TuftsDaily12.05.13

P.M. Showers 52/50

THE TUFTS DAILY

TUFTSDAILY.COM

thursday, december 5, 2013

VOLUME LXVI, NUMBER 57

Where You Read It First Est. 1980

Eaton Computer Lab temporarily inaccessible to public by

Annabelle Roberts

Daily Editorial Board

Eaton Computer Lab, which in the past has been a public resource, is now temporarily restricted to individuals within Tufts, according to Director of Communication and Organizational Effectiveness for Tufts Technology Services Dawn Irish.

“Access to the Eaton lab has been temporarily restricted to Tufts students, faculty and staff in order for the university to review software licensing requirements and the physical security of the space,” Irish told the Daily in an email.

According to an employee at the lab, who wished to remain anonymous, the new policy is disruptive for residents who rely on Tufts resources.

“This one woman comes in every other night and uses Photoshop to do these projects,” the source said. “She doesn’t have the program at home, and she’s thanked me several times because she says it is so useful.”

The anonymous worker added that she believes this policy change reflects poorly on Tufts’ relationship with the outside community.

“Having an open campus and open resources sets a good precedent for how we see us in a relationship to the rest of Medford and Somerville,” she said. “[This policy] is reinforcing the Tufts bubble instead of allowing us to share our resources.”

Irish said the university administration did not intend for this view to be a consequence of the policy change.

“Continuing to have a strong partnership with local residents remains a see EATON, page 2

MCT

The Office of Undergraduate Admissions this month upheld an Oct. 14 Tufts Community Union (TCU) Senate resolution urging the university to join the Institute of International Education (IIE) Syrian Consortium for Higher Education in Crisis to aid students in the war-torn country.

Tufts joins IIE Syrian Consortium to aid student in midst of civil war by

Abigail Feldman

Daily Editorial Board

The university last month became an official member of the Institute of International Education (IIE) Syrian Consortium for Higher Education in Crisis after the Office of Undergraduate Admissions agreed

to become involved with the organization. The decision resulted from an Oct. 14 Tufts Community Union ( TCU) Senate resolution calling for Tufts to join the nearly 40 colleges and universities that have chosen to offer scholarships to Syrian students through the program.

According to TCU Historian Bradley

Friedman, who submitted the resolution along with fellow senator and Outreach Committee co-Chair Dylan Saba, the IIE Syrian Consortium is a call for higher education institutes to provide financial aid to students in Syria.

As a result of the nation’s current see CONSORTIUM, page 2

Professor of Baroque art discusses Rembrandt, gifting practices in 17th century Holland by

Daniel Bottino

Daily Editorial Board

Michael Zell, associate professor of Baroque and 18th century art at Boston University, gave a lecture last night in the Fine Arts House on the relationship between Rembrandt’s art work to the culture of gift giving in 17th century Holland.

Zell began his presentation, “Rembrandt’s Art as Gift,” with an explanation of the central place of gift giving in Dutch culture during Rembrandt’s life. He noted that, of the seven original letters written by Rembrandt that survive today, three of them mention gifting a piece of artwork.

According to Zell, giving art as a gift was not unusual among the other major artists active during Rembrandt’s life.

Artist Peter Paul Rubens famously gave the English monarch Charles I a painting depicting an allegory of peace as to compliment the king for his negotiation of a peace treaty. Zell also emphasized that some 17th century artists refused payment for their works altogether.

“The Italian Guido Reni also adamantly refused to set prices for his works, insisting they were gifts, not mere commodities,” he said. “In the words of his 17th century biographer Carlo Malvasia,

Reni detested ‘the mention of price in a profession in which, instead, it should be obligatory to negotiate on the basis of an honorarium or a gift.’”

Zell explained that Holland’s economy has often been characterized as, during this period, one of the first examples of a modern capitalism. Zell explained that this perception has often led historians to overlook the extremely widespread activity of gift exchange in Holland during the same period, as gift exchange has been viewed as a primitive, pre-capitalist form of economy.

Zell argued that the supposedly primitive practice coexisted with the emergence of modern capitalism.

“Gift giving’s capacity to nurture social bonds became all the more important because it offered an alternative to the alienating conditions created by market exchange,” he said. “The strong association with gift giving with a culture of honor made it an asset in navigating commercial relationships.”

Zell next examined the impact of the culture of gift giving on Dutch 17th century art. He noted that the historical analysis of this era of Dutch art has been of a primarily economic nature, see GIFTS, page 2

Inside this issue

Rembrandt [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons

Michael Zell, an associate professor of Baroque and 18th century art at Boston University, last night delivered a lecture titled “Rembrandt’s Art as Gift” in the Fine Arts House on campus.

Today’s sections

Campus initiatives aim to boost health and wellness among the Tufts community.

The Boston Ballet is in its 42nd year of performing ‘The Nutcracker.’

see FEATURES, page 3

see WEEKENDER, page 5

News Features Weekender Editorial | Op-Ed

1 3 5 8

Op-Ed Comics Classifieds Sports

9 12 14 Back

The Tufts Daily

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News

Thursday, December 5, 2013

Zell focuses on art in economic context GIFTS

continued from page 1

Caroline Geiling / The Tufts Daily

Students became concerned for community relations after Eaton Computer Lab announced that it would temporarily restrict access to university affiliates.

Eaton policy change causes concern over community relations EATON

continued from page 1

priority, but the university must ensure that we are compliant with our contracts,” Irish said. “We realize that this change has had an impact on some local residents and we’ll actively work with anyone who reaches out to us to locate potential resources.”

Irish stated that, during the time that Tufts is reviewing licensing agreements, facilities at Tisch Library will remain open to the general public.

“While we review our current contracts to ensure compliance, Tufts will continue to make non-restricted computing resources available to the public in the Tisch Library and provide guest wireless to anyone who visits one of Tufts’ three Massachusetts campuses,” she said.

Police briefs Man versus Cherokee

black

Jeep

Shortly after 1 p.m. on Nov. 19, Tufts University Police Department (TUPD) received a report of an accident involving a bicycle and a black Jeep Cherokee. The male student was biking on Packard Avenue toward Professors Row and went wide on a turn towards Latin Way. The jeep attempted to avoid the cyclist, who landed on the car. The car’s windshield broke, and the bike was damaged. The student was not injured.

You’re acting very strange TUPD received a call from students in Wren Hall on Nov. 23 at 12:53 a.m. reporting an unwanted male in the lobby who was “acting strange.” Officers arrived and determined the male was from Medford. He had been drinking and was transported to Lawrence Memorial Hospital after a check-up

by Armstrong Ambulance Service.

WatcH your back(pack) At 8:53 a.m. on Nov. 19, staff workers at the Steve Tisch Sports and Fitness Center caught a male student employee stealing money out of backpacks and called TUPD. Later that night at 8:30 p.m. inside Jackson Gym, a male student was seen taking cash and credit cards from backpacks and wallets. He was chased by several people out of the building.

TUPD officers confronted the male on College Avenue and placed him under arrest for larceny from a building.

—by Menghan Liu

Beyond reviewing software licensing agreements, the university will use this time to assess the safety of the space and, if necessary, make improvements, Irish said.

“The Eaton lab is open until 4 a.m. [on weeknights] and staffed primarily by student workers,” she said. “We know that Tufts students appreciate the extended hours of the facility, and we want to ensure they have a safe environment in which to learn, study and conduct research.”

The anonymous source stated that, up until this point, she has not experienced any safety issues due to nonTufts individuals in the lab.

“We’ve never had a problem where it’s an outside person who is causing any sort of issues,” she said.

According to another anonymous

employee at Eaton, many of the lab computers contain expensive software programs, such as MATLAB, Adobe and SPSS, that can be hard for community members to obtain.

“It’s another resource in the community,” the source said. “I know that [Eaton] Computer Lab in particular has many expensive computer programs on it that would normally cost up to $100 to buy on your personal computer.”

The Eaton worker urged the Tufts community to continue considering the views of local residents in policy decisions.

“I would hope that other Tufts students, not just the workers but anyone who cares about Tufts culture and the attitude we have towards the neighboring community, would feel passionately about this,” she said.

due to the prominence of early Dutch capitalism. Nevertheless, Zell explained that this Dutch art, especially the paintings of Rembrandt, also reveals much about the gift-giving activities of the artists themselves, who were often in opposition to the forces of the market.

Zell focused on Rembrandt’s famous print known as the “100 Guilder Print,” which illustrates a biblical image from the Gospel of Matthew. Zell said that this print was a gift from Rembrandt to his intimate friends, and that none of the print copies were sold during Rembrandt’s lifetime. Zell noted that, given its history, the print’s name, which derived from its supposedly high market value, was ironic and misleading.

“That original high market value of 100 guilders that gives it its title diverts attention away from an important part of it’s originally, apparently very different circumstances,” he said.

Zell further explained that Rembrandt made other prints similar to the “100 Guilder Print,” all for a small audience of friends in the Dutch art scene. These gift prints were of extremely high quality, executed on expensive Japanese paper or vellum.

According to Zell, many of the prints were portraits of the people to whom they were given as gifts.

With these intimate and exclusive gifts, Rembrandt was able to strengthen his personal relationships with the recipients.

“Works of private, exclusive address were likely presented as gifts, and Rembrandt designed them to heighten the impression of camaraderie,” Zell said. “Rembrandt, whose artwork serves as the admired object being exchanged, is also implied as a participant in this informal encounter.”

After his presentation, Zell welcomed questions and comments from the audience.

University pledges to financially assist Syrian students

CONSORTIUM

continued from page 1

civil war, higher education in Syria has come to a halt, Friedman said.

Many universities closed after being damaged or destroyed. Students, who make up some of the country’s two million fleeing refugees, have faced challenges in attending schools in Jordan and Lebanon, where educational resources are fragile, he explained.

“So, they’re kind of stuck,” Friedman, a junior, said. “One of the fears is that you’ll have this whole generation that misses education.”

The IIE Syrian Consortium aids Syrian students in making plans for their educational future and provides them with a list of schools where, if accepted, they will be greeted with financial assistance, Friedman said.

Friedman explained that he first got the idea to encourage Tufts to join while completing an internship at the U.S. Department of State’s U.S.Middle East Partnership Initiative over the summer. After returning to Tufts and seeing students’ interest in the Syrian conflict, he decided to partner with Saba and take action.

“I thought this would be a really concrete way we can help at least one or two individual’s lives,” he said.

Friedman and Saba, a junior, began communicating with Director of International Recruitment Jennifer Simons, who agreed to make Tufts part of the consortium.

“I think it’s part of Tufts’ mission to empower people who are living in precarious situations to get out of the

those situations — international or otherwise,” Simons said. “So this was something that was appealing to me.”

Simons explained that Tufts has worked in the past with many similar organizations, such as the Foundation for Afghanistan, so the process was not unusual.

“There are lots of programs of this sort that essentially aim to allow students from either war-torn ... or severely impoverished countries to have access to education in the U.S.,” she said. “What they do is they create connections with admissions offices at colleges and universities and simultaneously help students with their application process.”

Simons added that Tufts is fortunate to have financial aid available for international students, as many universities do not.

“We don’t have hundreds of non-U.S. students on financial aid the way we do for domestic students, but if we admit a student of any citizenship, we agree to meet their funding needs 100 percent,” she said. “That’s the same whether you’re from Massachusetts or Malaysia.”

Students who work through the consortium to prepare an application for Tufts will be treated like all other international applicants, Simons explained.

