The Heights 10/23/2014

The Heights will return on Thursday, October 30. Check bcheights.com for updates.

A RETURN TO NORMALCY?

CHOCTOBERFEST LIAM WEIR

SPORTS

METRO

SCENE

The football team will look to reboot its ground game against a struggling Wake Forest, A8

Taza Chocolate offers special events all month long, B9

The BC freshman and Instagram sensation shares his perspective on iPhone photography, B1

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THE

The Independent Student Newspaper of Boston College

established

1919

Thursday, October 23, 2014

Vol. XCV, No. 39

BC revises sexual misconduct policies, investigative process University administrators clarify procedures for handling cases of reported sexual assault

BY NATHAN MCGUIRE Asst. News Editor The University updated its student sexual misconduct policy this summer to change the process through which cases of misconduct are handled, to include more precise definitions of key terms, and to change the way Boston College weighs requests for confidentiality in reported cases.

Cases of sexual misconduct will now be resolved through an investigative

model, rather than through the student conduct hearings. These changes come at a time when campus sexual violence is a frequent topic in the national media and top government officials have pushed for reform in how colleges and universities deal with cases. On Monday, the U.S. Department of Education published new federal rules that interpret the 2013 Violence Against Women Act and amend certain provisions of the Clery Act. “We are mindful that the topic of

sexual assault is in the national spotlight, and to this end work to ensure that Boston College can be a leader in how we respond quickly, fairly, and with care for all students,” said Katie O’Dair, vice president for Student Affairs and Student Affairs Title IX coordinator.

O’Dair is responsible for overseeing the University’s response to complaints of sexual misconduct.

The ne w federal regulations , a culmination of months of discussion between the government and a panel of expert negotiators, will require colleges and universities that receive federal funds to train students and employees on preventing sexual assault. The rules,

which will take effect in July 2015, require colleges to define terms such as “consent” and specify that students can choose an adviser to accompany them throughout sexual misconduct disciplinary meetings.

According to Richard DeCapua, associate dean of students and director of student conduct, each year the University reviews the Student Code of Conduct. This summer the Dean of Students Office and O’Dair revised the sexual misconduct policy to reflect best practices and to ensure that it was aligned with legal changes and regulatory guidance.

One of the most significant changes

to the polic y is to the process by which cases of sexual misconduct are investigated by the University. Previously, cases of this nature were resolved through the student conduct system, in which a board of faculty and staff would hear the case and allow each side to introduce evidence and call witnesses.

The board would make a finding of either “responsible” or “not responsible.”

The updated policy moves away from hearings and creates an investigative model, a move that O’Dair said brings BC’s response to such cases in line with best practice.

See Assault Policies, A3

Pulitzer winner talks infographics

BC hosts former U.S. congressman

Gareth Cook discusses his award-winning work in graphic design

BY LAURA MCLAUGHLIN For The Heights

of many of the works—the shortest, a story entitled “Misterioso,” comprises only two lines of dialogue, 12 words in total—he emphasized endings, or more particularly, the effect of a piece.

“When I put these books together, it was like cramming together many different kinds of pieces, and they operate in different ways,” he said. “Some operate like prose poems. Some of them operate like one-line jokes. Some operate like more conventional stories, but when you think about stories, stories operate in different ways. One of the ways I can sort out the way a story operates is by its ending.”

He then categorized the types of endings, from the traditional tale in which evil is punished, good rewarded, and the world saved, to the realization endings pioneered by Anton Chekhov to the “frisson,” the French word for “shiver,” that characterizes the feeling one experiences at a story’s conclusion.

“If you can change the ending, if you can change the way the reader feels the story actually ends, you change literature,” Dybek said.

Although Dybek largely rejects either the designations “prose poetry” or “flash fiction,”

On Tuesday night, former Congressman Bob Inglis came to Boston College to speak about an economically conservative solution to climate change. Inglis served as a representative of South Carolina from 1993 to 1999 and then again from 2005 to 2011, later going on to create the Energy and Enterprise Initiative (E&EI), a public engagement campaign.

He began with speaking about his background as a Congress member in what he described as the reddest district in the reddest state, and about his conversion to believing in climate change and the need to address it. He admitted he was ignorant about climate change earlier in his career, believing it to be an exaggerated issue by liberal politicians such as Al Gore that he as a conservative should not take seriously because of his political affiliation.

After his son encouraged him to look into the issue, though, he joined the science committee and went to Antarctica where he became convinced of the existence of climate change. He focused on this, coming from a place and former mindset common to his generation that is typically not concerned about or skeptical of environmental issues.

He explained the science of his conversion, the proof he saw from the scientist’s samples of ice dating back thousands of years and providing measurements for the earth’s CO2 levels that coincide with the industrial revolution. The second part of his conversation to a believer in climate change was related to his belief in God. While scuba diving in the Great Barrier Reef with someone who also believed in and

See Dybek, A3

See Inglis, A3

BY MAGGIE POWERS Heights Editor

The brightly colored infographic comparing the many styles of Justin Bieber projected on the wall of Devlin 101 on Tuesday evening was seemingly trivial. Pulitzer Prize-winner Gareth Cook’s message was not: the power of visual thinking can be harnessed to communicate where words and unorganized data fail.

His new book Best American Infographics 2014, the second volume in a series, explores the importance of infographics in the multiplicity of new media. With contributions to NewYorker.com, Wired, Scientific American, the Washington Monthly, and the Boston Globe Ideas section, Cook knows exactly how powerful these visual representations can be.

“There’s this constant sort of arms race between technology that overwhelms us and technology that gives us that makes sense of it, that gives us that sort of ‘ah’ feeling,” he said. “And on the front line of that battle right now, I would argue, are infographics.”

From the cavemen’s development of maps to the invention of Google, Cook cited examples across time of humans trying to make sense of the world.

While infographics are not actually that new—Cook pointed out that the line graph was invented at the end of the 18th century—the accessibility to computers and large sets of data have made them far more possible.

Roughly half the human brain is devoted to visual processing, he noted.

See Cook, A3

ARTHUR BAILIN / HEIGHTS STAFF

Last night in Gasson 100, the Lowell Humanities Series hosted poet Stuart Dybek at its third speaking event of the fall semester.

Renowned poet discusses fiction writing Author and poet Stuart Dybek spoke about his literary career and volumes of works

BY JENNIFER HEINE Heights Staff Boston College welcomed author and poet Stuart Dybek to campus last night in Gasson 100 for the third installment of the Lowell Humanities Series, during which Dybek explored the art of short story writing in his new collection, entitled Ecstatic Cahoots.

Dybek occupies a unique place in the literary world, having published and been recognized not only for his two volumes of poetry, Brass Knuckles and Streets In Their Own Ink, but also his fiction, with his books Childhood and Other Neighborhoods, The Coast of Chicago, I Sailed with Magellan, Ecstatic Cahoots, and Paper Lantern. His work has been featured in both Best American Poetry and Best American Fiction, and he is the holder of numerous awards, including the MacArthur Foundation Genius Grant; Rea Award for the Short Story; PEN/Bernard Malamud Prize for “distinguished achievement in the short story”; the Lannan Award; the Academy Institute

Award in Fiction from the American Academy of Arts and Letters; a Guggenheim Fellowship; a Whiting Writer’s Award; two fellowships from the National Endowment for the Arts; and four O. Henry Prizes.

Dybek currently serves as a Distinguished Writer in Residence at Northwestern University while pursuing his career as a writer.

His two most recent fiction works, Ecstatic Cahoots and Paper Lantern, debuted together in June to wide acclaim, with New York Times Sunday Book Review writer Darin Strauss observing, “Possessed of a ‘delicate,’ ‘wistful’ ‘sensitivity’—to give a little spray of typical (and typically wrong) Dybek reviews—he’s a poet, and writer of ‘plotless’ stories. Not a guy you would regard as especially au courant. But this septuagenarian’s two new collections establish him as not only our most relevant writer, but maybe our best.”

During his visit to BC, Dybek focused primarily on his fiction, specifically, Ecstatic Cahoots and Paper Lantern, reading selected stories from his works. Given the briefness

60-second pitch On Tuesday night, the Boston College Venture Competition (BCVC) hosted its annual Elevator Pitch competition, during which participants are allowed only 60 seconds to present their business ideas to a panel of venture capitalist judges.

BCVC, a University-wide business planning competition, hosted the competition at 6:30 p.m. in the Fulton Honors Library. The deadline for submissions was Friday, Oct. 17.

The prizes—ranging from $500 for first place, $300 for second place, and $200 for third place—were awarded to student groups PicMeal, SWOP, and WePark, respectively. The BCVC Main Competition, which awards prizes up to $20,000, does not take place until the spring semester.

BRECK WILLS / HEIGHTS GRAPHIC | JUSEUB YOON / HEIGHTS STAFF

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things to do on campus this week

The Heights The Boisi Center will host a panel discussion this evening at 5:30 p.m. in Devlin 101 about contemporary discourse around religion and how America’s polarized political atmosphere affects it. The panel will be composed of three distinguished national writers.

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Thursday, October 23, 2014 BC bOp!, Boston College’s jazz ensemble that has performed across the country, will hold its annual fall concert on Friday at 8 p.m.

The group will take the stage in the Cabaret Room in Vanderslice Hall.

The band has a repertoire of over 50 selections.

Tomorrow at 12:30 p.m., the LSOE Dept. of Counseling and Educational Psychology is sponsoring a discussion with community activists from El Salvador who will discuss how students and local actors can help protect the rights of immigrants.

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Learn first, Former TV producer called to spiritual path then lead

A Guide to Your Newspaper The Heights Boston College – McElroy 113 140 Commonwealth Ave. Chestnut Hill, Mass. 02467

By Sophie Reardon For The Heights

Alex Gaynor This past Tuesday, I, along with fellow students also unsure of what the future may hold, attended the annual Post-Graduate Volunteer Fair. With the multitude of programs available, it is easy to be influenced by the idea that as students of an elite university, volunteering our time after graduation will make a “big difference” just by nature of our education and enthusiasm to help others. Surely four years of a Boston College education is likely to provide the educational skills to instill change in the world … but not just yet.

At a school that grooms students to be future leaders, it is necessary to first take the time to step back, check your privilege and bias, and realize that in order to lead we first must learn how to listen, observe, and follow.

The philosopher and priest Rev. Ivan Illich once delivered a speech to a group of volunteers entitled, “To Hell with Good Intentions,” in which he described this idea of the potentially problematic do-gooder.

He acknowledges that good intentions alone can often cause negative effects to the people and communities one serves. Often, issues are so entrenched in a society that coming in as an outsider claiming to understand without prior experience can be more disruptive than helpful, given local customs and livelihoods.

Many service programs, both at BC and globally, are guilty of stressing that enthusiasm is the key to change. This inherently devalues the importance of learning what’s actually happening on the ground in a given place before assuming that you know all of the issues facing that community. Illich explains that the “third largest North American export is the U.S. idealist,” which comes in a variety of forms such as the volunteer, the missionary, or the community organizer. For the idealists of the world, myself included, who have a desire to bring about justice and an end to suffering, it is common to resort to this way of thinking. But we must remain conscious of our identity as privileged Americans who may not have all of the answers, even though we are coached to think that we may.

The culture and university mission of BC could be partially at fault for this, since we are indoctrinated from the beginning of our academic careers with the idea that we are the world’s next leaders.

Modern society is not interested in the powerlessness that one often feels in service situations, which involve interwoven social issues that reach far beyond our theoretical capacity to understand. It is often said that “we see from where we stand,” which could mean that looking at social problems with the desire to fix something because we have the good intentions to do so, is not always effective.

I am here to challenge the BC community to recognize our inability to always have the capability to succeed in problem-solving and to realize that in order to see what people suffering domestically and abroad really need, we first need to see from where they stand, form genuine relationships, and put ourselves and our good intentions out of the picture for now. Saving the world is a noble task, but not if it causes more turmoil than good.

Alex Gaynor is a senior staff columnist for The Heights. She can be reached at news@bcheights.com.

Gerry Straub began his talk Tuesday evening in McGuinn 121 with a simple opening: “May God give you peace.” Given that introduction, coupled with the wooden cross hanging from his neck, it is unlikely one would believe that he used to be an atheist—or that he used to be a top-executive network television producer living in Hollywood, Ca. Straub was raised Catholic and said he had long dreamed of becoming a missionary priest. But as a teenager, Straub struggled with his faith. He noted that he grew to not believe God was present in his life, and found such a belief difficult to reconcile with such immense evil in the world.

So he followed a different path.

As an adult, Straub worked in the filmmaking industry. He became the network producer for General Hospital, and began working with many celebrities. Despite his career success, though, he said that he still felt that something was missing in his life.

When the show was cancelled, he left the industry in search of an answer to his emptiness. He began to write, and traveled to Rome to conduct research for his book, entitled Canvas of the Soul.

While resting in a small church in Rome, Straub felt the presence of God. “I didn’t hear any images or see any words,” he said. “It was all far beyond images and far beyond words.”

This experience, Straub said, marked a great change in his life.

He longed to experience God rather than deny Him. With the advice of a Jesuit priest, he began to write a book on St. Francis, who is widely noted for his embrace of poverty.

To Francis, Straub said, poverty was a way in which he could become closer God. Inspired by Francis’ compassion

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Michelle Castro / Heights Staff

Gerry Straub, once a network TV producer, discussed his experience of being inspired to find a deeper meaning in life. for the poor, Straub began working in a soup kitchen in Philadelphia, Pa. He described having met a woman in her 20s during that time who revealed herself to be a homeless prostitute, and whose parents had fed her alcohol as an infant, leading to an alcoholic addiction at the age of five. His encounter with the woman, along with other experiences from the kitchen, subsequently became the material for a film on the Franciscan shelter. Upon the film’s release, viewers donated $250,000 to the friars who operated the shelter.

With this financial influx, the friars expanded the shelter so that it could accommodate more people.

Quickly becoming inspired by such stories and realizing the effect that film could have on people, Straub set out on a journey to document the lives of the less fortunate.

While working on a documentary on undocumented migrants in El Salvador, Straub met a 9-year-old boy named Moses, who had a rare and incurable blistering condition.

“Seeing Moses truly upset me,” he said. “The memory of him haunts me. Moses is without a doubt the saddest person I have ever seen.”

Straub noted that, as a result of his illness, Moses was the size of

a 4-year-old, had no hair, and was covered in painful blisters— all while living in a small shelter with no running water or electricity.

Upon returning to the U.S., Straub was interviewed for PBS’s Religion and Ethics News Weekly. During the show, an image of Moses was displayed, and a viewer watching the show donated money to have Moses brought to the U.S. to be treated, he said. Despite the donation, however, Straub said that Moses’ condition could not be improved.

Straub’s work in poverty-oriented productions did not end there, though. He has since created over 20 documentaries on the povertystricken population across the U.S., Uganda, Peru, India, and many other nations.

Straub said that he felt he found his calling in life: to help others and to raise awareness of poverty through film.

“Christ is not asking us to be successful or even to be productive,” he said. “Christ is looking for us to be present. Present first and foremost to God and to prayer and then to be present to each other … in acts of love and mercy. And especially present to the poor and the suffering.”

In his film Mud Pies and Kites,

Straub filmed scenes of life in the wake of destruction in Port-auPrince, Haiti both before and after the earthquake it endured in 2010.

He captured scenes of the rubble still left nearly a year after the earthquake, the outdoor surgeries that resulted from a lack of hospital space, and the cities constructed from tents and trash for the displaced.

Straub said that those conditions in Haiti were the worst examples of poverty he has encountered.

“Life in Port-au-Prince before the earthquake was dreadfully hard, but after the earthquake, it became a living hell,” Straub said.

Despite the despair, though, Straub noted that there was hope.

While in Soleil, a notoriously impoverished area in Haiti, Straub recalled seeing children flying kites made out of trash bags and paper plates from the piles of litter in the streets. This small toy, he said, lifted the spirits of both himself and the children.

He concluded by asking audience members to examine their own lives, and to be grateful for our mere existence.

“One cannot have faith in God without doing good deeds for others,” he said. n

African-Americans saw decade of ups and downs

By Jennifer Suh Heights Staff “We are kind of having a weird decade here in the U.S.,” said Melissa Harris-Perry, an author and host on MSNBC, at a lecture last night on the challenges AfricanAmericans have faced during the past decade. “And I’m using the word ‘weird’ quite purposefully. I know it is a vague term, but I am meaning to be vague on purpose.”

The lecture was presented as a part of the New Directions in African Diaspora Studies lecture series by the African and African Diaspora Studies Program (AADS), in collaboration with the Office of Student Involvement, African Student Organization, Cape Verdean Student Association, and l’Association

Haitienne.

Harris-Perry is a professor of Politics and International Affairs at Wake Forest University, her alma mater, and an author of two books, Sister and Citizen: Shames, Stereotypes, and Black Women in America and Barbershops, Bibles, and BET: Everyday Talk and Black Political Thought, both of which were available for signing after the lecture.

She focused her lecture, “Crashing into Michael Brown,” on historic events that occurred between 2004 and 2014 involving black Americans. Harris-Perry began her lecture commenting on the Academy Award-winning film, Crash.

“We must start with 2004,” Harris-Perry said. “Crash is the ultimate post-racial film.”

Other events and people she

Police Blotter Monday, October 20 2:42 p.m. - A report was filed regarding assistance provided to a Campus School student.

8:14 p.m. - A report was filed regarding a fire alarm activation.

9:12 p.m. - A report was filed regarding medical assistance provided to a BC student.

Tuesday, October 21 9:20 a.m. - A report was filed regarding a warrant arrest and

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spoke about were Hurricane Katrina, the Jena Six, Trayvon Martin, Michael Brown, and the election of President Barack Obama.

“I do want to remind us that American ideals are never abstract,” she said. “Freedom, justice, goodness, equality, the shining city on the hill is built on the bodies of real people. There is a struggle for freedom.”

As a screen behind her showed pictures of defining moments in history for black Americans, HarrisPerry commented on the struggles of freedom, as well as citizenship, integration, voting rights, inclusion, safety in public and private life, and justice. These struggles are always interconnected, she said.

After explaining charts and graphs showing the change in unemployment rates over the years,

Harris-Perry then stressed the importance of education.

“I don’t care what your grades are. Just finish. I don’t care how many loans you have. [If] there’s a ‘C –,’ just keep it moving, until you have a degree. ‘Whooo, Imma pay back those loans later,’” she said to a laughing crowd.

Her lecture also covered the problems caused by the racial makeup of neighborhoods in the United States.

