The Vanguard - 03/05/2009

THE VANGUARD SERVING BENTLEY UNIVERSITY SINCE 1963

VOLUME XLVII ISSUE VI

THURSDAY, MARCH 5, 2009

WWW.BENTLEYVANGUARDONLINE.COM

This Issue Business Bowl brings competition and cash

Bentley Business Bowl “Safe Rides” Income Tax Basics

Club Updates ..................5 “How We Decide” ..........6 Food Dude: Top Chef Commentary .....................7 For Your Entertainment: MSTRKRFT.......................8 This Month at Bentley in Photos ............................9 Fasta Pasta ......................9 Mistress of Issues: Girlfriend Envy ...........10 Notes from Abroad .....11 Look into Dividends ...12 Ice Hockey ......................14 Men’s Swimming ..........14 Women’s Basketball ..15 Men’s Basketball ..........16

Feature above: James Haight, Carlo Ingato, Grace Karon, Greg Bucci, and Aaron Cote (left) winners claiming their prizes (right) .

Sarah Adams STAFF WRITER

On February 28, students gathered in the Executive Dining Room of to receive their case assignments for the annual Bentley Business Bowl. Each class was assigned a specific case and each team of five was given four to six hours to research and prepare a presentation with a proposed solution. Participants are allowed to use any resource or media on campus with the exception of a member of another team.

For the lower classes, cases involve a series of ethics problems, while seniors and graduates had more complex business situations.

Twelve years ago, The Bentley Business Bowl was started by professor Richard Cross of the accounting depart-

ment. Jeanne DiBona, the head of career services and one of the organizers of the bowl, stated that “this campus wide event has really evolved. Now they incorporate all majors, they really want everyone involved.”

Originally the event was solely sponsored by the Bentley Chapter of the National Association of Black Accountants (NABA), but this year the President’s Office, the Department of Accountancy, and the Corporate Relations Office also sponsored the event.

Each team is scored by a group of judges that are evenly split between business recruiters in the Boston area and Bentley alumni.

DiBona stated “The main criteria judges look for are how relevant and realistic the solutions are to the case, how professional and effective the presentation is,

A solution to the search for a “safe ride” home

A solution to drinking and driving.

Melody Shekari STAFF WRITER

It’s the end of a Saturday night- you’re out of money, it’s late, and you just want a safe, easy way to get back on campus. What should you do?

Students often take a cab back to campus but can’t pay; but at other universities, reliable rides are just a phone call

Photo from www.miller-mccune.com

away.

These universities are starting to take action in providing safe transportation for students going off-campus on the weekends. Started in 2006, the University of Connecticut’s Guard Dogs are a group of students that provide rides on Friday and Saturday from 11 p.m. to 3 a.m.

Students call the Guard

Dogs phone number, and a driver will bring students to their homes as long as it’s within four miles of campus.

The program is sponsored by the school as well as local companies and bars. They advocate that their program is student-run and non-judgmental about alcohol use, which is how they are unique from other services run by campus police.

Kansas State University also has a program called Saferide.Their purpose is to reduce student drunk driving by providing a safe ride home.

The taxis are available at a designated taxi station or by phone, and as long as one person in the party shows their school ID, the taxi will drop its passengers off at any address within the city limits.

In the past, cities like Washington D.C. and New York City have also hosted programs with free cab rides up to a certain amount, but (continued on Page 12)

and the active participation of each group member. “ There is one winning team selected from each grade. Each member of a winning senior or graduate team receives $350, while juniors are given $250, and freshman and sophomores are awarded $200.

There are also money prizes for the second and third place winners as well as a complementary prize for all participants.

Raffles throughout the day are an added bonus.

After each team of students

Photos by Taylor Guay

presents their case to the judges, everyone meets back in the Executive Dining Room for the reception and announcement of the winners. While talking to a group of students at the reception, each agreed that “it’s a great opportunity to work with a team to solve real world business problems, but the most worthwhile part of the entire day is getting to network with respected business leaders and alumni which can become excellent contacts for me in the future.”

Congratulations to our winners Freshman winners: Ross Milne, Layne Sadler, Cody Clarkson, Chris Higgins, Brett Kirkland Sophomore winners: Anton Sadovnikov, Monil Kothari, Keith Dugas, Robert Antoniak, Jacob Graham Junior winners: Abigail DeMusis, Megan Hill, Victoria Patterson, Stephanie Wright Senior winners: Megan Czasonis, Timothy LaBelle, Andrea Haskell, Brian Morin, and Pablo Pareja Graduate winners: Justin Chase, Kunal Patel, Fred Yeon, John Zsittnik, and Binoy Mehta

BAP and accounting professors show students income tax basics and tips Leslie Dias CAMPUS LIFE EDITOR

Freshman here at Bentley usually have little job experience and even less experience with filing an income tax return.This makes it a good idea to attend events such as the Tax Workshop Event, hosted by Beta Alpha Psi and the Department of Accountancy. The session gave any student, no matter how much tax experience they had, the tools to tackle a W-2 and 1040 tax return.

The presentation, directed by Professors Arthur Reid, Mark Nixon, and Tracy Noga, explained the logic behind an income tax return.

Here are the key pointers from those who know best.

Professor Reid, head of the

Accounting Department, an enthusiastic and tax loving teacher at Bentley, began by outlining the simple components of filing an income tax return. You take the gross income subtracted by a person’s deductions and then tax it. Then, he got into more specifics about the deductions. He described the importance of a person’s filing status and how this affected what kind of deductions the taxpayer received.

As Professor Reid touched upon the deductions, he also directed us to an area of an income tax that may be a concern to a number of college students which is exemptions. He explained to us that our parents receive

Police Log 2 Cartoon 3 Editorial 3 Voices 8 Horoscopes 10 Games 13 Falcon of The Week 16

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MARCH 5, 2009

THE VANGUARD

CAMPUS NEWS

N

POLICE LOG

EWSBRIEFS

Turn to Page 5 for the new section

Gaelen Austin-LaFrance VANGUARD STAFF

Fire Alarm Tuesday, just before noon, Campus Police was dispatched to Rhodes Hall for a fire alarm call.

Officers detected an odor of burnt food in the hallway in question and Waltham Firemen confirmed the cause of the alarm was due to cooking. The room resident will be charged with an Accidental Fire Alarm Violation.

Theft Officers reported to the Library at 11:45 a.m. last Wednesday to take a report from a Hurley staff member regarding a possible theft. The staff member indicated that there were several personal items missing from a custodial closet in the library. Among the items taken were a blouse and a pair of gloves. Several members of the custodial staff have access to the closet and the case is considered closed unless further information comes to light.

CLUB UPDATES ___

Motor Vehicle Saturday at around 1:30 p.m., an officer took a report from a student who had come into the station indicating his rear license plate had been stolen off his vehicle. He knew the plate was there the day before and noticed it missing around the time of this report. The student didn’t have any idea who might have taken the plate. Upon further investigation, officers found that the license plate number the student had given was not registered to the car they had photographed. The student explained he had purchased a new car and hadn’t received the new plates yet so he had put his old car’s plates on in the mean time. He had paperwork to verify this and was advised to contact the proper authorities to acquire the new plates. The case is closed unless further information comes to light.

Medical Officers were dispatched Wednesday morning at 9:45 a.m. to perform a medical evaluation on a student. The student informed officers he had been feeling ill since earlier in the morning and felt dehydrated. He was transported to the hospital for further treatment.

Friday night, just after 8 p.m., Campus Police arrived at Miller Hall for a well being check of a student. The student reported having severe stomach pains when he woke up and then decided to call after the pain returned later in the day.

An ambulance was called and the student was transported to the hospital.

Suspicious Behavior Campus Police were dispatched to Fenway Hall Saturday at 1:16 a.m. for a report of a fight in progress. Upon entering the building they noticed a student exiting the elevator with multiple scratches on his face. Officers attempted to obtain information from the student but he was uncooperative with the investigation. They then met with a staff member who informed them he had

PLEASE READ

observed a fight in progress that moved from the hallway into a nearby dorm room where it broke up. After interviewing a room resident, officers concluded that the resident’s friend had come to visit with three guests and while the resident was in another room, he heard a loud crash and returned to the common area to find his 42” plasma television removed from the wall and broken on the floor. The friend and guests then ran from the room. Due to an ongoing investigation the case is considered open and further information will be reported as it comes to light.

Sunday night, just after 8:30 p.m., Campus Police took a report from a student of suspicious activity in Spruce Hall. The student indicated she had been visited by three male Brandeis students who said they were on a scavenger hunt for their fraternity and needed a picture of a Bentley student with their ID. She agreed to have her photo taken and the three males remained in the room and socialized with the student for several minutes. After they left, the student was advised by her parents to report the incident. The three males were later tracked down and investigated. They informed officers they were visiting a Bentley student and provided a name of the student. Officers informed the group that they were not allowed to wander the campus unaccompanied and were allowed to leave.

Alcohol Violation Saturday, just after midnight, Campus Police arrived at Fenway Hall for a report of an intoxicated female. They met with a staff member who reported seeing a female leaning against the wall of a hallway for support. Upon questioning the student, they found her conscious and alert and she informed them that she, “had a few drinks,” but couldn’t remember where.

After determining she was stable under her own strength, she was released to the custody of a sober friend and will be charged with an Underage Alcohol Violation.

Officers were on an unrelated call at 2 a.m. investigating a suspicious odor in Slade Hall Saturday morning when they observed a female student that had apparently urinated on herself. She appeared unsteady on her feet, smelled strongly of alcohol and had a glassy look to her eyes. The female student made her way to her dorm door and propped herself with her forehead on the door while she unsuccessfully punched in her combination. When officers questioned her she was unable to give them any information about her identity or where she had been. A second student passing through the hallway identified the student and informed officers the female student had been at a fraternity party before returning to the dorm. Due to the student’s level of intoxication and failure to complete a field sobriety test, she was placed into protective custody. She will be charged with Underage Alcohol Violation and Protective Custody.