While the university will work to aid Syrian students financially, the biggest challenge will be finding students who qualify to study at Tufts, Simons said. Oftentimes in war-devastated countries, there may not be access to school records or officials who can write recommendation letters. The

admissions office works to be flexible, she said, but not all students who apply will have the educational background to succeed at Tufts.

“It’s very difficult because we’re a university — we’re not a social service institution — and our job is to make sure that we will bring students here that will not only benefit from the culture, but add to it as well,” Simons said.

Friedman added that because many international students apply for the smaller science and engineering programs, admission is inherently more competitive.

According to Simons, admissions officers must take into account a number of factors about testing and application conditions that students do not face within the United States.

“You think about when you took the SAT, and it was in a sort of calm, quiet proctored environment,” she said. “[In countries like Syria], test dates might be rescheduled, or the lights might go out.”

Admissions officials also struggle with gender imbalances in applications from countries where women are not necessarily expected to pursue higher education.

Despite these obstacles, both Simons and Friedman are pleased that the consortium will aid Syrian students on their way to Tufts and other participating universities.

“We’re very excited to diversify our international community and to simultaneously — to the extent that we can — help people in parts of the world where an American, and certainly a Tufts education, could be beneficial,” Simons said.

Features

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tuftsdaily.com

Tufts ranks high in health and fitness, campus initiatives promote health consciousness

Earlier this year, Tufts was ranked as one of the top 25 healthiest colleges in the United States by Greatist, an Internet media startup focusing on health and fitness. Between late nights at Tisch Library, running to club meetings, going to class and attempting to get enough sleep, college is a true balancing act.

Finding the time to eat properly and exercise often falls by the wayside, so when it comes down to it, how healthy and nutrition-conscious are Tufts students?

A study by the American College Health Association (ACHA), which surveyed more than 150 schools and more than 96,000 students, found that while only about five percent of national college students reached USDA fruit and vegetable intake recommendations, an impressive 20 percent of Tufts students reached those levels.

One resource to help students stay healthy is Balance Your Life (BYL), a healthy lifestyle club from the Department of Health Education at Tufts.

Beth Farrow, health education and prevention specialist and a staff member of BYL, explained that Tufts students are typically highly cognizant of health issues.

“I think Tufts students are very much aware of health issues and wanting to maintain a healthy and balanced life while in college,” Farrow said.

The struggle to maintain a healthy lifestyle begins as soon as Tufts students arrive on campus, according to Farrow. As freshmen, students are required to be on the unlimited meal plan. While there might be a tendency for students to overeat in the dining halls, this kind of buffet mentality dissipates after being on the meal plan over time, she said.

With the most popular meal plan option being 160, Tufts Nutrition Marketing Specialist Julie Lampie said she believed that students are probably eating healthier in the dining halls than they would be by cooking for themselves.

“The more choices that are available, the better,” she said. “Students tend to make better choices having greater variety.”

According to data from last year’s dining survey, students ranked a desire for more variety as the third most important factor to improvement of the dining halls and a wish for healthier options as fifth.

When looking at the top choices for dinner, the number one item is General Gau’s chicken, followed by breaded chicken tenders and salmon. According to Lampie, while the first two items are deep fat fried, salmon has recently become a much more popular item, appearing five times in the top ten food items.

“There was a time when very few students ate salmon, and you can see it is our number one fish by popularity, so food trends do change,” Lampie said.

According to Lampie, more people have also been asking for more vegan and vegetarian options.

“Over time the vegetarian population has definitely increased,” Lampie said. “I think some of that interest in eating lower on the food chains is for environmental reasons, but for the most part it’s about health.”

Lampie discussed the deliberate layout of the dining halls in order to encourage students to make healthy choices. For example, in the Dewick-MacPhie Dining Hall, the station closest to the entrance serves vegetarian food.

“If you watch the pattern, students will go through that line to see if anything looks good,” Lampie said. “They are not thinking, ‘Oh this is vegetarian.’ If it looks good they are going to take it.”

Sophomore Jenn Rabbino, education materials coordinator of BYL, agreed that the layout influences what students choose to eat.

“In [Carmichael Dining Center], the salad bar is in the center, so you gravitate towards it,” she said.

Lampie said she always strives to include fresh ingredients when selecting the menu and recently has been trying to incorporate more locally grown and seasonable vegetaby

Lauren Clement

Contributing Writer

bles. Three vegetables are offered for students so that they are encouraged to find one that is palatable, she said.

“At Tufts it’s not all about the least expensive option,” she said. “The priority is first quality, nutritional value, thirdly price. We try to balance that out.”

The Real Food Challenge, a new student group on campus currently seeking Tufts Community Union (TCU) Senate recognition, aims to increase the amount of sustainable and fairly sourced food available in the dining centers.

While the creators of The Real Food Challenge are currently working through some administrative hurdles, co-founder Meghan Bodo said that Tufts Dining is supportive. Bodo, a junior, got the idea last summer and the group has about ten members so far.

“Tufts Dining already values sustainably produced food and as such has been supportive of our request,” she said.

Sophomore Mel Goldberg said that although Tufts offers healthy food options, she would like to have more information about where the food actually comes from.

“We have a great salad bar, and we have a good rep for being such a veggie friendly and sustainable dining hall,” she said. “But I really have no idea where any of the produce is coming from, so I think it would be really interesting to get more clarity on that.”

The Real Food Challenge is just one way that Tufts students are expressing their interest in nutrition-related issues. Tufts Dining has responded by including healthier options on menus and by changing dessert portion sizes, like cutting brownie sheets into 84ths instead of 70ths.

“When we try to put new menu items on, I’m not looking for deep fat fried high saturated fat items, I’m looking for a fresher more nutritious product that we can bring to students,” Lampie said.

Lampie offered her best tips for eating right in the dining halls.

“One of the strategies is always of course to either look at the menu ahead or peruse the choices before taking your plate and actually taking food,” she said.

Lampie advised to use the right plates and bowls to control portioning.

“If you want salad, choose the larger bowl, and if you’re choosing cereal or granola, choose the smaller bowl,” Lampie said.

BYL also aims to keep students’ meal choices healthy, according to Rabbino.

Programming consists of guides to healthy eating as well as both cooking and exercise classes.

“Our main goal is to think of [dishes] that people can actually make as a college student — not too expensive, not too labor intensive where you need a billion supplies

to cook it,” Rabbino said.

“It’s our goal to figure out how to support students who know what they need to do but are having trouble with getting to that point,” Farrow said.

Director of Alcohol and Health Education Ian Wong pointed out the success in BYL’s programming in the real lives of students.

“We evaluated the cooking classes and asked, ‘Have you actually attempted the recipes?’” Wong said. “The majority of students said, ‘I did cook this,’ and that’s the important piece. I think they enjoyed the event, but then they actually applied what they learned too.”

The Tufts Stop and Shop shuttle, spearheaded by TCU Senator Christie Maciejewski, chair of the TCU Services Committee, has added a mode of transportation to help students make healthy food choices.

“Nutritious food isn’t necessarily found in Jumbo Express or campus mini marts,” Maciejewski said. “For students who want to eat healthful foods, access to a grocery store can make the difference. Having a shuttle means students can get more groceries to prepare better meals.”

Lampie said she has some ideas to make the healthy choices the convenient choice in Hodgdon Good-to-Go. “We have tried to talk about putting fruit by the cashier so when students have an extra dollar, we encourage the cashiers to say instead of, ‘Would you like a cookie?’ they say ‘How about a piece of fruit?’” she said.

Furthermore, BYL’s stress snack program offers another alternative to the muffins and coffee in Tower Café矷while students are cooped up in Tisch this finals season, according to Linda Yung, BYL intern and affiliate at the Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy. The BYL student group will be passing out healthy snacks in the library and Mayer Campus Center.

According to Wong, if students have these healthy snacks available to them, they are less likely to fall back on other unhealthy choices.

“It’s all about doing those little pieces so when you come back to your room, it’s not always ordering a pizza late at night, it’s not always more coffee or more sodas, or ‘Let’s go down to the vending machines,’” Wong said. “It’s about having simple, nutritious snacks.”

Lampie added that it is never too early to start forming good habits.

“I think students really have to think in terms of healthy eating is for a lifetime, it is not just about aesthetics or how much you weigh,” Lampie said. “We all are going to grow old, so we really need to protect our health and good habits — you might as well start early.”

Throwback Thursday

Karl Schatz / Tufts Daily Archives

The Class of 1993 matriculated on the President’s lawn on Aug. 30, 1989. University President Jean Mayer welcomed the incoming freshmen to Tufts and encouraged students to take courses outside of their comfort zones. Mayer also warned them about alcohol. “Freshmen, for the most part, have not been taught how to drink or how not to drink at all,” Mayer said.

Lily Sieradzki | Media Junkie

I

Consumerism, Christmas and YOU

n my final column of the semester, before I jet off to Prague in the spring (see y’all suckers later ... but also insert brief moment of nostalgia here), I want to discuss something near and dear to our hearts — the holidays. You see, this Thanksgiving I was hit with a stomach virus, which meant a) I couldn’t eat, b) I COULDN’T EAT and c) I watched more TV than was good for me.

So while the rest of the world was eating turkey and stuffing, I was at home staring at Christmas advertising (and also vomiting). This included an ad for some department store where a bunch of white people stood in a white kitchen and sang “Deck the Halls” but replaced every syllable with “shop.” Barf (lol). There were also countless classic ads with the whole family waking up on magical Christmas morning, ripping open their gifts and becoming the happiest and most functional family ever — all because of a new pair of freaking roller skates.

As you can probably tell, Christmas ads drive me crazy. In fact, any omnipresent, insistent reminder that I am a consumer — I must consume not only for the good of my economy but also for the good of my family and the CHRISTMAS SPIRIT — bothers me. It isn’t primarily about the holiday, at least for the corporations. It’s about getting us to buy their things, and they’re making that very clear.

Quick disclaimer that yes, I’m Jewish, and my family doesn’t celebrate Christmas.

For Hannukah (which only includes giftgiving because it absorbed that consumer aspect from Christmas), we do very small, highly practical gifts for all eight nights.

Think socks. I will admit that I used to resent Christmas because of not being able to celebrate it and get big fancy gifts.

Now I don’t have a problem with it, I just see it for what it is: the ultimate capitalist American holiday.

Moving onto Black Friday. This is where it all peaks, where people’s absolutely insane behavior to get the best deal just starts to astound. I really have no words.

The fact that there are riots, injuries and deaths in the pursuit of saving money on Christmas presents ... I am honestly embarrassed by it. There’s nothing wrong with a little Christmas shopping, but there is something wrong with becoming a crazy person in the process.

But wait, there’s also Cyber Monday, the day set aside for online shopping. I didn’t know that was a thing, did you? And, to top it all off, #GivingTuesday, a new Twitter phenomenon that began last year, encourages people to donate to a charity of their choice. Well, isn’t that obvious. It’s a last-ditch attempt to make us feel good about all the money we just spent by giving more money to a good cause. While charities, who do important work, may benefit tangibly from #GivingTuesday, it’s really our guilty consumer conscience that benefits the most.

I don’t want to downplay the very real religious and spiritual aspects of Christmas.

But the holiday, in many ways, is now about the transfer of money and goods, the production of capital for the companies versus the cost for the consumer. But what are the other costs? Remember that there are people involved in this staggeringly unequal economic system of ours.

