The Daily Free Press [
Year xli. Volume lxxxii. Issue lxxxx.
SOX TALK
Panel discusses Fenway, new book, page 3
Wednesday, April 4, 2012 The Independent Student Newspaper at Boston University
NO PHONE, NO PROB Columnist details month-long phone drought, page 6
]
www.dailyfreepress.com
WILD, WILD ‘CATS
Streaking lacrosse hosts UNH, page 8
WEATHER
Today: Cloudy, High 63 Tonight: Clear, Low 38 Tomorrow: 54/35 Data Courtesy of weather.com
Prospective students disappointed by Jan. acceptance Fixed-rate mortgages on the rise, experts, Prospective Boston University student Brooke Eyer said BU was her first choice. economics profs say “I really wanted to go there, and when I saw By Amy Gorel Daily Free Press Staff
that the letter said ‘congratulations,’ I was going nuts and telling everyone,” she said. ”Then I saw that it was for January 2013 and that really caught me off guard.” The high school senior from Oakland, N.J., is one of a “fairly small number of 85 to 100 students,” who were accepted to BU for Spring 2013 instead of Fall 2012, said BU Executive Director of Admissions Kelly Walter. “It changed my mind a little, but I’m still going to try to work it out,” Eyer said. Walter said this was partially due to the strong group of applicants. “Because our pool was so large and so strong, we made a decision to offer a number of students a place in our class — but for January,” Walter said. “There is a January class at the university and there always has been. So rather than having these students reapply for January, we’re giving them the option [now] to begin their studies in January.” Prospective students said they didn’t know the school admitted students for the spring semester rather than for the fall. “I was afraid I accidentally applied for January. I didn’t understand why my letter didn’t say September at first,” said Alex Ben-Jakov, a high school senior from Benicia, Calif., who said she will consider entering BU in 2013.
By Hina Tai Daily Free Press Staff
RACHEL PEARSON/DAILY FREE PRESS STAFF
New admissions material was released this week from the Boston University Admissions office.
After the initial shock, she said she calmed down. But even after realizing she had definitely been accepted, she said she still felt disappointed. “I won’t be entering BU with the rest of my class and get the real freshman experience, such as coming to school for the first time,” she said.
Ben-Jakov said despite the modified “freshmen experience,” she remains confident that she’ll meet people and find friends. Rosa Dale-Moore from Rainier, Ore., also received a January acceptance from BU. She said she is concerned she will miss key experi-
Admissions, see page 4
Slates announced for CAS Student Government elections By Gina Curreri Daily Free Press Staff
College of Arts and Sciences Student Government slates for the spring 2012 election were released Saturday on the Boston University Student Elections Commission website. SEC listed profiles for two slates, CAS New Directions and BAAAM, which announced their candidacy. CAS students running in BAAAM include junior Alexandra Michel as president, sophomore Avia Bui as executive vice president, sophomore Melissa Chua as vice president of financial affairs, junior Ashley Vineyard as vice president of internal affairs and sophomore Robert Patrovic as vice president of student affairs. Winning the election would allow BAAAM to reach out to students whose voices are otherwise not heard, Michel said. “I’ve basically volunteered to hold events just because I know students wanted to do it,” Michel said. “Throughout the
course of this year, I’ve been watching different members of the student government of CAS, and there’s a lack of volunteering to hold events, to do extra shifts at the [George Sherman Union] Link, basically just not a lot of motivation from the students.” As junior class president, Michel said she listened to students’ concerns about not having enough non-carbonated beverages in CAS, and she was able to get two additional vending machines placed in the building. CAS students running as CAS New Directions include junior Blyss Buitrago as president, junior Abigail Ridley-Kerr as executive vice president, junior Marcos Villarreal as vice president of financial affairs, junior Megan Ware as vice president of internal affairs and sophomore Nicolas Pantages as vice president of student affairs. CAS New Directions’ platform promotes a greater outreach to the student body and better communication between student groups and college governments, Buitrago said in an email interview.
“My slate and I have been involved with CAS Student Government since our freshmen year, so we definitely feel that our experience and perspective on how CAS has been run allows us to take what has and hasn’t worked in the past and the see how we can raise the bar,” she said. Buitrago said she has deep-rooted relationships with administration and a number of student groups on campus. Though Student Union has recently changed its election cycle and will hold elections again in the fall, CAS Student Government will continue to run on a semester year election cycle, Buitrago said. “I do believe that switching to a calendar year cycle is definitely something to consider as it has many pros and cons,” she said. “Yet, the decision to switch or not stems from what cons are worth dealing with in order to benefit from the pros.” Elections will take place from April 16 to April 24, and students in any college can vote via the Student Link.
