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November 2011 Volume III, Issue 7 bcgavel.com follow us on Twitter: @bcgavel

News

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INSIDE NEWS MEDIA ATTENTION ON GREEN ISSUES WANES How American media and political institutions control the national debate pg. 2 TOP TECH EXECS KEEP COMPUTERS AWAY FROM THEIR KIDS Does technology actually hinder intellectual growth in children? pg. 2 GAMBLING ESTABLISHED IN MASSACHUSETTS Using vice for the sake of virtue. pg. 3 SAY GOODBYE TO THE FLU How the season illness may beome a think of the past. pg. 3 TROOPS LEAVE IRAQ FOR KUWAIT Possibility of increased troop presece in Middle East worries many. pg. 4 BULLYING CASE TO HEAD TO COURT FEBRUARY Rutgers student faces 10 years in jail. pg. 5

Media attention on environmental issues decline

By Geena De Rose Gavel Media Staff Recent public opinion polls and media analyses show waning U.S. attention on climate change and global warming. Despite relative agreement and dedication to addressing these issues around 2006, recent trends show decreased media attention and consensus over the severity of these concerns since 2010.

The climate change issue captivated the American public in 2006 when the releases of Al Gore’s An Inconvenient Truth and Elizabeth Kolbert’s Field Notes from a Catastrophe brought environmentalist concerns to the forefront of public consciousness. In 2006, Pew Research Center found that 76 percent of Americans believed that the globe was warming. By 2010, however, this statistic had dropped considerably to 59 percent.

This dramatic shift in public opinion has been attributed to a variety of economic and political factors. Most imperatively, the recession beginning in 2008 forcibly redirected public concern toward addressing the crumbling economy.

To some, President Obama’s campaign promises to address climate change have fizzled. Robert E. O’Connor, program director for decision risk and management sciences at the National Science Foundation in Washing-

ton, is one of many who criticize Obama’s lack of urgency and puts him to task for not keeping environmental concerns at the head of public consciousness. Although Obama says he is still committed to solving the climate crisis, O’Connor said to the New York Times “If it’s such an important issue, why isn’t he talking about it?”

Additionally, the issue of global warming has taken on an overwhelmingly partisan connotation in the U.S. which has not been evident in other countries. Recent polls report that 75 percent of conservatives, 63 percent of libertarians, and 55 percent of mainstream Republicans believe that there is no solid evidence that proves global warming, while 75 percent of Democrats believe that the issue is very real.

U.S. political inaction in combating global warming and climate change is starkly contrasted by swift political mobilization seen

throughout the rest of the world. Cap-andtrade policies, for example, are already implemented or on their way in Australia, South Korea, New Zealand, and throughout Europe. Even developing countries such as China and India, have made clear their enthusiasm for environmentally progressive policies.

The media has also been criticized for decreased attention to environmental issues: the substantial decline in newspaper coverage has been observed in nightly news programming. Drexel professor Robert Brulle reports that 2010 levels of coverage on nightly news broadcasts pale in comparison to the previous five years, returning to 2004/2005 levels.

Brulle is stunned by his own findings, and expresses concern that the dearth of coverage in 2010 speaks to a permanent, developing trend. “The cycle of media interest in climate change has run its course, and this story is no longer considered newsworthy.”

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All photos in the News Section are courtesy of Wiki Commons

To compute or not compute? That is the question

By Meidema Sanchez Assoc. News Editor

The chief technology officer of eBay, as well as employees of Silicon Valley giants like Apple, Google, Yahoo and Hewlett- Packard, send their children to a nine-classroom school where primary teaching tools are far from high-tech: paper and pens, knitting needles and, occasionally, mud. No screens are permitted in the classroom, and they are also discouraged from being used at home. This is the Waldorf School of the Peninsula, one of around 160 Waldorf schools in the country that subscribe to a teaching philosophy that focuses on physical activity, and creative, hands-on-tasks.

Schools nationwide have hurried to supply their classrooms with computers, and many policy makers hold that it would be harmful to do otherwise. Waldorf ’s contrary point of

view is offered in the epicenter of the technological community where parents and educators have a message: schools and computers should not mix. These digerati say that computers inhibit creativity, motion, human interaction and attention spans.

In an interview with Matt Richtel, technology reporter for The New York Times in the San Francisco bureau, Alan Eagle said, “I fundamentally reject the notion [that] technology aids in grammar school.” His daughter is one of 196 students at the Waldorf elementary school, and his son William attends the nearby middle school. “The idea that an app on an iPad can better teach my kids to read or do arithmetic, that’s ridiculous.”

Eagle knows quite a bit about technology.

He holds a computer science degree from Dartmouth and works in Google’s executive communications department, where he has written speeches for the chairmen, Eric E.

Schmidt. He uses both an iPad and a smartphone. Regardless, he said to Richtel that his daughter, a fifth grader, “doesn’t know how to use Google,” and his son is just learning.

Three-quarters of the students there have parents with strong high-tech connections.

These parents, including Eagle, see no contradiction: “If I worked at Miramax, and made good, artsy, rated R movies, I wouldn’t want my kids to see them until they were 17.”

He believes that technology has its time and place.

Recently, Andie Eagle and her fellow fifth-graders refreshed their knitting skills, crisscrossing wooden needles around balls of yarn, and making fabric swatches. The school says that this activity helps children to develop problem-solving, patterning, math skills and coordination.

In second grade, students stand in a circle to learn language skills by repeating verses

to the teacher, while simultaneously playing catch with bean bags. This exercise is aimed at synchronizing body and brain.

Andy’s teacher, Cathy Waheed, once a computer engineer, tries to make learning both tactile and appealing. Last year, she taught students fractions by having them cut quesadillas, apples and cake, into quarters, halves and sixteenths.

“For three weeks, we ate our way through fractions,” she said, “when I made enough fractional pieces of cake to feed everyone, do you think I had their attention?”

Some education experts say that pushing classrooms to have computers is unwarranted because no study clearly shows that this leads to better test scores or other measurable gains.

Is learning by cutting quesadillas and knitting more effective? When asked for evidence Continued on page 5

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Hunt for universal flu vaccine makes progress

By Kelsey Barnes Gavel Media Contributor It is that time of year again. Students across campus have flocked to Conte to get their flu shots in hopes of dodging those dreadful flu symptoms this winter.

This seasonal ritual may soon be eliminated if scientists are successful in finding a universal flu vaccine that will be released in the near future. This innovative vaccine may work for several years, making the annual flu shot as we know it a thing of the past.

As of now, seasonal flu shots prevent about 59 percent of infections in adults.

Researchers working on an improved vaccine say that this is not effective enough to protect people from a global pandemic.

One such researcher, Michael Osterholm, from the University of Minnesota has compared today’s flu shot to an iPhone 1.0: “What we need,” he says, “is an iPhone 10.0.”

Researchers say that making flu shots is more problematic than other vaccines.

The influenza virus mutates so often that scientists have to change the vaccine yearly, in hopes that the shot will combat the specific strain of the virus in circulation that season. Some years, vaccines are a better match than others.

The universal flu vaccine would allow the immune system to recognize the various forms that flu germs may take. In order to do this, scientists must create a vaccine using the vulnerable, unchang-

ing parts of the virus. Some optimistic researchers predict that such a vaccine could be released within the next five years.

Hopefully, this five-year goal is attainable considering the lurking danger of an H1N1 pandemic. The United Nations announced this past August that a mutated version of the deadly H1N1 bird flu is now spreading in Asia.

According to the World Health Organization, the bird flu kills 60 percent of the people it infects, having taken the lives of at least 332 people since 2003. As of now, the virus can only be picked up from birds. These statistics could become much higher if the virus mutates so that it can be passed from person to person.

A couple of companies have begun testing their new and improved vaccines on people. BiondVax Pharmaceuticals, based in Israel, is working on a vaccine that could be ready as early as 2014. Another drug company in London, Seek, hopes to have a vaccine ready in three to five years.

The secret to BiondVax’s success lies in the nine fixed components of the flu virus’ protein. These components provide the immune system with instructions on how to produce antibodies that will attack the virus. Nearly 200 people have successfully responded to BiondVax’s vaccine.

Similarly, Seek has identified four key sections of the virus and manipulated them to combat as many strains of influenza as possible. The company will present its latest round of tests at the Influenza

Congress in early November in Arlington, VA. Seek injected 30 people with the universal flu shot, while 30 others received an inactive placebo. The scientists exposed subjects to a mild strain of the flu virus three weeks later.

The people who were injected with the placebo came down with the normal flu symptoms. Those who received the real vaccine suffered minimal to no effects. In addition to successfully warding off the virus, the immune cells in the blood of vaccinated people attacked various strains of the flu virus.

Other scientists are entering the universal vaccine hunt with different innovative techniques. For example, some researchers are creating flu shots in cell cultures, as opposed to the commonly practiced technique of making them in eggs. This would allow drug companies to produce flu vaccines with greater speed, which would be vital in the case of a pandemic.

Researchers are also studying adjuvants, which are used in the initial treatment of cancer. If added to the flu shot, they could potentially initiate a stronger immune response, protecting more people.

Some of the most outstanding progress has come from research done on blood samples of patients who have recovered from the flu. In July, scientists in Switzerland reported that they had discovered a human antibody that would render all flu viruses inoperative. With any luck, researchers will be able to create a universal flu vaccine using these antibodies.

Massachusetts Legislature passes casino gambling bill

By Emyr Remy Gavel Media Staff The Massachusetts Legislature recently passed a bill that would legalize gambling and authorize the construction of several casinos and gambling entities within the state. This decision comes in the wake of a heated debate spanning several years and economic hardship that has hit the state in recent months.

The gambling bill passed in the Massachusetts House by a vote of 123-32, and later passed the Massachusetts Senate 24-14. Although several differences remain between the two bodies of the Legislature, the two are in

agreement with the fundamentals of the bill, including the notorious sticking point of the number of casino establishments that will be allowed within the state.

Last year a similar gambling bill failed to pass, primarily due to the disagreement between the number of casinos that would be established within the state. Deval Patrick, the governor, and Robert DeLeo, the Speaker of the House, could not agree on the number of casino establishments, which eventually lead to the downfall of the bill.

After months of closed-door negotiations between Patrick, DeLeo and Senate President Therese Murray, this bill is guaranteed

Media attention on environmental issues decline, con’t Continued from page 2

Not everyone is convinced that this media analysis is indicative of a lasting drift towards American indifference to pressing environmental issues. Kristopher Karnauskas, assistant scientist of geology and geophysics at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute and professor of “Climate Change and Society” at Boston College, points to the 2007 and 2009 peaks as evidence that environmental coverage in the media is highly cyclical and intuitively parallels significant global and domestic events.

Karnauskas emphasizes the big picture and the positive trend of the media and public interest over the long term. He reinterprets the aforementioned media data as proof of the consistency and even slight increase of media coverage since the 1990’s. The 2007 spike, he insists, is the anomaly to a continuous upward trend, concluding simply, “I don’t think public interest in climate change is declining at all.”

Whether or not this purported American inattention is substantiated, political immobility continues to prevail in the face of pressing environmental concerns.

With the U.S. undoubtedly lagging behind other developed countries in the pursuit of more sustainable and responsible environmental policies, it remains clear that this nation still has a long way to go in committing itself to securing a safe and hospitable planet for future generations.

a better fate, with most of the major aspects of the bill agreed upon. Patrick, who refused to sign the previous bill, has stated that he will sign this bill when it comes to his desk. A major reason for this is the fact that this bill only calls for the creation of one slot parlor, an aspect of the bill that Patrick was unwavering on. He vetoed the previous casino bill as it called for two slot parlors, a number agreed upon by the Legislature as it passed both houses.

The casino bill is touted as a measure that will lead to the creation of jobs within the state of Massachusetts, an area where most states in America have struggled to stimulate growth.

Massachusetts is desperate for new jobs, and the casino bill is said to influence the creation of over 10,000 jobs in service and construction. Many states say that these new jobs are not “real jobs,” but critics of this belief respond that those who are seeking jobs will disagree with this pessimistic sentiment.

The state of Massachusetts is also in need of added annual revenue, and the increased income from casinos in the form of taxes and licensing fees will bolster the state’s checkbook.

A casino license in the state of Massachusetts will go for a reported $85 million, while the cost of a license for the slot parlor will be $25 million. The state would levy a twenty-five percent tax on the casinos’ profits, and the slot parlor would be charged a forty to fifty percent tax.

The passage of the casino bill in Massachusetts will also have a profound effect on several nearby states whose economies are bolstered by their established casinos. Connecticut has two

resort casinos, Foxwoods and Mohegan Sun, whose gaming rooms are frequented by Massachusetts residents. Rhode Island also has two slot parlor-style gaming centers, whose attendance may dwindle with the passage of the casino bill. A study concluded that over fifty percent of those who visit Rhode Island gaming rooms are residents from Massachusetts, and these visitors may spend their money at home once local casinos are established.

A source of controversy is a clause within the bill that gives priority to a federally recognized Indian tribe to establish one of the casinos on their land. The bill allows the tribe approximately one year to negotiate a deal with the state to establish a casino on their land in southeastern Massachusetts. If a deal is not reached with the tribe, the casino license would then be opened to competitive bidding. Several commercial developers are upset with this as it limits their potential to establish casinos and also provides the Indian tribe with a competitive advantage.

The casino bill has met some opposition from lawmakers within the state of Massachusetts, but its overwhelming support in the form of votes from both houses as well as the Governor has drowned out any significant opposition. When the bill is finalized and is signed into law by Governor Patrick, it will call for the establishment of three casino establishments, whose possible locations have been speculated upon. Their potential locations include southern Massachusetts, western Massachusetts, and possibly an establishment in the Boston area.

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By Jasmine Uduma News Editor On October 21, President Obama announced the complete withdraw of all U.S. combat troops by end of 2011. The president stated, “As of January 1st, and in keeping with our Strategic Framework Agreement with Iraq, it will be a normal relationship between sovereign nations, an equal partnership based on mutual interests and mutual respect.”

The president’s plans for the future relationship with Iraq will be focused on building economic ties, with an emphasis on trading goods, culture and “education that unleashes the potential of the Iraqi people.” President Obama stressed that the nature of the U.S.Iraq partnership will be one that instills and enforces Iraq’s rights as a sovereign nation.

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said in a statement that “Iraq is now a sovereign nation with democratically elected leadership, with a government that reflects the interests of different groups of Iraqis, and it is very much in America’s interest going forward to make sure that this new democracy flourish-

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es. And we will do everything we can to help make that a fact.”

Soon after the president’s announcement, The New York Times reported that the White House was planning a massive troop increase in the Persian Gulf. The move could result in the addition of combat forces in Kuwait and naval warships in the region’s international waters. It also reports that the troop increase is meant as a tactic for the U.S. to protect its interests in the region in the event of a conflict in Iraq or with Iran.

After the report was released, the Pentagon rebutted that no final decisions had been made on how many U.S. troops will remain in the Persian Gulf region. But it is a worry among Middle East allies and U.S. military and government officials that Obama’s decision to have troops home by Christmas could lead to instability in Iraq’s fragile democratic structure. Many think that a U.S. exit could leave the country vulnerable to extremist influences.

Those in charge of national security have tried pressing both the Obama administration and the Iraqi government to permit as many as 20,000 American troops to remain

US plans to move forward with Iraq withdrawal, troop increase expected in Persian Gulf

in Iraq beyond 2011. Both sides refused the request and the Pentagon is now drawing up an alternative. President Obama has said since his presidential campaign that the war in Iraq was not one the U.S. needed to be fighting, his position has always been one for an exit. Once in office, the president agreed to stick to President Bush’s plan to stay until 2011. Now that the deadline approaches for that deal, Obama does not want to extend it.