There are low-wage workers who barely make enough to live on, let alone buy Christmas gifts. No donation to a charity is going to fix that problem — it’s structural, and we all live in and perpetuate the structure in our society.

So have a very happy Christmas, consume consciously and have fun at Spring Fling. Peace, love, Tufts Daily.

Lily Sieradzki is a junior majoring in English. She can be reached at Lily.

Sieradzki@tufts.edu.

The Tufts Daily

4

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Thursday, December 5, 2013

Weekender Arts & Living

tuftsdaily.com

Perdziola’s set, costumes create magical setting for ‘The Nutcracker’ by

Grace Hoyt

T

he Boston Ballet kicked off Mikko Nissinen’s “The Nutcracker” at the Boston Opera House on Nov. 29. Now in its 42nd year, “The Nutcracker” has long been considered “New England’s #1 Holiday Tradition,” according to the Boston Ballet website. The show will run through Dec. 29, employing over 250 Boston Ballet students in 43 performances. This is only the second year of Nissinen’s version of the production, so the experience is still fresh and exciting for both the dancers and audience members.

This year will showcase the incredible talent within the company, including the debut of new additions to the roster, principal dancers Petra Conti and Eris Nezha. Among the lead dancers is ballerina Misa Kuranaga, who plays both the Sugar Plum Fairy and the Snow Queen.

Alexandre Dumas, père’s libretto “The Tale of the Nutcracker” (1844), which itself is an adaptation of E.T.A. Hoffmann’s story “The Nutcracker and the Mouse King” (1816), serves as the basis of Nissinen’s “The Nutcracker.”

The dance tells the tale of young girl named Clara who receives a nutcracker as a gift on Christmas Eve. After everyone has gone to sleep, her nutcracker magically transforms into a prince, who leads her through an enchanted forest, combats a mouse king and ultimately brings her to his kingdom — until she awakens from the dream. Tchaikovsky’s beloved score, performed by the Boston Ballet Orchestra, accompanies the performance.

Mikko Nissinen’s impact Nissinen began as Artistic Director of the Boston Ballet and the Boston Ballet School in 2001. With Nissinen at the helm, Boston Ballet has toured around the country and the globe, including shows in Spain, Korea and Canada. Before he took over the position, the ballet hadn’t toured internationally in 16 years.

Under Nissinen, The Boston Opera House became the company’s main performance venue in 2009. The 2,500-seat theater, located in Boston’s Theater District, provides the audience with better views and includes a renovated orchestra section.

This year, audiences will watch the second annual production of Nissinen’s edition of “The Nutcracker.” Set designer Robert Perdziola, with whom Nissinen worked closely, chose to set this production in the early 1800s — about 20 years earlier than the show’s previous iteration.

This was Perdziola’s first commission with the company, and his work has been received as an incredible success. He designed over 350 handmade costumes, each one custom painted. Young Clara exemplifies the era of the piece — her bonnet and dress in the first scene making her look like a young character from a Jane Austen novel.

Relocation to the Boston Opera House has had a magical effect on the viewing experience. The set contains an impressive amount of moving scenery, including Christmas presents that open to reveal dancing toys and a sleigh for the Snow Queen and King. One chandelier is hung above the prince’s throne, while others are suspended above the heads of the audience. Pounds of falling snow, cannons shooting enormous candies wrapped in red and gold and an almost 43-foot Christmas tree, brilliantly detailed with 600 ornaments, add to the dazzling and fantastical effects of the set.

A dancer’s perspective But new innovations come with difficulties for the dancers. Principal dancer Kuranaga says that adapting to set changes has forced her to work much harder.

“Visually, it is perfection from the audience’s view, but because we’re so new to it we’re still trying to figure out problems,” Kuranaga said.

“My costume is beautiful but hard to dance in.

It’s very stiff and not broken in.”

According to Kuranaga, the new, slippery floor also poses difficulties, especially when falling snow piles up on stage.

She is grateful, however, that the production will run until the end of December, giving dancers the opportunity to improve with each show.

“More shows means more chances for revision,” Kuranaga said.

In particular, she hopes to continue to improve the dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy.

“It’s one of the hardest things I’ve ever done.

It seems really easy, but it’s a lot of footwork,” she said.

Luckily, Kuranaga has some support.

She works closely with ballet master Larissa Ponomarenko, who has helped her develop as a dancer.

“My dancing has changed, and I have much more to think about now,” Kuranaga said. “It’s so much deeper.”

She added that one of the most meaningful parts of the preparation process is her collaboration with Ponomarenko.

“We’re making a product together,” Kuranaga said. “To make something amazing you have to do it together.”

This relationship requires respect and communication, and Kuranaga is conscientious in heeding Ponomarenko’s advice.

Ponomarenko danced for 18 years with the Boston Ballet before becoming ballet master.

“She didn’t just dance — she was a ballerina here, and I was lucky enough to see her,” Kuranaga said.

Ponomarenko’s achievements are impressive. She has appeared internationally in various galas and festivals and as a guest artist with English National Ballet in London, the NBA Ballet Company in Tokyo, the Opera Theatre of Rome and the Teatro Comunale of Florence. Ponomarenko has also received recognition in the ballet community, receiving a nomination for the Benois de la Danse award and winning the E. Virginia Williams Inspirational Award.

A day in the life A typical day for a principal dancer like Kuranaga starts about an hour before practice with thorough stretching and warm ups.

She then attends class for the day, including individual and pair practice. Following a short break to eat, the dancers have hours of rehearsal for the show.

This year, Kuranaga made a unique change in her preparation for the role of the Sugar Plum Fairy. According to Kuranaga, the Sugar Plum Fairy is a particularly complicated character to portray.

“In the past, my command [of the role] made it seem a little cold,” she said. “This time I tried to bring more sweetness to it.”

Musical collaboration is another important element of the production.

“It’s a live art,” Kuranaga said. “Every day, every show is different.”

The conductor recognizes the mood of each principal dancer, she explained. Whether through signals or through a general understanding of what is needed, conductor Jonathan McPhee and Kuranaga are always in sync.

Kuranaga has another exciting opportunity to collaborate in this show — her Snow Queen dance includes her boyfriend and second soloist, Isaac Akiva. Akiva is among the many

talented dancers that Kuranaga feels lucky to dance with.

“When other dancers dance [and] I watch, I’m always amazed,” Kuranaga said.

The Boston Ballet’s legacy This year is particularly important to members of the company because it marks the 50th Anniversary of the Boston Ballet. It is a celebration of years of internationally acclaimed performances, as well as incredible school and community programs that provide access to dance. The company was founded in 1963

by E. Virginia Williams and has since become a leader of arts education and cultural enrichment in the New England area.

Each year, over 7,000 students benefit from the school’s extensive outreach programs. Among the most successful is the Adaptive Dance program, founded in 2002. The program encourages a passion for dance and acts as an outlet for special needs children. In collaboration with the Boston Children’s Hospital, the Adaptive Dance program offers classes by Boston Ballet staff members and physical therapists. The program aims to enhance self-

andy oakley / creative comm ons

Mikko Nissinen’s rendition of ‘The Nutcracker’ showcases company talent

Daily Editorial Board

5

esteem, build appreciation for music and rhythm and foster collaboration among peers. Adaptive Dance participants and family members get to attend a dress rehearsal of “The Nutcracker,” which includes a meet-and-greet with the dancers during intermission.

A seasonal tradition With all of its interesting changes that are sure to excite anyone familiar with the previous production, Nissinen’s “The Nutcracker” serves a simple — and long held — purpose.

It carries on a popular New England holiday tradition and consistently delivers crowdpleasing entertainment.

The many sold-out performances are a testament to the legacy of the show. A dancing bear brings laughter to audiences of all ages, the Mouse King could make anyone shudder and the Sugar Plum Fairy’s solo is sure to leave many breathless. But nothing seems to capture this tradition more than the presence of Tchaikovsky’s renowned score in every dazzling scene. The familiar story will bring back holiday memories for many and get people of all ages into the holiday spirit.

Courtesy Boston Ballet

The performance includes 350 handmade costumes.

Courtesy Boston Ballet

Principal couple Misa Kuranago and Jeffrey Cirio are an impressive dancing duo on stage.

The Tufts Daily

6

Weekender

Thursday, December 5, 2013

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

Check out these events!

at 8 p.m. in Distler Performance Hall.

Admission is free.)

(Saturday at 8 p.m. in Distler Performance Hall. Admission is free.)

Schemers, Dreamers and Fools: A Night of Opera and Illusion: Tufts Opera Ensemble will perform an evening of scenes from various works. Opera selections performed will include scenes from “Marriage of Figaro,” “Don Giovanni,” “Game of Chance” and more. (Tonight

Tufts Electronic Music Ensemble: Out of the Cave: Tufts Electronic Music Ensemble will perform a concert this weekend, under the direction of Dr. Paul Lehrman. Pieces performed will include works by members of the ensemble, Pink Floyd, John McLaughlin and others.

Tufts Flute Ensemble: Tufts Flute Ensemble will perform a concert this weekend as part of the “Sunday at Tufts” Community Concert Series. The concert will include pieces by Haydn, Boismortier, Dubois and more. (Sunday at 3 p.m. in Distler Performance Hall. Admission is free.)

Tufts Tap Ensemble Presents: Come Tap With Us Tonight: Tufts Tap Ensemble will present their fall show this weekend, featuring a variety of different tap dances. Guest performers will include BU on Tap, Belly Dance and Garba. (Sunday at 4:30 p.m. in Barnum 008. Admission is free.)

—compiled by the Daily Arts Department

Movie Review

Courtesy Walt Disney Studios

Kristen Bell is the voice of the spunky female protagonist Anna in ‘Frozen.’

‘Frozen’ suffers from lack of originality by

Drew Robertson

Daily Editorial Board

Disney’s newest film, “Frozen” has been receiving high praise, with some critics even comparing it to classics such as

Frozen Directed by Chris Buck, Jennifer Lee Starring Kristen Bell, Josh Gad, Indina Menzel “Beauty and the Beast” (1991) and “The Lion King” (1994). Yet, while the wintery tale may be warming hearts this season, there is little to suggest that the movie will ever join the ranks of Disney’s beloved perennial favorites. A flurried blend of confusing plot twists and cliches may be precisely what viewers expect from an animated holiday flick, but this combination alone is far from the stuff of cinematic legend.

Unfortunately, many of the solid elements of “Frozen” — the charming and whimsical humor, a reasonable dose of star-power and the gorgeous imaginary landscape of dazzling winter — are buried beneath an unwieldy and predictable storyline that lacks the smoothness and development of earlier Disney hits.

“Frozen” tells the story of two sisters, the princesses of the fictional Finnish kingdom Arendale. Older sister Elsa, portrayed by Idina Menzel (whose superb singing has graced Broadway stages in shows like “Rent” and “Wicked”), is afflicted with a strange condition she’s had since childhood — she can produce ice, snow, wind and cold. Elsa has limited control over her powers, and when she accidentally converts Arendale’s bright summer into a deep and dangerous winter, it falls to her younger sister, Anna (Kristen Bell) to save the kingdom.