“In a tangible way, democracy starts in our neighborhoods,” she said. “Our housing patterns are a white noose around a black inner city.”

She concluded her lecture with a message to the audience: The struggles that black Americans face today in post-racial America will not go away if people continue to see each other as problems. n

EDITORIAL RESOURCES News Tips Have a news tip or a good idea for a story? Call Connor Farley, News Editor, at (617) 552-0172, or email news@bcheights.com. For future events, email a detailed description of the event and contact information to the News Desk.

Sports Scores Want to report the results of a game?

Call Connor Mellas, Sports Editor, at (617) 552-0189, or email sports@ bcheights.com.

Arts Events For future arts events, email a detailed description of the event and contact information to the Arts Desk.Call John Wiley, Arts and Review Editor, at (617) 552-0515, or email arts@bcheights.com.

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 Eleanor Hildebrandt, Editor-inChief, at (617) 552-2223, or email eic@bcheights.com.

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The Heights is produced by BC undergraduates and is published on Mondays and Thursdays during the academic year by The Heights, Inc. (c) 2014. All rights reserved.

CORRECTIONS Issues No. 32-37, Vol. XCV of The Heights were incorrectly labeled as issues No. 31-36.

10/20/14 - 10/21/14

trespassing. A non-BC affiliate was arrested for an outstanding warrant.

6:02 p.m. - A report was filed regarding a fire alarm activation in Stayer Hall.

7:12 p.m. - A report was filed regarding larceny from Campion Hall.

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—Source: The Boston College Police Department

What song describes your current mood?

Who is your favorite BC Dining employee? “‘Phresh out the Runway,’ by Rihanna.”

—Jake Robinson, A&S ’16

“‘Dandy,’ by Aaron Carter.”

—JoJo Leveroni, A&S ’18 “‘Don’t Worry, Be Happy,’ by Bobby McFerrin.”

—Francisco Ruela, A&S ’18

“‘Happy,’ by Pharrell.”

—Tim Ferris, A&S ’15

The Heights

Thursday, October 23, 2014

A3

University renews, clarifies process for handling sexual misconduct Assault Policies, from A1 “With the complexities of sexual misconduct cases and the ways in which survivors respond to going through the process, we institutionally wanted to make it as easy for them as possible and have experts come in to guide the process,” DeCapua said.

The investigation process under the new model permits both the complainant and respondent to present evidence, witnesses, and have an adviser, as was permitted under the hearing board process. The change, according to O’Dair and DeCapua, however, was intended to make the process less adversarial, primarily for the complainant, or the person reporting the misconduct. Unlike the old model, students are not required to appear at investigative hearings at the same time. Each student involved meets separately with two investigators, and, if a student chooses, an adviser is permitted to be present during all meetings.

“We think this is a fair and equitable process, and unlike the hearing board model we have both an external investigator and an internal one—both [are] highly trained on the complexities of sexual assault cases,” O’Dair said.

Currently, the two investigators are Corey Kelly, the University’s student conduct manager, and Scott Roberts, the co-managing partner of Boston-based law firm Hirsch Roberts Weinstein, LLP. According to the firm’s website, Roberts has “served as an independent fact finder of claims of sexual harassment under Title IX,” and has presented workshops related to Title IX, consent, and sexual assault.

In addition to changing the process through which reported sexual misconduct is investigated, the University also took steps over the summer to compile more precise definitions of key terms involved in sexual assault. Previously, terms such as “consent” and “incapacitation” were not clearly defined in the University’s policy.

The new policy defines consent as “words or actions that clearly indicate voluntar y agreement to engage in sexual activity. Consent is always freely informed and actively given.” It also specifies that any person who is asleep, physically helpless, or incapacitated is unable to give free and informed consent.

Incapacitation, a term that was vaguely defined in previously policies but one that plays a significant role in

most sexual assault cases, is extensively defined in the policy update. Simply, the policy states, incapacitation “is the inability to make informed, rational judgments and decisions,” but goes on to specify certain warning signs of incapacitation.

DeCapua said that last year, of the four cases of sexual assault that were resolved through the University, all involved the use of alcohol, a fact that he said makes the investigation of such cases more difficult and complex.

Although the University only investigated four cases of sexual assault last year, it reported 11 cases in its annual filing with the Department of Education.

Title IX law requires universities to investigate all reports of sexual misconduct, although it does not stipulate the extent of such investigations.

BC has taken an approach that aims to balance respect for the delicate nature of sexual assault cases and its responsibility to provide a safe environment for students. Thus, while O’Dair, the Student Affairs Title IX Coordinator, conducts a preliminary investigation of all reports of sexual misconduct—such an investigation that includes reviewing the case to determine if certain patterns emerge in

a particular location or with a particular student—the University does not fully investigate reports unless the complainant requests an investigation or the University deems an investigation necessary to protect the broader community.

“While rare, there are times that the University will move forward with a full investigation without the student’s participation,” O’Dair said.

The policy updates over the summer include changes to how the University weighs requests for confidentiality.

Weekly, O’Dair, DeCapua, Rachel DiBella, assistant director for sexual violence prevention and response, and Thomas Atkinson, the deputy chief of BCPD, meet to review all reports of sexual misconduct and to determine how the University should respond to each case. In some cases, the University determines that it cannot honor a victim’s request that an investigation not be pursued because it would interfere with the University’s obligation to ensure a safe environment for other students.

The University’s primary confidential resource is the Sexual Assault Network (SANet), a private, anonymous hotline that operates 24/7. Persons reporting instances of sexual violence to SANet have

the option of remaining anonymous, but if the caller provides a name, the SANet advocate provides it in a report to O’Dair the next day. The report also includes the nature, date, time, and general location of the incident—information O’Dair uses to track patterns and to determine University responses.

“Student privacy is our utmost concern,” O’Dair said. “To this end we are careful about reaching out to victims who either did not give their name or who have requested anonymity.”

Students can also seek out “privileged resources,” which includes professional counselors in University Counseling Services (UCS) or pastoral counselors who are recognized by their religious order and provide confidential counseling.

Such resources maintain confidentiality if requested by the student, but may be subject to certain reporting obligations under state law, such as in the cases of minors or imminent harm.

Students seeking more information about BC’s sexual misconduct policy and the various resources and support available to BC students who have experienced any form sexual misconduct should visit the Dean of Students’ website. SANet’s hotline number is 617-552-2211. n

huifeng qian / Heights staff

On Tuesday, industry-renowned infographics designer Gareth Cook presented his award-winning works in data organization.

Pulitzer winner Cook talks creative data Cook, from A1 Infographics, Cook said, are so widely successful because of how the brain is wired. “You can think of infographics as a kind of applied neuroscience,” he said.

The messages behind the infographics, however, do not often show a scientific impartialness. Cook emphasized how every infographic creator has an agenda of some kind. From an impenetrable depiction of the Obamacare bureaucracy to a map showing the top-paid employees in every state, Cook said that every infographic creator is making an argument, citing an example of the highest-paid employee

map. “They stripped this down,” he said, referring to the map. “There’s all sorts of information they could’ve included on this, but they wanted you to focus on this simple fact.”

Infographics can teach how to show a reader how to make mashed potatoes or demonstrate the process of how the pope is elected, and Cook made sure to reflect this in his collection. “I wanted the collection to focus as a yearbook almost—these are some of the things people were talking about, thinking about,” he said. “You saw the pope, Justin Bieber. These are two of the great issues of the time,” he added dryly, to the amusement of the crowd.

Cook said that he hopes that his

collection will be able to reflect this cultural moment, and that infographics have become a graphical conversation.

Now, there are not only infographics, but also infographic satires, some of which Cook displayed to the audience.

Infographics, he noted, have the potential to make people think, but they can also make viewers laugh, or be transformed into beautiful works of art. Cook said that they allow artists to innovate and harness data in a way that needs help processing the age of the bombardment of media.

“What makes infographics effective is clarity,” he said. “It’s seeing fundamental connections in something that’s otherwise overwhelming.” n

Lowell Series welcomes author Dybek Dybek, from A1 many of the pieces, particularly the shorter ones, had the feel of verse, and he acknowledged the connection between these types of writing.

“What you hope as you’re writing is that you’re accumulating these lyric lines, like a poem, that are going to play off of that ending,” he said.

As a teacher of creative writing, Dybek

also shared insights concerning the craft of writing. “Most writing programs take place in English departments,” he explained. “If you look at most other arts, they’re housed in fine arts departments, which sends a very strong message that we’re here to learn the craft of our art.

“You can tell people by their tools,” he noted. “So, if you see someone walking around with tripod, or a camera, she must be a photographer. If you see someone with oil

paints and canvas, he’s a painter ... Because we use writing, we use language for such a huge variety of things that don’t have anything to do with the art of writing stories or poems or theatre.”

Still, he maintained that writing can be taught, at least to a certain extent.

“You can’t teach imagination, but you can teach the craft,” Dybek said. “It can be a challenge, because the tools of writing are just as abstract as the medium.” n

arthur bailin / Heights staff

As part of the third installment of the Lowell Humanities Series, Stuart Dybek discussed his literary undertakings in Gasson 100.

kemeng fan / Heights staff

On Wednesday night, the Winston Center hosted former U.S. congressman Bob Inglis to discuss fiscally conservative approaches to growing climate change issues.

Inglis discusses alternative climate change solutions Inglis, from A1 was inspired by the ability to see God in his creation, Inglis was inspired by the idea that this person was engaging God and other people.

When he first tried to introduce carbon emissions legislation in his red district, however, it failed due to people viewing his admitting that climate change is a problem as “hearsay.” Inglis noted that although he takes a conservative stance on many issues, he voted for TARP and against the surge. In this way he claims to be a rare conservative, and this resulted in his not getting reelected in 2012. Instead he launched the E&EI in order to raise awareness about climate change issues and free market principles solutions to them.

He advocates for a border-adjustable carbon tax and legislation that eliminates fuel subsidies and lowers income taxes. Instead of believing in doing with less, he advocates for being what he described as energy optimists and climate realists. Implementation of his ideas, he said, would create a 100 percent returnable emissions tax, meaning that a new carbon tax would be balanced out by a reduced income tax, making it a logical solution attractive to the left and the right that taxes more of what we want less of and less of what we want more of, respectively.

This would replace leg islation that makes technology that harnesses energy from renewable resources impossible to profit from because of the artificially low cost of fossil fuels. He

argued that according to free market principles, this technology would then flourish, becoming better and more affordable more quickly.

These principles do not coincide with what he calls the soviet-esque practice of the government picking winners and losers in the economy. Not only do subsidiaries to fossil fuels like oil hinder economic and technological progress by hiding the true cost of them from the public as the gas pump and discouraging the use of other sources of energy, but they also cause more air pollution that drives up healthcare costs.

He says that the swap in subsidies for taxes is quantifiable and necessary for long-term growth and environmental sustainability. Other aspects of the ideas Inglis proposed were involving China instead of limiting focus domestically. He said that when we drive business to China with taxes, we are losing jobs and causing more pollution because those companies end up producing more carbon emissions in the environmental policy devoid China.

Half of his challenge is convincing people that there is an attractive solution to a problem, an alternative to current problematic legislation. He proposes switching to new ideas now, and that cap and trade will not become policy. These new ideas, because they are economically and environmentally friendly and do not play on people’s fear about climate change and propose cuts in quality of life, will be more popular, and thus more likely to be instated. n

THE HEIGHTS

A4

EDITORIALS

QUOTE OF THE DAY

Augmenting education in the arts

Meredith Smith, A&S ’16, founded the Mentorship Through the Arts program—an organization designed to address cuts to dedicated arts programs in America’s public schools following the Great Recession—last semester, with the goal of expanding the offerings at public schools with either no arts programs or limited offerings. The program is offered through the Volunteer and Service Learning Center (VSLC) at Boston College, with Smith’s work continued as she studies abroad by Amy Gribaudo, LGSOE ’15. BC undergraduates can serve as mentors to K4 students through the program, offering Friday arts workshops at both Charlesview Community Center in Allston and Edison K-8 School in Brighton.

While there was an uptick in arts education across the country following the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001, which mandated art as a core subject in public schools, the trend has begun to shift

Thursday, October 23, 2014

A day without sunshine is like, you know, night.

-Steve Martin, American actor and comedian

backward. Disparities in arts educations persist for schools with a higher percentage of students on a free or reduced lunch.

Schools with 75 percent of students or more on free or reduced lunch are 12 percent less likely to have a dedicated arts specialist than those with less than 25 percents of students in the category, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. This gap in arts offerings puts students in less privileged schools at a disadvantage, as students involved in the arts are three times more likely to be recognized for academic achievement, according to the National Endowment for the Arts.

Mentoring Through the Arts allows artists at BC to use their skill sets to address issues of social justice. Smith’s concept offers sustainable improvements to local public schools, helping them provide a well-rounded educational experience to K-4 students.

A positive change to sexual assault policy On Monday, the U.S. Department of Education released a new set of regulations that require colleges and universities receiving federal funds to comply more stringently with the Violence Against Women Act and the Clery Act. This summer, Boston College took steps to update its sexual misconduct policy, a process that happens annually, to contain two major changes that anticipated and exceed the government’s regulations. The first is the addition of definitions for terms such as “consent” and “incapacitation,” which are key to identifying sexual assault but can have subjective or ambiguous meanings. The second is a change in the way the University handles sexual assault cases.

BC has moved to an investigative model, in which cases of sexual misconduct will be investigated by an external lawyer with experience in cases related to sexual assault and Title IX, as well as an internal investigator—currently the University student conduct manager.

This change marks a step forward for the University in many respects. Previously, sexual assault cases were handled through a student conduct hearing, which required both the complainant and the respondent to present evidence before a panel of faculty and staff, who then came to a conclusion on the case.

The move away from a model in which the complainant and respondent must appear at the same hearing is a smart one—such a process could dissuade a student who has been assaulted from pursuing action through the University.

Knowing that one would have to encounter his or her attacker again, and in such an adversarial context, might persuade a student to seek action via a different route, or potentially not at all. By moving to a model that reduces this possibility, BC is working toward creating a campus where every student feels safe reporting sexual misconduct.

In addition, ensuring that two individuals—one within the legal profession, with particular knowledge of sexual assault cases, and one within the University, with particular knowledge of campus culture—conduct every investigation will hopefully guarantee a fair, objective process. The investigation, as in the previous conduct hearing model, will allow both sides to present evidence, though they may now do so without having to confront each other. Each side is also afforded the opportunity to review its statements before the final report—which includes the investigators’ verdict of “responsible” or “not responsible”—is presented to Associate Vice President of Student Affairs Katie O’Dair, who oversees the University’s

response to sexual misconduct, and Associate Dean of Students and Director of Conduct Richard DeCapua. O’Dair and DeCapua then either ask for more information or accept the report, in which case DeCapua decides sanctions, if necessary.

This investigative model is the accepted best practice in higher education, and BC decided to adopt it after an exemplary level of research. It is not without its potential pitfalls, however. A process in which the individuals conducting the investigation are also responsible for arriving at a decision deviates from the traditional model of the U.S. justice system, in that the information is not presented to a judge and jury. Furthermore, the relatively closed nature of the investigation could result in mistakes going undetected. The investigators are not lawyers attempting to win cases and bolster their reputations, however, which should insure that they are unbiased and fair in both investigation and adjudication. The system is designed with the intention that the individuals with the deepest knowledge of the case and no bias will make the decision, but without separating those two functions, it will be harder for both the complainant and the respondent to feel certain that is the case.

As this new system is put into practice, the University should be aware of that and monitor the process closely.

The respondent is able to appeal the process if new information has been gathered or there has been a procedural error, a somewhat vague term that could potentially keep a wrongfully accused student from appealing the decision. It is important in cases of such high stakes to ensure that the process is not prematurely stacked in favor of one student or the other, as an erroneous verdict could harm either party immensely.

Although there is no perfect way to investigate sexual assault cases and ensure that the truth is always discovered, the investigative model is an improvement over the previous model. It eliminates elements that may dissuade victims from seeking action through the University and creates the possibility for an informed, thorough, and unbiased investigation to occur. For this shift to have the intended benefits, however, the University should inform students of its sexual assault investigation policy to the greatest extent possible. DeCapua has said that his office is partnering with UGBC to review all student conduct policies and to ensure that information is being delivered effectively to students. This is a welcome first step, and both offices should make all efforts to follow through.

The views expressed in the above editorials represent the official position of The Heights, as discussed and written by the

Editorial Board. A list of the members of the Editorial Board can be found at BCHeights. com/opinions.

HEIGHTS

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THE ONLINE BUZZ Printing reader comments from www.bcheights.com, the Online Buzz draws on the online community to contribute to the ongoing discussion.

In response to “Kreeft Explores Atheism, NonChristian Religions” by Thomas Keenan, which ran on 10/20/14: Catholicism has a lot more problems than “pagan idolatry, worshipping statues” and “sexual morality.”

Like its hoarding money and lavishly rich churches, its calls for crusades, its historic fixation on riches, power and appearance even when it was in odds with scripture. Even today it prizes its image more than it prizes children’s well being, hiding and protecting child abusers lest it loses what’s left of its apparent glory Then Kreeft has his own issues—the reported “culture of death” and abortion-is-murder stance was not so unquestioned in the past. While abortion was always considered sin, for most of the Church’s history it was not considered murder. Delayed hominization and “ensoulment” were thought to occur many weeks after conception. Only in 1588 the Effraenatam bull declared abortion to be murder and cause for excommunication.

—N IKOLA T ASEV St. John Paul II’s Theology of the Body (TOB) may provide a solid basis for solving the most pressing issues of human sexuality, both in families and in the Church as the family of God, including the ordination of women to the priesthood in the Catholic and Orthodox churches. The TOB endorses neither radical patriarchy nor radical feminism, and provides a vision of marriage, and gender relations in general, that can be summarized as unity in diversity, equality in mutuality, individuality in community.

In this regard, I hope the church hierarchy will recognize that the church is a family that needs both men and women in the ministerial priesthood, and recognize that our patriarchal family structure is becoming an obstacle to evangelization as we enter the transition to a post-patriarchal society.

Hierarchy is not the problem, and the church must remain apostolic; patriarchy is the problem, and the exclusively male hierarchy is becoming stale as a symbol of the Christ-Church mystery.

Doctrinally, nothing essential (dogmatic) of the Catholic faith would have to change in order to ordain women to the priesthood and the episcopate.

The TOB confirms that there is one (embodied)

The Heights welcomes Letters to the Editor not exceeding 400 words and column submissions that do not exceed 700 words for its op/ed pages.

