Coach Chambers celebrates the Indiana win via Twitter

With last Friday’s win over Indiana, the Boston University men’s basketball team accomplished a number of feats: they got their first win of the year, they won in a foreign country (Puerto Rico sends its regards), and as a team, BU showed that it could win coming from behind. However, most importantly the Terriers got Coach Patrick Chambers his first Boston University program win.

BU had struggled through the three games prior to the win on Friday. They were expected to win big in their opening game against Iona; instead, they dropped that game 82-73. They then lost to George Washington by ten, and to Kansas State, even though they lead for most of that game. Before traveling to Puerto Rico, BU was 0-3 and sinking fast.

Winless in three games? It had people scratching their heads. With the disappointment of men and women’s soccer and the hockey team off to a slow start, it was basketball that was supposed to buoy Terrier Nation’s spirits. Pat Chambers was supposed to bring in a new era for basketball, we were told. The underachieving days of coach Dennis Wolff were long gone. Replacing him, Chambers had the Boston Globe singing his praise on its cover. He promised energy, optimism, and a winning season. He stood on a freakin’ chair and screamed at the top of his lungs at the Terrier Tip-Off, saying “When I say BU, you say Pennant!” for crying out loud. We were promised change.

Through all the bad, Chambers kept his chin up. He acknowledged that the team was struggling, but focused on the positives. Chambers always commented on how “hard” his team was working, and how they were “grinding” and relentless. He knew that the win was coming, he just didn’t know when.

This is why BU’s win against Indiana was so important. To start out the first four games without a win would have been awful. A team that had so much encouragement from its coach should be able to salvage a win in four games, despite the injuries that BU has been suffering. And it looked like the Terriers would be able turn it around when, with 2:19 left to play, they took the lead after Jake O’Brien’s foul shot.

O’Brien didn’t get the game ball however, despite his impressive play and his fourteen points. That honor went to coach Chambers. Check out the BU Athletics interview with Chambers after the game:

Chambers looks like a kid in a candy store with his game ball and an ear-to-ear grin. When asked what the ball meant to him personally, however, he shrugged it off and talked about the importance of the win for the team. Most guys would have given an Academy Award acceptance speech. This guy actually wants to talk about his players.

“It means that this program is taking the steps in the right direction,” Chambers said. “To beat a quality team with the rich tradition Indiana has is great for the program, but more importantly it’s great for these seniors. They’re going to have this for the rest of their lives.”

Since then, the Terriers have gone 1-1 in an expected loss to Georgia Tech and a close win against Northeastern. Despite this, the team looks better. They seem to have the confidence that they lacked prior to their win. By no means are they the powerhouse that they were expect to be, but maybe BU will find more luck with in-conference opponents. Regardless, we now know that Pat Chambers’ Terriers are serious about winning, and will keep going with the vigor and enthusiasm of their head coach

BU Soccer Team Beats Providence Friars 1-0 by Chris Walker

Logo copyright Base Trip Records

Ask 21-year-old Conor Loughman (COM ’10) about the meaning behind the name of his record label, and you’re likely to see a sheepish grin emerge. Then he’ll ask you a question—“What’s the opposite of an acid trip?” Base Trip Records was founded by Loughman in 2007 and is made up of friends – all of whom are students or grads of Boston University. Sense of humor may well be one of the major common threads among the artists on Base Trip, which has everything from folk, rock, and pop outfits to hip-hop, spoken word and electronic musicians. Last Friday night, BU Central hosted all the artists on the label for a night of music that seriously hit the spot.

“We’ve never had that many Base Trip artists on the same bill before, it was surreal seeing all my best friends play back to back,” Laughman said, “Also, we got free cupcakes and stuff in the green room.”

Katie Uva (CAS ’10) started the night off with a brief but satisfying set chock-full of clever and delightful folk songs. A highlight was definitely “Man at the Delicatessen,” one of Uva’s best. An added bonus was watching Loughman mouth every word to the song.

Next up was Allison Francis (COM ’11), who is already an established veteran performer at BU (whom Jen previewed here). Francis’ songs aren’t too sweet, and they certainly cut to the core. She opened her set with a brand new song called “Kaboom,” which is as catchy as it is heart wrenching. She played some of her older greats, which never fail to deliver, as well as some new stuff—including the brutally honest ode to Allston, “Vampire Party.” Francis closed her set with the classic “Lost (On this Side)” and seeing her fans and friends scream the words along with her definitely made the show. The live tune offers an experience that greatly differs from the recording, and shouldn’t be missed.

Next up was CAS sophomore Nick Lattanzi’s new project, called Sun Cut Flat. This was their very first show, and they did not disappoint. After the somewhat laid-back vibe of the first two acts, people stood up for Sun Cut Flat as they kicked their set off with a trippy and beautiful song called “Paper Sky.” Lattanzi has in the past played mostly by himself, which is always great, but now he’s backed by a full band with an even fuller sound. Lattanzi has a knack for making music that builds and builds seamlessly, yet never loses touch with its raw and powerful foundation. A bluesy cover of Alicia Keys’ “If I Ain’t Got You” was surely a high point of the night that really got people dancing. Other than that it was almost all new material and despite some technical problems with the mike, the band created some serious hype for upcoming shows as well as for the release of their album, called “Running of the Bulls,” which will be out early this month. Definitely keep an eye out for that and stay tuned for much more this year from Sun Cut Flat.