Boston economic and mortgage experts said increased demand in the housing or property market might not have anything to do with mortgage rates, which a Freddie Mac survey reveals have been slowly on the rise. The average 30-year fixed-rate mortgage rose from lows in February to a little more than 4 percent for the week ending on March 22. The rates broke the 4 percent barrier for the first time since October 2011, when the rates averaged 4.1 percent, according to a Freddie Mac press release. Freddie Mac Vice President and CEO Frank Nothaft said in the press release that mortgage rates are “catching up with increases in U.S. Treasury bond yields.” “Bond yields rose over the past two weeks in part due to an improving assessment of the state of the economy by the Federal Reserve, better than expected results of commercial bank stress tests and the likelihood of a second bailout for Greece,” Nothaft said. But the slight increase in mortgage rates may signal an improved economy. Cameron Dietrich, a senior loan consultant at the Boston-based MBA Mortgage Corporation, said the general trend is that when the economy is good, the rates are usually bad and vice versa. Dietrich said the increase in demand might have more to do with people’s confidence in the economy than the mortgage rates. “I think the fear is starting to alleviate,” Dietrich said. “People have been fearful of owning and buying over the past couple of years.” Paula Callaghan, realtor at McCormick & Scanlan Real Estate in Jamaica Plain, said she has noticed a recent increase in demand for properties in Boston. “There’s more than one demand on multiple properties I’m seeing here [compared to] last year if there was a property on the market,” Callaghan said. “I think the market is hot right now and people are taking advantage of the rates.” But Dietrich said the recent increase in housing demand is correlated with the mortgage rates, since the rates were just as good last year. “As far as purchases from last March to this March . . . it seems like more people
Mortgage, see page 4
‘Kony 2012’ creators to release sequel, BU Invisible Children awaits screening By Sam Fouad Daily Free Press Staff
Boston University’s Invisible Children awaits the upcoming sequel to “Kony 2012,” which will provide updated info on the Lord’s Resistance Army, led by warlord Joseph Kony, in Uganda. The video will include an update on “Cover the Night,” scheduled for April 20 nationwide, and will detail the activities of the LRA to show the army and its outcomes are “still prevalent and still active,” said Amanda Crawford-Staub, BU’s Invisible Children president and a College of Arts and Sciences sophomore. “The second video is really targeted at people who really do want to stay educated and who want to know what they can do next toward the ultimate goal of ending the war,” Crawford-Staub said. “Kony 2012: Part II” is expected to be re-
leased this week. BU IC gained more than 200 new members on Facebook a few days after “Kony 2012” premiered March 5, Crawford-Staub said. The group is set to screen “Kony 2012” for an audience Wednesday. Invisible Children representatives and a “roadie” from Uganda will be in attendance. The original 30-minute video, which aimed to make Kony “famous” for capture, gained Internet fame with nearly 87 million views on YouTube since its release. Many students were critical of how much money Invisible Children spends to create its campaigns, including production and travel costs, Crawford-Staub said. “People forget that Invisible Children is not an ordinary nonprofit,” Crawford-Staub said. “They work to produce videos. They started out as filmmakers.”
However, other critics of Invisible Children and the campaign, such as College of Arts and Sciences freshman Luca Moneti Schliemann, said the nonprofit organization oversimplifies a complex problem. “People felt the need to share [“Kony 2012”] with others,” Schliemann said. “I think they had the misconception that simply by sharing the video they were actually doing something to help the cause, whereas [in reality] they weren’t actually getting up and trying to work themselves to try to find a solution to the problem.” Schliemann said the bad press about director Jason Rusell removing his pants in the streets of San Diego during a mental breakdown turned his interest away from the campaign. “I knew that there was nothing in my power
Kony, see page 4
COURTESY/invisible children
The second film from Invisible Children, Kony 2012 Part II, releases on Thursday, April 5.
2
Wednesday, April 4, 2012
Think Summer, Think Fordham New York, London and the World! Summer Session 2012 Session I: 29 May–28 June • Day and evening classes at three
convenient New York locations
Session II: 3 July–7 August • Competitive tuition rates • Live on campus
• Credits transfer easily
• Month-long study abroad options
fordham.edu/summer or call (888) 411-GRAD
Learn more at
The Daily Free Press Crossword By Tribune Media Services Across 1 Sources of inside info?
47 Beehive, say 50 Health, in Le Havre 52 “Coming Home” subject
8 Small hounds
54 Wrinkles
15 Question at a wine tasting
56 Tank swimmer
16 Like some glass display cases
58 One sold at Sotheby’s in 1989 for more than $50,000
17 “You’ve made your point!”
60 Reference to a longforgotten acquaintance
19 Stroke
63 Taking by force
20 Atomic number of nitrogen
64 Truman secretary of state
21 Place for controls
65 He played Captain Davies on “Roots”
22 Starfleet registry prefix 24 E-mails 26 Hurting
JOBS -- $$ SPERM DONORS WANTED $$ Earn up to $1,200/month and give the gift of family through California Cryobank’s donor program. Convenient Cambridge location. Apply online: SPERMBANK.com PLAY SPORTS! HAVE FUN! SAVE MONEY! Maine camp needs fun loving counselors to teach all land, adventure, and water sports. Great Summer! Call (888)844-8080, apply: campcedar.com
Sudoku
66 Number one Down 1 Do some food prep 2 Keepsake
12 Plain in the Southwest 13 It might get you down
4 Smoke, briefly
14 Pizazz
31 1987 Beatty bomb
5 Grieg’s “__ Death”
34 One who draws exceptionally well?
6 Evenings in the classifieds
18 When Sunday NFL action starts on the West Coast
38 Insert casually
7 Destination in a poetic riddle
29 In a level-headed way
40 Surfer’s destination 41 Precisely 43 Short-changed 44 Energy problem 46 Preschool group?
freepblog.wordpress.com CLASSIFIEDS
3 Swing both ways
27 Turn left
Check out The Daily Free Now:
8 Cherry, so to speak 9 Fish often smoked 10 Seniors’ PAC 11 Hardly a Michelin three-star eatery
32 Place to buy tkts. 33 Teases 35 Decide to defend someone, say 36 Wine selection concern 37 Wine selection
23 Catnap
39 Irrespective of
25 “Against the Wind” singer
42 Some silverware parts
28 Rise, and maybe shine
45 In addition
30 Cabinet department since 1913 31 Equal opening
51 __ Maria Remarque, author of “All Quiet on the Western Front” 53 Notes 55 Steer clear of 57 “Off the Court” autobiographer 59 Fast time 61 Art today? 62 Lincoln’s st.
