The Heights October 6, 2016

CENTER STAGE

SWING ON OVER

TED, TALKS

SPORTS

METRO

SCENE

Colin White’s goofiness, speed, and knack for the dramatic make BC a threat, C6-7

Cambridge forum highlights the best in New England innovation, A4

BC’s Full Swing brings soul and passion to o any beat, B3

www.bcheights.com

HE

established

1919

The Independent Student Newspaper of Boston College Thursday, October 6, 2016

Vol. XCVII, No. 37

ABBY PAULSON / HEIGHTS EDITOR | KELSEY MCGEE / HEIGHTS EDITOR

8 ;\j`i\ ]fi 8ZZ\jj`Y`c`kp :J; _fjkj kfne _Xcc kf [`jZljj k_\ e\\[j f] [`jXYc\[ jkl[\ekj 9P JFG?@< I<8I;FE E\nj <[`kfi The Council for Students with Disabilities (CSD) hosted a town hall Monday night to discuss its initiatives and to learn more about the needs of disabled students at Boston College.

Mary Royer, chair of CSD and LSOE ’17, began the evening by outlining CSD’s current initiatives. Members of CSD are exploring ways to improve Eagle Escort, which currently only has two vans with usually just one in operation. Royer said that the vans can be slow to respond to a call and sometimes never respond.

Eagle Escort serves three important purposes, Royer said: routinely bringing students back and forth from St. Elizabeth’s to University Health Services, picking up students who feel unsafe, and transporting students with injuries or disabilities around BC’s campus.

“The resource—one van—does not meet the need,” Royer said.

CSD, which was founded in January 2015, is also working to make class syllabi more accessible to students by requiring faculty to post their syllabi prior to class registration. The Higher Education Opportunity Act mandates that professors upload a course schedule and required materials prior to class registration, but not all professors abide by this act.

“We think that this would be immensely helpful for all students, but especially for students with disabilities, who a lot of times have to preorder textbooks well in advance to make them accessible,” she said.

Most recently, CSD created an accommodations form for all Undergraduate Government of Boston College (UGBC) events. The form, which can be found on EagleLink beginning this week, allows students with disabilities to request certain accommodations at UGBC-sponsored events. Many of these

accommodations are already available to students, Royer said, but the form makes students aware of these accommodations and allows them to make these requests prior to the event.

While the accommodation form is currently just for UGBC events, Royer hopes to eventually make the form available to students for every on-campus event.

Royer spent time discussing resources that are already available to students with disabilities. Such resources include mobility orientation sessions, course underloading, eTexts, and ASL interpreters.

Often, Royer said, students are unaware of such services.

“We are there for support,” she said. “We are knowledgeable about the resources that can be provided, the accommodations that should be provided, and we can provide students that information.”

Following traditional town-hall style, the students then split into small roundtable discussions, with members of CSD leading the conversations.

Students began by reviewing the new accommodations form and providing feedback on it. Attendees questioned how UGBC planned on enforcing the accommodations forms—students worried that even if they submitted the form, their requests would not be fulfilled.

The conversation then turned to issues that disabled students continue to face at BC. One hearing-impaired student requested that faculty be required to show closed captioning if they are showing a movie in class.

Other students spoke in support of more accessible syllabi, saying that they often find it difficult to order special e-texts in time for class when professors post their syllabi just before classes start.

Another issue students spoke about during the discussions was the process of filing a grievance. A grievance is filed when a student needs support from Disability Services (DS) to attain proper classroom accommodations. One student explained that filing a grievance with regards to a certain class takes

JULIA HOPKINS / HEIGHTS EDITOR

Jkl[\ekj# 8[d`e Cffb kf k_\ =lkli\ D\dY\ij f] 9: X[d`e`jkiXk`fe _fjk\[ X [`ee\i \m\ek cXjk e`^_k kf [`jZljj k_\ Le`m\ij`kpËj ('$p\Xi jkiXk\^`Z gcXe% 9P :?I@J ILJJF 8jjk% E\nj <[`kfi

8E; :C8@I< D<PC8E =fi K_\ ?\`^_kj On Wednesday evening, students and faculty discussed tensions surrounding race and sexuality and the rising cost of a Boston College education, among other topics, at an event for students to give feedback to University officials before the next 10-year strategic plan is enacted.

Students spoke with members of the administration on the future of the University at BC Moving Forward, a dinner cohosted by the Undergraduate Government of BC (UGBC) and the Office of Student Affairs.

Russell Simons, UGBC president and MCAS ’17, and Meredith McCaffrey, UGBC executive vice president and MCAS ’17, began the event by introducing the co-chairs of the Strategic Planning Committee (SPC), Provost and Dean of Faculties David Quigley and Executive Vice President Michael Lochhead.

The purpose of the event was to have an important and meaningful discussion about the future of the University and create meaningful change, according to Simons.

The University Strategic Planning Initiative (USPI), carried out by the 17member steering committee, began its strategic planning in December 2015.

The first draft of the planning process will be presented to the Board of Trustees in March 2017.

USPI is the first step in a 10-year cycle in which the University performs a selfassessment to identify its strengths and weaknesses. Following these self-assessment periods, the University will enter a fundraising campaign in order to make necessary improvements.

The committee completed an assessment of key University areas between February and May of 2016. The assessment included BC’s eight schools, various administrative departments, and undergraduate and graduate student focus groups. Twenty-four teams from around

BC critically examined how these areas related to the mission of the University and what challenges and opportunities for improvement would be possible in the coming years.

Lochhead started the conversation with a series of questions.

“What are the right conversations to be having?” he said. “What are the right questions to be asking?”

Quigley emphasized the importance of building the USPI around advancing BC’s mission. He presented a series of emerging themes to refine this vision—the commitment to the transformative power of the liberal arts, formation of students, and commitment to research and scholarship that serves the common good. Other themes include becoming a truly global university, the importance of graduate and professional education, and nurturing BC’s welcoming culture amid tensions of race, gender identity, socio-economic pressures, and the polarized political environment. Quigley and Lochhead mostly focused on BC’s commitment to

9: kf @ejkXcc <c\Zki`Z M\_`Zc\ :_Xi^`e^ JkXk`fe `e :fdd% 8m\% >XiX^\

K_i\\ ]XZlckp d\dY\ij Xjb\[ 9: kf `ejkXcc k_\ \Zf$]i`\e[cp jkXk`fe 9P ALC@8 J8E;HL@JK =fi K_\ ?\`^_kj In response to faculty and staff choosing to drive hybrid and electric vehicles to campus, the Boston College Parking and Transportation and Facility Services departments have jointly decided to install an electric vehicle (EV) charging station on BC’s Main Campus.

The EV charging station, which was installed on Sept. 29 on the second floor of the Commonwealth Ave. parking garage,

was constructed to satisfy the requests of three BC faculty and staff who needed to charge their battery-powered cars during the school day.

The Massachusetts Electric Vehicle Incentive Program (MassEVIP) is a program that supports greenhouse gas reduction and clean energy goals in the Massachusetts Clean Energy and Climate Plan for 2020. The program provides incentives to universities like BC to acquire level one or level two electric vehicle charging stations. Charging equipment for plug-in electric vehicles is classified as either level one or two by the rate at which the batteries are charged. Charging times can vary depending on how depleted the battery is, how much energy it holds, and the type of battery. The new level two charging sta-

tion at BC will add about 10 to 20 miles of range to a vehicle per hour of charging time, and it can fully charge some vehicles in less than four hours.

The grants the MassEVIP program gives out help universities offset the costs of these EV charging stations. In order to be considered for the grant, BC was required to provide funds to match 50 percent of the hardware costs and all of the installation costs, employ 15 or more people on their campus, and demonstrate adequate power supply. Once BC applied for and was approved for one of these grants last April, the level two charging station was installed at a 50-percent reduced price.

The BC Parking and Transportation and Facility Services departments met

frequently over the course of six months to look at different EV charging station companies. Bob Pion, BC’s sustainability director, said they chose the company ChargePoint because it had the most locations available for charging.

In order to be able to use the charging stations, BC faculty and staff must have an online ChargePoint account, which many already do because ChargePoint is one of the more popular brands of EV charging stations.

The ChargePoint online account allows members to charge their electric vehicles at any of the company’s 30,200 ports, including the one installed on campus; check the availability of their charging spots; receive status notifications during their charging sessions; and track their

fuel and greenhouse gas savings.

Although only one charging unit has been installed on Main Campus for now, the Parking and Transportation and Facilities departments hope to install two more units, on the Newton and Brighton campuses, in the near future.

Pion believes that the new charging stations are a positive addition to BC, as they help the environment by encouraging people to find different means of transportation that will reduce pollution.

“The installation of the EV charging stations reinforces both Massachusetts’ commitment to having a greater number of electric vehicles on the road and Boston College’s commitment to encourage faculty, staff, and students to carpool or use alternative fuel vehicles,” Pion said.

A2

THE HEIGHTS

3

Top

things to do on campus this week

Frances Schweip, principal at Comcast Ventures, and Sebastian Soler, the software engineer at Venture Capital, will hold a pitch workshop on Oct. 6 at 7 p.m. in Stokes S295. Students will learn tips and tools for avoiding mistakes when pitching ideas.

1

Thursday, October 6, 2016

A panel of alumni will speak to students about their careers in real estate on Oct. 6 at 7:30 p.m. in Devlin 101. The panel will be followed by a networking reception, at which students will learn how to engage in the real estate industry.

Venture for America fellows Lizzie Manning and John Warner will hold a lunch in Cushing 208 at 12 p.m. on Oct. 7. Students will learn about Venture for America, a nonprofit fellowship program that works to empower recent college graduates to launch their careers as entrepreneurs.

2

3

NEWS Fg\ecp KiXej^\e[\i Gi`\jk fe @[\ek`kp# =X`k_ BRIEFS

8 >l`[\ kf Pfli E\njgXg\i K_\ ?\`^_kj 9fjkfe :fcc\^\ Æ DZ<cifp ((* (+' :fddfen\Xck_ 8m\% :_\jkelk ?`cc# DXjj% ')+-.

By Zoe Chester-Thompson For the Heights

9\e\]XZkfij 8kk\e[ >XcX

To wrap up the Light the World campaign, which raised $1.605 billion, over 350 Boston College donors attended the Light the World Gala Finale on Sept. 29.

The gala was held in a tent behind the newly renovated McMullen Museum on Brighton Campus. University President Rev. William P. Leahy, S.J., praised benefactors for their donations, noting the recordbreaking donations amid a great economic recession.

“We proceeded with confidence and hope, knowing that we would face challenges but also convinced that the campaign was critical for the development of Boston College and confident that our alumni, parents, and friends would respond generously,” Leahy said at the event.

Leahy also explained why the University chose the name Light the World—to remind people about BC’s mission and its role as a powerful beacon.

Campaign co-chairs William J. Geary, BC ’80, Kathleen McGillycuddy, BC ’71, and Charles Clough, BC ’64, also spoke on behalf of the University and thanked donors.

Students from the St. Columbkille Partnership School in Brighton and BC performed at the event. Michelle Miller, BC ’98, also performed.

The Light the World campaign is one of the most successful capital campaigns among universities in this decade, raising a record amount of funds. It is also among the largest campaigns of any Catholic university.

“Tonight is a time for celebration, gratitude, and rededication, for moving forward with great hope and confidence,” Leahy said. “And to remember that as alumni, parents, and friends of Boston College, we are called to light the world now and forever.”

Gif]% KXcbj Kildg KXo\j Boston College Law School professor James Repetti analyzed Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump’s leaked 1995 tax records on Tuesday for the BC Office of Marketing and Communications.

Repetti is nationally recognized as an expert in individual income tax, corporate tax, estate and gift tax, partnership tax, and international tax. He has been a consultant to the Internal Revenue Service, Justice Department, and the U.S. Senate.

Repetti discussed the nearly $1 billion loss that appears in Trump’s 1995 tax records and how that loss resulted in Trump paying less taxes.

Repetti believes that this loss can be attributed to a disposal of one of Trump’s real estate holdings. He said that Trump’s real estate depreciated in value by the time Trump disposed of it, so Trump claimed a business loss on his tax return.

Trump’s campaign team said that Trump is smart for being able to manipulate the tax code.

“I don’t see how he could be a genius if you lose a billion dollars in real money,” Repetti said. “You just have to wonder how great a businessman is given that he lost a billion dollars in real money.”

Rev. Cameron Partridge, one of seven openly transgender priests in the Episcopal clergy, spoke Tuesday night in Fulton about the relation between gender identity and faith in regards to the transgender community.

In his talk, Partridge emphasized using “giveness and goodness” in relation to approaching the themes of “ambiguity and change” that so often face transgender people in their journey to finding their true identity.

Growing up, Partridge belonged to a conservative church in the Bay Area. It was not until he was a teenager that Partridge felt his call to ministry.

Throughout his college search, Partridge looked for a university that would support him in his pursuit of chaplaincy.

Bryn Mawr College, an allwomen’s college in Pennsylvania, answered his calling. It was there that he discovered that his feminism and his faith weren’t at odds . During Partridge’s sophomore year at Bryn Mawr, he came out as gay, and in 2002, post-graduation, he made the transition from a female to a male.

In 2005, after receiving his master’s of divinity and while working on his doctorate in theology at Harvard, Partridge was ordained to the Episcopal priesthood. He served in local congregations around Boston until 2011, when he was appointed a chaplain at Boston University.

In expressing his experience

<[`kfi$`e$:_`\] -(. ,,)$)))* <[`kfi`Xc >\e\iXc -(. ,,)$)))( DXeX^`e^ <[`kfi -(. ,,)$+)/E\nj ;\jb -(. ,,)$'(.)

Jgfikj ;\jb -(. ,,)$'(/0 D\kif ;\jb -(. ,,)$*,+/ =\Xkli\j ;\jb -(. ,,)$*,+/ 8ikj ;\jb -(. ,,)$',(, G_fkf -(. ,,)$(')) =Xo -(. ,,)$+/)* 9lj`e\jj Xe[ Fg\iXk`fej >\e\iXc DXeX^\i -(. ,,)$'(-0 8[m\ik`j`e^ -(. ,,)$)))' 9lj`e\jj Xe[ :`iZlcXk`fe -(. ,,)$',+. :cXjj`Ô\[j Xe[ :fcc\Zk`fej -(. ,,)$'*-+ =Xo -(. ,,)$(.,* <;@KFI@8C I<JFLI:<J ISABELLE LUMB / HEIGHTS STAFF

Rev. Cameron Partridge spoke about the intersection of gender identity and faith on Tuesday night in Fulton. as self-identifying as genderqueer and being a member of the Christian faith, Partridge talked particularly about the complexity of gender, and how it relates to the Christian pillars of giving thanks for creation. Partridge emphasized that to him, God’s creation is not static. He believes gender is about embracing the process of coming into God’s creation. Through coming into one’s identity, Partridge emphasized that we should embrace our bodies as evolving creations that can be changed or altered as we wish.

“In giving thanks for creation, we are giving thanks for what God declared good,” Patridge said.

Part of the gender transition that many transgender people

experience, Partridge noted, is that they must be accepting of the ambiguity and fear that can accompany the process.

Partridge emphasized that, especially in today’s society, people must seize faith as a way to open themselves up, which involves taking risks. In taking these risks, Partridge believes people can become more complete versions of themselves.

Partridge was careful to mention, however, the risks transgender people take in being open about their gender identities.

Partridge said that while society is improving the lens through which it views the transgender community, this calendar year marks the most deaths from the transgender community on record.

Partridge invited students to celebrate the transgender community. He wants people to celebrate their transgender peers for being a vibrant community that has come a long way, but acknowledge that there is still much to accomplish.

During the question-andanswer period of the event, one student asked Partridge for advice on how to come to terms with one’s own “becoming” or the process of finding oneself.

Partridge advised, in reflection on 1 John 3:2, that people should feel comforted by the idea that “God does see you, hear you, and will be with you. ” “What would happen if we open ourselves up and decide not to be afraid?” Partridge said.

E\nj K`gj ?Xm\ X e\nj k`g fi X ^ff[ `[\X ]fi X jkfip6 :Xcc Jfg_`\ I\Xi[fe# E\nj <[`kfi# Xk -(. ,,)$'(.)# fi \dX`c e\nj7YZ_\`^_kj%Zfd% =fi ]lkli\ \m\ekj# \dX`c X [\kX`c\[ [\jZi`gk`fe f] k_\ \m\ek Xe[ ZfekXZk `e]fidXk`fe kf k_\ E\nj ;\jb%

8ikj <m\ekj =fi ]lkli\ Xikj \m\ekj# \dX`c X [\$ kX`c\[ [\jZi`gk`fe f] k_\ \m\ek Xe[ ZfekXZk `e]fidXk`fe kf k_\ 8ikj ;\jb% :Xcc :_i`j =lcc\i# 8ikj Xe[ I\m`\n <[`kfi# Xk -(. ,,)$',(,# fi \dX`c Xikj7YZ_\`^_kj%Zfd%

:cXi`ÔZXk`fej & :fii\Zk`fej K_\ ?\`^_kj jki`m\j kf gifm`[\ `kj i\X[\ij n`k_ Zfdgc\k\# XZZliXk\# Xe[ YXcXeZ\[ `e]fidXk`fe% @] pfl Y\c`\m\ n\ _Xm\ dX[\ X i\gfik`e^ \iifi# _Xm\ `e]fidXk`fe k_Xk i\hl`i\j X ZcXi`ÔZX$ k`fe fi Zfii\Zk`fe# fi hl\jk`fej XYflk K_\ ?\`^_kj jkXe[Xi[j Xe[ giXZk`Z\j# pfl dXp ZfekXZk :Xifcpe =i\\dXe# <[`kfi$`e$:_`\]# Xk -(. ,,)$)))*# fi \dX`c \`Z7YZ_\`^_kj%Zfd%

:LJKFD<I J<IM@:<

M`j`k`e^ Gif]% :fee\Zkj JcXm\ip Xe[ :Xg`kXc`jd

By Joshua Holtz For The Heights Edward Baptist, an associate professor of history at Cornell University, described American slavery as a story of modernization and modernity in his talk Tuesday at B oston College.