The Heights reserves the right to edit for clarity, brevity, accuracy, and to prevent libel. The Heights also reserves the right to write headlines and choose illustrations to accompany pieces submitted JORDAN PENTALERI, Graphics Editor NICOLE SUOZZO, Blog Editor AUSTIN TEDESCO, Online Manager CORINNE DUFFY, Assoc. Copy Editor EVAN D. GATTI, Asst. Copy Editor JULIE ORENSTEIN, Assoc. News Editor NATHAN MCGUIRE, Asst. News Editor MARLY MORGUS, Assoc. Sports Editor ALEX FAIRCHILD, Asst. Sports Editor SAMANTHA COSTANZO, Asst. Features Editor

human nature, shows that men and women equally share in human personhood, and makes clear that the human body, male and female, is what makes our Lord Jesus Christ visible as an incarnate divine Person.

What is needed is “simply” to clarify our sacramental theology to separate patriarchal ideology from revealed truth. With all due respect and sensitivity for those who are heavily invested in the patriarchal order of things, this is a clarification that is possible and urgently needed in the church of the 21st century.

Jesus never identified himself as a patriarch. The Holy Family was a not a patriarchy. The Trinity is not a patriarchy. The spousal, sacramental love of Christ for the church is not intrinsically patriarchal (as the TOB exegesis of Ephesians 5 abundantly shows), and Jesus Christ is head of the church because he is a divine Person and our Redeemer, not because he is a human male.

To act “in persona Christ capitis” means to act in place of a divine Person. Neither men nor women are divine persons. Any baptized human person, male or female, can be ordained to act “in persona Christ capitis.” All ministries, including ordained ministries, should be gift-based, not gender-based.

The exclusively male priesthood is a choice, not a dogma (CIC 1024, CCC 1598). The church does have the authority (the power of the keys) to ordain women as soon as the Pope, as the successor of Peter, decides it would be for the glory of God and the good of souls.

Your article brings to mind many questions that may not be “politically correct” but beg answers.

For example: 1. Isn’t CIC 1024 an artificial contraceptive of female priestly vocations?

2. Why should the hierarchical church be exempted from practicing Humanae Vitae?

3. How can we preach the gospel of life if we choose to prevent female priestly vocations?

The patriarchal age is rapidly passing away, but the deposit of faith is inexhaustible and we should not presume that we already have found all the jewels contained therein. Let us pray that all the Christian churches can discern the difference between patriarchal ideology and revealed truth, and act accordingly.

—L UIS G UTIERREZ

to the newspaper.

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

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The Heights

Thursday, October 23, 2014

A5

Inflating my ego: easy as pie

William Flautt

Fulton Conference Rooms - These rooms are secretly the second best study spot on the Boston College campus. (We know you want to know what the best spot is, but we are keeping that one under wraps so that, come finals time, we don’t suddenly find half the campus trying to study there. We aren’t sorry. If you want real rankings, see a Vault guide.) Back to Fulton—these rooms are great for all purposes. Are you working on a group project? These conference rooms are one of the few places on campus you can converse in a quiet place without disturbing others. Are you preparing for a finance interview? Studying here, you can channel the gods of CSOM to prepare for the gauntlet in front of you, even if you are in A&S. Are you frightfully behind on your thesis? You can work until 4 a.m. uninterrupted in these rooms. If you want to use the whiteboards, though, you are SOL unless you BYOM (bring your own marker).

Pumpkins - It’s pumpkin season! At the risk of being called “basic,” we are going to express publicly our love for all things pumpkin infused, “PSLs” included, because our love for these wonderful fall classics will not be shamed. Whether it is pumpkin pie or pumpkin bread, we love the flavor of fall. Plus, at the end of the month, we get to carve faces into the pumpkins to make jack-o’-lanterns.

(Sidebar: Apparently there were jack-o’lanterns in the early 19th century U.S., at least according to Nathaniel Hawthorne.

We never would have guessed.)

Photographs - We were rummaging through our desk drawer, where we happened upon some old photographs from freshman year. We looked so young and optimistic then—bright eyed and ready to take on the world. We also had more hair then—oh, what days those were.

Some people have been wondering why I have made a half dozen or so apple pies over the last two weeks and shared these hot, sugary discs of happiness with them. My need comes from overly enthusiastic apple picking—I have a surplus of apples. My reason, however, is diabolical. While the reactions to receiving homemade apple pie generally range from “hey, thanks,” to “you have restored my faith in the entire Boston College male population,” my true motivation could not be further from whatever you may have been thinking. So allow me to clear things up—there is no goodness in my heart. My apple pies have nothing to do with you. It’s all about me and inflating my apple pie ego.

And there is nothing you can do to stop me.

Actually, there is something you can do to stop me. You can stop being so darn happy about pie. But it never stops, and that is why I win. I have made you the fools of your own desires, using your praise and respect to fuel my ever-expanding megalomaniacal fire. You may think that by eating a piece of my delicious pie without having done anything particularly special, you have gotten the better end of the deal. I assure you that you are most deeply mistaken. There is no prize sweeter than your involuntary endorsement of my being an amazing person. Involuntary because you did not ask to be handed a slice of toasty, New England apple heaven.

Involuntary because your nostrils did not ask to be lavished with cinna-

Recent Deaths - In the last few days, there have been two deaths of particular note: Oscar de la Renta and Benjamin Bradlee. In the fashion world, de la Renta was a giant, designing gowns for First Ladies and actresses alike. Eleven years the senior of the Dominican American designer, Bradlee surveyed the world from atop The Washington Post. What is now one of the most important papers in the U.S. was an underdog in the Capitol market when he began his 23-year tenure as executive editor in 1968. Most importantly, he oversaw the investigation of the Watergate scandal that led to Nixon’s resignation and the cementing of The Post’s importance in the press ever since.

Both will be missed.

Response to Taylor Swift’s Tweet - Get ahold of yourselves, BC social media people. Yes, we get it—we all want validation of our existence by celebrities outside of the campus and we feel the necessity to overcompensate for the fact that Amy Poehler speaks at Harvard, but won’t come back to her alma mater. Inferiority complex aside, we all collectively need to get over this.

Taylor Swift, might we remind you, did not tweet anything—her social media person did. So let’s get on with more important things.

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captive your undisclosed desires. I may even offer you ice cream. Like a fool, you accept. My motives are clear and immoral: I want you to heap your praises upon me. I want you to be impressed and tell me I am a really nice person. It is great that you may enjoy a surprise piece of pie at the end of a long day. It is great that you may feel less stressed, if only for a quarter of an hour. It is great that you may think I value you as a friend and for who you are. It is great that you may think I care.

I do not care. I do not think of others. I only think of myself. I am a despicable thing, but I am only the extreme case. Acts of kindness as simple as offering someone some pie carry with them very personal benefits, even when these benefits are not the conscious objective of kindness. These benefits can be as simple as respect, acceptance, and feelings of self-justification. I am sure that some people do devote their lives to service, or spend a few hours of their busy weeks at volunteering, or simply bake pies for no other reason than that they feel moved to be kind to others and enjoy the reciprocal happiness derived from the happiness of others. But a small part of kindness comes back to fuel that ego—that concept of self—whether or not you want it to.

That being said, do not expect me to stop making pies. Do not try to stop me, now that you know my motives. Resistance is futile for the weak of heart, and you, my friends, have a severe weakness in your hearts for my fresh apple pie. So have my pie.

And eat it too. And thank you. Thank you, from the bottom of my unstoppable ego.

William Flautt is a staff columnist for The Heights. He can be reached at opinions@bcheights.com.

Why we still love ghost stories

Sean McGowan

Photograph - Every time we hear this song, it doesn’t make us laugh, but rather cringe. It is 2014—there is no reason that this song should ever be played anywhere … ever.

mon sugary sweetness. Involuntary because your taste buds did not ask to be caressed by sinfully soft fruit and crispy crust. Involuntary because your lips did not mean to mistake my pie for the hot lips of a temptress. Involuntary because your eyes did not want to close in a fit of passion—they just did as they always do when you kiss temptresses. I have given you no choice; I have played with your emotions; and I am not sorry. By fooling you into thinking I have no motive, I have ensured that you involuntarily shower me with compliments and thanks, thus achieving my true motive—to be showered with compliments and thanks.

If only you could see the looks on your innocent faces. You may see me smile when I hand you a slice of steamy apple pie. You may see me being jolly. You may see me laugh. You may smile too. You may also be jolly.

You may laugh as well. But I promise from the bottom of my pestilential heart that I am not smiling and being jolly and laughing with you. I am smiling and being jolly and laughing at you—for having won the ego game, for your shower of compliments and praise, and for the ease with which I have tricked your feeble mind. What an achievement, to be on top of the world with a measly little pie. The road to greatness is often said to be kinda hard. Wrong. It takes seven apples, two tablespoons of flour, one tablespoon of lemon juice, threefourths cup of sugar, three-fourths teaspoon of cinnamon, one-fourth teaspoon of salt, one-eighth teaspoon of ground nutmeg, and two Pillsbury pie crusts. Is it hard? No, sir. By definition, it’s easy as pie.

My pie feeds my body. Your praise feeds my ego. My kitchen is where both happen. My peeler is the scepter with which I rule your passions. My oven is the dungeon in which I hold

When you were a kid from New York City, adventure meant three or four days out in the woods, looking for patterns in stars that you didn’t see very often and cooking storebought hot dogs over a fire. I’m not sure that I ever was a kid, really, but I know that adventure always made me a little sick.

So, when we were held back a few hours on I-95 on the way up to Maine, my father pulled into the first hotel parking lot he could find.

The place seemed to be going for the sort of warm, colonial hospitality that the state of Maine was famous for back in New York, although I don’t think anybody had ever told the guy at the front desk.

He checked us in with a few grunts, only ever taking one eye at a time off of the game show network.

Twenty dollars for a night. Fifteen if you’re out by seven. It wasn’t until we started up the stairs that Toby—I read his nametag—came out with his only full sentence of the night.

“If you hear kids running up the halls, don’t bother calling down,” he said. “There’s an echo or something from next door, and folks always think they hear kids running.”

I didn’t think anything of it.

In the morning, we got back in the car and made it to the campground by noon. No sounds the night before.

It wasn’t until we had been back for a few weeks that I took my camera in to get pictures from the trip developed.

In the middle of the stack, there were three I didn’t take. Close-ups.

Two of me and one of my father.

Sleeping on twin motel beds ….

Alright, it’s actually me now.

This never happened to me, and I’d be willing to bet that it hasn’t ever actually happened to anyone.

But, if you’re one of the few people

who hasn’t heard some variation on this story before and you aren’t totally dead inside, it should have sent something of a chill through you.

It’s my favorite ghost story; it has been since the first time someone told it to me years ago. I can’t quite articulate exactly what keeps it rattling around in the back of my head, and I’m not sure it would be a very good story if I could.

This, I believe, is what sets the ghost story so far apart from the world’s other tales—we turn to them for pleasures of a relatively twisted sort, beyond words or plot. It hits us somewhere we don’t like going very often.

The stories are content—it would seem—in having the sole purpose of making us feel uncomfortable.

Making no heavy-handed attempts at character study or didacticism, they look instead for the most shadowed, vulnerable places in our subconscious, crawling inside to wreak quiet havoc and come back up to the surface when they’ll have the strongest effect. To tell one of these things is to engage in a careful attack on whoever is listening. You plant an idea deep and hope it sticks around long enough to come back.

This idea—the one that sits between fiction and reality—is the point of a good ghost story. Regardless of how extensively I searched old books and the Internet, I could find no single person to whom the tale I told you could be attributed—nor could I find two identical versions of it. The origin and the words, apparently, don’t really matter. The little ghost children who photograph people in their sleep, however, certainly do.

So, why the ghost story? Why, when cheap adrenaline rushes are found in such abundance everywhere from action movies to theme park rides, do authors and filmmakers continue taking such pains to craft the mood, atmosphere, and plot necessary for the sort of hair-raising, sleep-with-the-light-on kind of fear that we’ve come to crave? The answer, I think, is that they provide

suspension of our habitual disbelief with an invaluable outlet.

For as long as we’ve had stories, we’ve had ghost stories. And, out from their various complex fabrics, there emerges something of a common thread.

From the supernatural myths of ancient Rome up through the Victorian Gothics and all the way to The Conjuring or The Shining, the ghosts remain because we continue to depend on them. The ghost story feeds our overwhelming need to believe that what we see isn’t everything, that there is something to human life far beyond our perception or understanding.

When we read the seduction scenes in Dracula or are faced for the first time with Susan Hill’s ghastly Woman in Black, we don’t pretend to believe—we do believe. For the brief hours spent in the company of these stories, the ghosts are as real as we’d like them to be.

With the acknowledgement—even a whimsical or a fleeting one—that something impossibly evil is out there comes the inevitable comfort that there might also be good beyond all comprehension. If demons are real, then angels are real, too.

And so as we listen to these stories, stepping as we do into a dark tunnel. Although we know that we’ll come out the other side just as we were, we go through in the hope that the world might look a little different when we do.

We hope that world might be informed and instilled with the sense of mysticism and peculiarity with which we’ve been overcome for the tale’s length, and that we might find comfort in the fact that we don’t quite know everything. We hope to emerge still believing that our world—and whatever lies deeper within and beyond it—is a place of far greater wonder than we could ever imagine.

Not, at least, outside the context of a story.

Sean McGowan is a staff columnist for The Heights. He can be reached at opinions@bcheights.com.

The opinions and commentaries of the staff columnists and cartoonists appearing on this page represent the views of the author or artist of that particular piece, and not necessarily the views of The Heights. Any of the columnists and artists for the Opinions section of The Heights can be reached at opinions@bcheights.com.

Our privacy, part II Victoria Mariconti Many others before me have taken up arms against Yik Yak. I could dedicate my entire column to an angry invective against this latest variation on the bathroom stall, but this has already been done, and you would probably stop reading if I did. Neither of us want that. I admit that I don’t have Yik Yak on my phone, and I believe that there is a special circle of digital hell reserved for apps like this one. In spite of the potential for users to flood the feed with positive comments, it’s well documented that this low-energy, damaging garbage chokes out the little flowers of good. What I want to know is, why is this app so appealing to high school and college-aged students? Why, in spite of the chaos they create, do Yik Yak and other similar anonymous message boards continue to flourish? What impulse is it satisfying in our lives?

We are capable of terrible, blood-curdling ideas. We probably think an absurd number of judgmental thoughts each day.

Just this morning, I was quite grateful that my own internal chatter couldn’t be heard—it wasn’t the prettiest. Being human entails the process of learning to regulate these thoughts and act on the positive ones.

Yik Yak and its cousins—even the deathless practice of slander—are not the cause of our ill-begotten ideas, just the latest vehicle for them. A few critics of Yik Yak that I’ve read were scandalized by the content spewing from the “enlightened” generation that we are, and they intimated that social media and the applications themselves are responsible for the apparent flowering of cruelty among the young. Nope. We’re [messed]-up no more or less than those before us. These days, we just have more elaborate veneers of political correctness to hide the grime. And, perhaps more importantly, we have easier ways to spread the grime when we aren’t trying to hide it.

The value of Yik Yak is, once more, its anonymity. No one in her right mind would publicly divulge the words said between two ears in a moment of anger or sadistic pleasure. But we are a group of well-trained over-sharers. Fortunately, most of our energy is sublimated through manicuring LinkedIn and Facebook profiles, but what to do about the stuff we can’t put there?

I doubt that many high school and even college students, upon having a clever but cutting idea, stop and reflect, “should I be thinking this way?” Our minds are still loose canons in matters of self-regulation. Most make the (often unconscious) calculation, “where can I put that?” Up to the Yak-gods it goes. The mind is satisfied—I’ve made my joke, no one will know it was me, and maybe I’ll get the self-esteem boost of a few hundred likes (or whatever the hell the approval system is called). I would like to call this the “Frankenstein Solution.”

Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, in a nutshell, revolves around the story of a wacked scientist, Dr. Victor Frankenstein, who creates a monstrous creature from inanimate body parts. When the monster rises from the table, Dr. Frankenstein cannot believe what he has birthed, and so flees from his handiwork. The monster is a living, feeling being, however, and retreats into the wilderness upon being so abjectly rejected.

We’ve all had Frankenstein moments.

We’ve created something—usually a paper or another assignment—that becomes atrocious in spite of our best intentions to bring something beautiful to life. Or, we’ve allowed something monstrous—words, actions, feelings—to escape us even though they are not representative of our good natures and minds. Yik Yak is the “Frankenstein Solution” because, through it, we are allowed to engender our capacities for ugliness without the responsibility of authorship. Our monsters may run amok in the community and maim our peers, but it is “Okay” because our names aren’t attached to these children. Freedom to create, devoid of all consequences—all things are permitted.

A word of caution to us all, though: at the conclusion of Frankenstein, the monster pursues its creator to the far reaches of the North Pole. Both end up dead. If we cannot find it in ourselves to let Yik Yak run dry and shrivel out of our lives, then let us pray that our nameless monsters cannot find their way back to us. Lord knows they’ve managed to find other casualties.

Victoria Mariconti is a staff columnist for The Heights. She can be reached at opinions@bcheights.com.

The Heights

A6

Thursday, October 23, 2014

Small things can cause big problems: BC overlooking nothing on Saturday From Wake Forest, A8 Clemson’s defense, 13th in the country and 19th in rushing defense, limited BC to 263 yards of offense, almost 25 yards fewer than BC averages in rushing yards per game. Wake Forest, meanwhile, is ranked 45th in total defense and 79th in rushing defense, giving up an average of 175 yards per game. Last week, BC had to deal with the ominous, constantly lurking presence of Vic Beasley across the line. BC effectively shut down Beasley, limiting him to just half a tackle, but the rest of Clemson’s defensive line was able to put pressure on Tyler Murphy and the BC running game.

BC head coach Steve Addazio saw a good performance from his line against Clemson, but he’s not satisfied yet. “I thought we had a pretty good plan,” Addazio said. “But I think we could have played better up front.” Against Wake Forest, BC will have to get a better performance from its offensive line in terms of run blocking and pass protection.

In terms of the passing game, facing Clemson led to some positive signs for the Eagles. Murphy found five different receivers for eight completions, even hitting some longer throws that the

Eagles didn’t make earlier in the year.

“He’s just competing and working every day to get better,” Bordner said.