Instant Vanguard The new way to anonymously comment on campus, by instant messaging the Vanguard at “INSTANTVANGUARD” “I heard Gloria got hurt by some ice, damn you winter!”

“When is Spring Day?! I'm about ready to snap after three finals and two papers.”

“If I dont get selected to be an OL, I will transfer schools, period.”

THEN RECYCLE

“Why is verizon service horrible on this campus?”

THE VANGUARD

MARCH 5, 2009

PAGE 3

EDITORIAL The Vanguard is taking a Spring Break!

*The Vanguard’s editorial as well as the editorial cartoon are proposed at each editorial board meeting. They are represented as being the opinions of the board as a whole, although drawn by individuals, and not the Bentley community.

EDITORIAL Dealing with stress woes effectively before break When your desk is too messy to work at, your eyelids close against your will, and when it seems like the “To-Do” list will never end…that’s when you know spring break is just around the corner.

Professors love to pack on the work during the home stretch before students can sink their toes into beach sand or pack their cars to visit family. It is inevitable that everyone is going to be overwhelmed and overworked often in our lives, and that is why downtime is absolutely necessary from this point on.

The papers will be written, the presentations presented, and all the other deadlines will be met. But for some reason every time a due date comes up, students tend to stress themselves out over whether they will finish in time and manage to ace the class, or at least pass.

Eventually it becomes clear that during the prime years of their lives, students should not have to be constantly stressed and overtired. Exhibiting traits

such as being upbeat, positive, social, and successful are essential to enjoying college and getting the most out of this unique, once in a lifetime opportunity. Sacrificing these times for stress, paranoia, and sleepless nights seems like an easy solution, but it is not the way to go.

Consider strategies such as aromatherapy, working out, playing games, music therapy, taking a walk, or even sex to reduce stress.

These activities are proven to relax the body as well as the mind.

Watching your diet also comes into play for ongoing stress relief with actions such as eating a balanced diet, reducing caffeine intake, and drinking in moderation. “Reading a good book is a great stress reliever because students never have time to read for pleasure,” says Isys Johnson, a sophomore at Cornell University.

“Reading helps to take my mind away from reality and just relax.”

Writing things down in a “To-Do” list or in an agen-

THE VANGUARD Bentley University 385 Beaver Street 310M1 Student Center Waltham, MA 02452 Phone: (781) 891-2912 Email: vanguard@bentley.edu Web: bentleyvanguardonline.com

da can become part of a daily routine and crossing off finished tasks is quite rewarding.

Time management and a clean work environment also add to a stress-free lifestyle. Watch out for over committing as well, because much too often students fall in the trap of taking on too much for their already tight schedules. Avoid added stresses whenever possible, such as losing an ID or forgetting your 201 textbook under a pile of clothes.

Take five minutes out of your day to pick up the dirty clothes off of your chair and sit down for a snack. Whenever I come in to a room and see clutter everywhere, it adds to the clutter that is already in my brain.

But if you come in to your room and can lie down on a neat bed and look over at a clear desk, it makes you feel like you at least have something under control. After all, it is nice to take advantage of the situations and environments you have control

Don’t worry ... we’ll be back March 19th.

Have a great vacation!

-The Vanguard over in a world where so few exist.

Whereas the monotonous pages in text books will put students to sleep, laughter and jokes can sometimes be just the boost they need to bring back the energy that comes with optimism and an open mind. It seems like our campus was filled with these things right after winter break, everyone ready to take on another semester of higher educa-

tion.

A few months and hundreds of flipped pages later, however, these energetic students are few and far between. It may be that they are in the Library waiting at Einstein’s for a warm coffee or in their dorm napping. It is necessary, during these long winter days, to take time in our schedules to treat ourselves with downtime, sleep, and laughter.

Disclaimer: The opinions published in The Vanguard are submitted by readers of the newspaper, and do not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of The Vanguard and its staff. We are not able to print any letters submitted anonymously.

Editor in Chief . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Lindsay Sauvé Managing Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Dan Ryaboy News Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Rebecca Langweber Business Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Chris Apuzzo Sports Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Robbie LaBrie Campus Life Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Leslie Dias A & E Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Ian Markowitz Copy Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Jon McColgan Photography Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . Bree Johnson

Online Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Nic Smits Production Manager . . . . . . . . . . Heather Sprinkle Business Manager . . . . . . . . . . . . . Ben Barenboim Advertising Manager . . . . . . . . . . . Eugene Berger Advisor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Maria Dilorenzo Journalism Advisor . . . . . . . . . . . . Judy Rakowsky Cartoonist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Jennifer Perron, Shimon Sasaki Circulation Manager . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Stanley Rameau

The Vanguard is the student newspaper of Bentley University. It does not necessarily reflect the opinions of the college administration; Bentley is not responsible for statements herein.

The Vanguard is published every Thursday of the academic year, excluding examination periods and holiday breaks. It is distributed free to all students, faculty, and staff of Bentley University. The Vanguard is funded in part by the Student Activity Fee, but relies on advertising revenue to cover the majority of its costs. Advertising rates are available upon request at (781) 891-3497. Circulation is 4,000 copies. The Vanguard reserves the right to refuse an advertisement; only publication of an ad constitutes final acceptance of the offer to advertise. The Vanguard reserves the right to edit all copy for grammar, spelling, punctuation, style, libel and length.

The Vanguard office is located on the third floor of the Student Center. Mailing address: The Vanguard, Bentley University, 310M1 Student Center, 385 Beaver Street, Waltham, MA 02452. Phone: (781) 891-2912.

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MARCH 5, 2009

THE VANGUARD

Feed your future See the difference 100 PwC interns made in Belize.

Begin at www.pwc.tv

© 2009 PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP. All rights reserved. “PricewaterhouseCoopers” refers to PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP or, as the context requires, the PricewaterhouseCoopers global network or other member firms of the network, each of which is a separate and independent legal entity. We are proud to be an Affirmative Action and Equal Opportunity Employer.

THE VANGUARD

MARCH 5, 2009

PAGE 5

CLUB UPDATES Have an issue?

Want something new on campus?

Let us know!

BEAR Outdoors Club is a new club on campus geared towards outdoors activities. BEAR expects to hold events such as barbecues, s’mores night, and scavenger hunts on-campus.

The club has already held off-campus excursions to Boston Rock Gym and has gone mountain biking. In the near future, expect hiking, camping, kayaking, or basically any outdoors activity!

BEAR is a non-exclusive club and pending recognition from Bentley. People from all over the world come to New England to experience the great outdoors; join BEAR and take advantage of going to school in one of the most amazing areas!

Come to our general board meetings Tuesdays at 5:10 p.m. in the Back Bay Stop in our office in the Bentley Bubble SGA members hold office hours to assist any students needs Visit our Website! http://student-organizations.bentley.edu/sga/index.html

Congratulations to the Dance Team!

SASA Presents: KANGAN Date and Time: Sunday, March 22 2009 @ 6 p.m.

Venue: Executive Dining Room (LaCava Campus Center) Food and After Party included. Free with Bentley ID. Sponsored by the Student Activity Fee. Bentley Dance Team is heading to the National Collegiate Dance & Cheer Competition in Daytona, Florida April 8th. Come see them perform during the basketball games for a preview of their nationals routine!

Channel 3 is now...

Bentley Entertainment Network New BSTV Episode out this week

Airband Auction Winners:

New Movies this month: Iron Man, Semi-Pro, Nick and Norah’s Infinite Playlist, Lakeview Terrace, Hancock, RocknRolla, Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants, Coach Carter Check our website for schedule http://student-organizations.bentley.edu/tv/channel-schedule/

3rd pick in course registration – Aurielle Goldfarb Molson Ice golf bag & Snowboard – Paul Oberlies 2008 T-Mobile Sidekick – Josh Ranger Budweiser Neon Package – Casey Zmudzinksi Universal Parking Pass – Vinay Gokalda Stella Artois Beach Umbrella & Modello Neon Sign – David Holzer Rolling Rock Guitar & Jack Daniels’ Wooden Sign – Preston Carbone Bass Ale Cooler – John Morrissey 2nd Pick in course registration – Carlo Ingato Coors Light Neon – Timo Hartmann Red Sox Tickets – Gabriel Benson Nexcastle Ale Neon & Mirror – Chris Barry 1st Pick in Course Registration – Katie Phillips Date w/ Jaimie Curtin – Danielle Bentz Date w/ Danielle Bentz – Alex Danehy Date w/ Rick Milley & Brad Updegrove & 10 person van for night – Ashley Platt 1st Pick in Housing – Casey Zmudzinski

Congratulations!

BBA Members Place at ACUI 9-Ball Tournament Owen Tryder

Eight members of the Bentley Billiards Association competed at the ACUI Region One 9-Ball Tournament this past weekend. The event, attended by colleges and universities from the New England area, was held Saturday at Fitchburg State College.

Kevin Vaughn ’09 won the competition in the Men’s bracket with a record of 5-1. After being sent to the loser’s bracket by Andrew Griffin of WNEC in the first round, Kevin came back to win five straight matches in a race-tofive format. Kevin ultimately defeated Griffin twice for the title of champion.

Leana Wathey ’10 placed second in the Women’s bracket, receiving a medal for her accomplishment. Her tournament record that day was 2-2 with her championship loss coming at the hands of Kristine from Fitchburg State.

Both Kevin and Leana will represent the BBA and Bentley at the National Collegiate 9-Ball Tournament this summer.

Closer To Home…

At the BBA Invitational 9-Ball Tournament this past Monday, Bofan Xia took 1st place winning a pool cue; Nghia Nguyen placed 2nd taking home a set of billiard balls, and former President Andrew Innocent took 3rd place. Congratulations to all who qualified!

