrilling corkscrew loop or simply a slowmoving ride toward what comes next is uncertain, but each has his finishing point in sight.

While other teammates peruse course catalogs and take core classes in the hopes of discovering academic interest, Abdo and Visockas outline their career paths comfortably, the former reading extensive novels for his work within the Graduate School of Social Work and the latter studying forecasting models in the Graduate School of Management.

Abdo, who was a religious studies major at Trinity College, hopes to finish his master’s someday, whether at BC or abroad, while Visockas currently is on pace to earn his MBA by this summer’s end.

Despite their drastic differences in both past and future, the two share one thing in common: a desire to be part of basketball as long as possible.

“Originally I came here just for grad school, but now that I’m playing here, my passion for basketball has really come through,” Abdo said. “I’m going to see if I can pursue playing somewhere overseas next year, if I can still play. It ignited a new fire within me and [has] shown me basketball in a different light.”

“If my health allows, I would love to go overseas and play for a couple of years,” Visockas said. “If that doesn’t work out, I have a little dream of mine to become a sports agent. I would like to stay close to the game of basketball because obviously I love it.”

Who knows, BC could throw a curveball neither life-traveler is expecting. But if that’s the case, one thing is for sure: There’s always another odyssey to be completed. n

Heckmann defies doubters with aggressiveness

By Austin Tedesco

Way better comparison than my man Paul Pierce.”

umber 33, Patrick Heckmann, guard, 6-foot-5, 192 pounds, freshman, hometown Mainz, Germany. This is the information you get when you read the final name on the roster for the Boston College basketball team.

Once you see the last word, the European playing-style stereotypes jump right into your head: One-dimensional. Shooter. Weak. Awkward. Disengaged. Lacks ability to lead.

Patrick Heckmann is none of these things, and he’s ready to continue the work that Dirk Nowitzki, the Gasol brothers, and other European players have been doing the past 10 years. He’s ready to get those ideas out of your head.

“Those stereotypes have to be broken for sure,” Heckmann said. “I need to get stronger. I like to shoot threes, but I think I can create much more than shooting threes.”

Patrick Heckmann is not weak. His body is typical of any Division I freshman guard and he’s going to get stronger, but his mind and his will are both incredibly strong.

“The thing you never know about kids when you bring them in – in particular foreign kids – is how they’re going to be in that setting on the court,” Donahue said. “You see talent, and then you get him in there and he’s not going hard. [Patrick] is not any of that.”

In the second tier of competitive German basketball, one step below the level where he would have been paid and ruled ineligible for the NCAA, Heckmann emerged as one of the best young talents. Donahue said that his German team would have loved for him to play on the first level and that his NCAA eligibility was the only thing stopping him. Donahue attributes some of Heckmann’s strength to his international experience.

“He’s done so much travel with his international stuff and basketball that he’s way more mature than the typical 18 or 19-year-old American,” the coach said. “He’s hit the ground running. That attracted us as well.”

N For The Heights

graham beck / heights editor

Freshman guard Patrick Heckmann defies European stereotypes by attacking the rim and drawing fouls, like Manu Ginobili.

Patrick Heckmann is not one-dimensional. He’s not just a shooter. He’s a threat from beyond the arc, but his game involves much more than just 3-balls. When asked for an NBA player comparison, Heckmann refused to pick a pure shooter or his fellow German Dirk Nowitzki.

“I’m not going to say that because it’s definitely totally wrong,” he said. “Maybe Paul Pierce. He takes it to the basket. He can shoot. He can create for his teammates.”

Head coach Steve Donahue didn’t agree with the comparison to the star Celtic guard, but picked another impressive scorer that shares Heckmann’s style.

“I don’t. That’s funny,” said Donahue with a chuckle when asked if he sees any similarities between Pierce and Heckmann. “He’s got a little bit of [Manu] Ginboli in him.

Early in his career, he wasn’t a great outside shooter. He had that knack of getting to the rim and making people foul him, and Patrick has that. He has a really good ability to go by you, hang in the air, and find somebody or get fouled.

Patrick Heckmann is not awkward, and he’s not disengaged. He’s more than just a basketball talent both for this team and this university.

“Patrick is, first of all, a very likeable kid,” Donahue said.

“Almost your typical 18-year-old in the United States. He’s adapted very well. What I really like about him is that he’s very easy going off the court, but extremely competitive on the court. Not to a fault, but you have to be careful because he gets down on himself sometimes, but on the outside he’s really easygoing and accepting.”

Although Heckmann has professional aspirations either in the NBA or back in Europe, he chose Boston College because he wants to get a degree. Many European players choose to stay and play professionally without going to college in the States, but Heckmann didn’t want that. The college experience is important to him, and

he’s not just occupying a room on the Heights until the League calls.

After spending a year of high school in Colorado as an exchange student, Heckmann’s transition to America this year has been relatively easy. He listens to Weezy and Eminem, follows college hoops, and has a great relationship with his teammates.

“We have a really good chemistry since so many of us are so young,” Heckmann said, “and we’re trying to get through it together.”

Patrick Heckmann does not lack the ability to lead. He has every opportunity to step in as a leader for this young team. The Eagles are going to struggle at times this season and Heckmann could help BC push forward.

“We don’t have a luxury of looking up and seeing juniors and seniors who have done it before so Patrick, with the amount of experience he has, that has helped him already,” Donahue said. “Just used to the hard practices, I sense he’s not overwhelmed with this. He’s one of our guys that we’re leaning on, but I don’t want to put too much pressure on a young kid.”

Heckmann said all the right things with a genuine and endearing demeanor when asked about his role on the squad this year, sounding ready to lead already.

“On the court, I’m just trying to make my teammates better,” he said. “Try to make open shots and make the right plays when they pass me the ball. Off the court, I just want to be a good teammate. Be there if they need me.”

Patrick Heckmann is not what you think he is. He does not fit the stereotypes, and he is all the better for it.

He’s excited to match up with North Carolina’s preseason All-American Harrison Barnes, he’s trying to build up the BC basketball fan base, and he’s working his way through Principles of Economics all at the same time. The NBA may call one day, but until then he’s going to keep surprising people and surpassing expectations one game and one day at a time. n

The Heights The Heights

Thursday, October 13, 2011

tHURSDAY, november 10, 2011

basketball PREVIEW B3

Catch the BC basketball wave Four freshmen from California ride a wave of enthusiasm

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By Greg Joyce | Assoc. Sports Editor

very wave is different. Some can be tidal waves. Some can be small ripples. Some brush up against you, and others knock you down. Waves rise, and they fall. They can travel thousands of miles before they reach their destination. But when one knocks you down, how do you respond? Do you let it keep you down, or do you get up to face the next one, and endure it?

In California, Ryan Anderson, Kyle Caudill, Jordan Daniels, and Lonnie Jackson all live within about an hour from the ocean. They have all seen plenty of waves from their time at the beach. Now they are all freshmen in Chestnut Hill, 2,500 miles from home, and they are prepared to take on the tide headfirst. Except these waves won’t be the ones in the ocean; they’ll be the ebb and flow of success as members of Steve Donahue’s nine-man freshman class on the Boston College basketball team.

Last week, head coach Steve Donahue was straightforward with what he expected to see from his young team.

“You’re not going to get a steady incline of progress.

You’re going to get this,” he said, moving his hand up and down in a wave motion. “You’re going back and trying to get better.”

Anderson, Caudill, Daniels, and Jackson are four of the nine members of Donahue’s first full recruiting class, and they are buying into Donahue’s wave analogy.

They came to BC because they are not afraid to make mistakes, because they have the ability to change the face of the program.

RYAN ANDERSON

Jackson and Caudill continued to play together on the AAU circuit for two more years.

Before they started playing with each other though, they had played against each other.

“Before I knew [Kyle], I used to hate playing against him because he sweats so much,” Anderson said. “I hated guarding him.”

During section playoffs one year, Daniels’ Etiwanda High School squared off against Jackson’s Valencia High School. Etiwanda came out victorious over Valencia, but, in the next round, Daniels’ team was knocked out

by Long Beach Poly, led by Anderson.

“It’s funny,” Jackson said. “We always kid about that.”

“That was all right before we all moved down here,” Daniels added.

“My team didn’t make the playoffs,” Caudill piped in, garnering the laughs of his teammates.

In the eyes of the players, the experience of playing with and against each other in southern California played a key role in the four coming to Chestnut Hill together.

“It was a big influence,” Anderson said. “Me and Lonnie took our visit together on the same weekend, because they knew we already had known each other before.”

Back in California, Anderson had been working out with Caudill, who was the first to commit to Donahue and the Eagles. Before Anderson left for his visit, Caudill filled him in on the school since he had already been there. Anderson and Jackson enjoyed the visit enough to commit, and then relayed their experience to Daniels, who had not seen the school yet.

“I kind of just took these guys’ word for it,” Daniels

KYLE CAUDILL

“We knew there was going to be a steep learning curve, but what Coach says is that we have to learn from the first mistake, not the second mistake,” Jackson said. “So during the year, we know there’s going to be downs, but we have got to bounce back after those downs and come together as a team and help each other out.

That’s the main thing, just picking each other up when we’re down.”

“And I feel like Coach has been making it a big point that, since we’re so young, we’re making a lot of mistakes,” Anderson added. “But I feel like he wants us to keep playing through the mistakes and not to sulk on the ones that we make and just bounce back to the next play.”

The four Californians are an essential piece of the rebuilding puzzle for Donahue. They want to make a splash starting Monday night in Conte Forum. But if the tidal waves of the ACC knock them down, they won’t back down. They’ll get up and jump right back into the action.

Anderson, Caudill, Daniels, and Jackson came to the East Coast with plenty of familiarity with each other. All four had played either with or against each other at some point before they got to BC. Daniels and Jackson were the first to meet each other when they were 10 years old, playing on an AAU team.

“This dude’s been shooting forever since we were 10,” Daniels said, looking at Jackson next to him.

“This guy,” Jackson responded, referencing Daniels, “when we were 10 years old, he was able to shoot a lefthanded layup. I was just like, ‘He can shoot a left-handed layup, that’s crazy!’ He was ahead of the game when he was young.”

A few years later, Jackson met Anderson and Caudill when they began playing for the Pump N Run, an AAU team, during their sophomore year of high school.

Anderson left the team going into his junior year, but

graham beck / heights staff

Anderson (left) has the athleticism to draw attention at the four. Caudill (right) has the power to bulldoze his way to the basket. defensive rebounding as an area in which he could improve this year.

Off the court Anderson labels himself as goofy (without hesitation), often cracking jokes, much to the chagrin of his teammates.

“Ryan’s a comedian in his own mind,” Daniels quipped.

Caudill is an intimidating presence, measuring in at 6-foot-10 and 279 pounds. The Brea native has two distinct personalities: one he brings onto the court, and

JORDAN DANIELS

said. “I asked them about everything. I met the coaches myself during the recruiting process, but as far as the school and stuff, I relied on these guys.”

“Kyle was actually like the pioneer, because he was the first one to commit,” Jackson explained. “He led the way.”

“I started the movement eastward,” Caudill said with a grin.

Now, the four Californians are all relieved to be coming together this year as one team. They followed different paths, but they’ve played against the others enough to know their tendencies, and that experience may prove to be vital on such a young team.

“We all played each other before, we’ve been around each other, so we know how each other plays,” Jackson said. “It’s just fun to be out there and play with people you know.”

This factor of familiarity, however, is not one that Donahue took into account when recruiting the four.

“Not really,” Donahue said. “We saw California as a state that has a ton of players, and there’s not a lot of great options out there for kids who want good academics and a great league.

“Once we started going in and looking around, I don’t necessarily think we even thought about, ‘Hey, they know each other.’ Because it’s more critical that they fit BC and what we’re trying to do. And then the last one was Jordan. And it really had nothing to do with the other guys, it didn’t. It’s great when it all ends up like that, but that’s not how we went about it.”

While the four Californians have similar backgrounds, they have distinct personalities on and off the court. Like waves, they come from the same location, but differ in shape and size, and in their style of play.

Anderson describes himself as a “versatile forward,” who likes to play inside and out. Standing tall at 6-foot8, Anderson is not afraid to play off the pick and cites

LONNIE JACKSON

the other he exudes in everyday settings.

“I’m basically just like a big body,” Caudill said of his on-court presence. “I like to get in there and hit people.

I can score too, make good post moves.”

While Anderson called Caudill an “enforcer,” and Caudill himself summed up his game as “painful,” his demeanor around campus is quite different. His personality summed up in one word?

“Yours is, like, philosophical,” Anderson told Caudill, inciting the laughs of the group.

While his California counterparts partake in their daily Super Smash Bros. games, Caudill can be found with a book in his hands, and he will be the first to admit that.

The 5-foot-8 Daniels may not look like a typical basketball player, but he is able to use his size to his advantage.

“I’m a smaller guy, so I’m not as much of a big body, but my game is more quickness and speed,” Daniels said.

“I like to get up and down the floor, which my teammates know about me. I like to set people up, but if the defense falls asleep, I can make them pay also.”

His character selection in Smash mirrors his style of play: Daniels, who claims to be the champ among the freshmen in the Nintendo 64 game, always plays as Pikachu. Crafty and quick like his video game counterpart, Daniels’ agility proves key on the hardwood.

Finally, Jackson sees himself as a “competitor at heart,” and a versatile player.

“I like shooting the ball, like a spot-up, hit open shots,” Jackson said. “I also like to get into the defense, set up my teammates. I like getting into players on the defensive end. I like just talking on defense and really getting after it on the defensive end. I feel like I’m a defensive player and a shooter.”

While Anderson and Caudill chose other characteristics to describe their off-court personality, Daniels

and Jackson were not afraid to embrace their inner California stereotypes.

“Yeah, I feel like that’s a big stereotype,” Jackson said of the laid-back attitude. “Like, John Carney on the team was trying to be like us, he was like, ‘I’ve got to be more patient.’ I feel like that’s the California stereotype.”

Though it may be a stereotype, the idea of patience and going with the flow will be key for these four California natives. They understand that their success is not going to come overnight, and they are invested in resurrecting the program. Their excitement has been building up for a year, and it is ready to spill onto the court.

“Oh man, we’re very excited,” Daniels said. “But we’ve got to take that excitement and turn it into positive energy. You can’t be too excited, in the sense when things get hectic, we’ve just got to be controlled and do things the right way.”

“I feel like we have potential,” Jackson said. “I feel like the freshman class can change the atmosphere at games. And what we’re trying to do is be a building block, be the start of something new, and make basketball something big at BC.” “Yeah, that’s what I’m just excited about,” Anderson added. “I feel it’s so close to us starting to change how basketball is looked at here. I just can’t wait to get started with the whole process. Because I know, once we get the ball rolling, and we knock down a couple shots, it’s going to be a lot of fun in Conte.”

The ripple effect these four could make on the perception of BC basketball is potentially titanic, but they and their coach know it’s going to take some patience.

“Patience for all of us is a nice virtue to live by,” Donahue said, laughing. “There’s going to be failure when you’re out with this many young guys in something new.

For us to achieve great things, I honestly believe we’re going to have to fail.

“Now the key part is how do you handle that? Are you patient? Are you understanding? Did you learn from that and react in a positive way and get better because of that? It’s going to be exciting to see, as they get better and they react and they see what they did wrong and now they do it better each and every time — that’s the thing.”

Anderson, Caudill, Daniels, and Jackson understand the role patience is going to play. Their ship to success will inevitably hit some rough waters, but the destination is the reason they came to BC. “This is a great opportunity to come in here and build [the program],” Donahue told these four when he recruited them. “And you’re going to get an opportunity, but you’re going to build it from the start, as opposed to jumping on board.”

Waves come crashing into the coast as a finished product. Their original shape may look incomplete, but over time, the waves gain strength and momentum.

Right now, the men’s basketball team may look like an unfinished product. The raw talent and makeup is there for a successful team. The Eagles are gaining steam for the future but are presently ready to dive headfirst into the waves of their ACC schedule. The patient yet excited mentality maintained by Anderson, Caudill, Daniels, and Jackson, is the perfect mindset to guide BC through the ups and downs of unchartered territory.

Their destination is in sight. n

Steve Donahue, on chemistry, first impressions, and scoring

By Alex Manta | Heights Editor The Heights: You have lots of freshmen, two grad students, foreign players, and players from all over the country. How has the team chemistry been and what do you do to help build that?

Steve Donahue: It’s been terrific. The common thing is they’re all great people. They fit into Boston College and what we’re all about here. It’s great that you have diversity going on, and the common bond is that we all want to help the program win. I sense that from all of them. Whatever it takes, no one is worrying about their individual stuff, and that’s probably because no one has really had the pedigree necessarily in college. It’s been a great group, and I’ve been extremely pleased with the work ethic on court, the community service, the reports I get from academic advisors, other students, and media relations.

Every one of those groups has been terrific.

The Heights: When you first started practicing with this year’s team, what impressed you and what didn’t?

Donahue: I’ve been impressed with their feel for the game, moving the ball. We attack the basket much better than any team I’ve ever had because that’s our strength.

They have the ability to go off the dribble; make good decisions in fast, tough spots; and have a knack of getting fouled or making the right pass. The thing I’m not used to as much is that this group doesn’t settle for threes.

They’re not jacking up a lot of threes, and my teams

typically shoot a lot of threes and our spacing is set up for that, but they’re taking advantage of the spacing and trying to make a play, which is a positive. But with that there are a lot more turnovers, a lot more dropped balls, there’s a lot of not understanding how strong you’ve got to be. They’re trying stuff they probably shouldn’t try. They make the great one and they make a foolish one trying to do it again. Defense is good at times, other times they’re caught watching the ball and not used to the speed of it.

You’re not going to get a steady incline of progress, you’re going to get a bumpy increase going back and forth and trying to get better.

The Heights: Last year, Reggie Jackson was the big scorer for the team, and he is now gone. Where do you see the scoring coming from this season?

Donahue: Each guy has a chance to do it. We’re not going to have Reggie Jackson who had three years under his belt and did it. We have a lot of talented guys that, if people don’t guard them, we can play off. This group is going to have to figure out different ways. Tonight, it’s this guy; tomorrow, it’s that guy. Matt Humphrey probably has the best chance of being the most consistent scorer because he’s a fourth-year junior, plays at a high level already, and has a scorer’s mentality. He shoots it very well, but what he’s going to have to get used to is he’s going to play more minutes than he ever has. He’s going to make more mistakes than he ever did because

he’s going to have the ball in his hands more than he ever has. But, in the long run, he’s going to be your most consistent scorer.

The Heights: In the preseason media poll, BC was projected to finish 12th. What was your reaction to that and how do you use it going forward?

Donahue: I never pay attention to that at all, and I never use it as motivation either way. I don’t get involved with what you guys do. Unfortunately, I don’t even read what you do. I don’t mean that as a negative. I appreciate that you do it, but my head is the most important thing here. It’s got to be clear. It’s got to be understanding what I’m watching, as opposed to getting some other views that may screw you up. With my team, I want them to have that, even though I know it’s not realistic. I want them to know that I don’t bother with that stuff. In my years at Cornell, we were always last until we got really good and then we were first. I never mentioned when we were last, so why would I mention when we’re first? I just didn’t. Let’s keep it in the locker room. Be very respectful and appreciative of people who have these jobs, but that’s not going to affect us either way. What

we do is going to effect us. I don’t want to get into reacting to all the things that go on outside it because it could be a real big negative.

The Heights: What are your goals for this year?

Donahue: It’s pretty simple. Rather than a goal, I always say to my team that the destination here is the NCAA tournament. That’s got to be somewhere in your mind each and every day. We talk about it occasionally, but, in life in general, if you want to reach a goal, it’s going to be a daily one. I try to look at things qualitatively rather than quantitatively. What I mean by that is I want to look at how we do every day. How hard we’re coming in to work and how well we drill and how hard we cut, how well we pass, and how well we defend. We can’t do anything about how good our opponent is going to be. We can control this, and that’s what I look at. If we do that, then we all want to go to the NCAA tournament. That’s every year. That’s critical. If you don’t think that, then you’re fooling yourself. You have no opportunities.

You’re thinking small. We’re not going to think small. We want to believe in ourselves that we’ve got that. But I also want to focus on every single day how hard we work. n

alex trautwig / heights editor

The H eights The Heights

B6 B2 B4

B4 basketball PREVIEW

Thursday, November 10, 2011 tHURSDAY, november 10, 2011

Clifford the 7-foot center An unconventional big man, Dennis Clifford can stretch the defense with his athleticism — a rare trait for such a tall player By chris marino | Asst. Sports editor

U

sually, when someone refers to a hybrid basketball player, they are describing someone who can play several positions. Players that can shoot, dribble, pass, and post up. These are true athletes, who can become a hassle for defenses to handle. Hybrids, however, don’t tend to be 7 feet tall.

Unless, of course, you’re talking about Dennis Clifford.

