il 2
Ap r 01 4
theGAVEL
NEWS
06
08
20
24 2
BC Gavel
04Boston Nightlife Gets A Later Curfew Breaks Up With Blackboard, 05 BC Rebounds with Canvas 06#McConneling & Millennials 07The Path For Pot
FEATURES
08 Goodnight BC 11 We, The Millennials 14 Immortalized Mortality 16 Overheard at BC
CULTURE
Weird With WZBC: ft. DJ 17 Getting Rescigo for the Unavoidable Boston 18 Cures Withdrawals 20 Spring Spots: Boston’s Best Views
OPINIONS
22 Casting A Wide Social Net 24 #Activism 26 Forward with the T April 2014
SPORTS Baseball Welcomed At Boston 28 Club College 30 ‘Boston You’re My Home’
26 STAFF
EDITORIAL BOARD
JENNA LACONTE / EDITOR-IN-CHIEF JILLIAN TIMKO / MANAGING EDITOR MARY YUENGERT / ONLINE MANAGER TAYLOR GARRISON / PRINT MANAGER GEENA DE ROSE / NEWS EDITOR JAMES CODY / NEWS EDITOR CHRISTIE MERINO / FEATURES EDITOR SAMEET DHILLON / CULTURE EDITOR KENNY ST. JOHN / OPINIONS EDITOR TIM COOGAN / OPINIONS EDITOR JAKE MILLER / SPORTS EDITOR MIKE IZZO / AUTHENTIC EAGLES EDITOR TEDDY KOLVA / HEAD COPY EDITOR JONO KEEDY / PHOTO EDITOR BILLY FOSHAY / PHOTO EDITOR OLIVIA VERA / HEAD DESIGN EDITOR JING XU / ASSOC. NEWS EDITOR BENJAMIN SEO / ASSOC. NEWS EDITOR VICTORIA SOUTHWOOD / ASSOC. FEATURES EDITOR ITZEL AYALA / ASSOC. FEATURES EDITOR RACHEL FORRAY / ASSOC. CULTURE EDITOR SAM COSTANZA / ASSOC. CULTURE EDITOR YONNY REICHEL / ASSOC. OPINIONS EDITOR BILL STOLL / ASSOC. SPORTS EDITOR JACK DAVIS / ASSOC. SPORTS EDITOR FRANCISCO BERNARD / ASSOC. SPORTS EDITOR TEDDY RADDELL / AUTHENTIC EAGLES EDITOR CAROLYN GRIESSER / ASSOC. AUTHENTIC EAGLES EDITOR
COPY EDITORS
MIKE NATALIE VICTORIA PALMER LAUREN GRAY JONATHAN REED
ERIN MCGARVEY AYA TSURUTA NICOLLE MANUEL MIRANDA RICHARD
DESIGN TEAM
VALERIE LIANG EMMA BLACKNEY ANNIE BELGRADE MARIA JOSE CORDOVA ELENI VENETOS JULIANNA SULLIVAN
ANDREW GROSS ALEX FLYNN MEGAN FLYNN HELEN FORMOSO MURIAS SARA POLLEI VALERIE CHERBERO
PHOTO TEAM
MEGAN FLYNN AMANDA IKARD SELLY SALLAH
TORI FISHER JULIA KEEFE ANTHONY GOLDEN
LETTER FROM THE EDITOR Dear Reader, As a second-semester senior, I can feel myself falling into the trap of “lasts,” knowing that just about everything I do here at Boston College could be for the last time: the last time sitting down to take a midterm, the last time adding Eagle Bucks to my account, the last time eating lunch in the Rat. While on the grand scheme of things these “lasts” are all minor, the fact that this is my last print edition of the Gavel is nearly impossible to wrap my head around. I am grateful beyond words to have found such a loving community at BC through the Gavel, even though this particular “last” makes it all the more difficult to leave the school that I will never be able to stop calling home. I may be on my way out, but the Gavel is here to stay. This has been an incredible year for us Gaveliers, and we have our fellow Eagles to thank for that. To BC’s spoken word poets, thank you for reminding us to let someone else do the talking every once in awhile. To our beloved Authentic Eagles, thank you for teaching us the power of vulnerability. To anyone whose laptop rocks a “bang.” sticker, thank you for being a part of our Gavel family. Oh, and in case anyone is still wondering, “bang” is what you do with a gavel. Duh.
Lots of love, Jenna
BUSINESS DEPARTMENT
TAYLOR MCELDOWNEY / BUSINESS DIRECTOR ARUEM SHIN / BUSINESS DIRECTOR JEANIE LEE / ADVERTISING DIRECTOR ERIC KOPELSON / FINANCE DIRECTOR LEAH HUANG / MARKETING DIRECTOR
EDITORIAL ASSISTANTS
JOHN PARADISO AMBREY RICE GRACE FUCCI JOE CASTINGNETTI MADDIE WEBSTER EVAN MARTINEZ JACKIE CARNEY
Published with support from Generation Progress / Center for American Progress (online at genprog.org).
3
B
By Jonathan Paradiso / Editoral Assistant
oston may not be “the city that never sleeps,” but it will be getting a later bedtime. Mayor Marty Walsh has begun to look into extending the hours of some bars and restaurants to make Boston an overall more appealing city. The emphasis placed on Boston’s nightlife reflects the aim of many Boston politicians to make the city more desirable for young adults. “An international business hub needs a truly cosmopolitan culture,” said Walsh. The city’s mayor has decided to appoint a task force to find ways to improve Boston’s nightlife. Walsh’s plan coincides with the projected late-night MBTA service, and Walsh expects both initiatives to boost Boston’s economy and make the city more attractive for residents. The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority had previously rejected plans to extend hours beyond 12:30 a.m., but with added political pressure, they have agreed to begin a one-year trial run. The project will cost a minimum of $20 million and will require more employees, but Governor Deval Patrick, Mayor Walsh
4
BC Gavel
and other politicians recognize the future economic benefits of extending the hours of the T. “There’s a big talent war going on, and New York and Silicon Valley are more appealing to young people,” said Tom Hopcroft, chief executive of the Massachusetts Technology Leadership Council. “There’s not a ton that’s holding them here, and oftentimes, it may be how fun and appealing the area is.” Longer T hours will encourage companies to extend their business hours, and employees will feel comfortable knowing they have transportation available. “The biggest inhibitor to growth in the tech sector is our ability to attract and maintain talent,” said Hopcroft. “This is also looking at our economy, looking at attracting talent to Boston, retaining talent in Boston,” Walsh said of his plan to extend restaurant hours. Most bars and restaurants close at 2 a.m., but Walsh and his task force have proposed a plan wherein businesses can serve alcohol until 2:30 a.m. and close their doors at 3:30 a.m. While some focus on the social implications of a “later” Boston, Walsh
stresses the economic benefits of his plan. Not all bars will be included in this initiative, as Walsh has indicated. He wants to be “selective in zones in the city.” The purpose of his plan is to mold Boston into a city that features the nightlife expected from such a renowned hub. The task force is designed to implement this plan effectively and in the appropriate areas. Walsh’s plan will combine Boston’s rich social scene with a growing high tech and financial business community to create a more effective, inviting and attractive city. College students will see the beginning steps of this project as certain bars and restaurants leave their doors open and the T runs for a little longer into the night. Still, this is only a pilot program and it will be some time before the entire project is complete and ready to launch. As the task force works to find effective ways to extend Boston’s closing hours, the MBTA continues to make changes to its system. Boston, for a better or worse, will be staying up a little later.