Baptist discussed his latest book, The Half Has Never Been Told: Slavery and the Making of American Capitalism, which details the meteoric American economic expansion of the 19th century and its connection to slavery.

The event, which was titled “Slaver y and the Making of American C apitalism,” w a s sponsored by the Boisi Center for Relig ion and American Public Life and co-sponsored by the Institute for the Liberal Arts and the African and African Diaspora Studies Program.

First, Baptist spoke about his research into hundreds of personal testimonies of former slaves. He studied memoirs, autobiographies, and interviews conducted by the Works Prog-

POLICE BLOTTER Friday, Sept. 30 10:55 a.m. - A report was filed regarding a suspicious person at Robsham Theater.

Saturday, Oct. 1 12:42 a.m. - A report was filed regarding an underage intoxicated person on the Newton roadways.

ress Administration during the 1930s, and found out that slaveowners had created a system in which they assigned individual picking quotas, weighed each slave’s bag of picked cotton at the end of the day, and whipped people who failed to meet their particular quota.

And as soon as enslaved people figured out how to meet the demands of their captors, the daily quotas were ratcheted ever higher, Baptist said. In addition to their quota, the slaves’ punishments for not meeting standards were also increased.

Baptist cited the work of two economists who discovered in 2007 a study that described the amount of cotton picked by slaves.

It stated that the work increased at a rate of around 2 percent per year from 1830 to 1860, adding up to a 400-percent productivity increase.

By 1860, 88 percent of all cotton bought or sold worldwide was grown on American soil. Cotton had become the global economy’s dominant product, and this massive increase in cotton output was

largely responsible for supercharging American economic expansion.

Raw cotton was largely exported to Europe, particularly Great Britain. As American cotton was shipped around the globe, a steady stream of British capital was entering into American businesses.

Baptist pointed out that much of this slavery-fueled capital accumulation is still prevalent today.

“In the 1830s, change was actually accelerating to an everfaster, sustained pace, measured in both [economic] growth rates, and in momentum that perhaps extends all the way through history to the present,” Baptist said.

“It’s only between 1750 and 1850, in Western Europe and North America, that human societies first achieve the miracle … of sustained high growth rates and sustained technological change that substantially increased productivity.”

The key to understanding the rapid industrialization of America, Baptist said in conclusion, is to realize that the export of cotton was the key to

allowing capital to flow in from foreign buyers. This was crucial to increasing productivity in all sectors of the economy.

This process is the source of what we now know as economic growth, a concept that did not exist prior to the late 18th century, Baptist said. This growth, built literally on the backs of slaves, is in his view what put America on the trajectory it is on today, transforming it almost overnight from a former colony of Great Britain into an economic superpower.

During the question-andanswer session that followed the lecture, Baptist was asked if America would have been able to achieve such radical growth, which led to industrialization, over such a short period of time had slavery not been available to the nation’s businessmen.

“Although it’s possible that industrialization might have happened anyway,” Baptist said.

“In the world we live in, though [slaveholding] may not have been necessary, that is what did happen.”

8[m\ik`j`e^ K_\ ?\`^_kj `j fe\ f] k_\ dfjk \]$ ]\Zk`m\ nXpj kf i\XZ_ k_\ 9: Zfddle`kp% Kf jlYd`k X ZcXjj`$ ]`\[# [`jgcXp# fi fec`e\ X[m\ik`j\$ d\ek# ZXcc fli X[m\ik`j`e^ f]ÔZ\ Xk -(. ,,)$)))' Dfe[Xp k_ifl^_ =i`[Xp%

K_\ ?\`^_kj `j gif[lZ\[ Yp 9: le[\i^iX[lXk\j Xe[ `j glYc`j_\[ fe Dfe[Xpj Xe[ K_lij[Xpj [li`e^ k_\ XZX[\d`Z p\Xi Yp K_\ ?\`^_kj# @eZ% Z )'(,% 8cc i`^_kj i\j\im\[%

CORRECTIONS

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

9/30/16 - 10/4/16 2:21 a.m. - A report was filed regarding an underage intoxicated person at Fitzpatrick Hall.

What’s your favorite way to procrastinate?

12:09 p.m. - A report was filed regarding minors in possession of alcohol on the Brighton Campus lots.

12:43 p.m. - A report was filed regarding a simple assault at Alumni Stadium.

È8epk_`e^ fe PflklY\%É Ç;Xe`\c >`c# D:8J Ë(0

È@ Jbpg\ dp [f^%É ÇDXkk JXeYfie# D:8J Ë(.

1:02 a.m. - A report was filed regarding vandalism at the Mods.

2:24 a.m. - A report was filed regarding an underage intoxicated person at Medeiros Hall.

;\c`m\ip Kf _Xm\ K_\ ?\`^_kj [\c`m\i\[ kf pfli _fd\ \XZ_ n\\b fi kf i\gfik [`jki`$ Ylk`fe gifYc\dj fe ZXdglj# ZfekXZk QXZ_ N`ce\i# >\e\iXc DXeX^\i Xk -(. ,,)$',+.%

—Source: The Boston College Police Department

ÈJc\\g%É ÇAfj\g_ B`d# D:8J Ë(0

È:c\Xe dp iffd% Dp iffd `j jgfkc\jj n_\e\m\i @ _Xm\ _fd\nfib%É Ç8c\o`j 8lc\kkX :JFD Ë(0

THE HEIGHTS

Thursday, October 6, 2016

A3

8k Kfne ?Xcc# Jkl[\ekj J_Xi\ 8ZZ\jj`Y`c`kp Jkil^^c\j# ?fg\ ]fi :_Xe^\ CSD, from A1 student explained that filing a grievance with regards to a certain class takes so long that he often chooses to change classes instead. He also said that he has had to drop classes and withdraw from classes because professors were not willing to make accommodations for his disability.

Students suggested adding another graduate student to the DS staff who could deal specifically with grievances.

When asked about whether they would like to have an advocate with them when meeting with professors and deans to discuss accommodations, the disabled students said it would be helpful. They suggested having a student from BC Law School come to advocate for them.

Students stressed the fact that the resources available to them are not adequately staffed—they asked for more

faculty and graduate students in DS and the Connors Family Learning Center.

Students also discussed the accessibility of BC, citing places that are either easy or difficult to access.

Royer said that it is difficult for CDS to make major structural changes at BC because these changes require a lot of time, money, and planning on the part of the University. She also said that it is hard to locate the exact people to talk to about making such changes.

CSD’s largest role, Royer said, is to act as an advocate for disabled students.

Conversations about being a disabled student at BC do not happen enough, she said, and CSD is there to promote such conversations.

CSD also works to educate students on the resources that are available to them at BC and to make them feel less isolated.

“I really hope that students don’t feel as though they’re alone or that they have nothing because there are people there,

it’s just a matter of finding the best way to address what is wrong,” she said.

This town hall meeting was not the first that CSD has hosted. It held two last year as well. These meetings are important, Royer said, because they allow her to hear from the students about what is going well and what needs to be changed.

“They’re great for me because I get so much feedback from the community about things that I might not have already thought of or ideas that we never even considered,” she said. “It’s so immensely helpful, and I’m so happy with the turnout.”

Royer plans for CSD to host more town halls in the future to continue the conversations surrounding disabilities.

CSD will also have a round table discussion during Love Your Body Week, the week of Oct. 24. The conversations will revolve around living with a disability at BC and beyond.

Most recently, CSD co-sponsored

JULIA HOPKINS/ HEIGHTS EDITOR

Mary Royer began the evening by discussing resources available for disabled students. a solidarity march that supported LGBTQ, AHANA, and disabled students, with the GLBTQ Leadership Council (GLC) and the AHANA Leadership Council (ALC). CSD is partnering with larger and better established UGBC councils, including GLC and ALC, to

increase its presence on campus.

“We’re such a new council to UGBC, so we’re trying to make that mark on campus, and I hope that doing that will show students that there are people there for them and that there are advocates and support,” Royer said.

L>9: Gi\j`[\ek# <MG ;`jZljj Jkl[\ek :\ek\i n`k_ 9fXi[ f] Kiljk\\j

By Taylor St. Germain Assoc. News Editor

Russell Simons, Undergraduate Government of Boston College (UGBC) president and MCAS ’17, and Meredith McCaffrey, UGBC executive vice president and MCAS ’17, presented to the Board of Trustees’s Student Life Committee Sept. 30. Simons and McCaffrey discussed updates within student life and ideas for the 10-year Strategic Plan.

The presentation was the first of UGBC’s quarterly meetings with the Board of Trustees. McCaffrey explained that this year’s meetings are of utmost importance because it is a strategic planning year, during which the University is creating a plan that will affect BC for the next 10 years.

Simons and McCaffrey focused on UGBC’s renewed focus on quality of student life initiatives, support for LGBTQ students, and the need for a student resource center on campus. In the presentation, Simons and McCaffrey reintroduced

their campaign platform, which focused on three main initiatives: quality, inclusivity, and accessibility.

Simons and McCaffrey discussed what UGBC has accomplished thus far this year, including the addition of printers in Corcoran Commons, its work on implementing mental health resources, and the addition of a conduct report request on the Agora Portal.

They also discussed goals that they hope to accomplish throughout the year like work on financial aid, increasing educational resources on campus, and fully implementing a freshman mentorship program for women that will be run out of the Office of Student Formation.

“One of our main goals going into the presentation, as student representatives, was to present a professional face for the Board of Trustees, and show that a lot of the issues that they talk about, students do have an opinion on,” Simons said.

Simons and McCaffrey also brought up the issue of LGBTQ inclusivity on campus, which has been a major discus-

sion point on campus so far this year.

They referenced the march that took place Thursday, where several student groups, including the AHANA Leadership Council, the GLTBQ Leadership Council, and the Council of Students with Disabilities, came together to break the silence that many believe surrounds these issues on campus.

They also referred to the multiple letters to the editor published in The Heights surrounding issues of inclusivity. Simons pointed out how these letters have come from several groups that feel passionately about these issues, including alumni, the Women’s Center, and Dean of Students Thomas Mogan.

Simons and McCaffrey also presented UGBC’s ideas for the Strategic Plan, which focused around the creation of a student center on campus. They posed four problems that the University is facing right now: a lack of communal student space, a lack of facilities for student organizations to hold their meetings, limited visibility for current student resources and events

on campus, and limited social opportunities for students who do not drink.

A student center, Simons and McCaffrey said, would provide students with a common place to meet and work on assignments, a space for weekend programming, and a communal place for student organizations to advertise their events and initiatives. The creation of a student center, where organizations and resources are located together, would increase visibility and encourage students to become involved, McCaffrey said.

“It’s to the point where a student center is taken for granted as a part of the university system,” Simons said in reference to the number of universities that have student centers. “Most of our peer institutions, if not all of our peer institutions, have student centers.”

Simons described how on college tours, student centers are often points that potential students are brought to.

They are often a reflection of student culture and something that BC is lacking, he said.

A Heights article from 1986 said that a student center was in its planning stages, with completion aiming for 1990.

The article references several of the same reasons for the center that were discussed at the meeting.

Simons and McCaffrey also brought up the potential inclusion of a LGBTQ resource center within the Student Center. UGBC passed a resolution on Sept.

26 to call upon the University to create a center for LGBTQ students.

UGBC has held several forums to discuss ideas for the presentation, including its annual retreat in August. Simons and McCaffrey also took ideas from last spring’s “BC Looking Forward” event, where students were able to speak with BC administrators who are working on the University’s Strategic Plan.

“We certainly hope that conversations will continue in a positive way about the idea of a Student Center,” Simons said. “And that ultimately, this will be something that is prioritized at the University.”

K_\ F]ÔZ\ f] ?\Xck_ Gifdfk`fe ?fjkj (,$D`elk\ ;ifg$@e J\jj`fej

By Leo Confalone For The Heights

A group of five students escaped the commotion of Boston College life and found solace in a body scan meditation hosted by the Office of Health Promotion on Tuesday afternoon.

The meeting was the first of OHP’s weekly mindfulness drop-in sessions this year, a program established last April with the goal of teaching students techniques to control their stress and providing them with time to reflect on their mental states.

“This is something that we saw as important to our general health education and a way for students to practice mindfulness techniques in their day to day journey at BC,” said Makayla Davis, assistant director of OHP and the host of the drop-in session. “It’s a way to teach students to be present and how to calm their minds in their busy dayto-day lives.”

OHP started its mindfulness drop-in sessions in order to provide a quicker and noncommittal way for students to learn about mindfulness and stress management skills.

“Instead of attending an hour-long

program, why not a good, quick, 15minute drop-in session that students can practice and learn a skill?” Davis said.

The program has seen success since its establishment last year, with several students returning for more than one session, Davis said.

Depending on the time of year, OHP has tailored the sessions’ approaches to fit students’ need. During finals week last spring, the drop-in sessions involved visualization and anxiety reduction techniques that specifically targeted stress related to exams. The session’s aim was to relieve test anxiety for students during a high-stress period.

Although the University has seen a recent rise in the number of students seeking counseling services, OHP’s mindfulness drop-in sessions are independent of University Counseling Services and do not represent a response to this spike. Instead, Davis said, the program is a natural progression of her office’s mission. OHP currently employs 60 undergraduate volunteer health coaches, as well as professional staff.

“This [program] was something that we saw as important to our general health education,” Davis said. “It

was founded purely out of our goal as a health promotion office, in really working on education and prevention, and teaching skills to help students have those coping strategies and techniques.”

The weekly sessions stem from OHP’s “Be Mindful, Be Chill” program, which is a more formal group session that teaches similar mindfulness techniques . OHP offers two other related programs as well: “Be Positive, Be Chill,” which teaches students how to change negative thoughts to positive energy, and “Stress and the Brain,” which informs students about how stress impacts the body. Stress and the Brain will be available in the spring.

These programs make up the OHP’s larger health initiative called “iChill,” which seeks to provide students with greater stress management resources and skills.

In addition to iChill, OHP offers programs including “iNourish,” which involves instruction on healthy eating habits, “iPlan,” which is centered around time management, and “iChoose,” a program that offers alcohol education to students. These four programs together make up OHP’s “iHealth” initiative, and

LUCIUS XUAN / HEIGHTS STAFF

The weekly drop-in sessions teach students mindfulness and stress management skills. can be requested by any student group.

OHP also offers individual counseling programs in which students can meet one-on-one with a health coach and create personal plans having to do with

stress, time management, and eating habits.

“We welcome all students, and they can come to one session, or they can come to all of them,” Davis said.

A4

THE HEIGHTS

Thursday, October 6, 2016

JUILA HOPKINS / HEIGHTS EDITOR

K<;o:XdYi`[^\ <ogcfi\j @eefmXk`fe `e 9fjkfe Xe[ 9\pfe[ 9P D8;<C<@E< ;Ë8E><CF 8jjk% D\kif <[`kfi

Between two darker brick buildings, the ornate, white façade of the Boston Opera House jumps out at passersby, begging them to peek inside the glass archway into the palatial interior. Towering and domed ceilings, large mirrored walls bordered with gleaming gold molding, and softly glowing crystal chandeliers await those who enter—a shock to eyes accustomed to the sharp, grey lines of the city. With each step they take across the lush carpet towards the gilded grand staircase, visitors are carried back even further into a shimmering vision of the past that they loathe to ever leave.

But last Thursday, the Boston Opera House came into direct conversation with the future, as over 2,000 visitors flocked to the opulent space in order to attend the 2016 fall TEDxCambridge event—an independently organized set of TED talks focusing on innovation from the minds of the New England community. Over the course of a single evening, the fall session of this biannual series featured six speakers who, through topics ranging from life-saving hand-washing techniques, to the problems posed by Big Data, shared their stories of innovation and creativity and tackled some of humanity’s

most pressing questions in the modern age.

Although the Opera House doors opened at 5:30 p.m. for a special exhibit featuring displays from Formlabs, Bowers & Wilkins, Budnitz Bicycles, and Volvo, event production actually began at 7 p.m., allowing attendees plenty of time to find their seats in the spatial opera hall, and notice the gigantic floating eye-like orb (an example of an Aerotain Skye Drone) that hovered near the stage. As upbeat synth music and excited chatter accompanied a countdown flashing on the fragmented LED screens bordering the stage, the giant, blue eye gently floated above the seated audience members, gracefully spinning to film them with its many cameras as they waited for the talks to begin. And, after opening remarks from Dmitri Gunn, the executive director of TEDxCambridge, and Tamsen Webster, the event’s executive producer and EMC, Iyad Rahwan began the first talk of the night.

Rahwan, an AT&T career development professor and associate professor of media arts and sciences at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Media Lab, began his talk with a deceptively simple statement: “Tonight,” Rahwan said, “I’m going to talk about technology and society.”