The Obama White House is also seeking to expand military ties with the six nations in the Gulf Cooperation Council. These countries are Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates and Oman. The United States has had close bilateral military relationships with each of these nations for many years and is hoping to foster a new “security architecture” for the Persian Gulf that would integrate air and naval patrols and missile defense. The size of the standby American combat force to be based in Kuwait remains the subject of negotiations and the source of much contention.

One suggestion of U.S. military involvement comes from a veteran leader within the

military. Maj. Gen. Karl R. Horst, the Central Command’s chief of staff, has outlined a plan for a new posture in the Gulf. He said the command was focusing on smaller but highly capable deployments, keeping U.S. security forces focused and highly specialized for specific missions. Horst has also described a revamped relationship with the Gulf Cooperation Council’s military and police forces, supporting U.S. training partnerships with regional militaries. “We are kind of thinking of going back to the way it was before we had a big ‘boots on the ground’ presence,” General Horst said. “I think it is healthy. I think it is efficient. I think it is practical.”

Post-Iraq planning involvement with the Gulf Cooperation Council is dominated by Saudi Arabian influence. The country is the America’s strongest ally in the Middle East.

Its vast oil wealth is also what makes the Saudis significant power brokers. Saudi oil supplies both the U.S. and most of its allies abroad.

The United States is in dialogue with its military counterparts in the region, but arrangements on major changes in force levels have not been worked out.

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Trial date set for Rutgers bullying case

By Nicholas Benevenia Gavel Media Contributor The trial date for Dharun Ravi, the former Rutgers University student accused of using a webcam to spy on his roommate’s intimate encounters with another man, has been set for February 21, 2012. Ravi decided to reject a plea deal and go to trial, where he faces 15 criminal counts. These charges include invasion of privacy and bias intimidation, a hate crime. If he is convicted of these charges, he could face up to ten years in prison. Had he taken the plea deal, he would have been forced to plead guilty to all of the charges and serve five years in prison.

Last year on September 22, Ravi’s roommate, Tyler Clementi, committed suicide shortly after learning that his sexual encounter with another man was broadcasted live over the Internet. He left one final Facebook status update: “Jumping off the gw bridge sorry.” His body was later recovered, and his death was ruled a suicide by a spokesperson from the New York City Medical Examiner’s office.

Ravi allegedly posted on his Twitter account about his recording and broadcasting of Clementi’s two encounters: “Roommate asked for the room till midnight. I went into Molly’s room and turned on my webcam. I saw him making out with a dude. Yay.” Two days later, Ravi tweeted again: “Anyone with iChat, I dare you to video chat me between the hours of 9:30 and 12. Yes it’s happening again.” No one viewed the broadcast.

Authorities have yet to link the broadcast of the video to the suicide, despite early news media coverage that drew a direct correlation between the two events. The issue remains clouded due to documents found on each students’ computer. The judge, however, has ruled that the defense attorneys will not have

Should schools and law enforcement do more to punish bullying?

Tell us what you think! Comment on bcgavel.com access to the personal writings and documents found on Clementi’s computer.

Another piece of evidence that clouds the issue is the final text message sent from Ravi to Clementi, fourteen minutes before Clementi posted his final status update. This text message apologized for spying with his webcam and read, “I’ve known you were gay and I have no problem with it. I don’t want your freshman year to be ruined because of a petty misunderstanding, it’s adding to my guilt.”

Tyler Clementi’s suicide sparked national conversations regarding the epidemic of cyber bullying and the prejudices that many young homosexual individuals face. New Jersey and Rutgers officials have taken serious measures to prevent similar events from happening and have tightened anti-bullying laws in response to this tragedy. The university is also testing new housing plans to reduce the chances of a hostile dorm environment.

The first of these is gender-neutral housing, where students may select a roommate of either gender. Second is Special Interest Housing, such as Rainbow Perspectives, for students interested in creating an LGBT community in their residential life. Finally, the university has introduced a roommatematching option for first year and transfer students interested in being paired with a member of the LGBT community.

Many students are in favor of such programs being put in place, but others remain skeptical. Rutgers junior Adam Martin said, “I definitely appreciate the programs they’ve put in place, but it is difficult to put one pro-

gram in place that ends the whole problem.

Raising awareness is probably the best we would hope for now.”

Boston College offers many support groups for gay students. Colleen Lavin A&S 2014, the GLC Assistant Director of Women’s Issues, said “There are support groups that meet every week, one for lesbian, bisexual, and questioning women, and an equivalent group for men. There is also a program called Queer Peers, which holds office hours to offer confidential, one on one conversation with peer advisors. I would love to see more students take advantage of these programs in the future.”

The president of Boston College’s GLC, Carolyn McCrossen, addressed the notion of increasing awareness and tolerance on our campus. McCrossen said, “I think the best way to prevent something as tragic as a suicide is to create an open, aware and informed campus. The students at this campus need to be open to the diversity that is present here as well as in other Boston area schools. We all need to be aware of our actions and language. We also need to be informed about the bullying and suicide rates, informed about language that may be offensive, and informed about what can be done in order to prevent these kinds of things from happening.”

Compute or not, con’t Continued from page 2

of the Waldorf method’s effectiveness, the Association of Waldorf Schools points to research by an affiliated group showing that 94 percent of the students who graduated from Waldorf high schools in the United States between 1994 and 2004 attended college, many heading to prestigious institutions such as Berkeley and Vassar.

Of course, that figure may not be surprising given that these students are from families that value education enough to seek out selective private schools, and usually have the means to pay for them. After all, the Waldorf experience is not cheap: annual tuition is $17,750 for kindergarten through eighth grade, and $24,400 for high school.

Due to the lack of clear evidence, the debate over the role of computers in education comes down to subjectivity, parental choice and difference in opinion over a single word: engagement. Advocates for computers in schools say computers can hold students’ attention, and that young people who have been weaned on electronic devices will not tune in without them. Waldorf parents alternatively argue that real engagement results from excellent teachers with stimulating lesson plans.

What is clear is that the nearly centuryold Walfdorf method, as a foothold among the digerati, has intensified the debate about the role of computers in education, and whether it is beneficial or harmful.

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December 7, 2009

Inside Features pg. 6 - Jebbit, Innovating Internet advertising, Student entrepreneurs create a start-up that aims to increase the effectivness of internet ads

pg. 6 - On to the “Holy War”: BC students excited for the the upcoming game against ND, despite a slower than anticipated seasons, BC students are eager to make the journey to South Bend, IN, con’t on page 8

pg. 7 - Anonymous and Occupy join forces this Guy Fawkes Day, Anonymous releases a video showing solidarity with the Occupy protests

pg. 7 - Life Chat: What do I think of myself, A critical look at one students self image

pg. 8 - Overheard @ BC, Special Halloween Edition, Anonymous funny conversations overheard by fellow students

pg. 9 - BEER REVIEW: For those who have out grown $2 drafts, Focus on IPAs pg. 10 - Stuff BC Likes: the CoRo white board guy, How the white borad on the path to McElroy has been entertaining students living on Upper and CoRo

pg. 11 - BC Blackout.com, Funny blog pokes fun at college drinking

pg. 11 - Keeping students from aimlessly dancing through life, How your parents should not turn up their noses becasue you major in studying philosophy

Features

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Jebbit, innovating internet advertising

By Jillian Timko Gavel Media Staff Jebbit is a new online company launched by a team of BC students through which students can answer questions about local companies to earn cash., The team is comprised of co-founders: Tom Coburn, A&S ‘13, Jeb Thomas, CSOM ‘13, and Peter Casinelli, A&S ‘14. The company helps BC students earn some extra cash and ensures that companies do not waste money on advertisements that never reach potential customers.

Jebbit allows companies to create a focused ad campaign of questions about their business, decide on their total budget for how much money they want to pour into the ad campaign and set a price of how much they will pay when a student answers a question correctly – usually in between .25-.75 cents.

The founders call this a “Cost Per Correct Answer” or a CPCA model, where a portion of the company’s total budget goes to the Jebbit users that answer questions correctly with the other portion going to Jebbit. Once the company’s budget has run out, the ad campaign is taken off the website. This allows “companies to know for certain exactly how many people they can engage with for a given campaign, budget, and CPCA,” says Coburn.

Coburn and Thomas had originally been working on a Search Engine Optimization start-up to help companies improve their advertising performance, and through this they learned about the billions of dollars companies spend on online advertising.

Coburn says, “I actually came up with the idea for Jebbit while in the airport on my way to a golf tournament with BC’s club golf team. I was sitting with a friend watching a TV show on Hulu, and the second an ad came up I turned to my friend to start talking to him. I quickly realized that my first instinct when seeing an ad was to look away and do something else - what a waste of a company’s money. From there, [Thomas and I] started working on Jebbit, a way to guarantee companies engagement while rewarding users and changing their perceptions of online ads.”

After this moment of inspiration, the team went on to win the 2011 Boston College Venture Competition, and was the youngest team accepted into the Summer@Highland program in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

According to Thomas, “Summer@Highland was instrumental in the development of Jebbit. Highland Capital provided terrific support, allowing us to work in Cambridge all summer at the hub of entrepreneurship in Boston / Cambridge Innovation Center.

We met with founders and CEOs on a daily basis, picking their brains about how to better our business model and tackle various obstacles.”

When the Jebbit website went live for BC students in early October, the response was incredibly positive. There were so many students trying to get on the site that the server crashed for about an hour after launch. Thomas says, “There was one point in the night where I was handing out promotional flyers telling students about the impending launch, and two kids on their way to Mac said, ‘Jebbit is launching?! Forget dinner!’ turned around, and ran towards their dorm to register for Jebbit.”

The response from companies to the site as an advertising opportunity has also been phenomenal. Coburn states, “Companies love the idea of being guaranteed that a user is actual reading their online content and learning about their business.” The website also allows companies to use the deals platform to keep track of whether or not users actually come to the stores after learning about them on the website.

Another important side of the Jebbit website is the programming side. Cofounder Peter Casinelli was in charge of designing and programming the website, and described it as “not an easy task.” Casinelli says, “The biggest struggle was managing

my time between business related things and programming related things…[However] one thing that has been really cool and rewarding, from a technical standpoint, is seeing my work from beginning to end and having the final product launch successfully.”

The founders have big future plans for Jebbit. They want to change the world of online advertising so that companies do not waste money on ads that annoy users. “We

Photo courtesy of Jebbit.com

think that the Jebbit platform can be applied across different types of web content like web pages and videos to encourage users to engage with advertisements and provide more effective advertising for companies,” says Casinelli.

The Jebbit co-founders and the rest of the team have been on a whirlwind of a journey since deciding to pursue Jebbit last January, winning the Boston College Venture Competition, and participating in the Summer@Highlands Program this past summer. According to Casinelli, “One thing that we have kept consistent is our passion for the idea, our excitement for where the company is heading, and the enthusiasm that helps us to keep pushing the limits. I think that most people believe that entrepreneurship always has its ups, and is glamorous, but we have seen that it can be a roller coaster ride. The reason we have continued to be successful is because we have adapted every time there has been a down, which is really the difference between succeeding and failing.” He adds, “One thing is for sure, we are in this 200 percent.”

On to the “Holy War”: BC students excited for the ND game

By Alison Racciatio Gavel Media Staff

Photo by Cal Greene III/Gavel Media

Many students may be questioning just how much school spirit is left as far as football is concerned. With a 1-7 record, the football season has not been uplifting for even the most loyal of fans. Yet despite the pessimistic odds, the BC student body shows no sings of lagging enthusiasm for upcoming games, especially “The Holy War.” The football rivalry between BC and Notre Dame spans decades and students from both schools always look forward to the chance to be the victor in this epic battle and this year’s

game is no exception. The rivalry nicknamed the “Holy War” mostly stems from the fact that Boston College and Notre Dame are the only two Catholic schools in the United States that compete in the NCAA’s Division 1 –A. Though other characteristics such as business school rankings, location, and the wide spread perception of Notre Dame being overly pretentious further fuels the fire.

The main question concerning this year’s game is whether students will make the journey to South Bend despite a disappointing season. The journey between the two schools Continued on page 8

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Anonymous and #Occupy may join forces this November the product.

Additionally, Guy Fawkes masks remain a presence at #Occupy protests around the country and the globe. In an impressive intersection of anti-authoritarian mass movements, Wikileaks founder Jullian Assange made a speech at the Occupy London Stock Exchange protest wearing the mask just last week.

Following the relationship between Anonymous and the #Occupy movement may not be as simple as keeping an eye on the masks, however. Since Anonymous and #Occupy both encompass a vast and disparate group of people with no central organizing structure, it is hard to anticipate where their distinct movements might go.

However, an abundance of recent YouTube videos by Anonymous members (in the distinct Guy Fawkes mask, no less) promise the newest installment of the group’s brand of popular protest, warning the audience Photo by Louise Sheehan/Gavel Media

By Geena De Rose Gavel Media Staff For many Americans, Guy Fawkes is beginning to play an increasingly prominent role in their everyday lives. Whether as the face of the hacktivist group Anonymous, which was engendered in 2003, or in the crowds of the #Occupy movements sweeping the globe, Guy Fawkes is becoming a prominent sign of American discontentment.

Guy Fawkes is the infamous Brit best known for his failed attempt to blow up Parliament and kill King James I in 1605.

Today he has become a modern day symbol for anti-oppressive rule.

The cultural fascination with the historical figure was reborn with the British comic book series, V for Vendetta of the during the 1980s in which a dystopian British society is captivated by the actions of a mysterious character named V. Throughout the series, V’s identity and his precarious status as both a hero and a villain remain ambiguous. Since he dons the Guy Fawkes mask, his face is always concealed. The original comic book was a response to the policies of Prime Minister Margret Thatcher and was meant to explore the conflict between fascism and anarchism.

In 2006, V for Vendetta made a comeback with an American film of the same title and general plotline. In this version, however, V is more romanticized and is an overtly benevolent figure. The symbolic context has changed as well; the fascist/anarchist tension has been replaced by a manifestly American conflict between liberalism and neo-conservatism. The Guy Fawkes imagery is intensified when, in one scene, thousands of Londoners charge Parliament

wearing Guy Fawkes masks that V has distributed.

The popularity and publicity of the V for Vendetta movie expedited the American appropriation of the British symbol. Many members of Anonymous have adopted the Guy Fawkes mask in public demonstrations as a way to maintain anonymity and to evoke the anti-authoritarian ideology of the figure.

In their 2008 protest against the Church of Scientology, many of the protestors disguised themselves with Guy Fawkes masks. When questioned about the abundance of masks, one protestor commented that, “…the image of people marching towards Parliament in the spirit of protest… had a certain resonance amongst those who held negative feelings about organizations such as Scientology but also towards the government.”

David Lloyd, illustrator of the V for Vendetta comics, has even shared his musings on the popular use of the Guys Fawkes mask, which he first illustrated over twenty years ago.

“The Guy Fawkes mask has now become a common brand and a convenient placard to use in protest against tyranny and I am happy with people using it, it seems quite unique, an icon of popular culture being used this way,” he remarked in an interview with the BBC. Although Lloyd was the first to convey antiestablishment sentiment using Guy Fawkes’s identity, he does not own the right to the masks. The masks were originally made by Warner Bros. to promote the film. They are now made by Rubies Costume Company, which sells about 100,000 of them per year.