Murphy showed a better ability to throw on the run, and Bordner, the former quarterback, even got back in on the action, completing a 35-yard pass to Charlie Callinan and catching a toe-tapping six-yard touchdown. However, there are still hiccups—Bordner’s pass was slightly underthrown, perhaps robbing Callinan of a touchdown. Bordner also dropped a wide-open ball that would have been a significant gain, and, most frustrating for BC fans, Tyler Rouse muffed the potential go-ahead touchdown on a ball that hit his hands inside Clemson’s five-yard line. Against Wake Forest, the Eagles will need to show continued improvement through the air.

Defensively, BC’s bend-but-don’tbreak strategy held up well, though admittedly, it was playing a Clemson offense without freshman phenom Deshaun Watson. BC did allow Cole Stoudt to throw for 285 yards, but what really hurt the team was its inability to contain Clemson’s backs in BC territory, as Wayne Gallman ran for a 17-yard touchdown and C.J. Davidson ran for a 32-yard touchdown that turned out

to be the winning score. BC shouldn’t have that same problem against Wake Forest this week—the Demon Deacons have a total of 257 rushing yards on the year, averaging just 36.7 yards per game while gaining 1.2 yards per carry.

Wake’s aerial attack hasn’t been much more efficient, having lost their leading wide receiver from 2013, Michael Campanaro, who gained over 800 yards last year and caught six touchdowns.

Without his presence this year, Wake is averaging 170 yards per game through the air, and has just seven passing touchdowns in total.

BC just hung tough with the 24thranked team in the nation. The Eagles are 4-3 and need two more wins to become bowl eligible for the second straight year. They are taking just their second out-of-state road trip of the season to face the Wake Forest Demon Deacons, who enter the game at 2-5 after getting hammered at home by Syracuse. One would think that BC could take its foot off the gas pedal just a bit, to try to not wear down too early. “Relax,” people might say, “take a break.” But this week, the BC Eagles are more focused than ever on sweating the small stuff. n

Emily Fahey / heights editor

Murphy found success in the air against Clemson, hitting Sherman Alston and Josh Bordner for touchdowns, but Wake boasts a strong secondary.

Chuck Burton / ap photo

The Deamon Deacons’ offense has sputtered so far this year, expecially the run game.

Wake hopes to pull upset From Wake Forest, A8 Unfortunately for Clawson, things have not turned around this year, as the Demon Deacons sit with NC State at the bottom of ACC’s Atlantic Division. And for a desperate fan base that has suffered 18 losing seasons in the last 25 years, including six consecutive seasons under .500, the good times of the past—and those of the future—seem even farther away.

This weekend at BB&T Field at Groves Stadium in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, Wake Forest’s (2-5, 0-3) task to get that elusive first ACC win does not get any easier as BC (4-3, 1-2) comes to town.

The Demon Deacons have yet to beat a team in a Power Five conference this season, defeating FCS opponent Gardner-Webb 23-7, and needing a 10-point fourth quarter to pull back against 2-5 Army. Two of the Deacs’ losses have come against opponents in weak midmajor conferences, the Sun Belt’s UL Monroe, and Mountain West’s Utah State. Wake comes into this game on a three-game losing streak, outscored by a combined 73-10 in its last two contests against then-No. 1 Florida State and a mediocre Syracuse team.

Wake Forest should muster up enough defense to stay in the game, as it catches the Eagles at an opportune time. BC turned in its worst offensive performance of the year against then-No. 24 Clemson’s stout defense last week, amassing 263 yards, with only 120 yards on the ground.

While this seems like a decent output, the Eagles average 417.7 yards per game, with a whopping 287.7 rushing yards, ninth in the NCAA according to ESPN. This looks like a sigh of relief for the Demon Deacons’ mediocre rushing defense, ranked towards the bottom of the ACC at 79th.

The Deacs’ 20th-ranked passing defense, led by safety Ryan Janvion and cornerback Merrill Noel, will challenge the Eagles in the air. In a more balanced attack than previously

seen by Addazio’s team, quarterback Tyler Murphy looked the best he has this season passing last week—but watch for him to struggle against a crew Florida State head coach Jimbo Fisher calls “a very talented secondary” and “the best defense [the ’Noles] played” this year, according to footballscoop.com.

Addazio isn’t taking Wake lightly. “I know getting ready for this game, they’re going to have a great plan, be meticulous and well‑prepared,” Addazio said in a teleconference on Wednesday. “That’s what I’m worried about right there. [Clawson] and his staff will have a great plan put together for his team.”

On the contrary, Wake Forest will most likely struggle mightily this week on offense as it has all year. BC’s defense ranks 16th in points and rushing yards against, making it a tough test for Wake’s weak ground game. The Demon Deacons rank last (128th) in rushing offense, gaining a measly 36.7 yards per game—Wake Forest’s rushers have reached 100 yards only once while having negative yardage in three games. In fact, the Deacs’ leading running back, senior Orville Reynolds, would rank sixth on the Eagles in rushing yards.

The Eagles’ 37th-ranked passing defense struggled last week to contain Clemson’s Cole Stoudt, giving up 285 yards to the senior backup quarterback. Chances are, however, Wake’s passing game won’t help the team either. Quarterback John Wolford has showed the freshman jitters this season, throwing 12 interceptions and merely seven touchdowns, with a 23.4 QBR. But with a nonexistent rushing offense, airing it out at the expense of the Eagles’ weakened secondary seems like the Deacs’ only option.

With only teams at or above .500 left on the schedule, a bowl game seems highly unlikely for Wake—at this point, the Demon Deacons merely play for pride. Only time will tell if Clawson will receive the same extended leash that Grobe got to rebuild a program with which frustrated fans now grow impatient. n

THE HEIGHTS

EDITORS’ EDITORS’PICKS PICKS

Thursday, October 23, 2014 The Week Ahead

Standings

No. 15 field hockey hopes to continue its positive trajectory after a win over Louisville, taking on No. 12 Virginia on Friday. Men’s soccer also plays a ranked opponent, No. 8 UNC, on Friday on Newton Campus. Men’s hockey plays UMass on Saturday. On Sunday night, the Packers head south to New Orleans to take on the Saints.

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Game of the Week

Recap from Last Picks

MARLY MORGUS

19-11

ALEX FAIRCHILD

18-12

HEIGHTS STAFF

18-12

CONNOR MELLAS

16-14

Football fell to Clemson on Saturday by a narrow margin of just four points. Women’s soccer edged NC State in overtime, scoring the game’s only goal four minutes into overtime. Men’s hockey rebounded from losing its first game, dominating RIT, 6-2. Real Madrid crushed Liverpool by a final score of 3-0.

Men’s Soccer

Boston vs. North College Carolina

Guest Editor: John Wiley Arts & Review Editor

“Milan, Germany.”

CONNOR MELLAS

This Week’s Games

Sports Editor

Field Hockey: No. 15 BC vs. No. 12 Virginia M. Soccer: BC vs. No. 8 UNC M. Hockey: No. 6 BC vs. UMass NFL: Packers at Saints

MARLY MORGUS Assoc. Sports Editor

ALEX FAIRCHILD

JOHN WILEY Arts & Review Editor

Asst. Sports Editor

Virginia

BC

BC

BC

UNC

UNC

BC

UNC

BC

BC

BC

BC

Packers

Packers

Packers

Packers

Head coach Ed Kelly had serious issues with his men’s soccer team heading into its Tuesday night match with No. 20 Boston University, but things on the new Newton Campus soccer field’s turf seemed to be ironed out. The Eagles face a more difficult test on Friday night when No. 8 North Carolina comes to town. The Tar Heels enter the match coming off of a five-game winning streak. Jamaican international and sophomore midfield anchor Omar Holness is the perfect complement to an attack led by Andy Craven and Rob Lovejoy. Craven has tallied eight goals this season, and Lovejoy has just as many assists to his name.

Friday, 7 p.m.

BU beaten as Eagles end winless run

BY KYLE BARANKO For The Heights

AARON JOSEFCZYK / AP PHOTO

Big personalities have been seen as liabilities, so you can’t blame athletes who stay quiet.

Excessive reactions force players to remain silent From Column A10 their emotions, but people should stop complaining when Thatcher Demko fails to toot his own horn after a shutout or when Tyler Murphy deflects leading questions with praise for his running backs or receivers. It’s not their job to entertain media members, and there’s a huge downside if something that they say is taken the wrong way or out of context.

If they choose to do so, good for them.

They’re taking a big chance and there’s a distinct possibility that they’ll piss people off. At the same time, there’s nothing wrong with recognizing that such actions could have a negative impact on their futures and choosing playing the safe side, especially when you know that every

word that comes out of your mouth is liable to be picked apart, be it by journalists, coaches, fans, or scouts.

These types of athletes have two goals—to win games, and to excel in their areas to the extent at which they will be able to take their skills to the professional level, and it’s not their fault that people who have a large hand in determining their futures have closed minds about what the personality of a prospect should be because of what they’re used to from athletes. Nobody wants to be labeled as a liability and let that perception overshadow his or her on-field performance.

Plagued by inconsistent play recently, the Boston College men’s soccer team finally got its bearing back in an assertive 3-1 win over Boston University. The win served to correct the team’s poor run of form, which has hindered its ACC postseason chances. Although the victory came in non-conference play, it should give the Eagles a boost as they head into to the end of their ACC schedule.

The first 15 minutes of the game were a stalemate. Both sides played conservatively, focusing on keeping possession and building a structured attack. In the 19th minute, BU began to put heavy pressure on the Eagles’ defense with a dangerous header

by Dominique Badji, but goalie Alex Kapp made a diving save, forcing a corner kick.

Five minutes later, BC gave up a penalty kick and Badji put BU up 1-0. The rest of the first half, the BC defense successfully fended off counterattacks and dominated possession. Yet, as the first period winded down, BC was still unable to seriously threaten BU goalie Nick Thomson.

The Eagles maintained possession of the ball, but struggled to generate shots on goal consistently. On the other end, Badji continued to spark counterattacks and put pressure on the BC defense. Even when Badji went down with an injury in the 31st minute, the Terriers’ offense created several

chances, displaying well-timed runs and excellent movement off the ball.

With three minutes remaining in the half, the Eagles finally evened up the score.

After the BU defense failed to clear a corner kick, Zeiko Lewis won the ball at the top corner of the box.

He immediately got behind the defensive line by driving baseline and zipping the ball across the box with his right foot. Cole DeNormandie redirected the cross into the back of the net to even the score at 1-1 going into the intermission.

DeNormandie and the Eagles carried the momentum into the second half, immediately setting a physical tone. Seven minutes into the second frame, DeNormandie returned the favor to Lewis by playing an excellent through ball to set Lewis up with a 1-on-1. He kept composure and dribbled past the keeper, easily passing the ball with his left foot into an open net.

The Terriers were suddenly trailing by one, and they turned up the intensity accordingly. BU played with a newfound sense of urgency, matching the Eagles’ physicality and effectively probing the defense during counterattacks. Nevertheless, their intensity slowly turned to frustration, evident in a hard foul and booking with 30 minutes remaining.

As BC defender Ado Kawuba worked to clear the ball by the sideline, he received a strong push in the back by BU forward Felix De Bona. Kawuba went soaring out of

bounds and took a violent fall, prompting the official to give De Bona a yellow card.

BC dominated the rest of the way, controlling possession and dictating the tempo of the game. Lewis continued to stay in rhythm, working well up top with substitute forward Diego Medina-Mendez.

Head coach Ed Kelly praised Medina-Mendez for his effort after the game, calling him a workhorse.

The final goal of the game was definitely the most beautiful. Defender Matt Wendelken sent a perfect long ball across the field to a wide-open Lewis behind the defense. Lewis again showed his distributing skills, making a quick pass backwards to Nick Butler at the top of the box. Butler drove the ball into the back of the net to create an ultimately insurmountable 3-1 lead.

The whole second half, BC appeared noticeably more physical and decisive.

Stagnant off-the-ball movement made the forwards easy to guard in the first half, but improved spacing and better runs opened up the BU defense for the remaining 45 minutes.

On defense, the Eagles had better shape and took more efficient angles when containing counterattacks. Offensively, Lewis controlled the tempo and continued to get behind the defense even in the last moments of the game. He was the most dominant player in the contest, assisting on or scoring all three BC goals. 

Marly Morgus is the Assoc. Sports Editor for The Heights. She can be reached at sports@bcheights.com MIKE TRUMMEL / FOR THE HEIGHTS

ROUND U P

BY ALEX FAIRCHILD | ASST. SPORTS EDITOR

After receiving a first-round bye at the ITA/USTA Northeast Regional Championship, senior Jessica Wacnik was able to build off of her successful weekend and win the tournament with a dominant performance in the final. In two sets, Wacnik beat Hanna Yu of Yale, 6-3, 6-2, and she became the first Boston College player not only to reach a regional final in singles play, but also to win one. Over the weekend, Wacnik knocked off an opponent from Yale, before beating Alexandra D’Ascenzo of Cornell 6-3, 6-2. The senior’s next victim was Syracuse’s Valeria Salazar. Despite losing the first set 4-6, Wacnik recovered by winning 4-6, 6-0, 6-4. A Monday win over Rima Asatrian from Columbia pitted the senior against June Lee. Wacnick beat her Harvard opposition 6-4, 4-6, 6-4 en route to the final.

On the men’s side, Valdik Mushaw of St. Johns defeated Philip Nelson. Ken Mukai also suffered a defeat in the first round when Dan Richardson of Princeton sent him out of the tournament. A doubles pairing Nelson and Mukai lost its first match to Martin Svenning and Ziqi Wang. Hank Workman was also knocked out in the first round of the singles tournament when Pennsylvania’s Thomas Spratt defeated him. 

Field Hockey

scoreboard

Despite mid-season struggles, Lewis finds his form in classy performance From Lewis, A8

TENNIS

BC UL

Men’s soccer picked up a much-needed victory on Tuesday night when it knocked off BU with goals from Nick Butler and Zeiko Lewis.

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M. SOCCER

Louisville, KY 10/17

himself and got on the end of a diagonal ball that was smacked deep in the box by right back Matt Wendelken. Lewis settled the long ball and cut it back to Nick Butler, who padded BC’s lead with a calm finish in the 78th minute.

Had Lewis been put in the hole, the attacking midfield position Kelly mentions, the player would have been pressured to go and find the game, and that goal would not have happened.

“I thought he was great,” Kelly said. “I said to him after, ‘I think that’s your position to play,’ because usually he’s the attacking midfielder guy.”

Diego Medina-Mendez is the not the team’s most skillful player, but he is tireless in his efforts. Unlike Lewis, the senior will not dribble past three opponents by doing

VOLLEYBALL

3 MCCOY 2 G BC GARCIA 1 G WAKE 1

WINSTON-sALEM, nc 10/17

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1 BC DENORMANDIE 1 G BC WAKE 4 GREENSFELDER 1 G 1 A RIT

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scissors and a Maradona, but instead he’ll disrupt the back line by running full-steam at them. On the defensive end, Medina-Mendez can exhaust the rest of his energy pressing players from the front in order to win the ball back. None of that is to say that Lewis lacks the effort to try to win the ball back, but rather that his energy is better spent when it comes to the attack.

“Not to be talking bad about him, because he’s a great player, but the energy is just not there,” Kelly said. “He can go up there and do all that stuff, and then he can take a break.

That’s the way his brain works. A thing of brilliance, and then he stops.”

Lewis must use his smarts going forward to find a mean in the way he attacks. The sophomore often gets after players by trying to dribble through them, but that is very difficult to do. Even though players with the ball can change the match, they are rarely suc-

CHESTNUT hILL, MA 10/17 FOOTBALL WORKMAN 16 K RUSSELL 20 K

BC 13 CLEM 17

ROCHESTER, NY 10/18 W. SOCCER DOHERTY 1 G 2 A SKIRVING 1 G

BC 1 NCSU 0

CHESTNUT HILL, MA 10/18 MURPHY 108 YDS (P) STOUDT 285 YDS (P)

CAMBRIDGE, MA 10/19 DOWD 1 G STELIJES 13 SVS

cessful. It’s easy to mess up when dribbling, as powerful of a position to be in as it is.

“Coach wants me to mix it up a little bit more, so I’ve been trying to balance it between my dribbling and the last ball as well,” Lewis said. “It’s just a matter of when it comes. It’s whatever I feel comfortable doing.”

That killer ball is something Lewis has in his arsenal, and it is something he can use to get his team going. Even if the through ball isn’t successful, the idea can spur others and get confidence going.

In BC’s period of panic, it dealt with a stagnant attack. After lacking ideas this season, the sophomore seemed to rediscover them and himself on Tuesday. The question is: did this match and reboot come too late, as Kelly’s team sits out of ACC Tournament qualification with just two conference games left on its schedule. 

DURHAM,MaNH11/11 10/19 Boston,

W. HOCKEY BC UNH

4 0

BENDER 1 G 1 A VAATTOVAARA 38 SVS

M. SOCCER BC BU

Newton, NEWTON,MA MA11/09 10/21 3 1

LEWIS 1 G 2 A BADJI 1 G

SPORTS

A8

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 23, 2014

INTO THE FOREST

BY TOMMY MELORO Heights Staff “Don’t sweat the small stuff.”

That’s what people say when they’re telling you to relax, to take it easy. It makes sense—worry about the larger issues, then the small things generally have a way of working themselves out.

There are two places where this advice might not be quite as helpful, though: when interviewing for a full-time job as a college senior, and between the sidelines of a football field.

It was the small stuff that left Boston College four points short of the Clemson Tigers last weekend, and it’s the small stuff that the Eagles

BY MICHAEL SULLIVAN For The Heights

It seems like only yesterday that the Boston College Eagles were the joke of the ACC. Dropping from their high-water mark of a No. 2 ranking in 2007, BC’s peak since winning the AP National Championship in 1940, the Eagles regressed each subsequent year, bottoming out to an embarrassing 2-10 in 2012.

Under head coach Frank Spaziani, the Eagles managed one win against a Division-I opponent—a Maryland team lacking in talent. Since then, however, BC has turned it around under head coach Steve Addazio. Though not a dominant force just yet, teams no longer take the

hope to correct this week leading up to their game against the Wake Forest Demon Deacons at Groves Stadium on Saturday. For four quarters, BC held its own against the then 24th-ranked Tigers, but couldn’t quite overcome a few small but crucial mistakes.

“We just really need to stay together and compete,” wide receiver Josh Bordner said on bouncing back. “It’s always tough going down on an ACC road game.”

While Wake Forest’s defense isn’t as talented as Clemson’s, that doesn’t mean the Eagles can rest on their laurels this week in practice.

See BC, A6 Eagles quite as lightly.

Wake Forest has yet to rebound as easily.