47 Nip and tuck 48 Smashed 49 Birthplace of Merle Oberon
Solution is on Page 4
Sudoku-Puzzles.net
Difficulty: Medium
Solution is on Page 4
Campus & City
Wednesday, April 4, 2012
3
BUSM researchers Panel discusses new book on Fenway Park, Boston’s history Globe was going to do a book When Littlefield asked the link liver proteins about Fenway Park’s 100th an- panel how close the owners came niversary because of the ties that to building a new park in the early to lung infections Joe and Bill alluded to between 2000s, the Globe cohorts were By Emily Overholt Daily Free Press Staff
A Boston University School of Medicine professor revealed liver proteins could help prevent lung infections. Joseph Mizgerd and his colleague Lee Quinton found that a mutated gene in the liver can help stop infections such as pneumonia, according to a BU press release. He published his research in The Journal of Clinical Investigation online Tuesday. “While the acute-phase response was discovered in 1930, the mechanism and meaning behind the changes in certain blood protein concentrations are not well understood,” Mizgerd said in a press release. Mizgerd and Quinton discovered the significance of the acute-phase response - when blood proteins change - during a lung infection, Mizgerd said in an interview with The Daily Free Press. This identification allows researchers to discover why the changes matter. In the study, researchers mutated two genes in liver cells, which
Liver, see page 7
HILLARY LARSON/DAILY FREE PRESS STAFF
Bill Littlefield, host of WBUR’s “Only a Game,” interviews the authors of the new Fenway Park book. Their book, “Fenway Park: A Salute to the Coolest, Cruelest, Longest-Running Major League Baseball Stadium in America,” discusses the history of Fenway. By Eddie Donga Daily Free Press Staff
The Boston Globe’s Movies and Book Development Editor Janice Page said the Globe has “a treasure trove” of information on Fenway Park in a panel discussing a book that commemorates the 100th anniversary of Fenway Park, “Fenway Park: A Salute to the Coolest, Cruelest LongestRunning Major League Baseball Stadium in America.” Tuesday’s panel consisted of several current and former Bos-
By Sonia Su Daily Free Press Staff
Many Massachusetts residents still have no idea what Hepatitis C is, said state Rep. Carl Sciortino, of Medford, adding that the liverinflaming disease has become a “silent epidemic.” About 40 advocates lobbied at the State House Tuesday for a $4 million increase in funding for services for those living with or at risk for viral hepatitis, HIV/AIDS and STDs. A $4 million increase would mark about a 13 percent increase from the approximately $31 million HIV/AIDS prevention, treatment and services budget for fiscal year 2012. “We have a lot of work to do and that’s what you’re contributing to today,” said Sciortino, who said his mother had lived unaware of her hepatitis for more than 20 years. Members of the Massachusetts Viral Hepatitis Coalition spoke of the importance of sharing stories of people affected by hepatitis with state representatives before the House Committee on Ways and Means releases its budget proposal next Wednesday. The issue is not just an individual struggle, but also a public health challenge and issue, said Rebecca Haag, president and CEO of the AIDS Action Committee. “What we really need to do is . . . care for people and provide services for people currently infected . . . and help them lead healthy, productive lives, just as we do in other diseases,” Haag said, adding, “but we have a second burden here, which is really [to] raise awareness about viral hepatitis and the impact of that.” Of the 100,000 people with
viral hepatitis in Massachusetts, about 1,000 of them are among teens and young adults largely due to the shared use of injection drug equipment, according to the Common Health for the Commonwealth 2010 report. From 2002 to 2009, the rate of Hepatitis C infection among this age group has doubled. “The longer we delay testing and the longer we delay screening, the more expensive [and] profound the impact is for those living with it,” Sciortino said. Gary Langis, 63, of Gloucester, a consumer advocate who said he has been living with Hepatitis C for 26 years, shared his daily struggles “just to get rolling.” “I think right now the worst thing . . . what really hurts is the fatigue,” Langis said. He said that hepatitis affects not only those with the disease, but also families and communities as well. Langis said after his wife died of HIV, he began doing prevention work, volunteering in clinical trials and keeping in touch with state representatives. “I know this stuff that we do – talking to legislators – makes a difference,” he said. Funding for hepatitis services was only recently added to the budget line, said Deborah Silva, director of public policy at AAC, but despite the added services, the state budget for HIV/AIDS has decreased. Attendees were given a chance to introduce themselves to share their reasons for lobbying. Among them were members of the Massachusetts Nurses Association and AAC Needle Exchange
State House, see page 7
@dailyfreepress
Mass. residents, representatives discuss Hepatitis C prevention
ton Globe staff members, including Page, sports columnist Dan Shaughnessy and book authors Ron Driscoll and John Powers. Bill Littlefield, the host of WBUR’s “Only a Game,” served as the interviewer for the panel. The Globe has had a longstanding relationship with Fenway Park dating back to when Charles Taylor, one of the paper’s early publishers, purchased the Red Sox as a gift for his son John Taylor in 1904. “I think there was always a sense and a knowledge that the
the park and the Taylor family that owned the Globe from the beginning, and the close ties that they had,” Driscoll, a former copy editor for the Globe, said. The members on the panel said that the Globe felt compelled to write the book because of the prominence Fenway Park has had as an institution in the city of Boston. “There’s a reason why people think of it as a combination of a town hall, a temple, cathedral, backyard and living room,” Page said. “We own that park as citizens of this place as much as anything else.” Powers, a sports writer for the paper, said while doing research for the book it was interesting to see how the practice of journalism has evolved with the game of baseball. Powers said when he tried to find a quote from the park’s opening day he could not because the journalists did not include any in their stories. “It was fascinating to see not only how baseball has changed, and how Boston has changed, but also how journalism has changed,” Powers said. But one thing that has not changed over the years is Fenway Park itself.