April 2014
BC Breaks Up with
Blackboard, Rebounds with Canvas
B
By Jing Xu / Assoc. News Editor
oston College has been with its online learning management system, Blackboard Vista, for eight years. Next year, BC is planning to replace it with Canvas in order to bring BC students a fresher online learning experience. Developed by Instructure, a technology research company based in Seattle, Canvas was launched in 2012 and has been used by more than 400 colleges, universities and school districts. It was selected by Cisco Networking Academy to power “the world’s largest classroom.” Canvas includes drag and drop calendaring, which allows students to organize their calendars with few clicks of the mouse. Students can also receive notifications from instructors, submit work and interact with learning materials on their devices. The BC administration can also send messages to all students through Canvas. Its open platform lets students combine feedback and other interactions using video, blogs and several other means. According to the Canvas
tutorial video, students can also monitor their grades by using analytical data. Some students have had the chance to try Canvas in their classes this semester. Elizabeth Powers, A&S ‘14, is using it for two classes: senior seminar with Professor Krause and Ethics, Religion and International Politics (ERIP) with Professor Brinton. “There’s a lot to like about Canvas, but honestly the best part for me is pretty simple: having the ability to have two canvas windows open at once,” said Powers. “Blackboard, on the other hand, always has the ‘Error: Session Already Running’ message when I try to open another Blackboard tab.” “Blackboard is ugly “Canvas is faster, has better and its platform is not features and has a sleeker user-friendly. Sometimes design,” she adds. I can’t open PDF files and I
never use its calendar,” said Amy Lin, CSOM ’16. On the other hand, some students who don’t like Blackboard Vista are also unsure about the future of Canvas: “Canvas looks like something we should use in this era. Students can get feedback and interact on Canvas, which are pretty cool. But I actually prefer using Gmail and I think it is enough to interact with professors and classmates,” Lin added, expressing her reservations about the new platform. The Canvas team remains optimistic about the debut of its featured product at BC: “It’s a breath of fresh air. It’s an educational revolution. It’s a powerful new way to—pardon our optimism—change the world,” the Canvas team says on their official website. Whether or not the change will be embraced by students, the new technology certainly introduces a new way to communicate within the Boston College community.
NEWS
5
&
#MCCONNELLING MILLENNIALS
6
BC Gavel
remarkable finding when other television programs are continually losing viewership to internet-based media. There is reason to believe that The Daily Show provides quality content. A study performed by Julia R. Fox, a professor of telecommunications at Indiana University, concluded that Stewart’s coverage of the 2004 debates and conventions was just as substantial as the coverage performed by his network news peers. “The stock-in-trade of The Daily Show is hypocrisy, exposing hypocrisy. And nobody else has the guts to do it,” says Hub Brown, chair of the communications department at Syracuse University’s S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications. “They really know how to crystallize an issue on all sides, see the silliness everywhere.” It could be this penchant for revealing hypocrisy that draws Millennials to The Daily Show as opposed to other, more conventional institutions for news. In a March survey from the Pew Research Center, it was found that “adults of all ages have become less attached to political and religious institutions in the past decade, but Millennials are at the leading edge of this social phenomenon.” When asked about the #mcconnelling phenomenon and his newfound Internet fame, Senator McConnell took the movement in stride. “You’ve got to be able to do that in this business,” he said, adding that “it’s nice to have some fun occasionally.” Perhaps other news organizations could stand to learn from Jon Stewart and his success at The Daily Show, even if conventional wisdom holds otherwise.
Photo courtesy of Tumblr
O
n March 11, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell released an approximately two-minute long advertisement for his ongoing re-election campaign. The advertisement, entitled “McConnell Working For Kentuckians,” featured a montage of clips showing the Republican senator talking to his constituents, leading boardroom meetings and smiling with his wife, all set to a techno-pop soundtrack. The video was likely released to act as a sort of B-roll tape for super PACs, which cannot legally coordinate with McConnell’s official campaign, to use in commercials to voice their support for him. In popular culture, the video began to take on a life of its own when it attracted the attention of Jon Stewart, host of The Daily Show. A few days after the advertisement was released, Stewart encouraged his audience to play with the video by taking a clip from the original advertisement and syncing it to other songs. He dubbed the practice “#mcconnelling” and provided his audience with some samples of his own invention. Stewart set McConnell’s ad to songs like Simon & Garfunkel’s “The Sounds of Silence,” Sir Mix-A-Lot’s “Baby Got Back” and the theme song from 2001: A Space Odyssey. Since then, the phenomenon has flourished, racking up hundreds of thousands of views on YouTube from various clips created by the show’s audience. Even McConnell’s campaign made a few clips, placing the Senator in scenes from Top Gun and The Cosby Show. The viral nature of the #mcconnelling sensation is yet another testament to the sway that Stewart holds amongst the most tech savvy generation, the Millennials. A 2004 study by the Pew Research Center found that 21 percent of people aged 18 to 29 watch shows like The Daily Show as their primary source of news, especially for politics. In contrast, 23 percent of all Americans cited nightly network news or daily newspapers as their primary sources for election coverage. This seems to be indicative of a broader trend amongst Millennials, at least according to a 2012 Pew Research Survey on trends in news consumption. The survey stated that of 24 news sources tested, The Daily Show and The Colbert Report had the youngest and most dedicated audiences, a
By Benjamin Seo/Assoc. News Editor
April 2014
THE PATH FOR POT T
PROFITS NOT AS HIGH AS EXPECTED By Jordan Grose / Gavel Media Staff
he early returns from Colorado’s legalized recreational
marijuana experiment are in. The question that remains is whether Massachusetts can afford, both financially
and socially, to adopt a similar plan for marjiuana taxation.
Colorado governor John Hickenlooper predicted that within six months of the legalization of recreational marijuana, recreational sales would reach the $190 million region. In the single month of January 2014, Colorado sold about $14 million worth of pot, a number that may seem high for just one month. However, extrapolating from the monthly rate of $14 million would put Colorado at about $84 million in pot sales after these six months, $106 million dollars short of the predicted number. Since pot sales were not initially as high as expected, tax revenues on legalized pot, in turn were not ideal. The reasons for this slow start are generally attributed to the stigma associated with legalized recreational marijuana. Pot sales is a topic that divides people and generates opposition and frustration. Voices on both sides of the argument have made themselves heard with regards to the social, financial and moral consequences of recreational pot, causing confusion over a clear path forward. In the month of January, the state of Colorado received $3.5 million in total marijuana-related tax revenue. Although Colorado claims that these revenue profits will be wisely spent on programs to prevent addiction
and substance abuse in young adults as well as to build new schools throughout the state, a closer look must be taken at the social and economic consequences of increased prices for pot. “They’ve got a pretty low tax rate. There’s so many moving pieces. You’ve got to keep it low enough,” says Pat Oglesby, founder of the Center for New Revenue, on Colorado’s taxation policy. Oglesby is shedding light on the emergence (or disappearance) of a black market as a result of higher prices for recreational pot. While illegal pot can be easily purchased at low prices, price inflation for legalized pot could quite possibly encourage the continuation of black-market marijuana. Based on the numbers in the recent months for Colorado revenue, the predicted potential annual tax revenue from pot in Massachusetts is $30.74 million. This comes out to roughly 0.1% of the Massachusetts Fiscal Year 2014 budget, $34 billion. Plainly put, these predicted numbers are not nearly as promising as Colorado’s profits. Recreational pot would not be as profitable in Massachusetts primarily due to the fact that Massachusetts would have but a
fraction of the dispensaries that Colorado has. In addition, Massachusetts has only recently allowed the use of medical marijuana. The fact remains, that profits, however low, still mean more money — and states need money. “It would be unfortunate if efforts to legalize marijuana for recreational use here in the commonwealth suffer because of perceived early setbacks of the medical marijuana program,” said Kevin Frank, former spokesman for Massachusetts governor Deval Patrick. Powerful members of the Massachusetts government are also in favor of recreational pot not only because it will bring in revenue, but also because it will lessen the number of weedrelated crimes that burden the state with enforcement costs. Frank is of the opinion that opposition to the legalization of marijuana only further complicates a resolution, which in turn drives up costs for real addiction solutions. The general consensus is that it is still too early to accurately predict the best resolution to the issue of legalized marijuana in Massachusetts. Government officials want to observe how legalized pot plays out in Colorado before any strict resolutions are implemented. Despite this anxiety, however, liberal Massachusetts is intrigued and even invested in the potential path for pot.
