TuftsDaily01.30.14

Sunny 30/22

THE TUFTS DAILY

IGL awarded $200,000 Carnegie grant by

Daniel Gottfried

Daily Editorial Board

The Institute for Global Leadership (IGL) won a $200,000 grant from the Carnegie Corporation last September to be spent over the course of two years.

The Carnegie Corporation is an education foundation that honors its founder Andrew Carnegie’s goal for international peace, according to the foundation’s website.

The IGL is grateful for the funds provided by the Carnegie Corporation, but considers the acknowledgment that comes with the grant to be even more significant than the money, according to Founding Director of the IGL Sherman Teichman. “[The Carnegie Corporation is] one of the most prestigious granting bodies in the arenas of education knowledge transition on international cooperation and security studies — elements that are very relevant to the mission of the IGL and Tufts, given its international profile and [emphasis] on global citizenship,” he said.

The grant is unique in that the Carnegie Corporation traditionally awards grants for graduate education, according to James Lindquist, the associate director of the Office of Corporate and Foundation Relations at Tufts.

“As far as we understand from Carnegie, this is the first time that they have given this type of grant to an undergraduate program,” he said.

Co-Chair of the IGL Advisory Board and Trustee Emeritus William Meserve (A ’62) feels that the award validates the work that the IGL does.

“They saw that we have a his-

TUFTSDAILY.COM

Thursday, January 30, 2014

VOLUME LXVII, NUMBER 8

tory of achievement, and they realized that, given the changes in the world, we probably need a new generation of thinkers and ideas,” he said. “They like that we brought in practitioners from various aspects of international affairs ... to talk about these issues, coupled with our programs that send kids overseas on research to areas of the world with significant things going on.”

The grant will primarily be spent on the IGL’s Education for Public Inquiry and International Citizenship (EPIIC) program and global research, according to Teichman.

“It enables us to conduct our academic and intellectual outreach in a much more deliberative and enriching manner,” he said. “The grant provides funds for us to bring significant figures from the regions that we are considering, with this year’s program focusing on the Middle East and North Africa.”

The second half of the grant will be used next year as EPIIC focuses on Russia, Lindquist said. The remaining funds will be used primarily for other IGL programs and for some operational costs.

According to Teichman, the IGL applies for corporation and foundation grants less frequently than it relies on individuals and alumni for funding because the time it takes to prepare proposals is significant.

“Basically, all these years, we have been concentrating on educating our students, and our funding has come from the emphasis on individuals, our alumni and board members,” he said. “It gives us the flexible see IGL, page 2

Where You Read It First Est. 1980

Joey bus causes three-car pileup outside Campus Center

Justin Rheingold for the Tufts Daily

The Joey was involved in a three-car pileup at around 10 a.m. Wednesday morning in front of the Mayer Campus Center.

When the emergency break inside the Joey unlatched, the bus moved forward, striking another car, according to Tufts University Police Department Sergeant Robert McCarthy. There was nothing wrong with the bus, McCarthy said.

“The Joey was parked and the driver got out,” McCarthy said. “As he got out, the break disengaged and [the Joey] came and struck that car, which caused a chain reaction with [the other] two cars.”

Alexandra Kiesling, a sophomore, witnessed the accident while walking to the nearby Richardson House.

“All of a sudden I heard this

loud, weird noise so I turned around [and] watched the Joey slam into a car,” she said. “Then it was just a domino effect of cars rear ending each other.”

Few people saw the accident happen, according to Kiesling.

“The driver just got back into the Joey and backed up to where it was normally parked,” she said. “One girl didn’t even notice and tried to get on the Joey right after.”

No one was injured, and the Joey was not damaged. But the three vehicles in front of the bus sustained varying degrees of damage, according to McCarthy.

A university employee owns one of the damaged vehicles, and visitors own the other two, McCarthy said.

Shereen Brown, a vendor who was taking yearbook photos,

owns of one of the damaged vehicles. Her car, a red Nissan, sustained the least damage, she said. Its rear wheels lifted off the ground as the front end of the Honda parked directly behind it was pushed under the Nissan’s trunk.

“I actually got a phone call — ‘Shereen, are you the owner of a Nissan?’” Brown said. “I’m looking out the window and my car [is] not being towed. I have a visitors’ pass.

They said, ‘Well, it [has] been in a minor car accident.’ Car accident?

It’s parked. I ran out without my jacket, of course, because I wanted to see what happened.”

A different driver is now operating the Joey, which resumed operation a half hour after the accident, according to McCarthy.

—by Justin Rheingold

Saakashvili discusses international experience with Fletcher community by

Abigail Feldman

Daily Editorial Board

Former president of the Republic of Georgia and newly appointed Senior Statesman at The Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy Mikheil Saakashvili addressed members of the university community Tuesday evening as part of the Charles Francis Adams Lecture Series.

Dean of The Fletcher School Admiral James Stavridis opened the lecture, held in the ASEAN Auditorium, with an introduction of Saakashvili’s accomplishments during his two terms as president. After leading Georgia through the 2003 Rose Revolution, and improving the nation’s economy and transat-

lantic relations, Saakashvili left office last November, signifying the first peaceful transfer of power in Georgian history, Stavridis said.

Saakashvili began his lecture by speaking of the difficulties of being part of a small nation in his region, formerly dominated by the Soviet Union. Not wishing to be viewed as mere objects of world politics, countries like Georgia are working to anchor themselves into larger networks, such as the European Union (EU), he said.

While Russia has so far been successful in its attempts to thwart smaller nations — particularly Ukraine — from seeking entrance to the EU, one thing has taken Russia by sur-

prise: namely, the active citizens of the Ukraine, he said. “[There are] 46 million people — extremely well-organized, very well-motivated — going to the streets and saying, ‘To hell with Russia,’” Saakashvili said. “‘To hell with the empire. To hell with the past. To hell with corruption.

To hell with bribes. We want to live in a normal country.’”

According to Saakashvili, the future of the region will be determined by a new generation devoted to making politics an everyday business of normal people.

“It’s not leaders who make politics now,” he said. “It’s not

Inside this issue

see SAAKASHVILI, page 2

Nicholas Pfosi / The Tufts Daily

Former Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili speaks at Fletcher on Jan. 28.

Today’s sections

Professor of Political Science Jeffrey Berry discusses his new book, ‘The Outrage Industry.’

‘Archer’ maintains its old charm, but takes a new direction in its fifth season.

see FEATURES, page 3

see ARTS, page 7

News Features Arts & Living Editorial | Letters

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Op-Ed Comics Sports

8 10 Back

The Tufts Daily

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News

Thursday, January 30, 2014

Police Briefs BOMB SCARE AT DAVIS SQUARE The MBTA shut down the Red Line between Alewife and Harvard stations Tuesday morning after a suspicious package was reported on the inbound tracks at 11:15 a.m. The MBTA temporarily used shuttle buses to transport passengers between the affected stations.

Service resumed at 12:05 p.m. when Transit Police determined the package was safe.

WE MEET AGAIN Tufts University Police Department (TUPD) on Dec. 18 responded to a call from a house on College Ave., where a man broke in and asked to purchase drugs from the student who lives there.

The student denied the request and took a picture of the man. When the man left the building, he was quickly stopped

by both TUPD and the Somerville Police Department, at which point the student re-identified him. The man was arrested for breaking and entering, and was transported to the Somerville Police Department. TUPD later realized they had arrested the same man over 30 years ago for committing the same crime. Over the years, the man has been arrested by TUPD four times and has been arrested 285 times.

HOUSTON, PROBLEM

WE

HAVE

A

Police on Jan. 18 at 2:03 a.m. transported an intoxicated female from Houston Hall to the hospital. The student told officers that she had consumed 10 beers and five shots of alcohol in a house on Professors Row.

OH, FRESHMAN

WHAT A HASKELL

TUPD on Jan. 18 at 3:04 a.m. transported an intoxicated student from Tilton Hall to the hospital.

On Jan. 19 at 1:45 a.m. TUPD transported an intoxicated student from Haskell Hall to Somerville Hospital.

AN EARLY START

THE ONE THAT GOT AWAY

Police on Jan. 18 at 11:13 a.m. responded to a call from students walking on Professors Row. The students saw a male student stumbling along Professors Row. They attempted to help the intoxicated student walk, but the student fell down in the Fletcher parking lot and students were unable to help him up. TUPD and Tufts Emergency Medical Service (TEMS) arrived and transported the student to Lawrence Memorial Hospital by ambulance.

Officers on Jan. 26 at 3:20 a.m. were called to a Curtis St. apartment where an intoxicated Somerville resident had entered the residence and refused to leave. TUPD and Somerville Police arrived, handcuffed the man and placed him in protective custody. Somerville Police discovered that they had already stopped the man, and sent him on his way 10 minutes before he entered the apartment.

—compiled by Kathleen Schmidt

Carnegie Corporation praises the work of Tufts IGL IGL

continued from page 1

funding that allows us to be very expeditious and very responsive to emerging and fast moving events, while at the same time being accountable.”

The process to obtain a grant from the Carnegie Corporation includes a 20 to 25-page proposal, visits to the Carnegie Corporation in New York City and a visit to the campus by the Carnegie Corporation, Lindquist said.

“It was a long gestation period, probably close to a year from the time we first visited to when we submitted the proposal,” he said. “We had a lot of convincing to do, but they did eventually believe us that it is a unique program.”

According to Teichman, Carnegie Corporation was initially skeptical of the IGL’s grant proposal.