unanimous in their assertion that the project was never close to happening. Powers said the fans would have never allowed it. “We like keeping old stuff around,” he said. “How many cities have an old state house and the new state house, the old city hall and the new city hall, the old Hancock building and the new Hancock building?” Shaughnessy said that the fans’ devotion to the park, despite its age and all of its infamously obstructed views, is a testament to their loyalty. “I’m amazed. The fans really don’t complain about it,” Shaughnessy said. “That’s a credit to the people who soldier on there, year after year.” The crowd cheered when they heard things they liked, hissed when a New Yorker asked a question and heckled when they disagreed with the speakers. Allan Knowles, an attendee, said at his first Fenway game he was struck by the Green Monster, Fenway’s famous wall in left field. “It was incredible,” Knowles said. “I heard that same feeling described by several other guys tonight, which was nice.”
Think Summer, Think Fordham New York, London and the World! Summer Session 2012 Session I: 29 May–28 June • Day and evening classes at three
convenient New York locations
• Credits transfer easily
Session II: 3 July–7 August • Competitive tuition rates • Live on campus • Month-long study abroad options
fordham.edu/summer or call (888) 411-GRAD
Learn more at
4
Wednesday, April 4, 2012
Prof: Impossible to predict mortgage rates’ next move Mortgage: From Page 1
are purchasing,” he said. “Interest rates are doing better, but I don’t think it has anything to do with rates.” Rates probably will not have a huge influence on the housing market right now, said Professor Marc Rysman, who teaches economics at Boston University. If they continue to rise, he said, the rates would be more impactful. Callaghan said she has noticed a recent trend of people saving their money to place down payments of up to 25 percent on properties. The buyers who were waiting to see if the mortgage rates would drop are actually saving more
money, she said. Callaghan said she thinks the spike in interest rates is just a phase. “I think [rates] will stabilize. I think its at a phase right now; it’s a good spike but I don’t think it’s going to spike like three years ago,” she said. “If the rates were to spike they would be around the 5 to 5.5 percent [range], which is quite good.” It is impossible to predict whether the rate would go up or down, Rysman said. “If the rate were going to go up,” he said, “they would be higher right now and if they were going to go down they would be lower right now.”
Summer is a great time to catch up, get ahead or try something new. • Choose from more than 300 courses. • Immerse yourself in an intensive language or science sequence. • Get ahead on credits toward your degree. • Experience all Northwestern and Chicago have to offer in the summer.
Jan. admittees have open semester Admissions: From Page 1
ences such as the First-Year Student Outreach Project in August. She also said the prospect of being stuck with an already-rejected roommate worried her. “I’m very ready for college,” she said. “If I could, I would start next week.” Many of the prospective students said they shared her eagerness, adding that they would not only prefer to start in the fall, but also want to graduate with their class, despite the Admissions website’s suggestion that they spend eight semesters in college rather than seven. “My initial reaction was that I might be behind everyone else, which would push back graduation,” Ben-Jakov said. “I figured that I would be able to catch up with summer classes and my AP credits.” In addition to worrying about possible academic disadvantages, Dale-Moore said she is concerned about social disadvantages. “I think it would be much harder to find friends,” Dale-Moore said. “I come from a small school, so it would already be hard to find a niche at such a big university and more so if you arrive half a year late.” BU spokesman Colin Riley said making friends should not be too hard for anyone.
“The biggest, probably most common perception of freshmen is that they may get lost in the shuffle on such a big campus,” he said. “But it’s the biggest unrealized concern by the end of your time here.” While choosing between entering BU in January or accepting offers of fall admission from other colleges, a number of prospective BU students said they also must consider what to do with the four-month lapse. Ben-Jakov said the promise of a gap-semester interests her even though she will feel disappointed when her high school friends start college without her. “I’m not 100 percent sure what I would do during that semester. . . . My mom really likes the idea of me having the semester off,” Ben-Jakov said. “It would be fun to travel. My alternative would be to take classes or probably get a job.” Dale-More also said she would try to keep busy during the time between the end of high school and the beginning of college. “I would get to do a lot of things - volunteer, travel, make some money,” Dale-Moore said. “If BU had given me admission in September, there would be no choice in my mind, but the caveat is going in January. It’s definitely making my choice a little harder.”
‘Kony’ draws mixed reviews Kony: From Page 1
that I could immediately do to help,” Schliemann said. “Simply being aware of the problem is a good thing, spreading the word to other people who do have the potential to help is a good thing, but I just didn’t think that I had the means to do that.” COM junior Julie Ha said though the campaign is powerful, she questioned the veracity and genuineness of the video. “It’s sort of like the whole Occupy
Wall Street thing – everyone’s just so hyped up about it,” Ha said. “Not everyone really knows the depth of this.” However, College of Engineering freshman Garrett Moore said IC’s campaign has brought attention to the events in Central Africa. “People need to keep in mind that although Jason Russell was the leader, he was not the movement,” Moore said. “I’m glad that it has promoted awareness for the conflict.”
Today’s crossword solution brought to you by...
Our Cold Little Fingers
Registration opens April 2. Classes begin June 18. www.northwestern.edu/summer
2013 AAAS ANNUAL MEETING 14–18 February • Boston www.aaas.org/meetings
Call for Symposium Proposals Symposium proposals for the 2013 AAAS Annual Meeting are now being solicited. To submit a proposal, visit www.aaas.org/meetings.
The deadline for submission is Thursday, 26 April 2012.