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March

5, 2009

THE VANGUARD

NEWS Author Jonah Lehrer discusses reason and emotion in decisions James Malone STAFF WRITER

This past Thursday in the Wilder Pavilion, Jonah Lehrer spoke about his new book, How We Decide. The book takes an in-depth look at the decision making processes of the mind. It seeks to explain the balance between emotion and reason and how both are utilized by the brain to make decisions. In his latest work, Lehrer speaks to the intricacies of the mind and the effects of dopamine.

In How We Decide Lehrer presents the reader with a series of real life stories as well as clinical research examples which are both enthralling and at times suspenseful. These reports and stories support Lehrer’s contention that emotion and reason are both integral components of the decision making process. The conclusion that Lehrer reaches is that emotion can be just as useful as reason because emotion is derived not from the abstract but from dopamine. How We Decide depends on how well we are able to distinguish between emotion and reason and choose the appropriate response for a given situation.

The idea for the book first came to Lehrer while on a mission to retrieve a box of Cheerios. Upon reaching the

“How We Decide” author Jonah Lehrer.

Cheerios section in the supermarket, he was unsure about which variety to purchase.

Amidst his ruminations, he realized how much time had elapsed since he first set out on his quest. The decision making process intrigued him and so he decided to research the process and write about it.

On Thursday Lehrer spoke about the focus of the book, which is dopamine the neurotransmitter, and how this is truly the control center for decision making. Lehrer discussed with us the benefits and disadvantages of using dopamine as a medication for certain forms of Parkinson’s disease. On one hand the drug replenishes those dopamine neurons that are killed by the disease.

On the other hand, the

Photo by Taylor Guay (left) and www.amazon.com (right)

dosage constantly needs to be increased in order to compensate for the increase in destroyed neurons as the disease progresses. This over stimulation can lead to a gambling addiction, which it does in approximately 10% of patients receiving the treatment. The patients feel a need to be rewarded, something that is strongly correlated with dopamine and thus, they seek reward in places like casinos or race tracks. The victims constantly seek to understand how they are winning when in actuality it is just luck of the draw.

Lehrer spoke to us about a 55 year old English teacher who received treatments of dopamine.

He explained that her daily routine consisted of going to the track when it opened and then a convenience store after that to play the slots and finally when the store closed at 3 am she would return to her house to gamble on the Internet. She went through this cycle for several days before collapsing only to regain her strength and begin the dismal cycle once again.

Her need for reward resulted in the ruination of her life and the inability to make choices because she was controlled by

the addiction.

A vast portion of Lehrer’s book is devoted to explaining how that “gut feeling” we experience is a lot less gut and a lot more brain. That feeling when we know something is wrong but cannot explain it is actually a message from dopamine neurons in the brain which transmit signals to our body telling us whether we should be anxious or afraid. These signals then present themselves in the form of bodily indicators such as sweaty palms or a sweaty upper lip.

A cognitive psychologist named Gary Klein steps in at this point and after reviewing tapes of the radar system from weeks before discovers something: The airplanes that had followed that track were flying at a certain altitude causing them to enter the radar immediately when they entered the range. The missiles however, were flying at a much lower altitude and because of ground interference they did not enter the radar until three seconds into the range. After weeks of observing the radar, it was determined that Mike O’Reilly would have noticed any minor discrepancy even if he didn’t realize it, which he

didn’t. Fortunately, the dopamine neurons in his brain did take notice, and warned him that there was trouble.

Lehrer tells this story to illustrate that behind emotion is reason. Most presume that emotion is void of reason and that this “gut feeling” has no practical usage. Lehrer however says, “Your emotions aren’t just impulsive…the reason we think that is because we aren’t aware of all the computations…. They are subconscious.”

Dopamine has been directly linked to “sex, drugs and rock and roll,” and because of this it has gotten a bad rap, says Lehrer. Conversely though, he says, “The mind is a category buster…we aren’t truly rational.” and because of this, dopamine is really our saving grace. There is no rationality in choosing regular Cheerios as opposed to Honey Nut Cheerios. If we did not have an internal fire alarm to warn us when something we couldn’t quite perceive was wrong, or if we were incapable of being irrational, we would be impractical and incomplete human beings; human beings who could not make decisions.

Mr. Lehrer is no stranger to the literary community having written the New York Times bestseller Proust Was a Neuroscientist back in November of 2007. He graduated from Columbia University and then went on to study at Oxford University as a Rhodes Scholar. He has written for several newspapers including The New Yorker, Nature, The Boston Globe, and The Washington Post and has also made appearances on NPR’s Radio Lab.

THE VANGUARD

MARCH 5, 2009

PAGE 7

COLUMNS The Food Dude:

Top Chef 5 recap: Did they get it right?

Top Chef’s finale had a close tiebreaker.

Last week one of Bravo’s most popular (and a Food Dude favorite) shows Top Chef concluded its fifth season with Hosea defeating Carla and Stefan in the final showdown.

The smiling everyman of a chef defeated the quirky southern girl and his “nemesis”, the ruthless European. These caricatures of the individuals are what Top Chef does to its contestants, either by design or accident. Every year we get the quirky, the common, and the downright “evil” characters that we are supposed to love and loathe.

This season tried to play up the big struggle between Hosea and Stefan, but honestly it was really the war that never was. This was Red Sox vs. Yankees pre-2004. A massacre.

No contest at all. Stefan wiped the floor with Hosea and the rest of the cast for about 90% of the competition, before trailing off a bit at the end and ultimately allowing

Photo from www.avclub.com

Hosea to take the title of “Top Chef” from him. Kind of like the Red-Sox Yankees ALCS in 2004…weird how that works out.

For the second time though, in five seasons, the “best” chef did not win. This happened in the second season when Élan, the worst chef of all five winners thus far, defeated Marcel, Sam, and Elia. That season any of the other three could have been considered the best chef (as well as Cliff who was kicked off the show for trying to shave Marcel’s hair); however Marcel and Sam clearly distinguished themselves the entire season.

Seasons one, three and four all ended up with the best chef winning. Harold in the first season was spectacular all the way through; and his continued success with opening his restaurant after the show is a testament to that. In season three Hung absolutely destroyed the field (more on Hung’s dominance in a

By: Tom Hoeler

minute). The show was over about three weeks in; Top Chef was just fulfilling its contractual obligations to Bravo by not declaring him the winner then. Stephanie in season four was extremely consistent and precise, being declared the individual winner of the elimination challenge four times.

This brings us to season five. Stefan should have been the winner, plain and simple.

This is not about who people liked more, or who you would want to hang out with. This is about who was the better chef.

And there is no question that Stefan was the better and the best chef this season. He had four individual wins in the elimination challenge and four quick-fire wins, both of which are tops all-time for Top Chef.

He didn’t appear in the bottom until week ten (it’s a fourteen week show).

Head judge chef Tom Colicchio disagrees with me.

He was a strong proponent of Hosea winning out, and on his Bravo blog after the episode aired he wrote the following; summing the finale up.

“Stefan made one strong course and two problematic courses; Hosea made two extremely strong courses and one that would have been great with more salt. Of the three cheftestant finalists, the winner was clear.”

Though it’s hard to argue with that analysis…I will endeavor to.

The finale was closer than Chef Colicchio indicates for many reasons. First, Stefan should be given more credit for having to deal with alligator as the other two had simple ingredients to use for their starting appetizer.

They were right in not penalizing Hosea for not making dessert, so that is a nonissue; even if some guests would have “liked” to see a dessert. The issue comes down to the voting and judging at the end. In every episode of Top Chef, these are the rules.

All that matters is the dish made for the challenge. Past accomplishments or failures do not matter, every challenge is separate.

EXCEPT for the finale. In the finale, if it is close between two chefs, the tiebreaker is how the contestants did during the season. Guest judge Toby Young wrote in his postfinale blog that Chef Colicchio informed him before the finale that indeed this was the case.

So then how does Hosea end up winning? Despite their differences on who should have won, both Young and Colicchio commented in their blogs that the discussion about the winner lasted hours into the evening and early morning, so clearly this was not a quick decision. There was no clear winner. Yet, from everything that we saw on the episode it doesn’t seem that the season performances were taken into

account. Because if they were, Stefan wins period. End of story. No discussion, no arguing. This was Hung in season three on steroids.

Stefan’s dishes were indeed lacking in the finale (except for the squab). Even without tasting anything he made, that dessert was a real throwaway dish. Hosea and Stefan both had “so-so” first dishes, and Stefan had a better second dish than Hosea. So if you give them one win, one loss, and one tie each; I’d say we need to go to the tie-breaker and Stefan wins based on overall performance.

Hosea was good, but he needed to be great in the finale to overcome the Stefan juggernaut. His meal needed to be miles ahead of Stefan’s to win.

If it had been, I’d have no issue and say he won. But it wasn’t.

Again we look back to season three and Hung, who was challenged in the finale by Casey’s and Dale’s meals.

It was a pretty close finale; but Hung won out in part because of his season long performance. That template for judging clearly didn’t carry over into this season.

Stefan ended up giving the finale away instead of destroying Carla and Hosea like he should have.

But in the end, people love to see evil defeated, and for the guy with the big smile to win.

So maybe Top Chef did get it right. Maybe? Nah.

are taxed.

She proceeded to look at nonresident tax issues for international students who would be filing income taxes from working in the United States. International students abide by their tax treaty that is established between their home country and the United States. These tax treaties are also important for students who are planning to work while they study abroad. Like international students at Bentley, study abroad students abide to the tax treaty that the United States has with the host country.

As the last presenter, Professor Nixon discussed a few final issues relating to filing income taxes and also shared some insightful advice.

First, he harped on the golden rule of taxes. Even if you do not have the money to pay them, you still need to pay!

He suggested that you should pay as much as possible and

then get a loan from the IRS. However, the more interesting piece of wisdom he shared with the group regarded the Roth IRA. This basically is a set up savings account.