The company denies that activist groups such as Anonymous are fueling demand for

Remember, Rememer the fifth of November, the gun powder treason and plot.

I see of no reason the gun powder treason should ever be forgot.

-Guy Fawkes Poem

to ambiguously “expect us.” The videos praise the #Occupy movement and call on the audience to get the word out using social media and to join the ranks in the streets. They also condemn the media for not giving the #Occupy movement sufficient national attention and the police force for unwarranted violence.

For the last few months, the #occupy movement and anonymous have been publicizing the Bank Transfer Day movement, a seperate but related movement that encouraged Americans to close their accounts with major banks and join credit unions on November 5. While the date carries powerful symbolism, the movement has been criticized for not considering that November 5 fell on a Saturday this year and so many banks were closed or operating with reduced staff and hours. Nevertheless, the event’s facebook group currently lists an impressive 86,078 atendees.

Life Chat: Self-reflection and contemplation Frank Rizzo Gavel Media Staff As of late, whenever I find myself caught in a moment of philosophical introspection, I try to define and write out the question that I am pondering.

I have found too much chaos in the process of self-examination when preformed by mental faculty alone.

The practice of putting thought to text has afforded my considerations clarity and, as a by product, produced a list of questions I believe fundamental to personal reflection. Today I have for you an exercise in critical thinking and introspection. Read at the risk of your own philosophical complacency.

What, exactly, do I think of myself?

With the exception of the exceedingly selfaware, most will balk at this simple question.

I imagine being asked, “How would you describe yourself, Frank?” Immediately, I find myself grasping in vain for words that, if ordered correctly, could somehow communicate my sense of self. Even after much thought, my best developed definitions are mere silhouettes of my true identity. They accurately depict the shape but are superficial and lack depth.

Because conversation by nature regards a self ’s relation to another, it is a flawed means to examine an individual’s relationship to one’s self. This does not mean that interactions with others are not an effective tool for selfcomprehension, but they do have limitations.

I believe the moment I find myself in now—pushing with my fingers, almost unconsciously, these letters into this machine, forming an external representation of an internal truth—is much more relevant to our

question’s answer. The nature of my own thoughts of myself is most accessible to me in these moments. In silence, I am able to align myself with the ideas which are muddled by conversation and language. I think we often fail to realize the consequences of the network-focused world in which we live.

For me, the nature of my self conception can be partly identified through interactions with others, yet I find my truest sense when I exist apart from my descriptions; apart from my desire to express my consciousness to others.

The nature of the ineffable is something quite spectacular. We often struggle with our words in describing the truest essence of what we mean to say. Yet, in most of those cases, we find that our inability to communicate does not make what we are trying to say any less true. We still know how we feel, but the words to describe that feeling go missing. We allow this to confuse us and we should not.

The nature I am striving for lies in those personal moments when we form truth. These moments may be impossible to pinpoint in our sense of time.

That moment right before we are thrust into a dream, one we seemingly never remember but know existed or maybe this nature is found in the short moment of quiet contemplation I had to myself right after asked, “How would you describe yourself, Frank?”

At the end of the day, your opinion of yourself must come from you. This may sound obvious, but sometimes I get the feeling that students here rely on other people far too much. Have dinner by yourself one night; I bet some of you will feel a bit odd sitting by yourself. Think about why that is the case.

We spend so much time trying to meet other people that we forget about ourselves. So take some time to yourself and think about your thoughts; we do not do it enough.

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Overheard @ BC: Special On to the “Holy War,” con’t Halloween edition 2011 Overherad conversation in Gasson 101 lounge between a student on crutches and a random stranger after stumbling out of the classroom Girl reading book: Hey! What happened to you?

Kid in crutches: Ahh...I’m a victim of Who’s on First.

Girl: What?

Kid in crutches: Yeah, some dude jumped off of the bar and landed on my foot.

Girl: OMG are you alright.

Kid in crutches: Well I broke a couple toes but I should be good to go for this weekend. I can’t let a small set back keep me from going out.

Overheard conversation between a girl and her platonic guy friend in Hillside cafe Girl: Ugh [Mike*] why can’t I find any decent guys?

Guy: Wait haven’t you been hooking up with that ‘Chad bro chill’ wannabe?

Girl: Yea he’s cute too, but I saw him eating Doritos in O’Neill the other day.

Guy: Ok and...

Girl: I can’t hook up with a guy who eats doritos in public, gross! I was attracted to this guy but I don’t know, I’m just not into him anymore. He’s so classless.

Guy: Yea I don’t follow at all, eating Doritos is a deal breaker?

Girl: YES! [Mike*] eating Doritos in public is so trashy. Like people eat doritos at NASCAR races, enough said. It is just such a poor-person thing to do.

Guy: Wow pretentious much?

Girl: No, but like think of all of the cheese dust on your fingers. eww! And then think about how he sucks his fingers after each bite. Why would I want that anywhere near me?

Guy: Wow, you have really thought this out. Have you had difficulty with cheese powder in undesirable places before? Haha.

Girl: Ewwwwwww gross, shut up! Only another boy would say that!

Guy: I’m only stating the obvious connection...

Overheard conversation in the Modular Apartment complex between two BC bros wearing LAX pinnies and their friend dressed as a kermit the frog Kermit: Yo bros, um... aren’t you supposed to wear a costume for Halloween?

LAX Bro 1: Yea dude I am. My roommate and I dressed up as each other this year Kermit: But you’re both LAX bros, that’s really original.

LAX Bro 2: Yea you’re right, but who cares, I just want to rage tonight.

LAX Bro 1: Plus we dressed up in each other’s LAX pinnies.

Kermit: Right... well you guys put a lot of work in to Halloween this year.

LAX Bro 2: Recession bro.

LAX Bro 1: Yo man did you wash this thing before you gave it to me?

LAX Bro 2: Yea you might want to take care of that later on... my bad man.

LAX Bro 1: Awwww dude gross.

Overheard failed flirting attempt between a guy and a gril at Mary Ann’s Pub, Thursday before Halloween.

Guy: Hey [girl] what are you dressed up as?

Girl: Hi? I’m Michaelangelo from the Ninga Turtles with my roommates. Are you an accountant or something?

Guy: Nice costume. Nah I dressed up as the 1 percent.

Girl: Uhh huh ok.

Guy: You know like the Occupy movement.

Girl: Ohh right ok, clever.

Guy: So what do you say I buy you a drink and maybe later you can occupy me?

Girl: Eww what does that even mean, I gotta catch up with my friends, bye!

Overheard conversation in Lower dining hall among a group of friends Friend 1: Yo Halloween was awesome, there were so many clutch costumes this weekend Friend 2: Yea I saw one guy was Venus Williams Friend 3: Haha my one friend was the 1 percent and walked around with a bottle of champagne the entie night Friend 4: Haha I saw this other guy dressed as Stalin with a sign that said #OccupyPoland

Photo by Cal Greene III/Gavel Media

Continued from page 8

is nearly 1000 miles, and roughly 15 hours driving. In the past students have rented RV’s and packed up in cars for the long trip, excited for the prospect of a good game and an enjoyable mini-vacation.

Juniors Chris Fitzpatrick and Paul Born are optimistic for the prospects. Born says, “I know four people driving down in a car and some kids getting RV. There are a lot of people going.” Fitzpatrick agrees, categorizing the sentiment of BC students, “People are excited for the trip but not the outcome of the game.”

So it seems that fan presence at Notre Dame will not be diminished by a possibly grim loss.

Fan turnout will be the same as in past years, if only for the fun of the ritual trip and not for the hope of a turnaround in football.

“There is absolutely no way I’m missing this game,” commented senior Douglas Wilson.

“I’ve waited four years to RV to Notre Dame and I do not care if we win or loose but I’m supporting my team.” Senior Gabriel Stacy felt the same way, “RV’ing to the Notre Dame game is tradition and I cannot wait to go.

When rumors surfaced last year that that was the last “Holy War” game for a few years I was pretty mad, so win or loose I plan on going and having a good time.”

More evidence for cheerful acceptance of an impending loss at the football game is evident in the gear fans are preparing for the Holy War. The Facebook page “Selling BC vs ND pinnies!!!” created by students Brendan Carey and Lauren Riley advertises athletic pinnies in BC colors with the slogan “We just came to tailgate” on the front and “BC vs ND” on the back. This, of course, recognizes the slim likelihood that BC will win the game, while showcasing the cool acceptance of BC students.

Wearers of the pinnies will represent the university with pride and remain loyal fans supporting their team, despite the overwhelming odds amounted against BC. The group description reminds fans to “prove ourselves as a superior breed.” Naturally, for BC it is not just about winning but being better in general. It does not take a football game to prove that BC students are all around better than Notre Damers are.

The spoof of the Budlight “Real Men of Genius”, Hopeless Notre Dame Fan, captures in pure YouTube style the sentiment of most BC students who are making the trip to South Bend. The YouTube video chronicles how

Photo by Cal Greene III/Gavel Media

Notre Dame’s undeserved high BCS rankings and overly excited fan base get consistently served a piece of humble pie every season.

Despite Notre Dame’s typical reality check the video points out that fans “often brag about bowl championships and Heismans won years before they were born as if that has any relevance now.” The best part is when they talk about the embarrassing loss Notre Dame experienced in the fall of 2009, when they lost 17-0 in the “Holy War,” as a background voice randomly interjects “BC’s got better Christians” in a soulful R&B style.

This year’s game will surely not disappoint as the tradition of RV’ing to the game lives on. It is clear that students are as excited as ever to travel hundreds of miles to South Bend, Indiana to support the team, have some quality tailgates and bring that positive cheerful energy to the stadium. It takes a lot more than some crude words and a few sports losses to suppress BC pride.

Photo by Cal Greene III/Gavel Media

For when you eventually outgrow $2 Busch drafts...

I PA s

TROEGS Perpetual IPA

From the get go the Troegs Perpetual IPA looked like it was something special. Troegs Brewery, in Pennsylvania, has a array of great recipes so we had high hopes for this one and the fact that it is only available in pint size bottles made our anticipation grow even more. The beer has the most interesting mix of aromas and flavours. It has a very tropical taste to it, which is indicative of the Citra hops in it and dry hopping technique used in the brewing process. It is very fizzy and light but packs a punch. As with most IPA’s it is a strong beer and its drinkability is pretty low on most people’s scales, but unlike the Arrogant Bastard Ale or Dogfish Head it is certainly more palatable. Overall it’s the best one of the bunch; even Maggie agreed. You many not be able to point out all of the hinted flavours in the IPA but you will enjoy

India Pale Ales I

n the second edition with the Gavel Beer Review we decided to continue with reviewing good quality brews. This time around we decided to sample India Pale Ales (IPA’s). The Gavel Beer Review loves IPA’s so it was only appropriate we picked some of our favorites to critique and share. The five that made the cut this time were: Dogfish Head 60 Minute IPA, Oaked Arrogant Bastard Ale, Victory Hop Devil IPA, Troegs Perpetual IPA and Shock Top Pumpkin Wheat (though yes pumpkin wheat is not an IPA, we had to give it a pass).

The beers were all highly rated and are from breweries that have pretty good micro brews. In general, IPA’s are stronger beers and have a lower drinkability to many but they are a great relaxing beer to those who enjoy them. Participating this time was Cal Greene III, Features Editor, Maggie Lawrence, ote all persons who Culture Editor and Sofia Martinez, Associate Culture Editor. participated in the review We based our comparison based on four criteria: clarity and colour, smell, taste and complexity, and mouth-feel, then we remember to gave it an overall score, 1 being poor and 5 being the best.

N

None of us really take company labels seriously (as if anyone reads the paragraph on the Honest Tea bottles explaining how many trees you save), but the story on Stone Brewery’s Arrogant Bastard Ale made no exaggerations.

We were unsure at first about how flavorful the beer was. It had a dark amber colour, somewhere in-between a porter and a lager, but

Dogfish Head 60 Minute IPA

the aroma was so light that if I was not looking at it I would have guessed it was a Miller High Life. Once you take a sip all doubts are set aside. This beer is great. We were undecided about this though. Maggie was adamant that the beer was over the top in bitterness, but Sofia and I overruled her. There are very few beers with a similarly intense flavour. It is not a beer for new comers but if you want a beer that is tough, flavourful, and strong this one is it. The only draw back is the $18 per 6 pack price tag.

Shock Top Pumpkin Ale

“he was a

good man who invented

beer”

- Plato

Yes, I know this is not an IPA, but since its still fall we had to throw in a pumpkin ale. They are just to good. This light amber ale was great from the first pour. It had a rich pumpkin smell and a lightness to it that made all of us eager to try it out. Like most pumpkin ales it had a mixture of pumpkin, yam, and citrus flavours, but with a mild sweetness.

Against other popular pumpkin beers it did not have the taste Dogfish Head and Shipyard have mastered but it is still above Sam Adams and significantly better than Harpoon’s version. Comparing it to the other four IPA’s is like comparing apples to oranges but it is equal in quality. It is a very drinkable beer and will probably be a favorite for seniors RVing to the BC v Notre Dame game. Overall 4.

Victory Hop Devil Ale We heard many good things about the Hop Devil but unlike the Arrogant Bastard Ale the Victory may have exaggerated a little with its name. The medium amber brew did have a strong citrus and hop smell but a surprisingly smooth taste. It had a nice rolling bitterness to it that started at the front of the tongue and settled

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are of

legal drinking age. Please Drink Responsibly

Oaked Arrogant Bastard Ale

With its light brown crystal clear colour this brew looks like a typical IPA at first glance.

That all changes once you crack it open. The second you start to pour, the pungent smell of this IPA hits your nose. It is a strong beer in terms of taste, smell and alcoholic content.

It is not surprising that guys and girls more partial to Franzia and Natty, respectively, would not be able to appreciate this beer. But to the seasoned beer enthusiast the second a drop hits your tongue it makes sense why the 60 minute IPA is award winning. It is a great game day chilling beer or for whenever you want to show others that you have more class than Keith Stone. Overall 4.5.

By Cal Greene III, Features Editor, All Photos by Cal Greene III/Gavel Media

in the back of the throat and enhanced the many complex flavours, but the kick was not enough for our liking. Maggie loved it though. Of the 5 this one was the most palatable to the average person.

Because this was the cheapest beer of the bunch at $9.69 per six pack, the subtle difference in taste is negligible. Overall 4 .

Stay classy my friends 9

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Stuff BC Likes: White board guy entertaining passers by

By Kate Lewis Gavel Media Staff Though most sophomores who end up living on College Road tend to simply accept their fate, one sophomore is making the most of his undesirable living situation.

To those who pass by Roncalli Hall on any given day, he is known as “the whiteboard guy”--a mysterious figure whose spontaneous messages are both humorous and relevant to the average Boston College student’s life.

Freshmen walking by College Road on their way to class or to the dining hall appreciate the contribution that “whiteboard guy” makes with his witty observations. Austin Blank, CSOM ‘15, said, “He gives you something to smile about when you’re trudging your way back to Upper on a cold day.”

While his messages have earned him a minor celebrity status, little is known about the identity of “the whiteboard guy,” besides that he is a sophomore who fell victim to the luck of the draw in last year’s housing lottery and was forced to take up residence on College Road. Though he agreed to be interviewed for this article, he requested to remain anonymous.

Only a year ago, “the whiteboard guy” enjoyed reading the messages left in the window on his daily walks from Upper Campus to McElroy. “I always got a laugh out of reading the whiteboard last year walking down from Upper,” he said. “Then this year, when I ended up getting this room some of my friends kept giving me a hard time, saying that I needed to continue the tradition for this year’s freshmen.”