NEWS
7
GOOD NIGHT
B
By Itzel Ayala / Assoc. Features Editor There was a school on a hill, All the Mods had a grill, And as morning drew near, The first tailgate was here. The freshmen were afraid To be left on their own, But the seniors had it made— They were finally home. The first morning of classes, We put on our glasses, Books and pencils in hand, We worked hard to understand. With fall came football Calling BS on any bad call, Singing along to “Just a Friend,” And the alma mater at the end. Come midday, It’s all work and no play. It seemed Bapst would be our fate, But we had to have that Mario Kart date. The sun is setting and Gasson looks grand, Who cares how many times you post it on Instagram? You still get that feeling when you look up at the Heights, And thank the gods you are here with all of your might.
8
BC Gavel
April 2014
Eat, drink, talk, think, Fight song in the hockey rink, Superfan shirts forever on, Eagle’s on the warpath Ooh Ahh. Come Friday night, we have drinks in hand. This is our time. This is our land. They no longer ask, “Who do you know here?” After all I’m a senior, I know everyone here. Early morning sun rising, That omelet and home fries look appetizing. Nattys in the bushes everywhere, In hopes that maintenance would soon be there. Marathon, St. Paddy’s, Halloween and Senior Night, Mozz sticks, french fries, chicken fingers, mmm—that last bite, Movie nights and game nights and Cards Against Humanity, Wake up tomorrow to discuss last night’s insanity. The year is ending and the sun is set The weather gets warmer but you can all bet That as much as we want it to be summer, Ending and leaving is more than a bummer But even as we leave, we do so with a smile Some forever and some for a while – We know BC will always be our home, And that’s a good feeling: we’ll never be alone. Goodnight Lower, Goodnight Mods, Goodnight Upper, Goodnight Newton. We laughed and we cried and we stayed up ’til four, You always answered when I knocked on your door. Remember that time we did that thing? And you promised you wouldn’t laugh when I got up to sing? Goodnight O’Neill, Goodnight Gasson, Goodnight Stokes, Goodnight Gate. We sang to that song and we played that one game, You took me home for Thanksgiving and kept calling me lame, You read my papers and gave me fashion advice, You trolled me online and held my hair… twice.
FEATURES
9
Goodnight late nights, Goodnight lunch dates, Goodnight good talks, Goodnight best mates. We talk about nothing, and laugh all day long No matter what happened, I’ll say he was wrong. We know if today was as bad as it gets, We’ll spend tomorrow on Netflix, lounging in sweats. Goodnight great classes and weird professors Goodnight all nighters and living off snacks Goodnight trying to study on 3rd floor O’Neill Goodnight asking freshmen to buy you a meal. They told me that it would be hard to say bye, It’s not hard, it’s impossible, and now I know why As long as we’ve been here you’ve been my best friend, I can’t wait to know you ’til the end of the end. Turns out this is not a bedtime story at all But a never-ending story of friendships so tall, So mighty and strong and better than all “WE ARE BC” has never been a stronger call.
Photos courtesy of Amanda Ikard
10
BC Gavel
April 2014
Photo courtesy of Selly Sallah
We, the Millennials By Victoria Southwood/ Assoc. Features Editor
Generation Y, commonly referred to as the Millennials Generation is the most heavily studied age group to date. Millennials make up the most diverse generation yet, and the vast differences between them and the generations preceding them create an intriguing population study. In its most recent findings on Generation Y, the Pew Research Center highlighted some areas of focus in which the youngest generation has made its mark. The report includes findings ranging from the conclusion that Millennials are the most liberal generation, in an anti-political party sense, to the conclusion that Millennials are the least trusting of all the generations. This type of research has resulted in a broad categorization of Millennials in a way that many Millenials may not agree with. After all, if they represent the most diverse generation yet, is it realistic to construct claims that label them as institutionally unattached and uninterested in the same traditions as those who came before them? Perhaps Millennials are simply approaching each of these aspects of life from very new and different perspectives. The Pew Research Center’s study consisted of the statistical analysis of 1, 821 adults nationwide, 617 of whom were between the ages of 14 and 34, and therefore qualify as members of the Millennial generation. Here, we take a look at what some Boston College students think of the Center’s conclusions.
FEATURES
11
Photo courtesy of Selly Sallah
Do you feel connected to traditional religious and political institutions? If not, do you think your generation has replaced the influence of these kinds of institutions with universities, for instance? Will Minor, A&S ’14: I think my generation is replacing the influence of religious and political institutions with other institutions. Schools and universities are starting to play a bigger role in molding us. Molly O’Leary, CSOM ’15: Yes, I feel connected to traditional religious institutions. I was raised Catholic, got confirmed and then stopped going to church altogether. At BC, I have come to appreciate this faith and am now an active member of the church. Despite the financial hardship that many Millennials are experiencing today, they are quite optimistic about their future economic stability. Do
12
BC Gavel
you agree that even if things like the burden of college loans are daunting right now, you have hope that your future will be economically stable? Emile Hatem, A&S ’15: I definitely feel optimistic about my future economically. I don’t have a good reason why, but I do. Minor: I would agree to an extent that an economically stable future is on the horizon. I think the two biggest factors working against a stable future are the growing difficulties of the job market and the need for a graduate degree. What do you view as a potential explanation to the decline in marriage rates among the Millennial generation? Could it be a change in how Millennials view marriage? Or a change in marriage trends, such as age of marriage and the desire for economic stability before marriage? Minor: In my mind, the decline in marriage rates among the millennial
generation is a case of individuality versus individualism. Individualism can be understood as people making themselves the center of an enclosed world of personal self-interest. Most people in society are placing a greater emphasis on individualism. As a result, people are drifting away from the classical values of family, community and religion in favor of personal gain. O’Leary: I definitely believe that marriage is viewed much differently now than in other generations. I know that I do not wish to get married until I am much older and wish to have children. I think marriage is less romanticized, now and many people view it as a legal and financial merging that is not necessary to bind yourself to until you are stable. Hatem: I think desire for economic stability could not explain the decrease in marriages because marriage usually can be highly beneficial economically (as long as you can stand each other).
April 2014
Marriage used to be more economic; now it’s more sentimental and about personal growth… Michael Le, A&S ’14: I actually think economic stability is a good reason. Raising a child at 25 vs. 30 is a huge difference in my eyes, with the latter probably being able to support the child better financially. So in my eyes, as ‘starting a family’ is linked to marriage, I think being able to support future children is a factor. Millennials are the most racially diverse generation in American history. Do you view this as a reason behind the Millennial generation’s tendency towards political liberalism? Hatem: Political liberalism is a tendency towards the new, not preserving the old. I bet every generation was viewed as liberal in their time, when they were young. Le: I think a lot of young people are considered more liberal, not because of the increase in the percentage of minorities, but rather because of a support of social rights. For example, I think a lot of Asians tend to be conservative and not liberal, but a lot of young people in general support gay rights. In my eyes, I think it’s more because of a liberalization of entertainment, through the music industry and television. Statistics have shown that Millennials believe themselves to be less trusting of others than recent generations. Do you believe this to be true? Le: I disagree. I thought it would be the complete opposite. Minor: Unfortunately, yes the millennial generation is less trusting than other generations. Most people act in selfinterest. People think that a lot of the social relationships we have are solely for upward mobility. As a result, people are more closed off and less trusting than ever. O’Leary: Yes, I believe this to be true. I generally do not trust or believe people right off the bat. It is hard for me to think
the best of people, especially when I do not know them. It is partially for selfpreservation, but generally I just do not want to act naïve and have one pulled over on me. It is a pleasant surprise when people prove you wrong, but I think it is a smart way to be. Have you felt that the Millennial generation is fairly categorized and labeled, for the most part? Or, as a Millennial, do you feel assumptions are made about you that are sometimes untrue or, at least, not true of the Millennial generation as a whole? Hatem: I think the statistics represent a large body, not individuals. O’Leary: While I believe that some of the themes touched on in this study are true for many Millennials, there are many generalizations about our generation that are untrue and annoying to hear about. For example, the ideas that everyone is dependent on technology, cut off from current events and materialistic are unfair assumptions. There are many people in our generation that have these qualities, but the same can be said for many generations before ours. There is a negative stigma attached to being part of this generation, and I can honestly say that I, and many of the people I know here at BC, do not fall into the generalized assumptions. Katie O’Neill, A&S ’15: I think a lot of the assumptions made about us (about our dependence on technology, etc.) are probably grounded in truth and accurate statistics. I get a little offended when people use those assumptions to draw negative conclusions about who we are as people. I think we are just adapting to the constraints of our time, just like every other generation before us, and we shouldn’t be harshly judged for that. Erin Cullen, A&S ’15: Despite people saying that we are very lazy or inactive, we are actually the most prominent age group that is recognizing problems in the world and working to find solutions to them. Activism is an underlying quality in all of the Millennials that I can see.