“They basically in jest said, ‘We don’t believe you,’” Teichman said. “It was a very humorous moment, because we had just described what we did, and our materials, and they said, ‘This is extraordinary. Why haven’t we heard of you before?’”

Deana Arsenian, the Carnegie Corporation’s vice president of the International Program and program director for Russia and Eurasia, then made a campus visit to evaluate the IGL’s programs in person.

“Arsenian wrote that she believes the program she witnessed ‘has features that could be and really should be replicated’ at other academic environments that have the resources,” Teichman said.

Project Manager for the Carnegie Corporation’s International Program, Patricia Nicholas, also made a visit to Tufts to view the EPIIC Symposium, according to Teichman.

“The work [of the IGL] resonates with our priority to build a capacity for future national security expert specialists at the student and professional level,” Nicholas said in an email to Teichman.

Lindquist is optimistic about the IGL’s chances to renew its grant at the

Oliver Porter / TUfts Daily Archives

The IGL will use part of the grant money to fund this year’s EPIIC Symposium.

Send of the first two years.

“We hope with their advice and input — and they have been very helpful to us — that we will submit a renewal grant

sometime early next year,” he said.

Teichman believes that the students and alumni of the IGL is the reason the institute was selected for this grant.

“The Carnegie Corporation has told us that we are ‘the proven breeding for the next generation of international security leadership,’” he said.

Saakashvili believes democracy is best remedy for intolerance SAAKASHVILI

continued from page 1

foreign powers that make politics. It’s not some undercover forces. These are nations themselves taking things into their own hands, and that’s a new reality of politics.”

Saakashvili described his past experience in the United States, where he traveled to receive his education. Only three years after beginning life in the United States — living in a basement apartment of a poor neighborhood — he received a job at a law firm and a living space in Manhattan. This type of potential for upward mobility, he said, has inspired his politics in his home country. “[My experience] gave me the feeling that in this country anything is possible,” Saakashvili said. “No other country in the world has it, and we tried to

imitate this in Georgia.”

Saakashvili listed some of the economic and political improvements spurred under his presidency. Clocking in at No. 8 in the 2014 rankings, Georgia became the first developing country to make the World Bank’s top 10 best countries to do business with. Georgia also claims one of the lowest rates of crime and corruption in its region, he said. By aligning with the EU, Saakashvili hopes to further social improvements in his country.

“The European Union provides a more just society,” he said. “Not ideal, lots of problems, but a more just society. What western measures are about is more openness, more democracy, more transparency. That’s what we try to see in all our countries.”

Saakashvili next opened the floor for questions from the audience. In response

to the first question regarding his strategy for attracting foreign investors during his presidency, Saakashvili said that he worked to greatly reduce the amount of bureaucracy, firing over 100,000 people.

“In the Ukraine, every small business is all the time terrorized by different small government agencies,” he said.

“That’s how they make their living ... In Georgia we fired the entire police force, we fired the entire customs ... We fired most of the rest of the entire government and replaced them with people whose age was around 28 years, and I think that’s something that worked very well.”

Another audience member asked Saakashvili about his views regarding violence in the Caucus region, as well as about the future relationship between the church and state in Georgia.

Saakashvili replied that he believed

much of the conflict would cease in the Caucuses once the Ukraine broke free from Russia. He also discussed violence toward minorities within his home nation, asserting that his government was pro-minority.

“I think the best remedy against intolerance is democracy,” he said. “Of course, with democracy, first intolerance blows up, but at a certain moment it always goes down.”

When asked how much influence Russia will have in future politics, Saakashvili remarked that Russia was failing to modernize in the same way that led to the fall of the Soviet Union.

“I think there is a big change coming in that sphere,” he said. “I think there will be unwilling, but still big expansion of Europe into what was Russia’s zone of influence.”

Features

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Interview | Jeffrey Berry

Berry and Sobieraj examine conservative, liberal ‘outrage’ in new book by

Emma Arnesty-Good Daily Editorial Board

Professor of Political Science Jeff Berry and Associate Professor of Sociology Sarah Sobieraj released a new book called “The Outrage Industry: Political Opinion Media and the New Incivility” in November 2013. The book, which explores how partisan cable and radio shows grab audience attention with emotional appeals, combines Tufts’ professors academic interests in politics and media. Berry spoke with the Daily to share some of his thoughts about their project.

The Tufts Daily: What is your new book “The Outrage Industry” about?

Jeffrey Berry: The book is about a particular genre of political commentary that Professor Sobieraj and I have labeled “outrage.” It is political rhetoric designed to make you angry.

It plays with your emotions and evokes a variety of sentiments. Not only anger, but engagement. Reflection, but more than anything else, anger. You respond to the visceral rhetoric of the TV host or radio host in a very direct and emotional way.

TD:: How did this idea for the book come along?

JB: It was a bit of an accident. I hadn’t ever studied the media before and I was a guest on “The O’Reilly Factor” on Fox News in 2004. They wanted someone to stand in for Senator [John] Kerry because he wouldn’t go on the show during the presidential campaign of that year. It was a bizarre experience ...

Flash forward about four years and Professor Sobieraj had gotten an invitation to apply for a grant with a grant program that was given by the Bernstein Family for interdisciplinary research ... But one of the requirements of the grant — the university didn’t make this up, it was the family that gave the money — [was] that she had to work with a senior faculty member from another discipline. Professor Sobieraj had worked in the field of advocacy, which is my field — interest groups and social movements — so she suggested we get together.

We decided that we would work on something together as opposed to me just being a mentor ... We talked more seriously about doing something book length ... [So] we decided to plunge ahead and write a book.

TD: How did your similar backgrounds in advocacy aid your partnership?

JB: It was more that our dissimilar backgrounds complemented each other. We

nICK pFOSI / tUFTS DAILY aRCHIVES

Berry (above) wrote “The Outrage Industry” with Associate Professor of Sociology Sarah Sobieraj. didn’t think alike. We saw things from different points of view and we had different strengths. There are parts of the book that she wrote that I couldn’t have written, and there are a couple of chapters that I think she probably wouldn’t have put in the book if she had written it by herself, that I wrote.

So, I actually think that we complemented each other in [each] having expertise that the other didn’t. And it made for a book that is expansive and that really cuts across three academic fields: political science, sociology and media studies.

TD: What was the process of research like?

JB: The process of writing and research took about five years and it’s a nice tough story in that along the way a number of students were involved in the research. They either got credit or were paid. But there were four in particular that were instrumental in producing content that we used in the book.

They did a lot of the grunt work and I think that it was work that required some thought on their part, [they weren’t] just some mindless cogs on a wheel. One student worked on the Tea Party — the 2010 primaries where the Tea Party really broke through. She developed a database that became the basis of Chapter Six in the book. Another student ... watched and listened to TV and radio programs that use [outrage] and took notes about the ways in which the hosts engender loyalty and, in a sense, interact with the audience — things they do to make the audience loyal. She was very good at that, and she actually got her name on one of the papers.

Then two other students worked with us ... to do a content analysis where we actually

recorded what people said and analyzed it along 13 different variables that were different forms of outrage. And those students were terrific at it.

TD:What were you hoping to accomplish with this project?

JB:We wanted to shed light on this [outrage industry] in a way that makes people appreciate how it fits into the larger political system — that it wasn’t just Rush Limbaugh saying stupid things on the radio; that there was, in fact, a business. One of the themes of the book is that this [industry] is a business; that people and companies make money off of this, and so there is an incentive to be outrageous and to push the envelope of what you say to attract greater ratings and keep yourself controversial; to get yourself actually in the mainstream press where people are writing about you and what you say. There’s this incentive to be outrageous to attract ratings, which attracts sponsors, which allows you to change more for advertising rates TD: Was there a difference in the conservative and liberal media?

JB: What we do say is that outrage is corrosive. We don’t say one is worse than the other, [but] we do say there is more on the conservative side because there is just a denser array of outlets. And that’s what it is. We don’t want to have this false equivalency that it’s left or right or equal in terms of the people they’re reaching because that’s not the case. The genre is the same.

The business model is the same. The talk is the same.

Campus Comment: State of the Union

“I thought The President’s clarity about fixing health care being a process in which we’re only just seeing results is important. As someone who is critical of Obamacare for not going far enough in addressing the issue of American healthcare, it’s encouraging that he has not resigned himself to thinking that particular work is done.”

-Newton Portorreal Jr., 2016.

“I hope [the minimum wage increase] is going to be something that’s going to be approved on both sides of the aisle; I’m hoping that he’s just trying to lay the foundations for raising the minimum wage across all industries. I’d say that’s probably the biggest economic issue that we face currently; although our economy is starting to pick itself back up again, the wages are not consistent with that growth.”

Stephen Mariani, 2017

“I think it was surprising that certain issues were addressed as briefly as they were and issues were focused on more heavily. For example, employment was focused on more heavily, gay marriage was not focused on enough.”

- Nina Denison, 2014 “Overall the president’s speech was moving and encouraging. It was great to hear of plans of tax reform, less red tape for research, and improved access to student loans to name a few; however, many of his plans echo the same plans he outlined in previous State of the Union addresses, making me wonder how much will actually be accomplished this coming year. His words were powerful but real power only comes in fulfillment of those promises.”

-Julia Rogers, 2016 “In [the] State of the Union, it seemed like Obama was trying to reinvigorate the kind of momentum he had when he first came into office. The way he conveyed that was by outlining his plans and goals for the future, and suggesting that he would get them done with or without the support of congress.”