The Beauty and Benefits of Science The theme for the meeting points to the “unreasonable effectiveness” of the scientific enterprise in creating economic growth, solving societal problems, and satisfying the essential human drive to understand the world in which we live. The phrase, “unreasonable effectiveness,” was coined in 1960 by physicist Eugene Wigner,
who explored the duality of mathematics — both beautiful unto itself, and also eminently practical, often in unexpected ways. The scientific program will highlight the rich and complicated connections between basic and applied research, and how they bring about both practical benefits and the beauty of pure understanding.
Student Poster Competition The competition recognizes the individual efforts of students actively working toward an undergraduate, graduate, or doctoral degree. Online entries will be accepted beginning 14 May 2012.
For information about exhibits and sponsorships, contact meetings@aaas.org.
2013 AAAS ANNUAL MEETING • 14–18 February • Boston www.aaas.org/meetings
6W
ednesday, April
Opinion
4, 2012
The Daily Free Press
The Independent Student Newspaper at Boston University
Texting while walking
42nd year F Volume 82 F Issue 91
Steph Solis, Editor-in-Chief Tim Healey, Managing Editor Emily Overholt, Campus Editor
Sydney L. Shea, City Editor
Meredith Perri, Sports Editor
Sofiya Mahdi, Opinion Page Editor
Kira Cole, Features Editor
Audrey Fain, Ricky Wilson, Photo Editors
Praise Hong, Advertising Manager Kaylee Hill, Layout Editor Valerie Morgan, Office Manager The Daily Free Press (ISSN 1094-7337) is published Monday through Thursday during the academic year except during vacation and exam periods by Back Bay Publishing Co.,Inc., a nonprofit corporation operated by Boston University students. No content can be reproduced without the permission of Back Bay Publishing Co., Inc. Copyright © 2010 Back Bay Publishing Co., Inc. All rights reserved.
Teaching technology In a world that is concerned with technological advancement, computer usage has increased dramatically. We use them in educational and professional settings, and we have now integrated them into our lives to such an extent that we can’t imagine life without them. Now, in order to meet this demand for computer proficiency, some colleges are demanding that students be required to take a computer class. Amidst other classes such as writing, history and social sciences that are often required for certain programs, there has been increased support for a computer science class to become part of the core classes students must take in order to graduate. According to an article published in The New York Times on Monday, the variety of computer science classes at colleges is significant. Some classes require students to immediately delve into complicated programming material, while others are more theoretical in their approach. Of course, having a computer science requirement independent of any other would have to accommodate students who are averse to taking courses filled with technical jargon and complicated material.
Many of the members of our generation are already at a superior level of familiarity with computers in comparison to our parents and grandparents. And for most jobs, at least in the foreseeable future, having extensive knowledge of computer programming and encoding websites can be reserved for those who are majoring in math and computer science. Unfortunately, pushing a challenging computer course on students who know they will not succeed could be viewed as a waste. Students will be frustrated with their academic performance, especially if they know taking such a challenging class – one they have limited interest in – is required. If we want to educate the young generation on computer proficiency, we could probably implement this at high schools. Of course, if the classes that are made mandatory manage to gage the skill level and aptitude of these non-major students and tailor the course to their needs, the new rule can be a success. However, if this initiative is poorly executed without taking into consideration students’ needs, the effort will ultimately collapse and the departments involved would have to reevaluate its effectiveness.
Flying futures? Often, when we are describing what our world would be like in the future, we imagine conveyor belts as sidewalks, holographic figures emerging out of futuristic phones, flying cars and other inconceivable gadgets making human life infinitely more convenient. According to an article published in The Christian Science Monitor yesterday, one of these dreams is soon to be a reality: The Terrafugia Transition is a flying vehicle that can fold itself into a car. The car – or plane? – needs a runway to launch into the air. The vehicle, which has been in a testing phase, completed its first flight on Monday and can fly into the air to an altitude of 1,400 feet. Of course, such a novel product is incredibly expensive. The car costs approximately $279,000. Despite the obscene price, more than 100 people have already paid the $10,000 deposit required to reserve a guaranteed flying car. Furthermore, the relevant governmental organizations have already made sure any traffic laws that would bar this vision from appearing on our streets and airport
runways were surpassed. Of course, the initial expense will be supplemented by costly fuel and maintenance costs when the vehicle eventually branches out into the wider consumer market. In order to garner media attention to the new invention, the flying car will be introduced at the New York Auto Show. While this is definitely an exciting new venture, such a drastic change in private transportation will need a lot of consideration. How does anyone intend to regulate traffic for a vehicle that can be operated both on and above public roads? In addition, authorities have allegedly waived some safety measures to make sure the vehicle is light enough. Will this compromise the overall security of the flying car? Unfortunately, much more time will have to pass before we know whether we’re dawning on a new way of life or another valiant attempt at change. Naturally, consumers will be hesitant to spend such an enormous amount of money on a car, which can only fly from a runway. However, with additional progress, we could be on the brink of significant change.