After finding a dry-erase board being given away on campus, his fate was sealed as the

“What’s less likely? A.) Winning the lottery, B.) Lighting striking twice, C.) An FSU Grad getting a job” recent white board message new “whiteboard guy,” and since then he has been trying to fill the shoes left behind by last year’s anonymous message-writer. “I’m definitely not as funny as the guy who had it last year, but I have fun trying,” he said.

Since then, he has been working to keep his identity a mystery. “None of my friends on Lower ever come up here and see it and I keep it pretty low key, so I do not think that many people who actually read the board

Photo by Gillian Freedman/Gavel Media know who I am,” he said. “Being mysterious is part of the fun though. It is pretty funny when I hear freshmen talking about it in McElroy.”

The messages that appear on the whiteboard range from trivial observations of daily life (“Why don’t they frost both sides of Frosted Mini Wheats? They’d be twice as delicious!”) to commentary on BC athletics. Recently, the messages have taken

a humorous approach to the football team’s less-than-spectacular performance: “BC Football: #105 in points scored, #1 in my heart.”

Following the BC-Wake Forest game during which a squirrel appeared on the field and ran into the end zone, a relevant message quickly appeared on the whiteboard among dozens of Facebook statuses about the incident: “Someone give that squirrel a scholarship!”

“It is going to be much harder to come up with things to write when BC sports are not in season,” he said, citing the athletic programs as his main inspiration for whiteboard messages. “I know that not everyone loves BC sports as much as I do, so I might try to mix it up a bit more in the future.”

Though he enjoys his secret job, the “whiteboard guy” does not deny the disadvantages of living on College Road.

“I’m not going to sugarcoat it for you, CoRo is pretty horrible,” he said, then jokingly added, “I would rather hang out with J.J. Redick than live here, and that’s saying a lot.” In the first week of school, he used his whiteboard to offer advice to freshmen regarding housing: “Be kind to Newton kids.

Housing karma is real, just look at me.”

All housing karma aside, he encourages future residents of CoRo to keep a positive attitude. “You just have to make the best of it. Having the white board is my attempt this awful place a little more tolerable.” So, freshmen, as you plan out the 8-man suite of your dreams, remember that it is not the end of the world if you end up living on College Road as a sophomore-if all else fails, you can share your misery with the rest of the world on your whiteboard.

Visit our website for constant updates!

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Highlighting weekend escapades In defense of students who major in philosophy

Photo by Cal Greene III /Gavel Media

By Jillian Timko Gavel Media Staff A new website, BC Blackout is on its way to becoming a favorite site of Boston College students. Self-described as “the voice of BC,” the website acts as a forum for students to anonymously post their opinions regarding all things BC. The creators of the website, wishing to remain anonymous, have identified themselves with their BC Blackout usernames: the Pesticide, General Cornwallis, the Mother Shucker, Cornholio, the Cornhole Kid, and a few other avid Cornhole players currently living the #modlife.

BC Blackout allows students to post comments, pictures, and videos about things happening at BC. These posts usually focuse on drinking, partying, and BC happenings like Ice Jam, football games, and, this year, the lack of a fall concert. Recent posts have also focused on events going on outside of BC, such as the Occupy Wall Street movement. Top rated posts include, “Let’s cut down on underage drinking by having a bunch of mash up artists perform at the Plex.

That makes about as much sense as an offcampus RA.” The website also incorporates an element of Twitter, providing hash tags like #modlife, #latenight, #walshlife, #Newton, #upper, #steviemontgomery, and #sorryimnotsorry for students to categorize their posts.

People have posted a few playlists on the website to share with BC community, including “You Can’t Handle It – BC Blackout Original Playlist” and “Throwbacks Power Hour.” “Our playlists have become a huge hit for Friday and Saturday nights” say the websites creators. “We have another playlist that will be released in the next couple days.”

There is also a “poll of the week” section.

This week’s poll asked students about their favorite Disney Channel movie.

The creators were inspired to create the website because they think that, “while BC has an admirable mission with a focus on social justice and community service, this mentality has gone too far. I am in no way saying that these things are bad. Rather, there comes a time when every BC student needs to stop

pretending that they are morally superior to the rest of society and remember that we are all in fact college students. You go out with your friends on the weekends, take way too many shots of Rubinoff inside of a crowded dorm room, wake up Sunday morning with a huge headache, and begin writing your paper on the water crisis in Africa and how YOU are doing something about it…It’s time to be honest with ourselves. This is a college, and we like to party.”

Furthermore, the creators felt the need to create a place where students could freely voice their opinions about everything going at BC. “For too long, the administration at BC has ignored its undergraduate population.

Policies are implemented based on the wants and needs of alumni, faculty, professors, and even people who aren’t a part of the BC community such as the local residents that surround BC.” “Why do we need an off-campus RA? Why are we destroying the Dustbowl to build a new building with no student center? Where has the fall concert gone? Why is freshmen year on this campus so miserable that we need FOUR retreats to console depressed freshmen? There are some serious issues that need to be addressed, and the students have no voice. The people who are supposed to be this voice, UGBC, have failed to enact change. BC Blackout is a medium for unmediated self-expression. It has the potential to be whatever the people make it.” the creators said.

Students seem to be really enjoying the content posted on the website. “They post some really funny comments and videos,” sophomore Jenna LaConte remarks. The creators also say that “feedback has been positive so far.”

Anyone wishing to view the website must create an account with a username. The username, which is usually a random word or nickname, ensures that comments remain anonymous, so students have the freedom to say whatever they want. Furthermore, “When users upload photos, all of the faces in the images are blacked out with our logo.

This ensures privacy. We want people to be able to express themselves without feeling like Stevie Montgomery might come pounding on their door any minute.”

Plato and Aristotle at the Academy in Athens, by Rafael Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons

Nora Jean-Baptiste Gavel Media Staff Students of philosophy are taken on a guided tour of the works and ideas that shaped our society. A skimming of these texts is as satisfying as tasting the icing on a cake. But to fully appreciate the cake, you have to plunge your fork through it and then savor each bite, extracting every sugar molecule from it before swallowing.

Similarly, submergence in the text, analysis of the arguments and examination of how the philosophers come to their conclusion is necessary for complete gratification.

Philosophy is actually not, in fact, a piece of cake. This process can be challenging especially as you progress to the most difficult writings and abstract ideas. The subject can be understood best as a conversation among the great thinkers of the past and present, and the students of their works today.

Students are introduced to the dialogue by professors who have dedicated their lives to understanding and explaining the field.

Boston College philosophy Professor Mary Troxell endured a full season of Jersey Shore after deciding certain philosophical ideas can best be taught to students by application to popculture. With the help of professors, analyzing text and critical thinking will become second nature. Reading philosophy begins to feel more like a puzzle than work.

Once students are familiar with a topic, they in turn join the conversation. Through discussion, debate and writing, students voice and defend opinions of the works and learn techniques in debate, persuasion, and logical thinking. These skills are useful not only in other classes, but in whatever career path you decide to take, especially in the case of careers demanding of negotiation skills. People who major in Philosophy tend to score higher on the LSAT (the Law School Admission Test) than students of other majors.

Tom Sharoh is a freshman Political Science major planning to attend law school after graduation. He believes, however, that Philosophy would better prepare him for the legal world and is considering switching majors. When asked why he wanted to make the switch, Sharoh replied, “Philosophy cultivates your mind allowing you to think clearly in any social situation”.

He continued on to say with a direct and candid tone that an undergraduate degree does not do much nowadays and that he would rather major in something that will be helpful in every situation rather than one specific subject.

When pushed for the disadvantages of a philosophy major, Professor Troxell finally conceded one. Students who want to get out in the real world and start working right after receiving an undergraduate degree have to sell the major to prospective employers in order to get hired. When some hear “philosophy,” they often do not take it for what it is worth.

Many employers, however, appreciate the unique skill sets of philosophy majors. The abilities that a younger Ms. Troxell, before she went to graduate school, acquired from her major landed her a job at a bank. All employers may not understand the value of the subject, but your ability to persuade and to reason will certainly be helpful in making them see its importance.

A person who studies philosophy need not agree with everything that is discussed in class, as even among Philosophers views differ. The analysis of the different point of views, however, will not only improve analytic skills, but also ratiocination and persuasion, which are needed wherever life takes you. The large number of essays can only help in perfecting organization of thoughts into words in a clear way. And if nothing else, watching older professors trying to understand to modern lifestyles is always fun.

“They want you to be less callow, less shallow, but I say, ‘why invite stress in?’

Stop studying strife and learn to live the unexamined life”

-Fiyero, Wicked

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The sun never sets on the old American superpower

By Cal Greene III Features Editor In 2007 the United States was about to experience a tension not felt since 1968.

Many in the late 1960s felt that if the United States could come out of that year with the nation intact, the American people could get through anything. Civil Rights protests and riots, the height of the Vietnam War, and the assassinations of presidential candidate Robert Kennedy and Martin Luther King Jr. all sparked anger and tension. Back then it seemed that the United States had fallen into such a deep social and ideological divide that the fabric that kept the republic together could never be mended.

Fast-forward forty years and a different set of circumstances was tearing the United States in two. The United States is still experiencing declining or stagnant house values, barely recovering 401(k)’s, 9 percent unemployment and the largest economic divide since the Great Depression. Bill Gross, co-founder, chief investment officer and managing director of the large investment management firm, PIMCO, laid out his insights of “America’s New Norm” in 2009. It is characterized by “a period of time in which economies grow very slowly as opposed to growing like weeds, the way children do; in which profits are relatively static; in which the government plays a significant role in terms of deficits and reregulation and control of the economy; in which the consumer stops shopping until he drops and, as they do in Japan (to be a little ghoulish), starts saving to the grave.”

His insight on the “New Normal” for business has now been time tested for a few years, and for the most part has been empirically upheld.

The problem is not necessarily that there was a general slow down in profits, but that the nation did not slow down as a whole. Businesses did slow down their operations either by cutting to their core business or trimming the fat, but the after effect of massive layoffs and restructuring left the general population slowing down to a halt.

America’s “New Norm” is real and not helping. It will be a while before unemployment drops back to an economically healthier level, and longer for home values to recover. Though Bill Gross, it seems, correctly projected the macroeconomic trend that will guide markets for the next few years, no one could have predicted the social and political landscape

that emerged out of this crisis and the backlash from the general population.

The United States must reposition the balance between providing societal safe guards and fostering a healthy business environment.

To do this, the political, economic, social and media structures that evolved over the previous decades must change. If not, the nation risks destabilization due to increasing negative public sentiment.

Gordon Gekko’s insight into the fictitious economic crash in the movie Wall Street 2 explains the current situation best: “Bulls make money, bears make money, pigs, they get slaughtered.” As with most Gekko ideas, that is the harsh reality, but this is America. In the United States the key ideology of the country is freedom: freedom to open a business, to marry who you love, to pull yourself up by your boot straps and make your life better than your parents. Ronald Reagan said, “The most prosperous nations were not the most regulated or had the tightest controls, but the nations that allowed their businesses to thrive.” While a thriving economy is key to any developed nation, the financial system needs checks and balances, like the three branches of government. The recent economic problems

Former Vice Presidential Candidate Sarah Palin, a strong advocate of Reaganist policies (Wikimedia Commons Photo)

were due to a shift in power. The major shift in political power was taken away from the people as politicians started favoring big business over the needs of the people. The United States, in many ways, became an oligarchy. Though the U.S. is a federal republic, by definition, power is held by the wealthy and connected few while the average American has little or no real input in how the country is run.

The United States of America is entering into a new social normal. It is marked by a period of time in where the general population will grow tired of being under re presented, The Presidential flag of the United States (Wikimedia Commons Photo) where people will

demand a fair chance at the American dream exist in a world dominated by two superpowers and where the average citizen will demand a and does not have the same relative economic more sustainable society. As everything that is and military strength. This is not the end to “new,” it is impossible to fully predict the future. The Tea Party and the Occupy Movement are the two most prominent examples of this new social norm. Though on the surface they are on opposite sides of the fence, the two movements show that the general population is fed up with corporate greed, political self-interest and the substantial BRIC leaders meet and shake hands (Wikimedia Commons photo) economic divide.

The new social norm began because of the increasing American greatness or military power but economic divide and downturn. It will be rather a realization that America is growing up facilitated by the free flow of information. and has to share. “The New Norm” is not so Similar to past movements throughout history, “new” in countries like the United Kingdom, information is key. Unlike past movements Germany and Japan. The United States will communication and transparency have never soon join that list. But unlike those countries, been easier. the United States has been living in the past The “new social norm” is not a revolution. It by letting infrastructure rot, fighting proxy wars is a revival of a belief that everyone deserves and doing little to encourage new industries an equal chance at personal prosperity and that will lead the nation to be strong despite happiness (whatever that may be). slower growth. EM over DM is the future, The biggest difference between the new business is prepared for it, American society social norm and Gross’ “New Norm” is that and government needs to prepare for it. the former will force economic changes in This new trend will be good for America.

America while Gross’ position is a realization As more people realize that the country is not of the status quo. The average person has completely broken, but is rather in disrepair, already voiced their opposition to the greed, government will be forced to balance a healthy lack of opportunity and self-interest. In business environment and a healthy society. For oneway or another, everyone has demanded the first time in U.S. history since the Great more domestic jobs.

Depression, the general population is fighting The ideological divide is a result of together for a change in politics, economics conflicting ideas over how to generate growth. and the societal good. What first must be What is the best way to stimulate the economy, while creating jobs, building back the middle class and not crippling “Main Street?”

What will be demanded is a sustainable nation. Gross’ “New Norm” for the U.S. is not going away. Top analysts from almost every investment and commercial bank are betting on emerging markets over developed markets (EM over DM) and the BRIC countries (Brazil, Russia, India, and China) over the European Union and United States. The new social norm, in which U.S. society slows down as much as business has, is in response to the “new norm,” as the population adapts in the same way Corporate America adapted. The general People take a stand with the occupy movement in Boston (Louse Sheehan, Gavel population has a sense that Media Photo they are being left behind in the “new” rapidly changing America. They are settled is the punditry and extreme positions right. Economists, politicians and business infiltrating politics and leeching into normal owners agree many of the jobs of the rust discourse, which do nothing but keep the U.S. belt and Detroit are not coming back and our economy and society stagnant for longer. The manufacturing imports are changing.

U.S. is growing up. It is up to society to take the The United States is not the same country next step. There are only two options: decline it was twenty or thirty years ago. It does not or renewal.

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Editorials

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Alabama immigration law violates civil liberties Despite ardent challenges by President Barack Obama’s administration and the United States Justice Department, Alabama’s latest anti-immigration bill — among the nation’s harshest — as already begun to take a toll on the state’s immigrant population. By forcing Alabaman families to provide proof of citizenship upon the enrollment of their children in schools as well as other governmental registrations, the state’s Justice Department is able to systematically discriminate against those with a Hispanic heritage.

The goal of the latest piece of antiimmigration legislation is simple: create such difficult conditions for illegal immigrants that they are left with no choice but to leave. The strategy is called “attrition through enforcement” and is designed to drive away large numbers of undocumented immigrants

without the expensive and unwieldy police enforcement. And in the eyes of the legislation’s authors, early results have been positive.

No matter one’s stance on the liberties that this country usually provides for its illegal immigrants, one cannot deny the negative impact that this piece of legislation has had on the state of Alabama. Parents — both those of American and international heritage — have pulled their children out of school for fear of deportation. Americanborn Hispanics have been subjected to undue harassment from state authorities.