The Bridgewater, Mass. native is not your typical center. In head coach Steve Donahue’s system, the big man can be anything from a post player to a shooting guard or even a floor general. While some would find this

tallest player has been put in the spot light earlier than most players could ever expect.

“It definitely felt like I started from scratch and just skyrocketed,” he said. “I don’t know. I think I’ve been handling it pretty well. We’ll see when the season starts, but right now I haven’t run into too many problems. I feel like it’s going pretty well.”

Donahue understands the value of having such a diversely skilled center, and believes that Clifford will be a relied-upon asset to his program.

“For us, to have a center that is understanding of basketball and how were trying to play, it’s a very unique kid to be that big and that skilled and have that understanding,” he said. “Dennis brings all that. I’ve just been amazed at

graham beck / heights staff

With a high basketball IQ and a large frame to clear space, Dennis Clifford can find openings in the lane for easy buckets. uncharacteristic skill set daunting, Clifford has grown to enjoy the extra responsibilities.

“Coach definitely puts a lot of pressure on his big men to handle the ball outside and to run the offense,” he said.

“I really like being out there and handling the ball. I don’t have to be scoring or anything, but I’m definitely included in the offense. I feel like I’m included more than I would be somewhere else. He has a lot of confidence in me.”

Confidence would be a true understatement when talking about the expectations for Clifford in Boston College’s young squad. Ball handling duties aside, BC’s

his ability to pick up things that we do. There’s so many things that he does. His energy level, his work ethic, his desire, his passion. He’s just been off the charts with those things. And then you throw in that he’s 7 feet tall.

He really has an understanding of how to play. For us, we really play off our center more than any other program.

We’re not the kind of team that sits a guy on the low block to be a banger.”

The freshman is not a new talent to the area, growing up just south of Chestnut Hill. He spent his first two years of high school at Bridgewater-Raynham, where he earned

Old Colony League MVP as a sophomore and numerous All-Scholastic awards in both seasons there. He moved to the more competitive Milton Academy in the Independent School League for his final two years of high school.

While playing for the Mustangs, the still-growing Clifford earned NEPSAC All-New England Class A player of the year as a senior and was named ISL All-League player both years. As a senior, he averaged 18 points, 14 rebounds, seven blocked shots and four assists per game.

Despite such a high basketball pedigree to his name, the local star was still surprised to hear of Donahue’s interest during the recruiting process.

“It was always my dream,” he recalled. “I always wanted to come here. I never saw myself coming here, until the end of my junior year. I never really fathomed how big it would to come here and how great of an opportunity it would be. When Coach Donahue came to my open gym during my junior year I was just overwhelmed. I was blown away. It was a dream come true.”

With a couple of major growth spurts during the last few years, Clifford made sure that he had the ability to play a number of roles, regardless of his height. With help from Milton Academy head coach Lamar Reddicks and his AAU coaches at the Bay State Magic, the big man developed a diverse skill set and has done a good job of identifying his areas of strength and weakness.

“I was always skilled and worked hard on both sides of the floor, so recently my AAU coaches taught me to be strong with the ball,” he said. “I’ve gone big lengths over the years, just by playing AAU with tough competition.

When I was growing up, I wasn’t really strong with the ball, down low or outside. So, I’ve gotten a lot better at that. I still have a long ways to go, but I’m getting better.”

To the surprise of many, Clifford does not mention his height nor post play as his top asset on the floor.

“I think it’s my ability to move,” he said. “I’m pretty mobile on the court. Running up and down. Coming outside and being able to dribble and pass.”

Another skill that Clifford has worked on fervently between high school and college is his shooting range.

While range is usually limited for 7-footers, Clifford has begun to develop consistency from three-point land.

“I’ve always practiced my range, but I really just got comfortable with the high school three my senior year, shooting it in games and stuff,” he said. “I’ve always had a pretty good stroke but never really the touch to be confident in games. I started working with my coach last year during high school, and then I had to get used to the college three, so it was like starting from scratch. I’ve definitely grown to be more comfortable with shooting threes this year.”

Comfort will seemingly never be an issue for the first-year player. Already, he has faced the pressure of representing his team at the ACC men’s basketball media day in Charlotte. Donahue showed clear respect for his young center, as he and teammate Patrick Heckmann were the only two freshmen in attendance.

“That was crazy,” he said with a laugh. “I’m not sure if it was cooler being there or cooler when they told me I was going. It was definitely an awesome experience. Seeing all of the guys from the ACC. I never knew I would be down there. Me and Pat were the first two freshmen to be there, so that was definitely a great experience. It definitely got me used to talking to media and stuff like that, too.”

Since his arrival on campus, Clifford has described his

graham beck / heights staff

Freshman center Dennis Clifford has a unique skill set for a 7-footer, including his ability to beat defenders off the dribble. transition to BC as smooth but fast. Surprisingly enough, on his first visit, he didn’t think he was big enough to be an Eagle.

“I’ve definitely adjusted better than I thought I would,” he laughed. “On my first visit here, I came in and the football team was getting out of their study hall or something.

I was just overwhelmed. I was like, ‘Is everybody huge at BC? How am I going to fit in here?’ So, I was nervous coming in, but me and some of the guys stayed over summer session. I got acclimated to some classes and the lifting schedule, so I’ve been able to get used to that and overall I’ve adjusted well so far.”

“On my first visit here, I came in and the football team was getting out of their study hall or something. I was just overwhelmed. I was like, ‘Is everybody huge at BC? How am I going to fit in here?’”

While Clifford and the Eagles are a young team, they have been forced to mature quickly. The team’s confidence stems from Donahue and has left everyone eager for national success.

“I said this to a bunch of the California guys over the summer,” Clifford said. “We’re Donahue’s guys. We all watched what Donahue did with the Cornell team, so I want to do better than that. I don’t know if that’s going to be by our senior year, or earlier. I’m definitely working towards the Final Four.”

Big dreams for a big player. n

Get to know

The returning contributors

By Andrew Klokiw Heights Staff

things that I never really focused on coming out of high school and that has upgraded my game a lot.

The Heights: As the only returning players who have played any real minutes for this team, besides John Cahill, how much of a leadership role do you guys assume as sophomores?

The Heights: If you could each point to one thing you’d like to improve in your game from last season to this year, what would it be?

Danny Rubin: Obviously, we’ve kind of been thrust into the leadership role, but it’s been a good experience for me and Gabe. We’ve kind of taken it upon ourselves to take the freshmen under our wings and show them the ropes a little bit. It’s been a little weird to be doing this as a sophomore, but we do know more than them so we try to teach whenever we can.

Gabe Moton: I’d say we’ve assumed a big leadership role. We’ve had to help coach with teaching the young guys how to run the plays and get everyone used to everything here. I teach the new guys as much as I know. I know a lot already as a sophomore, so whatever I know I try to pass on to them.

The Heights: You’ve got some big games this year (at UNC, vs. Duke), which game are you most looking forward to?

Rubin: I would say Duke at home, because it’s obviously a big game and one that we’d really like to win. It’ll be cool to see how many fans come out and support, because it really does mean a lot when they do come.

Moton: I’m looking forward to all the games, not really one game in particular. I’m really just looking forward to being out there with my new teammates.

The Heights: How is playing in Conte Forum? Donahue’s Disciples?

Rubin: I like it a lot. During the ACC games the attendance is clearly a lot better, but it’s just a great place to play. It seems like it’s getting a lot better too, with Donahue’s Disciples and a bunch of other groups showing up. I actually know two of the kids who started Donahue’s Disciples, and it’s a great idea to get the students involved. It’s definitely worth a shot. They definitely have the commitment and a lot of people following them, so I’m excited to see how that works out.

The Heights: You two were among the first to be recruited to play for Donahue at BC, how has he impacted you as players?

Rubin: He’s been great and he just knows the game so well. He makes everything so much easier. Even in his complicated offense, he makes even the adjustments easy to follow. Coach is a really good leader and a great example for the younger guys to follow.

Moton: Coach Donahue has taught me a lot of the little

Rubin: My strength and the physicality of my game.

This summer I gained 20 pounds and also worked a lot on my ball handling. Hopefully, I’ll see the results this season.

Moton: One thing I’d like to improve is my shooting.

Coming out of high school I was definitely a shooter, and last year I didn’t feel I shot the ball well.

The Heights: Aspiration before you leave BC? Rubin: This season I’d like to make the NCAA tournament. Before I leave BC, I’d like to make a nice run in that tournament.

Moton: Win the tournament.

The Heights: If you could dunk on one player in the country right now, who would it be?

Rubin: I would say a freshman from Virginia, Darion Atkins, I played in high school with him. That would be great.

Moton: Even on my team? I would dunk on Ryan Anderson, on the team [at BC], because he talks a lot of junk. I would also like to dunk on John Henson at UNC, because he was in my league in high school.

The Heights: Time winding down, you’re down two points. You’ve got the ball and you can step back and hit a three against any NBA player, who is it?

Rubin: Kobe.

Moton: LeBron James.

The Heights: What’s your most/least favorite nonbasketball thing about BC? Rubin: Most: I just like the community. I don’t know exactly how it is at other schools, but they really didn’t seem as friendly and close-knit as BC. I’ve just had a great experience here as a student-athlete.

Least: [no hesitation] Upper Campus, I lived in Gonzaga last year.

Moton: Most: I would say the community, everybody just being friendly.

Least: Definitely the weather, because I’m from Florida. n

Steven principi / heights staff; and alex manta / heights graphic

The Heights The Heights

Thursday, November 10, 2011

tHURSDAY, november 10, 2011

B5

basketball PREVIEW B5B7B3

Modest Doherty makes mark Sophomore guard provides defensive presence, aggressive attitude to Eagles

by Raychel Kruper | heights staff

I

t’s tough to write a feature article on a player who, whenever you ask her a personal question, always answers with a “we” that is inclusive of her team. This fact, however, speaks volumes about the character of a sophomore guard on the women’s basketball team, Kristen Doherty, who regards teamwork and chemistry to be of utmost importance.

“The most important way for a team to be successful is to play as a team,” she said.

“In high school, it’s a whole different story where only one or two kids can score, but here, when you have the team that I have, where everyone is such great scorers, you have no choice other than to pass the ball because you don’t have to do it all yourself.

It’s a weight off your shoulders.”

Having finished her first season in maroon and gold and officially deemed a seasoned veteran, the No. 12 recruit out of high school according to ESPN’s

HoopGurlz, Doherty is prepared to light a spark under Boston College as the 2011 basketball season kicks into high gear.

This fiery-but-modest New Yorker has made the transition from a high school standout, averaging 27 points per game, to an arena where every player has incredible talent. With one year under her belt, her surge in confidence and innate basketball IQ will combine to create a player certain to draw attention this season.

“Experience definitely comes into play,” Doherty said. “We know what to expect.

We know how to prepare ourselves for each game. We know what it takes.”

This is not to say that Doherty had a lackluster freshman season by any means.

In her debut season as an Eagle, Doherty started 32 of 33 games, led the team with 69 steals and was second in assists with 106, which, of course, she attributes to the presence of her post pow-

erhouse teammate, Carolyn Swords.

Doherty has an inner fire and is a ruthless competitor, hating to lose almost more than she loves to win. She has a work ethic that makes it happen on the court and a passion that, paired with her impressive stats, caught head coach Sylvia Crawley’s attention during recruiting.

“I really liked the fact that she had a go-to mentality,” Crawley said. “She is an extreme competitor and at that time that was a missing piece to our team. That is a quality that she possessed that I still like about her, even now that she’s out of high school and has played in a setting where everyone is a star and everyone was a high-point scorer for their team.”

Doherty’s competitive drive has enabled her to be a strong defensive player for the Eagles, and she couples her aggressive nature with an innate ability to read her opponents and anticipate their attack.

nick rellas / heights staff

Kristen Doherty will be one of the primary distributors for the women’s basketball team. She finished second among the Eagles with 106 assists last year.

alex trautwig / heights editor

A relentless competitor, Kristen Doherty uses her ability to read and anticipate to gain an advantage.

“I’ve always been able to just see what happens next in my head,” Doherty said.

“I’ve always practiced reading people’s eyes and body and with our new defense that our new coach [Timothy Eatman] put in, it really puts everyone in a great position to get steals as long as you’re working hard and helping each other out.”

While Doherty credits her defensive prowess and high number of steals to her aggressive play, Crawley acknowledges her exceptional basketball knowledge.

“She got a lot of steals last year because of her high basketball IQ,” Crawley said. “She’s extremely smart and she anticipates. That’s what makes her a great defender.”

With her solid defensive play already locked down, Crawley is calling on Doherty to enhance her offensive game, and in turn, step up the Eagles’ attack.

While Doherty admits that her offense wasn’t stellar her freshman year, contributing nine points per game, she has committed herself to becoming more of an offensive threat through countless hours in the gym in the offseason.

“We’ve asked her to step it up in her offensive role in shooting, and she was able to add driving to the basket to her package,” Crawley said. “This year, we want her to be more consistent as a shooter, which will require her to get into the gym and shoot a lot of shots and get muscle memory.”

Doherty’s competitive spirit is what she claims to be the source of motivation for each game, as well as incentive to power through the inevitable midseason fatigue.

“Losing makes me angry,” she laughed.

“All of us are really competitive, and what really motivates me is my passion to win.

We haven’t been to the tournament in a few years and we really feel like with our new defense, how we’ve been playing, and our chemistry, that this is our year to get it done.”

It’s easy to stay motivated in a league like the ACC, in which every opponent that crosses your path will surely bring a good game. Getting some revenge against conference foes who have given them trouble, like the NC State Wolfpack, will spur on the Eagles.

“I definitely consider [NC State] to be our rivals in the ACC,” Doherty said. “We played them last year and they knocked us out of the ACC tournament, so we’re really trying to come back at them this year.”

Coming into the season with experience and heart, Doherty is prepared for a breakout season, not just defensively, but as an offensive threat as well. Look for her to display a keen eye, reading opponents on the defensive end; a sense of confidence in her shooting game; and a work ethic that enables her to give her all in pursuit of a ‘W.’ “She is continuing to emerge as that go-to player,” Crawley said. “She loves that pressure and she wants the ball in her hands at the end of the game. We have a couple players that have that mentality.

She is definitely one of them.”

A team player through and through, Doherty and the Eagles look to be a unitary force to be reckoned with this season as their quest for tournament success begins tomorrow. n

New transfers in town bond as they await the chance to suit up for BC

By Tim Jablonski Heights Staff

Sean Hyatt / heights staff; joseph castlen / For The Heights

Needing to replace three of her team’s top four scorers from last season, Boston College women’s basketball head coach Sylvia Crawley spent much of the last year scouring the country for recruits.

She eventually plucked four of them from three different time zones, and with some luck they could all end up contributing for the Eagles this year.

But two of the new faces that could push BC back to the postseason have been living among you for well over a year.

They call themselves ‘The Sheriffs.’ And they’ve been waiting to take Conte Forum by storm.

“It’s because we’re new in town,” said Tessah Holt, one half of the Eagles’ duo of transfers from last season. “We were roommates last year, and we didn’t travel with the team, so we got the feeling of, ‘Well, at least now we’ve got each other.’”

The other piece of the tandem is Alyssa Fressle, a junior transfer from Colorado who initially stayed in state to play basketball. Holt herself came from Florida — five hours away from her hometown in Fayette, Georgia — but much more similar in location and culture to her home than Chestnut Hill.

“It’s much colder up here,” Holt said. “I hate the weather but I deal with it.”

Added Fressle, “The student culture here is much different. At Boulder and UF, there’s a ton of students, so there’s a lot going on socially.”

Both players expressed dissatisfaction with the direction they saw their respective programs going, as well as their individual roles within each team’s rotation. But what was the catalyst that drove their relocation to BC? Let’s let Crawley’s recruiting tenacity speak for itself.

“I thought Coach Crawley was going to build a great program,” Fressle said. “I saw how hard she goes after recruits and how the culture of the team is so geared towards winning a championship.”

Fressle found Crawley after submitting her transfer papers and making herself available. But it was the coach who originally sought out Holt years ago, at Fayette County High School.

“She offered me my junior year of high school, but I felt BC was just too far,” Holt said. “Then, when I got my release paper from Florida she was the first person to hit me up, so I decided that I had nothing to lose and visited. I regret now that I didn’t come originally, but things happen for a reason.”

The decision to transfer is never an easy one, especially for Division I athletes, who are required by the NCAA to sit out a year. Spending over 18 months away from organized competition is burdensome for an athlete of any stature. Doing so while simultaneously adjusting to a new team,

school, and home makes the high spirits of both players almost difficult to understand. But they had each other to weather the storm together, leaning on one another each day for support and motivation. They also used their extra time off to hyper-focus on their styles of play and develop themselves into players who could perform in the toughest basketball conference in the country.

“I began to study the game much more, to find out the reasons behind why I did certain things,” Holt said. “With the help of the coaches, I’ve really matured as a player. My ability to read defenses really improved, and I’ve learned so much about the offense that we run here.”

Fressle, an ACC honor roll selection, used the extra year to put in more time with both her basketball and schoolwork.

“I knew I’d get a year of school without having to play, so I was able to focus much more on academics,” she said. “I knew I could take the year and really improve my game, and I thought that I could also use an extra year of maturity.”

Both players spent hours together in the gym, getting up thousands of shots while their teammates were on the road. (Transfer students may attend home games during their first year, but can’t travel with the team.) When the team came back, both were used extensively as practice players, mimicking the games of upcoming opponents. Constantly performing against their own teammates provided the players with some unique insights into what works and what doesn’t in BC’s system.

The question on everyone’s mind, especially The Sheriffs themselves, is how they will fit in with the squad they’ve played against so much once the season starts. It’s a young, inexperienced team — Fressle and Holt are actually two of the five players on the team with more than one full year of college under their belts. Both know there is ample room for them to make an immediate impact.

“I think I’ll be the catalyst, the person that lights that spark,” Holt said. “I really like playing up-tempo, and I’m very energetic, so I think I’ll fit in very well.”

Contrasting with Holt’s frenetic play will hopefully be Fressle’s veteran guile and calmness with the ball.

“I can add a lot in terms of penetration to the basket. I like to pick my spots,” Fressle said. “As far as leadership, I’m the oldest girl on the team, and I have two years worth of experience from the Big 12, so I can bring some guidance to the team as well.

I’m really excited to get to play in a new place.”

The excitement of actually playing basketball again outweighs any anxiety The Sheriffs have about starting their second college careers. If things go according to plan, that excitement will be coming from the wins they’ll be helping their team earn in their new town. n

B6 B8

TThe Heights he Heights

B6 basketball PREVIEW

Thursday, November 10, 2011 Thursday, november 10, 2011

Alex Trautwig / Heights Editor; Graham Beck / heights Staff; nick rellas / heights staff

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welve Boston College women’s basketball players lined up for the conditioning test of a lifetime at the baseline of the basketball court in Power Gym on a late September day six weeks ago.

Team trainer Tom Shruhan blew his whistle. The Eagles broke into a sprint, shoes squeaking with the shift in momentum. They hustled to the free throw line and back. Then midcourt and back. Then the other free throw line and back. Then, finally, full court and back.

One suicide down.

Seventeen more to go.

They had 32 seconds to run each one.

Their reward for completing one: a 40-second break. No wonder why they call them suicides. It’s a test of the will to endure as much as fitness.

By the eighth suicide, all the Eagles had dropped out but one. Although she was the only one running, she wasn’t alone. With each successive trip down the court, her teammates supported her more vocally, like the swarm of students along Mile 21 cheering on the runners every Marathon Monday.

Wobbly legs and lightheadedness could not stop her. She staggered across the baseline on the final suicide triumphant, demonstrating the power of determination to her impressionable young teammates.

Kerri Shields leads by example.

“She’s aware that she’s not the fastest player in the world, but she’ll just outwork most people,” head coach Sylvia Crawley said. “What I love most about her is her refuse-to-lose mentality. Her conditioning results let me know that she’d been working hard over the offseason. When most student-athletes were taking a break from everything, laying on the sofa and doing nothing, she was working out and preparing for the start of the school year.”

“I expect a lot out of myself, and I expect nothing less than a positive outcome,” Shields said. “I don’t give up until I’ve accomplished that. I have always been a very driven person.”

Shield’s sheer force of will is one of the biggest reasons for optimism heading into tomorrow’s season opener against Fairleigh Dickinson in Conte Forum. A 5-foot-9 shooting guard, the junior is the only returning upperclassman who has logged significant playing time for a program on a five-year NCAA tournament drought. But Crawley has brought in two consecutive highly regarded recruiting classes that have the Eagles poised to make a postseason run.

They just need the right mentor.

Follow your dreams, and they can come true.

That’s the best advice Kerri Shields said she has ever received. That line is courtesy of her mother, Renie. It comes with a simple, yet crucial caveat: Work hard.

“There’s a lot you have to do to make those dreams come true,” Shields said.

“My mom showed me the path and everything I had to do to accomplish everything I want to do and to be the person I want to be.”