To aid her in her mission, Anna enlists the help of handsome-yet-clueless ice seller, Kristoff (Jonathan Groff), his goofy reindeer Sven and a suave snowman, Olaf (Josh Gad). To be fair, the reindeer and snowman are adorable. But the image of an endearing motley crew fearlessly embarking on their seemingly impossible and ill-advised quest is by now so familiar it becomes lackluster, even when set against a shining background of sparkling snowflakes and frosty mountaintops. The ending too,

which features a not-so-surprising twist that makes Anna the tale’s hero (and sidelines romantic love), seems like it might be a feminist solution to the problematic “guy saves the girl” complex Disney has been criticized for in the past. Sadly, the plot’s conclusion, along with a heavy dose of hair-related symbolism, is sure to remind viewers of “Tangled” (2010). Like “Tangled,” “Frozen” will undoubtedly elicit the requisite laughs and sighs from audiences, yet coming three years later, Anna’s heroism feels forced and unoriginal.

Admittedly, originality was never Disney’s strong suit. “Frozen,” like many of Disney’s past gems, is loosely based on an earlier story — in this case, the inspiration is the fairytale poem “The Snow Queen,” by Hans Christian Andersen. The Danish writer is famous for producing versions of a slew of other beloved childhood stories, including “The Princess and the Pea,” “Thumbelina” and “The Little Mermaid.” Curiously, it is the influence of “The Snow Queen,” if anything, which helps “Frozen” move away from mundane Disney stereotypes.

What is interesting about “Frozen” is not the fact that the story is an adaptation, but how Disney chooses to execute it. “The Snow Queen” recounts the complex and enigmatic tale of an enchanted mirror that pierces the heart of a young boy named Kay, causing everything around him — except the bewitching beauty, the Snow Queen — to appear ugly in his eyes, and threatens to freeze him solid unless his best friend Gerda can save him. The story provokes questions of loyalty, but also examines the ability of perception to poison what is good and natural.

For its part, “Frozen” takes serious liberties with Andersen’s work yet still allows audiences to ponder the effect of emotion and perception on one’s reality.

At the center of this struggle is Elsa, the stunning young woman who, like Kay, struggles to see goodness in the world around her. Unfortunately, “Frozen” focuses the bulk of its attention on Anna, the less interesting of the sisters, but a few heartfelt moments — and Menzel’s beautiful delivery of the Elphaba-esque song “Let it Go” — allow viewers to gain insight into Elsa’s character.

Overall, “Frozen” may not be destined to be the next Disney classic, but aside from a few disappointing cliches, it offers an interesting take on a traditional fairytale and undeniable holiday cheer.

Courtesy Walt Disney Studios

A predictable plot helps bring down some of the positive elements of Disney’s ‘Frozen.’

Artsy Nugget of the Week

Filming begins on ‘Fifty Shades of Grey’ set It’s official: cameras have started rolling on the “Fifty Shades of Grey” set.

The movie — based on the first book of British author E.L. James’ best selling erotic romance trilogy — won’t be released until February 2015, but it has already seen its fair share of headlines. As soon as it was revealed that there would be a film adaptation, rumors swirled about who would play the stars — with everyone from Matt Bomer to Shailene Woodley reportedly being considered.

Then came the big news: Charlie Hunnam and Dakota Johnson were to play the lead of roles Christian Grey and Anastasia Steele, respectively. The dust had hardly settled from this announcement, however, when it was reported that Hunnam had dropped out of the project less than a month before it was supposed to start filming, citing scheduling conflicts with his FX series “Sons of Anarchy” (2008-present). This left producers scrambling to find a replace-

ment — and the rumor mill started swirling once again. By the end of October, Jamie Dornan — an actor and model from Northern Ireland, best known for his role on ABC’s “Once Upon a Time” (2011-present) — had been cast. Though Hunnam was speedily replaced, the start of filming was delayed for about a week and the release date was pushed back from Aug. 1, 2014 to Feb. 13, 2015 — just in time for Valentine’s Day. This week has also seen a few minor casting announcements and the possibility of releasing both an NC-17 and an R-rated version of the movie. The most exciting news of the week, however, was likely the paparazzi photos that quickly surfaced online of Dornan and Johnson shooting a scene on the Vancouver set.

With this early drama seemingly behind them, fans, cast and crew alike can rest easy now that filming has finally begun.

—by Lancy Downs

Thursday, December 5, 2013

The Tufts Daily

7

Weekender

Album Review

Susie Church | Food Fight

Orange Leaf and iYO

W 803 via Flickr Creative Commons

Black Flag’s current lineup is just one in a series of tumultuous band configurations over the years.

Black Flag reunites for disappointing new album by

Christopher Garcia

ord is buzzing around campus about something big that entered Davis Square this year. It’s the franchise that started the froyo revolution of the 2000s, the creamy frozen yogurt whose popularity has recently skyrocketed: Pinkberry. But before we start dreaming about eating parfaits surrounded by neon, I want to set the spotlight on the two frozen yogurt old-timers in Davis Square: iYo Café and Orange Leaf. iYo is a local Davis gem, while Orange Leaf is a countrywide frozen-yogurt chain, similar to Pinkberry. These two joints offer a special feature of the frozen yogurt industry that Pinkberry does not: the self-serve, pay-by-weight system. This week, I decided to bring these two establishments head-to-head by trying a basic frozen yogurt creation at

Daily Staff Writer

Avoid this album if you’re a fan of anything Black Flag has previously done in its long career, or are looking to expose your-

What The...

Black Flag SST Records self to one of the most influential punk bands ever. Avoid this album in general.

Everything that needs to be known about Black Flag’s latest album, “What The ...,” can be summed up by its title and its forever scarring bad artwork. Words simply don’t do justice to the repulsiveness of the cartoon face sticking its tongue out across a gaudy neon green background.

The album art looks like a doodle done by a teenage skater in the 90s, and it sounds like it was made in the basement of that same person’s house. Indeed, the record tries hard to sound like Greg Ginn and the Black Flag of the late 70s, but it ultimately feels like a hollow shell of something that once was fresh and original.

Black Flag has never been a stranger to controversy — or to internal disputes — especially considering that since its formation, the only member to have weathered the various storms of the band’s career has been Greg Ginn. Having gone through multiple vocalists, drummers and bassists, it seems almost amazing that the band has only had two guitarists, the latter of which — Dez Cadena — is performing for FLAG, a Black Flag revival project.

FLAG tours independently and solely performs covers of older Black Flag songs, as opposed to writing new material.

It would seem almost absurd then that Black Flag, whose founding member owns the rights to the name and the iconic flag emblem, would sound more like a cover band. Yet, the proof is in the muddied “What The ...,” which fails to live up to any expectations whatsoever. It should be entirely telling of Black Flag’s volatile nature that its once — and now again — former singer, Ron Reyes, who was responsible for the vocals in “What The ...,” was recently fired onstage dur-

803 via Flickr Creative Commons

Black Flag’s new release ‘What The ...’ fails to capture any of principal member Greg Ginn’s characteristic guitar work. ing a live performance, or so he alleged in a post on Facebook.

The album’s 22 tracks all seem to have similar cookie cutter punk riffs, played over to different variations of the same rhythms and lyrics. It’s almost impossible to distinguish one track from another.

The new members who were added to the group after the band’s official disbandment in 1986 (barring a brief reunion put together by Black Flag’s most celebrated former member, Henry Rollins) seem to contribute absolutely nothing to the record. Worst of all, Greg Ginn sounds completely uninspired. Ginn’s usually searing guitar, which over the course of Black Flag’s history has served as the backbone of its most successful songs, falls flat and gets lost amongst all of the other mediocre performances by the rest of the resurrected (or better, zombified) band.

Although it has always been clear that Greg Ginn has been the de facto leader of Black Flag, it is painfully obvious that since Henry Rollins’ 1986 departure, the members of the band have lacked the

energy the original crew possessed. In a period between 1984 and 1985, the band was able to release five studio albums.

In these endeavors, Black Flag — initially steeped in the very roots of punk rock — transformed its sound into a forwardlooking, unholy fusion of punk, metal, avant-garde jazz and spoken word. It has been a formula which few have been able to recreate successfully.

Yet, while this latest version of Black Flag doesn’t attempt to explore the same territory that its predecessor did back in the mid-80s, the group does try to channel its pre-1981 sound — and still fails even at that. The music Black Flag produced before 1981’s “Damaged” wasn’t necessarily inferior, but by now, it should at least be familiar territory for the likes of Greg Ginn and Ron Reyes, who performed together during that period. Yet, the two have failed to foster any chemistry between each other and the rest of the band, leaving the recently reanimated Black Flag, much like the name of the lead single: “Down in the Dirt.”

The Artsy Jumbo

Rachel Steindler brings passion for spoken word to Tufts With just four years of slam poetry under her belt, freshman Rachel Steindler has already made waves in the spoken word community at Tufts.

Performing for three years at “Louder Than A Bomb,” a slam poetry competition for high school students in her native Chicago, Steindler has continued to develop her passion for spoken word and slam poetry throughout much of her adolescent life. So, naturally, when Steindler arrived at Tufts, she was anxious to continue performing on campus.

However, she was disappointed to find

an apparent lack of a poetry community at Tufts.

“I thought of starting my own club, but then I found SWAT,” said Steindler. The Spoken Word Alliance at Tufts (SWAT) was a recent addition this year to the Tufts literary scene.

“It’s great to be surrounded by so many poets,” Steindler said.

Since finding her niche, Steindler has amassed a fairly impressive resume. After auditioning, Steindler was selected to open for visiting spoken word poet and Internet sensation Phil Kaye at a Tufts event hosted

by Sigma Phi Epsilon (SigEp) fraternity in November. A little notoriety goes a long way; Steindler will be opening for slam poet Kelly Tsai tonight at 8 p.m. in Barnum 008.

Her aspirations for the future include auditioning for the College Unions Poetry Slam Invitational (CUPSI), expanding the breadth of her own writing and inspiring a new poetry community at Tufts.

“I’d love to see new poets get to the place where it’s not a process,” said Steindler. “I want to see them that invested.”

—by Veronica Little

Price: Flavor: Ease: Envir.:

iYo $.49/ounce 7/10 Davis Romantic

Orange Leaf $.49/ounce 3/10 Davis Tacky

each respective store: an original tart flavored froyo with blueberries, strawberries, mango and mochi.

First up: iYo. I walked in the door and was a little confused. Was I in the right place? I felt like I had stepped into a hip, romantic eatery, not a froyo joint.

Ambient music played in the background of the candlelit room as customers ate at stained wooden tables. I walked to the back of the store and checked out the options. iYo serves 12 different flavors of frozen yogurt, along with dry, fruit and sauce toppings. As I was constructing my creation, I noticed one of the baristas changing a sauce dispenser and got a little weak in the knees thinking of the real, warm, thick caramel. I took a minute to pull myself together and paid the 49 cents per ounce for my yogurt.

After one bite, I was sold. The tart frozen yogurt was delightfully tangy. The fruit tasted pretty fresh, especially the blueberries. While the mochi was a bit harder than I like, the flavor was perfect.

All together, iYo felt like the whole package: the perfect place for grabbing a post-date dessert and the quality ingredients to match.

Feeling satisfied and optimistic, I headed over to Orange Leaf hoping for a comparable delivery. I knew it was trouble when I walked in. My eyes were instantly assaulted with bright lights and clashing colors. The wood and marble of iYo was replaced with orange vinyl and shiny plastic. In terms of the selection, Orange Leaf had 16 flavors to boast and more dry toppings, but was sadly missing mango (and real caramel!) in its toppings bar. After paying the same rate for my cup, 49 cents per ounce, I brought the yogurt over to one of the cushy orange stools and had at it. Oh, no. The original tart flavor tasted milky, almost sour, and the fruit even looked old. The mochi was softer but less flavorful, and the weird taste of the yogurt wouldn’t leave my mouth. I left with my yogurt unfinished and my dreams of endless delicious froyo joints squashed, quite sure that I would never return again. iYo was a clear winner in this case.