letters@dailyfreepress.com letters@dailyfreepress.com
Modern Greek Philosopher
F
MARIA GELLEPES
or one month I didn’t have a working cell phone. Today I finally got my phone back from being repaired. “But Maria, how can you go a whole month without a cell phone? Didn’t you die without being able to text people?” No, I have no problem with going without my cell phone for long amounts of time. Call me crazy (or Maria, whatever works), but I don’t see the need for us to be constantly attached to our mobile devices. “But Maria, if I don’t respond to a text the second after I receive it the whole world will explode!” No, imaginary conversation partner, it will not. “Maria, you don’t understand, if I turn my phone off for a few minutes I may miss an important text or call! I can’t turn off my phone.” Once again, I assure that if you turn your phone off for a few minutes the world will still be fine. It seems like many people around me are too attached to their cell phones. I wish people could not worry so much about who is contacting them every five seconds. The most annoying people I encounter during my everyday walk to my classes are the “text-walkers.” This may be horrible, but every time I see a person walking towards me while they are staring blindly at their phone I want to trip them. Let’s get real, BU – If I trip them they won’t even notice me because they will be so busy texting that they won’t see me coming. Now, I don’t know if I could ever actually trip them, but I have wanted to trip many peo-
ple that have almost walked into me. I hate that this society has created phone-obsessed zombies. Is it so hard for people to put their phones down for five minutes and just walk around like a normal person? How about if you have an urgent text message, you sit down on a bench and finish reading and writing it there, instead of almost running into me while you are staring at your iPhone! Oy vey! People also seem to lack manners these days when they are using their cell phones. I absolutely hate it when I’m eating with a friend and while we are conversing they are texting on their phone. Those friends of mine need to learn table manners ASAP. If you are eating with me you need to eat with me and not with your texting buddy. We survived many years without cell phones so there’s no reason why we need to be so attached to them now. I long for the days of yore when people weren’t so attached to their cell phones. So, readers, don’t worry about me not having a cell phone for a month. I was quite happy without it, and if I ever have to give up my phone again I know I will be fine. I can go one month without my phone; how long can you go without yours?
Maria Gellepes is a senior in the College of Arts and Sciences and a weekly columnist for The Daily Free Press. She can be reached at mg887@bu.edu
Have an opinion?
Tell us about it Submit a letter to the editor including your name, school and class year to:
letters@dailyfreepress.com
Leave your comments online at dailyfreepress.com
Wednesday, April 4, 2012
7
Hepatitis C activism start of ‘movement’ McCARTHY: Kentucky basketball tunity, and it’s time to make it clear to our ‘perfect storm’ of tradition, expectations state representatives about the opportunities program, one of four state-sanctioned and State House: From Page 3
funded syringe exchange programs that distribute and exchange syringes to activeinjection drug users, according to the AAC website. Daniel Church, epidemiologist and viral hepatitis coordinator at the Massachusetts Department of Public Health, and Kevin Cranston, director of the Bureau of Infectious Disease at the DPH, said they attended in support of the lobbyists as they made their legislative visits. “As state employees, we can’t lobby, but we’re here to support those of you who can,” Cranston said. “This is a time of incredible challenge and incredible oppor-
that stand before us.” Langis said sharing stories is an easy thing to do. “All you have to do is change one person’s life,” he said. State representatives need to better understand these challenges and it all starts with one group of people, Haag said. “It’s the basic works of politics. It’s the basic beginnings of a movement,” Haag said. “I know some of you are frustrated because you’ve done this before, but you know what? That can’t stop us. . . . I know many of you have gotten knocked down and now you have to climb back up, but where else is there to go?”
Protein discovery sheds light on conditions Liver: From Page 3
create the blood proteins that change during an acute-phase response, according to the press release. Before an infection, the mutated genes had no effect. When made to interact with pneumonia, however, the mutations prevented changes in blood proteins. “It’s really important for preventing dissemination of infection out of that local fight,” Mizgerd said. “If you have pneumonia . . . [it] often progresses to what’s called bacteremia, a blood stream infection, but this acute response from the liver changes to blood proteins [to keep the infection from spreading].” Mizgerd said the research may have a number of implications for basic medical care. “A lot of these proteins are measured
in patients already, so we see that they change in response to acute diseases like pneumonia or chronic diseases like acrosclerosis,” he said. Tracking these changes will aid in the treatment of different ailments, Mizgerd added. “Those changes in proteins tell us if [patients] are getting better or if they’re getting worse of if they’re having new types of changes,” he said. “Instead of just being in the intensive period known for trauma they might have an infection on top of the original trauma that originally put them in the hospital.” Other members of the research team include BUSM Professor Stephen Pelton, Computational Biomedicine Chief Avrum Spira and Plumonary Center Assistant Professor Matthew Jones, according to the press release.
McCARTHY: From Page 8
with being its coach. In his three years on the job since then, Calipari has regularly and continuously announced that he feels he has the greatest job in the coaching profession, and I believe him. Surely, his record in those three years both on the court and the recruiting trail serve as sound evidence to the statement’s validity. It is important to note, however, that it might be the most demanding in the profession as well. The Kentucky basketball program is a perfect storm of tradition, expectations and unwavering fan support. On the surface, those defining characteristics are all exceedingly positive and are not uncommon on many campuses across the country. At Kentucky though, everything is magnified. Simply put, Kentuckians care more about their basketball program, and given the legacy of their flagship program, they have every right to be accustomed to excellence. For many coaches, the daunting task of weathering the Big Blue storm would not be worth the headache. Surely, some have turned down job offers because of it. Others, like Calipari’s predecessor Billy Gillispie, have buckled under the pressure and have shown themselves woefully unqualified for the job. Calipari, on the other hand, is the perfect fit to helm the program. What separates Calipari from Gillispie and others is not solely his God-given ability to coach. It’s not his unmatched recruiting record either. Calipari is the perfect coach for Kentucky because he needs the Big Blue Nation every bit as much as they need him. To say that UK’s beloved coach Cal is the most misunderstood coach in sports
today would be no great stretch of the imagination. He is far too often tagged with names such as “used car salesman,” with his critics quick to connect his blue chip-laden recruiting classes to unfounded rumors of impropriety. He will be forever linked to his two vacated seasons, at Memphis and the University of Massachusetts, despite that in both cases, he himself was cleared of any wrongdoing. Even those who do not find Calipari to be as morally repulsive as his rivals find ways to criticize his record and recruiting philosophy. His history of recruiting the controversial “one-and-done” players is oft critiqued. College basketball championships cannot be won solely with NBA talent, they said. For years, he has received an onslaught of criticism and vitriol from all sides. He is public enemy number one among basketball purists. But at Kentucky, none of that mattered. He was taken in by the fan base, and given full support to coach and recruit as he pleased. The only stipulation being that he won. And recognizing that the passionate Big Blue Nation was just as misunderstood as he was, Calipari agreed to those terms. In October 2009, Calipari addressed a sold-out Rupp Arena during the annual installment of extravagance that is Big Blue Madness. In it, he announced “my vision is one of celebrations and banquets, diplomas and banners, rings and parades. A return of this legendary program back to its rightful place atop the mountain of college basketball.” Monday night, he finally delivered on this promise, leading UK to its eight national championship. In doing so, he has not only vindicated himself, but has given Big Blue Nation the ideal wedding gift to celebrate a perfect marriage.