Like each generation before, the Millennial generation has been defined in ways that do not entirely represent the individuals within it. Of course, conclusions drawn in response to statistical findings representing a majority sentiment are fair, but when it comes down to it, Millennials do not limit themselves to a single frame of mind. The U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation
stated,
“In
fact,
Millennials are full of contradictions, which, of course, may explain the youth of any generation. Most consistent is that this generation is technically savvy, almost as if it has a digital sixth sense. A wired, connected world is all that Millennials have ever known.” It is fair to say that each generation has its tendencies towards certain beliefs and ways of life, but it is unfair to generalize about these tendencies in a negative way. Millennials will change the world they are living in just as the many generations before them changed theirs.
FEATURES
13
Immortalized
MORTALITY: By Grace Fucci / Editorial Assistant
I
f there is one word that is shouted, slurred and hashtag-ged all too frequently, it’s “selfie.” Before our generation coined the term and began its mirror pic-snapping phase, one man had already developed an affinity for self-portraits and self-obsession, in a very different way. Enter Boston College’s very own photography professor, Karl Baden. Originally from the suburbs of New York City, Baden was predisposed to stumble into the art world. Raised by parents who “placed a high value on art and culture,” Baden was often “dragged into the city to visit all of the various museums,” which
Professor Karl Baden’s LifeLong Art
he lists off like second nature. After briefly studying anthropology during his undergraduate years at Syracuse University, Baden took up photography to impress a girlfriend at the time. “My dad was an amateur photographer and I remember hitchhiking home for Thanksgiving break, when he lent me a 35mm camera. I came back and started taking pictures, and even after we broke up—I told you it’s a funny story how I started—I continued taking pictures. After my sophomore year, I took a year off from college and hitchhiked through California, down into Mexico and flew to Lima, Peru in December 1972, where
I started doing photography seriously. When I got back to school I created my own major with the help of two professors and I had it arranged so I could take any course I wanted.” The rest is history. Professor Baden ended up at BC after attending grad school in Chicago and traveling around the country. In his 26 years of teaching photography here, Baden has continued to journey—through the work and evolution of his students, who are able to make their memories permanent through photographs.
Photos courtesy of Karl Baden
14
BC Gavel
April 2014
“”
Despite Baden’s regrets about not documenting his days in the hippie community, there is not a day that has gone by since February 23, 1987 that he has neglected to take a photograph: specifically, of his own face. The day after Andy Warhol’s death, Baden began a lifelong project he calls “Every Day,” for which he routinely stands in front of a portable backdrop, keeps a neutral expression, uses a specific flash, maintains the same angle and photographs his face with a high resolution 35mm film camera and a small tripod. The idea to methodically photograph his face every morning came to him just after he graduated college in 1975: “The idea stuck with me and it was always rattling around in the back of my head. It took 12 years, but I finally made the commitment to do it. By the early ‘80s I had been a photographer for 14 or 15 years, and I had the skills, confidence and know-how to embark on a project like that. People always ask me why I picked that day to start, and I can’t come up with anything more than that’s when I decided.” He adds that, in retrospect he realized Warhol’s death was the final push to get him going. Baden has been featured in various galleries and was one of 15 artists
showcased in London for a Henri CartierBresson inspired exhibit. Most recently, his photos have received a surplus of media attention after a time-lapse video of his “Every Day” project went viral. “ Two of the driving forces behind “Every Day” are his fascination with perception of incremental change and the difference between trying to be perfect and being human. “If I see you everyday for 20 to 30 years, I’ll know
you the most recent one, you’d think it was a magic trick.” This notion of people being unaware of incremental changes is one that is both alarming and interesting to think about: the thought makes us ask, what else are we missing? While Baden’s work has inspired many others to embark on similar projects and ask similar questions, he believes that he is predetermined to fail. To replicate a portrait every day for the rest of his life, with the only variable being aging, is a feat that Baden acknowledges as impossible. But at the end of the day, he’s not after perfection, or even beauty. In the end, these photos are just that: portraits of Karl Baden’s face. Yet, despite his proclamation that when people see his face or his project they say, “What the fuck is this about; it’s not beautiful, it’s not interesting,” it is interesting, and the lasting impression it leaves on viewers is beautiful. Baden brings beauty through ritual, and sparks interest through the thoughts his work provokes. The real treat for the viewer is discovering why. In Baden’s own summary: “But really it is what it is: just a picture of my face.”
If I gave you the first photo I ever took—back in 1987—and then I gave you the most recent one, you’d think it was a magic trick. you and I’ll recognize you. But if I don’t see you until 30 years from now, I won’t recognize you. If I take all the pictures I’ve made of my face and gave them to you in a stack and you went through them one by one, you would sort of feel like there’s been a change, but you wouldn’t really know. But, if I gave you the first photo I ever took—back in 1987—and then I gave
FEATURES
15
“She told me sh e didn’t really like Beyoncé so left.” – O’Neill I just
“He knows about my tendency to BC look-away. I shouldn’t have even tried.”— Comm. Ave.
at, after we did th n e th so h a e “Y ds my face.’” - Mo
on
he just said ‘sit
f
e top o h t ff o e the puk Mac t e g o t of ed “We ne in.” – Outside rta your cu
#overheardatBC
“And ou t of the p bubble gum an iñata came d cond oms.” – The Ra t
Photos courtesy of Megan Flynn and Anthony Golden
16
BC Gavel
April 2014
By Bernadette Deron / Gavel Media Staff Victoria Fisher / Gavel Media
W
hile most of campus gets to bed or celebrates senior night, WZBC’s newest DJ, RJ Rescigno, heads towards the Mac basement for his 1 a.m. show, Cashmere Thoughts. “I go an hour on average [until 2 a.m.], but I’ve gone ‘til 3 a.m. before. A lot of times, if I have callers saying they love my music, I’ll make an effort to stay on for longer.” It’s this kind of dedication and passion for music that sets RJ apart from other DJs. He started working at WZBC last semester interning with a staff member, and in that short period of time he was able to snag his own show. Cashmere Thoughts isn’t only his first show as a DJ, but it is also WZBC’s first straight hip-hop show. “They had a show with music that’s been sampled in hip-hop songs, but there’s never been a show devoted to hip-hop as far as I know. So that’s pretty sweet, and I’m glad that I’m the person to pioneer that. WZBC has always been rock-heavy, and that’s just been their philosophy since the 70s, but hopefully once I leave, there will be a regular hip-hop show.” Instead of just playing music and giving playlist information, RJ seeks to inform his listeners about the hip-hop scene here in Boston, one that people may not know about. “It’s mostly music, but I’m trying to do more talking now that I’m more familiar with the Boston music scene and try and educate the listeners about the music scene here in Boston.” RJ also works with the Boston College music blog No Fillers, started by junior Tebs Maqubela, which focuses on showcasing local hiphop talent and serves to bring those artists to the forefront. “I usually hit up local artists that I know through No Fillers and ask if they have radio edited music, and then whenever I get sent it, if it’s good I play it. I don’t only play Boston artists, but I try to stick to that for the most part.” The work that he does on the No Fillers blog helps RJ bring a more personal touch to his radio show. He actually knows
ft. DJ RJ Rescigno some of the artists that he plays, or he at least follows their music, and strives to make human connection. “It’s important to depict more of the artist than just talking about when their next album is coming out and things like that. It’s important to show who they are as an individual. Music is made by people for people. It’s an important medium that brings people together. Life is all about connecting with people. That’s why I think it’s so fascinating to show the person behind the music. Because it can help you to connect with that individual in a unique way and its interesting to see that people who come from all different places and walks of life as you can share the same emotions and feelings. That’s really what connects all humans.” Bringing this hip-hop scene to the masses is a main goal for RJ both as a DJ and as a blogger. The types of people who tune-in to his show vary greatly, and it’s not usually the same callers. ”This woman called in and she sounded like she was in her mid-40s, and she really liked my show! It’s kinda weird to think that a 40-year-old woman would call in but it’s cool to see that this genre of music reaches all kinds of people.” RJ believes the Boston music scene is incredibly underrated when compared to that of other cities like New York and and Chicago. This motivates him to make the Boston scene more public: “Those are my two main goals: to share this Boston music scene with the wworld and get more people into it. “ You can catch RJ’s show, Cashmere Thoughts, on Tuesday nights at 1 a.m., as well as check out his blog No Fillers at www. mag.nofillers.com. Looking to get weird with WZBC? Don’t miss out on the annual WZBC Spring Concert on Wednesday, April 23 at 8:00 pm at Great Scott in Allston, featuring Saint Pepsi, Shisa and Linckoln & MJ, Esq. Tickets are $12 in advance at the WZBC station or online at Ticketmaster, or they can be purchased for $15 at the door.