That path revolves around family and basketball. Shields grew up in Drexel Hill, Pa., 25 minutes west of Philadelphia.

Along with her older brother, Jim, and her younger sisters, Erin and Shannon, she’s a basketball gym rat, actively shooting or running outside of practice. They have Renie, who played at St. Joseph’s and is now an associate athletic director there, to thank for that.

Kerri’s mother provided her with more than a love for hoops, though. Renie taught her daughter to have her priorities straight.

“I’ve always looked up to my mom the most,” Shields said. “She’s accomplished so much and she’s the most driven person I know. She’s extremely unselfish in everything she does. She always puts her kids first and still finds time to work fulltime and work out. She played college basketball. She went through what I’m going through.”

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What Shields is going through right now is an adjustment to increased expectations. BC graduated a talented senior class, including 2,000-point scorer Carolyn Swords, Stefanie Murphy, and Jaclyn Thoman, last season. All eyes are on the junior guard, whose per-game averages are solid (11 points, 3.2 rebounds, and 2.1 assists) but shooting abilities are outstanding (87.9 percent from the line and an ACC-leading 85 3-pointers last season).

“When the game is on the line or we’re down, something kicks in with her,” Crawley said. “I don’t know where it comes from, but she has this ability to make things happen and make everyone around her better.”

“She’s aware that she’s not the fastest player in the world, but she’ll just outwork most people.

When most studentathletes were taking a break from everything, laying on the sofa and doing nothing, she was preparing for the start of the school year.”

Shields is cool under pressure, but the burden of expectations can be unnerving. Whenever she is feeling stressed, she thinks back to the second-most important piece of advice she has ever received, courtesy of Swords, whose faith she admires: Tomorrow will be a better day. Keep smiling. Be positive.

Those words echoed through Shields’ head whenever her alarm went off at 5:30 a.m. over the summer. She sacrificed sleep as one of 42 Orientation Leaders, exchanging relaxation for the opportunity to help freshmen acclimate to BC. “As an athlete, it’s been hard to get more involved on campus,” she said. “The reason I came to BC was for the overall experience – athletically, academically,

and otherwise. And I wasn’t having the opportunity to take advantage of all it had to offer.”

Shields researched the OL program extensively before applying. She consulted Crawley and Amy LaCombe, her freshman-year Portico professor. Both encouraged her to do it.

“She thought it would help with leading the team,” Crawley said. “It really helped her to be in front of a group and take charge. She’s placed in that situation a lot.”

Shields also sought the advice of Kyle McCartan, the captain of the men’s golf team, and Marissa Mello, who plays for both the women’s soccer and basketball teams. They both were OLs in 2010 and recommended the experience.

“They know how rigorous the workload is as a student-athlete during the summer, but they said it was worth it,” she said. “The people you meet, from coworkers to the freshmen to the faculty and staff makes it all worth it. It also gives you a chance to be more involved in the BC community.

BC is something we are all very passionate about. We wanted the chance to share that passion with incoming freshmen.”

Passion is a prerequisite for being an OL because the hours are arduous. Orientation sessions only lasts three days, but OLs are on the clock from 8 a.m. to 12 a.m the first two days and 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on the third day. That’s a busy week, before factoring in a night class, basketball workouts, and pickup games. But Shields found time to do it all and integrate a diverse group of people into a cohesive whole, an important skill when leading a team with players from New Mexico, Washington, Georgia, and New Hampshire, among other states.

“Being an OL reaffirmed that, when leading a group, people are different and that influences how you have to interact with them,” she said. “I met students who were quiet and introverted and didn’t want to contribute to group discussions.

But I also had kids who were extremely extroverted and wanted to talk every two seconds and asked questions. Dealing with all those different kinds of people gave me good experience for how to deal with the team this year. I know people won’t say, ‘I’m having a really tough time.’ I have to

sim r o rf o i jun d e c Photos: Alex trautwig | ien r heights editor and nick e exp

go out of my way and start a conversation with them.”

Greeting so many new faces on a weekly basis made Shields miss the familiar ones, though. She rarely saw her family because she spent the summer in Chestnut Hill, six hours away from home.

She sometimes second guessed herself for deciding to do so much, especially when she heard about family trips to the beach and vacations.

To overcome homesickness, Shields reminded herself why she decided to be an OL: to better understand other people and to forge meaningful relationships.

“The friendships I built over the summer I know I will maintain for the rest of my life,” she said. “It’s another team – another family – that I’m a part of.”

Starting a conversation with a struggling teammate is just the beginning of the mentorship process. A leader needs to have something substantial to say, the skill to back up her words. To that end, Shields, a sharpshooting 2-guard, worked on driving the lane with a more attacking mentality over the summer.

She played point guard in high school, so she has a good handle. But her distributor instincts would take over when she beat her man off the dribble. Instead of going to the hoop with authority, she would look to pass. Opponents scouted her and game planned for that, so she would turn the ball over because they knew what she wanted to do.

Shields shared the point guard duties in practice this fall due to class conflicts and injuries. The extra reps are paying dividends.

“She’s run the point a lot in the preseason, so she’s become more confident in her ball handling skills,” Crawley said.

“She’s playing against another point guard, who’s trying to get steals. She has to set the team up – making sure everyone is in place and knowing what they’re supposed to do.”

“I love playing point guard,” Shields said. “I love passing. I love controlling the team and the tempo of the game.”

Playing point guard will be a part-time gig for Shields this year. She’ll continue to start at shooting guard. Her fluid form is too valuable to completely saddle her with the responsibility of running the of-

alex trautwig / heights editor

Junior shooting guard Kerri Shields (right, dribbling past her sister, Erin) has a love for basketball and family that was instilled in her by mother, Renie.

rellas | heights staff

fense. She has the green light to take aim whenever she’s open.

“She has a shooter’s mentality,” Crawley said. “You can’t be afraid to shoot.

When you miss a couple of shots, you have to have the courage to shoot the next shot.

She does. I’ve talked to her a lot about shot selection. Sometimes she’ll miss, and I’ll let her know it’s a good shot. I know she’ll knock it down the next time.”

Shields is still a natural shooter, but her game is now more well-rounded.

When she gets her man in the air with a shot fake, her options are more expansive than ever. Sure, she can pass. But she can also grab an easy two on a layup, get to the line and hit her shots, or pull up for a midrange jumper.

The Eagles can turn to her for anything.

After practice in Power Gym one day earlier this semester, just before the conditioning test, Crawley pulled her junior leader aside with a request.

“Here’s what the coaches want to do,” she said. “We need to make the team mentally tougher. We need better conditioning. I need you to get the team to buy into that. When they ask why we’re doing this, I need you to give the explanation.”

Because we want to be good this year.

“As an athlete, it’s been hard to get more involved on campus.

The reason I came to BC was for the overall experience – athletically, academically, and otherwise. And I wasn’t having the opportunity to take advantage of all it had to offer.”

As exhaustion became a factor during the conditioning test, Shields encouraged her teammates during the break between suicides. She kept an eye out for anyone hanging their head.

“Push through,” she said. “Keep going.”

That advice goes beyond the court.

Shields has a unique perspective on how to succeed at BC, having experienced life in a variety of contexts: student, athlete, and Orientation Leader. Her mature outlook can settle the nerves of freshmen who are just trying to keep their heads above water.

“I went through it – every freshman does,” she said of adapting to college. “It’s hard being a student-athlete. There are a lot of different things you need to accomplish. Kids who come here are overachievers who want to succeed academically and athletically. Some of our younger kids have had a tough time. I have to talk to them.”

Tomorrow will be a better day. We’ll get through it. Breathe. Keep smiling.

Shields is committed to helping her teammates grow and the program develop. With her limitless drive and refined leadership and on-court decision making, she is determined to improve every game.

She refuses to settle for anything less than progress.

“We’re going to ask more of her throughout the season, but she’s done everything we’ve asked of her so far,” Crawley said. “She’s on board with my vision for the program. She was here when I said, ‘I’m going to make this team up-tempo.’ She’s a big part of what I’m building here.”

Crawley is building a team with the toughness to grind through tired legs at the end of a brutal practice, a team with the mental fortitude to overcome any challenge thrown its way.

She’s building a team in the image of Kerri Shields. n

Album Review

David Lynch

the ‘mulholland drive’ auteur takes a foray into music page c3 independent frame of mind

Murphy’s ‘Horror’

Cracking the code to what makes this thriller so addicting page c4

this week on TV

Fairy tale

New abc drama ‘Once Upon a Time’ merits watching page c4

mollie kolosky/ heights photo illustration

The Heights

C2

Losing it tastefully, ‘Glee’ style

Thursday, November 10, 2011

Scene and Heard

BY: Dan Siering

Darren Ranck Here’s an unsettling thought for adult readers: your children will have sex one day. It’s possible they already have.

Try not to dwell on it, but just know it happens. Last night’s episode of Glee exposed this fact to members of the Parent Television Council (PTC), and just as Jack Nicholson once predicted, they couldn’t handle the truth.

From the tame perspective of network television, viewers rank Glee as one of the most provocative, raucous, and saucy programs on air. Ryan Murphy and Co. pepper the storylines with representations of homosexuality, disabled persons, and the widening class gap, among other things. All of these subjects are very real, but the public still feels discomfort as it watches high schoolers express taboo issues in song.

Uncomfortable as it may be to view, there is something refreshing about Glee’s bold moves. Sure, the show often delivers its messages in the most heavyhanded way imaginable, but there is validity to the argument that teenagers should know more than the immediate world around them. The question the PTC needs answered is whether it is truly television’s responsibility to fill that void.

Before debate, it’s necessary to frame the situation in the context of Glee’s highly buzzed sex episode. Titled “The First Time,” the episode focused on the choice of three characters to lose their virginity for the sake of art.

The characters Rachel and Blaine were criticized for lacking the necessary passion required of the leads in West Side Story, leading Rachel on the quest to lose her virginity to her boyfriend, Finn, and bring authenticity to her performance. If that weren’t already a rather taboo approach, the character of Blaine composes one-half of a homosexual couple. His partner, Kurt, feels ready to have sex, but Blaine isn’t so sure. By the episode’s end, both couples consummate their respective relationships, but the act is done with only the best of intentions.

Each character partakes in the act out of love. There is no ulterior motive. The dialogue mentions contraceptive use numerous times. Under these circumstances, audiences can interpret the loss of virginity among Rachel, Blaine, and Kurt as emotionally honest.

Enter the PTC. Reports of their complaints cite not the sexual orientation of the participants, but their ages. Rachel, Kurt, and Finn are all high school seniors while Blaine is a junior. There’s no denying that with age there comes an emotional maturity better equipped to handle the extreme nature of sexual acts.

Glee is not the first program, though, to broach the topic of high school sex.

Friday Night Lights, truly a family show, broadcast sophomore Julie Taylor’s loss of virginity under similar circumstances to those on Glee. She trusted and felt true love for her boyfriend, Matt; her mother held the necessary conversations with her about emotional and physical safety; and little debate came from the fact that Julie Taylor was a 16-year-old character in her sophomore year.

What makes this group care more about Glee, then? Some argue it’s because of the show’s tongue-in-cheek tone, but others believe the PTC simply disagrees with the notion of a homosexual couple losing their virginity on network television. One watchdog group, the Culture and Media Institute, openly admits its disagreement with Glee’s choice. In a statement, the group chalks its negativity up to the idea that the show is “stepping up its campaign of homosexual promotion.” With this critique in mind, here’s something to keep in mind about last night’s episode: Ryan Murphy treated both couples exactly the same. He brought no bias to either couple, ensuring the audience to view this emotional milestone, the loss of virginity, as a universal issue, regardless of age or sexual orientation.

No matter how we consider it, it’s impossible to feel fully comfortable with the representation of virginity on television. Shows like Glee, The O.C., Veronica Mars, and many others that focus on this life event, though, rarely do so with callousness. Parents may never find out the particular details of their kids’ lives, and television shows can never really answer every question teenagers have about the subject. If television can start the discussion, however, maybe parents can jump in and get a little more insight into the lives of their rambunctious children.

Darren Ranck is the Arts & Review editor for The Heights. He can be reached at arts@bcheights.com.

1. BIEBER’S BABY This is a story that seems to be getting juicier. Mariah Yeater made claims that the singer is the father of her son. Yeater stated that the child was conceived after the two met backstage at one of the pop star’s performances in L.A. last October. Bieb’s camp immediately fired back and denied the accusations, with a security guard claiming that they were amongst friends and family throughout the entire night. The sensation has reportedly agreed to take a paternity test when he returns from his European tour in a few weeks.

2.ADELE GETS SURGERY Over the weekend, one of today’s most precious voices was operated on just a few miles from the Heights, as megastar Adele underwent surgery on her vocal chords at Mass. General. The operation, performed by the doctor who fixed Steven Tyler’s voice in 2006, aimed to stop recurring bleeding in the British singer’s vocal chords, an ailment that forced the 23-year-old pop star to cancel the remainder of her tour last month. As dreadful as the procedure sounds, hospital representatives have stated that Adele is scheduled to make a full recovery.

3. ‘WHERE’S WALDO?’

Ah, the sweet smell of childhood nostalgia. Keeping with the current trend of adapting archived pop culture, MGM announced on Monday that it had secured the rights to produce a live-action feature film centered on our favorite striped vagabond. Joining the likes of Carmen Sandiego and Battleship, Waldo is the latest in a long line of upcoming films looking to cash in on the youthful memories of moviegoers.

But don’t whip out your red stocking caps just yet. This isn’t the first time a studio has attempted to adapt Martin Hardford’s famous children’s novels. But, if successful, am I the only one hoping for a Carmen-Waldo mega-sequel?

4. DA VINCI IN LONDON

5. MURRAY, THE CONVICT

For all you art connoisseurs and Renaissance fanatics, it might be in your best interest to hop on a plane to London ASAP. After half a decade of bartering with numerous museums and collectors across the globe, the National Gallery opened “Leonardo: Painter at the Court of Milan,” an extensive showcase of the painter’s work and one of the most highly anticipated shows ever. The exhibit holds nine of Da Vinci’s 15 surviving paintings as well as a variety of his sketches. The VIP opening will be broadcast on TV and in 40 British movie theaters.

However, there is one lady missing from the party—the “Mona Lisa.” But that timid smiling portrait is overrated anyway.

The long and established saga that has occurred after the death of Michael Jackson came to a close on Monday, as Dr. Conrad Murray, the pop legend’s physician, was found guilty of involuntary manslaughter. The verdict, which was formed after nine hours of deliberation, stated that Murray contributed to the death of Jackson when he prescribed to the singer a surgical anesthetic named porpofol, a drug that was found in Jackson’s body at the time of his death. Placed in the highprofile prisoner area of Los Angeles County jail, Murray and his lawyers have stated that they intend to appeal the court’s verdict. Perhaps, then, this isn’t the end of this dreary tale.

Serial Story In last week’s serial story: Herman Sherbert discovered that the women he and the professor are searching for was actually his wife, Mary, who took on the alias in order to escape her life as a Duchess.

@PAULSCHEER (PAUL SCHEER, COMEDIAN)

“I GUESS I’LL NEVER GET TO USE MY DR. CONRAD MURRAY GROUPON NOW.” photo courtesy of google

“She refused to dilute the integrity of the soup by quelling the heat with an ice-cube.” - M.W.

In which the Ice Queen intimdates Herman Michael Wolf Three sterling silver soupspoons arranged from very small, to small, to slightly large. One porcelain bowl of homemade minestrone soup still steaming too much to eat. An oblong slice of baguette. A tall glass of Chardonnay. Eight chairs around the dinner table, seven empty and the last occupied by the solitary diner. Monique Vasquez, wearing a simple black dress and waiting for the soup to cool.

She refused to dilute the integrity of the soup by quelling the heat with an ice-cube. There were over six types of vegetables in this dish and she’d taste them all, darn it.

Somewhere between the fifth and sixth minute of counting, her doorbell rang. She hated being pulled away from dinner, but she also hated doorbells so she stood up and walked across her dining room to her front door. There on her doorstep stood one of her employees, sweating and avoiding eye contact. He wore a brown suit and a stupid polka dot tie.

“Ms. Vasquez, I’m … well first of all I’d like to apologize for … it’s all quite simple really, well not simple but, you know….”

“Shut up, Sherbet,” she cut him off, leaving him working his jaw on her welcome mat. There goes the ideal soup. Vasquez refused to sup (especially anything requiring slurping) in front of her inferiors. They didn’t come much more inferior than Herman.

“You’re late,” she said, gesturing to a wooden chair in the corner as she sat in her plush recliner. “Actually, since I don’t remember ever inviting you to my home, I’d say you’re unforgivably earlier. I hate your disregard of punctuality.”

“Yes, well, it’s actually something of an emergency.” Herman sat in the stiff chair. He folded his hands on his lap then, thinking better of it, stuffed them into his pockets, only to pull them out a second later and grip the wooden arms of the chair. “I’m sorry for missing work today. Especially evaluations, but I hope….”

“Oh don’t worry about that. You’ve missed nothing,” Monique said, crossing her legs and lighting a cigarette.

“Today was the Use and Performance Evaluations and I think you got a fair share of attention. In fact, your absence spoke volumes. You’ve always been a superfluous employee, Herman. A sort of 11th finger. Never really doing any harm but never being particularly useful.” She leaned forward. “But this year, I’m tightening the glove, and we have no need of extra digits. Yes, missing work was the perfect way to demonstrate how little you’d be missed.”

If Herman weren’t so exhausted, he’d probably have cried for a spell.

Perhaps the cold of Mt. Rainier had altered his chemistry or perhaps Sherman was taking over, but the Ice Queen and her remarks seemed less important than what was waiting outside. Than Mary/Sophie waiting wherever she was.

“Right, well I get all that. If you want to fire me, fine. We can talk about that later.” Vasquez’s eyebrows twitched. “Would you believe me if I told you that my wife, or ex-wife or missing-wife-not-yet-ex, was actually a duchess who has fled her family to hide with me and has now fled me for, well something? Something big, I bet.

Something else, at least.”

“No,” Vasquez replied. “Yes. No, I don’t believe anyone (royal or otherwise) would ever willfully hand her

hand over to you for living incarceration, but if she did I believe, yes, she would run the hell out of your home.”

“Alright, fair enough. But does the name Duchess Sophie mean anything to you?”

“Sherbert, this is quickly becoming the stupidest and most elaborate excuse I’ve ever heard.” She paused and put out her cigarette. “Yes, I’m aware of the Duchess Sophie, daughter to the city of Marburg. I’ve had dinner with her parents. Our international team has worked on their accounts.

Sophie has been out of the public eye for years. Her parents say she’s in a convent, but friends of the family whisper that they have no idea where she is. If you try to tell me she left royalty for you then you must take me for an idiot, your kin.”

Herman ignored the jab and pulled the rolled up postcard from his pocket. He handed it to Vasquez, who turned it over and began to read with pursed lips. He watched her read and wondered if this was such a good idea.

If anyone could get him the information he needed it was the Ice Queen. If anyone could sidestep intimidation by the white suits it was the Ice Queen. If anyone could manipulate the situation and end up leaving him worse off than he was right now, it was the Ice Queen. Still, he needed an ally and Vasquez would know what to do. Who knew where Netrovsky had gotten to or what his plan was? Who knew what lengths the professor would take?

Vasquez put down the card and looked up at Sherman.

“Tell me everything you know.”

Michael Wolf is a columnist for The Heights. He can be reached at arts@ bcheights.com.

@mindykaling (mindy kaling, actress, ‘the office’)

“I think i’m excited for ‘Jack & Jill’ because it seems like one of those movie parody trailers from ‘tropic thunder.’” @nealbrennan (Neal Brennan, comedian)

“Hugh Hefner on Lindsay Lohan pics: ‘They’re classy. And I should know, because I smoke a pipe and wear a sailor’s cap.” @julieklausner (Julie Klausner, host, ‘how was your week?’)

“Gabrielle giffords will be on the cover of this week’s ‘people.’ do you think kris jenner is pissed? do u think kris thinks gaby looks fat?” @boburnham (Bo burnham, comedian)

“i think abe lincoln said it best when he said, ‘i’m often misquoted. and i love riding motorcycles.’”

Submit your favorite tweets of the week for consideration at artseditors11@gmail.com.

The Heights

Thursday, November 10, 2011

C3

Angels finally gives stalwart fans something to ‘Love’

Chart Toppers

By Kira Mulshine

1 We Found Love Rihanna 2 Sexy and I Know It LMFAO 3 Someone Like You Adele 4 Good Feeling Flo Rida 5 Pumped Up Kicks Foster the People 6 Without You David Guetta 7 Moves Like Jagger Maroon 5 8 5 O’Clock T-Pain ft. Wiz Khalifa 9 Stereo Hearts Gym Class Heroes 10 It Will Rain Bruno Mars

For the Heights

True, pure-hearted Blink-182 fans around the world have very strong opinions about lead singer Tom DeLonge’s choice in 2005 to leave the boys, “grow up,” and form the U2 and Pink Floyd inspired band, Angels & Airwaves.