Semester by the Sea at Stony Brook Southampton Two unique undergraduate residential programs for Fall 2012
THE ARTS
THE OCEAN Immerse yourself in marine studies as you explore Long Island’s bays, estuaries, salt marshes, beaches and open ocean in this full-semester program at one of the nation’s premier oceanographic institutes. Offered by Stony Brook’s School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences, it ranks sixth among U.S. graduate programs in marine and atmospheric sciences by the National Research Council.
Free your muse this fall in our “study abroad” college arts program right in the heart of the Hamptons. Got a great idea for a play? Itching to make a movie? In 10 weeks you will write, stage and perform a play or write, shoot and edit a film — all while earning 15 college credits. You will work closely with top-notch creative writing, theater and film faculty of Southampton Arts.
HANDS-ON EXPERIENCE
GREAT GEAR, GREAT CAMPUS
You will work side by side with Stony Brook University’s worldrenowned faculty on our research vessels and in our waterfront lab facilities, and you can earn up to 15 credits.
Filmmakers, you will be trained with state-of-the-art equipment. Playwrights, you will stage your work in the 400-seat Avram Theater. Throughout your 10 weeks you will work in small groups, with plenty of personal attention.
WALK TO THE ATLANTIC OCEAN Take advantage of the unique campus location on the shores of Shinnecock Bay for direct access to the Atlantic Ocean and nearby marine and coastal habitats.
GREAT LOCATION
Program runs August 27 to December 14
Program runs September 11 to November 18
The cultural legacy of the Hamptons is rich with noted playwrights and filmmakers, from Tennessee Williams to Steven Spielberg.
Registration begins April 9, 2012 To register or for more information visit www.stonybrook.edu/sea
Stony Brook University/SUNY is an affirmative action, equal opportunity educator and employer. 12031253
“
“
Quotable
We got handed a pretty good piece of humble pie this weekend. -BU softball coach Shawn Rychcik
Page 8
The Gospel
Sports The Daily Free Press
By Shep Hayes Daily Free Press Staff
JUNHEE CHUNG/DAILY FREE PRESS FILE PHOTO
Senior midfielder Annie Stookesberry scored the game-winning goal during BU’s win over UMBC on Saturday.
W. Lacrosse vs. New Hampshire, 4 p.m. Softball vs. Bryant, 4 p.m.
With five wins in a row and a current position atop the America East standings, the Boston University lacrosse team will host the University of New Hampshire on Wednesday afternoon at Nickerson Field. BU coach Liz Robertshaw again focused on the details as she described what she thinks her team needs to do to continue the streak. “Getting ball possessions, getting draw controls,” Robertshaw said. “Slowing down our opponents attack-wise [are things we need to focus on].” The Terriers (6-4, 2-0 America East) return to Boston after coming from behind to win 12-11 on a game-winning goal from senior midfielder Annie Stookesberry in the final 16:28 at the University of Maryland-Baltimore County on Saturday. Junior attack Danielle Etrasco scored four goals and assisted on two more. Senior attack Molly Swain, junior midfielder Kristen Mogavero and freshman attack Mallory Collins each scored twice. Sophomore goalkeeper Christina Sheridan played all 60 minutes and made seven saves. Prior to the trip to central Maryland, BU beat the University of Vermont at Nickerson Field on the preceding Saturday, also with a late-game run. Wins at the University of California, at Saint Mary’s College and over Yale University at home round out BU’s streak. To begin the season, UNH (3-6, 1-1 America East) lost four straight games against Dartmouth University and the University of Connecticut at home, and the University of Massachusetts and Stanford University on the road. The team’s first win came at Fresno State University on March 14, 14-7. It lost another non-conference game after that to Fairfield University. The Wildcats are an even .500 through their two America East
games thus far this spring. They beat Binghamton University 16-9, but lost at the University of Vermont 18-8. In between, they beat Vanderbilt University 12-11 to put together their only win streak of the year. Junior Jenny Simpson leads the team with 22 points, 17 of which are goals. Behind her in goals comes senior Kate Keagins with 16 and freshman Laura Puccia with 15. Keagins also leads the team with ground balls (19), draw controls (24) and controlled turnovers (20). Senior Ilana Cohen leads the Wildcats with 11 assists. The most important challenge Robertshaw said the Wildcats hold for the Terriers is the quality of their shots and attempts. “We need to limit how many looks they get on cage and the kind of looks they get,” Robertshaw said. “We want to make sure we’re forcing them to double team and to really try to slow them down.” In net, three goalkeepers have started for the Wildcats. Junior Kathleen O’Keefe tops all statistical categories. She has played in six games and started four, totaling 255:57. She has made 36 saves while allowing 56 goals. Freshman Taylor Hurwitz follows her with six games and three starts, allowing 35 goals and making 21 saves across 156:25. Finally, senior Kate Gunts started two games and played in another, allowing 19 goals and making 16 saves in 127:38. The last two wins have been in large part the results of late-game efforts from the Terriers, but that doesn’t mean Robertshaw is pleased with the second-half heroics alone. “I would absolutely like our team to come out stronger from the start of games and establish our defensive stops and be as aggressive as we can be in a positive way,” Robertshaw said. “And then I would like our attackers to come out and be a little bit more . . . finishing and getting some better looks on cage.”