Its lovely, sophisticated atmosphere mixed with high-quality ingredients makes it something truly special within our Davis Square community. I hope it survives with Pinkberry around, and I encourage all Tufts students to support its small but meaningful business.

I, of all people, know how hard it is to resist Pinkberry’s Gingerbread (with toppings), but I would also be heartbroken to see such a creative addition to our community fall to big business.

Susie Church is a sophomore who has not yet declared a major. She can be reached at Susannah.Church@tufts.edu.

The Tufts Daily

8

THE TUFTS DAILY Hannah R. Fingerhut Editor-in-Chief

Editorial Jenna Buckle Melissa Wang Managing Editors Abigail Feldman Executive News Editor Victoria Leistman News Editors Menghan Liu Melissa Mandelbaum Annabelle Roberts Mahpari Sotoudeh Josh Weiner Sarah Zheng Daniel Bottino Assistant News Editors Alexa Horwitz Denali Tietjen

Shannon Vavra Executive Features Editor Lily Sieradzki Features Editors Charlotte Gilliland Emily Bartlett Vicky Rathsmill Emma Arnesty-Good Assistant Features Editors Caitlin McClure Sabrina McMillin Julia McDaniel

Caroline Welch Executive Arts Editor Dan O’Leary Arts Editors Veronica Little Drew Robertson Assistant Arts Editors Brendan Donohue Lancy Downs Grace Hoyt

Editorial

editorial | op-ed

Thursday, December 5, 2013

Limited steps forward

Within the last few weeks, theTufts Office of Undergraduate Admissions granted the Tufts Community Union (TCU) Senate’s proposal for the university to join the Institute of International Education (IIE) Syria Consortium for Higher Education in Crisis. This initiative aims to help Syrian students who have been displaced connect with American institutions. There are over thirty American institutions that are currently working with the organization to scout qualified applicants from Syria and offer them academic scholarships. In 2012, the IIE Consortium gathered together 39 institutions to commit 150 scholarships. The result was that 13 universities granted a total of 70 scholarships to Syrian students. The organization plans to expand and open up its online application portal for a second round of applicants in January 2014.

These 70 accepted students were matched to their respective universities via the IIE’s online portal. This means that

the students all had access to a computer in order to connect to their university.

Moreover, the Syrian applicants underwent the same application process that all other university applicants underwent and were only granted admission because they were as qualified as their peers. There were between 5,000 and 6,000 Syrian applicants, and out of these applicants, only 70 were actually granted admission to a university. The organization does not have any offices or outreach groups located in Syria or its surrounding countries. Thus, the organization and the 30+ institutions involved with it are only able to reach out to the wealthiest people within the poorest group.

It is no surprise that only 70 out of thousands of applicants were granted admission to American universities. These students are competing with applicants with years of excellent education under their belts. These Syrian applicants are students who have been uprooted from their homes

and driven from their country. There is no way for them to have received an education that is of the same caliber as their fellow applicants’.

Because it is nearly impossible for Tufts to send admissions representatives to Syria to recruit potential students, this organization is the best chance for the university to extend admission to those who cannot pay or would not otherwise even know about an institution like Tufts. What is most disturbing is that this is the most that Tufts and other universities like it can do. There is so much untapped potential in countries like Syria, and there is no way to possibly reach out to all of the qualified candidates, as many of them lack ample access to technological and financial resources. Though the TCU Senate and Admissions deserve commendation for their efforts, it is a sad truth that there is simply no way to aid the thousands of other students who deserve higher education yet have no way to attain it, or even qualify for it.

Keran Chen

Alexander Schroeder Executive Sports Editor Marcus Budline Sports Editors Aaron Leibowitz David McIntyre Zachey Kliger Jake Indursky Claire Sleigh Kate Klots Matthew Berger Tyler Maher Assistant Sports Editors Ross Dember Jason Schneiderman Alex Connors Elayne Stecher Bhushan Deshpande Tom Chalmers Matthew Crane Nick Golden Jehan Madhani Keran Chen Denise Amisial Benjamin Boventer Scott Geldzahler Susan Kaufman Anantya Sahney

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Off the Hill | Iowa State University

by

Zachary Neuendorf Iowa State Daily

Right off the bat, let me clarify that I am not a savage wielding a flamethrower with the intention to set ablaze stacks of books.

Nor am I thrashing on a street corner somewhere accompanied by a large, white sign with the words “DEATH TO THE WRITTEN WORD” written in the blood of authors past.

As a matter of fact, I like books — maybe, dare I say, adore them.

But would you believe me if I told you the greatest storytelling tactics books have to offer — complex symbolism, riveting character development and entertainingly diverse situations — have transcended past the growingly obsolete paper page or growingly hip e-reader? One word: television.

That is where the classic tales of our times are unfolding.

To claim that we are in the golden age of television is like beating a dead horse.

But, nonetheless, it remains a truth that the horse is indeed dead. Hot off the heels of “Breaking Bad,” in the penultimate stages of “Mad Men” and with the run of classic literary television shows such as “The Sopranos” and “The Wire” just escaping our rear view mirror, we are fortunate to be an audience to such a renaissance.

Is this how the English felt umpteenth years ago standing in the Globe Theatre experiencing a brand new Shakespeare play?

Or possibly like hearing a living, breathing Mozart bang a good, sturdy tune out of his

The new classics piano? A majority of the audience is being entertained, but is not entirely aware of the history taking place right in front of their eyes and ears.

If you haven’t figured it out by now, we aren’t dealing with your grandma’s TV programs. Today’s crème de la crème of series are created with a novelistic approach — a beginning, middle and end all in sight from the get-go. Episodes have become chapters to the season’s book-like installments that make up the overall series.

Yes, there are the inevitable tasty junk food programs thriving on the ratings’ approval to misguide them to umpteenth seasons, choosing a safe, predictable formula over innovation and creativity. But, including the aforementioned, there is the handful with true visionaries at the helm, along with arguably the greatest living writers.

Not so shocking, these shows are plump with prestigious literary devices and those beloved intricate plotlines, worthy of an academia-fueled critical analysis. What exactly am I suggesting? If you guessed teaching and analyzing television shows in our English classes as if they were novels, you would be correct and deserve a gold star. Cue mass hysteria from all those in their caves who still believe dramatic television rots our brains.

In their defense, they probably have statistics that indeed confirm too much television turns our gray matter to jelly. But television is not leaving, instead it is shape-shifting and converging to fit all our devices. It’s not going away, so why not chew on it in healthy

portions and turn what could be poisonous in vast quantities into nutritional brain food?

All it takes is to switch on the thinker, and where better to sharpen that tool than the classroom?

If you are a dedicated fan to one of the modern classics, you’ve probably implemented these critical thinking skills when trying to solve the mystery or just keeping tabs on the characters’ personalities and actions. But it can and has gone deeper.

Breaking Bad’s Walter White’s moral decay and rise to power could spark a million more think-pieces than the already million floating around. It’s just that complex and thematic.

More than all of this, television speedily moves to the forefront of our culture, once again. Both highbrow and lowbrow aficionados can come together to discuss last night’s episode of “Girls” or “Games of Thrones” or “Homeland”; it has become a meeting ground free of elitism.

Television is a fresh, exciting medium still in its formative years, hopefully with the greatest achievements yet on the horizon.

And as a fan of art that comes in all shapes and sizes, it feels truly paramount to witness a medium in which all those shapes and sizes are mixed into a cauldron and cooked into these brilliant shows.

In hundreds of years, these will be the classics that scholars analyze in order to get a grasp on the culture of the past. So why not get a head start while they are still current?

And if that’s not your style, just sit back, relax and watch because this age is truly golden.

BUSINESS Daphne Wu Executive Business Director

P.O. Box 53018, Medford, MA 02155 617 627 3090 FAX 617 627 3910 daily@tuftsdaily.com

Corrections

In the Dec. 3 News article “Safdie discusses artistic elements of architecture,” the headline incorrectly spelled the name of Moshe Safdie as Sadfie.

In the Nov. 25 Features article “Professor Bailey explores human adaptation to heights in final Taste of Tufts,” it was incorrectly stated that Professor Bailey earned his Master’s degree in clinical hematology. In fact, he earned his Master’s degree in anthropology from California State University, San Francisco. The article also incorrectly stated that Bailey’s research in Bolivia was focused on genotypes. In fact, he pregnancy outcomes of women with similar genotypes who lived at low or high altitude.

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.

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Letters must be submitted by 2 p.m. and should be handed into the Daily office or sent to letters@tuftsdaily.com.

All letters must be word processed and include the writer’s name and telephone number. There is a 450-word limit and letters must be verified.

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The Tufts Daily

Thursday, December 5, 2013

9

Op-Ed

Off the Hill | University of Minnesota

Adam Kaminski | The Cool Column

The splendid little War on Christmas! by

Brian Reinken

Minnesota Daily

My favorite part of the holiday season is the nonsense that surrounds the supposed “War on Christmas.” I’m always hopeful that this year’s chaos will exceed last year’s.

Thankfully, timelier than Santa Claus, Sarah Palin granted my seasonal wish.

Palin visited the Mall of America late last month as part of her ongoing book tour promoting “Good Tidings and Great Joy: Protecting the Heart of Christmas.” Therein, she talks about how disturbing it is that the United States has marginalized a “traditional” holiday like Christmas.

The War on Christmas, if we’re to believe people like Palin, grows more brutal each year. However, in America, the warmongering isn’t new. In fact, it goes back to the days of colonial New England. The John Birch Society introduced the war in its modern form in 1959 when it published a pamphlet titled “There Goes Christmas?!”

The pamphlet’s author — I promise I’m not making this up — claimed the United Nations and the communists had allied in a plot to convert America into a nation of atheists, thus weakening the United States’ moral character and its resolve to fight in the Cold War. The first step of this conversion, naturally, was to undermine the holiday spirit in department stores.

This proved such a powerful narrative that we continue to recycle it today.

America might look a little different. It might be fighting different enemies. But that golden myth of Christmas corruption chugs along essentially unchanged.

The war has survived because it’s easy to believe. People like Christmas, and they hate war. People like what they know and are suspicious of what’s different or unknown. The back cover of Palin’s book is implicitly xenophobic in its condemnation of secularization. Unfortunately, most arguments about the war run along a similar line. Talking head Bill O’Reilly has criticized department stores’ decisions to wish customers a “happy holidays” or “season’s greetings” instead of “merry Christmas.” He echoes another conservative figurehead, Patrick Buchanan, who once called the same phenomenon a hate crime against Christianity. Yes, he went there.

It’s the people like Buchanan who bring the War on Christmas into our living rooms.

Off the Hill | Harvard University

by

Colin Criss

W

Mattwj2002, via wikimedia commons

Sure, there are fringe groups who whisper about the similarities between the words “Santa” and “Satan” — as though everyone on the planet speaks and writes in English — but these people don’t typically have the media power of Palin or O’Reilly.

That power is a crucial aspect of the War on Christmas. Palin and O’Reilly are hugely influential figures, and they know it. It’s because they have power that they’re able to sell their ideas and that people keep buying them. It’s a self-perpetuating cycle, but what’s a war without a few profiteers?