Many others have left the state entirely — leaving storefronts and jobs vacant.

Even American — born farmers have voiced concern over the law–worried that their crops will go unharvested following the exodus of undocumented migrant workers. Through such discriminatory practices, the state’s legislative body has

driven a wedge within the Alabaman community, forcing undue economic and social pressure during a tumultuous time period in American history.

To pass an acutely discriminatory piece of legislation is one step. But to disregard the power of the United States Justice Department to investigate the enforcement of such a law, as Alabama’s attorney general Luther Strange did this past week, is another entirely. Following reports that students with Hispanic heritage were being harassed and bullied, the Justice Department sent a letter to the superintendents of 39 public schools for data on student absences and withdrawals for the current academic year. In response, Strange questioned the legal authority of the Justice Department to make such a request, disregarding legislation such as the Civil Rights Act and Equal Educational Opportunities Act that grant such power

to the federal government.

Over the past few months, the Alabama state government has disregarded the power of the federal government in attempting to control the state’s legislation, claiming the sovereignty of state’s rights. Given the dark history that surrounds the use of such a term, it is deplorable that such legislation has been enforced for this long. The authors and architects of the legislation have not been shy with regard to their desire to see the lives of illegal immigrants disrupted to the point of an exodus.

Considering the reports of harassment of both undocumented immigrants and Hispanic-Americans, the need for the Justice Department to investigate discriminatory practices has never been greater. Although immigration reform of some sort is needed, it needs to come from a federal, rather than a state level.

The need for compromise, not politics, on the Hill With the unemployment rate still hovering around ten percent and the debt crisis unresolved, it seems that most Republicans are content to play politics with the 2012 election looming in the horizon. Republican presidential candidates Ron Paul and Herman Cain have hinted at a return of the gold standard — the economic practice of pegging the dollar to the amount of gold in the Federal Reserve. Many conservatives in Congress seem bent on the blocking the extension of federal jobless benefits that expire at the end of the year — an outcome that seems all too likely given that Senate Republicans filibustered the passage of Obama’s job proposal because it placed a 0.7 percent surtax on those Americans making over one million dollars. Following the debt crisis “resolution” this summer, some Republicans are seeking to undo the

“super committee” that was charged with the task to introduce a proposal that would cut the budget deficit by 1.2 trillion dollars.

Despite vast opposition to the practice in contemporary economics, some Republicans have attempted to tap into the growing populist resentment by advocating for a return to the gold standard. In a July Congressional hearing, Ron Paul spoke of the gold standard to Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke, claiming, “it has been money for 6,000 years. It’s an economic law.” Not only is such a technique outdated, but it would also have a serious detrimental effect on an already weak American economy. In short, the practice handcuffs the federal government by taking away one of the government’s most powerful economic tools.

The Federal Reserve would be bound to the amount of gold in its vaults — limiting our country’s potential for growth.

Rather than entertaining

The Gavel is the monthly print edition of Gavel Media, a student-run organization. It is published with support from Campus Progress / the Center for American Progress — online at www.campusprogress.org. We are, however, editorially independent.

such antiquated methods of economic management, our nation’s leaders should explore more modern techniques with an eye towards growth, not austerity.

With both economic growth and the unemployment rate both stagnating, it is imperative that the federal jobless benefits be extended. Early projections show that, without such an extension, consumer spending would drop by over 50 million dollars, resulting in an additional 275,000 job losses and a further stagnation of economic growth. In the history of the United States, Congress has never failed to extend benefits while the unemployment rate remained above seven percent. But many Republicans, with re-election looming, have voiced aversion to such an extension — claiming that benefits reduce the incentive to return to the work force.

As the deadline for the budget super committee to formulate a proposal cutting

Editorial Board MASON LENDE, Editor-in-Chief MEGHAN SMITH, Managing Editor ANDREW SCHOFIELD, Managing Editor JASMINE UDUMA, News Editor CAL GREENE III, Features Editor KENNETH ST. JOHN, Opinions Editor MAGGIE LAWRENCE, Culture Editor YANIRA REVAN, Copy Editor MARION HALFTERMEYES, Copy Editor GILLIAN FREEDMAN, Photo Editor MEIDEMA SANCHEZ, Assoc. News Editor JOHN MASTER, Assoc. Features Editor JONATHAN DAME, Assoc. Opinions Editor SOFIA MARTINEZ, Assoc. Culture Editor OLIVIA SIMONE, Assoc. Culture Editor Video Department MEGHANA KUTHYAR, Video Manager ALYSSA SHAFFER, Assoc. Video Editor KATIE YAO, Video Assistant

1.2 trillion dollars out of the federal budget nears closer and closer, some Republicans are beginning to clamor for an undoing of the process. With the Democrats fighting for revenue increases and the Republicans resisting any attempt to raise taxes, the committee of 12 members seems to have reached an impasse. But despite the deadlock, the super committee should not be bypassed.

By no means are we supportive of the super committee itself; it is tremendously undemocratic. However, its unraveling would be an embarassing failure for a legislative body whose reputation is already declining precipitously. The need for compromise on Capitol Hill has never been greater. Politicians of both parties need to place our economic security over all other interests — lest we risk falling even further into economic stagnation.

Business and Operations RYAN LEAHY, General Manager XIOMARA LOPEZ, Advertising Director CHRISTIAN FIEDLER, Finance Director MADELINE BAEZ, Finance Director ARUEM SHIN, Marketing Director TAYLOR MCELDOWNEY, Marketing Director CHRISTIAN DE LOS SANTOS, Online Director ARUN PARMAR, Human Resources Director DAPHNE WANG, Ass’t Advertising Director

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Opinions

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Hamid Karzai proving to be a foe of the United States

By Kenny St. John Opinions Editor Last week, Hamid Karzai, the President of Afghanistan, made controversial remarks in a Pakistani television interview, stating that Afghanistan would support Pakistan in the event of a war between America and Pakistan.

“God forbid, if ever there is a war between Pakistan and America, Afghanistan will side with Pakistan. If Pakistan is attacked and if the people of Pakistan need Afghanistan’s help, Afghanistan will be there with you,” Karzai said.

This is the latest instance of Karzai double-talking and being two-faced in his political dealings. Can America still trust Karzai? And if we cannot, what options do we have?

First, let’s delve into Karzai’s past. He was born in 1957 to a politically active Pashtun family. He studied political science in India. During the Soviet War in Afghanistan, he moved to Pakistan to fundraise for the mujahideen, while at the same time serving as a contact for the CIA. After the Communist government collapsed in 1992,

Karzai moved back to Afghanistan, and served as Deputy Foreign Minister for the new government. When the Taliban seized power in Afghanistan in 1996, Karzai initially recognized them as legitimate. However, Karzai rebuffed an offer to be an ambassador for the Taliban, and fled to Pakistan, where he worked to restore the former Afghan king. In 1999, Karzai’s father was killed by a Taliban assassin, and Karzai began actively working with the Northern Alliance. In 2000 and 2001, Karzai traveled to Europe and the United States, trying to drum up anti-Taliban support.

He was supportive of the American invasion of Afghanistan in 2001, leading a group of Afghan exiles against the Taliban. In December of that year, Karzai was appointed interim leader of the Afghan Transitional Administration.In 2004, Karzai was democratically elected by the Afghan people to be President, and was reelected to his current term in 2009.

What is interesting to take from this is that Karzai has spent a number of years in

Karzai came to power as a result of American blood being sacrificed so that democracy could be established in Afghanistan, and now he is essentially biting the hand that feeds him.

Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons

Pakistan and was a CIA operative during the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan in the 1980s.

What people may not realize is that this little tidbit from Karzai’s past can also be said of another individual: Osama bin Laden. While I am not in any way accusing Karzai of helping bin Laden, it is striking to note this similarity between the two men.

It is really surprising to me that Karzai would make these comments, being a supposed ally of the United States. The American liberation of Afghanistan from the Taliban provided Karzai the opportunity to run for president (and consequently gain power) in democratic elections in the first place. If anything, Karzai should be at least grateful to America for this alone.

What else worries me is that the Pakistani government has shown that they are reckless and do not support democracy and stability

in Afghanistan. Last May, bin Laden was killed by US Navy Seals deep within Pakistan, with evidence strongly suggesting that he was being kept safe by Pakistani intelligence. This past September, Pakistani assassins have been accused of killing the top Afghan peace envoy, Burhauddin Rabbani. In addition, both Pakistani forces and Taliban militants operating from Pakistan have made numerous cross-border raids into Afghanistan. With that being said, there really is no reason for Karzai’s professed love for Pakistan. The facts show that Pakistan, a supposed ally, is playing both sides of the fence and cannot be relied on in the fight against al-Qaeda.

Am I advocating for an American overthrow of Karzai, or in other words, a regime change? No; a regime change would only lead to further tension and bloodshed and further erode America’s standing around the world.

But what I am concerned with is that Karzai came to power as a result of American blood being sacrificed so that democracy could be established in Afghanistan, and now he is essentially biting the hand that feeds him.

Perhaps threatening to withold American monetary aid will be enough to persuade Karzai that his anti-US rhetoric will not be tolerated. I am unsure as to whether or not a troop withdrawal from Afghanistan is the right decision, but what I can safely, and firmly, say is that Hamad Karzai in power is not in America’s best interest.

Bank of America comes to its senses, nixes debit card fee

By Jonathan Dame Assoc. Opinions Editor In September, the Bank of America Corporation announced plans to charge a $5 monthly fee for debit card users beginning in early 2012. The fee was designed to counterbalance the revenue expected to be lost as a result of regulations limiting overdraft and other fees contained in the Dodd-Frank financial reform act, passed in the wake of the 2008 crash to protect consumers. Fortunately, Bank of America announced in the beginning of November that it was abandoning its plan to begin charging this fee after encountering widespread and adamant objections from its users. However, to be clear, Bank of America was not seeking to stave off bankruptcy by imposing this fee, but rather was looking to increase its already-excessive profits while disproportionately hurting the middle and lower class. In an interview defending the fee, CEO Brian Moynihan explained that the bank “has a right to make a profit.”

First, let us examine the effect such a fee would have had on consumers. If we think about it as a tax, it is extremely regressive and especially harmful to students. For example, for a student with $500 in his or her bank account, that $5 constitutes one

percent of his or her total savings. Yet, for someone with $50,000 in his or her bank account, that $5 is only .01 percent of his or her savings. This pattern continues up the income ladder. Yet the most astonishing aspect of this fee is that this extra revenue is going straight into the pockets of Bank of America’s shareholders; the CEO himself affirms this suggestion. In a struggling economy, this $5 a month would be much better spent investing or buying real goods in order to stimulate the market by Bank of America’s millions of users. Furthermore, if Bank of America would like to keep its profits high, it should have turned to its most wealthy customers.

This brings up the concept of progressive taxes. Despite what many on the right, (and even many on the left) may think, progressive taxes are not just a moral mandate to punish rich people for working hard, but rather they are a proven model of taxation designed to provide the government with revenue with which to invest in programs providing the foundation for individual wealth creation, while simultaneously assuring the livelihood of lower income people and having the smallest impact possible on the functioning of the economy. The idea is that for a person living on $15,000 a year (the income of a person working full time making the federal minimum wage), nearly every single

dollar of that income will be pumped back into the economy. Conversely, for a person making $11 million a year (the average CEO salary these days) much of that money will be saved and not used to stimulate the economy. Thus, it is much more economically sound to tax the money that would otherwise be sitting in a savings account than to tax the money that would otherwise be used to fuel the economy. The revenue generated from these taxes would then be put towards supporting things like public schools, roads, courts, copyright laws and research and development investment, from which every single person in this country benefits.

So, if Bank of America wants to make a profit, it should impose a tax of perhaps $50 a month on its richest users and $1 on its poorest users (with an exemption for those making less than $15,000 a year), with a downward gradient in between. This would have the most tame effect on the economy.

However, in reality, any attempt at all by Bank of America to generate more profit at the expense of consumers is ludicrous and outrageous. In 2010 (after helping crash the world economy in 2008), Bank of America made $10.4 billion in profit, paid no federal income taxes, and actually received a nearly $1 billion refund from the IRS. They are quick to ask their customers to contribute

Photo by Gillian Freedman/Gavel Media

to their prosperity, but apparently see no need to contribute to the prosperity of the country and society which provide them the fertile ground on which to carry out their business.

Although Bank of America ultimately decided to drop the fee (not by their own free will), this still serves as a perfect example of a huge corporation attempting to exploit the working class of this country. Yet, perhaps more importantly, it also reveals that consumers do still have some power, albeit quite diminished, when they unite in populist movements. It should affirm the noble efforts of the Occupy movement, which seeks to expose and prevent this exact type of attempted corporate abuse. Perhaps this incident will serve as a warning to other corporations who seek to take advantage of the American consumer.

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Iraq withdrawal first step in stabilizing Middle East

By Frank Rizzo Gavel Media Staff

story of the Iraq war is a depressing one not only because of its cost to the United On October 21st, President Obama anStates’ taxpayers and the 100,000 plus nounced official plans to pull out all recivilian casualties caused by the conflict, maining United States troops from Iraq but because of our arrogant and failed by the end of the year. The US departure attempt to impose our Western norms of from the land once ruled by the dictatorgovernance on an already-independant ship of Saddam Hussein has been a dreadand cultruarly-diverse country. fully drawn out process, and with eight A short contextual history of Iraq: Sadplus years passed, the costs have been dam Hussein’s ruling party, the Baath, staggering: $806 billion in federal funding was predominantly composed of Sunni through fiscal year 2011 since Bush’s “Misbelievers, as is 90 percent of the Muslim sion Accomplished” speech, $60 billion lost faith. The Sunnis are the sect of the Musto waste and fraud, and an estimated $3-5 lim faith, which believes that the first four trillion total economic cost to the United caliphs — Mohammed’s successors — States. Joseph Stiglitz and Linda Bilmes, rightfully took his place as the leaders of economics professors at Columbia and Muslims. They recognize the heirs of the Harvard respectively, have calculated these four caliphs as legitimate religious leaders. economic estimations. Their numbers These heirs ruled continuously in the Arab world until the break-up of the Ottoman Empire following the end of the First World War. The Shiites, in contrast, believe that only the heirs of the fourth caliph, Ali, are the legitimate successors of Mohammed. After the Gulf War, the Iraqi state became much more narrowly based.

Shiites were removed from power, while power became increasingly concentrated in the hands of Sunnis from certain Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons tribes, thanks to the policies of Saddam Hussein. To many Shitake into account ites, it felt like the state religion was Sunni a constantly rising operational cost of $12 Islam, as the state sponsored execution of billion per month, the cost of hidden war Shiite Muslim dissidents was persistent expenditures like caring for returning war throughout Saddam’s rule. veterans, interest lost and rising oil prices.

When the United States entered Iraq in The Bush Administration intially project2003, they did so with a De-Baathification ed the total cost of military action in Iraq policy. Much of the intellectual elite of the to be $50 to $60 billion.