-Maha Mian, 2014

Eva Batalla-Mann | Valuable Delusions

Home to Hellos

T

he semester is in full swing and it’s hard to think that a little over a week ago I was in the sunny, tucked away whistle-stop town of Ojai, Calif. Coming back to Tufts after being home for a while is always a little bit of a culture shock.

Returning home to hellos from every passerby, and drum circles in the park on Sundays accompanied by robust dancing, reminds me that there are places where the pace of life slows down compared to caffeine-fueled college life. Sometimes I forget. I forget what it’s like to sit and read a book for hours in Ojai Coffee Roasting Co. while familiar faces come and go.

A recent development to that practice was looking over to the next table to see Jason Segel, with a copy of “Infinite Jest” proudly perched on his table, reading something on his iPad. Over break I took a drive past the numerous avocado trees, Jim’s tangerine orchard, our local turtle sanctuary and climbed up a steep and serpentine road to an outlook called Meditation Mount. I went to watch the sunset over my valley from the high vantage point, but when I got there I saw something even more beautiful than the sunset. I walked along the path to the lookout and saw still figures sitting all along the bright green grass. Some were sitting on blankets while others dug their toes into the earth. Families and friends all sitting together in meditation. It totally blew my mind. I had never really appreciated group meditation but the unity of that moment was pretty amazing.

The dichotomy between home and school is a strange thing to experience, and the journey back and forth from California always causes me to consider it. I guess it becomes easy to live a double life instead of seeing how the things you experience in both places work toward making you a whole person. Hopefully those experiences don’t include accidentally crashing a West Hollywood AA meeting — I saw a conglomeration of hipsters on the sidewalk and assumed it was an art opening of sorts. Oops. I think I can now call both coasts home — although the lack of Mexican food ‘round these parts is a continuing struggle. Living in two worlds is exciting and rich but can also inspire a transient feeling and uncomfortable uncertainty. But if we have learned anything from our meditating friends up on the mountain, it is that uncertainty is really ok and everyone needs to calm down. Well, maybe I added that last part.

This past summer in San Francisco I went to the Richard Diebenkorn exhibit at the de Young Museum. Before I even stepped into the room housing his famous “Seawall” and “Figure on a Porch,” I saw an embossed wall with a title reading “Notes to myself on beginning a painting.” I stood there for an unnecessarily long time reading it several times over and straining my neck to see the words at the top. This list of Diebenkorn’s musings and suggestions starts with, “Attempt what is not certain.

Certainty may or may not come later. It may then be a valuable delusion.” When I got back to school at the beginning of last year I immediately wrote it on a scrap of paper and put it on the wall above my desk. It reminds me that not knowing is ok. Not knowing who you are or what you want to do with the rest of your life is ok. And when it does come, value the delusion.

Eva Batalla-Mann is a sophomore majoring in peace and justice studies and community health. She can be reached at Eva. Batalla_Mann@tufts.edu

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Arts & Living

celebrates centennial with special programming Rare silent films, live performances mark hundredth anniversary

by

Lancy Downs

Daily Editorial Board

N

estled unobtrusively between Mr. Crepe and the Davis Square T stop, the Somerville Theatre has been a staple of Somerville for nearly a century. To many Tufts students, the historic cinema might just be another building to hurry past on our way to CVS or the closest place to catch a screening of “Gravity” (2013). However, most of us know little about the movie house’s rich, vibrant history and the role it has served in the community over the past hundred years.

As the Somerville Theatre prepares to celebrate its centennial this year, the Daily takes a closer look at its legacy and how the space has evolved since it first opened its doors in 1914.

A rich history The Somerville Theatre’s facade — including the distinctive retro molding that frames the cinema’s main entrance — is likely one of few relics of the original theater that remains recognizable today. Unsurprisingly, the inside of the edifice — known as the Hobbs Building — has been updated and refurbished over the years, and the interior now looks quite different than it did in its early days.

When the theater opened on May 11, 1914, it housed just a single, main auditorium (which, though renovated, is still in use today), in addition to a diverse collection of businesses and shops.

“In the basement there was a cat and a billiards hall and a bowling alley,” Ian Judge, the director of operations for FEI Theaters, which operates both the Somerville Theatre and the Capitol Theatre in Arlington, said. “On the third floor was a ballroom, and there were also office spaces.”

The Somerville Theatre was built for movies and for vaudeville, though the various commercial attractions in the Hobbs Building were also popular.

“In the ‘20s, Davis Square was a destination point,” Judge said. “It was a shopping center; it had nightlife. You could play mini golf in the basement of this theater until two in the morning.”

In 1915, plays also became part of the theater’s repertoire and remained a fixture until the Great Depression.

“The Depression just made it unreasonable to pay actors, and so [at that point] it became pretty much movies only,” Judge said.

As the 20th century wore on, the theater continued to change with the neighborhood.

“In the ‘30s, ‘40s, ‘50s, ‘60s, it became more like the city did — more blue collar, a neighborhood movie theater. It would be packed with kids on weekends,” Judge, a local himself, said. “Somerville had many, many movie theaters — every neighborhood had its little movie house — but this was always the classiest.”

Recent changes The theater also began to show its age as the years passed, and in 1996, major restorations began.

“That’s when we added the other screens we have,” Judge said. “All those other spaces — the ballroom, bowling alley — they were in long disrepair.”

These recreation areas — so popular earlier in the century — had essentially been abandoned, and with the renovations, the vacant areas of the building were once again put to good use. According to Judge, these changes are the most significant transformation the theater has seen.

“We went from being a single-screen theater to a five-screen theater,” he said.

Since this substantial upgrade, the movie house has made smaller adjustments. The historic main theater has been repainted and new rigging and projection systems have also been implemented. Perhaps the most obvious change for the average moviegoer is the new set of seats that the auditorium now boasts.

Despite these renovations, the theater still aims to retain its historical integrity.

Julie D via Flickr Creative Commons

The iconic facade of the Somerville Theatre has changed little since 1914.

Wikimedia Commons

via Wikimedia Commons

Left: ‘Wings’ (1927) is among one of the silent films being screened during the theater’s centennial celebration. Right: The theater will show a silent short film starring Mary Pickford that was thought to be lost until it was discovered in an empty New Hampshire barn.

“It still has the feel, when you walk in here, that it isn’t too different from 100 years ago,” Judge said.

The theater has also shifted in less obvious and less physical ways. More recently, as Somerville has grown to be a more heterogeneous and multifaceted city, the theater has adjusted its offerings accordingly, in order to appeal to an audience with varying interests.

A centennial celebration Starting on Friday, Jan. 31, the movie house kicks off the 100-day-long centennial celebration, and the festivities — which continue until May — include a handful of live performances, a couple of film festivals and a myriad of movies released over the past century.

The planning for the centennial has been a lengthy and involved task. Judge has booked several performers and musical groups, and he has secured the film of the early movies that will be shown during the celebration. This was not exactly an easily undertaking.

“Even just getting the old movies can be a lot of work,” Judge said. “Studios don’t make a lot of money off of [them], so they’re not necessarily quick to respond.”

Although he has to deal with studios who are sometimes slow to hand over old film, Judge is committed to paying homage to cinematic history: All the pictures being screened for the centennial repertory series are on 35 mm film.

“We can show digital here, but we prefer film because it looks better,” Judge said.

“When you’re showing a movie that was filmed on film, you want to show it the way it was intended to be shown.”

Tracking down these early movies, however, can be trickier than simply negotiating with studios, which, according to Judge, actually have copies of their old films — especially the

big name ones. For example, the Somerville Theatre acquired “Wings” (1927), the first Best Picture winner at the Academy Awards and the only silent film to win the trophy, from producer Paramount Pictures. Other silent pictures being shown are from the Library of Congress, while “Way Down East” (1920) was obtained from the Museum of Modern Art in New York.

Perhaps the most impressive acquisition is the 1911 silent short “Their First Misunderstanding.” The movie — which stars actress Mary Pickford, one of the founding members of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences — was thought to be lost until it was discovered in an empty barn in New Hampshire in 2006. Indeed, with most pictures from the golden age of silent film now lost, the discovery of the Pickford short is a particularly exciting find and an appropriate choice for the theater’s centennial celebration.

The Somerville Theatre looks forward As the Somerville Theatre celebrates its history, it also must look forward and consider its place within the ever-shifting landscape of the multiplex. Recently, luxury cinemas have started popping up, including some like the Showcase SuperLux in Chestnut Hill, which opened last year. A ticket at the Somerville Theatre goes for a reasonable $9 — or $6 for matinees — while at the SuperLux, $28 gets you a reclining seat with footrests and an iPad from which you can order food and drinks.

(Even non-luxury multiplexes have steep ticket prices. Seeing a movie at the AMC Loews at Boston Common sets you back $12.50, and a 3D showing costs $16.50.)

Judge has no problem with these new kinds of theaters.

“I think they are fine. There’s nothing wrong with them, but there is a segment of the audi-

ence that doesn’t need to pay $20 to see a movie,” he said.

Indeed, the Somerville Theatre serves a community that is less interested in the luxury cinema trend, and the movie house makes sure the distinction is clear.

“We don’t really overcharge people, and we don’t make you sit through 25 minutes of ads,” Judge said. “We are very harsh about letting people use their cell phones. We have union projectionists still, so we care about presentation, whereas a lot of the big chains don’t care about presentation anymore. You have to distinguish yourself from the competition — not sometimes by what you do, but by what you don’t do.”

According to Judge, the Davis Square cinema is primarily focused on the films themselves.

“The big chains are places that sell food and beverages — and movies are almost like a side business to them that gets people through the door,” he said. “Well, we look at it as, ‘Movies are our business.’ We are happy to sell you a beer or popcorn or candy — that’s obviously very profitable for us — but the movies are the priority.”