Make no mistake: Palin is making plenty of money off of her book. O’Reilly does the same on television. You can’t help but get the sense that the War is a legend a few stakeholders actively cultivate.

I’m fully convinced — well, mostly convinced — Palin recognizes the irony inherent in using a commercialized book about Christmas to talk about the over-commercialization of the holiday in today’s society.

The deeper irony, one that Palin may not realize, is that her politicization of Christmas works to destabilize the holiday in the way she most fears.

In one way, the warmongers are right.

Christmas isn’t supposed to be about Christmas trees or the “yule log.” But by arguing about how oppressive it is that society doesn’t display a tree on every street corner from Thanksgiving to New Year’s Day, Palin and the like-minded have made Christmas about commercialization.

The warmongers have made Christmas into an issue like taxation or immigration.

They argue the holiday is supposed to be about religion, not shopping, but the manner in which they argue makes the holiday about something else entirely. Christmas becomes another way to criticize a political system with which Palin and her kin disagree.

It becomes a tool for Palin’s version of the Kingdom of Caesar, a part of the Christmas landscape that’s as enduring as television specials and department store sales.

Ultimately, if anyone out there wants to stop the War on Christmas, the first step would be to avoid Palin’s book, which is fueling the war lobby’s rhetorical fire. Without kindling, her arguments just can’t burn.

Although I suspect Palin would disagree, it might be best to invoke the Christmas words of John Lennon and Yoko Ono: “War is over / if you want it.”

This article sucks!

Harvard Political Review

What?

See what I did there? You may forget everything I communicate to you in the next few hundred words, but you will probably have that title kicking around in your head for a few days.

Although I personally hope the title will turn out to be false, the shock value behind such a declaration seared it into your mind’s eye. It gets better when you have an exchange of these radical statements, going back and forth. There is nothing like a quaint, ALLCAPS SCREAMING MATCH to capture one’s Twitter-trained attention span.

On the bottom of nearly every single online article, you can find said screaming matches. On a high profile website, it is par for the course for any standard story to dissolve into a conservative vs. liberal bullfight, complete with “ooo’s” and “ahh’s” from the crowd. These comments range from wise and well versed to unintelligible and downright offensive. Most end up being the latter. Scroll to the bottom of the article on Fox News’ website written about Michelle Obama’s low profile since the election. For a relatively benign column, the comments that poured on to the site are thick and strong. Most are passionate, many are racist.

News organizations allow these comment sections to run rampant because it increases website traffic which thus increases ad revenue. I’m sure that the publisher of the HPR would be pleased if such a comment war occurred at the bottom of this article.

But I, on the other hand, would not be pleased. And no, it is not because I am sensitive — who doesn’t love some good old-fashioned hate mail? Instead, think of it as an infringement on my opinion.

Journalists, especially columnists, write articles to share an opinion on a given topic.

The ultimate goal is not to see one’s own name in print (although sometimes you wonder), it is to generate thoughtful discussion. And thoughtful discussion, through thoughtful comments, would be thoroughly enjoyed by author and audience alike.

Thoughtful comments do not include anything you would be uncomfortable attaching your name, address and phone number to if you were running for public office. Imagine the author to be a respected player in a face-to-face conversation — how considerate would you be in “real life?” Disagreement outside the realm of the Internet is enjoyed, perhaps encouraged, by any serious columnist. But that disagreement must be tempered — it is socially unacceptable to blatantly state our opinion, without consideration for other human beings (especially when running for political office, where accountability is vital).

We must tiptoe with political skill.

When comments fall into the vicious pattern found on a majority of online news outlets, they rip a reader’s perception of the opinion presented. Although you don’t remember the author of the Michelle Obama article, your subconscious impression of his work (and the topic in general) is heavily swayed by the comments you read at the bottom of his page.

That is a simple theory of memory: we remember what we read last, and we

remember what is shocking. Both of these occur at the bottom of an online article.

Most likely, this distorts our perception in a way the author did not intend.

Before the Internet existed, whatever authors wrote was solely what readers based their opinions on. If they had thoughts, they would put them on paper and send them out, for better or for worse. The anonymity afforded to complainers and bigots makes writing much less attractive these days. No one wants nasty comments attached to their work.

Being a “wet-behind-the-ears” liberal (as I have been called in the commentary of a past article), I’d like to believe that there is no need for a fix here. I have an unshaken faith in education to create meaningful debate, and I have an equally unshaken faith in debate to educate. But the way the online comment space is set up is too open to uneducated thought.

Getting rid of all comments would be a quick fix, but that would hardly help the author’s idealistic goal of starting discussion. Perhaps a small charge to comment would weed out the majority of commentators looking to start a fight (while generating enough income to make the publisher content). There are many possibilities. But individual publications must decide how they want to build their online identity.

That being said, I urge you to spare me the irony of having no comments at the bottom of this page. Please start a discussion.

Feel free to disagree. But keep it classy and informed — have some respect and show some propriety for my territory as the primary contributor.

The art of virtual baking

ith finals around the corner and studying (in my unfortunate case) to start, there’s nothing I would rather do than write a column and bake cookies. Well, correction: there’s nothing I’d rather do than write a column and eat my friends’ cookies. Please don’t judge me.

Unsurprisingly, all of my friends are too consumed with procrastination-backlash and not-taking-my-whims-seriously syndrome to even consider making my dreams come true.

It’s at times like these when I turn to my ultimate companion: the Internet.

Buying food on the Internet scares me, probably just as much as it should scare anyone, but baking cookies on the Internet is a realm with which I’m largely unfamiliar.

Again, I’m probably as unfamiliar with it as most people are ... but not my brother.

It was wonderful returning home this Thanksgiving break. I was able to see my parents and siblings, read things other than textbooks, sleep in and eat robust meals past 10 p.m., if I so desired. I so desired. More importantly, however, I was introduced to the newest virtual sensation, an honorary member of the email-YouTube-Facebook lineage: Cookie Clicker.

At first glance, this game is nothing but an utterly useless waste of time. Criterion one — check. It’s totally futile, most likely harmful to one’s living standards, but enjoyable all the same. Oddly enough, it’s about as enjoyable as eating cookies. Criterion two — check.

The game doesn’t have a point — it’s premise is muddled and unsure. The player is ostensibly a cookie entrepreneur who founds a grassroots cookie organization and bakes cookies by clicking a giant cookie to the left of the playing screen. Once he’s accumulated a certain number of cookies by manual clicking, he can spend them on a variety of upgrades. It seems as though baked goods make for brilliantly effective currency.

On an elementary level of upgrade is the grandma, starting price of 15 cookies. With a cookie per second (CPS — yes, it has an abbreviation) output of .5, it’s not the most lucrative purchase. The other upgrades include farm, factory, mine, shipment (spaceship), alchemy lab, portal, time machine and antimatter condenser. You can buy as many of each upgrade as you want, budget allowing, though after each purchase the price increases. How much marijuana did the creators of this game smoke before the game’s inception?

The most professional upgrade is the antimatter condenser with a 999,999 CPS. It “condenses the antimatter in the universe into cookies” and costs 3,999,999,999 cookies to start, says the Cookie Clicker Wiki. That’s right, there’s a Cookie Clicker Wiki. Another advanced upgrade, the time machine, “brings cookies from the past, before they were even eaten.” Genius.

As if things weren’t convoluted enough already, there are a number of upgrades you can purchase for your existing upgrades at the “store.” They augment your CPS, provide labor by kittens and initiate what’s called the “grandma apocalypse.” If you’re horribly confused, welcome to my world. Additionally, there are myriad cheats, statistics and achievements.

For a game without an objective, this one’s mighty compelling.

You win the game when you successfully forget all about the piles of work you still need to finish (or start). You lose when you successfully waste all of your time. This is a dangerous game, perfect for finals week, and a perfect substitute for friends’ cookies — sort of in the same way Facebook is a perfect substitute for real friends.

If you’re in need of a new waste of time and enjoy the thought of pointless, unceasing video games, Cookie Clicker is for you!

Otherwise, have fun chatting, snooping, stalking and doing whatever else you may claim not to. We all need something to push through these final few weeks. And no worries, it’s a judgment-free time of year.

Adam Kaminski is a freshman who has not yet declared a major. He can be reached at Adam.Kaminski@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.

10

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The Tufts Daily

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Thursday, December 5, 2013

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Starting NOW, undergraduate students will use a single form to add or withdraw from courses, as well as to opt for pass/fail grading. Deadlines have not changed. This new form should provide a clearer, more streamlined process for students.

The form is now available in the lobby of Dowling Hall and online at http://uss.tufts.edu/registrar/SS_StudentForms.asp to make changes to your academic schedule!

UPCOMING DEADLINE FOR WITHDRAWING FROM A COURSE: MONDAY, DECEMBER 9, 5PM ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !

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The Tufts Daily

Thursday, December 5, 2013

The Tufts Science Fiction Fantasy Society Beyond the Light presents

HOBBITSHEROES GAMERSGEEKS

WHAT EXPLAINS THE RISE OF FANTASY, GAMING & ROLE-PLAYING SUBCULTURES?

A SLIDE LECTURE ADVENTURE WITH

ETHAN GILSDORF Writer for The New York Times, Boston Globe, Wired.com, Salon.com, Psychology Today and Author of the award-winning travel memoir

FANTASY FREAKS AND GAMING GEEKS: AN EPIC QUEST FOR REALITY AMONG ROLE PLAYERS, ONLINE GAMERS, AND OTHER DWELLERS OF IMAGINARY REALMS

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 5, 8:30PM EATON HALL 206 TUFTS UNIVERSITY Q&A AND BOOK SIGNING TO FOLLOW

“FOR ANYONE WHO HAS EVER SPENT TIME WITHIN IMAGINARY REALMS, THE BOOK WILL SPEAK VOLUMES.�

11

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+ *) %)*!*+* &( # *(! # % # *(&%! )

% !% () ( ) %*)

*+ %* (& ))!&% # - ( % )) &% ( % * (! . $ ( *& ##! % ##

% +)*(. %

' " () ! +*)! &## – & !% %

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—WIRED.COM

Questions? Email sffsdragon@gmail.com

!

The Pre-Law Society Daily Prophet

Studying abroad spring 2014?

Be prepared for your semester abroad!

Required pre-departure meetings: Programs Abroad staff and study abroad alumni will go over the pre-departure checklist, discuss health and safety issues, transfer of credit, cultural adaptation and much, much more!

Non-Tufts Programs

Tufts Programs

Non-Tufts Africa/Asia/ Caribbean/Latin America/ Middle East

Tufts in Madrid/Paris/TĂźbingen/ London

*all meetings in Braker Hall 001*

Tuesday, Dec. 10 @ 10:30 am

Non-Tufts Mainland Europe

Wednesday, Dec. 11 @ 1:30 pm

Shine Your Smarts Like Hermione Granger at the Mock Law School Class on Thursday, Dec. 5th, 8 PM Campus Center.

Room 203 Chris Manos is Worse Than Severus Snape, so Gird Your Loins‌ He’ll Get Your Brain Prepared for Finals!

*all meetings in Braker Hall 001*

Tuesday, Dec. 10 @ 1:30 pm

Tufts in Hong Kong

Wednesday, Dec. 11 @ 10:30 am

Non-Tufts UK/Ireland/Australia/ New Zealand Wednesday, Dec. 11 @ 3:30 pm

PLEASE NOTE: If you cannot make your scheduled non-Tufts meeting, please attend another non-Tufts meeting. If you cannot make your scheduled Tufts meeting, please attend another Tufts meeting.