The Demon Deacons reached their peak around the same time that BC did—their run was capped off with an ACC Championship and an 11-3 record in 2006. Despite this achievement, head coach Jim Grobe never reached that same success at Wake Forest again, ultimately costing him this past year in favor of Bowling Green’s Dave Clawson.

See Wake, A6

OCT. 25, 2014 BC vs. Wake Forest.

3:30 p.m. ET ESPN3

Back in business: Zeiko Lewis returns to form in win over Terriers

BY ALEX FAIRCHILD Asst. Sports Editor

When a player is in control of the ball, he is in control of the game. With the ball at his feet, he can dribble or pass, but more importantly, change 3 Boston College pace. In Boston University 1 possession, a player can speed forward to beat a defender and then come to a stop, pull the ball back, and leave the defender sliding off the pitch.

If the ball is stuck to his foot, kept on a leash, and alternatively yo-yoing back and forth, it becomes even harder to win possession from the man with the match at his mercy.

The second Zeiko Lewis won the ball off a Boston University defender and received the second half of a one-two with Cole DeNormandie, he was about to dictate where the match was headed. After a couple of slick drag moves past BU defenders, the sophomore was alone with the keeper, but took the ball by him with ease. With the match tied at 1-1, Lewis made no mistake, and passed the ball into the back of the net.

In those six or seven touches on the ball, last season’s ACC Rookie of the Year had announced his return.

Tuesday night’s 3-1 win for the Boston

College’s men’s soccer team was about finding itself, as the team was lost in a stretch where it had won just once, against No. 1 Notre Dame, in an eight-match stretch.

For Lewis, it was about finding last season’s form.

Coming into the match, the Bermudan was having difficulty finding the back of the net and getting teammates into scoring positions. His friend and teammate Isaac Normesinu had been carrying the load for the Eagles by scoring five goals in 12 games.

Normesinu did not suit up for the match against the Terriers, though, due to injury.

The absence of Lewis’ teammate did not necessarily give Lewis more freedom, but it did see him get more opportunities as a forward. Head coach Ed Kelly elected to play in the diamond against BU, a formation that requires two forwards. One would think that Lewis’ creativity and vision for the killer ball would make him the perfect fit for the attacking midfield position behind the two forwards, which he started in on Tuesday, but that has not been the case this season.

Lewis supplied just two assists in the Eagles’ first 12 games. With three games to play last season, he had already dished out nine of his league-leading 11 helpers.

Part of his struggles stem from injury.

Starting in all 13 games, Lewis has played through a shoulder sprain, as well as knocks to his ankle and back. Against BU, he was moved up to forward to start the match, and instead of dropping into the hole for long periods of time, Lewis stayed up front, and it brought him back to his comfort zone.

“I did feel like there was a lot more space and time for me up top,” Lewis said. “I could drift a little bit more and come back and get the ball a lot more than when I was in the midfield.”

Players in the mold of Lewis need space to exploit to be dangerous. Forwards with the ability to dribble and get forward are more threatening to defenses when they have space to exploit on their way toward the goal. A target man can be effective, but in theory, he is less of a threat, because if he turns, he’s going away from goal instead of straight at it.

As a forward Lewis had space, so he drove at the goal, fooling defenders that lunged in with ease. With license to move up top, he got into areas where his teammates could find him as well, instead of him wasting his energy trying to find the game.

Drifting to the left, he found space for

See Lewis, A7

MIKE TRUMMEL / FOR THE HEIGHTS

The sophomore attacker tallied one goal and two assists against No. 20 Boston University.

Student athletes rarely say much on record, but who can blame them?

MARLY MORGUS Peyton Manning had a pretty good weekend. Against (smiles to herself ) Colin Kaepernick and the 49ers, he surpassed Brett Favre’s NFL-record 508 touchdown passes. He managed in 246 games what it took Favre 302 to do—throw TD No. 508. Then, just for fun, he tacked on 509, 510, and a touchdown celebration that left watchers with a humble, wholesome impression of him, even after it emerged that the celebration was planned.

Maybe Peyton wanted to go crazy.

Maybe he wanted to grab a mic from Erin Andrews after the game and scream

about how he’s the greatest quarterback of all time a la Richard Sherman, polarizing people—some of whom may have appreciated the gesture, others of which would no doubt take every opportunity to point out how unintelligent and egotistical he is. He chose not to, though, and you can’t blame him for sticking to his less surprising plan.

I have heard a lot of people complain about what they perceive as the limited emotion and candor that Boston College athletes and coaches use in interviews.

Steve Addazio often sticks to a couple of motifs—heart, hard work, family, etc.—but when was the last time you saw Manning or Tom Brady go off on a rant during a press conference? Probably never, and that’s because they know that doing so will only provide a distraction and give people the opportunity to criticize them, either for the content of their speech or the way that they say it.

I NSIDE SPORTS THIS ISSUE

These are players and coaches that know what their job is—to go out and win football games—and they do everything they can in order to achieve that.

It’s not up to them to entertain members of the media, to create easy stories with emotional outbursts just so that writers or TV personas have something interesting to talk about. Just because they are more reserved in on-camera situations doesn’t mean they don’t know how to motivate themselves and their teammates when their words aren’t being monitored.

I’ve sat in many a press conference when the game-winning scorer or star goalie of the game sat calmly and attributed their success to the hard work of their teammates. A lot of people choose to roll their eyes at these sorts of expression, preferring, perhaps, a Shermanesque outburst during which players call themselves the greatest ever to play their

Tennis: Wacnik Wins Northeast Regional

position.

For a college athlete, though, how could that possibly help them?

Any reactions that people may have to pros speaking out will only be stronger for college athletes, firstly because people are even less used to it from these “amateurs,” and secondly because it’s even easier to write a player off as a stupid, immature kid when he doesn’t have years in the pros to back up his statements.

The image of Johnny Manziel’s face at the most recent NFL draft is still clear in my head as one of the most highly touted draft-eligible quarterbacks tumbled down into the twenties, finally picked up 22nd by the Browns.

I’m a huge Manziel fan. I don’t care if the kid did or didn’t sell autographs, because the only reason that’s considered wrong by some is because of some stupid NCAA rule and I see no moral

The senior took advantage of her first round bye to knock off multiple opponents on her way to the title............................................................A7

issue there. I also don’t care that he has a massive ego, because he’s exceptional at what he does. Power to him.

People don’t like that from a college kid, though, and as Johnny Football’s draft status tumbled, the announcers on ESPN discussed how he had been working on shedding his image as an egotistical party boy.

Sports are political. People have the idea of what makes a great quarterback in their head with examples like Manning, Brees, and Brady in their heads, and that’s exactly what they expect from a leader of their team. Not many people are going to want to elect the brilliant asshole. Rather, they let personality influence where they choose to cast their vote.

It’s obviously not an ideal thing that many athletes feel the need to temper

See Column, A8

Scoreboard...........................................................................................................A7 Editors’ Picks.........................................................................................................A7

WILEY’S FOLLIES

The ‘BC Bro’ & Privilege HOW STEREOTYPES INHIBIT REAL TALK ABOUT INEQUALITY AT BC, PAGE B2 MENTORING THROUGH THE ARTS

Saving Arts In Schools BC JUNIOR FOUNDS PROGRAM TO COMBAT CUTS TO ARTS, PAGE B3

MUSICAL REVIEW

‘A Funny Thing Happened’ In Robsham Theatre A SONDHEIM CLASSIC REVISITED WITH A MODERN TOUCH, B3

Thursday, October 23, 2014

THE

FRESHMAN LIAM WEIR IS RECLAIMING INSTAGRAM AS A PLATFORM FOR ART See Page B2 HEIGHTS PHOTO ILLUSTRATION / JORDAN PENTALERI | EMILY FAHEY / HEIGHTS EDITOR | PHOTOS COURTESY OF LIAM WEIR

The Heights

B2

Thursday, October 23, 2014

Wiley’s follies

Looking past the ‘BC bro’ illusion

John Wiley I’ve never actually met a “BC bro” or “biddy,” although I’ve intersected paths with plenty. The perceived “bro” culture—like our view of many other subcultures at Boston College—is a matter of projection. The myth that a hyper-masculine, J. Crew-wearing class of the student population dominates the University’s social culture allows us to continue ignoring the fact that our school is still very much segmented along lines of socioeconomic status, race, and gender. We tell ourselves the problem is pastel-colored shorts rather than privilege, and it’s a convenient illusion.

It’s far easier to poke fun at eccentric fashion choices than it is to address how social structures have perpetuated a history of segregation in higher education. The “BC bro” is referred to almost affectionately—he’s a goofy “guy’s guy” with a love of Vineyard Vines and button downs. He’s most likely in CSOM, and he almost always travels in a pack of similarly minded students. When we think of the “game-day experience,” he’s usually at the center of it, hanging out at a tailgate with either his parents or a friend’s parents who happen to be alumni.

In this relatively simple description of what the “BC bro” might be, I’ve already assumed that you imagine this student in terms of race, economic status, the college education of his parents, his class year, and the privileges he’s afforded at BC. By talking about these issues from the perspective of a made-up student, we just entirely skirted a conversation on a crippling culture of exclusion at BC. Before even arriving at BC, students are offered different types of housing packages, with zero transparency as to why some students are offered four years and others three. We are placed on different listservs, and consequently we are marketed different events. BC consistently ranks among the worst schools in the country for interaction between races, according to U.S. News and World Report. It’s something I’m ashamed of as a student here, in part because I can frequently catch myself falling into groups that do not reflect the diversity of the University as a whole.

This is the rule, not the exception, as a quick visual scan across any BC dining hall will likely prove. We feel shame about a conversation we don’t know how to start, and we continue along our four years in the shadow of a stereotype.

Last semester’s “Yik Yak Awareness” video, produced by the FACES Council, pointed out just how much stereotyping is ingrained in our humor at BC. Students who fell into a certain “grouping’” read off anonymous Yaks composed by BC students relating to their demographic in the four-minute film.

It was a confrontation the purveyors of these stereotypes never expect to have, and perhaps never will. I believe very few students actively act to exclude others from the BC experience, but to accept the status quo is enough to affirm your stereotype. It is to allow the institutional structures that have directed the University to be divided along the lines of race and socioeconomic class to reign.

Take a look at the “game-day experience,” something some of us hold up as quintessential to our experience as BC undergrads. Only University donors of at least $1,500 are allowed tailgating spots, with the most desirable spots costing upward of $10,000 per season. Children of alumni are far more likely to be included in that experience, the wealthiest of the lot enjoying a better location and extended privileges.

At orientation, when everyone in the incoming class is handed Superfan shirts, we’re led to believe that these experiences will be universal—that if you choose not to be a part of the game-day tradition, you are somehow a lesser member of the BC community.

But one shirt does not fit all.

Ripping up an institutional fabric that segments the BC experiences means our discussion of privilege must go beyond benign quips about Northface jackets and Sperry shoes. If you find yourself sinking into the comfort of language that characterizes inequality at BC to be as simple as a goofy CSOM boy in high shorts, you’ve already ended the conversation.

We must abandon the “BC bro” myth, and stop projecting stereotypes that steal away from the real conversation on inequality at BC. I’ve never actually met a “BC bro” or “biddy,” and I’d be remiss to dismiss anyone as such. One shirt does not fit all, and the BC experience will never be universal—but we can certainly find ways to stretch it.

John Wiley is the Arts & Review Editor for The Heights. He can be reached at metro@bcheights.com.

emily fahey / heights editor

After living in Ireland for 15 years with a family of artists, Weir arrived at BC with an interest in high-quality iPhone photography—and will put himself in any position to get the right shot.

Insta-artist Liam Weir tests limits of mobile photography

By Marian Wyman Heights Staff Liam Weir, A&S ’18, is just “a delusional Irish guy running around Boston with an iPhone”—or so his Instagram bio would suggest. “Liamweir” brings an uncommon perspective to Boston College, and his photography of campus and the city of Boston reflects that.

Weir, who has lived in Ireland the past 15 years, came to BC from a family of artists. The son of two independent filmmakers, Weir spent much of his life experimenting with photography and film—whether on a professional movie set (he was a child actor in the 2007 movie 32A), or experimenting in taking photos with his father. “I realized then that I had an eye, and I’d see things that other people wouldn’t,” Weir said. “That’s why I take photographs.”

Oddly, Weir’s development as a photographer began with the opening of his Instagram account. It all started with his iPhone 4, with a camera technically inferior to that of recent iPhone models.

Weir started to use the platform when it first began in 2010. In its early stages, Instagram was almost purely a community for photographers, rather than a social network it is today. “At that time, it was a very cool photographic project,” Weir said.

Instagram has evolved significantly since the time Weir arrived on the scene.

The smartphone app only really began to pick up popularity with non-photographers in 2012. Weir remembers the

transition days with disdain. “It was just all my friends’ filtered pictures of their pizza and, like, lattes,” he said.

It was then that he resolved he would become part of an already growing counterculture of “Instagram artists,” photo purists who insisted that mobile photography had applications far beyond the mundane.

The mobile aspect of photography is a major part of Instagram’s appeal to Weir.

He is fundamentally opposed to using anything but a cell phone camera to post an Instagram. A large part of what Weir is trying to portray in his photography is that it’s not the equipment or production that makes a photo exceptional.

“Ninety percent of photography is being in the room, where you put yourself in the room, what you see,” Weir said. “Very little has to do with equipment.”

Weir loves when it rains on campus, and while most of his friends curse the gray, gloomy weather, he runs out to find a new dimension of BC. One of his “puddle photos” is through the reflection of a manhole puddle. The urban, grid-like design of the manhole is jarring beneath the reflection of the beautifully constructed arches of Stokes Hall. “You can find a whole new Stokes Hall in a puddle,” Weir said.

Instagram can be used as a platform for artists, but as many artists uncover using it, the mobile app can just as easily be used as a marketing tool, and often the best compositions don’t get the most “likes.” As an intern working in social media for Image Publications in Ireland, Weir learned there’s even a science of when

to post a picture so that it gets an optimal number of likes.

Weir found these statistics on optimization and strategies for getting likes creeping into his art, and with time, he started to rely on them. He would come to regret posting some photos that he loved when he discovered they weren’t as popular to his followers. “I’m very vain,” he said. “I need lots of encouragement.”

Weir has since adjusted his view. In the long run he’s found that by ignoring the “like count,” he is gleaning more likes than ever before. To Weir, Instagram should be about art, and that art is uninhibited by social media feedback.

For photographers like Weir, Instagram is a middle ground. Where Facebook is too casual for high-quality photography and Flickr too intense (“Flickr’s standard is extremely high. I got 300 views once, and one favorite,” Weir said), Instagram is home to a more welcoming community.

Weir’s 800-something followers are an international community, with particularly strong segment from Italy, and mostly act in support. “There’s a great culture of politeness on Instagram,” said Weir.

This support has greatly enabled Weir’s artistic freedom, and has led him to a creative vision: taking photos from angles and perspectives that most people have never seen.

“All the photos of the world are taken at this height,” he said, motioning to his 6-foot frame before he quickly dropped to the ground, lying down in true Weir fashion.

“So I try to do interesting things—I try to get down lower.”

On a rainy day about three weeks ago, Weir had no qualms about lying down on the wet ground to get a stunning shot of Fulton Hall. Regrammed by BC’s official instagram, this is one of Weir’s more popular shots because it is so distinctly framed.

One rarely ever sees a photo from such a dramatically low perspective. Overall, this post represents how the dark, wet qualities of weather don’t diminish beauty.

Instead, just looking through a different perspective will show just how gorgeous the campus still is.

Whether chasing sunsets or running out in the rain, Weir is an opportunity hunter. Early on in his Insta-career, he might have stop himself from getting a picture because he’d look awkward taking it, but he’s since dropped any such consideration. Sometimes the best shot looks a little embarrassing when you’re taking it, he resolved. “If it’s worth taking just one more shot, then go ahead and take the shot,” he said.

This “last shot” mentality has informed many of Weir’s best photos.

A political science major at BC, Weir does not plan to make a career out of iPhone photography. For now, he’s content with selling 4x6 inch prints of his Instagram photos. “It’d be a bit weird to sell my selfie,” Weir said.

Instagram art has a way of life for Weir, and he doesn’t see himself breaking away from it anytime soon. “I would love to be involved in politics, but still be lying in the middle of the street in Washington, DC taking artsy pictures in a suit,” he said.

“Why not?” n

photos courtesy of Liam weir

As an Instagram artist, Weir firmly believes in using only a smartphone to post on the photo-sharing app, and using mobile photography as a way to capture scenes beyond the mundane.

This weekend in arts

By: Ariana Igneri | Associate Arts & Review Editor

1. ‘A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum’ (through sunday 10/26)

5. Illuminus Festival (Through Sunday 11/2)

A funny thing is happening in Robsham this weekend—the Boston College theatre department’s new musical. The play blends ancient Roman comedy with classic vaudeville themes and tells a hilarious story of star-crossed love. The show is running Thursday through Saturday at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday at 2 p.m. Student tickets are $10.

Brighten up your Saturday night with the Illuminus Festival in the South End, which will reimagine the city in the dark and feature large-scale projection and light installations from over 30 regional artists.

A smaller version of the event took place earlier this month at the Lawn on D. For more information, visit illuminusboston.org.

2. BC bOp! (friday 10/24, 8 p.m.)

5. Jason Derulo Concert (Friday 10/24, 7:30 p.m.)

Join BC bOp! for a night of singing, music, and all that jazz in the Vanderslice Caberet Room on Friday. The group will be performing selections from Basie, Buddy Rich, and Earth, Wind, & Fire. The concert is free.

3. Boston Book Festival (Thursday 10/23 to Saturday 10/25)

The sixth edition of the Boston Book Festival is coming to Copley Square, featuring writing workshops, literary lectures, and keynote speakers Herbie Hancock and Susan Minot. Most events are free and not ticketed. For a complete schedule, see bostonbookfest.org.

courtesy of new england open markets

4. Carnival of Curiosities (Sunday 10/26, 1 p.m.)

The SoWa Open Market is freaking out about its “circus freaks”-themed Halloween costume contest open to vendors and customers on Sunday. See newenglandopenmarkets.com for competition rules and details on prizes and registration.

Jason Derulo won’t be ridin’ solo at the Orpheum Theatre on Friday—Becky G and Wallpaper will be joining the “Talk Dirty To Me” singer for his Boston concert. Tickets are $43.20 through Ticketmaster.

6. My Mother’s Fleabag Fall Cafe (Friday 10/24, 7 p.m.)

Get ready to howl with laughter for My Mother’s Fleabag’s Fall Cafe, “Werewolf Bar Mitzvah.” The BC improv group is hosting its free show in Gasson 305 rather than in the O’Connell House. Arrive early, as seating is limited.