Iraqi state, the doctors, lawyers, etc., were There are currently 41,000 U.S. troops in Sunni believers as well, and ended up fleeIraq, virtually all of whom will be pulled ing the country in the midst of this radical

by December 31, 2011, according to the condemnation of their people, as the state President. The war in Iraq has taken close developed into a lawless, de facto battleto 4,500 American soldiers’ lives, with ground between Sunnis and Shiites. Alienmost of the deaths having come towards ated Sunni extremists grouped together the beginning of the war (250 dead durand became the catalyst for what proved to ing Obama presidency). The White House be the most violent times of the war. announced that 4,000 to 5,000 security Let this short historical thumbnail be a contractors would remain in the country catalyst for you. Look into and understand in various posts. At the height of U.S. inthe reality of what the US government has volvement in 2006, there were 170,000 done for the past eight years in Iraq. As soldiers on the ground. we look favorably upon President Obama’s We have spent exorbitant amounts of decision to finally end our involvement, we time and energy in a nation building effort must realize that the damage has already in Iraq. We were told that Saddam Hussein been done. Learn from the lessons of hishad connections with Al-Qaeda and that tory to prepare for the future. The potenhe was indeed hiding Weapons of Mass tially explosive Middle East, with a saberDestruction: “We know where the WMDs rattling Iran, a nuclear-armed Pakistan are, they’re in the area around Tikrit and and a penchant for populist-driven revoBaghdad and east, west, south and north lutions is a minefield that the US should somewhat,” uttered Donald Rumsfeld in tread carefully.

2003. Both claims proved to be false. The

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Administration misses the point of Halloween: Fun

By Jenna LaConte Gavel Media Staff As Mean Girls so eloquently puts it, “Halloween is the one night a year when a girl can dress like a total slut and no other girls can say anything about it.” To some extent, there is no denying that Cady Heron’s insight still holds some truth today. As a girl shopping for a Halloween costume, there are usually two options: make your own, or buy one that consists of a corset and some devil horns, a nurse’s hat or a police badge.

On the Friday of Halloween weekend, the BC administration sent out an email to students with the following suggestion: “If your costume has the word ‘slutty’ in the title, you should rethink it and find a more positive way to represent women.”

My initial reaction to this email was one of annoyance. For administration officials to intervene and regulate our costumes within hours of Halloween festivities is ludicrous. College is not a middle school dance, nor should it be treated as such. BC has an intelligent student body, and I find the assumption that girls would actively and intentionally label their chosen costumes as “slutty” incredibly condescending.

Furthermore, the entire premise of Halloween is to dress up as something random that does not necessarily represent any aspect of your true character.

Concerns about women being “misrepresented” on Halloween by female students wearing revealing costumes goes against the fundamental nature of the holiday. If anything, I feel worse for the bunnies being misrepresented by Playboy Bunnies than I do for women themselves.

Although administration is critical of students’ choices for Halloween costumes, BC has a relatively tame showing on Halloween compared to other colleges. Sure, a handful of girls went with the classic tight dress and animal ears a la Mean Girls, but I saw a great deal of original, homemade costumes that were in no way revealing or degrading to women throughout Halloweekend.

The modern association between Halloween and “slutty” costumes is definitely something to consider, although not necessarily for its misrepresentation of women.

In my opinion, the typical store-bought revealing costumes are just plain overdone at this point. I personally am bored with the sexy policewomen and bumblebees buzzing about on Halloween.

Photo courtesy of sandhillnews.com

With all due respect to Marathon Monday, Halloweekend has officially become my favorite weekend at BC. The best costumes I saw were the ones that displayed the most creativity: cereal box characters, Tetris pieces, and the cast of Hey Arnold were a few of my personal favorites. Regardless of the amount of skin covered up or revealed by a costume, we all need to step it up and focus on being original with our Halloween costumes.

I, for one, already ordered my costume for next Halloween off of Amazon. My roommate and I are being “slutty bacon and eggs.”

Just kidding, but we really are being bacon and eggs.

The costume was on sale the day after Halloween. It was a post-Halloween miracle.

Concerns about women being “misrepresented” on Halloween by female students wearing revealing costumes goes against the fundamental nature of a night meant for dressing up as something you are not.

Photo Courtesy of chelseasnewyork.com

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Digital age gives greater Guilty verdict for Dr. Murvoice to young people ray a victory for justice

Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons

By Frank Rizzo Gavel Media Staff Young people nowadays are much different than their historical counterparts. Thirty years ago, commentary about the world and the societies within it was reserved to old people. In those days, the opinions of the young person were developed through a much narrower version of influence. The historical young person existed in a more concrete world of ideas; a stricter learning environment. Their only outlets for expansion, in terms of learning and knowledge, found themselves in day-to-day interaction with peers and parents, books from the library, print news and editorial, and the young person’s respective schooling. Their ideas about the world formulated structurally more slowly, as the young person’s limited exposure rendered them isolated from a globalized world.

The modern-day young person has the Internet, and that has changed everything. These days, a stop at the library not only offers the voice of print, but free access to a digital world of information: an endless stream of opinion and news available to anyone with five fingers and an Internet connection. Smart phones and laptops have become the norm in the western educational sphere, with teens able to communicate and learn from each other and the world around them in whatever way desired. The implications of this are far-reaching, and an analysis of these implications leaves us one to the conclusion that the manner in which society currently organizes its voice of political opinion has left young people disproportionately alienated.

For example, college is much different than what it was 30 years ago. Not only are these 4 years exponentially more expensive, but also, at least in theory, much less valuable. Think about it. We come to Boston

College to learn and grow intellectually so that, when these four years are done, we will be poised to contribute to society. In its strictest framework, this idea was most applicable 30 years ago, when “grown-ups” were the only ones qualified to teach and talk about ideas. That is simply not how it works anymore. We are all aware of the increased teenage exposure in modern society; we have experienced it. Condoms, sex, drugs, alcohol, video games, blood, and violence were all presented much earlier to us than they were to our ancestors. Put simply, thanks to the Internet, young people these days know more, much earlier. We have “grown up” faster, in a world where information and commentary are readily available to anyone, at anytime. College, while of course still structurally important to becoming a more developed human being, has become, in some senses, a formality. We attend college because, if we want a high paying job, it is required.

On the Internet today, legitimized publication of the opinion of young people is nowhere to be found. The Huffington Post has recently added a section to their site called, “High School,” which allows for the submission of 16 to 18 year olds. However, this is only a small step in the right direction. The issues of our time should not be postponed until graduation; that is the way of the past. I think you can see parts of these ideas in the “Occupy Wall Street” protests. Students are graduating with inordinate amounts of debt.

They took on this debt because they have been told a college education is necessary for a successful future. These jobs have been few and far to come by; the anger is real, and it is time for the voice of the young person to develop its legitimacy in the public and political sphere.

The election of 2012 is a perfect moment for that legitimacy to continue its development. Go out, be involved, and register to vote.

The manner in which society currently organizes its voice of political opinion has left young people disproportionately alienated. Go out, be involved, and register to vote.

By Michael Natalie Gavel Media Staff Last week, Superior Court Judge Michael Pastor, who is presiding over the trial of Dr. Murray, estimated that the case would go to the jury by Friday, November 4th. He would soon eat those words, because two theories regarding the circumstances of Michael Jackson’s death recently surfaced; and both have medical professionals to back them. Without going into too much detail, USA Today provides good coverage of the specifics of the drugs involved in M.J.’s overdose (propofol and lorazepam, a sleep aid and a sedative). It really boils down to two main ideas, roughly the same two that have been present from the start: First, Michael Jackson is responsible for his own death via self-injection of drugs which reacted poorly with Dr. Murray’s treatment Second, Dr. Conrad Murray committed involuntary manslaughter by administering a reckless dose of sleep-aids and is to blame for the death of the singer.

Honestly, when I read this most recent development, I could not help but ask to where it advances us. Provided the prosecution can establish Michael Jackson’s drug dependence, the two scenarios amount to approximately the same crime: Dr. Murray either knowingly administered a dangerous dosage at his patient’s request, or otherwise left his patient (whose dependency he should logically be aware of) surrounded by a bunch of hazardous chemicals. To laymen, there might be a distinction; but doctors are professionals—they are expected to avoid such mistakes and face the consequences should they fail.

According to USA Today, at least four other doctors agree. If this most recent turn has proved anything, it is that no matter how you feel about something you can find some kind of science to support you.

In short, I believe the defense is essentially using the testimony of Dr. White, the propofol expert arguing that Murray’s statements are in fact consistent with what happened, to change the subject. They had done so before by having several fellow professionals and former patients attest to Dr. Murray’s character—all fine and good, but what matters is not Dr. Murray’s entire career, but what happened within the span of Michael Jackson’s final days.

Photo courtesy of newsone.com

We all make mistakes, suffer lapses in judgment, fall short of our oaths in small ways, but this is a large failing and cannot go unpunished. I would not consider Dr. Murray a murderer, at least not by intent.

Further, I am hesitant to absolve Jackson in his role in his own death; that said, Michael Jackson is dead, in part because of the negligence of a medical professional.

On November 7th, the jury delivered a guilty verdict against Dr. Murray, convicting him of involuntary manslaughter.

The evidence was ove r wh e l m i n g l y against Murray throughout the trial, and the defense’s efforts to try and deflect blame away from their client ultimately failed.

The Jackson family, and the American people, saw that justice was done. Now it is up to the judge to give Dr. Murray a fair and just jail sentence.

Dr. Murray either knowingly administered a dangerous dosage at his patient’s request, or otherwise left his patient (whose dependency he should logically be aware of) surrounded by a bunch of hazardous chemicals.

Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons

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Culture Inside Culture Destination: Harvard Sq. 19

What is your audiological IQ? 21

Do you work out as hard as Gavel Culture?

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NCAA athletes: Worth their weight in gold?

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Electronic Dance Music: What does it say about our generation?

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WRC promotes body image through self-expression

By Maggie Lawrence Culture Editor

thread running through these intimate conversations, performed as recreations of personal interviews with Eve, is the influence Eve Ensler does not live in her body. of the previous generation and home The safe vessel that is supposed to carry environment. Mothers, fathers, boyfriends, us through life has become the focus of a and husbands often plant the seed for this particularly abrasive form of self-hatred for inherent shame. It is striking to see the many women even as the world around us similarity between the negative self-image becomes increasingly more complex. Rather among women from diverse backgrounds than live inside these ‘homes,’ and circumstances. This many women allow their delivers a powerful “Then be bold and love message about the bodies to exist separately and become the subject of universality of this desire your body. Stop fixing it. to perfect oneself and abrasive self-critisicm.

As part of Love Your conform to the vapid Body Week, the Women’s standards of a visual It was never broken.”

Resource Center sponsored a society. performance of Eve Ensler’s Ensler’s central cause - Eve Ensler, play “The Good Body,” which is based on the idea that analyzes this very subject and this preoccupation is “The Good Body” its impact on women from distracting the capable various demographics. From women of the world, like Bernice, a teenage fat-camp herself, from focusing on the victim, to Carmen, a Puerto Rican from things that truly matter. An avid traveler, Brooklyn reconciling her ethnicity with her Ensler finds herself trying to reconcile appearance, to Eve herself and her intense her self-hatred with the unconditional preoccupation with her “fat” stomach; “The acceptance and love that African and Indian Good Body” attempts to pinpoint the sources women had for their bodies. A healer in and circumstances that perpetuate this selfIndia openly challenges Ensler’s obsession, “I critical mentality. think you spend all your time focused on one Composed as a series of interconnected little country called your body, population monologues, twelve women including Eve one. You spend all your time renovating herself speak openly about their relationships and fixing it. You are missing the rest of with their bodies and reveal the stories that the world.” These conversations expose the shaped their self-perception. A common American tendency to live our lives saturated

with images and ideals. Ensler struggles with the idea of living and being present in her body and stepping outside of herself to perfect something.

Where does this ideal Eve and the women of “The Good Body” strive for come from?

Through the vignettes, it becomes apparent that cultural pressures, espoused by the media and film industries, are largely responsible for creating a visual example of perfection.

While it is easy to blame the media, Ensler does not shy away from her active role in the spread of negative body image. The “selfimposed” nature of her obsession further complicates this widespread obstacle that seems to be standing in the way of women in the 21st century. Through plastic surgery, gym memberships, diet pills, and countless other quick fixes, billions of dollars are dedicated to our appearance as a generation.

Ensler, through the monologues in “The Good Body,” seriously questions what could be done with these billions of dollars if women stopped formulating their self-worth based on their appearance.

The WRC has broached a subject incredibly relevant to college-aged women by sponsoring a performance of “The Good Body.” Even in a rich academic environment, it is decidedly difficult not to be distracted by our appearances. The pressure to be thin, perfect and beautiful needs to be put in its place, and as Eve Ensler compellingly reminds us, “Then be bold and love your body. Stop fixing it. It was never broken.”

Binding Friendships explores connections between East and West

By Emily Akin Gavel Media Staff The Binding Friendships: Ricci, China and Jesuit Cultural Learnings exhibit in the John J. Burns Library of Special Books and Rare Collections served as the inspiration for the latest student art exhibition and competition here at BC. The original exhibit,which mainly features journals and diaries kept by Jesuit priests on mission in China, focuses on the themes of crosscultural exchange, history, and travel. The student exhibition was open to the general student population for submission, with the singular requirement that they allow their artwork to draw inspiration from the Binding Friendships exhibition. The only limitation put on the artwork submitted was that it not be larger than seven feet in any dimension.

The opening reception of the exhibition was well attended since the promise of free food always draws a crowd here at BC. Some of the pieces submitted by students were really exceptional, including senior

segments, most successfully admits us to the outside world when viewed in its entirety.

Like muntins dividing windowpanes, maps and boundaries often hinder human capability to view the oneness of the human race.”

The entire exhibit was a success, with many pieces standing out as clear frontrunners in the competition. Another ambitious piece was submitted by Joon Sung Park A&S ’12, whose ceramic sculpture explored tension and cultural “Maps of Minds” by Anastasia Stassis conflicts between Eastern and Photo by Brandon Bavier/Gavel Media Western cultures. Other notable entries included a life size Meghan Borah’s “BLANK”. The piece crane constructed out of playing cards by was created from an old salvaged winMaria Liang CSOM ’13, and an origami dow and different mixed media in order dragon crafted from over four hundred to demonstrate how humanity is mentally individual pieces of paper! On the other and physically isolated from each other hand, some entries were clearly a la “Holy based on social and geographical boundarshit it’s two in the morning and I have to ies. According to Meghan Borah CAS ’12, submit something to the exhibit for my “A window, though broken into different Asian Studies class tomorrow! Someone

pass me the Model Magic!” But even those pieces are fun to look at and chuckle over.

Another piece that somewhat missed the mark was the large sketch of different Japanese anime cartoons, like Pikachu and Avatar. Come on people the Binding Friendship exhibit was CHINESE, not Japanese.

Overall the exhibit was a success, with students demonstrating that despite BC’s reputation is, at its core, a diverse institution. Professor Gallagher of the Fine Arts Department, who helped to spearhead the exhibit, expressed her excitement about the show but also her disappointment about the general student population’s lack of interest in the exhibit. “Wouldn’t it be cool if we could have it in Hillside?”, she asked as we looked out over the crammed exhibition space in Bapst Library’s basement. For now it is encouraging to see the popularity of art, theatre, and musical shows on campus increase as BC students continue to extend their interests in the arts. The student exhibition closed October 26th, and The Binding Friendships: Ricci, China and Jesuit Cultural Learnings in the John J. Burns Library exhibit closed October 31st.

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Because Cleveland Circle just isn’t cutting it anymore...

Destination: Harvard Square

‘South of the Border’ is closer than you think A short ride on the #86 bus takes you to Harvard Square, but do not let the Ivy Leaguers scare you away. It is about time Boston College students took advantage of all Cambridge has to offer.