CULTURE
17
By Evan Martinez / Editorial Assistant
A
s winter starts to reluctantly withdraw from us here at Boston College, spring starts to peek its way in. Soon the trees will not look like unpleasant, brown hands of despair. Instead, they’ll sport leaves of green and the occasional shy little bud, which will bloom into a confident flower. The ground will cease to be frozen and the grass will take up a much more attractive green hue. The changing of the seasons will be more than welcome. However, before we know it, it will be time to bid our new Boston spring goodbye and head home for the summer. Some of us will be lucky enough to stay in the area for the warmer part of the year, but others, like myself, are resigned to going home. While this isn’t necessarily a bad thing, Boston is a wonderful city that holds a special place in the heart of all those who go to school here. Have no fear! If you are already missing Boston then the Gavel is proud to present a list of Boston-related movies, music, and television to get you through your Boston withdrawals!
18
BC Gavel
Cheers This long-running sitcom is a perfect representation of what it means to be Boston. It is regarded as quintessential American television, and it shows in the Emmy nominations it garnered—a record 111 (with 28 wins). It’s not exactly conducive to binging since there are soooo many episodes (270, to be exact), but if you’re missing Beantown and want to watch some good ole retro television, Cheers is your go-to show!
Fringe Fringe is somewhere in between The X-Files and The Twilight Zone. It follows agents of the “Fringe” division of the FBI in a crazy multiverse, overall supernatural something-or-other plot that leaves viewers both puzzled and intrigued. With only five seasons, it is definitely binge-worthy. Good thing it’s on Netflix!
Boston Legal
There’s nothing better than a successful spin-off, am I right? Actually there are lots of things better than that, like apple pie and freedom, but for argument’s sake we’ll assume that the previous statement is true. Anyway, Boston Legal is the lighter spinoff of The Practice, a drama that ran for eight seasons from 1997-2004. It features smooth-talking lawyers, the first of the formula that would be repeated several times in TV over the following years, in the Boston area.
April 2014
The Departed When you think “movies about Boston,” Scorsese’s powerhouse film based on the Irish Mob (and loosely on the infamous Whitey Bulger) tops that list. It stars Boston signatures Matt Damon and Mark Wahlberg, as well as an onslaught of A-listers such as Leonardo DiCaprio, Jack Nicholson and Alec Baldwin. The Departed was nominated for five Academy Awards and walked away with four, including Best Picture. This film will have you reveling in the intrigue of one of Boston’s shadier cultural tales.
Good Will Hunting Written by hometown boys Ben Affleck and Matt Damon (who also play supporting and main roles, respectively), this drama about a troubled genius from Southie will undoubtedly move you. Besides the title being a clever play on the lead character’s name, the powerful drama was nominated for nine Academy Awards and won two, including Best Original Screenplay by Affleck and Damon. Good Will Hunting was filmed in the Boston area so look for classic shots of Harvard, the Pike and Peet’s coffee, among other Bostonrelated things.
Gone Baby Gone
Ted
If you’re looking for a raunchy take on Boston, look no further than Seth MacFarlane’s Ted, starring Mark Wahlberg, Mila Kunis and MacFarlane himself as a vulgar, talking teddy bear. Filming took place in Massachusetts, including Boston, with Fenway Park making a significant appearance toward the end. There is also a fair amount of making fun of the Bahhhstan accent so that’s always fun! So pahk your butt in bed and snuggle up with America’s (and Boston’s) favorite rude little teddy. Photo courtesy of Tumblr
Ylvis, “Massachusetts” Neil Diamond, “Sweet Caroline” Neil Diamond’s legendary hit is a Boston classic. Whether it’s being blared from the speakers at Fenway or hollered on a drunk bus on a Friday night, “Sweet Caroline” is a go-to when it comes to Boston.
Another Boston-based drama, Gone Baby Gone is Ben Affleck’s directorial debut. It just so happens to star his brother, and fellow Boston native Casey Affleck. While it hasn’t garnered as much acclaim as The Departed or Good Will Hunting, it is a provocative mystery thriller, which shines a light on one Dorchester neighborhood and the unspoken rules of certain Boston neighborhoods.
Though they hail from Norway, the comedy duo’s strange tribute to the Bay State is definitely noteworthy. With its strange allusions to odd all male housing situations and its emphasis on the importance of Bank of Americas, Ylvis’s song & video are something of a mixed representation of Massachusetts. If anything, the song reminds us that Massachusetts is “an undiscovered paradise.”
Dropkick Murphys, “Shipping Up to Boston” Few things scream Boston (or BC) louder than Quincy-based rock band, Dropkick Murphys. If you want to feel like you’re back in Conte cheering on your favorite hockey team, then look no further than “Shipping Up to Boston.” It’s the ultimate nostalgia-bringer. So on those sweltering summer days, crank it up, sip a shamrock shake and let the sweet sounds of boot-stomping and Celtic banjo ship you up to Boston.
CULTURE
19
Spring Spots: Boston’s Best Views By Rachel Forray / Assoc. Culture Editor
Fenway Park
It’s not uncommon to overhear Boston College students talking about the BC bubble. As much as we all love Boston, it’s understandable why many students seem perfectly content staying on campus. However, now that the polar vortex is finally over and midterms are winding down, we’ve officially run out of excuses. As the weather continues to improve, Boston’s best landmarks start to look better and better. With that being said, give those Gassongrams a break, and explore some of Boston’s best views. Trust me, your Instagram followers will thank you.
Baseball season has officially sprung into session, and what better place to see a game than historic Fenway Park? While tickets can be expensive, BC2Boston often offers discount tickets for students. If you want to enjoy the environment without actually attending the game, many surrounding restaurants and bars have rooftop seating that provides a fabulous view of Fenway.
Image courtesy of Tumblr
Charles River Esplanade
Image courtesy of Tumblr
20
BC Gavel
This park sits near Boston University, right along the scenic Charles River. The pathways provide the perfect excuse to ditch the Plex and exercise outdoors - whether you want to run, walk or bike. Not to mention that right across the bridge, Cambridge and Harvard Square offer countless memorable areas to explore.
April 2014
Memorial Drive Speaking of Cambridge, don’t miss out on the view from Memorial Drive located near MIT. Memorial Drive is the perfect place to capture Boston’s Skyline from a unique perspective. Make a day of it by exploring the Farmer’s Market at Kendall Square, visiting retail shops and eating at gourmet restaurants.
Image courtesy of Tumblr
Megan Flynn / Gavel Media
Boston Common and the Public Garden While ice-skating at the Frog Pond is unfortunately over, there are still many reasons to visit Boston Common and the Public Garden. Now that the weather is warmer, vendors will line the paths, street musicians will perform shows and the flowers will bloom stunningly. This is the perfect place to picnic with friends, get a head start on studying for finals or even people watch. Don’t want to bring your own food? Walk over to Newbury or Boylston Street and choose from many delicious outdoor cafes.