The Heights

B3

Thursday, October 23, 2014

Outside The Lines

Remember to ask the stupid questions

Michelle Tomassi

John Wiley / Heights editor

Brighton’s Edison K-8 School (above) is one of two locations currently served by Mentoring Through the Arts, a program founded by Meredith Smith, A&S ’16, to offer art workshops to K-4 students.

BC volunteers band together to save the arts in local schools

By Summer Lin Heights Staff

Public schools have grappled with the difficult decision of which programs to cut in half in order to accommodate budget reductions, and arts programs are often the first to go. It was the reduction—or in some cases, complete absence of arts and music programs in low-income elementary schools that compelled Meredith Smith, A&S ’16, to propose a mentorship program in the spring of her sophomore year at Boston College.

Under the advisement of Volunteer And Service Learning Director Dan Ponsetto, Smith originally pitched Mentoring Through the Arts as part of the Shaw Leadership Program. With a lack of federal funds, local schools were relying more on non-profit organizations and volunteering programs to set aside funding for arts education. Smith then took her ideas back to Ponsetto and created her own program once her original proposal was denied.

“Having a positive way to express emotion and creativity is beneficial to learning, but unfortunately, is difficult to find in schools,” Smith said. “I decided BC could bring the creative outlet by providing arts and crafts time and lessons to children in K through 4 at local sites.”

The Mentoring Through the Arts program focuses primarily on two locations: Charlesview Community Center in Allston and Edison K-8 School in Brighton. As part of the after-school programming, BC students volunteer on Friday afternoons to instruct elementary students on crafts, music, dance, and photography.

While both sites incorporate art projects and offer an outlet for creative expression, the program at Edison functions as more of a structured mentorship where BC students serve as role models and often help children

with their schoolwork after class. At the recently constructed Charlesview Center, however, BC has been fully integrated into their culture.

“Charlesview was brand-new when we began last October,” Smith said. “The children and parents know that BC students come each Friday for art projects and time spent bonding.”

For Smith, the children themselves were the reasoning for the program’s inception.

Both the Charlesview Center and Edison School do not incorporate arts programs into their in-class instruction and rely on Mentoring Through the Arts for a way for the students to channel their creativity in a positive way. “The children are lights in my week, something I look forward to probably more than they do,” Smith said . “To see them run up and ask about the craft for the day, or to tell our volunteers all about their week, has reinforced all of the reasons I wanted to start the program in the first place.”

Currently, Mentoring Through the Arts is headed by Amy Gribaudo, a graduate assistant at the Volunteering and Service Learning Center and LGSOE ‘15. Like Smith, Gribaudo derives tremendous inspiration from the students themselves and sees the mentorship program as a mutually beneficial experience between BC and elementary students alike.

“We focus so much on tests and being competitive that we don’t have time for [the students] to have fun without a grade,” Gribaudo said. “Arts lets them be themselves. No one is judging them on whether their work is good or bad.”

Through the volunteer arts program, BC students are afforded the opportunity to work with children from low-income areas and positively impact their creative development and overall learning experience. Gribaudo saw the mentoring program as an ideal way for young college students and children to

gain insight from working with one another.

“Children have no previous perceptions and are so carefree,” Gribaudo said. “Everyone wants to be connected or involved—working with them allows college students come back to reality and put the BC world aside for a few hours.”

Gribaudo describes the programs in Mentoring Through the Arts as coinciding with specific holidays. With Halloween and Thanksgiving fast approaching, students are busy at work creating paper turkeys or decorating pumpkins. Accordingly, Gribaudo emphasizes that the children seem to take a particular interest in the crafts above all else, but she hopes to eventually integrate photography and other technological fields into the programming.

When asked about their aspirations for the arts program in the future, both Smith and Gribaudo expressed a desire for expansion to more sites, increased student

involvement, and the display of the children’s artwork.

“I saw a great way to combine what I love in working in schools and with children and the ways art helps children find productive and positive areas of expression,” Smith said.

“I would love to see collaboration among this group and other service or art groups on campus and participation by the children in community events to raise awareness for the cuts to art programs in schools.”

Programs like Mentoring Through the Arts have been vital, in recent years, as a supplement or alternative for a formal arts programs, offering students an education their school might otherwise leave out.

“We focus so much on tests and being competitive that we don’t have time for them to have fun without a grade,” Gribaudo said.

“Arts lets them be themselves—no one is judging them on whether their work is good or bad.” n

John Wiley / Heights editor

Amy Gribaudo, LGSOE ’16, is serving as head of Mentoring Through the Arts this semester.

Sondheim’s ‘Forum’ brings humor and wit to Robsham Something familiar, something peculiar, the 1962 hit makes a welcome visit to BC

By Rhoda Morrison For The Heights

It has been 50 years since the debut Broadway performance of Stephen Sondheim’s farcical comedy A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum. All this week in the Robsham Theatre Arts Center, however, the Boston College theatre department is proving that the show’s wit, humor, and much beloved weirdness have not gone out of style.

Directed by BC professors Stuart J. Hecht and Luke Jorgensen, the show is set around three houses—one belonging to Erronius (Maisie Laud, A&S ’16), an elderly man whose children have been kidnapped by pirates. The second is the residence of the lecherous Senex (Chris Pinto, A&S ’16) and his formidable

wife, Domina (Julianne Quaas, A&S ’15), and the third is a brothel. With the departure of Senex and his wife, their mischievous slave, Pseudolus (Ryan Cooper, A&S ’16), holds down the fort and in order to win his freedom, promises their son, Hero (Jared Reinfeldt, A&S ’16), the heart of the beautiful Philia (Kathryn Raskin, LSOE ’15). As the title would suggest, the plot is then driven by many comical and somewhat nonsensical obstacles such as several cases of mistaken identity which cause the plot to descend into chaos.

Taking his starring role in his stride, Cooper is a wonderfully witty narrator whose comical quips roll off his tongue with ease.

Opening the show, he quickly becomes an ally of the audience and prevents us from getting

lost in the somewhat complex and at times confusing plot. Doubling as both the narrator and Pseudolus, Cooper switches seamlessly between his two roles and his impeccably timed puns provide a platform on which his fellow actors can excel.

Although near every aspect of the show’s casting deserves high praise, there are some stand-out performances in this production. Pinto, through his comical asides and gestures, gives a subtle yet impressive performance as Senex. His catchy rendition of “Everybody Ought to have a Maid” is a definite highlight and Pinto invests the entirety of his character into his singing and choreography. As well as this, his duet with Reinfeldt, “Impossible” is extremely well done and provides a hilarious insight into the awkward father and son relationship, which both actors portray brilliantly.

Andrew Troum, A&S ’16, shines in the

first act, capturing perfectly the slimy and avaricious character of the brothel-owner Marcus Lycus, in his exaggerated swirling across the stage and tossing of his cloak. Raskin’s singing voice is not her only asset, as her depiction of the sweet and stupid damsel of the show is simply charming. Her performance of the song “Lovely” is faultless.

Lastly, Laud’s portrayal of Erronius definitely must not be overlooked as she punctuates the performance at intervals and, though absent for the majority of the action, becomes the character that the audience is delighted to see.

This production of the 1962 musical—put together in just three weeks—is a resounding success and as promised in the show’s outstanding opening number, it provides the audience with something familiar, something peculiar, and another something for everyone. n

Emily Fahey / Heights editor

The Robsham production of Stephen Sondheim’s farcical musical, ‘A Funny Thing Happened On the Way to the Forum,’ is a slight update to the original, but keeps the spirit of the 1962 hit.

Be curious. Be nice. Be relentless.

On Tuesday evening, journalist Gareth Cook offered these words of advice to my magazine journalism class, after one student asked for the qualities that magazine and newspaper editors look for in potential writers. Cook, who won the Pulitzer Prize in 2005 for his reporting on stem cell research, has written for publications such as The New York Times Magazine, the Boston Globe Ideas section, and NewYorker. com. He also serves as the series editor of The Best American Infographics, which was the basis for his lecture in Devlin on Tuesday night. Needless to say, this man had a resume that I could only dream of achieving. Luckily, Cook was able to speak with my class before the lecture, to give a background of his experience and answer any questions we had.

Sitting among other aspiring journalists, I found myself taking copious notes—his tips for writing a magazine story, how to actually find a story, and why we should always ask the “stupid questions.”

Hold up. We are constantly told that there are no stupid questions, yet here was an acclaimed journalist admitting that there are stupid questions—and that we shouldn’t be afraid to ask them. In Cook’s opinion, these types of questions may have seemingly obvious answers—those to which you thought you already knew the response.

Asking the “stupid questions,” Cook argued, will always help you learn something.

For some reason, the first stupid question that came to my mind was: am I meant to be a journalist?

The question isn’t necessarily a stupid one—I’m a senior who’s trying to figure out what I want to do with my life, so questioning my career path isn’t exactly strange.

What was strange to me, however, was that I still don’t know the answer to this question, despite the fact that journalism has been such an important part of my life for the past few years. From joining The Heights my freshman year, to my two summer journalism internships, the answer to this question should be pretty clear: I’m meant to be a journalist, because that’s what I’ve been preparing myself to do. Yes, people change career paths all the time, and Cook himself had no intentions of being a journalist in college (he studied international relations and mathematical physics at Brown). Despite all of these stories, I cannot imagine myself doing a 180 and completely changing my future plans. I still have a lingering feeling, however, that maybe there’s something out there that I would be better at—and maybe I’m not, after all, meant to be a journalist.

So, I put myself up to Cook’s hiring test.

Am I curious? I would say so. I love being in classrooms, hearing people tell their stories, and searching random facts on the Internet. Am I nice? I’m known to be sassy on occasion (meriting the nickname “Lil’ Sassquatch” my freshman year), but I generally consider myself a nice person who’s easy to work with.

Am I relentless? It’s not a word that I would normally use to describe myself, but there are definitely some situations in which I would consider myself relentless. For example, when trying to get an interview for a story, or memorizing everything I possibly can for an exam. There are other times, however, that I could be more relentless.

After receiving plenty of rejections from summer internships and programs, it was hard to get myself to keep applying, and to have faith that something would work out.

Even in my daily life, I could probably be a bit more relentless—setting aside time to explore Boston has always been a struggle, and sometimes I give up after trying to set up coffee dates with friends week after week.

It’s easy for me to be relentless in the shortterm, but not so much in the long-term.

When thinking back on my years at Boston College, it’s no wonder I have difficulty with long-term goals. I’ve been constantly trained to meet deadlines, and live week by week—telling myself that “one day” I’ll do all the things on my BC bucket list. I might be relentless in my work ethic, but I could use some of that drive in other areas of my life.

Even though it may not be one of my natural qualities, that doesn’t mean it’s not worth developing.

I was born with curiosity and kindness, but maybe I have to teach myself how to be relentless—and that’s okay. You don’t have to be born with the skills for your dream job—Cook himself went from zero journalism experience to Pulitzer Prize-winning status. It’s about the learning process, which doesn’t have to end once we leave our classrooms at BC. And remember: always be curious. Be kind. Try to be relentless. And don’t forget to ask the stupid questions.

Michelle Tomassi is the Asst. Arts & Review Editor for The Heights. She can be reached at arts@bcheights.com.

THE HEIGHTS

B4

Thursday, October 23, 2014

Logic proves he thrives ‘Under Pressure’ with new rap record

BY RYAN VON OHLEN For The Heights

With success comes the pressure to prove your worth.

So far, Logic has dealt with the pressure fairly well, establishing himself as one of rap’s most exciting new faces. In this last year, he signed to Def Jam Recordings, released his breakout mixtape Welcome to Forever, and has supported the likes of Kid Cudi and Big Sean on tour. The release of Under Pressure, his major-label debut LP, demonstrates that he has no plans to slow his meteoric rise.

A major milestone in Logic’s young career, Under Pressure serves as a pause to look back at his story in its entirety—from his rough upbringing in Maryland and troubles with his family to difficulties innovating as an artist. While the content is rather dark, hearing a 24-year-old man chronicle his life’s journey so candidly is refreshing. His delivery might echo the likes of Kendrick Lamar and Eminem, but is infectious in its own right, and the story contained in his lyrics, just as enthralling.

Over the course of Under Pressure’s 56-minute runtime, Logic keeps away from over-baked hip-

hop tropes, instead tells a comingof-age tale, marked by honesty and vulnerability. The album’s eponymous track conveys this theme: his rapid, razor-sharp verses proclaiming his worth are interwoven with musings on a family he struggles to love, and the track includes actual voicemail recordings from his parents. Herein lies the true appeal of Under Pressure: the record does not hesitate to share intimate parts of Logic’s life. From snippets of conversations with friends regarding Donnie Darko to news audio about a gang shootout in his hometown, the record is a blunt—oftentimes jarringly detailed—autobiography.

Under Pressure at times feels like a roadmap to the influences in Logic’s career. Instrumentally, the record is a collage, speaking to the eclecticism of the young rapper’s tastes. Logic’s debut LP is a nod to artists of various genres—from The Red Hot Chili Peppers to A Tribe Called Quest and OutKast.

Beginning with the Drake-inspired “Intro,” the record quickly shifts gears with the gospel-inspired “Soul Food” and the jazzy “I’m Gone.” Each of the album’s songs reflects Logic’s attention

to instrumental detail, with no two songs sounding entirely alike in terms of musical styling. This contrast is buffered by the variety of subjects Logic covers in this reflective journey through his past. The album runs the gamut from anthemic jams about perseverance to topical tracks on his affair with “Nikki” (nicotine).

It is remarkable how much Logic discloses—and in such detail— without the record exceeding a full hour in run length.

Under Pressure is less of a

statement about Logic’s potential as a musician as it is an affirmation of his humanity. With the exception of bonus tracks on the deluxe release featuring Childish Gambino and Rick Ross, there are no featured artists on the album, placing our focus squarely on the story conveyed rather than the storytellers. Most of his songs are bookended by a robotic-voiced woman (think of A Tribe Called Quest’s Midnight Marauders) that offers a glimpse into the production of the album. These produc-

tion choices might individually seem insignificant, but they collectively speak to the unorthodoxy of Logic’s artistry. Although the album itself is a mark of his success, Logic is hell-bent on reminding his audience how tumultuous and testing his journey was to get where he is today. Sure, Young Sinatra has handled the pressure well, but Under Pressure stresses that success is always accompanied by pressure—and it’s in his response to pressure that the artist is born. 

UNDER PRESSURE LOGIC PRODUCED BY DEF JAM RECORDS RELEASED OCT. 21, 2014 OUR RATING

Back in 2008, Atlanta rapper T.I. was one of the biggest names in the entire rap industry—the future of the self-proclaimed “King of the South” was looking incredibly promising, especially following the release of his critically lauded Paper Trail. While his work is still staple to any definitive rap playlist, his reign as “king” has been interrupted on numerous occasions—primarily due to legal troubles. The king was forced away from the booth to spend some time behind bars.

T.I. aims to reclaim his throne

with his ninth studio LP Paperwork: a diverse, well-produced project that, while not incredible, provides good reason to still believe in T.I.’s career. The album as a whole is somewhat disorganized, but is pulled together by a handful of outstanding tracks.

The album b egins with a great deal of promise. “King” sets up the project with a 30second monologue, then diving into a beautifully crafted beat, produced by 1500 Or Nothin.

The Atlanta rapper reminds the listener of his roots and the adversity he had to overcome to become successful. He delivers a Migos-like flow over the bass

PHOTO COURTESY OF DEF JAM RECORDS

Logic chronicles his journey to becoming a successful breakout artist in the hip hop genre on ‘Under Pressure.’

and snare-heavy instrumental, spitting each line with a quickness and punch that we haven’t seen in T.I.’s previous works.

As a featured artist and executive producer, Pharrell Williams provides a fair deal of rock-solid production (as seen on “King”) that keeps the album going.

Unfortunately, with the exception of a few songs, the rest of the record does not come close to living up to “King.” Fifteen of the record’s 18 tracks include a featured performer, taking the album’s focus off of T.I., who should be the main attraction.

On the album’s title track, Pharrell opens with a playful

PAPERWORK T.I. PRODUCED BY COLUMBIA RECORDS RELEASED OCT. 21, 2014 OUR RATING

PHOTO COURTESY OF COLUMBIA RECORDS

Veteran rapper T.I. is outshined by collaborating artists, including Pharrell and Rick Ross, on his record ‘Paperwork.’

chorus sung over a light, spirited beat. While the chorus sounds great, in no way does it match the overall tone of the song, which focuses on T.I.’s struggles and losses.

“About My Issue” features West Coast artists Nipsey Hussle and Victoria Monet, who both outshine T.I.’s contributions to the song. T.I. offers a couple of mediocre verses, while Monet captivates with her soulful vocals on the chorus, and Hussle delivers his verse with great authority.

The final song on the album is a similar case of T.I. getting outperformed on his own project.

“You Can Tell How I Walk” has a beat that’s far more Rick Ross than T.I.—the Atlanta artist’s opening verse is almost instantly forgotten when Ross hops on the beat and asks the real question: “Who f—kin with fat boy?”

While it flounders at parts, the album does have its share of solid tracks. “About The Money,” the third song on the compilation, features a rising star from Atlanta, Young Thug. The track (released this past summer) stands out from the rest of the album, assuming an entirely different sound. Thug’s unique sound and f low—supplemente d by some bizarre ad-libbing—fuses beautifully with the vintage T.I. production quality of the song.

“New National Anthem,” the following track, features a spirited beat littered with melodic vocal samples, and a powerful, inspiring chorus from Skylar Grey. T.I addresses a number of social issues, but focuses mainly on the topic of police brutality and our nation’s justice system.

His message is empowering, as he ends the song with a monologue-like outro. He questions his audience, “If the kids are the future, tell me why you can get more for being a CEO than you can for being a teacher?” With “New National Anthem,” T.I. follows the lead of many other rappers who have recently focused on issues of social justice.

Other notable tracks include a DJ Mustard-produced tune “No Mediocre,” which features Iggy Azalea, and “Sugar Cane,” a song dedicated to T.I.’s drug dealing past.

T.I.’s last full album was released in 2012, and the anticipation for Paperwork was high.

Unfortunately, T.I. does not live up to the hype. He presents a set of interesting tracks with strong features, but doesn’t entirely transcend his previous status of greatness. T.I. shows flashes of his old self on this new record, but after six years without a wholly successful album, it might be time he relinquishes his title as “King of the South.” 