The technology in question was the emergence of the driverless car, which poses increasingly complex ethical dilemmas as the

cars’ technology becomes more advanced. As it approaches the point where the car itself must choose between protecting its passenger and protecting the civilians outside, potential buyers are faced with the question of a trade off: are they willing to facilitate a technology that might prioritize the safety of pedestrians over their own safety? Following Rahwan’s surveys, most people are in fact very unwilling to make that tradeoff, and so the ethical dilemma becomes a social one, where people must ask themselves to make impossible choices—sometimes at their own detriment—in order to improve the society they live in. And although Rahwan could not offer a solution, he left the stage with a statement as deceptively simple as the one he began with. “[The driverless cars pose] a societal cooperation problem,” said Rahwan. “I hope we can at least begin to ask the right questions.”

Rahwan’s talk was followed by that of Laura Gassner Otting, a civic catalyst, who tackled the problem of the human desire to save the world. Otting impressed upon the audience the hard truth that, despite what our egos tell us, we cannot save the world by participating in acts like sending teddy bears to disaster victims, which, despite noble intentions of the giver, are useless in the long term.

“We’re not serving the long-term solution,” said Otting, “we’re serving the shortterm problem.”

Otting explained that individuals are limited in their perspectives, and with these inherent blinders, it is impossible to fix a problem that one does not fully understand.

Instead of asking ‘How can I help?’ Otting suggested that we must ask ourselves ‘What needs to happen?’ in order to serve the long term solution.

David Autor, the associate head of the MIT economics department, was the next to take the stage, and immediately faced the audience with a paradox: despite the many inventions of the last century designed to eliminate labor, why has the number of adults in the workforce increased?

Autour said, in part, that as more tasks become automated, the skills that require human judgment and expertise hold increasing value in society. So the problem is not the number of jobs available, it is the quality of these jobs. As the value of high-skill employment rises and the availability of low-skill jobs has remained steady, the availability of medium-skill jobs has decreased, resulting in a stratified society.

As Autour stepped off of the stage, a tall, black sink was installed, and Mark Gendreau—an emergency physician and as-

sistant professor of emergency medicine at Tufts University School of Medicine—gave a passionate speech about one of the easiest ways to save a life: proper hand-washing while singing ‘Happy Birthday’ twice.

Gendreau was followed by technology ethnographer and Constellate Data co-founder Tricia Wang, who spoke about the addictive qualities of quantifying in today’s world, and misuse of Big Data—the technology-driven Oracle of Delphi. Wang emphasized the importance of balancing Big Data with Thick Data, which offers precious (and unquantifiable) insight through human interaction, for it is impossible to quantify our entire existence.

“There is no greater risk than being blind to the unknown,” said Wang.

Janet Wu, a multimedia journalist and news anchor for NBC Boston, took the stage as the final speaker of the night to speak about the danger of attaching happiness to milestones in life. Wu emphasized the importance of redefining our conceptions of happiness throughout our lives, saying that oftentimes we reset our happiness just as we would reset our phones.

“Happiness, when you think about it, is relative and inconstant,” said Wu. “It can only be experienced in the context of our lives.”

K_fl^_ Dfm`\ K_\Xk\ij :_Xe^\# k_\ 8ccli\ ;f\j Efk

AL8E FC8M8II@8

DUKE SAUNDERS / HEIGHTS STAFF

Dfk_\i Al`Z\ I\]i\j_\j E\nYlip Jki\\k 9P ;LB< J8LE;<IJ =fi k_\ ?\`^_kj Boston’s historic Back Bay just got a dose of organically refreshing flavor added to its restaurant scene.

This dose comes in the form of Mother Juice, which does not simply offer a diverse array of juices, but rather a vast array of menu items ranging from salads and fruit bowls, to smoothies and cold-pressed juices, handcrafted from both locally grown and in-house ingredients.

Blending its mix of in-house and farmer ’s market products , Mother Juice provides tourists, students, and members of the Boston community with quick and convenient access to healthy, sustainable food. Whether in a hurry for breakfast or lunch, or an afternoon pick-me-up, Mother Juice provides the neighborly flare and fresh produce to satisfy any palate.

After opening four years ago with a food truck—or juice truck—Mother Juice was a business start-up that spawned its debut as one of Boston’s first rising corporate juice stores in Boston through Kickstarter.

Ellen Fitzgerald and Laura Baldini, Mother Juice’s cofounders, saw a rapid boom in their business after opening

their first permanent location at the farmer’s market in Union Square in Somerville. Soon after, they dominated the juice culture of the greater Boston area by opening several other locations, such as at 625 West Kendall Street in Cambridge, the Boston Public Market, and now their newest gem hidden in Back Bay. Mother Juice puts a unique spin on providing its customers with top-quality, all-organic products that are sourced locally—it works with local farmers, such as Red Fire and Sienna Farms, and has the fortunate convenience of getting a first-pick of the market with communal farmers , because of its location at the Boston Public Market, “After speaking with shopkeepers and vendors in the Newbury area they were comforted with the addition of previously absent convenient and healthy places to grab a bite to eat,” Fitzgerald said. “Our main message is simple and easy: peace, love, and veggies. Healthy food can sometimes be intimidating and we consequently make it our goal to provide approachable, delicious, and accessible food for as many people as possible.”

Upon walking into the store, diners aren’t intimidated—instead, they’re invited by the friendly atmosphere of

the shopkeepers and the gardenesque ambiance of the store’s casual layout, with the zest from sweet and locallysourced produce. One bite of one of their breakfast bowls will put the eater’s mouth in a culinary frenzy and keep his stomach smiling for days.

Some landmark products include: the Overnight Oats Breakfast Bowl (rolled oats soaked in a blend of inhouse made almond milk , banana, dates, salt and cinnamon, topped with sunflower seed butter, granola, berries and coconut), the Kale Yea cold-pressed juice (kale, spinach, cucumber, celery, pineapple, ginger and mint), as well as the quinoa salad bowl (warm quinoa and spinach topped with carrots, bell peppers, almonds, scallions, cilantro and almond-lime dressing).

In addition, Mother Juice plans on adding coffee to its menu within a week’s time.

“In future years we are looking forward to the vast array of exposure their business is going to get from being in a high-density area of students, residents, and tourists that come through Back Bay on the daily,” Fitzgerald said.

“For the meantime, we just want to focus on continuing to source locally and having a fun time maintaining a homegrown atmosphere.”

There is just something about seeing—not just watching, but truly seeing things on a big screen—let me explain.

Ever since I was a young child, weekend afternoons and nights were filled with trips to the movie theater.

There, I became accustomed to seeing every dust particle, loose hair, and wrinkle in the scenes I was watching (High Definition television sets did not existed back then), appreciating the musical score blasting through giant speakers that made my insides feel every base line, and enjoying the conversations before and after the screenings of whatever I was watching that day.

Movie theaters became like an extended home for me, and I developed a deep appreciation for both the craft and the locations that made those feelings so real. Unfortunately, young adults are going to movies 12 to 17 percent less than they have in the past.

The film industry and the tradition of watching the latest premiere on the big screen can trace back their roots to the 1890s and the invention of motion pictures. During the first decade, moving pictures were a novelty, and theaters began to soon fill to capacity with hundreds of individuals looking for an afternoon of jubilee, watching the latest silent comedies with stars like Charlie Chaplin. In a matter of decades, the industry grew exponentially into the behemoth it is today—an endless well of profits in which blockbusters can gross more than $1 billion worldwide.

Movies are their own kind of experience with their own particular traditions. As soon as you walk into a theater, the smell just hits you from every discernible direction, surrounding you like a soothing blanket of warmth and goodness—popcorn, popcorn everywhere. The attending crowds,

both young and old, in groups or alone, queue behind the counters to partake in this decades-old tradition.

Following declining attendance nationwide, however, theater chains have begun adapting to meet the expectations of the younger generations. We have so many sources of entertainment competing for our attention that the traditional movie-going experience began to fall down the power rankings.

It’s easy to see how many individuals would rather stay at home (usually with a home-theater surround system) and stream a movie through Netflix or Amazon Prime rather than spending the time getting to and from the theater.

I see things differently. I appreciate the aesthetic of the screening room: the stadium-style seats, ones that now are wider and more ergonomic, usually featuring reclining backs and foot rests.

There is just something about sitting in a room with others that are all there for the same thing and share the same expectations: to be entertained, to have our emotions moved to both joy and sadness, to share a laugh with hundreds of others at a joke that will enter our banks of memory.

In the city, I find that those three nearby theaters—Fenway Regal, Coolidge Corner, and AMC Boston Commons—have become my sanctuary, a place to escape reality and enter a realm of disbelief where I can be anyone and be anywhere. Outer space?

Check. Renaissance Italy? Check. For me, movies have become a part of my being, one that allows me to live 1000 lives, know 1000 individuals, and, you guessed it, visit 1000 places.

The beauty of the theater also lies in the conversations that take place inside their ornate halls—ones where classic posters remind audiences of the hits of years past—conversations about the films themselves, their meanings, and most importantly, how these moving pictures make us feel.

AlXe FcXmXii`X `j k_\ D\kif <[`kfi ]fi K_\ ?\`^_kj% ?\ ZXe Y\ i\XZ_\[ fe kn`k$ k\i 7AlXeV?\`^_kj%

THE HEIGHTS

Thursday, October 6, 2016

A5

DX^efc`X Jdfb\_flj\ 9i`e^j Jflk_\ie :fd]fik kf 9iffbc`e\

WILLIAM BATCHELOR/ HEIGHTS STAFF

Magnolia Smokehouse, which opened last month, aims to highlights the nuanced styles of Southern cuisine by offering Brookline diners a diverse menu of Southern comfort food ranging from fried pickles to classic mac and cheese.

By William Batchelor For the Heights The newly revamped Magnolia Smokehouse in Brookline serves up Southernstyle soul food with a modern twist.

The restaurant has taken over the space that once housed Village Smokehouse, a Brookline staple for 29 years. The seamless transitions to new owners, East Coast Tavern Group, led Magnolia Smokehouse to a successful opening last month.

For almost three decades, Village Smokehouse specialized solely in Texasstyle barbecue, building up a loyal base of customers along the way. The restaurant’s overhaul led to a change in direction with the style of food, which now explores a wider range of diverse flavors from the South. The restaurant’s new name, Magnolia Smokehouse, is symbolic of the Southern influence that is found in every aspect of the eatery. The name is derived

from the magnolia tree, which has been traditionally associated with the South.

Magnolia’s general manager Heather Lynch stayed on after 15 years with Village Smokehouse to guide the restaurant’s revamp. The week-long renovation hoped to bring about a calmer ambiance to the restaurant, with polished wooden floors, a reframed bar, reupholstered furnishings, and newly installed lighting fixtures.

Despite the restaurant’s sleek new look, however, Lynch still believes that the food is the star of the show. In late October, Magnolia is hoping to transform the former event space downstairs into a speakeasy lounge with signature cocktails and a more refined menu.

The high-ceilinged interior creates a warm and relaxed feel, perfect for any occasion. Unique New Orleans poster-style artwork hangs along the walls, while large chalkboards present the food specials on offer. In the background, an eclectic

mix of music from jazz and pop to blues and the much-loved classics add to the distinct vibe.

New head chef Chelven Randolph brings his 12 years of culinary experience to Magnolia and has put together a whole new menu. It features dishes that explore the different styles of Southern food.

Randolph wanted to maintain a sense of familiarity with the old menu by keeping classic barbecue proteins like pork ribs, beef ribs, beef brisket, and pulled pork, while adding his own personal, Southern flavor. Magnolia holds a primary focus in sourcing to ingredients locally but strives to keep true to the Southern roots.

Born and raised in Boston, Randolph credits his mother, Linda, for his authentic style of cooking. Recently, he served 100 members of BC football barbecue while testing out dishes from his new menu.

Magnolia’s dinner menu is as ambi-

tious as it is indulgent. The fried pickles is the perfect dish to get your meal started and also great to have on the side. The fried slices of pickles are sweet yet salty, and combine well with the creamy creole remoulade dipping sauce. And then there are the shrimp and okra beignets, another house favorite, that put a unique twist on the traditional New Orleans classic.

For the ultimate Southern food experience, Randolph recommends the fried chicken—it comes from a family recipe he learned from his mother. The goldenbrown chicken is served alongside a piping hot skillet of mac and cheese, spicy collard greens, and a dense piece of cornbread. It’s comfort food at it’s finest, and you’ll likely find yourself ordering another round of mac and cheese.

Head pastry chef Malcolm Green’s inventive and delectable dessert menu includes a mix of Southern flavors and familiar sweet staples. The dessert portion

sizes are also important, as assistant pastry chef Ashley Lorquet explained.

“The servings are big enough for multiple people,” she said. “[But] good enough for you to eat by yourself.”

Randolph and Green sat down together and developed a dessert menu where flavors from the main course carry over to the desserts. Bourbon, strongly associated with the South, is a recurring flavor at Magnolia. You can find it in Magnolia’s signature barbecue sauce as well as the rich bourbon chocolate sauce in the Magnolian Meltdown. The dessert menu will change seasonally, apparent in the apple turnover which is served with a Fall favorite, pumpkin spice latte-flavored ice cream.

“Southern food was the first culinary style of food I learned to cook.” he said regarding the changes to the menu. “The food is much more eclectic, it represents all the different nuances of the South.”

=`e[`e^ Df[`ZX NXp1 K_\ Jlgi`j`e^ 9\e\Ôk f] J_fik C`m\[ 9\Xlkp

D8;<C<@E< ;Ë8E><CF Sometimes, rainy days are just what tired eyes need. Their gray overcast makes getting through the day calm and uncomplicated—if a little sleepy as a side effect. But other times, these grey days come at exactly the wrong time, when your eyes are starved for color and excitement, and are desperately searching for something—anything—to keep them open.

If this happens, I suggest taking a trip down to Cambridge’s Central Square.

Just across the street from the Central Square T stop is a tiny alleyway sandwiched

in between Central Kitchen and what is currently a vacant storefront. But this alleyway is not of the traditional dank and grimy variety that can be found in cities across the world.

This alleyway is a work of art.

Identified only by two signs on short steel sign post—the first dubbing the alley Richard B. “Rico” Modica Way in bold black and white letters, and the second smaller sign proclaiming Graffiti Alley in smaller green and white letters—Modica Way might at first seem like a tiny blip in the carefully planned cityscape.

On the right-hand wall, a shining black and white mural lies mounted to the red brick, depicting a collage of black and white photographs. This mural, installed in 1997, welcomes visitors to Central Square, the heart of Cambridge, and showcases photographs not of models, but of the actual inhabitants of Central Square going about their lives.

But on the left-hand wall, and spreading onto the space available around the mural on the right, is what draws you into the alley in the first place: an ever-changing riot of shapes and color that showcases the work of countless, anonymous Boston street artists.

This bright canvas is a constant work in progress and a giant collaboration all rolled into one, and the result is something otherworldly. The pictures and words layer over each other and showcase everything from carefully designed works of art, to more crudely drawn words that spell out phrases like “wall art show this Sunday.”

And the alley’s magical feel does not end with the walls. It continues upwards with the length of brightly-colored plastic prisms that bridge the gap between the two buildings and create a stained-glass ceiling. On a sunny day, the panes cast brightly colored shadows on the already vivid walls, adding an ethereal quality to the already otherworldly space.

On a rainy day, the puddles on the wet brick sidewalk will capture and reflect the colors in the pane, allowing someone passing through this colorful tunnel to feel as if he is walking through fragments of shattered colors.

As you walk through the alley, your eyes are hypnotized by the colors on the walls and at your feet, and they eagerly jump from one sight to the next. Each new discovery adds a layer of delight—who knew that random flyers and empty bags of chips could pack such an aesthetic punch and exude the perfect level of haphazard imperfection when carelessly taped to a utilitarian steel pole?

With your eyes so occupied, it is impossible to notice the speed with which you move through the corridor, and all too quickly, you find yourself standing in the middle of a parking lot. The ethereal cocoon of vibrant color and gleaming light has come to an abrupt end, and you cannot help but want to return to the happy reality where finding

empty bags of greasy potato chips taped to a pole is something amusing, not something mildly revolting.

Unfortunately, you can only walk up and down a tiny alleyway so many times before it becomes a bit odd, and, in a bout of selfconsciousness, you force yourself back onto the streets of Cambridge, where your eyes grow reacquainted with the monotony of the concrete sidewalks.

But even as you stare at the familiar surroundings, you cannot forget the odd beauty of Modica Way. You cannot help but see it reflected in the rest of the city around you, because even if the strange beauty isn’t neatly contained within an alley, it is still there.

Who knows, maybe that ratty poster taped to a pole isn’t such an eyesore after all.

DX[\c\`e\ ;Ë8e^\cf `j k_\ 8jjk% D\kif <[`kfi ]fi K_\ ?\`^_kj% J_\ ZXe Y\ i\XZ_\[ fe kn`kk\i 7dX[jV/',%

N`k_ 9fjkfe$9Xj\[ N\`^_k$Cfjj 8gg# E\n NXp kf Cfj\ @k

By Heidi Dong Heights Editor Obesity and its related health risks have been repeatedly regarded as a major national and international health crisis for years.

As of November of last year, more than one third of adults in the United States are obese, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. In response to this problem, Charles Teague decided to build the top weight-loss company in the world.