Image courtesy of Top of the Hub
Skywalk Observatory/ Top of the Hub The Skywalk Observatory rests on the 50th floor of the Prudential Tower. With observatory windows on all four sides of the tower, visitors can capture the perfect view of Boston’s diverse neighborhoods. Not only will you have the gorgeous sight of Boston Common, but you will also be able to see the North End, spot Fenway Park and even catch a glimpse of BC. Pricing may seem steep, but students receive a discount and visitors are able to come back as much as they would like during the day of ticket purchase. I recommend viewing Boston both during the day and at night. However, if you’re looking for a romantic dinner, skip the observatory and make reservations at Top of the Hub on the 52nd floor.
CULTURE
21
Casting A
WIDE Social Net
Finding Strength in Peripheral Friendships By Jenna LaConte / Editor-in-Chief
At Boston College, eight is the magic number. It is the guiding force in the formation of freshman-year friendships, haunting students from the first introductions during Welcome Week all the way through the housing selection process. But let’s face it. As socially desirable as an eight-man may be, the odds of coincidentally locking down seven same-sex best friends in the first semester of college are low. Instead, freshmen scramble to piece the puzzle together, forcing certain friendships into place solely to attain that magical eight. By the time sophomore year rolls around, most of the class’s social energy has been entirely burned through by this painstaking process. Having committed to sharing a room code with seven other individuals, the hardest part of making friends in college comes to a welcome end. No more sizing up every new acquaintance for his potential as a suitemate, no more dreading telling that girl down the hall that she did not make the final cut. This is not to say that
22
BC Gavel
people cut themselves off entirely to new friends after freshman year, but rather that the process becomes increasingly passive. Relationships form mostly out of convenience between people who live on the same floor, who participate in the same activities, whose friends are dating one another’s friends. The days of awkward introductions between strangers during those first few weeks of school are long forgotten, replaced by the comfort of a familiar group of friends
to come home to each day. As tempting as it can be to center our whole social lives on our roommates, the value of casting a wide social net is highly underrated on this campus. To clarify, casting a wide social net is not the same thing as networking (making as many friends as possible in college for the sake of making as many friends as possible in college), nor is it the same as social climbing (forging friendships in order to appear “popular” by association). On the contrary, networking and social climbing are surefire ways to leave college with as few authentic relationships as humanly possible. Casting a wide social net involves being open to forming new friendships at all times, whether or not those friendships come with the benefits of a desirably-sized friend group or increased connections on campus. Casting a wide social net is as simple— and as complicated—as treating every week like Welcome Week by introducing
April 2014
Photos courtesy of Megan Flynn
yourself to each potential new friend. The process involves some discretion, as trying to shake the hand of every passing stranger would verge on psychotic, not to mention unsanitary. At the same time, if your roommate starts chatting with an acquaintance at a party who you recognize from class, seize the opportunity to put a name to the face by introducing yourself. Far too often, our fear of making things awkward by interjecting ourselves into social situations stops us from putting ourselves out there, when in reality there is nothing less comfortable than being the lurking friend on the outskirts of a conversation. On the other hand, being the one to break the ice typically relieves that tension, and you just might be able to trick your potential new friend into thinking that you are a socially functioning human being by doing so. These introductions come at the risk of forgetting the person’s name later on, resulting in the insuppressible urge to throw him or her a BC look-away the following Monday in class. You also run the risk that you will go several weeks or even months without encountering one another following your introduction, at which point you will likely have forgotten each other entirely. But for that rare person whose name sticks with you, the person who is suddenly popping up everywhere you go, your awkward introduction could serve as a segue into a valuable new friendship. Roommates are great. Mine are, in fact, warriors for putting up with me on a daily basis. Still, there is something to be said for the friendships you can form with the people who don’t have to wake up to your face every morning—the peripheral friendships. When you live with someone, objectivity is nearly impossible. Your roommates may think that they are protecting you by demanding that you cut off all contact with your ex after listening to you cry and complain day in and day out. A peripheral friend, however, has the outsider’s perspective to hear you out on why you feel that you need the closure of a final conversation. Peripheral friends will ideally bring you to the same
conclusion as your roommates as they ultimately share in looking out for your best interests, but these friends can serve up a much-needed dose of reality when roommates seem too intertwined within a situation. These are the friends who will listen to you vent about bombing your Monday morning midterm without reminding you that you spent the Sunday before in bed watching Netflix after staying out until four in the morning. These are the friends with whom you can share an unexpected adventure after getting separated from your roommates in the Mods and stumbling into one another just as you were about to give up and go home. These are the friends who make good news exciting again when you get to share it with a fresh pair of ears a week after it has become old news to the people who see you every day. A mentor of mine once pointed out that seniors have more in common with freshmen than any other class. At first this seemed ridiculous—freshman year feels like a total blur at this point, and my freshman self a relative stranger—yet I have come to find that the truth behind this notion rests in the ease with which seniors introduce themselves to one another. As we look towards a not-sodistant future outside of this enclosed community, the fear of awkwardness cowers to the desire to take advantage of every chance to leave this place with another person who made it feel like home. Out of everyone who I see myself staying in close touch with after college, a surprising percentage of them are friends that I barely knew before this year. Some, I had never even met before entering my senior year. But because of this recent surge in openness to new friendships, BC will be harder to leave than ever come May. Whether you have three weeks or three years left at Boston College, use them wisely. Use them vulnerably. Cast as wide a social net as you possibly can, and see who sticks around. Be the person who introduces him or herself first, and find strength in the periphery.
OPINIONS
23
## ## # #
ACTIVISM
24
BC Gavel
By Miranda Richard / Assoc. Copy Editor
Last month, #CancelColbert trended on Twitter for almost 36 hours. The trend resulted in response to a joke made by Stephen Colbert on his satirical news program, The Colbert Report. The joke in question regarded Colbert’s satire of an absurd foundation that the Washington Redskins owner, Daniel Snyder, has created. The foundation is called the “Washington Redskins Original Americans Foundation.” As if the Redskins’ could not be more politically incorrect, the name of the foundation contains a racist name for the very group it claims to help. In response, Colbert made a joke about his new “Ching-Chong Ding-Dong Foundation for Sensitivity to Orientals or Whatever.” The joke continued a long-running gag on the show involving the character of “Ching-Chong DingDong.” In the context of his criticism of the Redskins’ foundation, Colbert’s comment was clearly satirical (though still racist). It was on Twitter, however, that the joke was blown out of proportion.
Behind the ensuing firestorm was so-called “hashtag activist” Suey Park, who has promoted trending hashtags like #NotYourAsianSidekick, which aimed to help Asian American women find their voices within contemporary feminism. Hashtag activism, however, creates short campaigns, which bear little meaning and fade with time. Park saw the racist tweet and started promoting #CancelColbert without watching the episode it originated from. Unfortunately, Park’s brand of activism is more focused on inciting short bursts of Twitter aggression than anything else. The initial reaction of people to such trending topics on Twitter as #CancelColbert is often short-lived outrage accompanied by a loud call for someone to lose their job over whatever poorly constructed comment is in question. The rage, however, is seldom aimed at the right person and is usually blown completely out of proportion.