Meetings are required.

Questions? Call x7-5871.

The Tufts Daily

12

Comics

Thursday, December 5, 2013

Doonesbury

Crossword

by

Garry Trudeau

Non Sequitur

Tuesday’s Solution

Married to the Sea

www.marriedtothesea.com

SUDOKU Level: Finding ways to not smell awful in a zombie apocalypse.

Late Night at the Daily

Thursday’s Solution

Melissa: “I think I just got a video of turtle sex.”

Want more late-night laughs?

Follow us on Twitter at @LateNiteAtDaily

Please recycle this Daily.

by

Wiley

Thursday, December 5, 2013

The Tufts Daily

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The Tufts Daily

14 Housing

Housing

7 bedrooms-Located on Boston Avenue (corner of Bellvue Ave & across from Wren Hall). Includes 2 baths & 2 living rooms, New modern eat-in kitchen with 2 refrigerators, dishwasher & gas stove. Newly finished hardwood floors throughout apartment. Large outdoor deck. 4 off street parking spaces included. Non Coin-op Laundry in basement. NO FEE, $6,000. Avail 6/1/14 Call Angela – 617-852-2215 or e-mail:angelam@ kssrealtypartners.com

4 bedrooms - $3,600 Located on Boston Avenue (corner of Bellvue Ave & across from Wren Hall). 4 bed/1 bath apartment. New modern eat-in kitchen with full size refrigerator, dishwasher & gas stove. Hardwood floor throughout apartment. 2 off street parking spaces included. Non Coin-op Laundry in basement. NO FEE, $3,600. Avail 6/1/14 Call Angela – 617-852-2215 or e-mail: angelam@ kssrealtypartners.com

Sports

Thursday, December 5, 2013

Housing

Wanted

4 Bedrooms - $3,400 Located on College Avenue at Powder House Circle (corner of Warner Street) Steps to campus. 4 bed.1 bath apartment with updated eat-in kitchen with full size refrigerator, gas stove & dishwasher. Hardwood floors throughout. Non coin op washer/dryer in basement. $3,400. Off street parking included. Avail. 6/1/14 Call Angela @ 617-852-2215 or e-mail: angelam@ kssrealtypartners.com.

$$ SPERM DONORS WANTED $$ Earn up to $1,200/month and give the gift of family through California Cryobank’s donor program. Convenient Cambridge location. Apply online: SPERMBANK.COM

—

—

classifieds policy All Tufts students must submit classifieds in person, prepaid with check, money order or exact cash only.

All classifieds submitted by mail must be accompanied by a check. Classifieds are $15 per week or $4 per day with Tufts ID or $30 per week or $8 per day without. The Tufts Daily is not liable for any damages due to typographical errors or misprintings except the cost of the insertion, which is fully refundable. We reserve the right to refuse to print any classifieds which contain obscenity, are of an overly sexual nature or are used expressly to denigrate a person or group. Questions? Email business@tuftsdaily.com.

Editors’ Challenge | Week 14 It all comes down to this. The last Thursday paper of the semester means the last week of Editors’ Challenge we will be running for the NFL regular season. This one’s for all the marbles, folks. Nothing is set in stone (it’s now socially acceptable to pick the Jaguars), and this week presents one last opportunity for the front half of the pack to make a run for the top spot.

Currently leading the pack is last semester’s exec, Marcus “Arial” Budline. What can you say?

He’s been in the top three virtually all season, even holding the throne here and there, and is a straight shooter when it comes to fantasy. The guy means business, but let’s see if he can hold on to take the crown.

Next up, we have a tie for second place between Zachey “Tahoma” Kliger and Aaron “Courier New” Leibowitz. Both have legitimate chances at beating out Budline depending on how this week’s games fall. It will be a matchup of the classic contenders this week as the veteran editors fight for the top spot.

Matt “Impact” Berger and Jason “Hurry Up” Schneiderman need to make some moves fast if they hope to end up in a more favorable position after this week. They’re in the top half, definitely performing well, but a chance for the No. 1 spot could be just out of reach if they don’t step it up.

Behind these two is Alex “Calibri” Schroeder, who remains stuck in the middle of the pack.

This might just be the cut off point for editors hoping to capture the Eds’ Challenge title, unless some really odd wins come out of this week in the NFL. Cleveland over New England? Go big or go home.

OVERALL LAST WEEK HOU at JAC IND at CIN ATL at GB CLE at NE OAK at NYJ DET at PHI MIA at PIT BUF at TB KC at WAS MIN at BAL TEN at DEN STL at ARI NYG at SD SEA at SF CAR at NO DAL at CHI

Marcus 110-65-1 6-7-1 JAC IND GB NE OAK PHI PIT TB KC BAL DEN ARI SD SEA NO DAL

Zachey 108-67-1 4-9-1 HOU IND GB NE OAK PHI MIA BUF KC BAL DEN ARI SD SF NO DAL

Aaron 108-67-1 7-6-1 HOU CIN GB NE NYJ PHI PIT BUF KC BAL DEN ARI NYG SEA NO CHI

Matt 107-68-1 7-6-1 JAC CIN GB NE NYJ PHI PIT TB KC BAL DEN ARI SD SF NO CHI

Jason 107-68-1 6-7-1 JAC CIN GB NE NYJ PHI PIT TB KC BAL DEN ARI NYG SF NO DAL

Alex S 106-69-1 6-7-1 JAC IND GB CLE OAK DET PIT TB KC BAL DEN STL NYG SEA CAR DAL

In the next spots we have Ross “Garamond” Dember and Jake “Franklin Gothic Medium” Indursky. No one knows what really happened to these former top dogs, as they’ve continued to slide their way down the rankings and out of the serious competition. At least they’ve each got a year or two to redeem themselves.

Despite clawing his way out of the basement and into a respectable position near the middle of the standings, David “Blackoak Std” McIntyre may come up empty-handed in the end. The former exec will end his picking career with a sub-par finish.

Alex “Frutiger 55 Roman” Connors is the first of the four editors that round out the bottom of the standings. He had a solid 8-5-1 record last week, but Connors has been unable to make the jump into the higher tiers of picking all season.

The bottom three pickers are — yeah, you guessed it — the usual suspects. Claire “Palatino Linotype” Sleigh, Kate “Webdings” Klots and Tyler “Wingdings” Maher. Sleigh continues to lag behind with average performances, though finishing ahead of the perennial basement dwellers, Klots and Maher, is something to be proud of. Klots sits just one game above Maher, but who knows how things will turn out, as these two seem to be speaking a completely different language with the way they’re picking.

After a long semester as managing editor, Jenna “Lucida Console” Buckle joins the sports editors for Eds’ Challenge. Though she’s the last of the managing board to participate, Buckle will look to outshine her peers and make a statement in the last week of our competition.

Ross 104-71-1 6-7-1 JAC IND GB NE NYJ PHI PIT BUF KC BAL DEN ARI SD SEA CAR CHI

Jake 104-71-1 8-5-1 HOU IND GB NE OAK PHI PIT BUF KC BAL DEN ARI NYG SF CAR CHI

David 102-73-1 5-8-1 JAC CIN GB NE OAK PHI PIT BUF KC BAL DEN ARI NYG SEA NO DAL

Alex C 101-74-1 8-5-1 HOU CIN GB NE NYJ DET MIA BUF KC BAL DEN ARI SD SEA NO DAL

Claire 98-77-1 7-6-1 HOU IND GB NE OAK PHI PIT TB KC BAL DEN ARI NYG SEA NO DAL

Kate 91-84-1 6-7-1 HOU CIN ATL NE NYJ DET PIT BUF KC BAL DEN STL NYG SF NO CHI

Tyler 90-85-1 7-6-1 HOU IND GB NE OAK DET PIT BUF KC BAL DEN ARI SD SF NO CHI

GUEST Jenna Buckle HOU CIN GB NE NYJ DET PIT TB KC BAL TEN ARI NYG SF NO DAL

Thursday, December 5, 2013

The Tufts Daily

Tufts blanked by Manhattanville, falls to 1-6 HOCKEY

continued from back

momentum to make a push. After more than 40 scoreless minutes, the Valiants broke through once more.

Mooney capped off his hat trick with a third score, this time coming on an empty net during the final ten seconds of play.

The Valiants dominated play for the majority of the game, outshooting Tufts by a 36 to 28 margin.

Meanwhile, senior netminder Alex Scola played big between the pipes, helping his squad to its second shutout of the season.

In the end, a 33-save performance from Kellenberger was not enough to keep the Jumbos in the game, as they failed to muster any real offensive possessions throughout the afternoon.

“We played a great game and did a good job of controlling Manhattanville, even though they played fast and physically,” sophomore defenseman Brian Ouellette said. “Unfortunately it did not end up in our favor, but if we continue to play like that, we will have a lot of success in the future.”

Despite the loss on Sunday, Tufts came out of the weekend hopeful after a strong victory the previous day. Senior forward Brendan Fadden, who notched a goal and an assist on Saturday, received the game puck for his performance against Castleton State. He was named to the AllTournament Team alongside sophomore forward Stewart Bell.

The Jumbos, who are still in pursuit of their first conference victo-

ry, have an opportunity this weekend. On Friday, Tufts will travel to Maine to face Colby and Bowdoin in a tough conference doubleheader.

The Jumbos see the upcoming tilts as an opportunity to improve their conference record and build up some confidence after getting the monkey off their backs in the win against Castleton.

“I think we generated a lot of momentum in the Castleton tournament,” junior forward George Pantazopoulos said. “Obviously it would’ve been nice to have won again on Sunday, but our team is continuing to get better every weekend. If everyone continues to work hard and stay level-headed, I’m sure that the hard work will pay off and start to correlate with some more wins.”

Jumbos make late push but come up short MEN’S BASKETBALL continued from back

just think it was too late to make that run, which is why we came up short.”

Tufts lost despite boasting the game’s two leading scorers in Spadaford (19 points) and Smith (15 points). Spadaford was particularly efficient, making 8-of-13 shots.

Freshman center Hunter Sabety and senior tri-captain forward Tommy Folliard — who entered the game second and third on the team in scoring, respectively — struggled against the Engineers. Sabety scored just four points on two shots in 18 minutes, while Folliard went 0-for-5 from the field.

Throughout the evening, the Engineers’ defense gave the Jumbos fits.

“They kind of dictated the game, especially with their defense,” Cohen said. “They had us well-scouted, clearly, and they took us out of some of the stuff we’re used to running on offense.”

The Jumbos’ offense, which thrives at an up-tempo pace, failed to find a rhythm.

“They definitely slowed down our offense,” Spadaford said. “We couldn’t really get into our sets. We were trying to push the pace and trying to have them play our tempo, but they’re more of a relaxed team. That’s probably why we lost, because we couldn’t really [control] that.”

Despite their offensive woes, the Jumbos did have an impressive defensive showing: The Engineers had not scored 70 points or fewer in a game they won since Feb. 23, 2012.

This weekend, the Jumbos continue their non-conference schedule with one game Saturday and one game Sunday in the New England Big 4 Challenge. Then on Dec. 10 they host Plymouth State, their last opponent before a 25-day hiatus.