Professor Nixon eagerly proclaimed, “It will make you rich!” and had us calculate the total earnings after forty five years of potential working which proved very hefty and

extremely worthwhile.

With three experts from the Accounting Department, the students attending the workshop were received knowledgeable information on how to file an income tax, what the income tax consists of, what international students must do for income taxes, and what great advice to have for future savings.

Income tax lesson (continued from Page 1) an exemption of thirty five hundred dollars for filing the tax return.

However, parents also receive a thirty five hundred dollar exemption for each dependent they claim. As college students, we are categorized as dependents as long as our parents support us financially in some way. This means that when a student files their income tax return as a dependent, he/she will not receive the thirty five hundred dollar exemption, but their parents will receive an additional dependent exemption of thirty five hundred dollars. However, several students suggested that they support themselves entirely, and therefore, their parents are not allowed to receive the dependent exemption.

Another important factor to consider for deductions is whether a person made over

five thousand four hundred fifty dollars. It is necessary to file a tax return for this amount of income, and the taxpayer is eligible to receive a thirty five hundred dollar exemption if they are not claimed by their parents as a dependent. Professor Reid also went over the tax rates for taxpayers in the various income brackets. As students, we would most often fall under the first tax bracket, and our income would be taxed 10 percent.

Next, Professor Noga went over the 1040EZ form with the group which gets its title for its simple nature. The return is used for those filing an income tax return with no dependents. She also discussed certain exclusions from taxes including inheritances, gifts, life insurance, personal injury, workers compensation, and scholarships.

However, interestingly, gifts over twelve thousand dollars

Time is ticking to file your tax returns.

Photo from www.i.ehow.com

PAGE 8

MARCH 5, 2009

THE VANGUARD

ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT For Your Entertainment

V

By: Matt Weisse

OICES

What are your plans for Spring Break?

ROSE BARSUMIAN CLASS OF 2012 CORPORATE FINANCE AND ACCOUNTING “I am going snowboarding in Vermont with my family.”

LISA ANN LANDRY CLASS OF 2012 MANAGEMENT “I am going home and then visiting some friends at URI.”

SEAN SMITH CLASS OF 2012 FINANCE “I am going backpacking in Brazil.”

JEREMY LANGTON CLASS OF 2009 MARKETING “I am developing a severe case of senioritis and getting people together for a road trip…I just don’t know where yet.”

GARRETT GORDON CLASS OF 2012 UNDECLARED “I’m going to Montreal with a friend. It’s going to be a good time.”

Photos by Bree Johnson

MSTRKRFT (pronounced "Master-kraft") is an electronic music group from Toronto, Canada.

Album Review: MSTRKRFT – Fist of God For a considerable period of time, it seemed like MSTRKRFT was largely known as that group that had one half of Death From Above 1979 in it.

And to some extent, this is understandable – DFA 1979 won a large following based on one awesome LP (and to a lesser extent, the subsequent remix album), and quite frankly made a ton of noise considering it was only two guys from Canada who didn’t even use a guitar. But then (sadly) they broke up, and Jesse F. Keebler moved on to work with DFA 1979 Producer and longtime friend Al-P (AKA Alex Puodzuikas), forming MSTRKRFT. So then the question became, “Would MSRTKRFT ever gain the following DFA 1979 had?” (at this point DFA 1979 still wins a Google search results comparison by about a half-million more results). Part of dilemma here I think is that besides consisting of Keebler, MSTRKRFT is much different from DFA 1979. The latter was dance-punk, while the former is full-on electronic. This was understandably a bit polarizing for potential crossover fans – some liked this transition, while others were turned off completely.

Despite all of this, MSRTKRFT did gradually pick up speed and a decent following.

Their first album, The Looks was a solid offering of electrodance, and while it wasn’t the most original example of this, it was still a decent little album.

Songs such as “Easy Love,” and “Work on You” were catchy enough, and from what I’ve heard these guys put on a hell of a live show. In the almost three years between The Looks and Fist of God, they remained in people’s minds through an assortment of remixes that were released to varying degrees of popularity on the blogs.

When they released their “Bounce” single though last year, it took everyone by surprise. Featuring N.O.R.E.’s rapping, this song is a more or less

perfect blend of hip-hop and electronic which simply sounded ready to be played at clubs and house parties alike. And the B-Side, “Vuvuvu” served to keep those who enjoyed straight-up electronic happy is well. This release singlehandedly got me, along with thousands of others, excited for the new MSTRKRFT album.

So Fist of God is here, awkward album art and all. And honestly, I have mixed feelings.

The first half of this CD absolutely kills it. “It Ain’t Love” is a sweet opener featuring Lil’ Mo, “1000 Cigarettes” is simply filthy, for a lack of another word, and “Bounce” and “Vuvuvu” remain as good as they did when they first came out. And then there’s “Heartbreaker,” the most interesting track on the album.

Featuring John Legend (of all people), this track is destined to upset some people who feel this doesn’t fit at all, but personally I really like the different sound presented here.

Unfortunately though, the second half of the album just can’t keep pace. It’s not bad, per say, but there are points when one can’t help but feel as though it all starts to sound very similar. The title track “Fist of God” is less than memorable. “Word Up” completely fails to take full advantage of having Ghostface Killah to work with. And closer “Breakway” is a bit boring, and inexplicably makes you wait until the hidden track to hear the real highlight that is Freeway rapping over “1000 Cigarettes.”

Ultimately though, I like the added hip-hop element found on this album. While some MSTRKRFT fans were disgusted by this change, I fully approve of them trying new things to try and expand their sound – this is much better than if they had simply tried to release The Looks Pt. 2. It’s also important to note that this isn’t a complete departure either – the sound is still distinctly MSTRKRFT, it just incorporates new elements.

A final thing that’s important

Photo by themml.com

to note is that Fist of God is not the sort of album that is best listened to sitting at your laptop and just listening through.

Keeler and Al-P have constructed an album designed for clubs and massive dance parties where you are just surrounded by beautiful people (side note: unlikely to happen at Bentley).

The massive synths and heavy bass lines are designed to make you move, and if you’re looking for a good use for it around campus, I found this album to be a huge success when you need motivation to run on the treadmill.

Overall, this is an album that shows MSTRKRFT evolving and experimenting, and for the most part it works out for the better. There are some portions that drag a bit more, and sure, some of their previous followers might be put off by the increase hip-hop presence, but these are still minor complaints of an overall good album. Definitely worth checking out if you’re a fan of the recent trend of combining electronic and rap.

Rating: 7/10 Try: “Bounce (ft. N.O.R.E.)”, “1000 Cigarettes”, “Heartbreaker (ft. John Legend)” Fist of God is out March 17 on Universal Records Single of the week: Röyksopp – “Happy Up Here” After making a decent living off generally more downtrodden electro-pop, Röyksopp have succeeded in making a song that is as upbeat as its title might suggest. Bleeps and bloops dance back and forth over the bass line, covered by a soothing female vocal throughout. To make it even better, the music video has an awesome Space Invaders theme. A thoroughly enjoyable appetizer while waiting for their third album, Junior, to come out.

The “Happy Up Here” single is out March 9, while Junior is out March 23, both on Astralwerks.

THE VANGUARD

MARCH 5, 2009

PAGE 9

ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT February: This month at Bentley

Photos by Bree Johnson

“As Seen on TV” series, Part I of IV: The Fasta Pasta Paige Roland STAFF WRITER

You may have seen the infomercials: a woman struggling with broken ravioli in an overflowing pot, scraping spaghetti off the bottom of a pan, and burning herself while straining macaroni.

The solution offered? The Fasta Pasta.

The Fasta Pasta was designed through trial and error by a couple who questioned the inability to cook pasta in the microwave.

Fifteen months, 985 pounds of pasta and 4 microwave ovens after first contemplating the idea, the Fasta Pasta was developed; an FDA approved, microwavable container that allows you to cook virtually any type of pasta in your microwave.

To use the Fasta Pasta, you measure the amount of pasta you want, add the water to the appropriate level, and cook as directed. The Fasta Pasta comes with a table of many common types of pasta, serving sizes, and the corresponding amount of time required to cook it. I used wheel pasta, which, when cooked on a stovetop, is supposed to boil for 12 minutes.

With the Fasta Pasta, although there wasn’t a specific time given for wheel pasta, I used the suggested measurements for macaroni pasta and the microwave time was a total of 15 minutes. This time coincides with the largest serving size, 2 cups, which provided enough pasta for four meals.

The first problem I noted appeared when it came time to microwave the noodles in the Fasta Pasta. The Fasta Pasta was actually too big to fit in the microwave I originally intended to use. It was only after removing the bottom wheel in the second microwave that I could get it to fit without tilting. When a product is designed for use in the microwave, it seems to be common sense that it should be able to fit in many microwaves without issue.

After 15 minutes in the microwave, it came time to drain the container. I placed the top, which contains straining holes, onto the hot container and then simply flipped to strain. The container was very hot, as warned on the package, but you can hold it by the handles on the top.

The commercial for the Fasta

Pasta claims that its reservoir design allows the water to circulate, and keeps the pasta from sticking. The claim held true in my case; none of the pasta stuck to the container.

The most important test, of course, is the taste test. The pasta came out surprisingly well, perhaps a little more al dente than I would have liked, but the directions say that you can also add a minute to the given time for softer pasta.

There was no conceivable difference in the taste from typical boiled pasta. As far as microwaveable meals go, I was impressed with the quality of the pasta. For a college student with no cooking appliances but the microwave, the Fasta Pasta is a great alternative to the usual cereal and Easy Mac options typical to eating in your room.

The makers of the Fasta Pasta also offer a small cookbook for an additional price, guaranteeing complete meals in 15 minutes or less ranging from Cheesy Cajun Shrimp Rotini to Chicken and Broccoli Alfredo, providing quick and creative options that utilize a variety of pas-

tas. In exchange for a trip to the Falcon Mart or the local grocery store, the Fasta Pasta enables you to have variety and genuinely good pasta in your dorm room.