Judge also acknowledges that the theater’s space is unique. “[We have] special programs like [showings of] classic films in a classic setting — that’s something that AMC doesn’t do,” he said.

Ultimately, what truly distinguishes the Somerville Theatre is the brand that is has maintained over the past century.

“We have community plays and community meetings here and very loyal customers, and it’s a more human scale of moviegoing,” Judge said. “Somerville has changed rapidly decade to decade, and we’ve always been able to respond to that. As long as we continue doing that, then we’ll be able to remain relevant.”

The Tufts Daily

6

Weekender

Thursday, January 30, 2014

What’s Up This Weekend Looking to make your weekend artsy?

Check out these events!

Exhibition Opening Reception: The Tufts University Art Gallery is hosting a reception to celebrate the opening of two new exhibits, “Seeing Glacial Time: Climate Change in the Arctic” and “Tanja Softic: Migrant Universe.” The reception is open to the public and will feature free food and an open bar. (Today beginning at 5 p.m. in the Tufts University Art Gallery. Admission is free.)

Winter Book Sale: The City-Wide Friends of the Boston Public Library (BPL) is sponsoring a massive book sale this weekend at the Copley Square branch of the BPL. For most books, hardcovers are $2 apiece and paperbacks are $1, along with a variety of records, audiobooks and CDs. (Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on the lower level of the McKim Building, 700 Boylston Street, Copley Square. Admission is free.)

Japanese Music, Past and Present: Musical duo YUMENO will be performing a

concert at Tufts this weekend, featuring the talents of Yoko Reikano Kimura and cellist Hikaru Tamaki. The duo performs classical Japanese and Western music, as well as contemporary music. Pieces performed will include works by Minoru Miki and Tatatomi Nobunata. (Saturday at 8 p.m. in Distler Performance Hall. Tickets are free with a Tufts ID; limit two per person.)

Community Concert Series: In the latest edition of the Sunday at Tufts -- Community Concert Series, performance faculty violin-

ist Sarita Uranovsky and pianist Hisako Hiratsuka will perform a concert together.

The concert will feature works by Brahms, Korngold and Sarasate. (Friday at 8 p.m. in Distler Performance Hall. Tickets are free with a Tufts ID; limit two per person.)

—compiled by the Daily Arts Department

Concert Review

Jay-Z delivers successful, energetic concert by

Enshu Chawla

Contributing Writer

It may be hard to believe, but Shawn Carter, the businessman, husband to Beyoncé, temporary vegan and video game producer is still a rapper — and as such, he still performs with a swagger and audacity that has not been seen in hip-hop since the unfortunate death of his friend and fellow Brooklynite the Notorious B.I.G. Indeed, there is no doubt that Jay-Z, despite his age, can still put on the show of a lifetime.

As a part of the Magna Carter World Tour, Jay-Z stopped at Boston’s TD Garden on Jan. 18 to support the album he released last summer. Despite some chart success, Jay-Z’s 12th work — regally titled “Magna Carta Holy Grail” — was a disappointment in a summer

of hip-hop dominated by several Drake songs that reached the Top 40, Kendrick Lamar’s continuing rise to stardom and a pseudo-rivalry involving Kanye West and J. Cole. Jay-Z reminded listeners about his age and business endeavors, which made it seem like they’re beginning to take priority over his rap career.

The Magna Carter World Tour has so far proved this false — with the Brooklyn rapper treating attendees to a beautifully lit stage that warped and transformed perfectly as the RocA-Fella co-founder demonstrated his smooth flow. In “U Don’t Know” (2001), fans were reminded of Jay-Z’s humble beginnings — the former crack dealer from the Marcy Projects who can now truly say he has made it. Each lyric was delivered with an undeniable combina-

tion of confidence, charisma and talent.

A fantastic backup band also accompanied Jay, with phenomenal players on electric guitar, keyboard and drums.

Occupying their designated spaces at different levels on the elaborate stage, the band served as a complementary element of the grandiose sound that Jay-Z created.

The show changed pace midway through, as the rapper sandwiched two tracks off of his 1996 classic “Reasonable Doubt” between some of his best work from the 21st century. “Dead Presidents II” (1996) and “Can I Live” (1996) were both expertly performed and served as a shout out to dedicated fans that were more familiar with this early material.

However, the whole concert was not merely a tongue-twisting display of cleverness and street knowledge, but rather a party that celebrated years of memorable songs and shifting styles.

Jay-Z provided a fun, energetic environment for concertgoers with renditions of “Dirt Off Your Shoulder” (2004) and “Paris” (2011), which had the crowd jumping. He performed with the spirit of a young man and had the delivery of a seasoned veteran.

This spirit was fully demonstrated during the encore performances. The aptly titled “Encore” (2003) started off this segment of the show and was quickly followed by timeless hits like “Izzo (H.O.V.A.)” (2001) and “Hard Knock Life (Ghetto Anthem)” (1998). The concert culminated with the best display of the entire night: “Young Forever” (2010).

With phones and lighters in the air, Jay-Z serenaded humming fans and reminded them to appreciate youth.

It was a fitting finale — the rapper even playfully interacted with individual attendees — and every part of this extended ending had the feeling of a perfect goodbye.

In 2003, “The Black Album” was supposed to be the last of Jay-Z’s albums, and it concluded with the ironically titled “My 1st Song.” On the track, he rapped, “Treat my first like my last, and my last like my first.” The music mogul stuck with that theme during his visit to Boston — delivering a late career

ThaCreator via Wikimedia Commons

Despite his business success, Jay-Z is still a talented musician. performance with the same joy and hunger as that of a young musician.

If Jay-Z finally does decide to end his music career to pursue his other lucrative endeavors, he will be remembered as extraordinary rapper with an unparalleled and lasting appeal.

Artsy Nugget

Macklemore wins Grammy, expresses guilt

i am guilty via Wikimedia Commons

Jay-Z performed old hits, as well as newer singles at his Jan. 18 concert.

The 56th annual Grammy Awards — which aired Sunday, Jan. 26 — saw the usual amount of drama, as well as a fair amount of shocking wins. Many were surprised to see Macklemore and Ryan Lewis pick up several trophies in the rap category, winning Best Rap Performance, Best Rap Song and Best Rap Album.

Additionally, the duo’s Best New Artist victory was even more bewildering for some fans, many of whom claimed they have been listening to Macklemore for more than a decade. The (somewhat muddled) official parameters for the award state that the artist must have just released “the first recording which establishes the public identity of the artist.”

Immediately after the show, Macklemore issued an apology to Kendrick Lamar via text message, which was widely circulated online after the Seattle rapper shared it on Instagram.

Many expected Lamar to win Best Rap Album for his 2012 effort “good kid, m.A.A.d. city,” and Macklemore clearly agreed, writing, “You got robbed. I wanted you to win.” In this act of sports-

manship — a somewhat atypical move in the realm of hip-hop — Macklemore shocked fans by seemingly conceding the recognition he has been working toward for many years. Yet, some felt differently.

By publicizing the exchange on social media, they argued, it appeared that Macklemore was attempting to call attention to himself, rather than to express any sincere condolences.

Another big winner of the show was 17-year-old New Zealand native Lorde, who picked up Song of the Year and Best Pop Solo Performance for “Royals” (2013). Her performance of the anticonsumerist song was accompanied by black and white visuals of stone angels.

This caused some to mock the singersongwriter on Twitter, saying the presentation made her look like a witch.

However, despite the ridicule, Lorde’s heartfelt delivery helped to solidify her reputation as a young artist who — with her blasé attitude — has broken the mold for pop stars.

—by Brendan Donohue

Thursday, January 30, 2014

The Tufts Daily

7

Weekender

TV Review

‘Archer’ retains trademark humor despite new premise in fifth season by

Dan O’Leary

Daily Editorial Board

Due to the uncertain and ongoing nature of television shows, it’s a fairly rare for a series to maintain its original quality as seasons go by. It is no secret that the near-unanimous feeling about “How I Met Your Mother” (2005-present) is that it has overstayed its welcome for a few seasons now, and that “The Office” (2005-2013) reeked of desperation with its late cast additions. All of this makes it significant that animated hit “Archer” — now in its fifth season — chose to reinvent itself and move away from its roots as a spy satire. By revamping the show, creator Adam Reed has chosen to address the possibility of stagnation head-on and has crafted an exciting new direction for “Archer” — one that opens up new creative avenues while still maintaining the series’ trademark humor.

The major changes are apparent within the first few minutes of the season premiere. The FBI is shutting down spy organization ISIS, which was never sanctioned by the government. The episode wastes little time in setting up season five’s new focus in the wake of ISIS’ demise. The crew must figure out how to handle the “white elephant in the room” — a ridiculously large stockpile of cocaine gathered from missions over the years. In typical “Archer” fashion, the people in the room contend they will find a way to profit from the drug surplus by forming a drug cartel.

Suddenly ISIS is no more. With that, viewers enter the world of “Archer Vice,” named after the titular character’s glee at the opportunity to enact his own version of “Miami Vice” (1984-1989).

The season’s second episode makes it abundantly clear that this new direction is not some a fluke, but a new trope. Changes include a reworked title sequence featuring neon colors and an “Archer Vice” logo. It’s quickly evident that the show has moved into a serialized format — a shift away from previous seasons where

Courtesy FX Network

H. Jon Benjamin continues to deliver perfect voiceover work as Sterling Archer in the new season of ‘Archer.’ episodes routinely returned to the status quo by the final scene (with the exception of a few ongoing plot points). Though nowhere near “Lost” (2004-2010) levels of continuity, there is certainly an ongoing narrative weaving its way throughout the season, making for a more engaging viewing experience while following the trials of the ISIS team — stripped of most of their equipment and funds — as they try to make it as a drug cartel.