The result: Lose It! Lose It! is an app that was founded to help people reach their weight-loss goals through healthy eating and exercise without the price tags many other weight-loss companies attach to their programs.

The app, which is based in the Seaport District, takes advantage of smart phones and the App Store. Last week, Lose It! launched its latest feature: Snap It. Snap It takes the common act of snapping a picture of a meal before eating it, and turns it into a way to input calorie consumption. With machine learnings and a smartphone camera, Snap It allows users to see and track

their calorie intakes by simply taking a picture of their food. “ We know that people need to achieve a healthy weight in order to live a healthier and happier life. We know through studies that calorie tracking works, and is an effective way to lose weight,” said Elyse Winer, vice president of marketing at Lose It! “But, until recently, there hasn’t been an easy way to track daily consumption and calorie expenditure. So the smartphone and app store was a great way to achieve that.”

The app is the industry-leading health and fitness platform, allowing users to create goals, track daily food consumption and fitness activity, and create and join community activities or challenges, along with integrating with most wearable fitness devices.

Lose It! takes the effectiveness of calorie tracking and introduces it to the convenience that smartphone capabilities make possible. Now, Snap It is making the app easier to use.

“Snap It is in beta, so we’re still ironing out the kinks, but the reason we launched beta was because the nature of machine learning is that it gets better the more people use it,” Winer said. “So we believe we’re uniquely positioned to

make it that much more specific. Today it may say ‘toast eggs bacon’ but in the future it will say ‘fried eggs, toast with butter, turkey bacon,’ and give you the exact portion size as well.”

This new function takes the tedium of searching for foods out of calorie tracking, and makes the whole process of healthy, informed eating less daunting to those who are just starting to track what they eat.

“We have the barcode feature, which also uses the phone camera to scan the barcode of packaged foods,” Wilner said. “we also have a robust database with over 7 million entries that will most likely return the food you’re looking for ... we make it very easy to track your food, and have that moment of ‘Wow this is what I’m putting in my body, maybe I should make these kinds of adjustments.’”

Lose It! also offers users a premium option for $39.99 per year. Purchasing this option gives users deeper and more personalized insights into what works for them. A premium account allows users to track more than just calories, opening up the ability to set goals around macronutrients, exercise levels, blood glucose, and sleep. The app also offers deeper analysis on us-

ers’ data, and recognizes “trigger foods” that derails users from their goals for that day.

“So we look at triggers and foods that set you off towards going over your budget or your goals for that day, which is really what the job of a nutritionist

really is,” Winer said. “So it’s almost like a virtual nutritionist that you get with our premium offer.”

Now a team of 20, the Lose It! team has seen 26 million downloads since 2008, with about 3 million active users at any given time.

LOSEIT!

The new application aims to help individuals meet their weight targets in an interactive way.

A6

THE HEIGHTS

Thursday, October 6, 2016

Fm\i GXjki`\j# Jkl[\ekj# Gif]\jjfij ;`jZljj :Xi\\ij `e C`]\ JZ`\eZ\

SAVANNA KIEFER / HEIGHTS EDITOR

By Kyle Garrett For The Heights The first “Professors, Professions, & Pastries” in a series of such events set to run throughout October was held Wednesday afternoon in Stokes Hall South.

This week’s event continued a 10-year tradition that Rory Browne, director of the Academic Advising Center, started when he came to Boston College from Harvard University, where he was associate dean for freshmen. “[At Harvard] one of the things I realized is that we needed to create more events where students and professors could get together informally, outside of the classroom,” Browne said.

While working at Harvard, Browne arranged a series of informal meetings in the freshman dorms, called Professors and Pastries.

His hopes for the pastry series, both at Harvard and BC, were to have a free event for students to come to at their own

leisure. The event also allows students to mingle with faculty and fellow students alike.

Various career paths and academic fields will be featured throughout the month. The first week focused on life science majors and health professions. Other themes include “How to Succeed in Business with a Liberal Arts Degree,” “Studying, Working, and Living Abroad,” and “The Fine and Performing Arts”.

These events allow students to express and explore their interests. This year, Browne partnered with the Career Center for students to get information on possible future career paths for majors they are either interested in or currently pursuing. This is what led to the series’ name changing to Professors, Professions, & Pastries. In this way, Browne said the series plays into the Jesuit ideals BC was founded upon.

“The Ignatian way is to aid the full development of the student and to help students to find their path,” he said.

Since relocating to Stokes Hall South, the event has been held in the lounge area outside of the Academic Advising Center.

On Wednesday, the space offered a table of food and beverages. Faculty members such as Kenna Sullivan and Joe McLaughlin from the School of Social Work, and William Petri, associate dean of the Morrissey College of Arts and Sciences, were in attendance.

Undergraduate advisement fellows were also present to aid students and faculty members in meeting each other and getting comfortable with mingling.

One of these was Risa Kuroda, a peer adviser and MCAS ’17. Kuroda was present at last year’s Professors, Professions, & Pastries event.

“The pre-med health sciences events always go pretty well,” Kuroda said.

“There’s a high portion of incoming freshmen who are interested in a pre-health or pre-med profession.”

Kuroda and other advisement fellows

were involved in social media outreach for the event, such as Facebook posts, email distribution, and putting up fliers.

The fliers were redesigned this year with bright colors to make them more attractive to students.

The advisement fellows are planning a survey to see how well students were drawn this year, particularly due to the expense of catering and the time it takes to arrange the event.

Kuroda noted that she thought turnout was better than last year. Students came to enjoy the pastries and to meet with and learn from professors.

“I wanted to see if there were any suggestions or advice in how to have hobbies but still be pre-med,” said Sophia Servin, MCAS ’20.

Matt Davis, MCAS ’20, enjoyed speaking with faculty in a more relaxed setting.

“I think it’s good for freshmen,” Davis said. “Having a one-on-one [with a professor or adviser] instead of just like in a lec-

ture or during office hours or something is more personal. I like it.”

While most were happy with the event, some did think more could have been done. Nicole Diaz, MCAS ’19, stressed the need for a larger social media presence for events such as Professors and Pastries, as well as more exposure on outlets like the BC website.

“I don’t feel like everyone is taking full advantage of [the event],” Diaz said. “There are certain opportunities that I feel people don’t know about, or they just don’t know when it’s happening.”

The event brought students and faculty together, which Lisa White, assistant director of employee engagement at the Career Center, said was a positive outcome of the event.

“I think it’s so great to see students, faculty, and administrators all in the same room,” White said. “From what I’ve seen, students are getting a lot of valuable information, and I think you can’t go wrong when there’s food there, too.”

THE HEIGHTS THE HEIGHTS THE HEIGHTS

Thursday, January 17, 2014 Thursday, October 6, 2016 April 7, 2016

B5 A7 B5

8[d`e%# Jkl[\ekj GcXe ]fi k_\ =lkli\ f] 9: Moving Forward, from A1 environment. Quigley and Lochhead mostly focused on BC’s commitment to teach the liberal arts as well as provide students with a pre-professional background so they will be competitive in the job market. They also mentioned the University’s focus on creating an updated science and technology curriculum to compete with other universities across the nation.

“Tonight is about engaging students and working to bring student voices into the conversation.” Quigley said.

After the presentation from Quigley and Lochhead, students engaged in discussion about topics brought up during the presentation. A member of the administration sat at each table, guiding the discussion. Faculty members asked students which of the themes stood out to them and how the University could expand on these themes. One table discussed how the administration could help improve diversity by helping marginalized groups feel more included on campus. Another table discussed how the University could do a better job of utilizing Boston as a resource for learning.

Once the table discussions finished, there was a short question-and-answer session with Quigley and Lochhead.

Sustainability, diversity and inclusion, and the rising cost of tuition were three issues that were brought to the forefront during this session.

One student asked why sustainability was not included as a theme of the USPI. Lochhead said that sustainability will not be a driving theme within USPI’s initiatives.

Another student expressed concerns about rising costs of food at BC, citing a $15 turkey dinner as an example. She asked Quigley and Lochhead for the reasoning behind the high cost of both food and tuition.

Lochhead said that rising costs are

common at universities across the nation and is something that cannot be avoided. His solution to rising costs was to focus more resources toward improving BC’s financial aid system. As for the high food costs, Lochhead pointed out that dining workers at Harvard University are on strike, while BC Dining workers have good benefits.

Not all students felt satisfied with the conversation at this event, including Akosua Opokua-Achampong , MCAS ’18.

“I think that this event was a good thought, however, a lot of what we were presented was vague,” Opokua-Achampong said. “It was hard to dissect what their goals were with such a vague conversation. I don’t know that this many students will be invited back for a more specific conversation in the future.”

Opokua-Achampong is concerned that although the administration is trying to increase diversity, it is not making enough of an effort to make marginalized groups on campus feel at home at BC. “If we can’t sustain our own students, how do we expect to bring in more people that may share their identities?” she said.

During the event, Lochhead condemned the defamation of a sign in the Mod Lot three weeks ago.

“We have to hold ourselves accountable, and students have to hold themselves accountable as well,” Lochhead said. “We want to be a welcoming and inviting community for all.”

Quigley emphasized that the USPI is still in its planning phase and is currently working on creating concrete strategies to address emerging challenges and opportunities. He explained that the next two to three months of the USPI are for trying to figure out possibilities and solutions for the future.

“We are working to imagine the kind of Boston College that your future children may choose to attend,” Quigley said.

KYLE BOWMAN / HEIGHTS STAFF

Gf\k I\X[j ?`j Nfib# KXcbj @ejg`iXk`fe

By Andrea Ocasio For The Heights Founded in 1957, the Lowell Institute for Humanities has hosted speakers like Robert Frost, T.S. Eliot, and Maya Angelou. On Oct. 5 in Devlin Hall 101, Major Jackson joined those ranks.

Sponsored by the Lowell Institute and the Institute for the Liberal Arts at Boston College, Jackson spoke to a full house and read a variety of poems from his most recent compilation Roll Deep and selections from three other books.

After the poetry reading, Jackson hosted a question-and-answer session. He spoke about the influence of the current sociopolitical culture on his writing, how to differentiate between the author and the speaker persona, and the musicality to his poetry.

“He tellingly observes the social order while thinking metaphysically,” wrote Suzanne Matson, an English professor and organizer of the event, in her introduction for Jackson.

With poems covering current issues confronting the world today, like rogue policing, racism, classicism, and the current national election, Jackson weaves words and rhythm to invite the reader to think more deeply about the sociopolitical environment.

“I am wholly for us, as humans, speaking and writing the unsayable,” Jackson said.

With a steady rhythm and a heavy cadence, he adds a musicality to his poems

that inspired an audience member to ask about how the words would translate to music notes.

“I want to entertain your ear more than anything else,” Jackson said.

He also manages to bring a feel of music into his poetry, heavily influenced by rap and hip-hop, with honorable mentions to rappers Kanye, Tupac, Salt n’ Pepa, and others, in his poems.

“Music was really important to me growing up, and occasionally I like to go back to my roots,” Jackson said as he introduced one of his poems.

He also nods to his ancestors in his poem “On Disappearing.” It unites his past, his present, and his future. Though he acknowledges his literary influences in most of his poems, this poem was dedicated to his identity.

“What art does, particularly poetry, is make us more conscious of the time we’re living in,” Jackson explained.

With poems like “Ferguson,” “Mighty Pawns,” and “Pest,” he explores some of the major conflicts occurring in the nation today.

Major continuously challenges himself by employing styles and techniques that he teaches his students at the University of Vermont.

With “Mighty Pawns” he wrote his first monastic poem—a poem that’s also one sentence. And with “Stand Your Ground,” he employed the golden shovel method—a method in which the poet borrows lines from

another poem.

He draws inspiration from his everyday life in Vermont, from his travels to cities like New York , and from his childhood in both Philadelphia and Nashville.

“I’m attempting to give a portrait of how my inner life is shaped by the spaces I inhabit,” Jackson said.

As a result, his poems range from urban scenes to the fast-paced city life from the changing of the seasons to the relationship between humans and nature.

When asked about his writing process, Jackson explained that it has changed throughout the years. He used to do a lot of traveling and would write when inspiration struck on the road.

Now, he writes at home and draws inspiration from his environment. He appreciates that he can get up, walk around, go to his bookshelf, read a little, consult past authors, and write some more.

Even though he is a professional poet, he still experiences writer’s block.

“It’s a struggle on an emotional level, and it’s a struggle to find the words,” Jackson said.

He also spoke about his recently written poems on fatherhood, though he did not read them because they were still too raw and emotional for him.

“It’s terrifying for me to write a poem because writing is about discovering, and I don’t know where it’s going when I start writing,” he said.

THE HEIGHTS

A8

EDITORIALS

QUOTE OF THE DAY

:J; <m\ekj IX`j\ 8nXi\e\jj# ?\cg Nfib KfnXi[ :_Xe^\ The Council for Students with Disabilities (CSD) was founded in January 2015 and has since attempted to improve access for students with disabilities at Boston College.

This past Monday night, CSD hosted a town hall to present and discuss the ways it is working to do this.

These initiatives, some ongoing and some completed, include working to make each class syllabus accessible to students before class registration instead of the first day of class.

Requiring this would help students with disabilities to judge the requirements of a class and the accommodations they might need in order to take the class. Currently, members of CSD feel that students with disabilities who receive the syllabus on the first day of class are not given enough time to make decisions about accommodations, which sometimes include ordering special eTexts.

Another initiative is the creation of an accommodations form for Undergraduate Government of Boston College (UGBC) events, which allows students with disabilities to ask for accommodations when attending UGBC-sponsored events, and an attempted improvement of Eagle Escort services, which currently uses only two vans, often with only one operating at a time, which can lead to slow response times when a student requests an escort.

CSD also serves as an advocate for students with disabilities by putting forward the concerns of these students and promoting discussion about them.

Beyond these initiatives, CSD is also planning to continue hosting town halls and will host a discussion for Love Your Body Week.

These initiatives and events are posi-

Thursday, October 6, 2016

“Why did everything always change when all you wanted, all you had ever humbly asked of whatever God there might be, was that certain things be allowed to stay the same?”

-Richard Yates, Revolutionary Road

tive ways for CSD to impact the BC community.

CSD remains a relatively small and newly developing council with the diversity and inclusion division of UGBC, and hosting a Love Your Body Week event, as well as other town halls, is a good way to maximize exposure and work toward further growth.

It can be easy to forget how students with disabilities are affected on campus, and CSD does BC a service in ensuring that the issue is not forgotten.

@k ZXe Y\ \Xjp kf ]fi^\k _fn jkl[\ekj n`k_ [`jXY`c`k`\j Xi\ X]]\Zk\[ fe ZXdglj# Xe[ k_\ :fleZ`c ]fi Jkl[\ekj n`k_ ;`jXY`c`k`\j [f\j 9fjkfe :fcc\^\ X j\im`Z\ `e \ejli`e^ k_Xk k_\ `jjl\ `j efk ]fi^fkk\e% With the difficulty involved in the large infrastructure changes on campus that would improve accessibility, CSD does well in promoting these concerns, especially considering their newness.

It is through increased awareness that larger changes can come, and public events and initiatives are one way to jumpstart this awareness.

Larger projects, such as improved staffing at the Connors Family Learning Center and providing an advocate for students with disabilities who have to meet with a professor or dean about accommodations, should continue to be worked on to address these concerns and spread further awareness.

>C: Gi`[\ N\\b `j Gfj`k`m\ <]]fik ]fi L>9: Xe[ >C:

The first GLC Pride Week, sponsored by the Underg raduate G over nment of Boston College’s (UGBC) GLBTQ Leadership Council (GLC), will be held next week.

Next week’s events come after this past Tuesday’s talk by Rev. Cameron Partridge, an openly transgender priest in the Episcopal church.

Both of these programs were made possible by UGBC and serve as good examples of the kind of work it can accomplish, especially during a time of potential frustration, as efforts to create an LGBTQ resource center in past years have not led to any results.

Despite these larger proposals’ being stymied, UGBC and GLC are still able to host positive events such as this that help to partly improve the climate on campus.

One positive aspect of Pride Week is the name change from previous years’ similar event, National Coming Out Week. The change in name is a good way to shift emphasis from the idea of coming out to a more general emphasis on LGBTQ pride.

Anne Williams, chair of GLC and MCAS ’17, noted that UGBC is hoping to make the event inclusive to a variety of different identities.

This is a good rebranding of the week that will hopefully bring about more interest and impact more students. As Williams said, the change in name also moves away from the idea of coming out as central to LGBTQ identity.

The Partridge talk was also a worthwhile event.

After the unfortunate cancellation of last year’s Laverne Cox event, which would have brought the high-profile

transgender actress to campus for a talk , it is good to see that efforts to bring transgender speakers are continuing.

These events further the cause of UGBC, GLC, and LGBTQ students by promoting inclusivity on campus.

Partridge’s talk provided an informative and inspiring example of a transgender experience, including a realistic discussion of what it means to come out as transgender.

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 mem-

bers of the Editorial Board can be found at bcheights. com/opinions.

8j L>9: Zfek`el\j kf ]XZ\ cXi^\i Xe[ dfi\ [`]Ô Zlck Xkk\dgkj Xk gfc`Zp Z_Xe^\# k_\j\ jdXcc\i \m\ekj _\cg kf j_Xg\ k_\ ZXdglj Zc`dXk\ Xe[ Yi`e^ XYflk k_\ ^iX[lXc [\m\cfgd\ekj k_Xk n`cc _fg\]lccp c\X[ kf cXi^\i Z_Xe^\j `e k_\ ]lkli\% “What would happen if we open ourselves up and decide not to be afraid?”