April 2014
Even Park admits that she did not intend for The Colbert Report to be canceled. Park stated, “I don’t think it would have gotten attention if not for such overt, pushy demands. It wasn’t like ‘Apologize Now, Colbert.’ I don’t think it would have really caught on.” So-called “hashtag activism” is completely based on inciting outrage without telling the whole story. It is difficult to explain the context of an argument in 140 characters. Therefore, campaigns by hashtag activists are shortlived and largely ineffective. Suey Park is a certifiable master at provoking mass response. Instead of people reacting online to a racist joke made on a television show, they were reacting to an inflammatory and biased tweet created by a single activist. Park’s brand of “activism” is aimed as much at her own self-promotion and “hashtag activism” as it is at combatting racism. Fleeting and ineffective campaigns like Park’s are guilty of partially discrediting campaigns against real, long-term problems. Racism is a real problem, and white, liberal comedians like Stephen Colbert need to stop using racist stereotypes in jokes. While Colbert’s satire is meant to make fun of racists, such jokes often prompt viewers to laugh at racist stereotypes, which is counterintuitive. Park’s brand of “activism,” though, has shifted the focus of the response from her message to her method. Not only did Park’s method detract from her anti-racist message, the rac-
ism aimed at Native Americans, which the original joke meant to criticize, was lost in all of the social media outrage. As writer Jacqueline Keeler, who is of some Native American descent, put it “If our allies did that much twittering for us as they do for a satirical skit, redface would be banned from stadiums tomorrow.” #CancelColbert was certainly not the first social justice campaign to use social media to gain fifteen minutes of fame, only to slip from the minds of the majority of Americans a few short weeks later. The Kony 2012 video premiered on YouTube on March 5, 2012. The video, which was watched by at least 110 million people, illustrated why young Americans should care about the atrocities committed against children in Uganda by Joseph Kony. The campaign ultimately presented the goal of capturing him by the end of 2012. Much like Park’s hashtag, the Kony 2012 video provided little context or background knowledge about the situation at hand. The video failed to mention, for example, that the Lords Resistance Army (LRA), the main terrorist organization demonized by the campaign, had moved out of Uganda to other African countries years before. Just as #CancelColbert was supposed to combat the real problem of racism, Kony 2012 was supposed to combat the very real problem of child soldiers in Uganda. The images of suffering African children and confident white people
ready to save the day captivated millions of viewers for an incredibly short time. Most people did not do anything more for the cause than share the video on their Facebook accounts. Unfortunately by the time the November Kony-catching deadline rolled around, people who had shared the video had seemingly forgotten about the campaign. Kony 2012 was arguably aimed as much at the self-promotion of leader, Jason Russell of the company Invisible Children, whom we now remember for a meltdown that led him to run naked through the streets of San Diego. Similarly, Suey Park’s hashtag activism has done more to promote her own name than to end racism. The Internet allows the world to be more connected than at any other point in history. This opens up the possibility for people to be more culturally aware than ever before. The catch, however, is that the Internet has a habit of forgetting the context of the very social problems they try to combat. Social media, as it turns out, is not the best platform for social activism. Campaigns like #CancelColbert and Kony 2012 only stick in the public’s minds for a few short weeks at most. Park’s hashtag, Invisible Children’s video and many other now-forgotten social media causes lost their messages in their methods. In the end, a hashtag will not end racism and a viral video will not save the child soldiers.
Photo courtesy of Flickr
OPINIONS
25
T
FORWARD with the
By Nicholas Lo / Gavel Media Staff At noon on Monday, March 10, an MBTA train on the D Line derailed between the Kenmore and Fenway stops. The incident resulted in seven injuries and a major service disruption. Investigations concluded that the subway car operator, Sydley Gardner, was responsible for the incident for failure to respect the speed limit, backed by at least 20 personal traffic violations, eight of which were for speeding. Service interruptions are certainly a massive disruption in our daily lives since we live in the Boston metro area and more or less rely on the Boston public transportation system. While the MBTA subway system, colloquially referred to as the T, is one of the better metro systems in the country, it is evident from the derailment that there is room for multiple improvements. Built in 1897, the T’s Green Line is the
26
BC Gavel
oldest mass-rapid rail line in North America. However, in spite of improvement projects, refurbishments and fleet upgrades, the T still experiences constant delays. Buses replace the subway lines frequently. Popular complaints go beyond the major service disruptions, such as the most recent incident. The T, especially the Green Line, should remedy the absence of arrival estimation and rectify the laborious boarding process. As students at a Jesuit Institution, many BC kids are involved with service work in the Boston community, ranging from 4Boston and Big Brothers-Big Sisters, to volunteering at hospitals or homeless shelters. As most of these service organizations are situated in the city, students rely on the T to get to these places both on weekdays and on weekends. Service disruptions potentially cause severe delays and affect the students extensively. With the road congestions, tolls and high parking fees, many Boston working professionals commute using the T. Service disruptions would affect them just as much, if not more as students. It is evident that major refurbishment projects are underway for the T system, such as the Government Center station’s two-year renovation plan, and late-night service until 3 a.m. to bring more convenience to the Boston community. However, there are certain other measures the MBTA should take into consideration to improve the T. These would be mostly geared towards the Green Line as it has the highest number of stations among all the lines and the highest ridership, on top of the fact that it serves BC on its B, C, and D branches.
April 2014
> > >
Monthly Passes:
Currently, BC partners with the MBTA to provide students with semester T passes at an 11 percent discount rate, issued on a monthly basis. This primarily benefits the commuting students and staff. However, BC and the MBTA could partner further to offer passes sold at a higher discount, like the 50 percent discount ptovided to MIT students, This discount would be well-received by the significant portion of the BC populstion that does travel off campus, but does not do so enough to benefit from the 11 percent discounted passes. In addition, this would provide an incentive for the students living in the “BC bubble” to venture out of Chestnut Hill, something that many organizations on campus advocate.
Arrival time estimations:
On the red, blue and orange lines, countdown clocks indicate the estimated arrival time of the next train to allow for better travel planning. Subsequently, this technology enables various transport apps to provide estimations on the next trains and buses. People who use these lines on a frequent basis certainly experience shock over the absence of such technology when they take the Green Line for the first time (an abhorrence, right?). Fortunately, the MBTA has announced recently that it would be introducing this technology on Green Line at the end of 2014, providing arrival estimations to the light rail system as well.
Payment at stations:
With regards to the Green Line again – very frequently, especially during rush hour, trains stops at a station for a prolonged period of time as passengers queue to board the train from only the front door, through which the fare is paid. Very often, this waiting time is too long and the train operator ultimately opens all doors for boarding, essentially exempting those not entering from the front door of their fares. Personally I have benefitted greatly from this blemish when I travel during rush hour. But, thousands of dollars of revenue is lost due to this annually, contributing to the MBTA’s current debt situation. Ideally, fare gates could be installed in Green Line stations where passengers would pay upon entering the station, like stations on the other lines and in the downtown area. While MBTA did not pursue this due to the projected costs, the amount of time that could be saved and the amount of revenue that would be recovered could potentially be worth the expenditure. .
>
Boston is fortunate enough to have a working public transportation system that is fairly reliable. However, a trip out of the state, particularly the country, would highlight the T’s need for improvement in order to catch up with mass-rapid transport systems of other major cities. For now, let’s look forward to the extended operating hours, and the upcoming ‘countdown clocks’ that would enable the Upper campus population to arrive more quickly at the decision of whether to walk to Chestnut Hill station, or to wait for the Commonwealth Avenue bus to Reservoir station.
OPINIONS
27
Club BASEBALL
WELCOMED AT
BOSTON COLLEGE By Julia Keefe / Gavel Media Staff
Photos courtesy of Julia Keefe
28
BC Gavel
April 2014
Y
our sneakers immediately begin to sink into the deep mud, and each step threatens to pull them off your feet. The winter has not been kind to the diamond in Cleveland Circle, but when you
look up from your quickly deteriorating footwear, you will see the Boston College Club Baseball team slowly assembling in the bleachers, putting on cleats, jerseys and hats. The comradery is visible from
across the field, and the shouts and laughter carry even further. Walking through Cleveland Circle, they hold up traffic with their disregard for crosswalks and block sidewalks with their enormous bags, but their cohesiveness and their carefree nature is infectious. While they might not be the most stoic group of guys, Boston College Club Baseball is ready to be taken seriously as a newly established club team. A “club” baseball team began at Boston College back in 2008, but it has taken until this year to get rid of the quotation marks. Each year, the team has made efforts to receive recognition from Boston College, and thanks to the persistence of its senior leaders as well as assistance from the Boston Parks and Recreation Department, they are halfway through their first season as an official club team. This past September marked the beginning of their trial year, and they are ready to keep moving forward. After six years in club sport limbo, president Fil Piasevoli is excited to begin making inroads as an official organization. He explained what the last few years have been like, detailing the support the team has received from parents, the Boston Parks & Recreation department, the new director of club sports as well as the club sports council president. Piasevoli went on to describe the team’s relationship with Boston Parks & Rec and the key role it played in the transition. The team plays its home games at the field in Cleveland Circle, so this relationship began early on, and culminated this year when they received a letter of endorsement from the department. He went on to tell of the efforts he and fellow senior and vice president, Paul Marcet, made throughout the summer to petition their club becoming official. When asked why this year, of all years, they finally were successful, Piasevoli explained that “it has been a lot of things coming together at the right time,” what with the support and assistance from the various departments and organizations as well as the willingness of the team members to commit to the program and take it seriously. He explained how sophomore Mike McKie played a part in demonstrating the team’s dedication by taking on the role of treasurer. Having underclassmen who were willing to take on such responsibilities so early on displayed commitment, which lent the team more credibility. A team with members who are willing to fill the positions left by its
graduating leaders is a team with staying power. Their season, having been delayed due to temperamental New England weather, officially began in the last weekend of March, and with their newfound title, they are an official team. Though they are still the lighthearted, good-humored guys they were before, they can now pursue their love of baseball even further. With the new funding and support from Boston College, “we’re hoping more talent will come out of the woodwork, and it has thus far,” says Marcet. Before this year, information about club baseball had been distributed solely by word of mouth, but with BC’s recognition, incoming freshmen can be made aware of the team in an official capacity, and they can find more information about recruiting from the baseball table at Club Sports Day. According to sophomore Matt Bui, BC Club Baseball is “an emerging program with a lot of potential.”