DeLonge promised his despairing fans that he and band members David Kennedy of Box Car Racer, Matt Wachter of 30 Seconds to Mars, and Ilan Rubin of Nine Inch Nails would open up a new era in rock music with the unanticipated richness and musical maturity in their premiere album. But when We Don’t Need to Whisper was released in 2006, nobody was impressed. It was a tragic letdown to the scarce fans that clung to DeLonge’s side and eagerly awaited the album’s arrival. In 2007, the band released their entrancing sophomore album I-Empire, which did improve upon their previous sound though it incorporated teeming amounts of unnecessary space-like synthesizers. Still, it presented brief moments of musical maturity representative of DeLonge’s first claims for the band with praise-worthy tracks such as “Everything’s Magic” and “The Adventure.” The captivating melodies embraced by these ballads inspired previous Blink fans to restrain their anger toward DeLonge and hope

for even better with the band’s next musical venture.

In February of 2010, fans received positive reinforcement with the release of Love (Pt. 1), which initiated the formation of a strong Angel’s & Airwaves devotee group.

With the arrival of Love (Pt. 1 & 2) DeLonge’s followers will ultimately be at peace with his split from Blink 182. The album is complete with the mesmerizing rhythms, inspiring melodies, and passionate lyrics that DeLonge must have been hiding from his fans for years.

Part one opens with an instrumental track titled, “Et Ducit Mundum Per Luce,” which is Latin for “lead the world by light.” It creates an optimistic ambiance for the powerful album, beginning with a chiming keyboard and an unanticipated flute. The track later integrates soaring synthesizers, peaceful violin-like tones, and stabilizing percussion that lead smoothly into the second spellbinding song, “The Flight of Apollo.” It is the most prominent tune of the album that portrays DeLange’s recognizable voice with a refreshing essence. As it begins, his vocals lay flawlessly above dream-like harmonies that transform into a confident guitar and drum-driven piece of music.

The commanding sound coming from this song is telling of the work Angels & Airwaves has put into their carefully crafted album over the past four years.

Singles

Love (Pt. 1 & 2) Angels & Airwaves produced by Rocket Science released Nov. 8, 2011 Our rating B+ courtesy of google.com

Although Tom Delonge’s break with Blink-182 was questionable, this album provides much needed musical depth.

Top Albums

“Shove” is set amid countless repetitive galaxy themed tunes in Love (Pt. 1), but it is impossible to ignore. With simple but intoxicating lyrics like, “She said show me the world that’s inside your head / Show me the world that you see yourself, you could use some help / Cause sometimes it comes with a shove, you fall in love,” any person who has publicly confessed love will relate.

Advancing through the space focused melodies of the two-part album, you stumble across “Surrender,” a Blink-182 reminiscent track. It is lacking the familiar

1 Under the Mistletoe Justin Bieber 2 Ambition Wale 3 Four the Record Miranda Lambert 4 Someone to Watch Over Me Susan Boyle 5 21 Adele

overbearing synthesizers that covered previous Angels & Airwaves albums. The result is tactful bass and guitar lines and consistent drumbeats that fully embody the rock band sound and are enhanced

by DeLonge’s uplifting vocals.

Blink-182 fanatics will find comfort in the addition of a background vocalist reminiscent of the treasured lead singer Mark Hoppus. This surprisingly innovative track will quickly become a public favorite among DeLonge’s supporters.

The remainder of Love (Pt. 1 & 2) is very monotonous, but its repetition doesn’t mean the album

is lacking substance. The eccentricities of Angel’s and Airwaves are very apparent through each song: telling of the highs and lows of love. In the closing track, “We Are All That We Are,” DeLonge sings about a broken romance that must end. This bittersweet melody finishes with resilient tenor that will motivate every broken-hearted soul to get out of bed and live with enthusiasm. Though you may miss the reckless sounds of Blink-182, DeLonge and his band have finally given you something substantial to praise in Love (Pt. 1 & 2). Eventually everyone has to grow up, right? n

Source: Billboard.com

Jumping genres again, Lynch lacks track diversity on dark ‘Time’

By Sean Keeley For the Heights

David Lynch’s Crazy Clown Time may be the strangest debut album of 2011. Perhaps, though, it’s not fair to consider the album as a debut, but rather as the continuation of a prolific artistic history. Lynch is

no newcomer to the pop culture scene – since the late 1970s, he has made his name with surreal, violent films like Eraserhead, Blue Velvet, and Mulholland Drive. But he has also dabbled in painting, photography, and architectural design, and frequently collaborated with his composers to craft the music

for his films. Crazy Clown Time is a separate and distinctly Lynchian creation: twisted, creepy, and more than a little maddening. Lynch’s output tends to divide opinion sharply, and his latest venture will be no exception. Count me as a Lynch skeptic.

Although Crazy Clown Time is admirably ambitious and occasionally

Crazy Clown Time David Lynch produced by Play It Again Sam released Nov. 8, 2011 Our rating C courtesy of google.com

The legendary film director David Lynch has branched out into the field of music, an interesting experiment for him.

succeeds at creating a spooky ambiance, the album is largely alienating and overstays its welcome.

First things first, what exactly is Lynch’s sound? For the most part, he riffs on a few genres: electronica, dance, and blues. Lynch seems more interested in creating ambient soundscapes than songs. His accompaniment is often minimalist, with steady drum-beats, slow-burning guitar licks, and frequent pulsing dance beats. As for Lynch’s voice, it takes on a different cadence in nearly every track thanks to various distortion effects. Sometimes it is highpitched with a mild country twang.

Sometimes it is deep and monotone; sometimes it is distinctly robotic.

Without the tools of modern music production, Lynch would be no vocalist. But he does utilize these tools to inventive ends, constantly subverting expectations about his voice. Lynch even throws in an instrumental track in the middle of the album, and on the opening track, “Pinky’s Dream,” hands over vocal duties to Karen O of the Yeah Yeah Yeah’s.

Such change-ups keep Crazy Clown Time from being entirely repetitive, but in another way the

album cannot help being tedious.

Despite all the experimentation, the songs often stick to a formula that soon grows tiresome. Over ambient electronic sounds and simple beats, Lynch whispers and drones simplistic lyrics that are drawn out, repeated, and often stuttered over.

The most dramatic example of this is a song called “Noah’s Ark” whose lyrics can essentially be reduced to: “I know a song to sing on this dark night. It’s the song of love.”

But Lynch lingers over every one of those words and repeats them again and again for five and a half minutes. At least half of the tracks on the album take similarly trite lyrics and extend them to indefensible lengths.

The most successful tracks on Crazy Clown Time fall into two distinct categories. On the one hand are the most conventionally songlike, “I Know,” a slow and evocative blues tune, and “Stone’s Gone Up,” which unlike most songs on the album actually has a chorus and fairly developed lyrics. On the other end of the spectrum are the most experimental songs, which are often successful because of their sheer audacity. The seven-and-a-half

minute “Strange and Unproductive Thinking” is the album’s craziest moment. It’s a robotic-sounding rant that features comically convoluted theories about philosophy and the universe and which culminates in a discussion of toothaches. Like many songs on the album, it’s an experimental track in which Lynch seems to be pushing the boundaries of what a song can be. It is so bizarre and inventive, even by Lynch’s standards, that it deserves special recognition. Another standout is the title track, perhaps the creepiest track in an album that is not lacking for contenders. Lynch’s vocals here are extremely high-pitched, taking on the persona of a little boy as he witnesses a violent backyard scene that he does not understand.

On tracks like these, Lynch taps into his skill at creating nightmarish, surreal visions with darkly comic overtones. But in an album that is over an hour and 10 minutes long, such moments are all too rare. Too often, Lynch loses the connection with his listener among layers of distortion and sound effects, making his first album an ambitious and sometimes admirable failure, but a failure nonetheless. n

With the cessation of an iconic group comes this era’s call to perform Matt Mazzari This summer was the last season of R.E.M.’s career as a band, the end of a three decade-long stint of revolutionary and beautiful songwriting. Since 1980, Michael Stipe, Peter Buck, and Mike Mills have been challenging the boundaries of alternative rock, pioneering sounds and themes, and interweaving the bizarre and the profound with a seamless ease envied across generations of music making. Their last ever single release is called “We All Go Back To Where We belong” and is so heartwrenchingly nostalgic it threatens to bring a literal tear to your eye. The music video, Stipe’s minimalist brainchild, is also noteworthy for its achievement of emotional impact through base simplicity: it singularly features a black-andwhite close-up shot of the wizened activist-poet John Giorno, whose indefinable expressions and occasional wistful smile partner so magnificently well with the song’s honest mysticism. It’s unbelievable. I’ve never felt so obligated to tell people to stare at an old man’s face for three and a half minutes in my entire life, nor have I ever had the opportunity to witness a break-up so graceful and evocative. Their next release, Part Lies, Part Truth, Park Heart, Part Garbage,

will be their official career-spanning greatest hits collection and will include two more never-before-heard songs, “A Month of Saturdays” and “Hallelujah.”

Meanwhile, the top selling single of 2011 continues to be the insipid “E.T.” a Katy Perry and Kanye West collaboration that can be optimistically summarized as wanting to get laid in space. Perry’s questionable conceptualization of alien mythos and West’s devastatingly clever use of the word “probe” for sexual effect are the highpoints of this infinitely vacuous twaddle. Additionally, at approximately the same time that an iconic rock group with a 30-year reputation for topical irreverence and inventiveness was releasing its last single of all time, “Moves Like Jagger” is topping the charts despite its fundamental misunderstanding of who the heck the Rolling Stones were.

I believe it’s time for humanity in general to ask itself an important question: What on earth is wrong with us?

Do we honestly believe that Katy Perry is so much more deserving of our patronage than the authors of “Orange Crush” and “Everybody Hurts?” Are we really going to let a band like R.E.M. fade away as a backdrop to Justin Bieber’s Christmas album? I understand the argument that every band has its day. I can even appreciate the opinion that R.E.M.

reached its peak of genius and mystique with “Losing My Religion” in 1991. The jarring part of this whole affair isn’t just this specific instance; it’s the relatively recent depreciation of actually innovative art in our mainstream culture.

Is the situation hopeless? Of course not. Enthusiasts of music as an art form can still find talented artists when they want to hear interesting, impassioned sound played on actual instruments.

However, with every factory-style remix someone churns out, every Disney channel tween-ager who decides it’s time for a music career, and every rapper who simply doesn’t have the time to produce a song that isn’t rampantly generic, modern music is drowning in a rising flood of incompetence and indifference. What sells today is self-advertisement and mindless pretentiousness, overdubbed with the fury of a 1,000 synths. The plagiaristic process of sampling paired with visible laziness is making the competitive mastery of an instrument a thing of the past. After all, why learn how to write a riff, or even cover one, if you can simply loop it in the background like M.I.A. did for “Paper Planes” or Kanye did for “Stronger,” “Gold-Digger,” and his entire recent album with Jay-Z? I’m not talking about blues staple-riffs or standard chord progressions. I’m literally talking about lifting a piece from another song and

transposing egomaniacal nonsense on top of it. How can listeners expect any semblance of art or creativity to come from modern music if they’re completely willing to pay for computerized rehashing? It isn’t fair to anyone, and positively no one wins.

It’s a problem, to be sure, but there is a solution: take a look at some of the spear-headers of the music industry in the past, the people who played and wrote their fingers raw. Give the syn-

thetic club-style remix jazz a break; take a look at R.E.M. Music is a beautiful and approachable medium, just as R.E.M. has a beautiful and approachable style.

As listeners and consumers, we need to be sure the music of our generation and those to come will still be worth approaching.

Matt Mazzari is a staff columnist for The Heights. He welcomes comments at arts@

Courtesy of google.com

With three decades of unmatched success, R.E.M. led the charge in unadulterated musicality.

Radio singles by Allan Guzman Wade Bowen “Saturday Night”

Javier Colon feat. Natasha Bedingfield “As Long as We Got Love” Wade Bowen’s “Saturday Night” concerns two central aspects of country music: drinking and heartache. With a simple and predictable progression, the focus is on Bowen’s story about his dislike for and loneliness during Saturday night parties. It’s not the densest subject, but country fans should find it a satisfying, if slightly forgettable, tune.

Javier Colon, winner of the TV series The Voice, collaborates with Natasha Bedingfield in a single that has “feelgood” written all over it. Although it can feel repetitive, the song has a pretty catchy chorus that you’ll find yourself humming throughout the day, and is sure to put just about anyone in a good mood.

Robin Thicke feat. Lil Wayne “Pretty Lil’ Heart” Sultry R&B singer Robin Thicke aims to set the mood in this slow, sexy number with the help of occasional collaborator Lil’ Wayne. Thicke’s lyrics, “Tell me that I got it / that you want it even more,” have a fair amount of naughtiness, but it’s also a great listen if you want to hear some relaxing music after a long day.

The Heights

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Thursday, November 10, 2011

An Independent Frame of mind

The ‘Story’ of our waning attention

Brennan Carley This weekend, I spent a good chunk of time watching the first five episodes of Ryan Murphy’s American Horror Story with my girlfriend who had refused to watch the show without me. Our plan was only to watch the first two episodes, but we found ourselves entirely swept up in the show’s neurotically-fast pace. It was almost impossible to break away from it, even though I had seen it all before. For her, it was all about finding out what happened next but I spent most of the time catching details I’d missed the first time around.

For the most part, everyone I’ve talked to about American Horror Story in recent weeks mentions how impossible it is to stop watching it, which I attribute to something more than just its storylines.

Although it features some stellar acting and scares enough to jolt ones whole body with fear, AHS more or less reflects the way our culture consumes media.

With its quick cuts, fast dialogue, and plot points that jump from here to hell and back again in a flash, the mysteriously-intriguing show functions as a hodgepodge of attention.

It should come as no revelation that Americans have attention spans that diminish by the minute; it’s hard to resist the urge to take out my iPhone every couple of minutes in the hopes of catching some entertaining tweets or the latest gossip on TMZ. (Can you believe Lindsay only spent five hours in jail?)

With its newest changes, Facebook updates come flying at our eyes even faster than Glee went spiraling into offensive absurdity. We are a culture that values quick cuts in real time. It becomes difficult to find the time to sit in front of a television for a prolonged period of time, especially as a college student, so shows like AHS become intertwined with the fabric of our lives that also includes catching up on e-mail, scouring Tumblr, and, of course, juggling homework on a nightly basis.

Perhaps Murphy understands just how clogged our lives have become, serving up AHS as a stark reminder of the fact that families must spend unplugged time together. More likely, however, is the fact that the man behind shows like Nip/Tuck and Glee has, himself, become utterly engulfed with enough time commitments to understand the precise

way to snare viewers. Truly, the FX hit is the only show that I’ve consistently watched uninterrupted for as long as I can remember. It moves far too quickly for me to do anything other than clear 40 minutes out of my week in which to watch it.

Murphy certainly isn’t the first to tap into this “secret,” however, one of my favorite entertainers around has been milking our country’s massive attention deficit for two years now. Nicki Minaj struts around

It should come as no revelation that Americans have attention spans that diminish by the minute. with wigs of all shapes, sizes, and colors, preening for the paparazzi for which she dresses. Her raps have often been criticized for being wildly erratic and lyrically sparse, but I’d like to think that she’s just being a savvy businesswoman unafraid to expose her listeners to their inner psyche. Minaj even admitted her own erratic ways on this summer’s “Where Them Girls At,” at one point pausing to ask, “Anyway, why’d I start my verse like that?” Her music (in the postPink Friday era) is entirely accessible because it reads much like our brains are used to.

Now and then, though, it’s nice to kick back with something that stays on message for an extended period of time. Albums like Bon Iver’s self titled one and Feist’s Metals are the perfect way to unwind after a long, hectic day of classes and commitments.

The way their voices weave complex and stunning stories that require one’s full attention is absolutely commendable. Singers like Lykke Li and writers like Daniel Handler (who’s upcoming novel, Why We Broke Up, is sure to be a critical favorite) are vitally important to keep close in a society that so values breaking its time up into millions of little pieces.

Brennan Carley is the Assoc. Arts & Review Editor for The Heights. He can be reached at arts@ bcheights.com.

In Case You Missed it by Carolina del busto

‘Psych’

‘Bones’

‘Once Upon a time’

The series, which typically begins scheduled programming on USA Network sometime in the summer, started later than usual this season. Despite the extra wait, fans have not been disappointed. This week’s episode, “The Amazing Psych-Man and Tap-Man, Issue No. 2,” involved more than just bad guys – there were superheroes too. Shawn and Gus have to figure out the identity of a vigilante who keeps getting solving crimes before they do. And in true Psych style, the opening credits have been tweaked to go along with the episode’s theme.

Dr. Brennan is back, and this time with a baby bump in this season premier of Bones. The first episode of the new season, “The Memories in the Shallow Grave,” kicked things off on a sweet note.

There was the usual dead body and mystery to solve, but nothing too unsettling for the evening, and it was borderline boring. It was like your typical day on the job – nothing too fast paced and nothing at all jaw-dropping. Could this first episode possibly be setting the mood for the rest of the series? I certainly hope not.

ABC’s Once Upon A Time has no time to drag in the storyline since it is in its first month. It needs to wow audiences from the first few minutes in, which is exactly what it does. “Snow Falls,” the third episode of the series, focused on the love story between Snow White and Prince Charming, while paralleling the present situation between the elementary school teacher Mary Margaret and coma patient John Doe. As they get closer and closer to remember their true pasts, the Evil Queen, also the Mayor of Storybrooke, will do anything to stop them.

Taste debate: Leggings as pants

Pro

Kelsey Damassa

For the heights

Being a dedicated runner in Boston, I practically live in leggings. I can wear them with sneakers and hit the pavement or I can just pair them with some cute riding boots and a sweater and head off to class. Let’s not forget the fact that leggings are beyond comfortable (they might even be up there with pajamas) and when worn correctly, they can look professional and polished. The best part might be that wearing leggings as pants allows us girls to show off our beautifully-toned legs resulting from walking up and down the Million Dollar Stairs everyday.

Now I know that leggings as pants have received a bad reputation recently, but that is only because they were worn incorrectly by a select few. To all my legging-wearing girls out there: Please make sure your leggings are not see through or too tight. If we wear them wrong, they might become a fad and honestly, I don’t want to lose the comfort and versatility of leggings. Comfort, practicality, and stylishness – what more could a girl want? So wear them right, wear them proud, and try to keep the leggings-as-pants trend alive!

con

Christine Zhao

Heights staff

Here’s the thing: Leggings are not pants. Many people think they are, but the two articles are fundamentally different. They are not a different kind of pants, nor a fitting substitute for pants, nor in any way able to be mistaken for pants. Yes, it is hard to get up in the morning sometimes, and yes, sometimes you may be tempted to forgo real pants: Don’t do it! The general rule is if you’re going to wear leggings, you should pair them with a shirt that is long enough to cover your butt, or at the very least, pretend to.

With tunics, dresses, etc. leggings can be cute. With a regular T-shirt, it looks silly—it’s equivalent to wearing pantyhose in public. You wouldn’t only wear tights in public, so why would you only wear leggings? Paired improperly, they simply leave too little to the imagination. There are certain details of your figure that the whole world shouldn’t see. Besides, there are plenty of other ways to be comfortable or lazy with your fashion choices, even at a style-conscious school like Boston College. If you’re really having a hard time, throw on some BC gear. At the very least, you’re showing some school spirit. Otherwise, unless you are at a ballet class, in a Renaissance fair, or currently working out, leggings should be treated as tights. Whatever articles of clothing you would feel strange pairing with tights, you should feel equally strange pairing with leggings.

The Heights

Thursday, November 10, 2011

MOVIE-ABLE Feast

C5

By: brennan carley and Charlotte Parish As the winter winds pick up speed, college students grow increasingly more reluctant to leave their dorm rooms on the chilly nights. It’s always an easy and cheap way to relax by spending evenings in common rooms with food and movies at ones’ disposal, but perhaps now is the time to take a second look at the age-old tradition.

For those with kitchens, one of the biggest joys about movie nights is cooking food in unison with the films on screen. It’s impossible to watch flicks like Julie and Julia and Babette’s Feast without craving some home cooked French delicacies.

Use the following recipes and film suggestions to create mouth-watering feasts that will leave your friends wondering how you found the time to whip it all together. It’ll definitely be better than that stale slice of Domino’s you have sitting in your fridge.

My Bi g , Fat, Greek Weddi n g

In Greek culture, food is the combination of an art, an experience, a religion, and a celebration. Family revolves around the dinner table and for holidays the menu is of the upmost importance. When in doubt, the answer is always—without fail—more food, even when the question has nothing to do with cuisine. While spanikopita and lamb (which is not always roasted in the front yard, honestly) are traditional Grecian dishes, you occasionally have to make room for the Xeno, or foreigners, who do not know how to bake correctly.