Softball looks to repeat offensive outburst against Bryant By Sam Simmons Daily Free Press Staff
After narrowly avoiding a sweep by conference rivals Stony Brook University, the Boston University women’s softball team will return to BU Softball Field Wednesday afternoon to take on Bryant University. The last time the Terriers (2011, 4-2 America East) played Bryant (7-17) was earlier this season in a slugfest the Terriers won 133. The Terriers hit a school-record 19 hits, breaking a 19-year-old record. “I don’t want us to be too confident,” said BU coach Shawn Rychcik. “You know, we should be able to do a good job against them. I think we’re a better team, and as long as we do what we’re supposed to do we’ll be fine.” The game was marked by high offensive production by the Terriers as seven of nine players had at
The Bottom Line
Wednesday, April 4
Wednesday, April 4 , 2012
BU looks for sixth straight against Wildcats
Andrew McCarthy
McCarthy, see page 7
lax
The BU lacrosse team has played two straight games that featured second-half surges to put the Terriers on top, p. 8
[ www.dailyfreepress.com ]
Calipari and Kentucky, the perfect marriage
Three years ago, when John Calipari was announced as the newest head basketball coach at the University of Kentucky, he rode onto campus as a conquering hero. It had been 12 years since the last UK national championship, and the rabid fan base was ready for its return to the top of the mountain. Calipari had been tabbed to lead them there. Given that he himself had never won a title, and his two finest coaching performances would both be wiped off the record books due to NCAA sanctions, some viewed the fawning reception as unjustified. Those surrounding the program openly questioned whether the flash matched the substance with the former Memphis coach. “Sure, he can coach . . . but can he coach here?” they asked. Once he stepped to the podium at his introductory press conference, however, the perfection of the marriage was obvious. Dressed smartly in a Kentucky blue tie, and without a hint of nervousness, he began, “This was a dream I had since . . . I believe it was 1992. . . . We came down here, and I could not believe the environment. And at that point I said, ‘I’d love to coach there someday.’” For most elite programs, that ego-stroking statement alone would have been enough from its new coach, but he continued. “The challenge of being here is not competing for national championships, but winning them. . . . They don’t hang banners up here for anything else except national champions,” he said. “That’s why you want to coach here.” With those two statements combined, he not only acknowledged the tradition and legacy of the Kentucky basketball program, but also expressed his willingness to shoulder the burden of immense expectations that comes
Late-game
Thursday, April 5 W. Tennis vs. UMass-Amherst, 2 p.m.
least two hits. Sophomores Jayme Mask, Amy Ekart and Chelsea O’Connor led the team with three hits each and rookie left fielder Mandy Fernandez recorded her first career home run and drove in a team-high four runs. BU dominated the game from the beginning, putting three runs on the board in the first inning and continuing to put points up as junior pitcher Erin Schuppert held Bryant to three hits and three earned runs. “You start looking past them or you take them too light, and you can get yourself in trouble,” Rychcik said. It is this type of slugging power that the struggling BU offense hopes to recreate on Wednesday afternoon. In the Terriers’ most recent game, they scored eight runs, all off of home runs, ending an offensive slump that had plagued BU for the last three
games. “I think we’re pretty focused. We got handed a pretty good piece of humble pie this weekend,” Rychcik said. “So I think our goal is to get back on track and get ready for conference.” Mask leads the Terriers’ offense as her .367 batting average and .436 on base percentage are both team-highs. Also contributing to the Terriers’ offense is Ekart, who, despite struggles in the series against Stony Brook, still leads the team with 20 RBIs. This offensive push may be aided by the weakness of the Bryant pitchers, whose collective ERA stands at 7.33 and whose opponents have a .372 batting average. The Terriers’ pitchers, on the other hand, have a team ERA of 2.48, led by sophomore Holli Floetker’s 1.83 mark. Schuppert especially has played a critical role
in recent games for the Terriers, hurling two full games on Sunday against Stony Brook and allowing Floetker to recover from a difficult outing on Saturday. The Terriers’ strong pitching is also backed by a strong defense. Despite a couple errors that cost them runs against Stoby Brook, BU’s defense still has an impressive .972 fielding percentage. “We worked on some outfield stuff [in practice],” Rychcik said. “Not related so much to what we’re doing immediately and then we went back and worked on some hitting.” Despite the fact that Bryant is not a conference opponent, Rychcik said he is not willing to brush off any game as unimportant. “It’s good that we continue playing and we continue to compete,” Rychcik said. “And you know, try to get better.”
Friday, April 6
Saturday, April 7
Sunday, April 8
Track @ Stanford, All Day Track @ Florida, All Day
W. Lacrosse @ Albany, 2 p.m. Softball @ Maine, 12 p.m. Track @ Stanford, All Day Track @ Florida, All Day
Softball @ Maine, 12 p.m. W. Golf @ Brown, All Day