Patridge said, discussing these issues.

This example is a good one for students at BC, especially students who might be struggling with their own identities.

It is events such as these that UGBC and GLC should continue to bring to students.

As it continues to face larger and more difficult attempts at polic y change, these smaller events help to shape the campus climate and bring about the gradual developments that will hopefully lead to larger changes in the future.

HEIGHTS

THE

The Independent Student Newspaper of Boston College <jkXYc`j_\[ (0(0 :8IFCPE =I<<D8E# <[`kfi$`e$:_`\] Q8:? N@CE<I# >\e\iXc DXeX^\i D8>;8C<E JLCC@M8E# DXeX^`e^ <[`kfi

See this blank space? Want to fill it?

Draw a weekly comic for

THE HEIGHTS Email opinions@bcheights. com for more information.

The Heights reserves the right to edit for clarity, brevity, accuracy, and to prevent libel. The Heights also reserves the right to write headlines and choose illustrations to accompany pieces submitted to the newspaper.

Letters and columns can be submitted online at www. bcheights.com, by e-mail to editor@bcheights.com, in person, or by mail to Editor, The Heights, 113 McElroy Commons, Chestnut Hill, Mass. 02467.

<;@KFI@8C :FEEFI DLIG?P# :fgp <[`kfi KFD ;<MFKF# 8( <[`kfi JFG?@< I<8I;FE# E\nj <[`kfi D@:?8<C JLCC@M8E# Jgfikj <[`kfi A8D<J CL:<P# =\Xkli\j <[`kfi :?I@J =LCC<I# 8ikj I\m`\n <[`kfi AL8E FC8M8II@8# D\kif <[`kfi 8I:?<I G8IHL<KK<# Fg`e`fej <[`kfi ALC@8 ?FGB@EJ# G_fkf <[`kfi B<8KFE D:8LC@==<# CXpflk <[`kfi

9LJ@E<JJ 8E; FG<I8K@FEJ 899P G8LCJFE# >iXg_`Zj <[`kfi 8C<: >I<8E<P# Fec`e\ DXeX^\i J?8EEFE B<CCP# 8jjfZ% :fgp <[`kfi B8PC@< ;8E@<CJ# 8jjk% :fgp <[`kfi K8PCFI JK% ><ID8@E# 8jjfZ% E\nj <[`kfi :?I@J ILJJF# 8jjk% E\nj <[`kfi I@C<P FM<I<E;# 8jjfZ% Jgfikj <[`kfi 8EE89<C JK<<C<# 8jjk% Jgfikj <[`kfi B8PC8 =<IE8E;F# 8jjk% =\Xkli\j <[`kfi :8C<9 >I@<>F# 8jjfZ% 8ikj I\m`\n <[`kfi

?8EE8? D:C8L>?C@E# 8jjk% 8ikj I\m`\n <[`kfi D8;<C<@E< ;Ë8E><CF# 8jjk% D\kif <[`kfi 8D<C@< KI@<L# 8jjfZ% G_fkf <[`kfi J8M8EE8 B@<=<I# 8jjk% G_fkf <[`kfi >I8:< D8JKIFG8JHL8# 8jjk% CXpflk <[`kfi B<CJ<P D:><<# 8jjk% >iXg_`Zj <[`kfi ?<@;@ ;FE># <o\Zlk`m\ 8jj`jkXek =I8E:@J:F IL<C8# 8jjk% Fec`e\ DXeX^\i

9<EE<K AF?EJFE# 9lj`e\jj DXeX^\i A8:B GFN<IJ# 8[m\ik`j`e^ DXeX^\i J8I8? DFFI<# Flki\XZ_ :ffi[`eXkfi >I@==@E <CC@FKK# Jpjk\dj DXeX^\i D<8>8E CFPJK# Fe$:Xdglj 8[m\ik`j`e^ DXeX^\i A8:B ;FE8?L<# 8ZZflek DXeX^\i 8M@K8 8E8E;# 8ZZflek DXeX^\i >LJ D<II<CC# :fcc\Zk`fej DXeX^\i

THE HEIGHTS

Thursday, October 6, 2016

A9

N\ E\\[ kf KXcb 8Yflk Gfc`k`Zj

B<CJ<P :FEEFIJ LAST WEEK’S WEATHER - Maybe we’re alone in this opinion, but last week had the best stretch of weather we’ve seen in ages. That perfect mid-50s gloom with a slight drizzle. It sends chills straight up our tail—I mean, spine—to think about it. Every day was like stepping out into a gray wasteland. Everyone was unenthusiastic and slightly unhappy as they walked quietly through the haze. It was beautiful. For once, we could sit in front of Gasson and mutter quietly up at the clouds without bothering all those confused, slightly scared folks lounging on the grass.

CASH-ONLY VENDING MACHINES - If you happened to see a strange-looking little man in a stained white T-shirt and khaki-colored jeans huddled up against a vending machine weeping like a small child, then you saw firsthand how the thumbmeister spent his entire Tuesday night. After a hard day’s work judging other people’s faults while totally ignoring his own, this intrepid woodland elf of a man just wanted to eat a couple bags of candy to fend off the darkness in his brain. Instead, when he walked up to the vending machine he saw the cruelest words ever to be displayed in small, green letters: “Cash Only.”

What kind of godforsaken place is this, where we are charged 175 dollars in mandatory dining bucks and are faced with “Cash Only” vending machines? Just the day before, this same machine was accepting cards.

What kind of game are they playing with us?

THE ANTI-THEFT DEVICE IN VENDING MACHINES - Do you know what’s wrong with America these days? I do. It’s that small bar that comes up to block the vending machine when you retrieve your snack from the dispenser.

This little liberty-blocker prevents people from reaching up inside the machine and stealing. But at what cost? At. What. Cost? The spirit that inspires a man to steal from vending machines is the spirit that built this nation. Everyone knows this famous quote from Samuel Adams: “The British may garrison their tea supplies in the machines of vending, but they shall not stop the sons of liberty. We shall reach up under there and yank it out, by God.” This uniquely American spirit, a spirit of vending-machine thievery, has been squashed by The Man. No wonder us millennials are a bunch of lazy, pansy do-nothings who all got participation trophies in school and don’t care about anything except the twitters. They took away our one chance to truly become freedom fighters when they put in those pursuit-of-happiness-crushers.

CANDY BAGS WHERE THE PART YOU RIP OFF AT THE TOP INCLUDES THE CALORIE COUNT - We’re onto to you sneaky little bums. After our debacle with the cash-only vending machines, we did the only thing anyone could do: we dug into our buried stash of sour gummi mole rats. After ripping open the fifth package, we realized that this might not be the best thing for our health, so we turned the bag around and took a gander at the Nutrition Facts. Funnily enough, the top half of the nutrition facts happened to be exactly the part that rips off with the little indent at the top. Ha ha. Tried to pull a fast one on us, huh? Good thing we stopped caring about our physical being a long time ago and are now just watching ourselves decay with the same apathetic nausea that haunts our every waking hour.

Last Monday night, friends gathered around common room televisions to watch the first presidential debate. Eager to participate in what for most of us is the first presidential election in which we can cast a vote, we sat down for the debate feeling like educated American citizens, engaging in the political media with our friends and peers. Maybe there were blankets and slippers dragged out into the common room in preparation for the event. Maybe you made popcorn or indulged in a pint of Ben and Jerry’s to celebrate this new sense of adulthood. But it is very likely that for a lot of us, there was a moment or two of tension or controversy with roommates and friends.

Regardless of how well we get along with our friends day to day, sharing everything from taste in clothes to taste in snacks, there is almost no way that a group of people can all share the exact same political opinions. It may be that in the here and now, we live in the same rooms, eat in the same dining halls, and walk through the same campus to the same six academic buildings, but diversity of majors, interests, identities, and backgrounds have insured that we think uniquely and express these unique thoughts accordingly.

It is true that our backgrounds can hinder our political discussions and often make us hesitant to engage in them. For example, everyone has that one friend who insists on regurgitating everything he hears from Mom or Dad and asserting these beliefs and opinions as facts.

Another friend could be so set in her beliefs that she’s unable to be open to another person’s truth. More often than not, though, the people we talk to reflect reasonability, the intelligence to know the difference between fact and opinion, evidence and speculation, and a willingness to absorb the world of diverse perspectives that is around them. Therefore, we

should view these discussions with our friends and peers as opportunities to learn, to grow, and to adapt our political views according to the points of view they present to us.

Many would still ask “Is it worth it?” or “Am I risking a friendship by continuing to talk about something we can never agree on?” To that, I say, yes, it is worth it: a strong friendship will not come undone over politics, as long as we continue to negotiate policies and candidates and avoid attacking someone personally. In the right kind of political discussion, we can come away with food for thought rather than tensions or grudges. I will not soon forget the point that Professor Celeste Wells in the communication department made in my rhetoric class last fall. Discussions and debates, she often said, should not be avoided for the discomfort they cause. We as a culture have a tendency to avoid conflict at all costs, but how can we solve all of the problems that our country faces today if we are too afraid to talk about them?

?fn ZXe n\ jfcm\ Xcc f] k_\ gifYc\dj k_Xk fli Zflekip ]XZ\j kf[Xp `] n\ Xi\ kff X]iX`[ kf kXcb XYflk k_\d6 So let the debates begin and the discussions flow. Fill conversations with open questions rather than pointed ones, and be open to others’ perspectives.

Think about where your friends grew up and how they were raised—this of course will impact their beliefs, but that never means that these beliefs are biased or tainted, only that they are one of many unique American voices. The more voices we can hear and come to terms with, the better understanding we can gain of our country, and the more tangled problems we can begin to unwind until our beliefs are most fully formed. The more opinions we hear and try to understand, the more our blurry, jumbled problems will come increasingly into focus.

Just last week, for example, some friends of mine expressed disbelief at how people can even consider voting for Don-

ald Trump or opting to vote for a third party, which could risk his entry into the White House. I gave them the only perspective of conservatism that I have really come to understand: my father’s.

My parents’ generation was one of small houses and lots of kids, where first-generation Americans worked hard to feed and clothe their families. They dreamed that their kids too would work hard, get better educations, and find better jobs than they had, and they instilled this sense of hard work in their children.

They believed that better futures were in sight, but that they had to be earned and worked for.

With this perspective at heart, how can I blame my father for honing in on the problems in the welfare system and all the people who are given government money (his own tax money) when they have not worked for it, and are sometimes not even citizens paying into the country from which they benefit? This is not to say that my father does not believe there are plenty of people who actually need welfare, because they work two jobs and still cannot support their children.

These individuals are realities of the welfare system, but so are those who take advantage of it. Given his background, growing up with six brothers and sisters and only one parent bringing in income, and seeing how his siblings have made successful lives for themselves, it is no wonder that he cannot reconcile so many of the realities of liberalism. This is just one example of one perspective of conservatism, but it opens up a broader view of the argument.

In discussions of politics, we shouldn’t necessarily aim to fully change someone’s mind, but should always hope to make another person think in a new way, if only briefly, about the lives of others and how these play into their beliefs. Opening these controversial cans of worms can be messy, but I believe it is our duty to keep opening them and to talk about what unsettles us. The only way progress can be made in America is if we start talking, and keep talking.

B\cj\p :feefij `j Xe fg$\[ Zfclde`jk ]fi K_\ ?\`^_kj% J_\ ZXe Y\ i\XZ_\[ Xk fg`e`fej7YZ_\`^_kj%Zfd%

N_p @ ;\Z`[\[ kf C\Xm\ @jcXd

J8A8K I8998E@ Leaving Islam, as other ex-Muslims (though I don’t like that term) will tell you, is much easier than some might think. I mean the part about deciding that you can no longer believe in the teachings anymore, not the part about actually telling your Muslim family that you no longer believe in Allah. Most ex-Muslims have had similar experiences. Once the seed of doubt has been planted, you slowly become more and more skeptical until what you think is true and what Islam teaches become irreconcilable and you simply let the belief go. The difficult part about coming out to your family and friends is where the journey for most ex-Muslims will take place.

I was a devout Muslim, without a doubt. I was born in Afghanistan, and fled to Pakistan after the Taliban took control of Kabul in 1996. Unsurprisingly, Pakistan isn’t any less blindly Muslim than Afghanistan. My early memories consist of Father going to the Mosque and taking my brothers and me along with him. Islamic holidays were adhered to, and they were a lot of fun. Friday prayers were a way of life, and the five prayers a day were just something everyone did. It was normal and expected from everyone.

Never did anyone around me ever even in the slightest way question the notion that everything in Islam was 100 percent true.

Why would they?

But this early upbringing had, as one would imagine, quite an impression on my childhood. I was told that Islam was the only true religion, and that all other religions were against God’s word. I remember clearly starting every school day with a prayer that everyone was taught to memorize. It was in Arabic, so I never understood any of it. In my first-grade

class, we were taught how to pray and read the Koran, and part of our final exam was Koranic recitations. What is missing here is any knowledge of other faiths, or at least any knowledge that wasn’t presented in a neutral and disinterested way. One could forgive this as just a cultural phenomenon if it were not for the detrimental effect it has on the intellectual development of children.

It was not until several years after living in the U.S. that the first seed of doubt was planted. I went to a school where there were many other refugees like myself enrolled. This was very helpful for me as many of the other students there also knew almost no English, and the teachers took the time to explain things to us. But I had always had faith that what I believed in was the true faith.

A couple of years of living in the U.S., imbibing the new culture, and meeting many diverse peoples with different beliefs from my own created the first set of skeptical questions. How is it, then, that there are so many different religions in the world? Do they not know they’re all going to hell? Do they not believe in their religion as sincerely as I do mine? And these questions needed resolution. I found them certainly in some of the words of apologetics who used the Koran and some of its revelations to claim that Islam was the Truth. They pointed to certain scientific knowledge or philosophy. But as I became older, I gathered more intellectual as well as spiritual and moral courage to tackle these things head on. That’s something most theists do not always understand about atheists. Giving up a religion requires courage. And questioning a religion whose followers are not accustomed to being questioned on their faith requires quite a lot of courage. But it was not until I began to learn about the sciences that I finally knew that my intellect was at odds with my faith.

The theory of evolution by natural selection was the first time I came across a real answer to one of the biggest questions that kept me believing in Islam. Having

mountains of evidence to look through, and a theory that was so exhilaratingly simple and yet profound, caused me to look for other sources of knowledge. I was entranced by the grandeur of it all. I came across new ideas about where the universe came from, and how certain scientific laws worked, and I knew that I had to test certain claims of Islam if I was going to believe in it. Slowly they all began to lose any credibility and power they possessed over me when I was young. I was not afraid to question any part of the religion.

And by the time I was a teenager, I was an atheist at heart.

But to my parents, I was a Muslim.

Some of my friends knew I was an atheist, others thought I was a Muslim. Around other Muslims, I wouldn’t dare question the faith. But it came to a point in my house that I would say things that seemed to poke holes in my parents’ faith, like why we weren’t allowed to eat pork, or drink alcohol. To save the boredom of the story, I finally told my parents that I was an atheist in an argument, and all hell broke loose. My parents didn’t know how to handle it. Father wouldn’t talk to us until we said we were Muslims and prayed.

The word Kufar was thrown around to describe me, a word with unbelievable damning power behind it. Nevertheless, the moral, spiritual, and intellectual courage I had built up prepared me to stand my ground. I was not going to succumb to force.

Leaving Islam has probably been the best decision of my life. What has taken its place is a more honest search for truth or truths. Art, science, and philosophy have been a much better guidance, I realized, than anything someone might have said 1,400 years ago claiming irrefutability.

What it culminates in is a much greater love for life, as you finally see it as it really is, rather than through the narrow and flawed lens of religious dogma.

JXaXk IXYYXe` `j Xe fg$\[ Zfclde`jk ]fi K_\ ?\`^_kj% ?\ ZXe Y\ i\XZ_\[ Xk fg`e$ `fej7YZ_\`^_kj%Zfd%

K_\ fg`e`fej Xe[ Zfdd\ekXi`\j f] k_\ fg$\[ Zfclde`jkj Xe[ ZXikffe`jkj Xgg\Xi`e^ fe k_`j gX^\ i\gi\j\ek k_\ m`\nj f] k_\ Xlk_fi fi Xik`jk f] k_Xk gXik`ZlcXi g`\Z\# Xe[ efk e\Z\jjXi`cp k_\ m`\nj f] K_\ ?\`^_kj% 8ep f] k_\ Zfclde`jkj Xe[ Xik`jkj ]fi k_\ Fg`e`fej j\Zk`fe f] K_\ ?\`^_kj ZXe Y\ i\XZ_\[ Xk fg`e`fej7YZ_\`^_kj%Zfd%

KildgËj KiX[\ ;\Z\`k

E8K?8E ;8?C<E One of Donald Trump’s most forceful campaign tropes goes something like this: “We’re getting killed by China. We’re getting killed by Mexico.” Over and over, Trump proclaims that America is in its death throes, and that our economic adversaries are the perpetrators. His insistence on viewing the world through this prism of a zero-sum trade war has led him to make some dizzying claims, not least that “the concept of global warming was created by and for the Chinese in order to make U.S. manufacturing non-competitive.”