After all, who puts a hole in their cake?

MENU: Spanikopita, Lamb, Gingerbread bundt cake (below)

Ratatoui l le

Putting aside the fact that a rat (Remy, played charmingly by Patton Oswalt) cooked most of the movie’s food, viewers spent hours ogling the startlingly realistic CGI dishes served up onscreen. It looks so good that one can almost smell it, from mushrooms freshly plucked after a summer rain, to the titular dish. Interestingly enough, the ratatouille served to Paris’ most eminent food critic (the droll Peter O’Toole, fantastic and crusty here) was inspired by wildly acclaimed chef Thomas Keller (he of Per Se and the French Laundry) and his famed “confit byaldi.”

THE HELP

Ingredients 1 cup oatmeal stout or Guinness Stout 1 cup dark molasses (not blackstrap) 1/2 teaspoon baking soda 2 cups all-purpose flour 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder 2 tablespoons ground ginger 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves 1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg Pinch of ground cardamom 3 large eggs 1 cup packed dark brown sugar 1 cup granulated sugar 3/4 cup vegetable oil Confectioners sugar for dusting

Directions Accompaniment: Unsweetened whipped cream 1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Generously butter Bundt pan and dust with flour, knocking out excess.

2. Bring stout and molasses to a boil in a large saucepan and remove from heat. Whisk in baking soda, then cool to room temperature.

3. Sift together flour, baking powder, and spices in a large bowl.

4. Whisk together eggs and sugars. Whisk in oil, then molasses mixture. Add to flour mixture and whisk until just combined.

5. Pour batter into Bundt pan and rap pan sharply on counter to eliminate air bubbles. Bake in middle of oven until a tester comes out with just a few moist crumbs adhering, about 50 minutes.

6. Cool cake in pan on a rack for five minutes. Turn out onto rack and cool completely. Serve cake, dusted with confectioner’s sugar, with whipped cream.

MENU Biscuits, BBQ beef brisket , Vermontucky lemonade (below)

Ingredients Comfort food: it is useful for so many things, from exam week 1 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (with an efficient squeezer, to feeling sick to basically any large group meal a set of 20 is most you should get this plus up to 1/3 cup extra from 2 pounds of 8 easily fed with a heaping vat of breadcrumb topped macaroni lemons) and cheese. Of course, the Celia and the other ladies of The Help 2 1/2 cups cold water, plus additional if needed would not be caught dead actually doing work in a kitchen, but 1/4 to 1/2 cup maple syrup they were more than happy to take credit for the hard work of their Bourbon undervalued maids, Aibileen or Minny, while sitting on the porch, Lots of ice sipping some Vermontucky lemonades at three in the afternoon Directions while a classic Southern comfort dinner was in the oven.

1. Mix lemon juice with 2 1/2 cups water and 1/4 cup maple syrup. Taste for sweetness. If you like your lemonade sweeter, add remaining 1/4 cup maple syrup. If you found the sweetness just right, add an additional 1/4 cup cold water instead.

2. Stir to mix. This will yield 1 quart of maple lemonade.

3. Fill a glass with ice. Add either 1 or 1 1/2 shots of bourbon over ice, fill the glass the rest of the way with maple lemonade.

Breakfast at Ti f fany’s

MENU 1. Preheat oven to 250 degrees F (120 Homemade apricot Danishes, White degrees C). Lightly grease a 10x15 inch jelChocolate Chantilly Cloud, Roasted almonds lyroll pan.

Always dressed to the nines, Holly Golightly was concerned with looking fabulous (below) 2. Lightly beat the egg white; add water, and fabulously wealthy in every aspect of her life. From the milk poured into champagne and beat until frothy but not stiff. Add the glasses to Cat’s silk bed, Holly was the inventor of elegance for cheap (or rather, for howIngredients nuts, and stir until well coated. Mix the sugar, ever much powder room money her lucky lad du jour provided). With Holly’s habit of 1 egg white salt, and cinnamon, and sprinkle over the sprucing up the ordinary, a White Chocolate Chantilly Cloud 1 teaspoon cold water nuts. Toss to coat, and spread evenly on the is the perfect disguise for a simple mousse recipe with 4 cups whole almonds prepared pan. cocoa topping. Then there is the iconic frame of Holly 1/2 cup white sugar 3. Bake for 1 hour in the preheated oven, stalling outside Tiffany’s in the morning, Danish 1/4 teaspoon salt stirring occasionally, until golden. Allow to and coffee in hand as she ogles at the shiny gems.

1/2 teaspoon cool, then store nuts in airtight containBut, Paul “Fred” Varjack, the only one who will ground cinnamon ers. buy her anything from this shop of dreams, can only afford to engrave a ring from a Directions Cracker Jack box. Holly at least could In this indie darling, Keri Russell stars as a waitress at a local eatery appreciate the simplicity of both who makes the best darn pies you’ve ever laid your eyes on. the ring, and the easy way that The movie digs deeper than just piecrusts and a common nut snack could blueberry crumbles, illuminating the woman’s be made spicy and ornate blue-collar marriage and ensuing pregnancy, for a party. which in turn lends itself to a dish called “I Don’t Want Earl’s Baby Pie.” Subsequent pies include the “Earl Murders Me Because I’m Having An Affair Pie” (for which you smash blackberries and raspberries into a chocolate crust) and the “Pregnant Miserable Self Pitying Loser Pie” (lumpy MENU oatmeal with fruitcake mashed in, Chicken tikka masala, Naan bread, Palak paneer (beflambeed). low)

Wai t ress

Ingredients 6 tablespoons olive oil 2 cloves garlic, chopped 1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger root 2 dried red chile peppers 1/2 cup finely chopped onion 2 teaspoons ground cumin 1 teaspoon ground coriander 1 teaspoon ground turmeric 3/4 cup sour cream 3 pounds fresh spinach, torn 1 large tomato, quartered 4 sprigs fresh cilantro leaves 8 ounces ricotta cheese Coarse sea salt to taste

Slumdog Millionaire

EXPLANATION: While Jamal and Latika’s lives yo-yoed up and down, from poverty to wealth and back again in Slumdog, they each experienced moments of extreme hunger and periods of plenty. Alongside the vibrancy and color of India’s cultural backdrop for this film, the cuisine of India has spread world wide because of its unique flavor and fantastic variation. Naan bread is a staple at any meal, but the truly mouthwatering dishes involve the curry, sumin, and peppers for which this region became famous and wealthy.

Directions 1. In a large saucepan heat 3 tablespoons of olive oil and saute garlic, 1/2 tablespoon of ginger, red chilies (optional ingredient) and onion until brown.

2. Mix in the cumin, coriander, turmeric and sour cream (add more or less to achieve desired creaminess).

3. Add the spinach, handfuls at a time until it is cooked down, about 15 minutes total. Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly.

4. Pour spinach mixture into a blender or food processor and add the tomato, the remaining 1/2 tablespoon of ginger, and cilantro (add more or less according to taste).

5. Blend for 15 to 30 seconds, or until the spinach is finely chopped. Pour back into the saucepan and keep warm over low heat.

6. In a medium frying pan heat 3 tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat, and fry cheese until browned; drain and add to spinach. Cook for 10 minutes on low heat.

Season with salt to taste.

Juli e and Juli a

Julie Powell’s book and movie sent throngs of fans flocking to their stoves in hopes of replicating even just one of Julia Child’s mouthwatering dishes. It reintroduced countless Americans to the joys of bouef bourguignon, a flaky pastry wrapped hunk of beef. The film also paid homage to Child’s unwavering defense of butter and cheese, both staples in typical French cooking that get some serious flack by foodies today. The food is framed and filmed with a craftsman’s touch; every time Powell (Amy Adams) slices a tomato, you can hear its crunch and see its glistening, juicy innards.

No wonder so many people picked up Mastering the Art of French Cooking afterward.

The Heights

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Thursday, November 10, 2011

NC STATE AT BOSTON COLLEGE

When BC runs the ball One week removed from his 243-yard rushing performance at Maryland, Deuce Finch was ineffective, registering 59 yards on 28 carries against FSU. Bordner was definitely the most effective rushing option in the contest, gaining 45 yards on seven carries.

The NC State run defense has not been very effective this season, giving up nearly 143 rushing yards per game.

Advantage:

When BC passes the ball The Eagles continued to struggle with the passing game last Thursday against Florida State. Quarterback Chase Rettig was 11-18 for 76 yards along with one touchdown and one interception. Head coach Frank Spaziani finally showed some creativity at the position by inserting redshirt freshman Josh Bordner in as a Wildcat-like option.

Advantage:

When NC State runs the ball NC State has not been extremely efficient on the ground this season, as top running back James Washington has averaged 70.7 rushing yards per game. He has been solid in the red zone, however scoring five of the Wolfpack’s six rushing touchdowns. The Eagles have given up nearly 165 yards on the ground per game this season.

Advantage:

alex trautwig / heights editor

The Eagles have not had a losing season since 1998. Chase Rettig (above) and the offense must overcome their disappointment to stand a chance against NC State.

When NC State passes the ball The Eagles pass defense was once again unsuccessful in creating turnovers against the Seminoles. NC State quarterback Mike Glennon has been effective for the Wolfpack, throwing for 2011 yards and 20 touchdowns in nine games. The Eagles’ secondary will have its hands full with wide receiver T.J. Graham, who has five touchdowns this season.

Advantage:

Special teams Wolfpack kicker Niklas Sade has not been too accurate this season.

He enters Saturday six-for-11 on field goals with a long of 45 yards.

Nate Freese has been a little bit better, going nine-for-14 on field goals.

Both teams have been mediocre in the kick return game, but Graham has helped NC State be effective on punt returns.

Advantage:

Coaching and intangibles Saturday marks the final home game for the Eagles this season.

Head coach Frank Spaziani showed last Thursday that he has a few tricks up his sleeve with Bordner, however the season may be lost at this point. The Wolfpack are coming off a 13-0 win over North Carolina, and will look to ride that momentum on Saturday.

Advantage:

Football Notebook

Senior Day poses challenge against Wolfpack

By Sean Hyatt Heights Staff

With former-Boston College head coach Tom O’Brien leading NC State on Saturday, both offensive units show a lot of similarity.

Accordingly, execution or simply who can run the same plays better will be a key game determinant. In 2006, O’Brien left BC taking the offensive coordinator, tight end coach, offensive line coach, special teams coach, defensive backs coach, and defensive line coach with him.

The highest position coach who stayed was then-defensive coordinator Frank Spaziani.

“You’ve got to go and execute as best you can because they know exactly what we’re going to be doing and we have a good idea what they’re going to do,” said linebacker Luke Kuechly. “Coach O’Brien was here and coach Bible was here and they all coached with Jagodzinski and Spaz and all those guys so it’s like you’re playing your older brother, they know what you’re

doing and you know what they’re doing, it’s just whoever can do it the best.”

With the mutual familiarity, both teams shouldn’t be surprised much. On the contrary, the matchup should come down to intangibles.

“They’re running a similar offense to what we run here since their coach is one of the former coaches here so I think it’s going to really come down to execution,” defensive lineman Brian Mihalik said. “We both know each other’s schemes really well so it should come down to who plays better.”

Senior day This is the Eagles’ first losing season since 1998. In terms of importance to season outcome—like a win explicitly affecting bowl eligibility or an ACC championship birth—this is also the first Senior Day since 1998 that hasn’t mattered for the program. At this point the team is playing for experience and a win for the seniors.

“I’ve never had a losing season,” linebacker Steel Divitto said. “I won a national championship in PeeWee too. I’ve never had a losing season in any sport. That goes for a lot of guys though; it’s uncharacteristic of a lot of guys. When you really build yourself in life are the times when you’re down and you pick yourself up—that’s when you really look back and reflect and you just come out of it with a fire about yourself.

To be honest, you can talk about potential all you want. We have the potential to be an unbelievable ball club, but you need that motivation and this season’s got to motivate everybody. With NC State coming up, the seniors absolutely deserve this win at home. So all the younger kids have to step up also and do their role so we get that win.”

Passing pressure The Wolfpack lead the NCAA in interceptions and come only five sacks behind the top five teams in the NCAA. BC’s passing game largely failed to contribute against

Florida State’s defense registering only one score (a touchdown in the third quarter), two interceptions, and playing time split between both quarterbacks Chase Rettig and Josh Bordner. This doesn’t bode well for the passing attack in the upcoming, execution dependent match-up.

On the other side of the ball, Deuce Finch has been inconsistent.

Against a weak Maryland line he seemed superhuman, while FSU’s strength held Deuce to 59 yards on 28 carries. This NC state game should be more realistic of his true skill level and the ability of the BC O-line.

“FSU has a really good defense,” Finch said. “Probably one of the best we’re going to see all year. Their front four were strong, fast, what we expected, but they played on a whole new level. I hope this will be the real me. We just want to come out and move them up front, get the ball downfield, move the ball as a whole. We didn’t move the ball too well, but we’re going to try to do it this game.” n

Finch, offense must readjust vs. NC State Football, from C8 day,” Cleary said. “I feel like watching the tape from that game it was either miscommunication where we have two combinations working with the same guy or leaving a guy unblocked, but we kind of shot ourselves in the foot in that respect.”

Cleary said the offensive line is ready to step up and fix the communication issues that hurt them against Florida State.

“We’ve got to be louder and more deliberate in our communication,” Cleary said, “and then just be solid, especially this week against all this movement, we’ve just got to be solid with our combinations and just be real good with our feet and our eyes.”

The fumble-prone Finch is going to face a huge test on Saturday. NC State is seventh in the country for forced fumbles with a total of 14 trailing six teams

who all have 15. The Wolfpack attack runners relentlessly and Finch needs to break his habit of leaving the ball exposed to avoid deadly turnovers.

“Gotta put them out of my head,” said Finch when asked about his fumbles.

“I’ve been working in practice this week trying to get that fixed. Keep the ball high and tight, that’s what I did. I never really like to keep the ball high and tight but that’s something I need to start doing.”

If for some reason Finch can’t get going, the Eagles can further incorporate redshirt freshman quarterback Josh Bordner into the offense. Bordner got more playing time against Florida State because of injuries to the Eagle backfield, and he showed flashes of brilliant play.

“It’s tough to leave a guy like that on the bench,” said Cleary. “It makes our job easier because when you get a quarterback who can run, all of a sudden the

box is nice and empty. There’s nobody around when you’re out in that spread so you can really get some seams open for him. It just adds another component to our offense that we can use to attack.”

Bordner gives the BC offense an opportunity to inject life into a struggling offense. While Chase Rettig should and will still get a majority of the snaps, working in Bordner for quarterback draws, reads, or straight-up runs should freeze the Wolfpack defense. Enough successful runs with Bordner should also open up big plays down the field.

After a few big runs against Florida State, Bordner threw a strike down field that set BC up in the red zone. Two plays later the Eagles fumbled at the goal line after Finch and Bordner mishandled a read play.

With more time to practice plays like that read, the duo can rejuvenate the Eagle rushing game and give this offense a much needed spark. n

alex trautwig / heights editor

Deuce Finch and the Eagles will need to overcome a tough NC State run defense on Saturday.

Legendary Paterno leaves fans questioning morals Penn State, from C8 While one can only hope, as a true fan of college football, that Paterno didn’t know every detail and is truly shocked and devastated by these events, we do know that he had an idea of questionable actions in his coaching staff. That, sadly enough, makes his decision to leave at the end of the season for the best.

While he has had a legacy of excellence in college football, he now leaves with a sullied reputation.

As I watched and read reports on the events throughout the week, I couldn’t help but think about how other schools would react to such an atrocity. How would Boston College head coach Frank Spaziani react to such an incident in his coaching staff?

Yesterday afternoon, before Paterno’s termination, Spaziani presented ESPN reporters with both an insightful and compassionate response to questions about the situation at Penn State.

“It’s a very shocking development,” he said before practice. “The whole story, and his retiring, is obviously part of the story but it’s not the story.

It’s the victims and their families. To me, that’s the story.”

This statement exemplifies the values that the BC community holds in terms of its coaching staff, players and fans. There is a certain level of morality that we must share as a community and Spaziani clearly shows an understanding of these standards.

We can only hope that, as a Jesuit institution, all coaches and administrators would do everything in their power to bring justice to such a despicable crime. Had a deranged man like Sandusky been a member of the Eagle community, I would hope that all people would have the courage and moral standards to protect innocent children.

Paterno’s statements show a clear understanding of the seriousness of these events. Despite the board’s decision to fire him and his clear guilt, he desired to keep his commitments to the players.

“This is a tragedy. It is one of the great sorrows of my life. With the benefit of hindsight, I wish I had done more. My goals now are to keep my commitments to my players and staff and finish the season with dignity and determination. And then I will

spend the rest of my life doing everything I can to help this university.”

Even in his darkest hour, Paterno, the legendary college football figure, dedicated himself to the program, unfortunately this is no longer possible.

Who could have imagined that he would be leaving on such terrible terms? As Paterno has continually stated, our main concern as fans should be praying for the victims of Sandusky’s crimes. He made mistakes, and now faces the consequences.

This stands as a lesson for everyone, no matter their position, to stand up for those in need, protect victims and assure the safety of the community.

Hopefully, issues like this can be eliminated not only for sports but communities everywhere. Paterno had a respectable career and was always seen as a treasured member of college athletics. Now, his legacy and successes will be a back-story to the scandal of his final days.

Chris Marino is the Assistant Sports Editor for The Heights. He can be reached at sports@bcheights.com.

The Heights

Editors’ Picks

Thursday, November 10, 2011

The Week Ahead

Standings

Football tries for its third win of the season. Sunday features the first round of BC-BU in men’s hockey.

Women’s soccer hosts Marist in the NCAA tournament. Men’s soccer plays Duke in the ACC tournament.

The Patriots take on the Jets.

C7

Recap from Last Week

Chris Marino

31-14

Heights staff

30-15

Greg Joyce

28-17

Paul Sulzer

23-22

Game of the Week Women’s Soccer

Florida State crushed BC Thursday night. Men’s hockey beat Maine, while women’s hockey beat BU on the road. Field hockey lost to Wake Forest in the ACC tournament. The Ravens squeaked out a win against the Steelers.

Guest Editor: Matt Palazzolo

Marist

Asst. Marketplace Editor “BC isn’t fighting hunger this year?”

Paul Sulzer Sports Editor

This Week’s Games

Greg Joyce Assoc. Sports Editor

Chris Marino Asst. Sports Editor

Matt Palazzolo

Asst. Marketplace

Football: NC State at BC

BC

BC

NC State

BC

Men’s Hockey: No. 16 BU at No. 2 BC

BC

BC

BC

BC

Women’s Soccer: Marist at No. 4 BC (NCAA Tourney)

BC

BC

BC

BC

Men’s Soccer: No. 7 BC vs. No. 3 Duke (ACC Tourney)

BC

BC

Duke

Duke

Patriots

Patriots

Patriots

Patriots

NFL: New England Patriots at New York Jets

vs.

Boston College

On Sunday, the Boston College women’s soccer team (11-5-2) will host Marist (13-5-2) in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. This is the ninth consecutive season in which the Eagles will participate in the national tournament. BC has the fourth seed in the Stanford Regional. The last time the Eagles squared off against the Red Foxes, they won by a score of 4-0.

Head coach Alison Foley and her squad will look to build off last season’s postseason run to the College Cup. The team will rely on a strong showing from its senior class, especially goalkeeper Jillian Mastroianni, who had 10 shutouts this season.

Sunday, 1 p.m.

Gaudreau disregards doubters and lets his play do the talking Gaudreau, from C8 expecting big things. In fact, he was not even following the event when his name was called in the fourth round, 104th overall, by the Calgary Flames.

“I didn’t think I was going to get drafted at all,” Gaudreau said. “They always have the rankings out, and when I was younger I would never be on the lists, so it never really entered my head.

When the final draft rankings came out last year, I was at No. 193 just for North American players. Then I was on the ice the day of the draft and I got a phone call from [Flames’ GM] Jay Feaster to tell me they had picked me.”

As surprised as the humble forward may have been to suddenly be part of an NHL organization, what happened next was equally startling.

Northeastern head coach Greg Cronin, whom Gaudreau had committed to play for almost two years prior, left the Huskies for a job with the NHL’s Toronto Maple Leafs. Assistant coach Albie O’Connell left as well, and with the NU program in limbo, Gaudreau decommitted from Northeastern.

At the same time on the Heights, BC sophomore defenseman Philip Samuelsson elected to leave York’s team for the NHL. This vacated a crucial scholarship, which York promptly offered to Gaudreau. Gaudreau accepted and both he and York are happy he did.

“It’s been awesome playing for Coach York,” Gaudreau said. “He has put me in every situation, penalty kill, power play, and six-on-five at the end of the game. He trusts me more now and has

alex trautwig / heights editor

Despite his diminutive frame, 5-foot-7 Johnny Gaudreau has put doubters in the rearview mirror, as the freshman is tied for fourth on the team with five goals, to go with five assists. me playing with great players like Steven Whitney and Pat Mullane.”