Despite the numerous changes to its setup, “Archer” still feels like the same show that fans know and love. On one hand, this familiarity is a testament to how natural the transition feels. Yet the show still works because of its strongly written characters and outstanding voiceover work.

H. Jon Benjamin continues to perfect his deadpan, monotone delivery for the eternally arrogant Sterling Archer. The rest of the supporting cast excel in bringing their characters to life. Lana (Aisha Tyler) still struggles to remain the voice of reason in the group, Malory (Jessica Walter) handles a drug cartel with the same acid tongue she used to handle

ISIS and Pam (Amber Nash) continues to give in to her various impulses. Part of the fun of the new season is seeing how these characters find themselves in recognizable roles despite the obvious change in scenery. And since “Archer” is a show that rewards attentive viewers with numerous inside jokes and references, fans will be happy to see that this repertoire remains unchanged, with the latest episode making ocelot jokes and “Danger Zone” references.

Is the new season of “Archer” perfect?

No, the show has some minor flaws that can be expected of a series entering its fifth year. There are times when the show doesn’t seem to get the same laughs it did in earlier seasons, and the scripts have better luck with certain characters than others. Regardless of these shortcomings, “Archer” remains one of the most consistent comedies on television, and is always entertaining to watch. As the show plunges into new creative territory, viewers can rest assured that there are still plenty of hilarious adventures to come from the (former) ISIS gang on “Archer.”

Artsy Jumbo

Junior Shea Maloney explores photography, fibers Photography isn’t quite like painting a picture or writing a song. To junior Shea Maloney, she says “photography is all about pointing to something compelling ... it forces you to pay attention to everything in your environment.”

Maloney fell in love with photography as a sophomore in high school, taking two classes and completing an independent study in her hometown of Medfield, Mass. Maloney — prolific early on — also won a Boston Globe Scholastic Art Award in her senior year. For the budding photographer, there has always been a drive to learn more. Maloney, a transfer student from Fordham University, found herself drawn to the human element of photography.

“I took two classes at Fordham that were really important because they pushed me out of my comfort zone,” Maloney said.

While at Fordham, Maloney began street photography, which she said opened her eyes to the world around her and the strangers that inhabited it.

Inspired, she began exploring other mediums hoping to share her perspective.

Today, Maloney said she has found her artistic niche as a Jumbo. She is the darkroom coordinator and a TA for Dore Gardner’s class “Photo Foundation.” Maloney is also enrolled in two classes at the SMFA, “Sculptural Fiber” and “Photoshop.” However, her first passion remains photography.

When asked about her perspective, she was confident that her work could speak for itself.

“It’s an interesting thing with a picture ... what you choose to leave out is almost as important as what you include,” she said.

—by Veronica Little

courtesty Shea Malony

Nash Simpson | Throwblack Thursday

Coming to terms

H

onorable citizens, randos, gremlins and freshmen alike, thanks for choosing to take part in the excusable waste of time that is this column: “Throwblack Thursday.” My column’s name of course deserves explanation, so I’ll start from the beginning.

My inspiration for“ThrowblackThursday” was a recent conversation that I had with a friend of mine, Nash (no, I was not talking to myself), with whom I enjoy discussing the latest pop culture news, politics, music and Richard Sherman shenanigans. During one of our talks, Nash felt like bringing up classic black movies from the late ‘80s and ‘90s.

“Hey, Nash,” he said to me. “Have you seen [insert name of a black film here]?”

More often than not I answered, “No, no, uh ... maybe? No, not in a long time, no.”

As he continued naming these movies I kept shaking my head — although I elected to nod every now and then just to change things up. Lies on lies. Apparently I still didn’t nod enough times: Nash eventually concluded that I hadn’t seen “too many” of what he referred to as “landmark, must-see black movies.” As the days passed, he kept asking me questions: “Have you seen New Jack City? Rosewood? Juice?”

And I would consistently respond with the honest “no.”

I initially found Nash’s discovery off-putting since I consider myself to be relatively in tune with black culture. My general lack of knowledge of pre-21st century black films felt like a disturbingly deficiency. Perhaps, I thought, if I just pushed Nash’s discovery aside, I could simply ignore this deficit of sorts and move on with my life, peacefully dwelling in the comfort of ignorant bliss.

I attempted to carry out this denial tactic only to find myself — almost involuntarily — surfing IMDb and other movie sites to research many of these classic black movies. I had quickly become obsessed, and I had no choice but to make time to just sit down and watch the films. I had quite bit of catching up to do — and I still do. You know, falling behind like this is what happens when — over the course of an entire childhood — you skip over BET too many times while quickly flipping through channels. Damn you, Nickelodeon!

In a delayed response to that brief encounter with Nash, I decided to make a New Year’s resolution: I plan, over the course of 2014, to watch as many of these classic black movies as possible — not necessarily because I feel pressured to do so, but because I feel compelled to explore the deep-rooted cultural themes that are often conveyed through comedy, film, music and scattered amalgamations of all three. I’ll delineate the topics I find interesting in “Throwblack Thursday.”

This column will be an exploration of black movie entertainment and an analysis of the films’ cultural implications. I will use varying points of emphasis that will change depending on the type of movie and/or the way in which each movie was made.

The discussed focal points will range in theme — from blatant allusions to historical events, to clever but often offensive satires of the ways in which we — as subjects of modern American media — define contemporary black culture.

To conclude, I’d like to point out that I prefer to keep the term “black movie” as fluid and subjective as possible. As a matter of fact, in a deliberate attempt to avoid the perpetuation of arguably separatist tendencies of minority subcultures in America, I refuse to define the term.

As far as I’m concerned, if a pre-2000 film movie sheds light on black culture in any discernible way, I’ll include it in the category of classic “black film.”

Worry not — this refusal of labels will not get out of hand, and at the end of the day you will undoubtedly enjoy embarking upon this journey with Nash — me, not the other one. Note, by the way, that the article title will sometimes hint at what the next column will be about. Randomly placed puns will also foreshadow future topics. Anyways, be sure to come back next Thursday and the Thursday after next and the Thursday after that.

Nash Simpson is a senior majoring in English. He can be reached at Nash.

Simpson@tufts.edu.

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THE TUFTS DAILY

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President Obama has been in office for just five years, but with Tuesday night’s State of the Union address, it can begin to feel like he has been a lame duck president for a while. Conservatives among us would scoff and declare that his administration hasn’t kept its campaign promises since day one.

He never had the traditional “100 days” that has served as an unofficial ceasefire of partisan hostilities since Franklin D. Roosevelt’s first 100 days of crisis management in 1933.

Indeed, once Senator Mitch McConnell of Kentucky declared at the beginning of the president’s first term in office that the goal of the GOP would be Obama’s failure, his agenda — even in the relatively sacrosanct 100 days — was fought at every turn.

That is why, despite the administration’s best efforts, it’s hard to take policy propositions — like those from the State of the Union address — seriously. What previously has been an important, agenda-defining speech has unfortunately devolved into, at best, a list of goals and, at worst, an awkward political rally. For Republicans, Obama’s major addresses have long been unworthy of serious treatment and respect — Representative Joe

Wilson’s jeer, “You lie!” remains notable. For Democrats, each speech becomes less hopeful and the policy agenda more like a wish list.

In light of all of this, some still have faith. Large margins of college students helped put the President in office twice, including many Tufts students. Whether it has been waiting to see President Obama kill the Keystone XL pipeline, hoping for him to disabuse Americans of their notion of a post-racial society or waiting for him to truly punish those responsible for the 2008 financial crisis, many of us have been let down. Last night’s State of the Union, though exciting for some of the proposals — an executive order on the minimum wage, a successful-ish start to Obamacare and an emphasis on diplomacy with Iran — remained disenchanting, as Republican representatives and senators declared Obama’s proposals dead before they reach the floor.

Is it really worthwhile to hope for good policy to be made? For great change to be made? Can America still do great things — the things we read in our textbooks and imagine doing ourselves, some of us, in

our wildest dreams? Is it possible, as the President said, to “believe it?”

President Obama’s campaign was so potent because of his vision of an America where, “Yes, we can” bridges partisan divides to better the future. But the impossibility of this optimism became abundantly clear early in President Obama’s first term. The American spirit, which Obama encapsulated during his candidacy, was important: we are a nation of strivers, of regular folks, of “any other human beings” who rise above the titles we have been given and the distinctions others attribute to us. But five years later, the blind-eyed optimism of 2008 has worn out.