Overall, the Fasta Pasta presents a good service for the price. The going price is $12.95, plus shipping and handling, providing a tasteful meal option that can be used many times. The overall process is quick; the longest pasta option on the chart needs only 17 minutes in the microwave. The Fasta Pasta

is an absolute perk for a dorm room, but needs to be scaled down to fit dorm microwaves.

When at home, and the typical boiling option is available, you can choose either way and take approximately the same amount of time and receive almost identical taste results. The Fasta Pasta may not perform as well as the slogan, “Cooks pasta perfect every time,” but certainly follows through on the general function: cooking respectable pasta in the microwave.

Rating: 8.5/10

Photo provided by Fasta Pasta

PAGE 10

MARCH 5, 2009

THE VANGUARD

H

OROSCOPES Brian Ceci

Vanguard Staff Aries (March 21-April 19): Don’t let yourself get talked into anything you are unsure of this week. It will turn out ten times worse than you had ever imagined.

Taurus (April 20-May 20): Rest and relaxation is in your fortune, so be sure to take the next week all for yourself. The weeks coming up may not be so kind.

Gemini (May 21-June 21): Find your inner animal and let it go wild. A new change in your life will lead you to an unexpected occurrence.

Cancer (June 22-July 22): Your friends can handle more than you think they can, so share your feelings with them and you’ll be in better state of mind for Spring Break.

Leo (July 23-Aug. 22): With the Leprechaun season coming up fast, be sure to hold onto your four leaf clover because your luck may just be going downhill faster than you'd hoped.

Virgo (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Be sure to stick to your morals this week, because this week’s decisions will influence the rest of your life. You don’t want to end up like dried up Mischa Barton.

COLUMNS Mistress of Issues

Let the Mistress help you!

Dear Mistress of Issues, I have always hung out with my friends and their girlfriends. Sometimes the girls are wicked annoying but usually they don’t bother me.

However, there is one girl who I really like. The only problem is that, she’s dating one of my friends. She is a cool girl but my friend is always being mean to her. Can I get her to leave my friend and go out with me? ~Girlfriend Envy Dear Girlfriend Envy, You have just described a potentially sticky situation.

There are stories about people dating and even marrying their friend’s/sibling’s/roommate’s ex but these rarely end well. Not to mention that your friend is still currently dating the object of your affection.

Is it possible that you may like this girl just because she isn’t the usual ones that you find annoying? There is nothing wrong with being friends with the opposite sex or getting along with your friend’s girlfriend. Having everyone get along certainly makes it easier to hang out but in this case has presented some problems.

It seems as though you think your friend doesn’t treat his girlfriend respectfully and that you think you would be better. Unfortunately, you can’t be the knight in shining armor to rush in and save her.

Not all couples behave the same way, but if you feel your friend has crossed the line its okay to voice your concerns to him.

However, you need to be careful how you approach him and do it in a way that is nonthreatening. If you have reason to believe that things have reached an unhealthy or dangerous level, you need to speak to the appropriate people, through Campus Police, the Center for Health & Wellness, or Student Counseling & Development.

Trying to break up your friend and his girlfriend is not a good idea. You will most certainly lose a friend and not even end up in a relationship with this girl. Breaking up this couple will likely cause resentment among some of your friends. Starting a relationship with someone after a break up is never easy, especially if you end up being the cause of the break up.

Should they break up on

By: Nicole Darvirris their own, you have to decide whether or not you feel dating this girl would be acceptable.

There are numerous factors to consider and every situation and group of people involved is different. I can’t tell you if your relationship would succeed or not without knowing all of the details, if it even becomes a possibility down the road.

The most you can do in this situation is to just be a friend to both your friend and his girlfriend. Don’t allow yourself to become hung up on this girl; you could miss out on someone else whom you could have a great relationship with. Dating is confusing enough as it is without adding in the additional elements of friend’s exgirlfriends and fighting friends.

Have a question? Email the Mistress at MistressOfIssues@gmail. com You can also Instant Message a question to the screenname MistressOfIssues on AOL Instant Messenger.

Names have been changed to protect privacy. This column is for entertainment purposes only and is not meant to replace professional advice.

Libra (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): Make sure you surround yourself with your best friends this week to help you with your problems otherwise you otherwise you will crumble like a poorly made architecture project.

Scorpio (Oct. 23- Nov. 21): Clean out the hazardous waste in your life in order to fully feel refreshed and happy. It may be hard, but in the end it will be fully worth it.

Invested.

Sagittarius (Nov. 22- Dec. 21): The upcoming week of relaxation will keep you from feeling like frayed and chewed up Hobo Gloves. You deserve the rest, so take full advantage.

Capricorn (Dec. 22- Jan. 19): Pack your pencil holder this week, because when you get back you will receive an onslaught of work that will make you feel bogged down from the first day back. So be sure to enjoy your time off now, because it won’t last long.

Pisces (Feb. 19- March 20): Balancing your social life is the key to your happiness this week. Be sure to keep your dates and affairs in order to avoid your social life becoming Tic Tac Toe, three dates in a row.

The columns found in this newspaper are written by individual authors and do not reflect the opinion of The Vanguard, its Editorial Board members, or Bentley University. Comments resulting from the columns can be directed to the author and/or The Vanguard.

Š2009 ERNST & YOUNG LLP .-,+*)()'&%,$)-#"#-+)*&)*!#)$ & )&-$ , * &,)&") # #-) - +)&").-,+*)()'&%,$) & ) *# ) # !)&") ! !) +) )+# - *#) #$ )#,* * ).-,+*)()'&%,$) ) +) ) #,* +#- ,$) # #-) - ) & *# ) ,)*!#)

Aquarius (Jan. 20- Feb. 18): Dial a wrong number this week, and the phone operator may just plug you into the woman/man of your dreams. Give it a shot!

Together, we’re focusing on the future of Bentley University. .-,+*)()'&%,$) +) -&% )*&) ,,&%, #) *+) & &- * &,) with Bentley University. Through the Ernst & Young &%, * &, )&%-)# & ##+) , ) -*,#-+ ) #)! #) & **# )*&) ) ) % * # -) &,*- %* &,)*&) help launch the Ernst & Young Continuous Learning Curriculum Innovation Initiative. The curriculum will #$ ,),# *)" ) , ) #) && )"&- - )*&)&%-) , & # #,*) *!)*!#)+*% #,*+) , )" % * )&") #,* # ) , #-+ * ) ,) ,$)*! +) , * * #) )+% #++ ) *).-,+*)()'&%,$ ) #) # # #)*! *) !#,) #) , #+*) ,) &%-)"%*%-# ) #) , #+*) ,)&%-+ ) &) # -,) &-#) &%*) ) -##-) *).-,+*)()'&%,$ ) + *)# & %+ # ,+ $!*

THE VANGUARD

MARCH 5, 2009

PAGE 11

NOTES FROM ABROAD Question #6: Tell us something about your host city or country that only a local would know. Are there any traditions, places to hang out, things to do, places to see that others are unaware of? What’s your favorite place in your host city or country?

Katie Hoover ROUEN, FRANCE

While we study abroad to leave our comfort zones, we cannot abandon them entirely.

Although we are physically in another country, we are still very much mentally attached to the ideals of home. We mainly socialize, for example, with other Americans. We have met French friends but for some reason, usually end up going out with other Americans.

Because of our attachment to home, it can be difficult to fully

Lauren Bocskocsky BUDAPEST, HUNGARY

I am technically not a local, and never will be for that matter, but after living in Budapest for a little over a month I am starting to get a sense of the ‘real’ Budapest. If you ever get the chance to visit what many people refer to as the “Paris of the East” keep in mind this list that I created. It consists of ten things I believe every visitor should know, but often doesn’t. So here is

Stacie Henry PAMPLONA, SPAIN

In my opinion, Pamplona is the most beautiful city that I’ve ever seen. There are historical buildings, plenty of colors, and lots of green parks. Even though the city is very well known for the running of the bulls, there is still a lot to do during the rest of the year. The coolest thing is, everywhere you would want to go in Pamplona, you can walk or bike to. I’ve found more by walking around than I ever would have taking a bus or other form of transportation to get to the touristy places.

The old part of the city, known as el Casco Viejo, would have to be one of the best parts of Pamplona. There are a lot of historical buildings, and you

chic French cocktail lounges.

But, we will certainly never become local if we stick to O’Kallaghan’s and the like.

Living with a host family, it is easier for me to assimilate into the local life than it is for others who live in a dorm. The dorm is a prime example of the difficulty an exchange student encounters when trying to live like a local because in Rouen, local students don’t live in dorms. They either live with their family or rent an apartment with friends. Dorm students also do not have the immediate connection to life in Rouen that a host family gives.

My host family allows me to better experience the life of a local. They give me the ‘inside information’ on Rouen. It was through my host mother that I learned about the ballet in Rouen. Students can go to the ballet fifteen minutes before it starts and buy tickets for only

five euros (tickets that normally cost anywhere from twenty to seventy euros), which is something most exchange students don’t know. If it weren’t for my local connections, I would not have even known the ballet existed and it ended up being one of my favorite experiences so far. The French are notorious for their performing arts and I was able to experience an amazing rendition of Copelia, even better, I was able to experience it at a reduced price!

My favorite part of the local culture in Rouen is the café experience. I love going to a café and ordering a tea and a croissant and spending hours in the café either reading or people watching. At home, I usually grab a coffee and a bagel and run to class. But here, there are no classes to run off to, the relaxed culture of the area allows you to sit and enjoy

yourself as long as you wish. I am really looking forward to spring when I’ll be able to sit outside the cafes and enjoy my tea and croissant in the nice weather.

After two months in Rouen, I am feeling more and more assimilated with the locals.

Between my visits to the café and my trips to the ballet I’m becoming so ‘French’, give me a beret, a baguette and a bottle of wine and I think the transformation might be complete.