Gaudreau’s exceptional stickhandling, vision and speed have seen him shake off size issues and slide in perfectly alongside his veteran linemates, Whitney and Mullane. The forward credits the two of them and the coaching staff at BC for his torrid start to his

collegiate career, a career that he hopes will conclude with at least one national championship.

At this point it is way too early to tell where Gaudreau’s career will take him, but so far his play in the maroon and gold sweater has seen him leave the cynics in a heap behind him.

Also going in his favor is that Gaud-

reau can now count on one of the most successful coaches in collegiate hockey history as an admirer.

When asked how far his freshman sensation’s talent can take him, York responded with confidence.

“He certainly has all the requisite tools to be a major impact player here at BC and how hard he works can make all

the difference,” York said. “That chapter hasn’t been written yet. Early indications are that he really wants to be a top collegiate and professional hockey player and can get there.”

Whether he stands 5-foot-6 or 6foot-6, praise like that bodes well for the future of Johnny Gaudreau, as an Eagle and beyond. n

Men’s soccer advances in ACC tourney Eagles receive No. 4 seed Men’s Soccer, from C8 strong play from the back line. Keeper Justin Luthy was particularly strong, recording five saves on the night including four in the second half. The score stayed 2-0 until early in the second half, when Maryland’s Jereme Raley sent a cross into the BC box that was knocked in by Casey Townsend. With almost an entire half left to play, the Eagles defense did just enough to protect their small lead.

Though the Terrapins came close to scoring on multiple occasions, BC managed to hold on and upset a team that they were heavy underdogs against and state their case as a serious contender in the upcoming NCAA tournament.

The Terrapins held a large statistical advantage in every important offensive category, including an 18-9 edge in shots and a 9-1 lead in corners. However, the Eagles’ defense looked as strong as it has all year and avoided conceding tying goal.

The Terps’ best opportunity came on a Townsend header in the 83rd minute, but Luthy made the save.

“We were bombarded in that second half, and we defended,” Kelly said. “I’m not going to apologize for that. It takes

a lot of courage and a lot of heart when you’ve got guys like Casey coming in like that. It’s not easy.”

Things don’t get any easier for the Eagles now as they prepare to square off against third-seeded Duke in the semifinals. The game, which will be Friday at

7:30 p.m. at Duke, marks the first time these two teams will meet since BC edged out the Blue Devils 2-1 in double overtime on Oct. 22. Duke won their opening round game in a shootout against Clemson, after playing to a scoreless tie through regulation. n

alex trautwig / heights editor

Charlie Rugg and the Eagles will now face Duke in the semifinals of the ACC tournament.

Men’s Soccer, from C8 2-0.

Though the Eagles are coming off a loss to Wake Forest in the first round of the ACC tournament, Foley believes that the defeat is a blessing in disguise.

“In retrospect, not being in the ACC tournament is great for us,” Foley said.

“We’re able to rest four key players and spend some time on functional training and things individuals need to work on.

This week, we’ll work on Marist, find out a little bit more about them and go from there.”

Furthermore, Foley believes that ending on a loss is not indicative of the way the Eagles have been playing. She insists that the team is at the top of its game and will only focus on improving set pieces, both on the attack and defensively, in preparation for the Marist game.

“Coming off our two Wake games, we’re playing good soccer,” she said.

“Those were two of our best games and we’re playing with confidence.

Defensively, we’ve been real tight.

[Alyssa Pember] has been doing a great job leading the group in the back, and

we’ve got a lot of attacking players with confidence right now.”

In hopes of advancing the program even further, the five starting seniors, Pember, Alaina Beyar, Jillian Mastroianni, Julia Bouchelle, and Stephanie Wirth look to carry the Eagles to the College Cup final, one step further than last year’s team, using their experience to make it happen.

“There’s nothing that can replace commitment, investment, and experience,” Foley said. “That’s what we have with half of the starting lineup being seniors. I know that they want it. I know that they want to keep their legacy going in terms of their first year Sweet 16, sophomore year Elite Eight, and the next year Final Four. They want to be the team that brings us to the national championship game, and I know they can do it.”

Coming off a demanding season of ACC play, the Eagles are ready to unleash their dangerous attack and unyielding defense in order to achieve their goal. Knowing that there could be no tomorrow, the team, behind its senior leaders, will attempt to bring that elusive title home to BC. n

Rivalry weekend in Kelley Rink Men’s Hockey, from C8 Eagles managed to sweep their rivals from BU last season, posting a 4-0 record that included a memorable Beanpot victory. This year’s team from down the Green Line has struggled a bit out of the gate, losing early in the season at Providence and again last weekend in humiliating fashion, 7-1, at UMassLowell. The Terriers are currently ranked No. 16, but York knows just how much potential they possess.

“They should be a very good team,” York said.

“They were picked second in our division and in the top five or six nationally, so we’re not fooled by the fact that they’ve stumbled recently. They’re an excellent hockey team, and our rivalry with them is the best in college hockey. That rivalry will surface here

Sunday afternoon.”

The Eagles are themselves coming off a somewhat disappointing 4-2 loss at the hands of UMass Amherst and looking to bounce back. They have not lost back-to-back games since Jan. 22-23, 2010 when they lost to BU and UMass-Lowell. That loss to BU was also the last time the Eagles were defeated by the Terriers, putting the streak at an impressive 665 days.

BC will still be without the services of defenseman Patrick Wey and freshman Danny Linell, as both are recovering from injuries that will likely keep them out for the foreseeable future. Brooks Dyroff has been filling in on the blue line for Wey while Patrick Brown seems to have worked his way back into the lineup in Linell’s absence. n

SPORTS The Heights

Thursday, November 10, 2011

c8

Thursday, November 10, 2011

Eagles upset Terps in ACC tournament Revenging a 4-0 loss to Maryland in the regular season, the Eagles keep rolling

By Steven Principi Heights Staff

The Boston College men’s soccer team pulled off an incredible upset Tuesday night, defeating Boston College 2 the No. 4 Mary1 Maryland land Terrapins 2-1 in an ACC quarterfinal match-up.

Diego Medina-Mendez and Charlie Rugg scored two early goals for the Eagles and the team’s defensive- minded approach was enough to hold off Maryland despite a desperate push in the end. The Eagles entered the game seeded No. 7 in the tournament while Maryland was the No. 2 seed.

Meeting for the first time since being routed 4-0 by the Terrapins in early September, the Eagles looked to be heading for a similar result early on. Maryland controlled the game in the opening minutes, as BC did not put many players forward when attacking. The Eagles were content to try their luck on the counter attack while making sure to swarm any threat posed by the Terrapins in the early going. This strategy paid off quickly for BC, when Kyle Bekker sent a cross into the box that found Rugg. Rugg’s first shot was saved, but the rebound deflected right to Medina-Mendez who made no mistake in finishing. The goal was Medina-Mendez’s seventh of the year and

came just 14 minutes into the game.

“We used that feeling [of the 4-0 loss] as a yard stick,” head coach Ed Kelly told The Diamondback. “We just wanted to see how far we’ve come.”

The Eagles weren’t done, however, as they doubled their lead just four minutes later as a result of some great defensive work. A dangerous Maryland cross was cleared away by Chris Ager, who managed to kick the ball far enough to give Rugg a one-on-one opportunity. Rugg used his speed to get past the lone defender and beat the keeper as well, giving him his team-high eighth goal of the year.

With the score 2-0, BC began to play an even more defensive style. Time after time, the Maryland offense came into the BC end only to be turned away by

See Men’s Soccer, C7

alex trautwig / heights editor

Charlie Rugg (right) scored what proved to be the game-winning goal in the first half Tuesday.

NCAA TOURNAMENT PREVIEW

Men’s hockey preview

BC draws coveted home game in opening round

By Raychel Kruper Heights Staff

Sitting in neat rows in the Shea Room of Conte Forum, the Boston College women’s soccer team was abuzz with chatter as it awaited the announcement of its NCAA tournament fate Monday afternoon. Loud music filled the room as the Selection Show began, and immediately every player fell silent.

It’s tournament time – the “one and done” time of the season – and while this phrase has a scary connotation, it also serves as motivation for the Eagles to stay alive in hopes of punching their ticket for back-to-back trips to the College Cup. The NCAA tournament journey starts now.

Though the official quest for a national title begins this Sunday at 1 p.m.

Hockey East foes invade Kelley Rink

in Newton with the team’s first round game against the Marist Red Foxes, the Eagles have been constantly groomed and challenged throughout their competitive ACC season. Need proof? Nine of the 11 ACC teams will play in the 64-team national tournament.

“There’s no question we’ve seen it all,” head coach Alison Foley said. “We’re weathered. We’re experienced. We’ve been behind in games where we’ve had to come back. We’ve seen top players in the country. The ACC prepares you—as much as it is a grind, it is the best preparation for this time of year.”

The Eagles are seeded No. 4 in their bracket, which includes the No. 1 Stanford Cardinal, who cut short last year’s run at a title in the national semifinals,

See Women’s Soccer, C7

By Steven Principi Heights Staff

land him in York’s program.

In 2010-11, Gaudreau earned a spot on the Dubuque (Iowa) Fighting Saints of the USHL, the top youth hockey league in the United States. As a 17year-old rookie, Gaudreau netted an outstanding 36 goals and 36 assists in 60 regular season games on his way to the USHL Rookie of the Year award.

Most importantly for him, Gaudreau and his teammates captured the coveted Clark Cup, the top trophy of U.S. youth hockey. Gaudreau called the experience his “most memorable experience in hockey.” Once again, Gaudreau had swept the doubters aside with his seamless transition to the USHL. “It was tough at first because I was a small player and I really wasn’t mature enough in terms of weight and other things,” said Gaudreau of the transition.

“But when I got out there my coach, coach Montgomery, put me through a whole bunch of stuff and he helped me improve my game a lot because he was a small guy too.”

From there, Gaudreau’s meteoric rise in North American hockey only continued. In this past June’s NHL draft, the Carney’s Point, N.J., native was not

It’s rivalry weekend at Kelley Rink.

Boasting a No. 2 ranking and a 6-1-0 record in Hockey East play, the Boston College men’s hockey team will play host to two familiar foes this weekend, facing off against Northeastern on Friday before a rare Sunday game against their Comm.

Ave rivals from Boston University.

With two Beanpot foes invading Chestnut Hill this weekend, there is much more than four points in Hockey Easy on the line. Head coach Jerry York admitted that the atmosphere at practices this week have a new kind of energy and excitement, and discussed the thrill of playing two long-time rivals in the span of three days.

“There’s no doubt it has been ramped up at practice,” York said. “These are historic rivals. There’s always a lot of interest in these games because of the proximity of our schools and the fact that they are league games. There’s a lot of excitement around the locker room and I think it’s going to be a really fun weekend.”

The Eagles open the weekend with their second meeting of the season with Northeastern. The Huskies forced overtime against BC in the last meeting between the teams, on Oct. 22, before Bill Arnold sent the Eagles home winners. The Huskies have struggled recently and are just 1-5-2 overall and are winless in their last five outings. However, the teams they have played in that span are all currently near the top of Hockey East, and York refuses to look past Friday’s game against the Huskies.

“We saw some different things out of them than we’re used to last time,” he said.

“They’ve got a new coaching staff, a new system, and they took us right to the wire.

It’s really fresh in our mind how difficult it was to win that game. Their student body was electric that night, and now we’re going to get that here on Friday. The venue plays such a huge role in these close series, and we expect a big home crowd there on Friday night.”

BC will then welcome the Terriers for their first meeting of the season. The

See Gaudreau, C7

See Men’s Hockey, C7

graham beck / heights staff

Kristie Mewis (19) and Alyssa Pember (6) will begin their NCAA tournament journey Sunday.

Crafty Gaudreau uses size to his advantage on the ice

By Andrew Klokiw Heights Staff

In this era of exceptional technological advancements and statistical obsession, the art of doubting has become about as ingrained in the DNA of professional sports as the players and the games themselves. In the realm of hockey recruitment and scouting, goals and assists have become devalued, while size and strength are seemingly the telltale signs of whether a player can have an impact in the NCAA or NHL. Sometimes however, players like Johnny Gaudreau come along and make the scouts forget what their computers are telling them. Gaudreau, listed generously on the Eagles’ website at 5-foot-7 and 150 pounds, has been facing questions about his size for his entire career.

But in his freshman campaign with Boston College, he is making those who doubted him look foolish yet again.

“I just keep the doubters in the back of my head,” Gaudreau said. “I can’t worry about what other people are saying. All I can do is play my game, and hopefully I can keep succeeding as people keep saying that I can’t make it.

It’s all about putting their words in the back of my mind and remembering what

they say when I’m on the ice.”

That motivation has spurred his unquestionable talent to a hot start in his true freshman season.

Th e 1 8 - y e a r- o l d Gaudreau, picked as the Hockey East Preseason Rookie of the Year, has registered five goals and five assists in the first 10 games of the season.

These gaudy numbers have earned him Hockey East Rookie of the Week accolades twice already this year, and have put to rest any lingering questions of how he would adjust to the physicality of the NCAA. Head coach Jerry York has been impressed by Gaudreau’s rapid adjustment from the USHL to the collegiate level, if not a little bit surprised.

“He has exceeded all of my expectations for him so far,” York said. “He’s very smart and strong on his skates. Hockey is

a game where you can be 6-foot-6 and really effective or 5-foot-6 and be really effective. There’s room for both and I think his size fits in very well on our team. He’s not a high-maintenance guy, he’s all about the team, he works hard, and he’s certainly going to be a key factor for us going forward.”

Gaudreau’s development as a player began when he played for his father with the Gloucester Catholic Rams, a period that he credits as being crucial to getting him to where he is al today. ex tr au It w a s tw ig d u r i n g his / he ig time with Gloucesht s ed ter that ito Gaudreau com- r m i tte d to Nor the a ster n Univ e r s i t y a n d th e n head coach Greg Cronin. However, this was just the beginning of a long and winding journey that would eventually

Penn St. scandal ends era Chris Marino “I have come to work every day for the last 61 years with one clear goal in mind: To serve the best interests of this university and the young men who have been entrusted to my care. I have the same goal today.”

These are the words of longtime Penn State head football coach Joe “JoePa” Paterno. After over six decades of coaching, the resiliency and dedication of Paterno can be shown through this quote. However, the story behind these words paints a different picture.

This past week, the legacy of Paterno and the Nittany Lion’s football program has been hit with turmoil. The arrest of former

Football

Running game faces tough task vs. NC State

assistant coach Jerry Sandusky has left questions of the beloved head coach’s morality.

Paterno’s awareness of the allegations against his former protege and his lack of action have culminated in the longest-tenured college football coach’s termination last night.

The backlash from these events has left the Nittany Lions in a state of uncertainty and chaos. Tuesday night, fans packed Paterno’s front yard, chanting his name in support, while many have called his lack of action an atrocity. While authorities say that the coach did his legal duty in informing school officials of the alleged acts, many have questioned his morality in ensuring the safety of the victims.

Sandusky, who has been charged with sexual abuse and molestation, was let off the hook up to this point. Penn State seemingly felt that sweeping these events under the rug would be an adequate approach to the situation. This, of course, has come back to haunt the program, none more so than Paterno.

See Penn State, C6

i nside S ports this issue

By Austin Tedesco For The Heights

Matt rourke / ap photo

Joe Paterno, outside his house Tuesday night.

Football Notebook

NC State head coach Tom O’Brien will be back in town this weekend to face his old team......C6

Coming off a spectacular 224-yard rushing day against Wake Forest, North Carolina had a grand total of three rushing yards against North Carolina State last week, shutting out its rival Tar Heels on Saturday. The Wolfpack are now coming to Chestnut Hill ready to stop the Boston College run game as well. It’s going to take a huge turnaround from the performance against Florida State for the BC running game to get back on track.

North Carolina State’s run defense thrives off movement prior to the snap and forcing fumbles.

“You’ve got to recognize the patterns

Who has the advantage?

Breakdowns of whether NC State or BC will have the advantage this weekend..................C6

and tendencies,” said junior offensive tackle Emmett Cleary when asked about the pre-snap movement. “More of it is just a way of playing. You’ve got to be good with your eyes and good with your feet. You can’t be leaning on anything because they’re going to be moving every play.”

The Eagle offensive line couldn’t open up room for running back Deuce Finch to make progress up the field last Thursday. He was constantly swarmed

by Seminole defenders every time he touched the ball. Cleary said that the struggles of the running game were more to BC’s fault than FSU’s credit.

“We didn’t go a good job Thurs-

See Football, C6

Editors’ Picks..............................C7 Game of the Week...........................C7

marketplace The Heights

Thursday, November 10, 2011

D1

Thursday, November 10, 2011

BoA cancels debit card fees

Politics Mississippi voters defeated a ballot initiative that would have declared that life begins at fertilization. The measure would have outlawed all abortions and many forms of contraception.

Chris Christie spoke at a Mitt Romney campaign event in New Hampshire on Wednesday. It was Christie’s first campaign appearance on behalf of Romney.

Chris Watson

A federal appeals court in Washington upheld the Obama administration’s health care law on Tuesday.

It was the fourth appellate court to rule on the health care law so far.

Economics The Obama Administration has rescinded its support for a proposal which would have placed a 15-cent tax on Christmas trees. The fee was mocked by opponents as a tax on Christmas.

German and French officials have discussed plans for a reorganization of the European Union into a smaller group. One German official characterized the plans as a pruning of the Eurozone.

The European Union is expected to overtake the United States as the world’s largest oil importer in 2015.

Oil imports to the U.S. are expected to decline because of new efficiency standards.

Science & technology Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 was released Monday.

It is the eighth installment in the Call of Duty series.

The game sold a total of 9.3 million copies on launch day, the most of all time.

Russian engineers are struggling to redirect a space probe that launched Wednesday. The equipment failure has raised concerns that the probe could crash back to Earth.

The largest asteroid to cruise by Earth in 35 years made its closest approach Tuesday. The asteroid, called 2005 YU55, is a 1,200-footlong space rock, roughly the diameter of an aircraft carrier.

in numbers

40 percent of Americans are uncomfortable with a Mormon President, according to a survey by the Public Religion Research Institute.

$14 billion The estimated cost to the U.S. government of disasters related to climate change.

$9.95 The cost of Internet service cable companies will charge to many low income houses, starting next summer.

in quotes

“

This is a tragedy. It is one of the great sorrows of my life.

With the benefit of hindsight, I wish I had done more.

”

– Penn State Coach Joe Paterno on the reports of child molestation by a former member of his staff.

“Ain’t going to happen.”

– Herman Cain preemptively responding to calls for him to end his campaign

Photo courtesy of google

Since 2003, Yawkey Way and Lansdowne Street have been leased by the Sox for relatively low prices.

2003 leasing deal between city and Red Sox still pays dividends

By Isaac Park Heights Staff

Since granting the Boston Red Sox rights to close surrounding streets on home game days in a 2003 leasing agreement, the city has missed out on over millions in revenue, according to a report by the Initiative for Investigative Reporting at Northeastern University.

The story was originally published on the Initiative’s Watchdog New England website and syndicated in The Boston Globe and Channel Five News this past Monday.

Consulting various industry experts, sports and financial publications, and public documents, the Initiative gave in its article “conservative” figures that estimated the revenue generated by the Red Sox’s use

Although our nation was founded on the democratic principle that power lies in the hands of the people, it seems that recently Americans have been searching for a way to convince themselves that this statement still holds true in the 21st century. From government bailouts to the ever-rising cost of living, it seems that the deck is stacked against the common man.

Adding insult to injury, Bank of America recently proposed a $5 monthly usage fee for debit cards.

Bank executives probably hoped their money grab would fly under the radar or be overshadowed and appear insignificant in comparison to all the other problems facing Americans in 2011. In a great victory for the common man, however, the American people stood up to big business and reaffirmed my

belief in the power of a people united for a cause, no matter how formidable the opponent may be.

When you think of names and phrases associated with the recession, you probably think of Bernie Madoff, the Federal Reserve, or the names of the various banks and insurance companies bailed out by the federal government.

If you are a Bank of America debit card holder, however, you should add another name to the list for a different reason: Molly Katchpole, a 22-yearold woman from Washington, who, by starting a petition on the online grassroots platform change.org, is the reason why you will be saving $60 a year.

Katchpole’s online petition, which she began shortly after Bank of America announced its proposed $5 monthly fee for the right to use the bank’s debit cards, grew at an unprecedented rate and is one of the best recent examples of the power of one person to bring about nationwide change. Katchpole collected over 300,000 signatures from individuals opposed to the charges, a stunning number when you calculate

See BoA, D6

of Yawkey Way and Lansdowne Street, revenue that it says could have been collected by the City of Boston.