Pentanonix unwraps Christmas classics on a cappella album

BY EILEEN KAO For The Heights

It is not even remotely past Halloween yet, but get ready because Pentatonix have come out with That’s Christmas to Me, a new album filled with all the “Christmasy” joy that one could ask for.

If one is a fan of a cappella groups, then he or she likely knows of Pentatonix. One of the most well known a cappella groups in the country, it has taken the charts by storm ever since appearing and winning first place on The Sing-Off and then making its way to YouTube fame, receiving millions of views on their covers. In traditional a cappella style, the group uses its voices to make the sound effects and background tracks for their main singer. Vocally, the group consists of four men with very different ranges and one exceptionally versatile woman. As its name suggests, the members of a group make up a “pentatonic” scale.

Its new album is full of classic Christmas jingles like “Santa Claus is coming to Town,” “Silent Night,” “Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy,” and “Hark! The Herald Angels Sing.” Although, at face, this album does not sound interesting at all,

the full package might change your mind. Pentatonix’s Christmas selections start off almost universally with a more traditional, spiritual tone—but then Pentatonix throws in its own twists to the songs.

Beatboxing, elaborate harmonies, and even pop-ish tunes can be heard melded into these Christmas classics, and it works very well together.

“Hark! The Herald Angels Sing,” the album’s first track, starts off with a somber, slow tone—very much the song you remembered it to be—but then, as the song transitions to the second verse, the beat suddenly picks up. The track evolves into a Broadway musical scale production, with a more theatrical sound weaving its way into the song production. The cover continues to build on the original, adding in beatboxing and wide range of notes, developing the understated Christmas classic into one of the most upbeat songs on the album.

Pentatonix collaborates with Tori Kelly, a popular singer on YouTube, for “Winter Wonderland.” It’s another great track, with soulful tunes and lots of sonic space for Kelly to showcase her voice. Added trills spruce up the conservative

melody, giving the piece modern appeal while keeping with the wintery tone of the original.

Pentatonix brings pop culture appeal to classics, but still is capable of capturing the traditional feel of what it is covering. This especially comes across in songs like “Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy,” “Silent Night” and “Mary, Did you know?”

“Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy,” for example, maintains its classical roots, with the familiar instrumental twinkle of the song

emulated in the background vocals. A melody, ordinarily carried by string instruments, is easily reimagined for purely vocal performance. The power and talent of the group comes out in these challenging translations of very familiar soundscapes.

Included in the album extras is a cover of “Let It Go,” Frozen’s renowned anthem originally sung by Idina Menzel. Although the song has been revisited many times before, Pentatonix does a great job of capturing the intensity of

FOO FIGHTERS “Something From Nothing” The Foo Fighters are back with the first single off the band’s forthcoming album Sonic Highways—proving that rock can still thrive in the age of synthesized pop. As its name suggests, “Something From Nothing” epically builds from a reserved opening to a frantic conclusion of screaming vocals and distorted guitars.

the song while using background harmonies to paint a mental image of the snow and the feeling of the film.

As the snowflakes settle, it becomes clear just how definitive of a Christmas album Pentatonix produced. It’s a less-than-typical holiday record, filled with twisted, that manages to show off just how dynamic the group can be.

Although it might still be a bit soon to think about Dec. 25, That’s Christmas to Me might just get you in the mood. 

THAT’S CHRISTMAS TO ME PENTATONIX PRODUCED BY RCA RECORDS RELEASED OCT. 21, 2014 OUR RATING

PHOTO COURTESY OF RCA RECORDS

Pentatonix sings the holidays in early with classic and commercial Christmas song a cappella arrangements.

SINGLE REVIEWS BY JAMES FARRELL

TOP SINGLES

1 All About That Bass Meghan Trainor 2 Shake It Off Taylor Swift 3 Bang Bang Jessie J, Ariana Grande, Nicki Minaj 4 Black Widow Iggy Azalea feat.

Rita Ora 5 Habits (Stay High) Tove Lo 6 Don’t Tell ’Em Jeremih 6 Animals Maroon 5

TOP ALBUMS

T.I.’s ‘Paperwork’ gets lost in the shuffle of his long career

BY HARRY MITCHELL Heights Staff

CHART TOPPERS

1 Anything Goes Florida Georgia Line 2 Old Boots, New Dirt Jason Aldean 3 Ride Out Bob Seger 4 Rose Ave. You+Me 5 Partners Barbra Streisand Source: Billboard.com

MUSIC VIDEO OF THE WEEK

BY SEAN KEELEY

“BABY DON’T LIE” GWEN STEFANI

Gwen Stefani: remember her? The 45-year-old pop star no doubt hopes that you do, and in the opening moments of her new music video “Baby Don’t Lie,” Stefani’s look is certainly familiar. Shot in blackand-white, Stefani poses sexily for the camera with her traditional platinum blonde hair and sharp lipstick, sporting her half-classical, half-punk aesthetic.

From there on out, though, we are in uncharted territory.

In the first of many bizarre choices, Stefani is swallowed up by a tornado of her own lyrics and transplanted into some kind of psychedelic wonderland. The video largely consists of Stefani walking down a yellow road against a series of shifting abstract backgrounds. There are pulsating striped mountains , colorful Stefani clones that appear suddenly and then vanish, and what appear to be a series of female silhouettes playing volleyball.

Needless to say, it is unclear what any of this has to do with the song itself, a fairly inconsequential but catchy number about a suspicious lover, tinged with EDM soundscapes. At one point in the video, Stefani pulls out a smartphone and swipes to a new environment. That is a pretty succinct summary of the video as a whole: it lacks a sustained focus, and is constantly switching gears to stave off potential boredom.

On that note, I suppose it succeeds—you cannot accuse the “Baby Don’t Lie” video of being boring. You can, however, accuse it of being ugly and visually assaultive, which it is. At times the video looks like the peculiar love child of a drugged-out James Bond credits sequence and a malfunctioning MacBook screen—and that is no lie.

ANDREW BIRD “I’ll Trade You Money For Wine”

TAYLOR SWIFT “Welcome To New York” With the latest single off her upcoming album 1989, Swift confirms the unsurprising death of her “country” label. Filled with synthesizers, heavy auto-tune, and electric drumbeats, “Welcome To New York” is clearly influenced by the ’80s. Beyond its catchy hook, the song does not have much to offer, falling back on standard pop elements and cliched lyrics.

The violinist and music innovator Andrew Bird covers fellow indie artist Robbie Fulks’ “I’ll Trade You Money For Wine” in honor of Bloodshot Record’s 20th anniversary. The cover is repetitive, and not a far departure from the original with its folky melody, lyrics, and acoustic instrumentation. It features Bird’s impeccable violin playing, however, making it a decent track.

The Heights The Heights

Thursday, January 17, 2014 Thursday, October 23, 2014

B5 B5

T:11.5”

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CLASSIFIEDS Thursday, January 17, 2014

The Heights The Heights

B5 B6

Thursday, October 23, 2014

Community Help wanted $$ SPERM DONORS WANTED $$ Earn up to $1,200/month and give the gift of family through California Cryobank’s donor program. Convenient Cambridge location. Apply online: SPERMBANK.com.

THE HEIGHTS HAS A NEW AND IMPROVED

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JUST FOR YOU. CHECK IT OUT. BCHEIGHTS.COM. Directions: The Sudoku is played over a 9x9 grid. In each row there are 9 slots, some of which are empty and need to be filled.

Each row, column and 3x3 box should contain the numbers 1 to 9. You must follow these rules: · Number can appear only once in each row · Number can appear only once in each column · Number can appear only once in each 3x3 box · The number should appear only once on row, column or area.

Thursday, January 17, 2014 Thursday, October 23, 2014

The Heights The Heights

B5 B7

The Heights

B8

Bennet’s Banter

Dealing with the loss of Long Island Bennet Johnson It was just their luck. Not only was it raining, but the cold wind hit the faces of hundreds of people as they climbed onto the Boston police boats at about 4:30 p.m. on Oct. 8, with no indication of where they were going.

These people were told that they could drive off the island, but would not be allowed to return. In a matter of hours, the lives of everyone—including those who work on the island, as well as nearly 700 people who are homeless—were turned upside down.

The bridge linking Long Island to Moon Island and the mainland was irreversibly judged unsafe, according to The Boston Globe. The idea that suddenly on a late Wednesday afternoon in October, the bridge was too dangerous to use and everyone had to essentially run for their lives seemed ludicrous.

The dilapidated state of the Long Island bridge is one of the worst-kept secrets in Boston—something evident to anyone who has driven over the creaky structure, or the thousands of commuters on ferries who pass under it each morning. There had been rumors of the bridge closing that go back to February, but no serious evacuations plans had been executed.

More than 500 of the most vulnerable people in Boston—including the homeless, drug addicts, and ex-cons— were affected by the forced evacuation of Long Island. The bridge also served as a link from Boston to the island that hosts the city’s largest homeless shelter and program for recovering addicts.

What is the city going to do with the hundreds of homeless now displaced on the streets of Boston? As winter approaches, we know that the issue of the Long Island bridge and the homeless population is near the top of Mayor Martin J. Walsh, WCAS ‘09’s list. Walsh pledged he would restore the bridge, but that process could take as long as five years. For now, the homeless are being sheltered into a former fitness center in the South End, where the people sleep on pillow-less cots in a tightly-packed gym, while city officials seek a more permanent solution to the loss of about one-third of the city’s available beds.

When Walsh took office, he was made aware that the 63-year-old bridge was breaking down, but hoped it could be used for a few more years while the city planned a restoration, according to The Globe. But over the years, the city has been forced to tackle a serious question: Is the bridge worth saving?

Former mayor Thomas M. Menino long supported Long Island, as it was one of the few locations that could adequately shelter many of Boston’s homeless and some of the other programs that called the island home.

Other opponents argue that the city should look for less costly alternatives, with the estimated reconstruction of the bridge nearing $80 million.

Despite the plans for the future, the state of the bridge was in such a critical condition that Boston needed to do something. Bridges are typically built to last for more than 50 years, and the Long Island bridge has been renovated at least seven times since 1990. If the city did not act, then the bridge could have collapsed at any moment—similar to the infamous I-35W Mississippi River bridge collapse in Minnesota, which killed 13 people and injured 145 in 2007. With a potential Olympic bid in question, Boston would not want safety concerns to be a prominent issue.

If there is a silver lining to the closing of the Long Island bridge, it’s that the fundamental challenge of how the city takes care of its most vulnerable residents is now in the open. The number of homeless individuals in Massachusetts is at a record high, and the issue is now more prevalent than ever as the city’s largest shelter is closed and 700 homeless are now walking the streets in Boston. It is now up to Walsh and other Boston officials to find a more permanent home for them.

Bennet Johnson is the Asst. Metro Editor for The Heights. He can be reached at metro@bcheights.com

Thursday, October 23, 2014

Pavlok looks to save users from bad habits with a shock

By Gus Merrell Heights Staff

Imagine being so determined to boost your own productivity that you hire someone from Craigslist to slap you every time you tried to go on Facebook.

Maneesh Sethi, co-founder of Pavlok, did exactly that when he noticed a drop in his productivity due to distractions like Facebook. He hired a girl from Craigslist who slapped his face whenever he went on Facebook in an effort to condition himself to stay off the site while he worked. During this experiment, Sethi calculated he quadrupled his productivity.

“Most people will sit down at their computer, and without even thinking about it, go on Facebook, and then they’re just there,” said Chris Schelzi, Pavlok’s public relations director. “No one wants to go to Facebook, they just find themselves there.”

To alleviate problems with distraction, Sethi and a friend originally started out by reverse-engineering a dog’s shock collar, linking it to a Google Chrome extension that would cause it to shock him whenever he visited Facebook. This invention became Pavlok, a quarter-sized device worn on the wrist.

Pavlok can connect to either Apple or Android phones via Bluetooth, and has the ability to sync with various apps. Using features of the smartphone, such as its GPS or accelerometer, Pavlok knows whether the user’s goals have been completed or whether sites like Facebook are distracting them. If the user fails to complete their goals or they visit Facebook, Pavlok alerts the wearer in a number of ways—such as issuing a shock or beeping at you—depending on the user’s programming.

“It doesn’t automatically go to the shock, depending on how it’s programmed,” Schelzi said. “It can start with vibrating, then going into beeping, then you get the shock.”

Now, Sethi is looking to introduce adhesive patches that will streamline Pavlok and allow it to run discreetly in the background.

Sethi boasts an impressive resume—he is a Stanford University graduate, author of four bestselling computer programming books, creator of a non-governmental organization (NGO) in India that helps connect children with technology, and became a famous DJ in

Berlin in 90 days. Sethi also runs a blog called Hack the System where he collects and posts unconventional ways to “hack” day-to-day activities in an effort to help people earn more money, become more productive, and live better. What started out as a fun blog post documenting his discoveries quickly turned into a business idea that may help people to change their habits and behaviors for the better.

The psychological research used to develop Pavlok goes beyond Ivan Pavlov’s original conditional behavior experiments.

In addition to a 300-person trial that Sethi conducted using the followers of his blog, the developers looked into an aversion therapy study done by the Schick-Shadel Treatment Center, which helped smokers quit their addiction. Smokers in the program would shock themselves with a nine-volt battery every time they caught themselves smoking over a four-week period. The trial found that there was an initial success rate of 95 percent and a continual success rate of 50 percent one year later.

Though not the same as smoking, Pavlok’s founders made the connection between the addiction of smoking and lack of productivity due to Facebook.

“Once you do it a couple times, your brain starts to make the connection between the painful stimulant and the act of going on Facebook,” Schelzi said.

Pavlok was designed to help people with their motivation, accountability, and productivity, whether it is people looking to start a new fitness regime or students trying to get their papers in on time. Even if someone completely pre-commits to their task it becomes a completely different story once the task is underway. It’s what is commonly referred to in psychology as the “hot-cold empathy gap.” In the pre-commitment or cold stage, a person believes they will be able to put 100 percent of their cognitive ability toward their task. However, once they take action and enter the hot stage, it becomes much harder to accomplish.

“With Pavlok, you make the transition to actually committing during the cold state,” Schelzi said. “It allows you to much easier execute.”

Pavlok also has a social aspect that brings real accountability to its users

Photo Courtesy of Pavlok

Maneesh Sethi invented Pavlok, a new device that prevents users from engaging in bad habits. through negative and positive reinforcements. Users can either join entire communities that are focused on the same goals or can create a group with their friends.

For each task, all the users can pledge some amount of money to a communal pot. Those who fail to complete their task lose their money, and it is distributed evenly among those who do complete the task. In all its aspects and features, Sethi is focused on making sure Pavlok boosts

users’ motivation.

What Pavlok really boils down to is breaking the bad habits everyone has subconsciously and replacing them with good habits.

Using electricity. In the end though, it’s not even about the shock—it’s about understanding involuntary habits.

“It’s less about the shock than it is about bringing awareness to your behavior, because much of what we do are these things that we do automatically,” Schelzi said. n

Taza Chocolate hosts Choctoberfest, offers private tours From Taza, B10 Boston are eligible for discounted tour passes. If a student group books a tour between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. on Tuesday or Wednesday, the tour will be half of the regular price. Private tours are booked on a first-come, first-served basis, Mamaclay said. During the tour, he will make you hit your “chocolate threshold.”

Mamaclay is also responsible for coordinating events such as the Dia de los Muertos Block Party and the culinary wonderland of Choctoberfest.

As the factory tour and store manager, he is also responsible for pairing Taza’s directly sourced chocolate with wine, beer, or spirits. Choctoberfest will not be around for much longer. Held every Saturday in October from 1 to 4 p.m., only one remains, on Oct. 25.

This delectable festival, hosted at the Taza Chocolate Factory, provides an opportunity to taste Taza’s classic stoneground chocolate, as well as beer, cider, and artisan cheeses. Cider companies such as Bantam Cider in Somerville and cheese makers such as Utah’s Beehive Cheese come from around the country to celebrate the pairing of chocolate and other artisanal foods. Choctoberfest is open to the public 21-and-over and features a different type of chocolate to match each food featured at the festival.

As the Taza Chocolate Company continues to thrive and release novel Mexican chocolate-inspired products, the “foodie culture” in Somerville grows along with it.

Whitmore brought authentic stone mills, which are integral to the produc-

Photo Courtesy of Taza Chocolate

Taza Chocolate was founded by Alex Whitmore in 2007, and it now resides in Somerville, where the company makes stone-ground chocolate. tion of Taza chocolate, from Oaxaca all the way to his Somerville factory. These traditional, durable mills serve as a reminder for Whitmore and his employees to not stray from Taza’s stone-ground roots. Whitmore still travels around Central and South America, while also making trips around the Caribbean to maintain his policy of directly sourc-

ing the highest quality cacao beans for customers in the U.S. and around the world. No middleman is needed.

Taza Chocolate is constantly gaining steam with its products, and Mamaclay encourages customers to keep an eye out for new products—particularly, he hinted, during summer 2015—or expansion of the company. Taza already

offers origin bars—minimally processed chocolate that resembles pure cacao beans as closely as possible—mini chocolate bars, discs, and Mexican-inspired kitchenware.

Taza may or may not have some flavors making a return soon. All Mamaclay would say on the matter was this: “’Tis the season.” n

Osher Center brings cohesion to Harvard research community From Osher Center, B10 she studied for almost 20 years, finding that acupuncture needles interacted with human connective tissue in compelling ways.

“And then that’s when I started becoming interested in integrative medicine and bringing together alternative and conventional medicine, not just in research, but also in education and clinical practice,” said Langevin, who became the director on the program in integrative health at the University of Vermont from 2009 to 2012.

When she became the director of the Osher Center in 2012, Langevin was happy to find that a great amount of research into integrative medicine was already being done at Harvard—but it

was hard to tell how coordinated the research was or whether or not the various researchers even knew about each other.

“We decided to create a visualization, to essentially show the network to itself,” she said. This visualization, called the Osher Center Integrative Medicine Network Map, launched over the summer. It is a massive web of information—drawing lines between various doctors who have published research on different facets of integrative medicine, including yoga, tai chi, acupuncture, nutritional supplement, and meditation. Langevin said that she knows of no other network map that has been put to this specific use.

To create the network map, Peter Wayne, the research director at the Os-

her Center, created a massive list of the doctors who have published integrative medicine research, using information from PubMed and the Harvard Catalyst, a database of the research conducted at Harvard. Catalyst does provide a type of map to show with whom the researchers have co-published, but it does not illustrate this map for the specific categories that the Osher Center’s network map does.

The Osher Center hired Exactiv, a company that creates network visualization software, to complete the map—the work took several months.