The first few weeks here, I clearly stuck out as a foreigner but now, I can walk through the town virtually unnoticed.

Although I think it would be difficult to entirely blend in as a local, I could probably pass as one if I tried hard enough. And, that is, if I learned French a little better, because as of now, my French language skills are definitely giving me away as a foreigner.

goes: Don’t call the city Budapest. It is pronounced “Buda-pesh-t.” Hungarians will get offended if you refer to their city as Buda-PEST and it will further label you as a tourist.

Call a taxi before you leave. If you hail a cab on the street you will be ripped off guaranteed. Also, make sure that before you get into a taxi there is the number of the company on the top and side

of the vehicle.

Don’t talk to locals about politics.

Currently Hungarian politics are a sensitive topic and most people are not willing to talk about who they voted for or which side they support.

Eat Tutti Frutti! This is a common candy for Hungarians, but is often not enjoyed by foreigners. It is cold cottage cheese covered in chocolate. If you don’t like it the first time try it again because it grows on you.

If you want to visit all international students on Monday night, you must go to Morrisons. Get there before 11:00 and receive three free beers, but don’t get there at 10:58 hoping to receive them. There is a huge line right before 11:00 and it is almost impossible to

squeeze your way to the front of the line for beer. Once the gong is hit, the beer is done.

Don’t just go for a tour of the Opera House, go for a show! The inside is amazing and all the gold in the inside is real. Many tourists just go for a tour of the beautiful building, but don’t ever go back at night to see a performance. The performances are relatively cheap and there are no bad seats because it is a smaller performance hall.

Buda and Pest are two different parts of the city and are separated by the Danube River. Buda is the “romantic side,” filled with castles and charming streets. Pest is the young and lively side, also where most of the nightlight is located.

There are other towns

within Hungary that are worth travelling to. The price for travelling within Hungary is extremely cheap and well worth the time.

Hungary is near many wonderful countries and often the cheapest form of transportation is a new bus company called Orange Ways. They offer buses to places like Holland, Poland and Vienna.

One of the best views of the stunning Parliament on the Danube River is on the 4 or 6 tram. Most people are so accustomed to the sight, but it is a breathtaking sight that should be seen from afar to fully grasp its beauty.

There is so much to do in Budapest and it is a city like no other. You will never run out of things to do or see!

Viszlát (bye)!

can travel the route that the bulls take every year to the Plaza del Torros, where bullfights are still held. The city hall and cathedral are also beautiful places to visit and explore. Then, only a few minutes away is a long street that is nothing but stores and food places, so the day we spent in that part of the city was very enjoyable.

My favorite place in Pamplona so far would have to be La Ciudadela. It’s an old fortress in the middle of the city that has been made into a park.

It’s gorgeous, fun to explore, and has WiFi in the center. That WiFi was essential for us, since there is none in our piso. I never realized how imperative internet was to my life until I don’t have constant access to it. Now

that it’s warm out, you see lots of people jogging, walking, or bicycling on the paths, and on Saturdays, we meet up there to play Frisbee.

Spain wouldn’t be Spain if part of its traditions didn’t revolve around food. A very common and traditional Pamplona activity is to go to the bars for pinchos, also known as tapas in most of Spain. Pinchos are basically appetizers that focus on traditional type of food, and different bars may specialize in different types of pinchos.

Locals will take a tour of the bars to find which one has the best pinchos, and every year there’s always a competition.

Also important to note is that in Pamplona, you should never ask for sangria in the bars, because only tourists do, so all

you get is a bad drink with a high price tag. Instead, the traditional drink is called calimocho, and is a mix of red wine and coke (which sounds gross, I know, but trust me, it’s delicious.)

One of the most important things to keep in mind as a local, or even a tourist, is that essentially everything is closed on Sundays. So it is best if you know some Chino shops (socalled because they are owned

and run by Chinese people), because they are going to be the only places open on Sundays.

Chino shops can carry everything from food, to clothes, to basically anything, really, and everything you’ll find there will be inexpensive. So knowing where one of these is that’s close by is pretty important.

Especially if you do your grocery shopping on Monday, and have almost run out of food on Sunday, like us.

assimilate into the life of a local.

Consider our first bar experience in Rouen, we went to an Irish pub called O’Kallaghan’s.

Wait a second, am I in France or back in Boston? While it is a ‘local’ bar, it was hardly a ‘local’ French crowd. The feeling was more Faneuil Hall than downtown Rouen; I think they may have even served Budweiser if I remember correctly. Adjusting to the French culture, it is difficult to give up the Irish pubs we are familiar with and switch to the more

Photo by Lauren Bocskocsky

Photo by Stacie Henry

PAGE 12

MARCH 5, 2009

THE VANGUARD

BUSINESS The real question: should companies issue dividends?

Francisco Olivera Dubón STAFF WRITER

“Do you know the only thing that gives me pleasure?

It’s to see my dividends coming in.”

-John D. Rockefeller Many investors love dividends and they can’t get enough of them. Receiving that quarterly cash payment is heaven for them. You can’t blame them, who doesn’t love cash? Dividends can be great and beneficial, but investors must be cautious. Investing with a dividend mindset, though, could be very costly.

Let’s take a step back. All else being equal, if you had the choice of either investing in a stock with a 6 percent dividend yield or a stock that does not pay any dividend at all, which stock would you purchase? If you chose the 6 percent yield, there are some things you should consider.

The conventional wisdom on dividend payments for small start-up companies and high growth companies, like technology companies, is that they should not pay dividends because they need to use their earnings to fuel the company’s growth. If these companies use their cash to reward their shareholders their business would cease their expansion and its game over. On the other hand, most people (even management) believe that big and/or “mature” corporations should pay good dividends on

Photo from wilderdom.com

the basis that growth will not be in the business’ future.

Since these large businesses are less likely to expand, they payout their “excess cash” to shareholders because they do not need to reinvest much of their profits in the business.

Conventional finance often proves to be silly though.

Corporations should never pay dividends and here is why. This argument might seem radical and absurd; but it is in the best interest of shareholders. Cash is an extremely important strategic asset; management should never take it for granted.

If a corporation is successful enough to earn excess cash, or cash that does not need to be reinvested in the

business to continue its level of production and growth, management should first look at all of its options before paying a dividend. Since management’s main objective is to enhance shareholder value, they must evaluate how dividends create value to shareholders on a relative basis.

Besides paying dividends, management could choose to conserve the company’s cash by investing it in safe securities, they can use the cash to expand their business through acquisitions, and/or they could rewards shareholders by repurchasing the company’s shares.

Let’s evaluate! When shareholders receive their dividends they are immediately taxed by

Safe Rides (continued from Page 1) they only allow passengers that are over 21.

Although Bentley has a variety of alcohol prevention programs, including the required AlcoholEdu course for freshmen, E-CHUG, an online resource for questions about alcohol, and wellness theme weeks that address alcoholrelated issues, there is currently no program for intoxicated Bentley students to come safely back to campus when socializing off-campus. Although there is a shuttle that leaves from Harvard Square on Friday and Saturday nights up to 3:00 a.m., it is not offered on Thursdays, and many students go into Boston rather than Harvard Square and may not be able to get back to the shuttle on time.

Another issue is that many students, especially juniors and seniors, frequent Moody Street and other parts of Waltham.

Bars like The New Landing , Skellig, and John Brewer’s are some popular choices, but the issue of carpooling and parking has been a challenge for some.

Students must arrange for a cab there and back, or they have to find a friend willing to

go as the designated driver.

Senior Andrew Barbieri said, “Presently, I don’t think there is a problem, however a shuttle provided through Bentley to Moody St. will be beneficial in addition to the one to Harvard square.” He either carpools with friends or brings money for cabs when going to bars off campus. Other students mentioned that the logistics of having a program at Bentley would get very complicated, as there is liability and other issues to consider.

Despite these considerations, students generally thought that having a program would be helpful for students on the weekends.

There is an ongoing debate at many universities about the merits of these kinds of program. Some argue that this will help prevent drunk driving- related incidents by providing alternate transportation. Others feel that a program like Saferide would encourage students to drink and act irresponsibly. This could result in accidents other than driving that can be a result of heavy drinking. They argue that students should be more responsible and bring

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money to pay for a cab home.

It is difficult to gauge whether or not a program is needed. There is no feasible way to find out if students are driving drunk back to campus, and although students would prefer to have a shuttle to Moody Street or Boston, they are currently finding ways to get there. For birthdays and other special occasions, some students will rent a bus for the night to safely transport them to a club or bar in Boston.

Some events off campus also have the sponsor running a shuttle program with designated drivers to get students to and from campus. These arrangements are isolated to particular events, but they ensure that students get safely to and from the events. The question isn’t whether students can get back to campus from other locations, but whether or not the school should sponsor a program.

the government at a 15% rate (there goes some value). After they are taxed they usually either use the dividends to maintain their standard of living or they reinvest their money in the company.

Using dividends to maintain one’s standard of living adds value to one’s daily life and reinvesting the money in the company is fairly logical (if the company is doing well, why shouldn’t investors reinvest their profits?). Dividends are of much value to shareholders, but they are not the best value creators for them.

The best way to create value for shareholders with excess cash is by preserving the cash and waiting for opportunities to use it to arrive.

How can management preserve cash? If a company pays a dividend, management is basically telling shareholders “here is check of X amount of money, because we can’t invest this money in the business to add more value to your shares”; but they are wrong.

If management simply holds the excess cash in insured municipal bonds (which are extremely safe investments) they could earn a tax free return of over 4 percent on that cash.

Investing the excess cash in municipal bonds, preserves the cash and adds more value to shareholders than the taxed money that is reinvested (the standard of living issue will be addressed later on).

What opportunities can management take advantage of? If a company is earning excess cash it means they are doing well, so, if management decides to preserve excess cash, they can use their cash effectively to expand the business or reward shareholders in times of economic distress.