Despite such comical claims, I sometimes find myself drawn to Trump when I hear him speak about trade and his apparent concern for the American worker. I often wonder if I might be too indoctrinated with the neoliberal globalist orthodoxy to recognize free trade’s disastrous consequences for American workers. But I also know that the maddening complexity of the international financial system compounds the difficulty of verifying claims about trade, which makes it fertile ground for demagogues to build support through apocalyptic and specious rhetoric. Unfortunately, that seems to be exactly what Trump’s doing with trade. Let’s look at his plan.

Trump plans to instruct U.S. trade representatives to bring cases against China. That’s a good idea. We already do it all the time. The Obama administration has levied numerous complaints against China for unfair trade practices, many of which have been adjudicated in our favor. Trump’s plan includes a proposal to appoint “tough and smart trade negotiators to fight on behalf of American workers.” This is typical Trump, posturing as if just his sheer force of will and mere presence will make our trade partners cower.

Then there’s Trump’s vilification of China for its currency manipulation, which is at least partially justifiable. But his hyperbole is not nearly commensurate with the present gravity of the problem. China has historically kept its exchange rate artificially low to make its exports cheaper and its imports more expensive. But over the past several years, the Yuan has strengthened against the dollar.

Evidence suggests that the People’s Bank of China is actually propping it up.

There are good reasons, though, to be wary of Trump’s substantive trade policies, especially his penchant for punitive taxes and tariffs. If we were to place tariffs on goods from China and Mexico—he’s suggested as high as 45 percent—they could then do the same, spawning a cycle of trade retaliations that would wreak havoc on American companies and consumers. All Americans would end up paying a great deal more for their basic goods and services.

New tariffs would devastate American firms that do business in the offending countries.

Here’s just one reason why: 55 cents of every dollar spent on Chinese imports goes to U.S. firms that make inputs for those products, as does 40 cents of every dollar spent on Mexican imports. Punitive tariffs and taxes would be harmful to American companies, American workers, and American consumers.

Nor can the greatest imperative for free trade be forgotten. After World War II, trade negotiations played a central role in ensuring that such a large-scale atrocity would never occur again. The historical bend toward greater economic interdependence has ushered in a new era of increased peace and stability. Isolationism breeds fear, contempt, and suspicion.

After surveying Trump’s trade plan, it is clear that his policies are either redundant, hollow, or downright dangerous. Notwithstanding the inanity of his trade rhetoric, Trump’s fixation on the issue has had the important byproduct of illuminating the troubles experienced by those who have lost their jobs to the inexorable march of economic change. We have not done nearly enough to support them through trade adjustment policies, wage subsidies, and training programs.

But Trump’s promises of renewal through tough trade policies are empty. America will never again be the manufacturing force it once was for the simple reason that technological advances, mostly in automation, have exponentially increased efficiency, meaning far fewer workers are needed to produce the same amount of goods. Manufacturing is undergoing the same process that agriculture did before it.

What we need is a plan to keep America at the forefront of economic change, not the rear.

Trump’s rhetoric on trade must then be seen for what it is—a pernicious, though superficially attractive, attempt to garner support through sophistry and deceit.

EXk_Xe ;X_c\e `j Xe fg$\[ Zfclde`jk ]fi K_\ ?\`^_kj% ?\ ZXe Y\ i\XZ_\[ Xk fg`e`fej7YZ_\`^_kj%Zfd%

THE HEIGHTS

A10

Thursday, October 6, 2016

<GJ ?fjkj BX`e\ m% G\eZ\ Fm\i -, jkl[\ekj ^Xk_\i\[ kf nXkZ_ k_\ ]`ijk MG [\YXk\ 9P AL8E FC8M8II@8 D\kif <[`kfi

LIZZY BARRETT / HEIGHTS STAFF

>C: Gi\gj ]fi =`ijk Gi`[\ N\\b K_\ ^iflg n`cc _fjk X j\i`\j f] \m\ekj X`d\[ Xk ^`m`e^ C>9KH jkl[\ekj X jgXZ\ kf Z\c\YiXk\ Xe[ \[lZXk\% 9P N@CC D::8IK?P =fi K_\ ?\`^_kj Next week, the Undergraduate Government of Boston College’s GLTBQ Leadership Council (GLC) will introduce its first GLC Pride Week. Pride Week will involve a set of events and activities aimed at providing a space for LGBTQ students to celebrate their identities and educating allies on how they can support the community on campus.

This year, GLC is placing a special emphasis on intersectionality.

“We’re trying to make it more inclusive to a bunch of different identities,” said Anne Williams, chair of GLC and MC A S ’17.

“We’re focusing on intersectionality. So, how sexual orientation and gender identity intersect with race, class, ability, etc.”

In previous years, GLC held a similar event called National Coming Out Week. As part of the effort to be more inclusive, GLC wanted to expand its emphasis and include more stories than just coming out in this year’s program.

“We want to change that because coming out isn’t always part of people’s narratives,” said Nick Massimino, vice chair of GLC and

LSOE ’18.

According to Williams, there is a growing debate on the emphasis on ‘coming out’ as a central piece of what it means to be queer. There would not be a need to emphasize ‘coming out’ if society were less heteronormative, Williams said.

The week will kick off with a barbecue on Oct. 11 to celebrate National Coming Out Day, where those who feel it is an important part of their story can share their experiences.

On Oct. 12, GLC will hold an LGBTQ panel, which will focus on queer issues on a global scale.

GLC will also host a game night on Oct. 13 that is co-sponsored with Allies, a student group focused on how to be an ally to the LGBTQ community.

GLC will hold a community breakfast on Oct. 14. Pride Week concludes Friday night with a closing festival held in the Vandy Cabaret Room. At the closing ceremony, various a cappella groups will perform.

At each of the events throughout the week, GLC will distribute “Support Love” T-shirts . The shirts, however, will only be given to those who write down and submit a question they have about the LGBTQ community. These

questions will then be read and answered between sets or songs on Friday night at the closing festival. “ We hope for people to be genuinely interested,” Williams said. “We have a lot of wonderful stories to tell. We’re a really vibrant, diverse, varied community We have a lot of pride in who we are. We’re not going anywhere. We have a right to exist here.”

Although the dates of Pride Week have been set for months, it comes at a time of renewed conversation on campus, following the vandalization last month of a parking sign in the Mod Lot with an anti-gay slur.

L ast week , several student groups on campus , including GLC, held a march that hoped to break the silence many believe exists around LGBTQ issues on campus.

“I hope that the administration sees that there are so many LGBTQ+ students at BC who are proud to be themselves,” Dylan Lang, president of the Graduate Pride Alliance and SSW ’17, said in an email. “We are here and we will not be silent, so it is time to make changes to better the lives of LGBTQ+ students at Boston College now.”

Senator Tim Kaine of Virginia and Governor Mike Pence of Indiana took the stage Tuesday night during the first, and only, vice presidential debate of this election cycle to discuss both their own visions for the future of the country and to answer some of the criticisms leveled at the presidential candidates.

Polarizing candidates have mobilized large groups of people during this election cycle, especially among students, as interest among the younger demographics has increased, according to NPR. The Boston College Eagle Political Society and its community engagement committee hosted a viewing party last night that was attended by over 65 students, according to President Domenick Fazzolari, MCAS ‘17.

“We believe that everyone can be involved in politics through discussion and debate, and that we can grow and become better citizens through learning from one another,” he said.

“We encourage students from different parties and backgrounds to come together to have conversations and debates about the issues affecting themselves, the country, and the world.”

While Hillary Clinton recently held an event in Boston, where Mayor Martin J. Walsh, WCAS ’09, expressed his support and vowed to stump for the Democratic nominee in New Hampshire and Ohio, Donald Trump will visit New Hampshire next week.

The debate, which took place at Longwood University in Virginia, became a platform for both Kaine, Clinton’s running mate, and Pence, Trump’s Republican vice presidential candidate. While to many, Kaine and Pence represent some of the most irrelevant vice presidential candidates in recent memory, according to The Boston Globe, their fervor and substance-filled exchanges were a breath of fresh air, especially following last week’s lackluster presidential debate—after which neither Clinton nor Trump saw notable changes in their polling numbers, according to Washington Monthly.

Clinton only saw her polling numbers increase after The New York Times obtained Trump’s tax returns from 1995, which show a $916 million loss, suggesting that the real estate mogul could have avoided paying federal income taxes for years.

“This election is a phenomenon for several reasons, primarily because none of the debates to date have had a significant impact on how people were planning to vote and last week’s presidential debate was no different,” Taylor Cerwinski, MCAS ‘18, said.

Kaine in particular saw himself enter into a realm that the American public is not used to seeing him—a man on the offensive. Right from the start he was combative, constantly interrupting Pence during his allotted speak-

ing time, much to the chagrin of moderator Elaine Quijano, a CBS anchor.

“The people at home cannot understand either one of you when you talk over each other,” Quijano said, referencing the constant interruption.

Pence, keeping a cool head amid the interruption barrage coming from the Democratic corner, became visibly annoyed as the debate wore on and both Kaine and Quijano pressed him to defend Trump’s remarks on women’s health issues, immigration, and tax reform.

“I can’t imagine how Governor Pence can defend the insult-driven, me-first style of Donald Trump,” Kaine said.

While more mild-mannered and formal than Kaine on the night, Pence showed a deftness that was lacking from the headliner of his ticket, as he was able to bring a different face for the Republican Party to undecided voters.

He spoke at length about his time as both a congressman and governor, which complements Trump’s business acumen, he said.

After withstanding Kaine’s attacks, Pence went on the offensive, having some of his best moments while questioning Clinton’s decisions as secretary of state, including the events of Benghazi, Libya, in 2012 during which U.S. Ambassador J. Christopher Stevens and three others lost their lives, and her campaign’s prepared one-liners.

“You and Hillary Clinton would know a lot about an insult-driven campaign,” Pence said. “The campaign of Hillary Clinton and Tim Kaine has been an avalanche of insults.”

Pence also disputed many of the laws Clinton and Kaine proposed, saying their abortion policies would allow partial-birth abortions. Pence questioned Kaine’s values as a Catholic, stating that he was neglecting his own views to support those of Clinton.

But Kaine refused to back down, saying that a candidate’s faith should not dictate policy.

Eventually, the two vice presidential candidates turned their attention to the issue of violence by and toward law enforcement officers, particularly in the wake of yet another shooting in Los Angeles and the massacre in Dallas in July, when five officers were killed by a sniper. Unlike the main candidates, who cautiously avoided talking about the underlying issue of discrimination at length last week, Kaine and Pence embraced the discussion about the causes of the unrest.

Both candidates seemed to agree that community policing would rekindle relations and curb violence between disillusioned individuals and law enforcement. They disagreed, however, on the tone used to describe the role of police officers, with Pence decrying the “demeaning of law enforcement officers.”

Most importantly, Kaine and Pence avoided making significant errors during the night, protecting their running mates from criticism. Many candidates have used these debates to raise their national profiles.

Pence was tasked with defending Trump and emphasizing his ability to win.

The next presidential forum on Sunday, Oct. 19, will feature Trump and Clinton in a town meeting format, during which undecided voters will ask questions.

K_Xk :flc[ ?Xm\ 9\\e D\1 C\jjfej ]ifd N\cc\j :ifnk_\i PETER KRAUSE

I first heard the story of Welles Crowther soon after I arrived at Boston College as an assistant professor in the fall of 2012. I was awed by Crowther’s character and bravery, and I felt blessed to be joining an institution that helped to produce someone so devoted to the well-being of others that he selflessly sacrificed his life for theirs. Hearing Crowther’s story also brought back some searing memories of my own, centered around a nagging feeling that resurfaced every time I learned about a young man or woman killed in the Sept. 11 attacks on the World Trade Center—that could have been me.

Research shows that terrorist attacks have a larger impact on individuals the more they can identify with the victims due to their nationality, age, occupation, or, perhaps most importantly, the likelihood that they could have been in that location at the time of the attack.

In the summer of 2001, I worked in the World Trade Center and World Financial Center as an investment banking intern after completing my junior year of college. I was all but set on wanting to be a college professor, but I decided to dip my toe in the financial world to find out if an occupation certain to be far better financially

compensated could not also be as intellectually and emotionally fulfilling.

I left New York at the end of August 2001, confident in my decision to continue my pursuit of political science and history in academia, and having no idea that the most deadly terrorist attacks in history were about to demolish my former workplace and kill thousands of people within it.

Whenever I need a break from my office, I take a stroll around campus, and I inevitably find myself walking to the Sept. 11 Memorial Labyrinth behind the Bapst Library. I stare at the names of the 22 BC alumni who lost their lives in the attacks, and, inevitably, I find myself drawn to Crowther’s name in the stone. It never fails to inspire me, but recently it has also gotten me thinking about the lessons of Crowther’s sacrifice and what he can teach us about the struggle against terrorism.

Most strategies of counterterrorism focus on government action, from drone strikes to “enhanced interrogation,” from military invasions to airport security lines. Unfortunately, researchers have found little evidence that these tactics significantly lessen terrorist attacks or defeat terrorist groups over the long term.

Having studied terrorism for over a decade and taught about it for half of another, I’m increasingly convinced

that this is because the fight against terrorism is equally a societal struggle conducted by private citizens, as it is a political struggle waged by states. Unfortunately, as little as we know about what works for state counterterrorism, we know even less about what works for counterterrorism by individuals.

Thankfully, Crowther’s actions leading up to and during the Sept. 11 attacks illustrate many of the best lessons that individuals and societies should follow to deter future attacks, survive those that occur, and emerge ever more resilient and resolved.

By definition, terrorism is designed to inspire fear. This fear is intended to coerce the target audience into granting concessions, striking back with indiscriminate force, or changing its behavior in counterproductive ways. When terrorism is successful, it is because governments yield territory and break alliances, alienating foreign populations with indiscriminate violence that swells the ranks of the attacking group, and people stop traveling and stop living “normal” lives.

Crowther reacted to an unbelievable scene of destruction not with fearful stumbles, but with calm, effective action. His clear-eyed thinking amid extreme trauma stemmed in part from the knowledge he had gained as a volunteer firefighter. In one of my ongoing research projects, I find that greater

knowledge of the causes, strategies, and effectiveness of terrorism—or a lack thereof—makes people less likely to overhype the threat and succumb to counterproductive fear.

Crowther bravely overcame his fear, and he helped save the lives of up to 18 individuals without regard for their ethnicity, religion, or previous relationship to him. Many individuals who turn to terrorism, especially “lone wolves” like the Boston Marathon bombers, feel a lack of social connection to their local community. They join extremists who make them feel a sense of self worth and lash out at those they feel have rejected them. Crowther’s selfless care for those around him provides the ultimate example of how building stronger communities can not only make for happier, more prosperous lives for all, but also can make extreme violence less likely to happen in the first place.

This example lives on in Crowther’s parents, Alison and Jeff, who embody the very essence of resilience. By spreading Crowther’s message and organizing numerous events to build community at BC and beyond despite their unimaginable loss, the Crowthers have ensured that our society has stronger bonds than ever to face down any future challenge. All this combines to leave us with an enormous sense of pride in Crowther, in our BC community, and in our own humanity. We

have hope to overcome grief, resolve to overcome fear.

With the Red Bandanna Run and football game upon us and Crowther’s presence ubiquitous around campus, I realize that the phrase that haunted me for so long has begun to shift from one of potential victimhood to one of hopeful resolve. I don’t know if I would ever have the courage or the ability to do what Crowther did, but I know that his example inspires me to try.

He inspires me to be prepared in the unlikely case that I am put in a similar situation, and—most importantly—he inspires me to work hard to teach and strengthen my community in order to make such an event ever more improbable.

When will the tide against terrorism truly begin to turn? Researchers always look for metrics, ways to systematically measure that change has occurred. I think the answer may be closer than we think. We will win when more and more of us can hear the story of Crowther, look deep inside ourselves for what we have done and are prepared to do for those around us and honestly say—that could have been me.

G\k\i BiXlj\ `j Xe Xjj`jkXek gif]\jjfi f] gfc`k`ZXc jZ`\eZ\ Xk 9fjkfe :fcc\^\% ?\ ZXe Y\ i\XZ_\[ Yp \dX`c Xk biXlj\gX7YZ%\[l Xe[ fe Kn`kk\i 7g\k\iagbiXlj\%

REVIEW

‘HEAD CARRIER’

THE PIXIE’S LATEST ALBUM FINDS THE BAND RESHAPING THEIR SOUND, PAGE B4

COLUMN

MOUNTAINS AND MUSIC FINDING SERENITY IN THE SENTIMENTAL SOUND OF RUSTED ROOT, PAGE B3

REVIEW

‘22, A Million’

BON IVER ALTERS ITS ATMOSPHERIC SOUND IN AMBITIOUS NEW ALBUM,

Page B4

THURSDAY | OCTOBER 6, 2016

THE

ABBY PAULSON / HEIGHTS EDITOR

THE HEIGHTS

B2

A FULLER PICTURE

;:Ëj E\m\i$ <e[`e^ ?\cc

:?I@J =LCC<I

While it may be a little early to start freaking out ABOUT Marvel’s Doctor Strange (it won’t be released for another month) I can’t help myself—I’m beyond excited for this movie. Until recently, I always preferred DC Comics’s superheroes and films to Marvel’s, but with the recent releases of Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice and the absolutely pitiful Suicide Squad, I had to reevaluate my fandom and what I think each company’s real strengths and weaknesses are.

For me, DC’s strongest suit is Batman.