“We’re hoping more talent will come out of the woodwork, and it has thus far.” That potential comes in the form of leadership from seniors Fil Piasevoli, Paul Marcet, Paul Andrews, Luke Bachich, Nate Verrilli, James McCaskey and Billy Nugent, each of whom serves as both a player and a coach, helping to train those who play the same positions. This helps build strong relationships within the team, where the line between senior and freshman is often blurred. Practice has a relaxed feel, while also providing structure and organization. There is no overbearing coach who replaces words with a whistle, but a group of players offering assistance, pushing one another and engaging in light competition, all in the effort to improve both as individuals and as a team. Though the players themselves have remained the same, the team’s new status allows them more room for growth in the coming years. Boston College Club Baseball is a team to keep an eye on.
SPORTS
29
‘Boston, You’re My Home’ Until I get a few more million from the Yankees, that is. By Jack Davis / Assoc. Sports Editor
J
acoby Ellsbury, Alexander Radulov and maybe even Johnny Manziel are all prime, talented athletes in their respective fields who are making moves which seem to be motivated by the big fat cheddar in their absurdly large contracts. Fans begin to love players for their contributions to their favorite teams, only to discover the next morning that they have left for another team in pursuit of a fatter wallet. I remember hearing that former Red Sox Jarrod Saltalamacchia and Jacoby Ellsbury left their World Series team to play for the Miami Marlins and New York Yankees. Turning to my friends for an explanation, they were silent and gave me the Johnny-Manziel-cash-sign. Even so, how
30
BC Gavel
can you desert a movement, a team that bonded on the growth of facial hair, for something as materialistic as money? As college students, we look into our future and hope for success, and that usually includes financial assurance. For student athletes, “going pro” is the ultimate goal, while making money on top of that is simply a bonus. Former Texas A&M quarterback Johnny Manziel, who will probably be drafted in the top five of the NFL Draft, can assume that he faces a hefty paycheck as a promising rookie in the league. But isn’t there some value to being a legend at one’s college? From the perspective of a Texas A&M fan, I would imagine most would be crushed, disappointed and confused as to why their leader would not want to stay at an institution where he would reign champion. With college football, innocence for the love of the sport is maintained without the overbearing promise of a paycheck whether you win or lose. Because of that, fans are able to watch and enjoy pure talent as teams fight to the end so that they may have bragging rights as King. To me, these athletes are living the dream, with the ultimate team spirit behind them combined with four years living on a college campus…why leave early to pursue fame and fortune? Of course, there are some rules that can be a hindrance, such as the scandal Manziel had earlier
with selling autographed gear, which can push college athletes to want to escape from the bubble that dispels the influence of money from student athletes. Top athletes may have further frustration with not being able to accept any promotions, gear or gifts from sponsors. Although the influence of money on college players is a factor in determining their future, the relationship between affluence and professional athletes is a completely different ballgame. Already paid a hefty sum, professional athletes, for the most part, live a life filled with luxury and the convenience to play their favorite sport. When following a team’s success over the course of a season or two, fans begin to love supporting and cheering on their favorite players who perform extraordinarily well together. Some of the most well known players include Kevin Durant, James Harden and members of the 2013 World Series championship team. However, we have already seen Saltalamacchia and Ellsbury depart, James Harden move to Houston and rumors of James returning to Cleveland. Fans, supporters and teammates probably would like to think that these decisions are made with something besides the influx of cash, but athletes tend to look out for themselves and only themselves in the end. After all, they are a product and the
April 2014
other teams are willing to pay a higher price for their services. These athletes are paid a ridiculous sum of money to transfer, sums of dollars that in the eyes of many are completely outrageous. According to Yahoo! Sports, a member of the Russian Parliament referenced Alex Radulov’s past switch to the KHL for a hefty $9.2 million per year in a demeaning manner: “…Hockey is great and all that. But when I see a contract that is being entered into with one of our hockey players for 1.2 billion rubles, then I apologize, but this is too much…” From the perspective of some outsiders, huge contracts consisting of all-stars switching teams can seem like an enormous and pointless waste of money. Of course, there are exceptions; those who love their city and team go to the extent where they may ask for a “hometown discount.” What this means is that a player will accept a lower payroll from their favored team and receive a long-term contract in return so that they can stay in their hometown. Jo n Lester
is looking to re-sign with the Red Sox next year and seeks a hometown discount that could involve striking a fiveyear, $120 million deal, according to Adam Kaufman of Boston.com. Kaufman predicts that Lester will score an offer— on purpose—of something far less than his true market value so he can stay in Boston. Paying a high-caliber MLB pitcher “in the range of $22-25 million per year over five seasons,” as Kaufman predicts, is a good deal for the Red Sox, and a humble choice on Lester’s behalf. (fact-checked, initially wrong) Sox fan or not, one must respect Lester’s decision to bite the bullet and be willing to take a lower salary so that he may stay where he is. However, if things do not turn out the way Lester wants, he knows that there are teams willing to pay him much more than the Sox can afford to. In this respect, the pitcher defies the norm of professional athletes’ hunger for the biggest buck. It will be interesting to see how low of pay Lester is willing to accept so that he can remain in Boston. There’s another dimension to this; it would be foolhardy not to mention the cigar-wielding, aviator-rocking Scott Boras’ of the world. For agents, a player’s thirst for hefty paychecks can make them very happy with sizable commissions. For the most part, agents benefit anytime there is a trade since they receive a commission of the player’s contract. Seated at one side of the sports agent spectrum is Boras, debatably the best agent of all time. Some of his most famous deals include negotiating Barry Zito to the Giant ($126 million), Mark Teixeira to the Yankees ($180 million) and Alex Rodriguez to the Yankees ($275 million). The commission that Boras received from mediating these deals is equally as absurd. Looking at these proposals from the
team management’s perspective is a bit more complicated. On one hand, the team receiving a player knows that they are obtaining a great amount of talent, but they have to sacrifice some recruits because of the resources it takes to acquire an incoming all-star. Additionally, coaches and managers must make sure that the incumbent players can get along with and efficiently play with a new player. Egos can become a huge issue if not properly managed. The economics of sports is ultimately based on decisions by players and agents, who collect quite the commission and have a lot of stake in the dollar, and not so much stake in the heart of a city. Fans always see this side unfold on the ESPN ticker, and pro athletes are subject to a greedy stigma. But, when it comes down to it, unless an athlete takes a hometown discount, their decision to move to another team is usually—and likely always will be—influenced by the amount of dough at stake. Whether money’s overbearing impact plays a role in the quality of the athleticism is up to you, but it is hard to imagine a world in professional sports where most players are not driven by the impact of money.
Photos Courtesy of Tumblr
SPORTS
31
Featured on Boston’s Best Healthy Takeout by CBS Boston
“The Piperi Way is our commitment and our passion when it comes to the food we make: We use nothing but fresh, carefully chosen, complementary ingredients and spices for meals that are as healthy as they are satisfying. We chop, mix, whir and stir to make our toppings and sauces from scratch, right on the premises. We would love for you to come in and try the Mediterranean diet and fresh food that we have prepared.” One Beacon Street Boston, MA 02108 617-227-7471 You can also look us up on: http://piperi.com/