When John Henry took ownership of the franchise in 2002, moves were soon made to expand the ballpark to increase revenue and make the park and surrounding area more fan-friendly. Before the season ended that year, the team began taking steps in the long-term plan to revitalize Fenway Park: constructing a new section of seats atop the Green Monster and setting up ticket gates outside the park on Yawkey Way. The city easily granted approval to the latter move, requiring $900 a game for the Sox to close off Yawkey Way to sell tickets.

Because the longer-term plans required public safety clearances, Mayor Thomas M.

See Red Sox, D4

photo courtesy of google

Bank of America has announced it will cancel its plans to enstate 5 dollar monthly debit card fees.

I I Candidate Herman Cain remains defiant in the face of new sexual harassment accusations One world,

nternational nsights

Former employee becomes first woman to publicly accuse Cain of harassment

By Brandon Stone Heights Staff

Republican candidate Herman Cain has enjoyed an ascent to the top of the polls despite harsh criticism of some of his more radical proposals. Cain, however, has recently begun to face criticism of a far different nature. Since last Sunday, Oct. 30, four separate women have accused Cain of sexual harassment during his tenure as head of the National Restaurant Association. Cain has denied the accusations, instead accusing fellow Republican contender Rick Perry of orchestrating a smear campaign.

The first three women to accuse Cain of sexual harassment chose not to publicize their identities. This Monday, Oct. 7, however, Sharon Bialek became the first to publicly and openly accuse Cain of harassment. Bialek spoke to reporters at the Friars Club in Manhattan and recalled that after she had been fired from the National Restaurant Association’s educational foundation in 1997, she approached Cain for help. Allegedly, Cain offered her a job in exchange for sexual engagement. According to Bialek, Cain took Bialek out to dinner at an Italian restaurant, then ran his hand up her skirt when the two were alone in his car afterwards. Bialek charged that after telling Cain she was not interested in his advances, Cain asked, “You want a job, right?”

So far, Cain has denied all accusations.

His campaign has released statements saying that Cain has never harassed anyone, and that, at worst, the accusations have sprouted from misunderstandings of Cain’s jokes. Cain himself has refused to discuss Bialek’s allegations at length, or any of the individual accusations, instead blaming the media for giving attention to the “so-called story.”

Bialek is the fourth woman to have accused Cain of sexual harassment, but the first to allege inappropriate physical contact. Such an accusation could be considered the most serious because

it does not allow for Cain to paint it as the result of a misunderstanding. Furthermore, Cain can no longer cite the anonymity of his accusers as reason to doubt the validity of the charges.

Cain has not only denied all accusations of sexual harassment, but has gone so far as to point the finger at Rick Perry’s campaign, saying that his campaign has “been able to trace it back to the Perry campaign that stirred this up, in order to discredit me and slow us down.” Cain has charged that Curt Anderson, an operative working for the

Perry campaign, is behind the information being used against him. Anderson worked for Cain in 2003, during Cain’s senate race. Cain alleges that he told Anderson about one sexual harassment case in preparation for the campaign.

However, Cain’s explanation has only led to more questions. Most notably, why he has recently claimed to have difficulty recalling the details of the case, if he had known enough to explain the case to an aide in 2003.

Perry has denied any role in the alleged smear campaign. A spokesman for the Perry campaign called Cain’s accusations “reckless and false.” Furthermore, Anderson himself has contended that

See Cain, D4

Richard drew / ap photo

Sharon Bialek, above, is the latest woman to accuse Herman Cain of sexual harassment.

i nside Marke tp l a c e

this issue

Politico of the week

This week Marketplace explores the life and political career of Timothy Geithner................................................................. D6

seven billion mouths to feed Gerard Farara Imagine you live on an island, where the soil is fertile, and the grass is a luminescent green. Lush vegetation litters its meadows for miles. It’s the perfect place to graze your livestock. So you settle on a plot of land, turn it into a farm, and live off it. But you’re not the only one who sees the advantage here.

Others do. So they come and share the spoils with you. But eventually, there reaches a point when the land is overworked. Its resources are being used faster than the land can replenish them.

And so, what was once a rich, fertile, and beautiful place to live and graze livestock becomes poor, dusty, and famished. It’s a ghost of what it used to be. But each one of you was thinking individually. You saw the advantage and so acted upon it.

That is how our world is set up. It’s like the law of diminishing returns— there comes a point when hiring that extra worker will decrease your overall output. But in this scenario, we are the employees, and Mother Earth is our employer. She has all the raw materials, and employs all of us to use them. But the problem is she never stops employing.

The goal is to make as much as possible for the sake of living as comfortably as possible. It’s an ‘every man for himself ’ mentality. But the sad thing is, this is how our world operates. The foundation of economics is that people respond to incentives. Why? For the opportunity to advance themselves. It’s why men challenged the treacherous seas of the Atlantic. It’s why people rob

See 7 Billion, D3 A Green Piece....................................................D2 Forecast on Washington...........................D3

D2

The Heights

Thursday, November 10, 2011

MF Global declares bankruptcy, prompting calls for financial industry reform

By John Morrison Heights Staff

United States Futures and Options broker house MF Global filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection early last week. With over $41 billion worth of assets and over $39 billion in debt, MF Global was the eighth largest U.S. company to collapse in history, and its failure has brought ab out re sp ons e f rom many critics calling for an overhaul of regulation of the financial system.

The specifics of MF Global’s failure revolve around the chaos regarding the European debt crisis. According to The Financial Times, markets in the past two weeks lost faith in MF Global’s nearly $6.4 billion bet on European bonds in countries such as Italy and Spain. This loss in market confidence led to MF Global getting a slew of margin calls on their short-term debt. In turn,

clients of the brokerage house pulled out capital from the firm, and share price dropped nearly 47 percent in one day. MF Global was forced into bankruptc y court shortly after. Furthermore,

With over $41 billion worth of assets and over $39 billion in debt, MF Global was the eighth largest U.S. company to collapse in history.

MF Global has run into other serious problems—it has had trouble locating nearly $690 million in client funds for regulators to give back.

Chairman and CEO of MF

Global, Jon Corzine, whose career in the investment banking and political arena had spanned almost 35 years before his resignation last week, issued a statement saying, “On a personal note, our positions and the judgment about riskmediation steps are my personal responsibility and a prime focus of my attention.” Corzine came to MF Global in March 2010 promising to turn the company into an investment bank rivaling his previous employer, Goldman Sachs. He forced the firm to take on more risk in the hopes of growing into a Wall Street giant.

Instead, through faulty bets and improper risk management, the firm lost its liquidity.

Four days after the firm declared bankruptcy, Corzine issued another statement saying he felt, “great sadness for what has transpired at MF Global and the impact it has had on the firm’s clients, employees, and

many others.” However, many clients and analysts think that Corzine acted negligently and that after the crisis the economy experienced in 2008 financial oversight should have been in place.

Critics of the response to MF Global’s downfall have been sharp and to the point. In some cases they even attacked Corzine’s decision making. Speaking on the condition of anonymity, a critic of Corzine’s plan to turn MF Global into the next Goldman Sachs told reporters, “Taking a broker and making it into an investment bank is an utter impossibility,” because MF Global does “not have the deep culture that Goldman has of handling risk. You cannot leap with a single bound into proprietary trading and hope to survive intact.”

Other analysts have not been critiquing MF Global directly, but instead are pointing to the lack of financial oversight of

midsized financial institutions.

The main problem these analysts have been addressing is the fact that sometimes as many as 10 different regulatory agencies are in charge of monitoring the

The $6.4 billion investment in the sovereign debt of European countries was reported, but the matter went unresolved. activity inside a brokerage firm.

As a result, many potentially crippling actions can go unnoticed. In the case of MF Global, the $6.4 billion investment in the sovereign debt of European

countries was reported, but the matter went unresolved.

Michael S. Barr, law professor at the University of Michigan, told reporters of The New York Times, “There is nobody taking a consolidated view of the firm,” he continued. “If you have a major participant, as MF Global was in the derivatives and commodities markets, there should be a regulator looking at the risks it poses to the system as a whole.”

The collapse of MF Global has reminded the public and Wall Street of the endemic unpredictability of financial markets. For many, MF Global has been likened to a “mini-Lehman” Brothers. Fears have surfaced about the possibility of a domino affect to other financial institutions. However, as the week progresses it has appeared that the relatively small size of MF Global has kept it from triggering another crisis. n

Tesla Motors puts hope in the fuel-efficient future of the auto industry

Kameron Bain As our reserve of fossil fuels continuously dwindles, the need for alternative energy is ever more present. It may sound cliche, but even the most anti-environmental Republican cannot dispute the fact that crude oil will indeed eventually run out.

Tesla CEO, Elon Musk, is attempting a feat that no other company has yet achieved: creating a profitable electric fueled automotive company. This electric fueled auto industry is inevitable in the next few decades.

However, will Tesla Motors be the company that bridges the gap between the gas and electric fueled automobile industries?

Tesla Motors is far too young to be able to come to an answer to this question. But it has the potential. The technology created and utilized by Tesla is unprecedented, and even if the company is an utter failure, the fact that they have created an all-electric sports car (the Roadster S) that can go from 0-60 mph in a mere 3.7 seconds is astounding. The fate of this company is certainly unknown, but it just might re-shape the entire automobile industry.

Tesla’s funding gives investors hope. Despite losing money on every Roadster (Tesla’s first model) sold, the company is anticipated to be profitable in 2013. Tesla CEO Elon Musk, cofounder of PayPal, has invested $7.5 million of his own money into the company along with grants from the federal government and Google executives.

The marketing technique being utilized by Tesla is similar to that of Apple. Tesla VicePresident, George Blankenship, worked in marketing for Apple

Inc. for six years, and is bringing the “laid-back retail approach” to Tesla retail stores. The stores are placed in unusual locations for a car dealership, such as malls. They contain only one or two models, but allow customers (who may have no intention of buying a Tesla) to personalize one of the Tesla models.

This innovative approach to marketing automobiles looks to popularize the Tesla name, and it is difficult to determine its effectiveness today. However, Tesla executives believe this strategy will lead consumers to buy Tesla models in the upcoming decade. Tesla has the capital to expand, and looks to double its retail stores next year. Few believed Apple retail stores would be a success, so it would be ignorant to discredit the potential of this marketing strategy. Marketing aside, the company is young and Tesla’s products will ultimately determine the fate of this innovative company.

Tesla Motors, created in 2003, has produced only two models for sale. The Roadster and Roadster Sport, upward of $100,000 each, were the first Tesla models on the market.

The technology in these models is incredible. They can be plugged into a common household outlet, and hold a charge capable of driving 245 miles.

This all-electric sports car tops out at 125 mph and goes 0-60 in 3.7 seconds. The Roadster can perform in the heat of the desert or the cold of the arctic.

The most depressing aspect of the Roadster is its exterior look. The Roadster looks like a product of a Lotus and Porsche Carrera.

Anyone willing to spend over $100,000 on a sports car is not impressed with the ostensibly cheap look of the Roadster.

Fortunately for Tesla, they have invested in other models to be released in the near future.

Their newest model, the Model

S, is a luxury sedan, which again runs entirely off electricity. This sedan resembles an Aston Martin, and is already being reserved by customers for its release date in mid 2012.

Its price ranges from $50,000 to close to $100,000, depending on various factors including battery range. The battery range differs from 160 miles to a whopping 300 miles, and can be charged from a household outlet on a nightly basis. Critics have questioned Tesla automobiles range concerning distant drives, and for this reason Tesla has also invested in charging stations between major cities such as Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Las Vegas. Yet not officially released, Tesla has mentioned an SUV model in the near future, and Musk has expectations to meet following his remark about the Nissan Leaf ’s battery technology as “primitive.” Should the Model S be a success, Tesla may have found a profitable niche in the ever-competitive automobile industry. Ford and GM’s lack of ingenuity and arrogance to adapt with consumer needs gives a company like Tesla the ability to compete.

Although an extremely risky investment, Tesla Motors (TSLA), or similar companies like Fisker Motors may be the automobile companies of the future. Chevrolet has attempted to enter the electric automobile market with the Volt, but true innovation seems to be in the hands of Tesla Motors. Even buying a Tesla automobile is dangerous, due to the comparatively small nature of the company, but the future will soon show whether or not this inventive company can compete in the auto industry.

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

photo courtesy of google

Tesla Motors produces two models of fuel independent automobiles that can hold charges for over 245 miles.

A Green Piece

Proposed oil pipeline from Canada to Louisiana remains controversial

Meg Lister During the past few months, there have been so many protests in so many places that it’s become hard to keep them all straight.

It all started with Occupy Wall Street, then moved on to Occupy Boston, Occupy Oakland, and Occupy Every Town Ever. This Sunday, the largest protest wasn’t part of the Occupy movement. Over 10,000 people joined hands and circled the White House in protest of the planned Keystone XL pipeline, sponsored by the oil giant TransCanada. If approved, the Keystone XL pipeline would carry crude oil from the world’s second-largest, remaining oil reserves in Canada through the United States to the Gulf of Mexico. The pipeline would traverse

1,700 miles underground from Alberta to either Port Arthur, LA or Houston, TX. It would travel underneath the Ogallala Aquifer, a major supplier of fresh water for the Midwest states. TransCanada, the proposed builder, specifies that the pipeline will measure 36 inches in diameter with 3/4-inch thick walls. The controversy over pipeline ap-

TransCanada estimates that 700,000 barrels of oil per day will flow down the pipeline. proval has become increasingly partisan, political, and at times openly antagonistic.

President Barack Obama has approval (or veto) power over the pipeline. He was originally expected to come to a decision by the end of this calendar year, but sources now indicate he may be

putting off the decision. Intense grassroots pressure over the incident, including multi-day protests during August, have drawn increasing media attention and support from across the country.

The Canadian ambassador to the U.S., Gary Doer, weighed in on the state of the debate recently, remarking that “If [the decision is] made on noise, it’s unpredictable.”

Supporters of the pipeline point to its capacity to unleash huge tar sands reserved in Canada, which they hold will increase U.S. energy security.

The U.S. currently consumes 19,148,000 barrels of oil per day, and this number continues to grow. Proponents say they’d rather have their oil come from a friendly neighbor, Canada, rather than the politically charged and often unstable OPEC nations.

TransCanada estimates that 700,000 barrels of oil per day will flow down the pipeline, which would account for approximately 7 percent of U.S. oil imports.

TransCanada also hopes that the project will create manufacturing

jobs across the Midwest during construction and that “once the pipeline is operational, the states along the pipeline route are expected to receive an additional $5.2 billion in property taxes during the estimated operating life of the pipeline.” This includes the states of Montana, South Dakota, Nebraska, Kansas, Oklahoma, and Texas.

Pipeline opponents are eager to poke holes in the supposed benefits. They say that job creation will not last long once construction is completed, and that the national economy should instead encourage growth in the green jobs sector. They also point to the environmental destruction already present around the Alberta oil sands, where historic boreal forests have been clear-cut to dig for the oil underneath. The process of extracting the oil is also considerably more energyand water-intensive than traditional oil extraction, as the lowgrade petroleum product must be melted out of the ground. This process also emits up to three times more carbon dioxide than

traditional extraction processes.

Local residents, particularly Nebraskans, worry about safety issues associated with the pipeline. Twelve spills have been reported on other TransCanada pipelines this year, and the sheer size and carrying capacity of the proposed Keystone XL sets it up

Local residents, particularly Nebraskans, worry about safety issues associated with the pipeline. as a prime target for pressureinduced spills and explosions. Oil spills in the Yellowstone River, Gulf of Mexico, and across sensitive shorelines in New Zealand have drawn worldwide attention to the hazards of oil transportation.

Most importantly, oil opponents and environmental-

ists argue that the U.S. needs to decrease its dependence on oil, rather than looking for new sources of fossil fuels. Instead of building the pipeline, they argue that the U.S. should look toward a clean-energy future in wind, solar, and hydropower. In a widely circulated letter, NASA scientist James Hanson pointed out that currently available oil reserves are more than capable of raising atmospheric carbon to 400 ppm (parts per million), far above the 350 ppm that most say is the safest allowable level.

Adding new reserves to the mix renders carbon dioxide control and climate change mitigation an almost impossible task—or, as Hanson wrote, “essentially game over” for the planet. Decreasing our reliance on oil is tough enough already, but adding the perception of endless reserves minimizes many people’s intent to do so.

Margaret Lister is a staff columnist for The Heights. She welcomes comments at marketplace@ bcheights.com.

The Heights

Thursday, November 10, 2011

D3

David Cote

Matt Palazzolo

Alex Trautwig

Were Mississippians right to reject the Personhood amendment?

I always support the right of the people to choose their own laws.

No, fetuses are people, unlike terrorist anchor babies and illegal immigrants.

Abortion is always exceedingly tricky, but yes.

That’s how the voting process works. More than 55 percent voted against it.

Absolutely. This is a victory for women and families nationwide.

Will Bank of America benefit by canceling their proposed debit card fees?

Maybe, but they’re still a piss poor institution.

Sure, Netflix did great too after canceling an unpopular policy.

Absolutely, lots of people were going to jump ship, it’s just the principle.

Other companies have already done so, they’re just being competitive.

A significant amount of damage has already been done. It will certainly be interesting to watch.

Should the U.S. work to prevent Iran from expanding their nuclear program?

If we can have a nuclear program, why can’t they?

No, America needs another Cold War to balance out global warming.

Going with the U.S. role throughout history, yes. It’s important to stay on top of the nuclear issue.

Definitely so. It’s not only a matter of protecting our allies, but also a national security concern.

Diplomatically, yes. Militarily, no.

Was the federal appeals court right to uphold the constitutionality of the 2010 health care law?

No, absolutely not. Don’t force me to buy things.

Personal freedoms should come first.

Yes, death panels and socialism have always been constitutional.

Healthcare is great, but it’s a slippery slope once you start to require citizens to do things like that.

Until what point will any further expansion of federal power among citizens be acceptable?

The law is constitutional and will continue to be proven as such.

Marketplace Editor

The World in Ink

Asst. Marketplace Editor

By Adriana Mariella, Heights Editor

Photo Editor

Daniel Sologuren

President, College Republicans

Nick Doffek

President, College Democrats

World population reaches 7 billion From 7 Billion, D1 a bank. And for many people, it’s why we go to college. But for those of us already living on this Earth, where is the incentive in making more of us?

The world population has reached seven billion. That’s a number most can’t even fathom. Can you imagine just a billion cars? How much space would that take up?

How much gasoline is needed to power that many cars? It is unimaginable. And because it’s incomprehensible, life carries on as if nothing ever happened.

There is no immediate glaring infringement on your life’s bubble, and so for all purposes, it didn’t happen. In fact, this couldn’t be any further from the truth.

The 21st century is shaping up to be the century of globalized dilemmas. Almost every dilemma is on the international stage. From climate change, water scarcity, and poverty to deforestation, resource degradation, and the loss of diversity, all of our worldly dilemmas seemingly magnify by the newest member to our species.

With fewer people to burn

trash, there would certainly be less carbon dioxide in our atmosphere. With fewer people, the demand for water wouldn’t be as high. Mother Earth as a whole would be able to breathe a little better. By no means am I endorsing mass genocide, but I am pointing out that we are at the root of our collective problems. And the more of us there are, the further multiplied our problems become.

So what to do? First and foremost, there needs to be a drastic change of mentality. The modern world is so interconnected, yet many of us are oblivious to it. Few even realize that almost everything they own was made in some distant land by some unknown person in a grimy factory. The clothes you wear, the parts of that expensive car you drive, even down to the food you eat, are all most likely from another country. Once you come to this realization, your mind would’ve essentially caught up with the physical capabilities of our technology. You would’ve punctured your bubble and hence become more mindful of international developments. Few Americans can place China on a map. That is a

bubble that needs to be burst.

People in the foothills between Afghanistan and Pakistan aren’t aware of Sept. 11, though its culprits live amongst them.

That is a bubble that needs to be burst. We can’t become technologically globalized and not be mindfully globalized.

That is a bubble that needs to be burst.

Educate. That is simply the answer. It’s like teen pregnancy. We, as a whole, made the illogical decision to have seven billion and, though unprepared, we must be willing to parent the seven billion of us. With education comes awareness. With education comes the ability to make smarter decisions for the sake of team humans. To educate is to essentially break down the borders of France, the United States, Mexico, Iran, Iraq, Afghanistan and every other country to unify us all as one.

That is what we’ve done economically, and so must now do psychologically.

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

Berlusconi vows to resign as Italian PM in the wake of growing economic crisis

By Matthew Stanley Heights Staff

Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi was up against one of the biggest tests of his political career on Tuesday, as parliament voted on whether or not to allow Berlusconi to keep his job. His history as Italy’s leader has been controversial if nothing else, and his ability to continue to lead was being brought into question as Italy’s debt has become the second largest in the Eurozone, at 1.9 trillion euros.

There is fear surrounding the growing debt of this large and crucial economy of the Eurozone.