How can they expand?

When the economy is doing poorly many businesses do poorly, but those with much cash can buy businesses at a cheaper prices. Many companies would love to acquire some of its competitors at cheap prices, but they are usually not able to do so when prices become cheap because it is precisely when they are not doing too well themselves.

Companies with much cash don’t have that problem!

Wouldn’t it be great for General Electric, Citigroup or Ford to be able to acquire many of its competitors in this current economic environment?

Once the economy recovers they would have a bigger market share to earn more money for shareholders. Those companies would love to be in the position, but they are not.

They don’t have the cash to do it and unfortunately, they

paid out big dividends for many years, what a waste of money!

When stock prices become cheap, management can reward shareholders in a very efficient way by repurchasing the company’s stock. When management repurchases a company’s stock, they are basically returning the cash to shareholders through the stock because they increase all shareholders percentage ownership of the business. If shareholder A owns 20 percent of X Corporation and X Corporation decide to repurchase 50 percent of the company’s shares outstanding, shareholder A would then own 40 percent of the company if he/she does not sell any of his/her shares.

Repurchasing stock is similar to a dividend payment, but stock repurchases could reward shareholders exponentially and it is not taxed.

Management should always conserve excess cash, earning a good return on it with safe investments, and wait for good opportunities to increase shareholder value when they arrive. If management is patient, they will be able to find good opportunities to put the cash to work.

Shareholder value should always be the priority; management will be able to increase shareholder value at a higher rate if they implement the “conserve cash” strategy.

If shareholders need money to maintain their standard of living they should sell some of their shares in a company.

Yes, if they sell some of their shares they will be taxed on their gains and at a higher rate than the dividend tax.

The cost of selling shares though, is low compared to the increased return on investment shareholders would receive if management implements the “conserve cash” strategy.

Moreover, if shareholders depend on dividends as a source of income, they either have to invest in the best dividend paying companies (which is not easy to determine) or invest in an index, such as the S&P 500, that pays a dividend.

The average person does not have the time or the tools needed to determine which companies are the best dividend paying ones, and indexes, such as the S&P 500, usually have lower dividend yields than the safest fixed income securities- government bonds.

With that said, investors should never invest in dividend paying stocks if they will depend on the dividend payments, it’s simply not safe.

The bottom line: Dividends…they’re overrated.

THE VANGUARD

MARCH 5, 2009

PAGE 13

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PAGE 14

MARCH 5, 2009

THE VANGUARD

SPORTS Falcons looking ahead to Atlantic Hockey tournament; will face Canisius Robbie LaBrie SPORTS EDITOR

The Falcons have fought their way into a position they were nowhere near last season; toward the top of Atlantic Hockey heading into tournament time. Sitting in the fourth position in the conference, Bentley will take on Canisius at home in the first round.

Bentley’s hockey team finished up their regular season schedule last weekend with a two game set against the University of Connecticut. It was a series that didn’t matter too much in terms of conference seeding, and it was a good thing because the Falcons did not put out a great performance against the Huskies.

UConn, who enters the Atlantic Hockey tournament as the ninth seed, second to last, hosted Bentley in game one of the series. The Falcons had a rough time at Freitas Ice Forum, dropping the game 4-1 to the Huskies.

Fortunately, Canisius also dropped a game that night, clinching home ice for the Falcons in the first round of the tournament. This meant that the Falcons were locked into the 4 seed and the UConn series no longer meant as much.

Perhaps the worst part of this game was not so much the loss for the team, but the fact that the loss snapped freshman goalie, Kyle Rank’s winning streak of 8 straight. Rank has had a stellar season, and was recently named Atlantic Hockey Goaltender of the Week to go along with his four Rookie of the Week awards.

Kyle Rank’s sensational freshman year has propelled the Falcons to a home playoff series.

The game was mostly dominated by UConn the whole way. Bentley senior forward Dain Prewitt’s goal in the third period was the Falcons only goal of the night. The score was Prewitt’s 17th of the season, which leads the Falcons.

Although Prewitt was not voted into the Frozen Four Skills Challenge, despite mass voting efforts from Bentley faithful, his 1.03 points per game is good for seventh in the conference and the senior has put up one of the best efforts in 2008-09 that Bentley has seen.

Prewitt and the rest of Bentley’s seniors were honored the next night, when UConn came up to Watertown to take on the Falcons on their senior night.

Nick Moise, a Bentley senior, made his first start of the season in goal and performed admirably. He recorded 28 saves as the Falcons and Huskies finished in a 2-2 deadlock. This was Moise’s fourth career start and it was fitting that the senior would be the one to close one of the best season’s Bentley hockey has ever had.

Sophomore Erik Peterson scored an early goal for the Falcons, and late in the second, freshman Herbie Kent knocked one past UConn goalie Beau Erickson to put the Falcons up 2-0.

But in the third period, Bentley’s defense began to falter a bit. They successfully killed some penalties, but were giving up too many shots and two of the UConn shots found

Photo from Sports Info Office

their way past Moise and into the back of the net.

Moise and the defense were able to keep his composure, however, and they did not let anything up in overtime.

Unfortunately, the offense was unable to generate and goals and the game ended in a tie.

With that, Bentley finished up the regular season with a 17-15-2 overall record and a 15-11-2 record in Atlantic Hockey play. It was by far one of the best season’s the Falcons have had in a long time.

Bentley now looks forward to Canisius in round one of the playoffs. It is a matchup of the 4 and 5 seeds and it will be played in Watertown. Atlantic Hockey is going with a new tournament format this year that will feature best two-outof three quarterfinal series.

Bentley has met up with Canisius twice this year, both times being two game series, and the results were very good for the Falcons. They swept the four-game season series, first taking down the Griffs in Watertown by scores of 4-3 and 4-2, then going out to Amherst, New York and taking care of business.

In this second series the Falcons scorched Canisius, 83. Bentley sophomore Dustin Cloutier scored a hat trick in that game and also added two assists to tally five points in the game. Marc Menzione and Aaron Stonacek each scored two, while Prewitt, Casey Russell and Ryan Kayfes also had great games and recorded multiple assists.

Bentley followed up this performance the following day with a seemingly merciful 4-3 win. So while the Falcons have dominated the Griffs this season, anything can happen in the tournament. It does, however, seem to play into Bentley’s hand that it will be a best-of-three series because if Canisius somehow pulls out one game, the Falcons can still win the other two and move on.

Should Bentley move on, they will likely go on to play either #1 Air Force or #2 R.I.T., assuming they make it through their quarterfinal matches against low seeds.

Either team would be a tough matchup for Bentley or anybody else.

The tournament will be fun to watch and if the Falcons just play quality hockey like they know how, they can compete with anybody.

Connolly, Laden capture gold at NEISDA Championships; Bentley finishes 2nd Richard Lipe CONTRIBUTING WRITER

Juniors Willie Connolly and Sam Laden captured Bentley University’s fifth and sixth gold medals of the weekend as the New England Intercollegiate Swimming and Diving Association Championships concluded at Roger Williams University Sunday night.

Both set school records en route to their gold medals with Connolly winning the 50 yard backstroke in 24.54 seconds and Laden the 200 breaststroke in 2:07.79, an NCAA “B” cut time. Connolly improved on the existing school record by 0.12 seconds and Laden reduced his own school record in the 200 breast by 2.16 seconds.

Those were two of five school records broken on Sunday and 13 during the weekend. In the final event of the three-day meet, Laden helped Bentley set a school record in the 400 free relay, combining with senior Nick Markert and sophomores Egen Ouellette and Matt Cesaro for a silver medal.

Their time of 3:13.92 broke the former standard by 0.37 seconds.

Ouellette was part of eight of the 13 school records set

by Bentley in the meet. He broke the school record in the 100 free Sunday morning, as part of the 400 free relay, and shaved nearly eight-anda-half seconds off the existing mark in the 1650 free with a time of 16:48.22

Sunday night, a performance good for third place.

Ouellette also set school records in the 200, 500 and 1000 free during the weekend, and participated on two other record-setting relays.

Bentley’s other Day 3 silver was recorded by Laden in the 100 individual medley, with a time of 55.15 seconds.

Markert finished third in the 200 breaststroke (2:17.18), Cesaro fourth in the 100 free (49.44) and freshman Dave Curran was fourth in the 50 back (25.77).

As a team, Bentley saw its four-year reign as champion come to end, with the Falcons finishing second of 13 with 552 points. Keene State earned the team title, finishing with 629 points.

Sam Laden won a gold medal at the championships.

Photo from Sports Info Office

THE VANGUARD

MARCH 5, 2009

PAGE 15

SPORTS Lady Falcons march on in NE-10 tourney Dan Ryaboy MANAGING EDITOR

Make no mistake about it; a 20 win season is a significant milestone in college basketball, but the Lady Falcon faithful have grown accustomed to this plateau. The Falcons have reached the impressive number an astounding 26 out of the last 27 seasons.

The Falcons kept the streak going this past Tuesday as they took down NE-10 newcomer University of New Haven by a final score of 6954, with the win the Falcons earn their right to play in an NE-10 semifinal on Friday night.

The Falcons were in for a dogfight right from the opening tip as the University of New Haven Chargers opened the game on fire scoring the first 6 points. The Falcons only needed a few minutes to find their groove as they used a 70 run to take the lead at the 14:55 mark of the first half.

Over the next six minutes of the first half the game was back and forth with the Chargers holding on to a slim 21-17 lead with just under nine minutes remaining in the half.

Once again the Falcons responded regaining the lead on a Meghan Thomann trifecta. The Falcons would hold the lead until 3:48 remaining in the half when the Chargers regained a 1 point advantage at 27-26.

The rest of the half would be a tight knit affair as the Chargers and Falcons

exchanged buckets with the Chargers taking a 35-33 lead into the break.