Anamaria Murphy for the Tufts Daily

Sophomore guard Ryan Spadaford led Tufts in scoring in the team’s three-point loss against WPI, compiling 19 points in 28 minutes of play.

North leads Tufts with 24 points WOMEN’S BASKETBALL continued from back

how deep the Jumbos’ roster is this year. In its first six wins, the team has received contributions from the veterans all the way down to the last player on the bench, including consistent performances from North. She added to her stellar rookie resume with her first collegiate double-double against Salem State, tallying 24 points on 10-for-14 shooting to go along with 10 rebounds.

“Our balanced attack is great because we don’t have to rely on one player to score 30 points per game,” sophomore guard Michelle Wu said. “Everyone on the team has the ability to contribute which makes it harder to defend us.”

Junior guard Hannah Foley tacked on 10 points and six rebounds of her own, while sophomore guard Emma Roberson added nine points and three assists. Junior forward Hayley Kanner and senior guard Liz Moynihan also chipped in with seven points apiece.

“Our team has great chemistry on and off the court which means any combination of players can have great success on the court,” North said. “The upperclassmen have been very wel-

coming to the incoming players such as myself and are always giving us great advice. I also believe we have a deep bench which means scoring will usually come from across the board.

It’s great for everyone to be able to get playing time as well.”

The Jumbos eliminated any doubt that the game was still up for grabs with an efficient 6-0 run to start the second half. The lead ballooned to 49 points on a jumper by sophomore guard Nicole Brooks with 7:56 remaining.

Statistically, Tufts was dominating throughout the game, but perhaps the statistic that most pleased coach Carla Berube was the 30 turnovers that the Jumbos forced. Berube’s emphasis on defense throughout her Tufts career has been no secret, and while Tuesday’s game was the Jumbos’ best offensive output thus far, it was also one of their most dominant defensive showings.

“I couldn’t be happier with our team thus far,” North said. “Starting out strong with a 6-0 record is great, and we also have so much room for improvement, which means we can strive to be a really great team.”

The Jumbos have won their first

15

Sports

six contests by an average of 22.5 points per game. But when the margin of victory is so large, the possibility of complacency emerges. Tufts will not play a NESCAC opponent until Jan. 12 when it tips off against Middlebury, and in the interim the Jumbos will face mostly lower-ranked opponents. Maintaining this level of intensity and passion, therefore, may prove difficult.

“When your team is up by 20-30 points it can be difficult to maintain energy, but we have to always maintain focus and use these games to prepare ourselves for the NESCAC games,” North said. “Also, as a freshman, I still just don’t know what to expect with any team, so I go into every game with no preconceptions.”

The Jumbos will look to win their seventh-straight game tonight when they take on Fitchburg State in the third game of a four-game homestand.

The 3-2 Falcons bested Middlebury earlier this year and may prove a difficult challenge for the Jumbos. Tufts will finish its streak of play at Cousens Gymnasium on Saturday against Connecticut College before a recess until Dec. 30.

Ross Dember and Alex Schroeder | Five-feet nothing

Going the distance

W

ell folks, this will just about do it. It’s Alex here for the last installment of the semester from the Five-feet nothing duo. We’ve recounted many of our favorite childhood sports memories, from embarrassing mistakes to feel-good game winners, and we hope you’ve enjoyed reading along.

The beauty of playing sports as a kid is that you’ll always have memories and good times to share, if nothing else. My bureau at home has maybe five or six awards on it, but in most cases those aren’t the types of things I’d want to write about in this column.

Instead let’s discuss something everyone has had to go through at one point in elementary or middle school physical education: the mile run. I know Ross touched on this before, but my experience with the mile was a bit different.

First off, I would say, humbly, of course, I was one of the better runners in my grade. I was built for it with my skinny frame. I don’t think I ever finished first in all the years of running the mile for the state physical education tests, but I was up there.

Fourth grade was a particularly special year for the mile run. I think I ended up finishing at right around the 7:30 mark, something to be proud of though it wasn’t the top time. I remember being satisfied, but probably not overjoyed. The gym teachers, however, gave me my chance for redemption, while at the same time encouraging all of us schoolchildren to stay fit.

During recess for the couple of weeks surrounding the actual mile test during class, the teachers would be waiting outside by the field where the laps were run. The idea was that you could run a mile during part of recess along with the other kids. The reward, on the other hand, was what really interested us — little colored plastic feet, trinkets that you could string on a bracelet or necklace.

I remember being obsessed with these little things. I went home and found a chain necklace with something else on it, ripped that off and brought the chain to school to start collecting the multi-colored feet. It was semicompetitive — I definitely wanted to match up well with my friends. But as long as you were running every day, there was no way one person could “beat” another.

Looking back, it was an ingenious way to get kids to run and stay in shape. Offer them little plastic trinkets in return for a serious cardio exercise and before you know it the whole school is outside running laps. That’s definitely not what I got out of it at the time, but I look back and realize how simple it was for helping us to develop healthy habits.

First off, it was pure fun. Crossing the line on your last lap and collecting a prize of sorts — that’s just what kids like to do. Furthermore, anyone can do that any day of the week — just go for a mile run by taking, at the most, maybe 10 to 15 minutes out of your day.

Not to be didactic about it all, but that’s an opportunity that sports provide us: physical activity in a low stakes environment. Everyone knows this, and I surely am not one to talk about always being diligent about exercising. But it helps to be reminded how good and accomplished one can feel after just a little exercise everyday.

Especially among the stress and work of college. It doesn’t take a little plastic foot or any type of prize to know how much you’re helping your wellbeing.

Ross Dember and Alex Schroeder are both sophomores who have yet to declare majors.

Ross can be reached at Ross.Dember@tufts. edu, and Alex can be reached at Alexander.

Schroeder@tufts.edu.

Sports

16

tuftsdaily.com

Women’s Basketball

Tufts continues hot start with 83-44 victory over Salem State by

Zachey Kliger

Daily Editorial Board

The women’s basketball team continued its season on Tuesday night, pulling off its most lopsided victory of

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL (6-0 Overall, 0-0 NESCAC) at Cousens Gymnasium, Tuesday Salem State Tufts

14 42

30 41

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44 83

the young season, besting Salem State University 83-44 for its sixth straight win to start the year.

Before four minutes of the game were gone, the Jumbos had already amassed an 8-0 advantage. By halftime, that lead had grown to 28. Tufts was relentless on both sides of the floor, limiting the Vikings to just 14 points on 6-for18 shooting from the field in the first half. Meanwhile, a balanced attack for the Jumbos led by freshman forward Michela North produced 42 first-half points on 17-for-40 shooting.

“This is one of the team’s best offensive games,” North said. “But we can always improve on defense and executing our plays on offense.”

Tuesday’s game once again proved see WOMEN’S BASKETBALL, page 15

Oliver Porter / The Tufts Daily

Junior guard Hannah Foley was one of two Jumbos to score in double digits Tuesday, contributing 10 points along with six rebounds to Tufts’ 83-44 win over Salem State.

Men’s Basketball

Too little, too late for Tufts in Worcester by

Aaron Leibowitz

Daily Editorial Board

The Jumbos entered their matchup Tuesday against the Worcester Polytechnic

MEN’S BASKETBALL (5-2 Overall, 0-0 NESCAC) at Worcester, Mass., Tuesday Tufts WPI

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41 38

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67 70

Institute ( WPI) Engineers averaging over 88 points per game. When they left Worcester, they had scored a season-low 67 points, losing by three and falling to 5-2 overall. The Engineers, who were ranked No. 14 in the

latest D3hoops.com Top 25, extended their home winning streak to 20.

Tufts received three votes in the latest D3hoops poll and put up a good fight against WPI, missing a three-pointer at the buzzer that would have sent the game to overtime. The Jumbos know that to crack the Top 25 and ultimately make a case for an NCAA bid, they need to do better against topnotch competition.

“Our goal has been and always will be to get to the NCAA tournament,” senior tri-captain point guard Oliver Cohen said.

“Winning a game like [WPI] looks great for your resume at the end of the season. The hole we dug for ourselves was just a

little bit too deep.”

The Engineers used a 12-0 run over the final two minutes of the first half and the first two minutes of the second half to increase their lead to 39-26.

For the rest of the game, the Jumbos — who scored just 26 points in the first 20 minutes — were playing catch-up.

With four minutes remaining, freshman forward Drew Madsen hit a jump shot to pull the Jumbos within seven, 61-54. But the Engineers hit 5-of-6 free throws in the next two minutes and led 66-59 with 2:06 to go. The Jumbos did not attempt another shot until the 46-second mark, when freshman guard Tarik Smith hit a layup to make it 66-61.

After the Engineers made a free throw, sophomore guard Ryan Spadaford knocked down a three-pointer with 17 seconds left to pull within three, 67-64. Then, after Engineers sophomore guard Zach Karalis hit a pair of free throws, senior tri-captain guard Kwame Firempong nailed another three-pointer.

“Our guards started getting into the paint and getting kickouts, and we started knocking down a lot of shots from the outside,” Spadaford said.

The score was WPI 69, Tufts 67 when Firempong fouled junior guard Matt Harrington with seven seconds remaining. Harrington made the first and missed the second, and

Spadaford grabbed the rebound with Tufts trailing 70-67.

“We kept fighting, we kept believing we had a shot to win,” Cohen said. “We had some great contributions from Tarik Smith and Ryan Spadaford.”

Spadaford gave the ball to Firempong, who attempted to launch a three as time expired.

But WPI junior forward Domenick Mastascusa got a hand on it. The shot fell short and the Jumbos lost, 70-67.

“Towards the last minute, we were fouling the right guys, they were missing some free throws and we just kept chipping away,” Spadaford said. “I see MEN’S BASKETBALL, page 15

Men’s Ice Hockey

Jumbos pick up first win at Rutland Herald Invitational by

Kate Klots

Daily Editorial Board

After notching its first win of the season Saturday, the men’s ice hockey team dropped its fifth of six contests

ICE HOCKEY (1-6 Overall, 0-4 NESCAC) at Rutland, Vt., Sunday Manhattanville Tufts

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3 0

at Rutland, Vt., Saturday Tufts Castleton

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4 3

on Sunday, falling to Manhattanville in the final round of the Rutland Herald Invitational and dropping to 1-6 on the season.

The Valiants blanked the Jumbos, using two first-period scores from junior forward Jake Mooney to pull away early and clinch the Invitational title. Meanwhile, sophomore forward

Matt Coleman added two assists on Sunday to a three-goal performance in the opening round, and was named the tournament’s Most Valuable Player.

Two of the Valiants’ three goals came on power plays, an area where coach Brian Murphy’s squad could use improvement. On the season, the Jumbos’ special teams unit is 22 for 33 on power play kills.

Mooney opened the game up in the fifth minute, converting a power play goal past first-year keeper Ryan Kellenberger to put the Valiants on the board first.

Less than two minutes later, Mooney doubled Manhattanville’s advantage, striking again on the power play.

The second period was scoreless, although Manhattanville again held the advantage in shots. Going into the third period, the Jumbos hoped to climb back into the game.

Instead, Tufts senior forward Kyle Gallegos and sophomore defenseman Aidan Hartigan were whistled for a series of penalties early in the period, and the Jumbos never gathered the

Oliver Porter / Tufts Daily Archives

see HOCKEY, page 15

The Tufts men’s ice hockey team picked up its first win of the season after losing five straight games, as the Jumbos earned split results at the Rutland Herald Invitational over the weekend.