President Obama is less about the “change we can believe in,” and more about the change he can unilaterally make in the last years of his term. Yes, we could have worked together to form a “more perfect union.” But the “fired up, ready to go” presidential candidate from 2008 has lost his momentum, as have we. His emphasis Tuesday night on that which is “within our reach” reveals a less euphoric politician than the history-making man many fought for not so long ago.

keran chen

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Off the Hill | University of Houston

Another day, another abandoned ship filled with cannibalistic rats by

PRODUCTION Jen Betts

Production Director Montana Miller Executive Layout Editor Adrian Lo Layout Editors Daniel MacDonald Elliot Philips Falcon Reese Emily Rourke Andrew Stephens Chelsea Stevens Betsy Allman Assistant Layout Editor Hannah Fingerhut Kathy Lu Hannah Steinberg Grace Tam David Westby Stephanie Yin Hadley Gibson Charlotte Rea Annaick Miller Julia Russell Rachel Salzberg Vidya Srinivasan Arthur Beckel Aastha Chadha Kelsey Davenport Jose Garcia Kristiana Jordan Reena Karasin Sophie Krakoff Vanessa Miller Patrick O’Shea Jei-Jei Tan Tai Williams Yan Zhao Nitesh Gupta

Thursday, January 30, 2014

Maybe we could have

Caroline A. Welch Editor-in-Chief

Editorial | Letters

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Cara Smith

The Daily Cougar

We all have those dreams, nightmares and fantasies that will never leave the confines of our imaginations. Some are more commercially accepted embarrassments, like a romantic dream about Kevin Bacon or renowned cellist Yo-Yo Ma. Others we keep to ourselves on the off chance that we’ll want to be hired for a paid position one day, and we can’t risk anybody else on planet Earth knowing us as “that girl that I went to high school with who dreamed she went to Hogwarts and then cried when she woke up.” Seriously, that chick is never getting hired.

Then stuff happens on this zany planet we call home — stuff that makes our dreams of Quidditch and our nightmares of properly un-sexy movie stars pale in comparison to our horrifying reality. It’s pretty lame, but our world has things like Justin Bieber’s Instagram account, The Huffington Post’s Twitter account and unmanned ships filled with cannibalistic rats drifting toward a shore near you.

Sadly, all three of those things seem to exist.

It’s a story whose origins are as downright weird as we’d all expect it to be. Basically, in the 70s, Mother Russia decided it would be prudent to try and gain a foothold in the tropical side of the travel industry, despite competing with the likes of Costa Rica, Fiji and even Florida. Which seems logical, but the story doesn’t end there.

Private owners built a ship, and as to be expected, the owners of the ship lost a ton of money building it and keeping it run-

The Tufts Daily is a nonprofit, independent newspaper, published Monday through Friday during the academic year, and distributed free to the Tufts community. EDITORIAL POLICY Editorials represent the position of The Tufts Daily. Individual editors are not necessarily responsible for, or in agreement with, the policies and editorials of The Tufts Daily. The content of letters, advertisements, signed columns, cartoons and graphics does not necessarily reflect the opinion of The Tufts Daily editorial board.

ning. So the ship — called Lyubov Orlova — was seized by Canadian authorities in September 2010 and learned to call the docks of Newfoundland home. Assumedly, the ship probably thought it was born on the most boring planet in the galaxy.

Then, Canada decided to sell the ship for parts, where the ship was to have the same fate as most Saturn cars do. Canada started hauling the ship down to the Dominican Republic. However, because of rough seas, the ship’s towline snapped. Canada sent out yet another ship to try and haul Miss Orlova to the Dominican Republic.

Sadly, Miss Orlova will never know a world outside of biting chills and boredom.

That second ship sent by the Canadians, assumedly because of negligence, accidentally dragged the Lyubov Orlova further off course, into international waters, where it then made the most sense to rid themselves of this pesky hunk-o-steel and return back to their pickup hockey match.

That’s right — the Canadians just cut the ship loose, like it was some toddler-rap artist with an unrelenting hair coif.

Now, this happened almost a year ago, so it doesn’t make much sense for us to even be considering this a threat. Oh, how I wish that were the case.

As reported by CNN in March 2013, two lifeboats fell off the Lyubov Orlova, which triggered a signal reminding — or alerting — authorities of the ship’s existence. It also showed authorities how far Miss Orlova traveled, and it seemed that she was finally about to satiate her hankering for potatoes and hard liquor.

After receiving the signals, authorities

thought the ship had drifted nearly twothirds of the way across the Atlantic Ocean and was making a beeline for Ireland and Great Britain.

According to authorities from Newfoundland, the ship essentially sat in a dock for two years before it set off for the beaches of the Dominican Republic. The boat also wasn’t reportedly cleaned or emptied, so there was a slight possibility that a giant, rusting hunk of steel was drifting toward shore, filled with diseased, cannibalistic rats. That’s what people on the Internet are saying, but it seems this crisis is not the time to question the sterling reputation of the web’s blogosphere.

Expectedly, there’s also a pretty high chance that the ship doesn’t even exist anymore. After receiving the signals in March 2013, authorities went out searching for the Lyubov Orlova, but found nothing. Perhaps the lifeboat signal was bogus or a technical error, or maybe the ship disintegrated or sunk soon after the signal was sent. Regardless, it’s highly likely that Miss Orlova has passed on.

It’s mostly been insane web-based conjecture, though, that the ship was infested with rats or even still intact in the first place.

Still, some are worried that a potential storm could send the Lyubov Orlova — if it still exists — on a speed trajectory for land. If the ship winds up still being intact, authorities hope that they can keep the ship at bay until scrap haulers get the chance to climb onboard and hang out with some bored, hungry rodents with a newfound taste for scrap hauler blood.

And now, we wait with cheese-baited breath. Sorry, I just couldn’t resist that one.

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Op-Ed

Off the Hill | University of California Berkeley

Jonathan Moore | Politically Erect

Funding cuts leave wounds in research

by Neal Sweeney The Daily Californian

After less than a year, the misguided sequester experiment is seemingly coming to an end. But the damage done by it — and the austerity policies from which it originated — lives on in cuts to vital programs such as science research, and may be with us for a long time to come.

It’s up to us to let the politicians know that this course is unacceptable.

The sequester was borne out of Congress’ failure to reach an agreement on a budget in 2011. The terms were so terrible — drastic, across-the-board cuts impacting programs ranging from child nutrition to cancer research to food inspections — that few thought they would actually be implemented. But the sequester did end up happening — in large part because enough members of Congress see the federal budget as a zero-sum game in which investments in research come only in exchange for cuts to other valuable programs, such as Social Security and Medicare. The result was austerity — which shifts the burden of the economic crisis onto the backs of low and middle-income workers, students and other vulnerable populations.

Common-sense alternatives to budget cuts — such as eliminating corporate tax exemptions and asking the wealthiest to pay their fair share — remain off the table, despite the fact that huge majorities of voters support these alternatives.

For example, 79 percent of voters support closing a loophole involving offshore tax havens that would save $155 billion a year, equal to about two years’ worth of sequester cuts.

And this is just one of many corporate tax breaks.

But without action, these cuts will continue to degrade publicly funded research that has led to countless new therapies and technologies. National Institutes of Health (NIH) funding has enabled UC Berkeley researchers to make groundbreaking discoveries involving the polio virus, flu vaccines, malaria treatments, cancer-causing genes and environmental toxins — and the list goes on and on. Under sequestration, the NIH saw its budget cut by $1.71 billion in 2013, which meant 700 fewer grants were fund-

wikimedia commons

ed. Those 700 grants could have helped find cures or treatments for who knows how many diseases, and the research was stopped before it even got started. Even projects that managed to retain their funds have been scaled back, meaning fewer researchers, a smaller staff and outdated equipment, leaving questions that naturally arise over the course of experimentation unexplored.

Negotiations over a new budget have reduced the sequester cuts for the next two years, and this is a glint of good news, given the complete dysfunction and government shutdown that took place three months ago. But we haven’t seen an end to the austerity politics that gave rise to it. And while some funding for science and other critical programs such as Head Start was restored, the budget for the NIH, our nation’s largest science agency, will still be less than it was in seven out of eight years of the Bush administration.

The continued shortchanging of science has long-term implications that policy makers cannot ignore. Study after study shows the positive economic and job creation benefits to federal investments in science research. In 2011, $3.5 billion in NIH grants in California alone created nearly $8 billion in economic growth and about 60,000 jobs.

And these same economic benefits hold for other areas of federal investment, such as education from preschool through college, public health and more.

As the union representing postdoctoral researchers at the University of California, United Auto Workers Local 5810 is fighting these cuts. Our members are well aware of the long-term outlook for science. We also know that we are at risk of losing talented individuals across scientific fields. We have gathered thousands of petition signatures, used innovative social media campaigns and recently organized 39 members of the House of Representatives to sign a letter opposing sequester cuts to science and other vital programs. We’re keeping a close eye on those who understand the value of scientific research, and we will continue to work with the university, other stakeholders and the public to fend off cuts to — and then increase — funding for scientific research.

We are no longer cutting to the bone, but we are still cutting into muscle; we are still doing significant damage.

And we’re doing all this not because our nation has decided that science is no longer important. We’re doing it because Congress is focused on slashand-burn policies that damage our most successful programs instead of looking to progressive, equitable financial policies that ensure corporations and the wealthiest individuals pay their fair share and our research and social safety net can be restored.

It’s past time for that to change.

Off the Hill | University of Kansas

Grade inflation encourages underperformance in class

by Jesse

Burbank

The University Daily Kansan

We’ve all heard things will be different in college. We’ve been assured that laziness will not be tolerated as we climb through the ranks of American academia, and that our first lesson upon entering college will be how difficult life really is. But, after finishing my first semester and receiving my first wave of grades, I haven’t come away with that impression at all. This isn’t due to the class material or the instruction provided by professors, all of these were generally engaging and appropriately challenging. No, this impression stems from one thing: grade inflation.

This practice of fluffing grades has become increasingly prominent in higher education. While this trend is troublesome, grade inflation is not a universal detriment. There are circumstances in which extraordinary classes earn extraordinary grades. So, too, are there occasions where professors genuinely raise the bar too high. However, these are few and far between. In order to find these instances while still promoting necessary academic standards, professors must strike a pragmatic balance between recognizing when their tasks are too difficult and when their students are too apathetic.