The caped crusader, his villains, and the multitude of variations they’ve all seen over the years, both on and off-screen, have captivated me since I was a little kid. There’s something especially captivating about the badass billionaire orphan detective and the foes he’s constantly battling. I don’t have the time or space to harp on why I like The Dark Knight so much here, but I think his popularity over the years speaks for itself.

Besides the solo Batman film that Ben Affleck is directing and starring in, DC holds few to no other interesting titles for me. The trailer for Wonder Woman looks promising, taking the heroine back to her time fighting alongside the Allies during WWI, but I’ve learned to be skeptical of great-looking trailers (i.e. Suicide Squad and Man of Steel). While current DC Films head Geoff Johns stressed the different direction he wants to push future DC movies, the fact is that Zack Snyder, the director of Batman v Superman, is at the helm of the Justice League film. Despite Johns’s desires to emphasize the “hopeful and optimistic view of life” these comics and their heroes hold, it’s easy for fans to be skeptical of future outcomes with Snyder still behind the scenes.

While DC seems to be working tirelessly to pull its s—t together over the next few years, busting out a Justice League film and several individual hero’s movies, Marvel is working in a different landscape with much more promising conditions. Marvel’s been at its game for a long time. The writers behind the franchise have worked well and closely with one another to make a cohesive cinematic universe that feels similar.

It doesn’t always look the same, as filming styles change between directors and the specific types of movies that are being made, but, generally, the Marvel films have a harmonic tone. This is something that, with its previously beyond-grim aesthetic and Johns’s promise to lighten up the franchise, DC cannot boast.

Aside from its tone, the Marvel cinematic universe looks like it will experiment with many of the company’s less popular heroes, giving audiences new characters to watch over the next decade instead of 30 different iterations of the same superhero.

With Doctor Strange, audiences will be introduced to a mystical dimension-shifting warlock. We’ve already gotten a peek of the African-king-turned-badass-vigilante Black Panther in Captain America: Civil War. Though it won’t be coming out for almost three years, Captain Marvel will see Brie Larson staring as Marvel’s first female lead.

While DC will have the first superhero female lead with Wonder Woman, Wonder Woman already has a large following and fan base and is considerably easier to sell to the general public than newcomer Captain Marvel will be.

Regardless, it’s obvious that Marvel isn’t afraid of exploring a whole new frontier of superhero possibilities, while the DC execs comfortably churn out cookie-cutter versions of heroes that moviegoers have seen over the years. It will, however, be interesting to see how long Marvel can successfully sustain its continually evolving cinematic universe and what the company will do when it eventually runs out of useable superheroes. But, hell, I never expected to see an Ant Man movie, so maybe it’ll never run out of superheroes to work with.

For the time being, it’s hard to continue being a DC fanboy. Sure, we’ve got Ben Affleck’s The Batman to look forward to, but besides that, the future looks grim for that comic book syndicate.

:_i`j =lcc\i `j k_\ 8ikj I\m`\n <[`kfi ]fi K_\ ?\`^_kj% ?\ ZXe Y\ i\XZ_\[ Xk Xikj7YZ_\`^_kj%Zfd%

Thursday, October 6, 2016

8^\c\jj Gfc`k`ZXc 8e`dfj`kp Xk FËE\`ccËj :Xikffe <o_`Y`k 9P :?8E;C<I =FI; ?\`^_kj JkX]] Boston College’s O’Neill Library unveiled an exhibit entitled Campaigns & Cartoons: Depictions of U.S. Presidential Candidates from 1828 to 2016 this past Wednesday, Oct. 5. The series of campaign cartoons and political satire pieces seeks to educate students on precisely what makes up political satire as a whole, and just how the genre has progressed (and perhaps regressed) over the past 200 years.

“These works promote debate by questioning a candidate’s character, skill, and judgment,” the introduction to the exhibit said.

“Often, these cartoons provoke an emotional response in the viewer, whether it be shock, laughter, or disgust.”

When walking up to the exhibit itself, it becomes clear just how true this statement is. The exhibit is set up in a chronological order, with the oldest of political cartoons on the left, and the newest on the right. Above the series of display cases is a classic image of Theodore Roosevelt pouring his beaker of “progressivism” and “pure democracy” into the mixing bowl that is a “Teddy speech.”

Alongside this concoction sit other disjointed ingredients (“Radical spice,” “Conservative views”), all of which are plastered on top of an eye-catching American flag. The exhibit is rather hard to miss.

Naturally, no exhibit on political cartoons would be complete without a tribute to Thomas Nast, the 19th-century father of the American cartoon. Centered within the first display case is a book detailing the history of his work, and surrounding it are examples of cartoons from the earliest stages of American history. It might actually be humorous if it was not so disheartening—while some cartoons are relatively inoffensive, most of the earliest American political satire is as biting and vicious as the 21st century’s attack ads. For instance, consider Nathaniel Currier’s “An Available Candidate” (1848), in which Zachary Taylor sits atop a throne of skulls, representative of his actions in the Mexican-American War. Less somber and more childish is John Childs’s “Ornithology” (1852), which depicts the presidential candidates as turkeys clucking over the Mason-Dixon line.

The most tiresome of realizations that Campaigns & Cartoons provides is one of

chronological progression. American satire over time has changed a surprisingly small amount—there is no clearer evidence than the far end of the exhibit, which is devoted to political cartoons from 2000 onward. The keynote cartoons are two New Yorker pieces, one of Hillary Clinton in a boxing ring, and one of Donald Trump caught in a rainstorm. While neither is explicitly attacking each candidate (a smart decision for a library that would want to remain bipartisan), it is not difficult for any American to envision the plethora of cartoons, attack ads, and sensationalism that has been unleashed during the 2016 election cycle. These pieces serve as placeholders for the vile, blithering enmity that has plagued this year. Campaigns & Cartoons is, if nothing else, incredibly relevant for college students, many of whom are voting for the first time this year.

With O’Neill Library’s newest exhibit, it is hard to not be reminded of French journalist Jean-Baptiste Alphonse Karr when he famously stated, “The more things change, the more they stay the same.” Certainly, specific nuances of the American political climate have changed over time—it would be idiotic to deny this. But there is a sense of déjà vu to Campaigns & Cartoons, too. History itself has progressed and changed, but the way human beings spew animosity and hate most certainly has not. This, perhaps, is the biggest takeaway from the exhibit—it is far, far easier to fall into a cycle of anger than a cycle of rational political discussion.

As viewers leave the exhibit, one more thing will stand out. Along the far edge of the exhibit is a printout of an XKCD webcomic, entitled “Electoral Precedent,” which reminds us that making election predictions based on previous results rarely works out by Election Day. Though this is only one more cartoon to be viewed and analyzed, it also offers a kernel of hope. As an American voter, one must never be discouraged by the ill will and personal attacks that invariably hit the airwaves during every election. Even though hate may prevail in the moment, the culture of American democracy can always change for good.

The presentation is both free and open to the general public, and can be found in the third-floor reading room of O’Neill Library. It will remain open until the end of December.

LAURIE ST. CLAIR / HEIGHTS STAFF

Capturing a specific kind of vitriol and viciousness, O’Neill Library displays some of the most compelling American political cartoons from campaigns throughout the ages.

THIS WEEKEND in arts

BY: HANNAH MCLAUGHLIN | ASST. ARTS & REVIEW EDITOR

‘GIRL ON THE TRAIN’ (OPENS FRI.)

CAMPAIGNS & CARTOONS: (OCT. TO DEC.)

Emily Blunt stars as troubled protagonist Rachel Watson in this mystery-thriller mashup. Based on the Paula Hawkins novel of the same name, this film promises gripping suspense in every scene.

This semester, the third-floor reading room in O’Neill Library will feature an eye-catching exhibit of political cartoons. The images show cartoonists’ renditions of presidential candidates from 1826 to 2016.

‘THE BIRTH OF A NATION’ (OPENS FRI.) Written, directed, and starring Nate Parker as enslaved Baptist preacher Nat Turner, The Birth of a Nation is an emotional, drama-infused biography film. Turner’s determination to attain justice and freedom makes for a remarkable historical biopic.

R. KELLY (THURS. AT 8 P.M.) Head to the TD Garden this Thursday for an unforgettable R&B performance from R. Kelly. Peppering soul and gospel sounds into his style, the singersongwriter will bring some of his greatest hits to the Boston stage.

UNIVERSAL PICTURES

‘JERSEY BOYS’ (SAT. AT 2 P.M.) The Boston Opera House will play host to this new interpretation of a Broadway classic. Sing your way through the story of Jerseyborn rock ’n roll group The Four Seasons with hits like “Sherry” and “December 1963 (Oh, What a Night).”

JOAN BAEZ (SAT. AT 8 P.M.) This indie-folk singer is set to take the stage this weekend at the Citi Performing Arts Center. Baez’s fans will be treated to her catchy, hit songs and lyrics inspired by social justice movements and protests.

HISPANIC HERITAGE MONTH ART EXHIBIT (OCT. 1 THROUGH OCT. 31) Set in a fantasy realm of misfit children with magical peculiarities, this movie tells the unbelievable story of a boy whose special power will help save his new friends from danger.

“BEYOND WORDS: ILLUMINATED MANUSCRIPTS IN BOSTON COLLECTIONS” (SUN. AT 2 P.M.) Spend your Sunday learning about ancient relics and paintings at free Docent tours, held every Sunday afternoon in October. The featured exhibit explores the place of books and the written word in medieval society.

B3

THE HEIGHTS

Thursday, October 6, 2016

FULL SWING IN FULL EFFECT BC’s underdog dance team incorporates swing, hip-hop, and ballet.

9P :?I@J =LCC<I 8ikj I\m`\n <[`kfi Walk into the Brighton Dance Studio on a Tuesday or Thursday night, and you’ll hear a cacophony of songs ringing throughout the building and its several separate practice rooms. In the main space, the first room you enter through the studio’s front doors, there are a few separate crews and performers stretching, practicing steps or even a full routine. Everyone looks serious, concentrating on whatever they’re trying to perfect or work through and, for the most part, they seem uninviting. Off in the back corner, on the other hand, either through a small, square locker room or a narrow corridor from the main room, you’ll come across 20 or so dancers laughing, tumbling around, and practicing intricate flip tosses.

These dancers, practicing choreography for a few different performances throughout the year, make up just a small portion of Full Swing, Boston College’s one and only swing dance crew.

Full Swing hasn’t always been Full Swing.

From 1998, the year the club was founded, until 2014, Full Swing was called Swing Kids, referencing the 1993 film starring Christian Bale. The club’s name was not the only thing that changed that year. Though a new e-board is elected every school year, today’s e-board members feel that 2014 was the year that Full Swing started to pull its act together with better leadership, more choreographed dances, and more marketing for events across campus. While membership for Full Swing has always been on the rise, the last few years have seen a dramatic increase in attendance at both the group’s weekly lessons and its socials.

Right now, Full Swing has over 200 general members. General members are people who are currently only taking lessons and attending the club’s socials. After attending a combination of five lessons or socials, you become an active member, which means that you are able to try out for Full Swing’s several choreographed dance routines that are performed at a variety of Full Swing and more general dance events throughout the year. There are currently over 50 active members of Full Swing.

Lessons are meant to introduce the basic technicalities of Full Swing’s particular type of dance to interested and amateur dancers. Full Swing members practice a type of swing dance called Lindy Hop, which, as opposed to, say, West Coast or East Coast swing, is a melding of several different dance types, such as the Charleston, breakaway,

A MCLAUGHLIN MINUTE

Dlj`Z fm\i DflekX`ej ?8EE8? D:C8L>?C@E

JOSHUA MENTZER / HEIGHTS STAFF

and tap dance. Though Full Swing relies heavily upon the traditional Lindy Hop, choreographers and teachers are not afraid to add other stylistic elements from ballet or hip-hop dance styles. Full Swing e-board members emphasize the accessibility of their lessons, harping on the fact that many members had no previous dance experience before starting Full Swing.

“There’s no expectation of you knowing how to dance,” said Dave Huffman, Full Swing’s treasurer and CSOM ’18. “You don’t really need any dancing background at all.

The Macarena was the high point for me before I joined. Once you learn the basics, you can go to a social and then half the time, you’re not really making any mistakes, if you act confidently enough, you’ve just created a new move.”

These lessons are taught on Mondays and Tuesdays by veteran Full Swing members, whom the e-board is confident can show newcomers the ropes of Lindy Hop. There are also usually Full Swing active members at the lessons that are happy to work with people that start lessons later in the semester. The instructors work off of a syllabus each semester, starting with the very basics at the beginning of each semester and working through some more complicated motions and techniques as the semester goes on.

Aside from these lessons, another enticing aspect for newcomers to dancing and Full Swing is the group’s four socials, which are thrown throughout the course of the year. These socials present BC students with the chance to get dressed up and go out for a night of dancing and music with their friends. They’ve been thrown all across campus, from the Rat, to Eagle’s Nest, and, most recently, out on Stokes Lawn.

At the socials, one can really get a sense of the camaraderie that Full Swing members feel toward one another and how welcoming they are to interested students and the community as a whole. There aren’t many, or even any, other times on campus when you see an elderly guy get asked to dance by a college-aged woman. While that may sound a little strange, it’s actually quite touching to see. These socials prove that the swing style is alluring to people of all age groups and is accessible pretty much across the whole spectrum of dance ability.

While Full Swing is unique in having a social scene, seeing as the other dance groups on campus don’t hold social dances or open lessons for newcomers, there is also a competitive aspect to the group.

Like most dance crews, Full Swing is vying

ABBY YOUNG / HEIGHTS STAFF

ABBY YOUNG / HEIGHTS STAFF

for a spot in the annual ALC Showdown, a dance competition put on every spring by the AHANA Leadership Council. In the past two years, Full Swing has found itself in the Showcase category. Before that, the last time Full Swing appeared in Showdown was back in 2010, when the club was still known as Swing Kids. In the last two years, and especially this year, the group has put a heavy emphasis on building its Showdown routine and practicing it thoroughly.

“Our mixing wasn’t fantastic in 2015,” said Dante Keeler, one of Full Swing’s Showdown captains and MCAS ’17. “We didn’t have a cohesive theme. We just had three unconnected songs, and that didn’t work well with what the other groups had going.

We spent last year getting acquainted again with how Showdown really works and we got a standing ovation at that show, so I think as long as we really work on it, we should do just fine this year.”

Besides its Showdown performance later this year, Full Swing has a number of performances and collaborations lined up for the rest of the school year. Throughout the year, Full Swing can be seen performing during Love Your Body Week and Week of Dance, as well as at the Sexual Chocolate Rookie Show and the SEASA and Conspiracy Theory Show. Full Swing will have its second solo show in Robsham this upcoming March.

The group also hosts one of its socials with BC bOp!, BC’s only jazz ensemble, and it performs with bOp! during Arts Fest at the end of the year. Hopeful of obtaining a spot in the Competitive category at this year’s Showdown, Full Swing may be on its way to being one of the most prominent emblems of BC’s dance modern dance scene.

Breaking outside the bounds of campus and the student body, Full Swing has a few

partnerships with swing dance groups on other Boston campuses as well as in the city itself. The group’s socials are marketed to the swing dance crews at MIT and Tufts, as well as to Boston Lindy Hop and Swing Central. Members of Full Swing enjoy venturing out into the city or onto other campuses to partake in swing dance events throughout the school year. Every summer, Full Swing members who are still in the New England area go down to New York for the annual Midsummer Night’s Swing event. The wide range of events that Full Swing members attend both on and off campus throughout the year highlight their love and enthusiasm for swing dancing and the communion that they share.

Many members of the e-board stress the easygoing nature of Full Swing and how much they enjoy the group dynamics at play in the different dances that they perform.

While many aspects of other dance crews and types highlight individual talent, at all times, there is a partner dynamic at play in Full Swing’s routines.

Many members pointed to their partner dynamics as one of the most enjoyable and intriguing facets of being part of Full Swing.

They feel that they have made some of their closest friends at BC through their time with Full Swing and that their dancing partner is someone they usually learn to trust holistically, not just in their dances together.

“It’s all about chemistry and partner connection,” said Naz Subah, Full Swing’s president and CSOM ’17. “If you’ve been dancing with someone for a really long time, you feel comfortable with him or her. My partner knows how to manage my body, and I know how to manage his. It takes a lot of trust to build a partnership and it shows in a performance.”

JOSHUA MENTZER / HEIGHTS STAFF

I love autumn. There, I said it.

Now, before readers erroneously pin lame pumpkin spice lattes and other autumn-associated clichés on my reasoning for savoring this particular season, hear me out. First, I’d like it on record that in a battle of fall’s traditional seasonal flavors, a pumpkin spice somethingor-other has absolutely nothing on a classic caramel apple cider. This—a scientificallybacked fact, I’m sure—should not be disputed.

Second, and most importantly, I consider myself a fall fanatic thanks to creaky log cabins, large family reunions, and one quirky melody that will undoubtedly remain forever embedded in my memory.

There’s a funny little song out there—a jaunty and inviting number nestled comfortably in nearly every one of my current Spotify playlists. Iconic and easily identifiable within the first few notes, it’s a charming ’90s chart-topper peppered with yearning vocals, high-pitched flute solos, and a carefree kind of vibe that seeps seamlessly into the context of a road trip. Specifically, I’m alluding to the annual two-and-a-half hour drive from my small Massachusetts suburb to an even smaller New Hampshire village—an autumnal migration made with my mom’s side of the family every October since I can remember.