If Italy’s economy, the third largest in the Union, fails, an unrecoverable straing could be placed on the European Union’s (EU) banks, currency, and economy.

Berlusconi’s inability to deliver policies that would help cool the flame concerning Italian debt is raising tensions within his own conservative coalition.

Though Berlusconi attempted to implement a few policies concerning labor laws and state asset sales, they never came to fruition due to the required parliamentary approval.

On Tuesday, Berlusconi did not look to be receiving much support from parliament as they voted on routine budget matters.

Because Berlusconi failed to gain a majority support there was a no-confidence motion to bring down his administration. Since the vote, the Italian government has been scrambling to find a replacement.

Throughout his tenure, Ber-

lusconi has been unable to convince financial markets of the government’s ability to quell the rising economic debt. He assured investors that banks were on solid footing, mentioning his own activities in the financial markets.

Despite his words, Berlusconi’s measures failed to control the economy, resulting in soaring borrowing costs and causing the European Central Bank to step

His history as Italy’s leader has been controversial if nothing else, and his ability to continue to lead was being brought into question as Italy’s debt has become the second largest in the Eurozone, at 1.9 trillion euros. in. Many members of parliament felt that Berlusconi did not possess the ability to make serious policy moves. Failing to keep Italy out of the intensifying European debt crisis, Berlusconi has now become the highest profile victim of Europe’s debt.

Fears now arise in Italy as to what will to become of the people. Because Italy needs to make cuts in order to lower its

mounting debt, the citizens may face austerity measures, which could result in riots similar to those in Greece.

Because Berlusconi has vowed to step down, is is up to 86-yearold Italian President Giorgio Napolitano whether to form a new national unity government that would be faced with coming up with tough economic measures, or to hold elections.

The latter option would plunge Italy into months of uncertainty, as political parties would have to face off against each other to win votes. Napolitano’s role then becomes crucial in picking someone to lead the newly-formed national unity government in the wake of ousting the old, and lawmakers expect him to turn to Mario Monti, a respected economist, the former Prime Minister Giuliano Amato, or Berlusconi’s right-hand man, Gianni Letta.

After Parliament’s vote Italy is plunged into a state of uncertainty. The next government, chosen by Napolitano, will face the challenge of righting a struggling economy in the face of Eurozone collapse. It will have to deal with not only a mounting debt crisis of its own but also the crises in surrounding nations.

Berlusconi’s resignation comes as a result of Italy’s failed economic policy, but also as a result of the failure of global markets.

Berlusconi’s tenure was one marked by sexual scandals, but he might be remembered not as as a playboy, but rather as just one more European politican who failed to combat growing national debt. n

photos courtesy of google

Protests have erupted throughout Europe with the next impending Eurozone financial crisis developing in Italy.

The Heights

D4

Thursday, November 10, 2011

Monster seats and vender arrangements have yielded large profits for Sox From Red Sox, D1 Menino had to turn to the Boston Redevelopment Agency (BRA).

On Dec. 12, 2002, the BRA board declared Yawkey Way and Lansdowne Street to be areas of “urban blight,” thus legally justifying handing control to the Red Sox. The BRA hired Boston real estate appraisal firm Casey and Dennis to set the lease price.

Rather than taking into account projected revenues, the appraisers determined that the streets were only attractive to the Sox, and that therefore no one else would bid against the team. In February 2003, the Red Sox and BRA signed an agreement calling for the team to pay $165,000 for the first year of the lease, with annual increases in accordance with the Consumer Price Index.

The lease topped $200,000 for the first time this year.

In so doing, the Sox were granted exclusivity to revenue collected during home games.

Only the team’s partner vendor, Aramark, was given rights to sell.

Industry specialists say concessionaries like Aramark typically pay 45 percent of revenue to their host team. The Initiative did not receive comment from either party.

To Brian Mahler, an attorney in the Massachusetts Superior Court Department, the BR A had “stretched the definition

of blight” to rationalize leasing Yawkey Way. He added, “While the public may minimally benefit from improved lighting, landscaping, and store fronts along the street, the Red Sox receive an economic windfall by having exclusive rights to sell food, alcohol, and merchandise on the street before and during home games for a minimal licensing fee.”

Meade noted that this the term “urban blight” has been commonly used since the midtwentieth century, when the federal government authorized local redevelopment agencies like the BRA to justify slum clearance.

The Sox’s monopoly on gameday street sales prompted one street vendor, Michael Rutstein, who had sold outside the park before the leasing agreement, to file a lawsuit in the U.S. District Court.

At the hearing in 2002 Rutstein’s lawyer lambasted the city for facilitating the Sox’s seemingly unlimited profit-making.

“Mayor Menino is planning to do anything he can help the Red Sox make more money and the players make more money, and that’s the bottom line here.”

H o w e v e r, a f t e r Ru t s t e i n dropped the case, citing financial reasons, the Sox’s plans were unimpeded. Negotiations between the BRA and Sox continued, with Casey and Dennis reasoning that much of the property in question was unmarketable to other buyers. Its appraisal did not consider

a revenue-sharing option, calling it “applicable, but highly hypothetical.”

Since the city did not pursue revenue-sharing arrangements, the leasing deal has proved to be a boon for the baseball franchise.

Considering only the block of 269 seats and 100 standing-roomonly spaces above the Green Monster, the Sox generated more than $21 million in sales of tickets and concession items since 2003, after subtracting construction costs.

And when the firm appraised Yawkey Way, Casey and Dennis determined the lease fees based on what “push carts or temporary kiosks located in shopping malls” would pay.

The Initiative determined these costs through sports and financial publications. The BRA did not allow the firm to discuss their work for the Initiative’s report.

Menino has voiced no regrets over the deal, acknowledging that while the BRA could have pursued sharing revenues with the Sox, the financial benefits the city reaped from higher real estate values and other sales revenues offset the seemingly missed opportunity.

“What we’ve made from more real estate taxes, more jobs, and increased business in that area over the past 10 years more than makes up for it,” Menino said.

Sports economist Andrew Z imbalist at Smith College

agreed, saying the leasing agreement was “a worthwhile investment for the city.”

Still, after the Sox underwent a renaissance of sorts in the past decade, the franchise has witnessed a financial boom. Forbes reported that the once fourth most valuable franchise is now second only to the Yankees, and worth $112 million more than the

third-place Dodgers.

The current executive director of the BRA, Peter Meade, while defending the 2003 leasing agreement, has recognized the franchise’s fortunes and wants in on the profits. Meade has said the city has made moves to expedite negotiations for when the lease ends in 2013.

“We’re in a different place than

we were several years ago,” Meade told the Iniative. “Just to use the [Monster] seats as an example, we weren’t sure that was going to work. Even for closing the street, nobody knew if that would work or if it did, how well it would work.

Now we have a pretty clear idea that it works well, so we’re better armed now going into negotiations on a new agreement.’’ n

photo courtesy of google

The Boston Red Sox have generated more than $21 million from the 269 seats built over the iconic Green Monster in 2003.

Cain deserves benefit of the doubt Herman Cain defends his past conduct

Matt Palazzolo In May of this year, Dominique Strauss-Kahn, a popular French politician, former head of the IMF, and, at the time, potential French presidential frontrunner, was accused of sexual assault. He was swiftly arrested and detained in the United States. The media reaction was fierce and overwhelmingly negative, with reporters feasting on his steamy personal life. His presidential ambitions, so promising just days before, vanished. A life-long career of public service was self-destructed by one bombshell accusation. There was just one slight problem: StraussKahn was innocent.

His accuser, Nafissatou Diallo, had not only completely fabricated her story, but she had made up a previous story about being gang raped by soldiers in Ghana, and even worse, had mob ties. Three months after his arrest, the New York District attorney dropped all charges against Strauss-Kahn.

The sordid tales of Dominique Strauss-Kahn and Herman Cain are closely related. Both are victims of the 24-hour news cycle in which people are guilty until proven innocent. The Duke lacrosse team, whose lives were ruined before the truth of their innocence were revealed, is a perfect example. In politics, the litmus test is even harsher. Ted Stevens, the Senator of Alaska for over 40 years, was accused of corruption in a high profile federal case. The negative publicity sunk his re-election chances, and he was defeated in 2008 after seven terms in office.

Six months after the election though, Stevens was exonerated based on gross prosecutorial misconduct. The prospect of a guilty verdict, not an actual conviction

abruptly ruined the distinguished 40-year career of Ted Stevens.

Based on these shameful precedents of public figures being assumed guilty before innocent, Herman Cain’s actions make perfect sense. In the early 1990s, Cain was a rising star. He had recently brought Godfather’s Pizza from the verge of bankruptcy to profitability in less than a year. Cain used his entrepreneurial success as a springboard to become head of the National Restaurant Association in 1996, and had his eye on a senatorial or even presidential run in the near future. Unfortunately, at the zenith of his business success, Cain was blindsided by sexual harassment charges. The specific allegations are vague and ambiguous; one states that he held his palm flat in an offensive manner, another that he called a woman attractive and invited her up to his apartment. Nevertheless, the credibility of the accusations was completely irrelevant: the taint of any claim of sexual harassment would torpedo his political ambitions.

The reaction of Cain’s brain trust, while by no means certain, probably went something like this.

He first adamantly denied the accusations, just as he is doing during his present campaign. Then, a manager or chief of staff would gently remind him that any allegation, regardless of accuracy, could derail a future campaign. Then, his aide would float the possibility of a settlement. The financial package would be small, current sources estimate that one of the accusers settled for about half a years salary, or less than $50,000. In return, the accuser would sign a confidentiality agreement and not discuss the allegations in the future. Cain would accept this lesser evil to avoid the potential self-destruction of his political career by false accusations.

Flash forward to the present.

Herman Cain’s campaign is now embroiled in a sex scandal. His accusers, out of the limelight for over a decade, have suddenly come out

of the woodworks. One of them, Sharon Bialeck, hired notorious feminist attorney Gloria Allred and staged an over-the-top press conference to unveil her claims.

The unnecessary glitz of the conference, combined with Bialeck’s impish use of the phrase “stimulus package” to describe her encounter with Cain, frames her as disingenuous at best and as a shameless gold digger at worst. She seems more concerned with seizing her quick 15 minutes of fame at the expense of Herman Cain’s political career than with the actual flimsy allegation.

Finally, Herman Cain’s response to the allegations has been excessively and unfairly criticized. Political commentators have critiqued his inconsistent statements and flat-footed initial response. Rush Limbaugh, in a rare moment of sanity, pointed out the hypocrisy of this accusation.

Politicians like Bill Clinton, John Edwards, and Newt Gingrich have all handled allegations smoothly … because they were guilty. Herman Cain has handled his allegations, shockingly, like an actual human being. He forgot about the charges because they were flimsy and untrue. Instead of spending years building a PR campaign for an eventual bombshell like John Edwards, Cain unsurprisingly did not prepare for an unsubstantiated allegation. His knee-jerk reaction of denial and angry dismissal when presented with this scandal is consistent with how the average citizen, not a sleazy politician, would respond to such slander.

The ongoing sex scandal is by no means over. One of the accuser’s could hypothetically produce concrete evidence implicating Cain in actual sexual harassment.

Until Herman Cain is definitely proven guilty though, I firmly believe that he is innocent.

Matt Palazzolo is Asst. Marketplace Editor for The Heights. He welcomes comments at marketplace@bcheights.com.

paul sancya / ap photo

Herman Cain has come under much criticism recently for his alleged sexual harassment of four former employees.

From Cain, D1 he was not aware of any sexual harassment cases against Cain until they surfaced in the past two weeks, and demanded an apology from Cain.

Cain himself has taken an inconsistent strategy for addressing the allegations. After the first charge of sexual harassment was publicized by Politico on Oct. 30, Cain openly

responded to questions, calling the accusations false. As more allegations surfaced, however, Cain repeatedly declared that he would ignore the accusations. On Nov. 7, however, Cain reversed tactics again and announced he would hold a press conference the next day, Nov. 8, in order to address the allegations head on. At the press conference, Cain once again insisted on his innocence and went so far as to claim that he

did not know who Sharon Bialek was until the accusations went public.

Thus far, many in the media have regarded Cain’s response to the charges as unsatisfactory. His characterizations of the incidents as fallacious or misunderstandings have done little to answer the many questions he faces. However, recent polls still show him among the front-runners for the Republican nomination. n

The Heights

Thursday, November 10, 2011

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The Heights

D6

Thursday, November 10, 2011

Timothy Geithner

By Brandon Stone Marketplace Staff

Alex Manta / Heights graphic

United States Secretary of the Treasury Timothy Geithner assumed his office on Jan. 26, 2009. He was nominated for the post by President Barack Obama in 2008, based largely on his experience as President of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. Geithner has played a large role in the federal government’s spending during the financial crisis of the late 2000s.

Geither was born in New York City on Aug. 18, 1961. His father, Peter Geithner, directed the Ford Foundation’s Asia Program during the 1990s. Geithner graduated from Dartmouth in 1981 with a degree in government.

After earning a master’s degree from Johns Hopkins University’s School of Advacanced International Studies in 1985, Geithner began his career working at Kissinger Associates in Washington. In 1988, Geithner joined the U.S. Treasury Department, where he held a number of positions throughout his tenure.

In 2003, at age 42, Geithner was named president of the Federal Reserve Bank of New

York. In 2008, Geithner played a key role in the federal government’s decisions to rescue Bear Stearns, bail out AIG, and to allow Lehman Brothers to declare bankruptcy.

Obama nominated Geither for Secretary of the Treasury in 2008. The approval process, however, was entirely trouble-free. Geithner was forced to answer questions about a 2006 IRS audit that found Geithner to have failed to a pay self-employment taxes from 2001-2004.

Geithner testified that the error was accidental, and received the Senate’s approval to assume office.

Since taking office, Geithner has been responsible for overseeing the spending of much of the $700 billion bank bailout passed

by Congress in 2008. Geithner has also come to be known as a one of the administration’s staunchest advocates of ending the Bush-era tax cuts. Geithner made headlines in 2009 when he accused China of “manipulating” its currency in such a way that hurt American business interests. Since then he has publically worked to pressure China to change is currency practices. n

On the hunt for Jon Huntsman

Zachary Halpern “Is Obama Toast?” That’s the question The New York Times is asking in its recent magazine publication. Nate Silver, the creator of the political blog fivethirtyeight.com, models several outcomes of the 2012 presidential election and his conclusion is startling: Jon Huntsman is the most likely GOP candidate to beat President Barack Obama.

This is the same Jon Huntsman who is trailing Tim Pawlenty in the latest USA Today/Gallup poll. Since June, when Huntsman entered the race, he has remained steady at either 1 or 2 percent, while even the most unqualified and controversial figures (ahem, Herman Cain didn’t even know that China had nuclear capabilities) have risen to the top at least temporarily.

So the question we’re faced with today is: Why hasn’t Jon Huntsman been a more competitive candidate in the GOP primary?

Huntsman’s resume seems to be particularly well-suited for a Republican primary. His combination of executive, business, and foreign policy experience is impressive. As Governor of Utah, he completely overhauled the state’s tax system and cut taxes by over $400 million. With all the cries for a less progressive tax code, why aren’t conservatives embracing Huntsman?

Conservatives will never realize the potential threat that Huntsman presents to Obama because of his position on science, his faith, and his inadequate campaign skills.

Huntsman has warned the rest of the Republican Party on the dangers of opposing science.

He told CBS News that Republicans can no longer deny basic scientific truths such as evolution and climate change. He warned, “Listen, when you make comments that fly in the face of what 98 out of 100 climate scientists have said, when you call into question the science of evolution, all I’m saying is that,

in order for the Republican Party to win, we can’t run from science…. We’ve got to win voters.”

Acknowledging evolution and climate change is mainstream and in a Republican Party that seems to be driving pedal to the medal to the right, the mainstream is no longer acceptable.

Solutions and rhetoric must be radical. They wrongly perceive science as some sort of Democratic conspiracy. The radical forces that show up for Republican primaries (those who boo gay soldiers and cheer for the death penalty) don’t like science because it challenges their religious beliefs and has enormous implications on United States energy policy. The candidates have fed into these fears and railed against science. Look no further than Michele Bachmann, who claimed that the HPV vaccine leads to mental retardation.

Frustrated doctors immediately pointed out that her claim was completely false. But voters who fear government mandated vaccinations were ecstatic. Huntsman has stood up for science, but instead of being praised, voters have rallied around his opponents.

Although Huntsman’s proscience stance has scared away many primary voters, there is also a religious element to Republicans’ apparent indifference towards him. Just take Pastor Robert Jeffres as an example.

You may remember him as the Texas pastor who called Mormonism a cult and then accused former Governor Mitt Romney of not being a real Christian.

While Jeffres was talking about Romney, the same bigotry has hindered Huntsman’s campaign.

But wait, you may say that Romney is a Mormon and yet he is tied for first in the polls.

The difference is that Huntsman is the former governor of Utah, whereas Romney served as the executive in Massachusetts. Therefore, Romney has the advantage of being much more familiar with the less radical elements of the Republican Party, the Chris Christies of the world. While Huntsman was in China, Romney was shaking hands across the U.S. proving that despite his Mormon roots, conservative voters could count

on him to completely renounce any liberal policy he ever championed in Massachusetts. It’s as if there is only room for one successful Mormon business leader in the race and Romney beat Huntsman to it.

Finally there is the issue that Huntsman, for whatever reason, is not a great campaigner. He comes off as a bland technocrat, rather than an impassioned politician. Maybe Huntsman needs a little scandal to spice up his life—something bold and sexy is sure to get him the cover of The New York Times. For a country obsessed with excitement, scandal, and rhetoric, Huntsman is the odd man out. At the debates he can’t compete with the antics of Romney and Perry and he struggles at times. Once he even went so far as to make a terrible Kurt Cobain joke. The last time I checked, the Republican primary voters aren’t interested in Kurt Cobain humor. Do they even know who Nirvana was?

No matter what he does, Huntsman comes off as a boring man from Utah and he fails to arouse voters. He recently released a negative ad accusing Romney of ducking the tough questions. It will be interesting to see if these can finally catch the voter’s attention and if they’ll be the key to rallying support behind Huntsman.

Ultimately, Huntsman’s only hope is to win in New Hampshire. Will those voters be able to recognize the threat that Huntsman could pose in a general election? He’s capable, experienced, and staunchly conservative. His only hope is to convey that to New Hampshire voters. If he can, then he may be able to generate the attention and momentum necessary to potentially win the nomination. But to do that he’ll have to take out the man who shares his Mormon-businessman-formerexecutive identity—Romney.

And like any good liberal, I’ll be watching the whole time and laughing at every misstep the GOP candidates make.

Zachary Halpern is a Heights editor. He welcomes comments at marketplace@bcheights.com.

Chris Carlson / AP Photo

John Huntsman, former governor of Utah, represents a more moderate form of Republicanism than others.

photo courtesy of google

Thousands of protesters turned out to protest against Bank of America’s proposed $5 debit card fees.

BoA yields to customers’ demands From BoA, D1 how much money the bank would lose if these customers left: each month, these roughly 300,000 customers represent $1.5 million potential dollars in the bank’s pocket.

In most cases, the executives of the big corporations and banks that have recently been in the public eye seem distant and impossible to contact. Katchpole’s petition had such an impact, however, that she personally received

Aside from the immediate impact of the people’s victory, the bank’s decision to back down from their position sets a favorable precedent for the way they do business in the future. a phone call from Bank of America’s social responsibility and consumer policy executive to discuss the charges, which the bank representative initially defended and refused to condemn.

The unprecedented success and growth of Katchpole’s campaign also drew the attention of such public figures as President Barack Obama and North Carolina Representative Brad Miller. Obama spoke out against the bank’s plan, criticizing it as unfair to consumers, while Miller introduced a

bill in response to the bank’s plan that would make it easier for customers to switch between banks. In addition to the possibility of switching banks, many customers threatened to move their money to credit unions or withdraw it completely and go with the “under the mattress” approach.

Finally, on Nov. 1, Bank of America announced that it had scrapped all plans to charge a monthly rate for debit cards, citing pressure from competitors and customers. According to co-chief operating officer David Darnell, Bank of America listened to their customers “very closely” before making the decision, thus reaffirming the American ideal that one person can bring about change on a national scale, no matter how untouchable the perpetrator of oppression may seem.

The incredible success of Katchpole’s campaign and the general public outcry over

Bank of America’s proposed plan proves that even when one person is pitted against the third-largest bank in America, the power remains in the hands of the customer. As Senator Richard Durbin said in the aftermath of the decision, “Consumers across America have a much larger voice in this process today than they did even a few weeks ago.” Aside from the immediate impact of the people’s victory, the bank’s decision to back down from their position sets a favorable precedent for the way they do business in the future. At least for the moment, big businesses such as Bank of America are no longer taking their customers for granted- certainly a victory for everyday Americans.

Rachel Newmiller is a staff columnist for The Heights. She welcomes comments at marketplace@ bcheights.com.