Grade inflation has been an everworsening issue in higher education. A 2012 Teachers College Record study by Stuart Rojstaczer and Christopher Heally examined the matter by compiling data on grades from more than 200 four-year colleges. According to this study’s findings, 43 percent of all grades given at the university level are either A or A-.

This staggering statistic represents an increase of 28 percentage points since 1960. The study concludes, “As a result of instructors gradually lowering their standards, A has become the most common grade on American college campuses.” With the slashing of academic standards, the effort required in order to earn an A has dramatically decreased, leading to a scarcity of incentive for students to arduously study.

As I slogged my way through last semester, I began to prioritize studying based upon a professor’s willingness to curve. If I knew that a professor was unwilling to curve exams, I allotted significantly more time towards studying for the class. I got much more fulfillment and knowledge out of classes that presented a struggle — a trial that required the investment of time and energy to overcome.

If schools wish to root out the academic underperformance that causes

professors to lower their standards and institute outlandishly generous grading curves, then they must stop accommodating academic underperformance.

While the current number of As is ludicrous, my intention is not to expound a regimented system in which fewer people succeed despite giving all they had in pursuit of academic success. Rather, large amounts of As ought to signify outstanding collective effort rather than collective apathy. If students are not meeting the required standards of knowledge a class is meant to impart, then a professor must not lower the standard out of fear of poor evaluations or a poor reputation with the student body. Such an action is more detrimental to a student than a lower grade.

With the dawn of a new semester upon us, let us take steps towards a reality where college substantively prepares students for the world beyond academia. This is not achieved by declaring 43 percent of pupils “outstanding” and thus robbing the grading system of its ability to offer comparative standing. Indeed, inflating grades to these levels diminishes the very value of what it means to earn an A. Instead, this ideal can only be realized through fidelity to reasonable standards that incite advancement.

What’s in a radical?

Nearly two years ago, I looked at the photos of Trayvon Martin and thought about how closely he resembled my first crush.

I grew up in a little Catholic school in inner city Detroit where I was born and raised.

For those who don’t know anything about Detroit (someone once asked me if it was in the South), it has the highest percentage of African-Americans of any major city in the United States. I come from Mississippi Blacks on my father’sl side and first generation Mexican-Americans on my mother’s. Rarely knowing what it felt like to be in the racial minority, to say that getting used to Tufts continues to be a life-changing process for me would be an understatement.

As a poor, gay, bi-racial, atheist kid from Detroit, I’ve often been assumed to be “radical” by many as a side effect of my very existence. Undoubtedly, I’m not the face of the Republican Party base, nor am I a poster boy for conservative values — but I’ve had to restrain myself from using the word “radical” to describe who I am. This is not because I think that my views and beliefs are traditional or not extreme, nor is it because my own self love and confidence is not radical, but because I don’t feel comfortable defining myself by what I think or say and not by what I’ve done to change the status quo.

The 2012 murder of Trayvon Martin and the subsequent media circus proved to many young Americans of color that even the most logical of words and reasons have their limitations in confronting systems that are codified to oppress, exterminate and devalue the lives of millions. Stunningly, I too often find people in denial about the real world realities of racism and institutional oppression in an effort to achieve some otherworldly sense of political correctness. “I don’t see race,” they’ll say.

“We’re all the same.” These same people go on to assert themselves as “radical” thinkers and champions of racial equality. Pause.

Not only are these “post-racial” decrees by people harmful to our acceptance as a society of the work that still needs to be done, they are also a slap in the face to the very existence of people of color. I’m happy that you’re so colorblind — while you’re at it, you can forget about gravity and motion too since the laws of human nature bear just as much weight on this world as the natural ones. Denial can only go on for so long until it becomes accepted ignorance — most people of color don’t have the luxury of denying reality.

As the name Zimmerman remained wedged in my throat and the face of Trayvon Martin became etched into my memory like the face of Emmett Till in my grandmother’s, my 16-year-old body did not feel radical. I did not feel like a liberal-leaning Democrat. I felt afraid. I felt rage in my fingertips and, as if a hunting season had just been declared, feared that someone I knew would be on the dinner table of some sick son of a gun sooner or later.

Real radicals bussed down to Selma on their own accords, faced inhumane brutality in the hopes of building the “beloved community”.

Real radicals felt the scald of cigarette burns on their backs yet thought nothing of it compared to the ache of longing for elusive equality. Real radicals say things like, “If a bullet should enter my brain, let that bullet destroy every closet door,” knowing that nothing worth fighting for will be won without great loss. True radicals put life and limb and love and longing all on the line to say “enough.” True radicals act.

But me? I’m nothing but a brown boy trying — succeeding, yes. But still trying, aspiring — to be more than just radical or progressive or whatever buzzword is on the tip of the tongues of the brightest and best. Trying to be more than just a set of fingers gnashing away at a keyboard or an outspoken voice spitting rhymes after midnight, I am not here to be politically correct, or incorrect. I am here to be real.

Tupac Shakur once said, “I feel cheated because instead of me fulfilling my prophecy, I have to start one.” I’m still looking for mine.

Jonathan Moore is a freshman who has net yet declared a major. He can be reached at Jonathan.Moore@tufts.edu.

Op-ed Policy The Op-Ed section of The Tufts Daily, an open forum for campus editorial commentary, is printed Monday through Thursday. The Daily welcomes submissions from all members of the Tufts community; the opinions expressed in the Op-Ed section do not necessarily represent the opinions of the Daily itself. Opinion articles on campus, national and international issues should be 600 to 1,200 words in length. Op-Ed cartoons are also welcomed for the Campus Canvas feature. All material is subject to editorial discretion and is not guaranteed to appear in the Daily. All material should be submitted to oped@tuftsdaily.com no later than noon on the day prior to the desired day of publication; authors must submit their telephone numbers and day-of availability for editing questions. Submissions may not be published elsewhere prior to their appearance in the Daily, including but not limited to other on- and off-campus newspapers, magazines, blogs and online news websites, as well as Facebook. Republishing of the same piece in a different source is permissible as long as the Daily is credited with originally running the article.

The Tufts Daily

10

Comics

Thursday, January 30, 2014

Doonesbury

Crossword

by

Garry Trudeau

Non Sequitur

Tuesday’s Solution

Married to the Sea

www.marriedtothesea.com

SUDOKU: Level: Richard Sherman getting an interception.

Late Night at the Daily

Wednesday’s Solution

Jamie: “I like beating people at things they are supposed to be good at.”

Want more late-night laughs?

Follow us on Twitter at @LateNiteAtDaily

Please recycle this Daily.

by

Wiley

Thursday, January 30, 2014

The Tufts Daily

11

sports Aaron Leibowitz | The Fan

It’s come to this

I

MCt

Pacers center Roy Hibbert has been anchor of the defense for the best team in the Eastern Conference.

Durant headlines youthful wave of stars leading league NBA

continued from back

ficult to pick. Every season, there are multiple candidates deserving of the honor, and this year is no different.

Terry Stotts has turned the Portland Trail Blazers into one of the league’s elite teams, Frank Vogel is leading an unstoppable defense in Indiana and Gregg Popovich continues to employ the best overall scheme in the league, finding ways to win games with an aging core. That said, Hornacek’s work thus far with the Suns must be recognized. Before the start of the season, nearly every NBA analyst projected the Suns to be among the worst teams in the NBA. Most thought Phoenix would tank so they could earn a high pick in the super-talented 2014 NBA draft class. Hornacek’s Suns, however, have shocked the basketball world, putting together a scrappy, fast-paced team that sits sixth in the stacked Western Conference, ahead of preseason favorites Memphis and Minnesota. Led by the dual point guard attack of Goran

Dragic and Eric Bledsoe, the Suns own the eighth most efficient offense in the league. This approach can be credited to Hornacek’s enthusiasm and strategy on the sideline, which is why he sits currently atop the Coach of the Year leader board.

Most Improved Player: Stephenson, Indiana Pacers

Lance

The key to the Pacers rise lies within its ability to develop players, as they’ve turned former mid first round picks and second round-ers into all-stars.

Stephenson, the 40th pick in the 2010 draft, falls into this category as he’s become one of the premier two-way shooting guards in the NBA. Although he is often the fourth option in the Pacers attack, Stephenson has flourished with his well-rounded game and leads the league with three triple-doubles. Stephenson may very well earn a spot on the all-star team with his stellar performance this season.

via wikimedia commons

OKC guard Kevin Durant has dominated the league so far this year.

Tufts comes up big against difficult regional rivals WOMEN’S FENCING continued from back

win by the epee squad 6-3, and a nailbiting loss by the foil squad kept the Jumbos up by two points before the sabre squad’s 9-0 destruction of the Blue to win 19-8 overall, tying the ribbon on a successful weekend for Tufts women’s fencing.

Squires remained undefeated throughout the tournament, winning all seven of her matches. Malleck dropped just one of her seven matches.

Against stiffer competition at the Northeast Conference on Saturday, Tufts recorded wins over Brown University, 14-13, Dartmouth College, 16-11, Smith College, 17-10, Vassar College, 16-11, and MIT, 18-9. Their only loss was to the second-seeded Brandeis by a score of 21-6.

Against Brown, Tufts recorded 7-2 and 6-3 wins in epee and sabre. In the Jumbos’ closest matchup of the day the sabre team barely edged out the Bears 14-13. Malleck won a pair of matches in epee, while Bean and freshman Anna Gooch both won two matches in epee and sabre, respectively.