Following its creation, the Osher Center invited all of the people documented on the map to the Integrative Medicine Research Forum on Nov. 3.

Already, Langevin said, nearly half of

the 600-plus individuals featured on the map have indicated that they will attend the forum, which will feature Albert-Laszlo Barabasi, a professor at Northeastern, as the keynote speaker.

“We think it’s going to be very interesting meeting these people, because it’s going to be essentially the in-person version of the network map,” Langevin said.

Bringing together individuals invested in related research, lies at the very heart of the mission at the Osher Center, which Langevin and others at the organization call “a center without walls.”

“Our job is to help connect people throughout Harvard Medical School— the people that we see on our map—to have them work together and to have joint efforts in education and research and in clinical practice,” she said. n

THE HEIGHTS

Thursday, October 23, 2014

B9

Six events not to miss at the Boston Book Festival From Boston Book Festival, B10 Technology: Promise and Peril The advances made by technology in the past decade are moving at an exponential rate. Technology has undoubtedly enhanced daily life, but is society’s dependence on computers dangerous for mankind? This question will be debated by optimists Andrew McAfee, co-author of The Second Machine Age: Work, Progress, and Prosperity in a Time of Brilliant Technologies, and David Rose, author of Enchanted Objects: Design, Human Desire, and the Internet of Things, versus the skeptic Nicholas Carr, author of The Glass Cage: Automation and Us, at 11 a.m. in the Old South Sanctuary, 645 Boylston St. Africa: Looking on the Bright Side Dayo Olopade, author of The Bright Continent: Breaking Rules and Making Change in Modern Africa, exposes the unseen perspective of struggling African countries. Instead of the current perception of impoverished families and barren landscapes, Olopade enlightens the public to the creativity and inventiveness the African people develops to combat the difficulties of the continent.

Two MIT professors, David Sengeh and Calestous Juma, will join her at 12 p.m. in the Old South Mary Norton, 645 Boylston St. Mayors Rule According to Benjamin Barber, author of If Mayors Ruled the World: Dysfunctional Nations, Rising Cities, local authorities are currently gaining more influence than the national government. Reacting to Barber’s theory will be Mayor Martin J. Walsh, WCAS ’09, former mayor Thomas Menino, Mayor Dan Rivera of Lawrence, and Mayor Lisa

you wanted—a chance to ride on a real live train! Your poor parents had to lug your sister’s stroller onto the train just to make it happen, but they did it anyway.

You sat next to your mother while your father struggled to collapse the stroller.

You wanted the train to start moving;

EMILY FAHEY / HEIGHTS EDITOR

The Boston Book Festival will predominately be hosted in Copley Square within sight of the Boston Public LIbrary, home to many of the city’s books.

Wong of Fitchburg. This lively dialogue on the progressively important role of local officials will be at 12:30 p.m. in the Old South Sanctuary.

10 minute presentation on the topic of his or her work and the show with be emceed by Jared Bowen, host of Open Studio on WGBH.

True Story A variety show featuring five nonfiction authors discussing an eclectic assortment of topics, ranging from a crime story to the social hierarchy of a dog park, will be held at 4 p.m. in Emmanuel Parish Hall, 15 Newbury St. The roster includes Jessica Lander, author of Driving Backwards, Michael Blanding, author of The Map Thief, Robert C. Pozen, author of Extreme Productivity, Lawrence Lindner, author of Saving Baby, and Matthew Gilbert, author of Off the Leash. Each author will give a

Fiction: Love and Loss Authors Leah Hager, author of No Book but the World, Jaime Clarke, author of Vernon Downs, and Celeste Ng, author of Everything I Never Told You, address the common literary motifs of both familial and romantic love and loss. These writers will discuss the dramatic repercussions of the entanglement of these themes at 4:45 p.m. in the Old South Mary Norton building.

Poems and Pints Looking for a way to end a packed day

filled with literature and lectures? Mass Poetry sponsors the perfect ending to a perfect day—poetry, food, and drink.

The lineup for the event includes Major Jackson, poetry editor of the Harvard Review, Jill McDonough, author of Where You Live, and Kirun Kapur, reading his debut collection, Visiting Indira Gandhi’s Palmist. After speculating of possibility of computers’ world domination, reflecting on the ingenuity of African people, learning about a mayor’s potential overthrow of the national government, listening to authors make reading nonfiction fun, and feel the heartbreak of romance and death between characters of fiction, head over to Storyville Lounge, 90 Exeter St., at 5:30 p.m. to unwind and consider what book you will read next. 

you were practically vibrating on your seat. You knew that the ride was just for fun—there was no real destination—but still. You wanted your father to hurry and stow the stroller so that the four of you could start moving. You felt like that was within his control. Why wasn’t the train moving already?

Granting your wish, the train lurched

forward—and your father, still wrestling with the stroller, got his finger caught on some random piece of metal. Crimson ran down his index finger—the color is what keeps this memory so fresh for you.

You remember what he did next. He looked at his finger, wrapped it with a cloth—a towel or something. Then he sat down, calm as anything. No problem.

He must have wanted to get off that train, get back home and clean up, but he sat there patiently. And as you recall, when someone asked him later how the ride was, he said it was fun.

Ryan Towey is the Metro Editor for The Heights. He can be reached at metro@ bcheights.com

BOSTON FOODIE Beehive brings together cuisine, art in South End BC alum Jennifer Epstein discusses balance of food, art

BY CAROLINE KIRKWOOD For The Heights

The Beehive, co-owned by Boston College law grad Jennifer Epstein, has a lot to offer—including eclectic food options, handcrafted cocktails, and rotating art exhibitions—all while listening to Grammy-award winning music and enjoying the work of local artists.

Epstein had always had a passion and interest for arts and entertainment, but never imagined it would lead her down the path of restaurant owner. “I really enjoyed my time at BC Law and actually finished some of my legal education with Volunteer Lawyers for the Arts,” she said. “I ultimately started my law career as an entertainment lawyer in NYC. Arts and entertainment were always an interest and focus of mine, but I did not connected it the restaurant business.”

It was upon returning to Boston and moving in to the South End that the idea of The Beehive began to

PHOTO COURTESY OF THE BEEHIVE

take form with the help of the Boston Center of the Arts (BCA), a not-forprofit where Epstein served as a board member. “The BCA was looking to find a place where arts and community could intersect,” Epstein said. After locating a restaurateur to manage the food operation, The Beehive was born.

Although it was certainly a life shift for Epstein, the ability to incorporate her passion for art with a successful business made the change worthwhile. “It was a blend of my interests, a blend of partners with different expertise and it has turned out to be a very successful and fun a d v e n t u r e ,” s h e said.

When one comes

LOCATION: 541 Tremont St. CUISINE: American

Neil Patrick Harris and Brookline

SARAH MOORE

Practicing patience: waiting for the Green Line near BU From Column, B10

T FOR TWO

to The Beehive, it is important to remember that he or she is getting more than just a delicious plate of food, but also a multi-faceted entertainment experience. “Coming to The Beehive is more than just dinner or brunch,” Epstein said. “We like to refer to it as the ‘Beehive Experience’ because there are these three independent cultural parts of our business—culinary, music and art.”

In terms of the culinary cuisine at The Beehive, there is such a diversity of menu choices that everyone from the most adventurous eater to the traditional burger and fries guy will be happy. “Our food can be eclectic,” Epstein said. “We are the type of the place that may have an Eastern European dish on our menu next to a Middle Eastern dish, followed by regional Italian and then classic American fare.” One of these more diverse menu choices includes the Lamb and

Chicken Moroccan couscous, served in a mouthwatering pot overflowing with stewed vegetables, couscous, and sausage.

For those operating on a strict budget, The Beehive offers customers a full evening experience of music and food.

“It certainly is a bigger bang for your buck when you are a college student in that you are getting food as well as a live music show as we do not charge a cover,” Epstein said.

While some of the dishes may be out of the college budget, the “Fall off the bone” baby back ribs for $14 or the Beehive Prime Burger for $17 may not seem like such outrageous splurges when one can then spend the whole night enjoying world class live music and taking in the art. Epstein also suggested that The Beehive could serve as the perfect place to bring one’s parents when they are in town so that they can get a taste of all that Boston’s culture has to offer. 

The line stretched down two blocks and around a corner.

I could see the single-file mass that had accumulated outside of Brookline Booksmith from the smudged window of my green line escort to Coolidge Corner. Walking closer, I began to be able to make out the general forms of the patient Bostonians, with their hard covers in hand, waiting to enter the eclectic book store. From Bean Boots to duck ties, every type of Boston-area resident seemed to have made their way to Brookline to welcome a “legendary” guest.

Overwhelmed by the linear expanse, I stepped into the bookstore just in time to have How I Met Your Mother star—and apparently new author—Neil Patrick Harris shuffle past me as I fumbled through piles of literary t-shirts.

Not your average trip to the local bookstore, to say the least.

I can’t say that every venture to Trader Joe’s has resulted in an accidental and semi-awkward (but completely wonderful) Instagram selfie with a minor celebrity, as my Friday evening adventure did, so I have to thank Brookline for that.

Nestled in Greater Boston, according to a quick Google search, Brookline sits in the purgatorial outskirts of the city.

The neighborhood is a metropolitan misunderstanding, not really a suburb but not entirely assumed into the city either. Brookline houses grad students and the middle of the green line, instead of picket fences or the Citgo Sign.

But Brookline’s blurred, in-between quality makes it one of the best spots in the city.

A few stops away from the congested Copley, Brookline still maintains a sense of beloved Boston culture through little instances of delight like Red Sox paraphernalia-covered students at the bus stop, dog walkers on Washington St., and, of course, book signings at Brookline Booksmith. Instead of hurried strides in the shadows of city skyscrapers, visitors are able to find comfort in communal jaywalking and the neighborhood-wide satisfaction in being the setting of President John F. Kennedy’s childhood.

It has the Tudor-style feel of Newbury St. with a much more approachable air, exchanging Cartier and Kate Spade for CVS and the Paris Creperie.

Although often overlooked during the typical work commute in Boston, Brookline offers a more communal sense of the urban experience.

Be it a result of city sprawl or steep Back Bay apartment prices, un-belonging Brookline is evidence enough that sometimes the outer bounds of a city have just as much, if not more, of a sense of culture and community than the city itself. Brookline is the place to which Boston’s commuters come home, as they have a job in the city but choose to live outside of its limits. It is busy but intimate, quaint but urban.

Take what you will out of my appreciation for Brookline; an appeal to the city’s masses, a deserved recognition to all of the neighborhoods that go unnoticed, a cliche suggestion to stop and smell the roses, whatever, but most importantly take from it both an invitation to exit at an unfamiliar t-stop and a demand to feast on a Reuben and bagel chips from Brookline’s beloved Zaftigs.

It is easy to get caught up in aquarium visits, swan boats, and duck tours when you live so close to a city that is so proudly itself (is it possible to walk through the Common without seeing upwards of 10 Red Sox hats?) and sometimes the best quirks and communities get lost between Fenway and Newbury St. On Friday evening I left Brookline not only with a bag of Trader Joe’s latest pumpkin products, a substantially “liked” instagram—and the false and fleeting glee of the Internet popularity that comes with it—but also with an accidental adventure thanks to the wonders of semi-suburbia. So thank you Brookline, for Neil Patrick Harris and for your ability to surprise me just a few stops beyond my dorm. You are truly “legendary.”

Sarah Moore is an editor for The Heights. She can be reached at metro@bcheights.com.

Metro

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Thursday, October 23, 2014

At factory, chocolate comes first

Boston

By Collin Couch For The Heights A single bite of chocolate is all it took for the Taza Chocolate company to get its start in Somerville, Mass. But this chocolate was no ordinary cacao—it was stone-ground in Oaxaca, Mexico, and the mouth that tasted it was not ordinary, either. It belonged to Somerville native Alex Whitmore, who was immediately inspired by this chocolate and loved it so much that he had to take it back with him.

Whitmore, the founder of Taza Chocolate, subsequently moved his company into a single room on 561 Windsor St. in 2007. “The space changed itself along with the neighborhood,” said Josh Mamaclay, the factory store and tour manager. As Taza began internationally distributing its products, the tiny space at 561 Windsor began to encompass the first floor and half of the mezzanine floor.

With this expansion came more recognition from the communities of Somerville, Cambridge, and Boston.

Tours that showcased Taza Chocolate’s unique “bean to bar” process began to take place to accommodate the newfound interest. Somerville also had a prospering culture of people who knew what they were talking about when it came to genuinely good, sustainably sourced food. “We wanted to foster this movement by participating in local farmers’ markets and hosting events that highlight other local vendors with a similar mission,” Mamaclay said.

The Taza Chocolate Factory Store, in which the company tours are held, offers products ranging from stone-ground chocolate bars, produced from only exceptional cacao beans, to stylish whisks that help create traditional Mexican chocolate drinks. College students in

Book Festival Returns Maggie Sullivan | HeighTs Staff Copley Square will be buzzing with scholarly excitement as the Boston Book Festival gears up for this Saturday.

With dozens of free events and over 150 presenters, the festival celebrates the power of reading and writing in all fields—literature, science, politics, art, and others—and facilitates discussions among authors to spread ideas and enhance the culture of the city. The first two events, Memoir Keynote and Fiction Keynote, will be held on Thursday and Friday night at 8 p.m. in Old South Sanctuary. The rest of the events will take place between 10 a.m. and 7 p.m. on Saturday in a variety of places. The full schedule can be found at www.bostonbookfest.org, but a list of some of the best events to visit can be found inside.

Breck Wills / Heights Graphic

See Boston Book Festival, B9, for a list of the events that no one should miss this weekend

See Taza, B8

Osher Center brings conventional and alternative medicine together

By Ryan Towey Metro Editor In the past decade, a yoga mat rolled under a person’s arm has become the surefire mark of a person heading to the gym. Those who practice yoga, which at BC seems to match running on a treadmill and lifting weights in popularity, are not just involved in the latest fad.

For Helene Langevin, the director of the Osher Center for Integrative Medicine, a collaboration between Harvard Medical School and Brigham and Women’s Hospital, yoga is part of a field called integrative medicine, which brings together conventional medicine and alternative practices—such as yoga, tai chi, and acupuncture.

“People are ver y curious about understanding whether therapies like

acupuncture and yoga work, and how they work,” Langevin said.

“Yoga has become hugely popular,” she said, adding that it helps people to relax and is good for the body. “We’re also interested in it because people can injure themselves from doing too much yoga—especially people who are already very flexible and who overdo it. If it’s not done carefully you can injure your ligaments and your joints, your connective tissue, actually.”

At the Osher Center, Langevin and her fellow researchers strive to find answers to these kinds of questions.

“The Osher Center is really a very special place,” Langevin said. “There’s a very open attitude at Harvard to integrative medicine, I have found.”

Langevin, who originally practiced only conventional medicine, said that she has not always enjoyed the open

attitude to the field. When she first b e came involve d with integrative medicine, some of her colleagues were skeptical, but many have since accepted that this field provides solutions to real medical issues.

Before become involved with integrative medicine, Langevin was dissatisfied by her inability to help patients with chronic pain problems. She could prescribe them medications, but they were not terribly effective. Looking for a solution, she tried something new.

“I decided to study acupuncture part time and found that it was actually quite helpful for my patients, but I didn’t understand why that was,” she said. She became involved with research on the mechanisms of acupuncture, which she studied for almost 20 years, finding that

See Osher Center, B8

Emily Sadeghian / Heights Editor

Dr. Helene Langevin is the director of the Osher Center for Integrative Medicine in Boston.

Patience, circus elephants, Ebola, and waiting for the Green Line

Ryan Towey You just want to get back to campus.

You know, of course, why it might be taking the B Line such a long time to get here on a late afternoon—some people got out of work a little early, probably.

Makes sense. That’s why the T is taking so long to reach BU and bring you back home. You’re the idiot who decided to travel back this close to rush hour. You hate that rush hour is never really an hour—it’s at least two. False advertising.

At least you’re waiting outside, instead of underground at Copley or something. It’s a nice October afternoon.

It’s not bad to wait. There’s even a nice view of the buildings downtown from St. Paul Street. The wait’s fine, you decide.

You’re just impatient. That’s what Uncle Jim always said, anyway.

“Better not become a doctor, kid! You know why?”

“Why?” “You’ve got no patience.”

You get it. Like patients. Right.

As if you even needed to be patient.

Right now, in your hands, you have an iPod with thousands of songs to choose from, and an iPhone, which includes endless babble on Twitter, links to BuzzFeed articles on Facebook, an app to read anything on The New York Times, Instagram photos of cityscapes from your faux-artsy

i nside Metro this issue

friends and heavily edited selfies from your stupid ones—but wait, there’s more!

Your phone also provides you with nonstop internet access, with which you can search and read and look at and watch whatever you damn well please. You could be listening to Beethoven’s work, reading an essay by George Saunders, watching videos of circus elephants jumping rope with sausage links—you could be doing anything, anything to spare you from having to feel impatient for even a moment. Yet here you are, deeply, inexorably bored.

You crane your neck to look down the tracks, as if you’re waiting on a platform for a distant relative in an old Western or something, and you wonder if the other people waiting see you do it. You look around for eye contact with one of them. You want to give those eyes that

Bound To Shock You

say, “This again. Always the wait. At least we’re in this together. We’re, you know, city people. It’s amazing how in-tune we are to this scenario. Good work. You’re awesome. No, you’re right. I’m awesome.”

But no one looks at you.

It can’t just be rush two-hours that’s making the T take so long, you decide.

There must have been eight separate elderly couples at various stops post-Park Street who needed help climbing on board. That’s one option. Or there was a class on a field trip trying to get out of Boston, and the T just had to sit there while 25 screaming kids tried to figure out how to pay for public transit for the first time while their teacher waddled at the back of the line and apologized profusely to the train’s driver. (Driver?

Operator? No idea.)

Or maybe there was an Ebola

Pavlok is a new technology that seeks to help change habits that are not productive—sometimes with a small electric shock .........................B9

outbreak! All of public transit has been shut down and you’re just here being impatient when you should be running to purchase the nearest surgical mask!

(You think you’re really funny for coming up with this very absurd scenario in your head. You’re not.)

You look down the tracks again.

Nothing. You feel like you did when you were a kid, waiting for a train to pass by on the tracks near the shore house.

When you heard one passing through, you would always demand that your father pick you up and sprint with you to watch, like it was a military operation.

Always a big rush. You would count the cars together as they passed.

You remember the one time that your mother and father gave you what

See Column, B9

Boston Foodie: The Beehive ..........................................................................B9 Column: Bennet’s Banter......................................................................................B8