The idea of a “college town,” defined currently

by Mary Ann’s and Chipotle, is a concept worth exploring. Harvard Square offers up an urban setting with a hip, collegiate feel, drawing crowds of students from Northeastern, BU and Mass Art, among others. We visited the Border Cafe, because, let’s face it, good Mexican food is one thing we will definitely venture off campus for.

Sorry, Chipotle.

By Jenna LaConte Gavel Media Staff

If you ever find yourself in Harvard Square looking for a delicious meal on a reasonable budget, look no further than the Border Cafe, a quaint Mexican and Cajun restaurant located on Church Street.

Right when you walk in, you are greeted with a lively energy enhanced by colorful Christmas lights strung along the brick walls. The atmosphere is relaxed and informal; dim lights hang from the ceilings illuminating simple wooden tables adorned with bottles of Tabasco sauce and seasonings in empty Corona bottles. The restaurant has two floors, decorated with boxes of Dos Equis and Corona beers, which are the Border Cafe’s favored labels. The walls display vibrant murals, posters, and lit up signs that complement the Tex-Mex and Cajun theme.

The biggest challenge of eating at the Border Cafe is resisting the urge to make an entire meal of the addicting chips and salsa that are delivered to the table as soon as you sit down. The tortilla chips are warm and perfectly salty, and the salsa is mild enough for those who cannot handle excessive spiciness.

For those over 21, the menu features a wide array of flavored margaritas, along with beer and wine. The appetizers are evenly split between Mexican staples, such as their signature chips with fresh guacamole, and Cajun favorites, including Louisiana gumbo.

There is a larger selection of Mexican entrées than Cajun ones, but the Cajun menu offers a broad range of seasoned seafood selections such as salmon, swordfish, crawfish, and catfish, along with several chicken options.

Although I personally do not have much experience eating Cajun food, my friend who accompanied me to the restaurant ordered the Crawfish Etouffee, and I was pleasantly surprised when I tried a bite of her meal.

Those who come to the Border Cafe craving a Mexican entrée can choose between the usual classics of fajitas, empanadas, burritos, enchiladas, tacos, quesadillas and more. They feature an Angus beef hamburger, which can be made the old-fashioned way or with Cajun or Mexican zests. There is also a vegetarian section at the end of the menu. No matter which meal you choose, the portions are generous and the price is unlikely to exceed ten dollars.

I highly recommend the Border Cafe’s Tostada Grande salad, although I use the word “salad” loosely because this is not your typical calorie-saving option. The Tostada Grande consists of either chicken or pulled beef combined with beans, cheese, lettuce, tomatoes, guacamole, onions, mushrooms and peppers. The bowl itself gets your mouth watering, as the salad rests in a large, crunchy tortilla shell.

The only problem with the Border Cafe is that it does not have a dessert menu; however, there are plenty of ice cream shops and bakeries within walking distance of the Border Cafe in Harvard Square for an after dinner treat. Next time you are looking to escape BC Dining for the night in search of an inexpensive, quality restaurant, head over to Harvard Square for some Cajun or Mexican cuisine at the Border Cafe.

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Transcendence provides an outlet for musical growth

By Jenna Laconte Gavel Media Staff Transcendence Records, an independent record label created by Michael Hegarty A&S’13, provides BC students interested in recording their own music with an outlet for doing so.

Hegarty, a pre-medical and biochemistry student and a resident assistant in Duchesne, hardly has time in his busy schedule for another project. However, music has always been a priority in his life, one that he is not willing to give up.

“I grew up watching my dad play guitar and sing on stage with his Irish folk band called The Bards. He used to have me come up on stage with him and sing songs like ‘Puff the magic dragon’,” Hegarty said.

“Looking back, that’s kind of embarrassing, but at the time I wanted to just be like him.”

Hegarty records his own acoustic songs under the name Traces. He is no stranger to the process of recording music; he has been taking classes in audio and music production for the past four years. At the start of the fall semester, Hegarty decided to put his hobby into practice by turning his dorm into a recording studio and starting Transcendence Records. Transcendence Records has him spending more time doing something he

loves, and that is really what it is all about.

“Transcendence Records should be about creating a mutually beneficial relationship between the artist and the producer,” Hegarty said. Transcendence Records has worked mostly with hip-hop artists and acoustic musicians, according to Hegarty. In spite of this history, he does not have a particular preference regarding the genre of music represented by Transcendence Records and is open to any genre of music.

Hegarty’s record label focuses on recording individual artists and small groups because of the lack of space in his room for full bands. Transcendence Records also welcomes students interested in being involved with production.

Hegarty hopes to find composers who are able to create original beats and instrumental tracks for the hip-hop artists.

Transcendence Records features artists Frank Rizzo and Dan Luna, both A&S ’14 and former residents in Duchesne. Rizzo and Luna became friends with Hegarty last

year when he was their resident assistant.

The trio bonded over their shared interests in songwriting and music production, Riz-

Photo courtesy of Gavel Media

zo and Luna played an active role in the development of Transcendence Records as contributors and critics. “Their dedication, enthusiasm, creativity, and drive

for self-improvement are the culmination of what I would consider the epitome of the vision for this label,” Hegarty said.

Rizzo and Luna are always willing to try out whatever crazy ideas Hegarty has for their songs, according to Hegarty, who thinks they are so willing to experiment with his ideas because they know that whenever they give input on how things sound, he takes it to heart.

For Rizzo, recording with Transcendence Records has been a rewarding experience.

“It’s great having a place right on-campus where I can record my songs,” he said.

“The equipment is much nicer than anything that I would have access to otherwise.”

Transcendence Records gives students at BC an easy straightforward way to pursue their interests in music. “It’s different from most labels because artists don’t have to sign to the label,” Hegarty explained.

“People can come and record one track, or come and record the whole album if they want.” Hegarty provides all artists with free promotion on the record label’s Facebook page and has plans to sell shirts and other merchandise in the near future.

Hegarty encourages everyone to preview Transcendence Records’ music or contact the label about getting involved by liking the Transcendence Records page on Facebook.

Digital music responsible for Generation Y’s subpar sound perception

By Olivia Simone Assoc. Culture Editor A group of eighteen high school students gathered in a carefully constructed room engineered for the best possible domestic audio quality. Separated into two groups of nine, each student listened to a set of songs varying in genre through a digital audio device. The students were not told which songs were encoded as MP3 format, lower quality sound reproduction, or CD format, higher quality sound reproduction. The objective was to determine whether Generation Y really does have a terrible preference for sound quality or to disprove the accusatory myth. (College students—brace yourselves) Sean Olive, Director of Acoustic Research at Harman International, a manufacturer of audio products, sought to discover whether the New York Times and other sources of media were perpetuating today’s youth’s shortsighted plummet into the hands of elders. The theory behind such a bold statement is evidenced by the escalating demand for high efficiency, mobilized products created to satisfy our society’s insatiable needs.

This leads to the construction of devices such as MP3 players: instantaneous pleasure for the ear at the grating toll of poor (and sometimes harmful) audio quality. The low-bit rate of the MP3 format is designed such that the amount of data necessary to reproduce an audio recording is

significantly smaller in comparison to the original format of the recording, that is, the CD file.

Fellow Generation Y’s, I think it is safe to say that this translates to our increased adjustment for reduced sound quality at the hands of our innovative adult counterparts—older Generation Y’s and Generation X’s beware. Something seems disso-

After the two groups of students had sufficiently heard the same music from both MP3 and CD formats, the scores reflected preference for the CD format 67 percent of the time. What does the other 33 percent indicate? Olive argues that this decent sized percentage can be accounted for by the listener’s inexperience in evaluating audio productions of different quality. The

Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons

nant here.

Olive saw no better moment to freeze the accusation before it could enable such a disaster.

high school students’ ears were not trained to pick up the disparity between different audio formats.

In fact, Harman International has ac-

counted for this discrepancy. The company hired expert “listeners” who went through intense audiological training in specially built, controlled, acoustic rooms of which there are only six or seven in the world.

Once the trained listeners have passed requirements and tests they are determined eligible to evaluate the specific spectral balance as well as preference (deemed universal for all people with normal hearing) for different sound production devices, including loudspeakers and subwoofers.

These trained listeners gave low ratings when blindly evaluating the quality of sound production from different speakers, Olive said, while college students thought everything sounded great.

Take comfort: marketing employees were also evaluated and gave high ratings for each speaker—it is no wonder car companies struggle to produce good quality sound systems. Olive has written more than 30 research papers detailing his findings on sound perception and the different means with which to measure audio propagation. For his contributions, he was awarded the Audio Engineering Society Fellowship Award in 1996 and is currently Vice President for the Audio Engineering Society Western US-Canada region. At Harman International, Olive supervises the subjective evaluation of different audio products which range from automotive audio systems to speakers made for the home. Olive also blogs about his research at seanolive. blogspot.com.

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Vanessa Carlton fulfills pre-teen fantasies in Robsham Theater By Gavel

Jenna Media

LaConte Staff

On Saturday, November 5th, Vanessa Carlton visited Boston College for a free show in Robsham Theater. The concert, which fulfilled every girl’s (and several boys’) dreams dating back to the year 2002, sold out within hours of tickets going on sale.

The opener, Nikki Jean, set the tone with a handful of songs from her album, Pennies in a Jar. The up-and-coming performer has toured with Kanye West, Lupe Fiasco, Rihanna, and N.E.R.D. She wowed the audience with strong vocals backed by an upbeat piano performance.

When Carlton took the stage, the audience roared with applause in a state of tangible excitement. Although she has recently been somewhat off the radar, Carlton engaged the audience with her catchy and melodious sound by playing a handful of songs off of her new album Rabbits on the Run. She opened with the soft melody “Carousel,” and right off the bat showcased her masterful piano skills and striking voice.

There were some technical difficulties

when a high-pitched shriek of feedback interrupted the song, but she laughed it off by asking, “Is it okay now?” continuing along as though nothing had happened.

She carried on with a couple more of her new songs before indulging the crowd with one of her classic hits, “White Houses,” at which point the audience erupted into applause, and many took the opportunity to sing along. She transitioned into her next song, “Fools Like Me,” by moving from a baby grand piano to a keyboard. Throughout the show, she centered herself between two male musicians, one on a violin and one on a metallic gold guitar. They complemented her sound without overpowering her characteristic piano instrumentals.

Carlton connected with the audience between songs with quick anecdotes on her writing process and sources of inspiration.

She explained she wrote the next song, “Get Good,” in part for herself and in part for one of her favorite poets, Sylvia Plath. The tribute song featured an acoustic sound that differed from her usual piano background.

Another notable story came before the song “Dear California,” which she wrote for

a man who makes her “feel like a marshmallow.” The audience perked up as the violinist joined in for background vocals toward the end of the song, creating a rare duet in which the two harmonized nicely.

The song “I Don’t Want To Be A Bride” honed in on Carlton’s vocal talents, and the audience sat in awe of her gorgeous voice.

The melody is hauntingly beautiful, and yet Carlton managed to drop her sense of humor into her introduction by mentioning wine having been involved in her writing process and interrupting herself to ask, “This isn’t a dry campus, is it?” Needless to say, this question was met with laughter and applause.

The highlight of the show was “A Thousand Miles,” which introduced America to Vanessa Carlton back when she was only sixteen years old. Just about every person in the audience knew every word to the star’s most famous hit, and no one hesitated to belt out the lyrics.

Following “A Thousand Miles,” the concert began to wind down, and she finished the show with a couple more songs from Rabbits on the Run. Her omission of the classic song “Ordinary Day” was slightly disap-

pointing, but she made up for it by impressing everyone with her less known ballads.

After the show, Carlton further displayed her friendly, outgoing personality by standing outside of the auditorium to greet fans and sign ticket stubs. She proved herself to be every bit as talented and charismatic as our ten-year-old selves imagined.

Photo by Gillian Freedman/Gavel Media

Do you work out as hard as Gavel Culture?

By Sofia Martinez Current plex playlist a little tired? Have you even been going to the gym? In order to help the plex rats of the world stay motivated, we have created a 58-minute workout playlist featuring some promising recently released tracks from the likes of Florence and the Machine, J.Cole, and the Dirty Projectors. We cannot promise it will make your workout easier, but it just might get you to put your sneakers on in the first place. No pain, no gain..

Assoc. Culture Editor

CARDIO

(27 minutes)

1 “Slight Work” feat. Big Sean, Wale, Ambition 2 “Civilization,” Justice, Audio, Video, Disco 3 “Good Feeling,” Flo Rida, Single Debut 4 “Bait,” Wale, Ambition 5 “We Found Love,” Rihanna & Calvin Harris, Single Debut

WEIGHT TRAINING (24 minutes)

COOL DOWN (7 minutes)

14 “In the Morning,” Jack Johnson, Single Debut “What Planet You On?” (Deadmau5 Remix), Bodyrox and Luciana, The Remixes 15 “Never Let Me Go,” Florence & the Machine, Ceremonials 7 “She Doesn’t Mind,” Sean Paul, Single Debut 6

8 “Double M Genius,” Wale, Ambition 9 “When The World Comes to an End,” Dirty Projectors & Bjork, Mount Wittenberg Orca

10 “Without You” feat. Usher, David Geutta, Nothing But The Beat 11 “Chain Music,” Wale, Ambition 12 “Parade,” Justice, Audio, Video, Disco 13 “Work Out”, J. Cole, Cole World: The Sideline Story

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NCAA takes it too far with athlete compensation

By Bill Stoll Gavel Media Staff

Let’s start off with a statement that shouldn’t shock anyone: College athletics are corrupt, especially in its “money� sports, basketball and football. This summer it seemed as if you couldn’t turn on the television without seeing another coach or program indicted for some type of violation or infringement. Scandals rocked programs from The Ohio State to Miami University causing the outrage of fans across the nation, not just at the programs themselves but also to the complete and total lack of punishment offered by the NCAA. But even when it seemed that the NCAA could not be more out of touch, they rolled out their “sweeping reforms� last week.

Now some of these new ideas hold merit, such as raising academic standards for students entering college, and also on studentathletes to retain their eligibility in both the regular season and post season. However, the highlight of their package is that conferences, presumably in certain major sports like football, basketball, and hockey, will vote on whether or not to allow student athletes a $2000 stipend for general spending money to, according to the NCAA, “cover the cost of attendance.� As an average, run-ofthe-mill college student this offends me to no end. How in the world can the NCAA justify giving Division I athletes of the major sports MORE than they already have?