Much like the bizarre elements that combine to create such a unique track, the song’s accompanying video is nothing short of eccentric. Cloaked in earth-tone Apache blankets, wielding tambourines held tightly at the far end of flailing arms, and sporting some questionable fashion trends which thankfully never survived the turn of the century, the band ‘smembers skip merrily around, their intertwining paths creating wayward patterns in the dry, Midwestern dust. The lively song and dance is plastered against the breathtaking majesty of a Badlands background located somewhere in South Dakota.

For most, the guttural vocals of lead singer Michael Glabicki are virtually incomprehensible. A music video that, once viewers get past the initial shock of Glabicki’s ketchupand-mustard colored suit, seems whimsical and otherworldly in a spiritual sort of way. As childlike and odd-sounding as Rusted Root’s “Send Me On My Way” may be, and as much as most of us might like to forget the fashion faux pas of a decade long past, that doesn’t mean it’s not a damn good song.

The song, one which has thrived in the music world for exactly the same number of years as I have existed in the human one, is a track that I always associate with my family’s yearly Columbus Day trip to a small cabin burrowed in North Conway, N.H. Each year, just before arriving at our destination, we would pass through a certain segment of the mountain range where we would be treated to the most astounding representation of a true new England autumn.

Often, the song would blast through our trusty Toyota Sienna’s speakers while we gazed at the scenery outside, overwhelmed and dazzled by the White Mountains that seemed to envelop and swallow our car whole. Small lakes located sporadically along our route sparkled bright with the light from a warm October sun, and the fire-hued foliage dotted the mountain range brilliantly like a bona fide Impressionist painting.

And that was just the ride there. The ensuing hours of the weekend were marked by scenic hikes and afternoons spent at Story Land. Flag football was played when we weren’t watching Red Sox playoffs or Patriots games.

For years, Columbus Day has marked my favorite three days of every year.

Already, I’m craving the liberating sensation of being entirely removed from the stresses of school—a feeling derived simply from being surrounded by little more than family and forests. I have grown to appreciate and expect a familiar sense of serenity that overcomes me whenever Columbus Day weekend draws near.

This year, though, things will be different. I can’t make it.

I don’t like change. And frankly, having to break tradition for the first time is a little frightening. I’m not exactly sure what I’ll do without my annual October getaway.

Thankfully, with the help of a premium Spotify account and a replay button, I think I’ll be able to extract the familiar sentiment from a song I know. And thus my affinity for autumn will endure.

?XeeX_ DZCXl^_c`e `j k_\ 8jjk% 8ikj I\m`\n <[`kfi ]fi K_\ ?\`^_kj% J_\ ZXe Y\ i\XZ_\[ fe Kn`kk\i 7_adZcXl^_c`e%

THE HEIGHTS

B4

Thursday, October 6, 2016

Ê))# 8 D`cc`feË 9fe @m\i <]]\Zk`m\cp KiXejZ\e[j `kj Iffkj 9P >I@==@E IF9@CC8I; =fi k_\ ?\`^_kj It’s been five years since its last album, Bon Iver, and the world has changed. But so has Justin Vernon.

22, A Million is undoubtedly ambitious, but that is to be expected from an artist whose success is built upon nonconformity to the traditional indie aesthetic. The whole notion of indie music has changed since its debut album. In Carl Wilson’s brilliant article, “Against ‘Indie,’” that appeared in Slate last year, he states that “the comebacks of many flagship 2000s bands show it’s time to eliminate this out-dated,

insular, and implicitly racist term.”

This article referenced five bands in particular: Belle & Sebastian, SleaterKinney, Modest Mouse, Death Cab for Cutie, and Sufjan Stevens. While 22, A Million is by no means a comeback album, it is a ‘coming back.’ A lot can happen in five years.

Pitchfork, too, published an article

by Sarah Sahim last year called “The Unbearable Whiteness of Indie.” It’s a passionate offensive against the term and probably a bit harsh, but she said what needed to be said: we’re all sick of white hipsters trying to be Arctic Monkeys or bearded folkies picking up banjos, singing about some wise,

nonexistent brother in verbed out harmony trying to be Mumford & Sons.

Vernon knew he had to change.

Like Neil Young after Heart of Gold, Bon Iver found itself in ‘the middle of the road’ and bored, so it ran as far as it could in the opposite direction.

Predictably, this means that instead of a cheap microphone, a USB interface, and an acoustic guitar, the recording is not only more sonically complicated, but more layered, too. Chris Messina, who engineered the album, and Vernon developed an instrument called the Messina (named after himself), which utilizes plug-ins and hand-built

MUSIC

22, A MILLION BON IVER PRODUCED BY JAGJAGUWAR RELEASE SEPT. 30, 2016 OUR RATING

JAGJAGUWAR

hardware to produce the sounds present on every track.

Listeners will find that 22 is Bon Iver’s most challenging album yet: it is by no means easy listening. Vernon’s work has always had a fascination with the ineffable. If one looks at the trajectory of Vernon’s songwriting from For Emma to 22, then it’s clear he has abandoned anything resembling formal song structure. Songs such as “29 #Stafford APTS,” “666,” and the album’s closer, “00000 Million,” could belong on Bon Iver and wouldn’t be out of place, serving as a midpoint to 22.

Vernon sings, “It might be over soon,” on the opening track, “OVER S∞∞N.” Now 35, Vernon may not be having a midlife crisis, but he is questioning his larger relation to the world.

It would be reductive to Vernon’s artistic ambitions and insulting to his intelligence to phrase this as a “what does it all mean?” album. Rather, one should view this as an album in which Vernon seeks to place himself within his past and future. If there is an essential thematic question of the album it would be: where am I now?

Though at first listen less lyricallybased than the previous two albums, Vernon has honed his craft even further in songs such as “715- CRΣΣKS,” which vies for the title of most poignant song on the album. Vernon laments, “How we gonna cry? / Cause

it once might not mean something.”

There is an aching temporality, but Vernon doesn’t slow down or whine, powerless to thepassage of time. The song is a jumble of memories, but the song is chiefly concerned with surrendering to the fact that his question might be unanswerable.

“33 ‘GOD’” follows “715” and poses a similar question: “Is the company started?” Bon Iver’s lyrics have always demanded a degree of freedom in interpretation, but the restless quality of the song is best conveyed by Vernon’s rich, quavering falsetto, not his lyrics. Vernon openly acknowledged that working with Kanye West, who once called Vernon his “favorite living artist,” offered him the encouragement to experiment with this album. If one equates 22 to Kanye’s Yeezus, then Vernon’s artistic choices make more sense.

If there is one defining fault of this album, it is that we cannot help but wonder if some of the choices are more random than deliberate.

On a song such as “____45____”, Vernon modulates and processes the saxophone brilliantly and it feels intentional. At times, though, one wishes on a song like “666” that Vernon hadn’t just rolled the dice a bit more. We don’t deserve an answer, but after 34 minutes one may wonder what if “it once might not mean something?”

G`o`\j =`e[ Gf`j\# I\c\Xj`e^ IXn Jfle[j `e Ê?\X[ :Xii`\iË 9P :<:@C< C8>@E<JKI8 =fi k_\ ?\`^_kj

The Pixies have officially re-arrived. The legendary alternative rock band has finally made a comeback worthy of their iconic status. The band’s latest release, Head Carrier, which dropped on Sept. 30, is a nod to the Pixies’ past, with a conscious acknowledgement of the present.

Without founding bassist Kim Deal in the mix, the band has finally come to terms with who they are now, and where they need to go musically. Head Carrier lacks some of the originality and fire the band is known for, but it does have the confidence and self-assured cohesion that 2014’s transitional album, Indie Cindy, lacked.

The group’s ego suffered a major hit after the release of Indie Cindy.

Fans’ expectations for the group’s imminent return began mounting during the 10-year hiatus they took between the 1991 drop of their album Trompe le Monde and the shocking release of their 2014 comeback. Indie Cindy tried too hard to recapture the raw, ragged and youthful energy the group is known for. The album ended up being overstated and anticlimactic. Head Carrier is proof that the Pixies have learned from their mistakes.

The Pixies are an alternative rock band founded in 1986 in Boston.

Lyricist and lead vocalist Black Fran-

cis and guitarist Joey Santiago met while studying at UMass Amherst, and they recruited Kim Deal, one of the preeminent female bassists in the rock genre, and put David Lovering on drums. The Pixies became known for their unique marriage of psychedelic jams and punk rock, with noticeable influences from the surfer rock and noise-pop genres that dominated the times. With more visible success on the U.K. charts than in the U.S., the magnitude of the Pixies’ influence on the grunge movement of the ’90s is not blatantly obvious.

Nirvana, Radiohead, Weezer, and Blur all cite the Pixies as having a great influence on their careers, as the band practically revolutionized the role that dynamics and genre-blending played in alternative rock music. They thrive on their oddball energy, and have a unique ability to transport the listener to a state of dreaminess.

This album has very little in the way of audio production. Instead, the band aims for a raw, live concert sound. Head Carrier maintains the use of dynamics The Pixies are known for. Starting and stopping, loud and soft, and clarity and mystery are all characteristic of the group and the album. The gentle guitar riffs, accompanied by Paz’s light whispering background vocals, offset the thumping backbeat and loud frenzy that defines Black Francis.

It is fairly obvious that the band

is taking a look back in time at its previous repertoire as inspiration for Head Carrier. This record is more influenced by surf rock than The Pixies’ other albums. There is a much calmer vibe overall, with the exception of a few songs. The album has a very similar sound to arguably their most famous album—1988’s Surfer Rosa. The song “Um Chagga Lagga” resembles the songs “Oh My Golly” and “Isla de Encanta,” while Head Carrier’s “Oona” could have been a song from their 1989 album Doolittle.

Despite these similarities, there are a few standout songs every Pixies fan

will be blasting.

“Talent” is the most energetic track on the album, showcasing quiet, reserved verses bookended by an explosive chorus. “All I Think About Now” is essentially Lenchantin’s chance to reinvent the 1988 hit track “Where Is My Mind?” used in David Fincher’s film Fight Club. The bassline and vocals are incredibly similar, down to the moaning oohhhs. “All I Think About Now” is getting publicity because of the lyrics, which seem to be an apology from the band to former bassist Deal.

Head Carrier has a lot to offer

listeners. It won’t disappoint even the most dedicated Pixies fans, but its memorability remains to be seen.

There is an immense pressure and standard that comes with being as influential a band as the Pixies. Gary Smith, the producer and mastermind behind Nirvana’s Nevermind and the Pixies’ Come on Pilgrim, famously said, “I’ve heard it said about the Velvet Underground that while not a lot of people bought their albums, everyone who did started a band. I think this is largely true of the Pixies as well.”

Head Carrier may just be the album to make you pick up a guitar.

Five short years ago, Danny Brown was a 30-year-old rapper still pining for a place on hip-hop’s main stage.

Today, with Atrocity Exhibition, he’s made what very well may be the best rap album of 2016. Danny Brown began turning heads in 2011 with his second studio album, XXX. This record, which contained as many party-rap cuts as it did melancholic

tunes, effectively established Danny as the Jekyll and Hyde of rap—one minute he was gleefully embracing decadence, the next lamenting its poisonous allure.

In a recent interview with NPR’s All Songs Considered, Danny expressed discontent toward people viewing him as a mere “atrocity exhibition,” something horrendous that people are grossly attracted to.

“People look at me like I’m some type of crazy, drugged-out, drug addict

TOP SINGLES

1 Closer The Chainsmokers 2 Heathens twenty one pilots 3 Starboy Weeknd ft. Daft Punk 4 Cold Water Major Lazer ft. JB, MO 5 Let Me Love You DJ Snake ft. JB 6 Treat You Better Shawn Mendes 7 Cheap Thrills Sia ft. Sean Paul 8 Broccoli D.R.A.M. ft. Lil Yachty

TOP ALBUMS

1 Illuminate Shawn Mendes 2 Views Drake 3 Suicide Squad Soundtrack 4 Farm Tour Luke Bryan 5 Chapter and Verse Bruce Springsteen Source: Billboard.com

MUSIC VIDEO

CAROLINE MCCORMACK

“METEORITE” YEARS & YEARS

MUSIC

HEAD CARRIER PIXIES PRODUCED BY PIAS RECORDS RELEASE SEPT. 30, 2016 OUR RATING

PIAS RECORDS

8[[`Zk`fe Jg\ZkXZc\ 9ifb\e# 9ifne `j ef Ê8kifZ`kp <o_`Y`k`feË 9P N@CC M8E ;8CJ<D =fi k_\ ?\`^_kj

CHART TOPPERS

or something,” he said. “Don’t get entertained by that.” But with Atrocity Exhibition, entertainment is exactly what Danny gives his young fans.

Named after the Joy Division song of the same name, this album is Danny’s way of firing back at those who amuse themselves with his drug addiction. Drugs are a major part of the record’s subject matter, but there are no more party-rap dance tunes.

There is no more split personality, no more Jekyll and Hyde. There is only

MUSIC

ATROCITY EXHBITION DANNY BROWN PRODUCED BY WARP RELEASE SEPT. 30, 2016 OUR RATING

WARP

one Danny Brown on this record, one that embraces decadence as a fact of life that is slowly killing him.

Danny pulls the listener headfirst into his abysmal reality of addiction and depression, as death lurks around every corner.

The intro track “Downward Spiral” impeccably sets the tone for the record. Danny’s whacky whine enters almost immediately (“I’m sweating like I’m in a rave / Been in this room for three days”) atop haphazard acoustic drums and an ominous guitar twang. He paints a dark, lonely picture of drug use, sexual exploits, and disillusionment with fame, so vivid that you feel as if you’re living in his nightmarish world.

The instrumentals on “Rolling Stone,” produced by South African singer Petite Noir, features a skeletal groove with clunky bass lines and chilly chorus vocals, atop which Danny spits steady but convicted bars.

The beat on “Lost” sports a haunting, almost ghostly vocal splice from Chinese singer Lena Lim’s “Lian Zhi Huo.” Danny’s weaves his flows masterfully around the stop-start rhythm on this track.

Even the “bangers” on Atrocity Exhibition are a long way off from

the molly-popping festival crowdpleasers like “Dip” and “Smokin’ & Drinkin’” from Old. “Ain’t It Funny” employs a jarring, brittle synth sample of Nick Mason from Pink Floyd’s “Wervin,’” which complements Danny’s relentless, paranoid verses.

“When It Rain,” the album’s lead single, features spooky bass drones and nutty synth leads atop a booming drum beat. Danny delivers one of the fastest, most fiery flows of his career on the cut, sounding desperate and frightened half to death.

As good as the beats are, however, Atrocity Exhibition is really all about Danny Brown. Almost all of the songs on this record feature Danny rapping in his characteristic cooky, high-pitched voice as he raps about his struggle. On “White Lines,” his voice quavers and croaks as he fears overdosing, rapping “I hope it ain’t ’bout my time to go.”

Danny comes through with his most experimental, compelling record yet. It may be his best work.

With Atrocity Exhibition, Danny Brown has shown fans and haters alike that he’s more than a mere junkie. He isn’t just a party-rapper.

He isn’t just another whacked-out MC. He is a true artist.

The lead singer of the band Years & Years lights up the screen with his Swarovski-encrusted catsuit in the band’s newest music video for its song “Meteorite.”

The catsuit, designed by Lara Jenson, is the main attraction of the performance. Perhaps channeling the energy of the meteorite, Olly Alexander makes a fabulous statement with the video, dazzling viewers with his dance moves and sparkling ensemble.

This video definitely shows off the flashy, enthusiastic personality of Alexander. His dance moves, mirroring a meteorite, are out of this world. He perfectly embodied the passion and emotion of the song, while managing to let the words speak for themselves.

Although the singer is usually the frontman in most of the band’s music videos, we never really see the singer go to extremes in the videos and take complete control.

The video seems to be both an embodiment of the meteorite as well as a display of Alexander’s temperament.

It looks as if the singer and the background dancers embody a solar system of sorts, all dressed in white surrounding or orbiting Alexander as the meteorite. They follow Alexander’s lead, while also adding a bit of their own personalities into the portrayal. Although the moves didn’t look completely human, they were well executed and were imbued with a radiant and alluring majesty.

This video, being a little different from anything viewers have seen from the group, is both fun and refreshing. It perfectly complements the music and even adds more fervor to the lyrics than is offered only with the audio.

With this video, Years & Years is taking a turn for the more daring and bold. The British electronic band has already established itself with an American audience, but this video and the music to follow suit may attract a new following that is interested in more provocative performances.

SINGLE REVIEWS BY CAROLINE MCCORMACK THE CHAINSMOKERS “All We Know”

NORAH JONES “Tragedy”

NIALL HORAN “This Town” The Chainsmokers have another hit on their hands with “All We Know.” Featuring the vocals of singer-songwriter Phoebe Ryan, The Chainsmokers highlight the talent of a relatively unheard of artist. Reflective lyrics and cool background music will be sure to have people contemplating on their feet.

Niall Horan is back, and this time as a solo artist. “This Town” is the first song released by the musician, and he holds onto his One Direction essence. The song’s acoustic twist feels more authentic to the soul of the sweet-hearted Irishman, rather than the flashy numbers that made their way out of the band.

The Grammy Award-winner is at it again with her latest single, “Tragedy.” In this slow, melodic tune, Jones pulls at the same heartstrings that have won her so many awards in the past. Showing off her vocals and her old bluesy style, the track is sure to be a favorite among fans.