The second half began just like the first half ended, as the teams went back and forth, shot for shot, for five straight possessions. The Chargers would finally score consecutive buckets to take a 44-41 lead with13:45 left in the game.

The Falcons would regain the lead for the third time in the game with 8:54 left on the clock, but this time the Falcons would secure the win with an 11-0 barrage that would bury the pesky underdog Chargers for good.

New Haven finished the game shooting 37.7 percent from the field, 33.3 percent from downtown and 60 percent from the foul line.

The Falcons improved their percentages in the second half and connected on 50.9 percent from the floor, 36.8 percent from downtown and 54.5 percent from the foul line. UNH turned the ball over 16 times and caused 15 Bentley turnovers. The Falcons out rebounded the Chargers 3631.

Individually the Falcons were led by Kim Brennan, whose aggressiveness was key in the deciding 11-0 run in the game. Brennan finished the game with 17 points and 4 assists.

The Falcons got a spectacular performance from junior Colette Josey who recorded a double-double with 13 points and 10 rebounds, but her greatest contribution was her 4 second half blocks.

Kristy McLean was once again solid as she poured in 11 points, pulled down 10 boards, and also recorded 4 thefts.

Meghan Thomann also was instrumental in the Falcons victory nailing three triples for nine points.

The Chargers used a fast paced guard oriented offense to give the Falcons some trouble early in the game were lead by Yasmin Ithier-Vicenty who scored 13 points, the Chargers also featured Lauren Hood and Nikki Carroll who scored 12 points each.

With the win the Falcons advanced to the NE-10 semifinals on Friday night, and coupled with a surprising upset in which St. Rose took out third seeded Stonehill the Falcons will actually host the Golden Knights Friday night at 7:00 p.m. at the Dana Center.

The Knights and the Falcons are familiar foes, splitting the season series, and the last time they met just over three weeks the Falcons dropped a heartbreaking 8076 decision to the Knights.

The game will remembered for two distinct moments; first Kristy McLean becoming the 29th Falcon to join the 1,000 point club, and second for the Falcon mascot giving the Knights a second attempt at a free throw that would prove to be the game winning point.

There is a lot of history in this rivalry and expect Friday night to be as intense as ever with as shot at the NE-10 championship game on the line.

RECENT RESULTS Hockey (17-15-2; 15-11-2 Atlantic Hockey) at UConn (2/27)# UConn (2/28)# Men’s Basketball (24-5; 18-4 NE-10) at Assumption (2/24)*

New England Championships (2/27-2/28)

Did not score

Men’s Swimming (8-4) New England Div. II-III Championships (2/27-3/1) 2nd of 13 Women’s Basketball (19-10; 15-7 NE-10) at Assumption (2/24)*

W 71-60

Women’s Indoor Track New England Championships (2/27-2/28)

t-26th

* Northeast-10 Game # Atlantic Hockey Game

UPCOMING SCHEDULE March 6 Women’s Basketball vs. Saint Rose (NE-10 Semifinal if involved)

7:00 7:00

March 7 Men’s Lacrosse vs. C.W. Post

1:00

March 8 Women’s Basketball vs. TBA (NE-10 title game if involved and the higher seed) Women’s Lacrosse vs. Philadelphia

1:00 10:00

March 13 Hockey vs. Canisius (Atlantic Hockey Quarterfinals)

7:05

March 14 Hockey vs. Canisius (Atlantic Hockey Quarterfinals)

7:05

March 15 Hockey vs. Canisius (if necessary)

7:05

Sudoku Solutions

Photo by Bree Johnson

L 79-78

Men’s Indoor Track

* Northeast-10 Game # Atlantic Hockey Game

Kristy Mclean battled all night on the defensive end, shutting down the New Haven guards.

L 4-1 T 2-2

PAGE 16

MARCH 5, 2009

THE VANGUARD

SPORTS Falcons drop heartbreaker to St. Anselm in NE-10 quarterfinal Robbie LaBrie SPORTS EDITOR

In the deep Northeast-10 conference, even a middle of the pack team can play like a champion on any given night.

On Tuesday night, the Falcons ran into a middle of the pack team and it was just one of those nights. Too bad it had to come in the quarterfinals of the conference tournament…

Saint Anselm has been a good team all year, but certainly didn’t seem to have what it takes to make a run in the tournament. They went 10-12 in the conference during the regular season and, even after an 81-65 beat down of American International in the first round, didn’t seem capable going much farther.

However, the Hawks came into Waltham with their Agame and they knocked off the team to beat in a back and forth 88-85 game.

It was one of those games where nothing fell for the Falcons, but you got the feeling that Saint Anselm was never going to miss a shot.

The Hawks’ 5’10” junior guard, Greg Vetrano delivered dagger after dagger, nailing five threes on the way to a career-high 27 points.

But no matter how many times Saint Anselm knocked down a big shot or drew a big foul, Bentley seemed to bounce back. It seemed like if Bentley only had a couple more minutes on the clock, they would’ve bounced back again, but it wasn’t meant to be.

The Falcons got off to a quick 5-0 lead off five quick points from senior forward Lew Finnegan. The Hawks managed to get on the board, but Bentley was still in control five minutes in, up 12-6.

Bentley managed to hold the lead until a Saint Anselm three with about 10 minutes left in the first half put the Hawks up, 21-19. The rest of the half was back and forth the whole way, with no team ever reaching more that a

9:40.79

Jason Westrol had a solid game, scoring 24 points and grabbing 8 boards in the Falcons loss.

four point lead.

By the break, we were looking a tie ball game, 39-39.

Finnegan and Brian Tracey paced the Falcons throughout most of the first half, scoring nine points each.

While the dance team did their thing at center court during half time, the crowd was feeling anxious, but confident that the Falcons would eventually shake off these seemingly inferior opponents.

Unfortunately the Hawks had something else in mind.

Things started good for Bentley as they jumped off to a 49-45 lead that Saint Anselm quickly cut into to make it a two point, 49-47 game.

But then the Falcons took the next two-plus minutes to try to separate themselves from the Hawks. They went on a 7-0 run that was punctuated by a Mike Quinn three to make it 56-47.It looked like Saint Anselm’s short lived hopes could be over. They weren’t.

The Hawks called a timeout to get their heads back in the game, and it worked perfectly. They buried two threes in a matter of 16 seconds to

bring the game back within reach. The Falcons scored a quick two, but Saint Anselm answered with a three and a layup off a turnover to make it a time game, 58-58, with a little over 11 minutes to play.

From here it turned into a back and forth basketball game.

No team could grab a lead by any significant amount.

Jason Westrol was playing well on his way to a teamhigh 24 points in the game, while Tom Dowling’s hustle was matched by few on the court.

The Falcons played their game, but this time the shots and even the layups just didn’t want to fall at their usual pace, or at least as much as they needed against the Hawk offense that was seemingly knocking down every shot it saw.

With six minutes left, Finnegan knocked down a pair from the charity stripe to deadlock the game again, this time at 73 apiece. Neither team was able to break away, and whenever the Falcons went on a run, Saint Anslem responded with more threes.

By game’s end, they had

Last Saturday afternoon the quartet of Amy Papalia, Lindsey Kennedy, Maddy McDonnell, and Barbara Powell set the Falcon record in the 4x800 relay.

Did you know the previous record, set in 2002 was broken by more than a second?

Photo by Bree Johnson

knocked down 12 treys as a team.

The two squads continued to battle back and forth and with about a minute left, Saint Anselm was clinging to an 85-83 lead, as Bentley went into foul-mode. Saint Anselm’s Vetrano knocked down one of two from the line to stretch it to a three point lead.

Westrol pushed the ball down court and drew a foul.

He put away both shots to make it a one point game, and Falcon fans could smell the comeback, especially after the Hawks missed their one-andone from the free throw line.

Unfortunately, Bentley could not capitalize on the free possession and Saint Anselm grabbed the defensive board.

They followed that up by hitting both free throws despite the razzing from the crowd, making it a three point

game again with 11 seconds left.

Westrol brought the ball down and eventually it found its way into Finnegan’s hands and he jacked up a three with a defender in his face. It clanked off the edge of the rim and the #9 Hawks had officially upset the Falcons.

It was a disappointing finish for Falcons fans who are now accustomed to seeing their team win every game every year.

However, Bentley was not the only top seed to get knocked off in the quarterfinals of the Northeast-10 tournament. In fact, every quarterfinal game on Tuesday night resulted in an upset, and the top four teams in the conference going home unsatisfied.

UMass-Lowell, Stonehill, and Merrimack all lost, truly showing how much parity there is in the conference. If anything, it is really a tribute to how difficult it was for the Falcons to run the table in the NE-10 the past two years.

To come out of there just with the best regular season record is truly a feat, and it will not be looked past when it comes time to seeding in the NCAA Division II tournament. Although Bentley bowed out of the conference tournament early, the Falcons will certainly find themselves with a place in the Northeast bracket, and they are well prepared to make a run in the big tourney.

Cinderella reigned supreme on Tuesday. Who knows which of the remaining NE-10 teams will see the clock strike midnight, but what we need now is for Bentley to find their glass slippers heading into the national tournament. There’s still plenty left to play for.

FALCON OF THE WEEK Ouellette Named Falcon of the Week Sophomore Egen Ouellette of the men’s swimming team has been named the Falcon of the Week. During the New England Intercollegiate Swimming and Diving Association Championships in Bristol, R.I., Ouellette set five individual school records and helped set three more school records in relays.

The individual records Ouellette broke, all of which were in freestyle events, were in the 100 (47.94, as part of the 400 free relay), 200 (1:45.06 as part of the 800 free relay), 500 (4:48.03), 1000 (10:01.01) and the 1650 (16:48.22).

Ouellette also helped the Falcons break the school record in the 200 medley relay twice as well as the 400 free relay.

He took home the silver medal in the 1000, bronze in the 1650 and four silver medals in the relays.