“It felt great for all of us knowing that we could work together to beat Brown, breaking their undefeated record this season,” senior co-captain and sabre captain Julia Hisey told the Daily in an email.

Tufts sabre class continued their strong performance with a perfect record against Dartmouth, 9-0, lifting the team to a 16-11 victory overall, despite Dartmouth winning both the epee and foil weapon classes.

Sophomore Alexandra Boden led the way for the Jumbo victory, winning all three of her matches in sabre.

Against Smith College, Hisey and Malleck led Tufts to a 17-10 victory, both going a perfect three-for-three in their matches. The Tufts sabre class continued their dominance, winning all nine games. Epee also put forward a strong effort, winning 7-2, and helping the Jumbos to their third straight win of the day.

Although the sabre and epee weapon classes had carried the weight of the team for the first three wins, the foil squad recorded their only win of the day against Vassar

college, playing a crucial role in the team’s 16-11 victory.

The match against Vassar saw notable wins from freshmen Juliet Hewes and Squires. Hewes provided a muchneeded spark for the foil squad by winning all three of her matchups.

Squires was also undefeated in sabre.

Tufts biggest win of the day was against three-seed MIT, with 7-2 wins in both epee and sabre. But Malleck and Hisey were again the spark behind the win, as they both had undefeated matches.

The Jumbos only loss of the event came at the hands of a strong Brandeis team, but Gooch and Squires continued their superb performances, winning five of their six matchups.

The Jumbos will resume their winter season this weekend at the Northwestern Meet.

“The team’s morale was definitely high [after this weekend],” Hisey told the Daily in an email. “We are looking to keep our momentum going into [this Northwestern Meet] and try to look at it as an opportunity for some good fencing.”

f the world made sense — if the NCAA were a sensible organization that gave a damn about the well-being of the young men and women it purports to represent — then the NCAA’s statement on Tuesday in response to the first-ever attempt by college athletes to unionize would seem reasonable, irrefutable, even.

“This union-backed attempt to turn student-athletes into employees undermines the purpose of college: an education,” the statement reads. “Student-athletes are not employees, and their participation in college sports is voluntary.”

But, of course! The purpose of college is to get an education! Students who happen to play sports are not employees! What could be more obvious?

Then reality strikes. The sad truth is that the NCAA has strayed so far from its stated goals, its actions have become so hypocritical and self-serving, that the statement it released on Tuesday can hardly be read with a straight face.

For one, we now know that the term “student-athlete” was in fact conjured up by the NCAA for the specific purpose of classifying players as amateurs to avoid paying them workers’ compensation.

We also know that, though just 1.7 percent of college football players and 1.2 percent of men’s college basketball players reach the professional level, Div. I athletes in these sports typically receive anything but a first-rate education.

And we know that, while many Div. I athletes receive scholarships, those scholarships are often worth less than the full cost of attending school and can be terminated if a player gets injured or sick.

That’s not to mention that NCAA athletes — particularly those in Div. I football and men’s basketball, but also in certain other sports at select schools — generate millions of dollars for their coaches, for the NCAA, for their conferences and for TV networks.

They generate revenue like workers do; they devote many hours each week to their craft like workers do; and they are subject to exploitation like workers are. Yet they do not receive the benefits that workers ought to receive, including sufficient medical protections and “full” scholarships that are actually full.

For all of these reasons, the football players at Northwestern should be commended for taking formal steps Tuesday to request representation by a labor union. It’s a move unprecedented in the history of college sports. It’s long overdue.

The players face a tall task in taking on the NCAA behemoth, and perhaps their attempt at unionization will fail. But for fans who care not just about being entertained, but also about the just treatment of the athletes entertaining them, this is a step in the right direction. For the athletes themselves, it offers a powerful message to the NCAA: Stop taking advantage of us.

Perhaps if the NCAA had not become the embodiment of power run amok, employee status for college athletes would not be necessary. In a perfect world, education really would be the top priority, and unionization really would undermine the primary purpose of college, as the NCAA has insisted it does.

But that ship sailed long ago, and the NCAA is at the helm.

College athletes put their bodies — and, given the realities of head trauma, their minds — on the line. At the same time, those athletes in revenue-generating sports help put millions of dollars in others’ pockets. That alone is enough to warrant their employee status.

Unfortunately, the NCAA has worked hard to ensure that “student-athletes” remain just that. The myth of amateurism runs deep, and multiple court cases over the past few decades have served to strengthen that myth.

But the public is awakening to the realities of big-time college sports. We know changes are needed. Now, it’s refreshing to see the athletes follow suit.

Aaron Leibowitz is a senior who is majoring in American studies. He can be reached at Aaron.Leibowitz@tufts.edu.

Sports

12

tuftsdaily.com

Women’s Fencing

Jumbos tied for fourth in NFC after weekend wins by

Alison Kuah

Daily Editorial Board

The women’s fencing team participated in two meets last weekend, going 5-1 in the Northeast Conference on Saturday, and winning the Wellesley College Fencing Invitational on Sunday.

Coming off of a challenging but successful Northeast Conference on Saturday, Tufts notched easy wins against Boston University, 20-7, Mount Holyoke, 23-4, and Wellesley, 19-8, and came away as the undisputed winner of the Wellesley Invitational Tournament on Sunday.

Wellesley took second place followed by Mount Holyoke and Boston University. Although Tufts had a strong weekend, initially the team was just looking to perform alongside stiff competition, senior co-captain Shelby Bean said.

The team is now tied with Sacred Heart University for fourth place in the NFC, behind Brown University, Brandeis University and Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

In the first round on Sunday, Tufts was matched up against Boston University, with each weapon class contributing to the victory. Epee and sabre both won 7-2, and foil won 6-3. Newly appointed epee captain, sophomore Julia Malleck, freshman Lindsay Squires and the foil captain, senior Mailin Li each won all three of their matches.

Tufts routed Mount Holyoke, in the most one-sided match of the weekend, with foil dropping just three matches, epee one, and sabre none. Ten Tufts players went undefeated against Mount Holyoke.

Closing out the tournament against host Wellesley, a tight see WOMEN’S FENCING, page 11

Nicole Chan /The Tufts Daily

The women’s fencing team had their best weekend of the year, winning five matches, including a victory over previously undefeated Brown University.

Editors’ Super Bowl Picks Picker President Monaco Jake

Super Bowl Champ

Final Score

Inside the NBA MVP

35-21

Peyton Manning

20-17

Marshawn Lynch

Alex B

31-24

Wes Welker

Zachey

27-24

Peyton Manning

Aaron

28-24

Peyton Manning

Sam

24-21

Russell Wilson

Kate

24-21

Steve Hauschka

David

24-17

Peyton Manning

Alison

24-13

Peyton Manning

Alex C

30-14

Peyton Manning

Jason

31-20

Marshawn Lynch

Tyler

24-17

Peyton Manning

Alex S

24-21

Peyton Manning

Maclyn

27-24

Marshawn Lynch

Jorge

24-17

Peyton Manning

Chris

27-20

Peyton Manning

Ross

20-14

Knowshon Moreno

Basketball awards for mid-season point by

Alex Baudoin

Daily Editorial Board

As January comes to an end, we have reached the midpoint of the NBA regular season. With the all-star game just a couple weeks away, The Daily takes a look at the midseason award winners.

MVP: Kevin Durant, Oklahoma City Thunder

Although he’s been a clear member of the NBA’s elite for the past few seasons, Durant has finally taken the next step towards becoming the MVP frontrunner in his seventh year in the league.

While LeBron James still remains the nominal “best player on earth,” Durant has improved mightily this season, strengthening his overall game, and leading to career highs in points per game (31.1), assists per game (5.2), steals per game (1.5) and free throws made per game (10.1).

In addition, his field goal percentage, 3-point accuracy and offensive efficiency have stayed at or above his career norms. He has accomplished all this with his all-star sidekick Russell Westbrook sidelined with knee problems.

The Thunder hasn’t missed a beat despite Westbrook’s absence as they remain atop the competitive Western Conference. This sustained excellence is a clear result of Durant’s growth into a complete player. With less than 40 games remaining on the schedule, this award is Durant’s to lose.

ROY: Michael Carter-Williams, Philadelphia 76ers Halfway through the 20132014 NBA season, MCW has all but clinched the rookie of the year award. The 11th pick in the 2013 draft leads all rookies in scoring and

rebounding, as well as assists and steals — all while being the focal point of the 76ers’ offense every night. While scouts were unsure of his ability to adjust to the professional game, Carter-Williams silenced his doubters right away, putting together arguably the most impressive NBA debut of all time with a near quadruple-double in an upset over the reigning champion Miami Heat. Since then, Carter-Williams has battled injuries, but when he has been on the floor, he’s been an electrifying talent with the potential to be a perennial all-star. In a rookie class full of busts, disappointments and a general lack of talent, the 76ers point guard has been among the lone bright spots.

Defensive Player of the Year: Roy Hibbert, Indiana Pacers

In an era where rim protection is more important than ever, Roy Hibbert has nearly perfected the art of “verticality,” a term used to describe a situation where a player jumps straight in the air to contest an opponent’s shot at the rim without fouling.

Second in the league averaging 2.5 blocks per game, Hibbert anchors the league’s best defense by a wide margin, allowing 93.8 points per 100 possessions — over four points better than the second place team. While the Pacers’ defense also employs superb defenders like Paul George and David West, the team’s defensive prowess is centered on its 7’2”, monstrous rim protector down low.

Coach of the Year: Hornacek, Phoenix Suns

Jeff

The Coach of the Year award is almost always the most difsee NBA, page 11