Not only does athletics provide students

who, ordinarily, would not be able to gain to students who legitimately do not need it? support or execute a screen pass, and end up acceptance into many of the colleges they I understand a tremendous amount of hard doing little or less with their lives (see Maurice are recruited for, a free college education, work, countless hours, and sheer dedication is Clarett, Marcus Dupree, Jason White, etc.). but they are also provided with room and required for athletics, having myself been an And yet, due to their athletic prowess, they board, books, equipment,! tutoring, clothing, athlete in high school, but I fail to see how are temporarily placed above their classmates "" private facilities, and food, all by society, and rewarded monetarily by our free of charge. Not to mention educational system. that at most schools, athletes Let’s think logically about this $2000 already receive a stipend to pay stipend. averagecancers Division college Metabolism, c Mondays and 9:00 am classes.� and liverThe and prostate (noteI that for more food than covered by football 20 players every harder for long But really, why the obsession with coffeeteam is notrecruits proven toabout have cause-and-effect exhaustion and caffeine? According to the Food and Drug * +-$,+ * ,! * them ,! + full * scholarships. (', &," $ 6( *#+7 the generic meal plan offered season, offering Factor Administration, 90 percent of people in the to consuming caffeine). In particular, the activity of a ch to students. Am I honestly to in walk-ons who later receive scholarships, world and 80 percent of American adults, magnesium and chromium in coffee prevent Times Online believe that a completely free and against then subtract a few players here and there a workout ma many of whom are college students, use Type 2 diabetes because the minerals college education, generally due help to leaving pros,ainjuries, which leads to caffeine every day in some form. Students the bodyforusethe insulin, hormone etc. that We 50-60 minutes are already guzzling double-shot Americanos blood sugar. when all expenses are included can controls say that, conservatively, there are close body starts usin at Hillside and it is not even exam time. to 70 Also, coffeewho in itself has onlyscholarships. a few calories - We upwards of $50,000 a year, is players receive Companies s ' "+ & $$ &" !, *7+ +, *" & -, 1'- that is, until you start adding things that make not enough? can all do math, so if each of those players might be surprised at how quickly its effects ", , +, $ ++ ",, * -+ $ ,7+ ", &7+ a selection of Granted, I can understand receives thatdoesstipend, that’s $140,000 caffeinated gu catch up to you. Though it takes 5-10 grams Beans just not cut it for some of us. A 12- of popcorn, mak of caffeine (the equivalent of 50-100 regular oz cup money of black coffee only a hot, 14 calorie, some athletes that actually spending givenisto our football players. ,' , ,! "* cups of coffee) to kill you, you may think bitter pick-me up but a hint the bite do need the money due to $140,000.

Money thatmask could be ofspent paying twice about the amount you consume when with half & half adds 46 -48 calories, and a without the ta extenuating circumstances, for two full scholarships for others, but more you begin to feel jitters and heart palpitations teaspoon of sugar adds another 23 calories. of these prod and that athletics can allow an realistically money that could be spend giving more caffeine '- & + !'/,! $'*" + -( & ,!"+ Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons after your 4th cup in a row the evening before individual a chance at aBycollege financial aideven to those students indrinks need.such Maybe especially whe an exam. does not include specialty Ailis Peplau contains 200m Besides helping students study for an Orgo as a caramel macchiato, extraextra education they ordinarily a potential student needswhich justfeatures a couple Gavel Media Contributor exam or write an English paper, caffeine calories due to the large quantity of milk and & *- % would not be able to receive. thousand dollars in aid to attend his dream a mild stimula does more to our bodies than we think. 9 .'* +1*-( Cof¡fee: noun, often attributive - a beverage However, this $2000 stipend school, butthough that the $140,000 is instead being harmful effects Coffee is known to raise your blood pressure, Even way we typically drink made by percolation, infusion, or decoction for additional spendingfrom money spent ' to help the/",! football team buy‌stuff cholesterol and adrenaline level, which can 8$$+ -+ 0,* $'*" + ", & +,"$$ ? As much as w the roasted and ground seeds of a coffee have negativesuch effectsan suchoutrageous as headaches and Which ,!$ ," $$1 & 8 " $ good

'* "& ,' & what sources of caff is a slap in the face to the average college athletic ability justifies raises another question, plant. anxiety.

Also,students. both regular and decaffeinated article the New Yorkbe Times, studies of our consum student. Almost all college students were divide between college Aside from exactly willin that $2000 spent on? have Not on !"+ "+ ,! **" % +, * 8&","'& '

coffee contain acids that aggravate heartburn. shown that drinking a cup of coffee one keeps us awa coffee, but we might be more familiar with accepted into their schools based on merit, the extremely small minority of athletes who tuition, that is free.

Not room and board, nor On the positive side, according to several hour before working out increases the power prevent some +,- &, 8&","'&

earned from their own,! '$$ intelligence and hard enter the pros, most athletes will, atWebMD, best, and books, a meal plan, athletic equipment, sources including MayoClinic, output of muscles by triggering calciumthose the quality of “A bitter drink made tolerable with large and release.

According to the what International Livestrong.com, caffeine has been linked to a work, yet many of them are faced with a graduate college and contribute to society no are all free as well.

So‌on exactly?

I should be quantities of milk and sugar that helps SportsanNutrition riskstudent, of Type and, 2 diabetes, dementia, mountain of debt afterusearning degrees midterm moreexams, than thereduced average at worst, sureJournal do notof have answer and for Exercise you, and I survive their the semester, due to a lack of scholarship or financial aid. leave college with a wealth of extraneous would be willing to bet that the NCAA does How can a school justify giving more money knowledge like how to set the edge on run not either.

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Energy drinks, bros and college students woes

By Michael Natile Gavel Media Contributor

We all know it. It often comes in six-packs, usually in brightly colored readily noticeable packages with vibrant logos and obnoxiously large text that may as well read “College!�

And indeed, it has become a part of campus life, practically since its inception; a perennial favorite of college men and women desperate to meet increasing academic and social demands while retaining some sense of sanity.

-Naturally, the preceding paragraph refers to energy drinks. They have become a strong presence on campus. But much like those other drinks you may have thought of, they are also more than a little divisive among the student body. Their appeal, beyond taste, is the energy boost they promise can help students meet the various challenges of college life; be they the tests, the extracurricular activities, perhaps even sports, and last but (truly) not least, social obligations. Amidst this torrent of ,".",1 +$ ( "+ %'& ,! 8*+, ,!"& + +,- &,+ + *"8 & $")-" & * 1 & ,! '* ," $$1 help mitigate the immediate drawbacks of + " + *"8 3" ,"* & ++ & ,! /'* + ' " & & !"

7 4 '% ,"% + 1'- * &7, '"& ,' , &'- ! +$ ( & 1'-7 ,, * % # +-* 1'- $'. /! , . * ", "+ 1'-7* +,- 1"& -+ ,! ,7+ /! ,7+ '"& ,' # ( 1'- '"& ,!'+ $ , hours.� But perhaps now, in addition to passion for the subject matter, beverages can help sustain us.

Although the drinks are popular on campus, they are not universally well liked.

4 '&7, $"# ,! , +, 5 + 1+ ." !'% +

Obviously, m sleep psychol remotely expe concerns stud not far off t caution about ,! , ,!

an “energy distributors do are hodge-po . $- $ +- + '* % &,"'& """ even some com value that could '+ + +" * ' *"&#"& ,'' resultconsumpt in arrests o with a companion insinuates that residents in the area lodge that and in well-lit complaints, at least in the last month, with Police Departme by frequency Gillian Freedman, action by Boston C enough to force aGavel policeMedia response. + '& " areas� to avoid Photo appears far harsh muggings. Form / (, !.+-# + + $- + - , 4 )&$ !7 +, 0$&& with alcohol c .'" ,! % '* ,! %'+, ( *, -+ ,! 17* the persective be patrolling areas where we have repeated expect on-campus a depressant a -. (-, &$% 6 incidents of [unruly] behaviors.� that So, the ofunhealthy.� maintaining Other students commented cau be no can change.

In student safety, areas in Brighton with the most parties and both energy drinks go well with alcohol and that police patrols increased police enough students to draw resident attention thirstier.

Inlast ot be observed more closely. as the new specia presence seems will certainly +" + ,! "* $$ & 8,+ ,! 1 * 4 -& 5 both skew you BC freshman Tran Than believes that “They told us to prudent.

Red Bull (which boasts of its status as the and else.�

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BC

Boston Police Department beefs up patrols in Bri

$ * + 6 '&,"&- + 4 ! 17* &', '' '* 1'-2,! 17* 8$$ /",! +- * caffeine and other things.� Neville Maloney A&S ‘14 commented, “I drink them once a month at most. Some of them have got a &" , +, 7$$ *"&# %'* -*"& 8& $+ / # when I need that extra push.� When asked why he refrains from drinking them regularly, Neville replied “I have friends who are pretty much addicted to it, which could be bad since ,! 17* ++' " , /",! * +! + 5 4 8& & * 1 *"&# ' + , '-&, + & energy drink?� asked Annie Pates, A&S ‘14.

Green tea is often used as a supplementary ingredient in energy drinks. “I never felt like I needed energy drinks to stay on top of things,� says Annie. Pre-med student Matt Rossi says, 4 7. , # & ,! % % 1 ,/" "& %1 $" Once was just to get through a party. I try to

Photo actually by Louise Sheehan, Gavel Media

Corrections:

Overheard at BC

suggests students might not notice, as “the BC police for the most part already do that ,) -# + 0)(6- be any major difference.�

Regarding items, Photo courtesy of Gillian Freedman/ Gavel Media stolen students certainly

By Emily Akin support police Gavel Media Editorial Assistant presence. The contention resides in how much of the increased patrols are for Most students would expect Brighton to be student safety in the area, and how much is a haven from close police observation on the mere annoyance with what can delicately weekends. But over the past month, Boston be put as unruly behavior. Perhaps the Police have noticed an increasing trend of Boston Police are fed up with the social

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Overheard song echoing through the Mods

Bros playing the Biggie Smalls remix to “Empire State of M hour

24

www.bcgavel.com

House and Techno infiltrate the mainstream music

By Maggie Lawrence, Culture Editor

By Sofia Martinez, Assoc. Culture Editor

By Olivia Simone, Assoc. Culture Editor Last time you wandered through the mods on gameday, a mix of Taylor Swift hits and Billy Joel’s “Only the Good Die Young” on repeat was likely blasting from a variety of expensive speakers. Recently, however, new tracks have been finding their way onto Boston College coed’s playlists. Electronic music has infiltrated the mainstream, as evidenced by the prevalence of producers and DJs like Calvin Harris, Pretty Lights, Avicii, and Deadmau5 blasting through speakers and headphones across campus.

Most recently, collaborations with pop and hip hop artists have generated a serious radio presence, and the influence of electronic music is apparent on most recent Top 40 hits. Gavel Culture explores the significance of the spread of electronic music and the effect of the development of remixing and technology on the music industry in the future.

Once there was a time when parents feared for their children’s morals because popular music rapped about getting slizzered and “p******s poppin’” (bitch with long hair [and] with coke in her derrierre)—but how will they react when they find out that popular electronic music today virtually makes their listeners want to get “f*cked up”? Consider Deadmau5’s steady house beats which are considerably lacking in the lyrical denomination—and then consider their overwhelming/extensive presence at the House of Blues in Boston this fall. In the past, music served as an outlet of sorts; that is, a way to remain in touch with common human emotions. Experiences such as heartbreak, suc-

mainstream music energizes the crowd such that they want to stay up all night and dance—to party harder? Perhaps it is true that sometimes things get complicated. In fact, many DJ’s (such as Deadmau5 and David Guetta) stay away from substance abuse and demonstrate sobriety. As derogatory gender phrases and moral slams are rarely heard in most electronic music, one might argue that this is party-hardy phenomenon is not as bad as it seems.

“Personally, I do like electronic music but

Photo courtesy of Sofia Martinez/Gavel Media

it’s nothing compared to legitimately musically talented bands and I think the electronic movement goes along with a lot of other shitty mainstream music that’s taking a lot of the appreciation out of music. But on the other hand I really do like electronic music cause in certain settings like concerts or parties and such [it makes for a good time]” says Hunter Gambino CSOM ‘13.

Pretty Lights is a prime example of the movement away from organic sound produced by instruments to digitally computerized sound productions. Derek Smith and Corey Eberhard began touring the country from 2007 to 2008 playing late night gigs and opening for other bands including STS9, The Disco Biscuits, and Widespread Panic. By 2010 Pretty Lights played regularly at festivals including Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival, Ultra Music Festival, Starscape Festival and Electric Zoo Festival (nearby, in NYC). Pretty Lights’ “glitchy hip-hop beats” and electronic mixing of soul means that they are largely dependent on digital sound production—but still able to incorporate instrumental talent. The band includes Derek manning two Macbook Pros and two Akai MPD32s and a drummer, who since 2010, has been replaced by Adam Photo courtesy of Cal Greene III/Gavel Media Deitch. The duo is known for their unique light show production which cess, family complications and economic distress are all commonly expressed in all can hardly be matched by any other DJ. Light shows, as for most electronic artists, genres of music; yet, electronic music, inwork to mechanize the live performance cluding dubstep and techno genres, place to a virtual experience that is completed less emphasis on these expressions and by visual effects, a euphoric crowd, and more emphasis on the physical versus emotional musical experience. Lyrics are not most importantly, trippy dance music.

As artists like Pretty Lights ditch instrunecessary for good sound, but what is the ments for synthesizers and laptops, are effect on our generation when this new

these shows becoming less about the performance and more about the party?

The image of the ‘rock star,’ passionately clutching the microphone with a shiny red guitar, is nonexistent at these concerts. The image of historic frontmen like Elvis and Mick Jagger are burned into our memories as the “face” of their music. Lady Gaga, while a talented artist in her own right, owes a considerable amount of her fame to her innovative persona. Do BC students blasting Avicii in the mods have any idea what he looks like? Do they care?

The opinions are mixed.

Deadmau5 played four straight shows at the House of Blues in Boston in October, attracting mobs of college students willing to pay upwards of $50 for a concert. Is watching a thirty-something Joel Zimmerman poised over a laptop the main draw? That seems unlikely. The scene at house shows such as Deadmau5 has begun to resemble raves from the 80s and 90s, glowsticks are mandatory and you would be hard pressed to find a concert-goer with his eyes locked on Zimmerman doing his thing.

Despite the lack of human element in the performance at live electronic music con-

The majority of electronic music lacks lyricism, use of organic sound, and a human connection with the image of the performer, but it has certainly infiltrated the mainstream. Is this phenomenon sustainable? Electronic music draws heavily on influences from the music of previous

Photo courtesy of Cal Greene III/Gavel Media

decades. A prime example is an oft-quoted sample of Christina Aguilera from the Burlesque soundtrack covering the 1962 Etta James recording “Something’s Got a Hold On Me.” This sample is mixed into the Pretty Lights track “ “, Swedish DJ Avicii’s “Levels,” and most recently in rapper Flo Rida’s “Good Feeling.” There is something to be said about the skill involved in creating these digital remixes, but the fact that a single sample is featured in three recent mainstream tracks emphasizes the interdependence of electronic music. If Avicii’s “Levels” relies even partially on a compelling verse from the classic Etta James, can Avicii take full credit for his creation? The question that begs to be asked is, what is the future of electronic music? After major players like Calvin Harris, whose heavily 80s influenced electronic mash ups drove the success of his 2009 release Ready for the Weekend, run out of effective samples to combine and Photo courtesy of Cal Greene III/Gavel Media recreate, will his craft reach its expiration date? An intercerts, the mainstream prevalence of this esting fact of electronic music is that curgenre in a decidedly visual music industry rent generations are exposed to the music is difficult to ignore. Why did Deadmau5 of the past through following these mainplay four straight shows in the same city? stream DJs and producers. The main caTo meet a high demand. Matt Misbin, veat being that twenty-somethings and high A&S ‘12, provides some insight into the ap- school students well versed in mainstream peal of attending Electronic Dance Music electronic music could first be exposed to (EDM) shows: “People go to live house an artist like Etta James in the context of venues to connect with the DJ in a demo- a 10 minute house recording. The clascratic way and experience the energy of the sics, regardless of genre, will be preserved crowd. EDM roots are firmly entrenched through the archives of digital recordings. in a mantra of love and happiness and fes- Given the heavy dependence of electronic tival goers made the mass exodus to events music on previous recordings, its continued around the world to be part of this global success in innovation is definitely limited.

For now, however, EDM will continue explosion of electronic music.” The appeal to our generation seems to be the accesibil- to redefine our generation’s perception ity of electronic music and sense of com- of how music is created, and pervade munity it creates for the crowd of listeners. the live music scene of the 21st century.