Hip-hop artist Aviator, AKA one half of The Throwbacks, followed next. Aviator showed off his magnetic and fierce presence with some of his new material, including “I Like It,” a brash and boastful song that makes reference to everything from Trueblood to the H1N1 virus to Tetris. And he’s got a swagger that makes it look easy. Audible gasps of incredulity and enjoyment were heard from first-time listeners in the crowd. He even threw in some A Capella rhyming in between the bangers. With his infectious combination of smart lines punctuated by undeniable refrains, Aviator proved (once again) that he is a force to be reckoned with. His solo release “Bigger Than My Matador” will be out soon on Base Trip.

DJ Supersillyus, who had been spinning tracks in between each of the artists, played his final song and then Rapper Steph came up to close the show. She gave an electric performance filled with highly political songs that make you stop and think. This MC can captivate her audience with socially-conscious music that has a message and also makes you nod your head and stomp your feet.

The show was a hearty mix of music that can’t help but pull any audience member into Loughman’s unique project. The story of Base Trip Records is one about friends who just love hearing each other’s music and playing together. It’s hard to keep up in today’s independent music environment of endless bands with cryptic names and general too-coolness. That is definitely not Base Trip, whose artists so obviously care about their music and their friends and fans, and put everything they’ve got into what they’re doing. Base Trip acts as a sort of a one-stop shop for good, exciting new music that plays perfectly to the most eclectic of tastes.

I caught up with Loughman over Thanksgiving break to get his take on the BU Central show and also his views on how Base Trip fits in at BU, in Boston and to come in the world at large. When asked about his major plans for Base Trip this year, Loughman’s answer was pretty concise. “Releasing albums.  It’s all I think about.” He’s also gotten the okay from COM to have interns next semester, another prospect he’s psyched about. Base Trip’s evolution from its founding two years ago was something else Loughman talked about:

When we first started out all we really had was music, internet access, and a good idea.  We’ve experienced and learned a lot since then.  At this point all of the artists are seasoned performers and songwriters and I have the contacts and the skills necessary to run a successful label.  The main difference between now and then is that we’re really doing it now.

Loughman is graduating this semester, and I asked him about long-term plans for Base Trip Records. His answer perfectly sums up the no-drama, good-natured and driven approach he’s taken.

My goal is to make it possible for all the artists on Base Trip Records to be able to make music their career if they want to.  I really believe it’s going to happen.  I have no idea where we’re all going to be in ten years but I expect everybody to be happy and successful.

Well said. Check out Base Trip’s website for more info and upcoming shows.

Redefining the Music Industry with Reputation’s Records by Bethany Reynolds

Classical Music – It’s Not Just for Old People by Briana Seftel

Scenes From The Underground: BU Central’s All Day Music Fest by Heather Vandenengel

One of the many fanboy interpretations of Mac Tablet dreams | photo courtesy Flickr user nDevilTV

Recently, Apple’s oft-rumored Tablet device has done nothing but build up in hype, despite the fact that Apple has never confirmed a word of what’s been said. A recent article in CNN recently summed up essentially every reason there is to be excited about such a prospect, without offering up any new information on the product.

Loads of speculation has resulted in a poetinal/maybe/probable/completely-uncomfirmed mock-up of the portable device. It will use the iPhone operating system. It will come in a high resolution. It will have 3G. It will offer portable video conferencing. Applications ranging from the basic (a word processor) to the complex (gaming device) to the now standard (internet, mp3) will be included. Or maybe it won’t. Because Apple hasn’t come out and said a single thing about the existence of such a product.  But that hasn’t stopped Dan Ackerman, senior editor at CNET, from saying that “Apple will come out with the tablet and blow everyone away.”

That’s what’s the brilliant thing. Apple hasn’t done a single thing, yet the wild imagination of the Internet has generated a product so seemingly amazing that all Apple needs to do is nod their head ‘yes’ and their stock will jump about a million points. But a bucket load of user-generated hype is only one of the many fantastic advantages Apple has right now. As of yet, the tablet market has yet to touch base with a mainstream market. Sure, they’ve served some industry-specific uses (the medical industry comes to mind) but the market share is incredibly low when compared to net books, laptops, and smart phones. Additionally, Apple has the complete trust of nearly every iPod-iPhone-Mac-loving person in the world. Say what you want about Apple, but there’s no denying that in recent years their product lines (specifically the iPod and iPhone) have commanded a significant market share, reducing the competition to a meaningless bother.

With a tablet computer, Apple can bring the item into the hands of not just business executives (drawn by the potential of mobile video conferences and editing documents anywhere) but casual users (it’s like the iPhone… with more to do). And doing so can potentially set off a number of copycats (see Verizon, Sprint, and T-Mobile’s immediate responses to the iPhone) which fuel competition, and maybe even better products. Remember the mp3 market before the iPod? It looked something like this:

Additionally, Apple has had many experiences with launches to avoid mistakes. The missteps of the AppleTV (a million sold after a predicted 1.5 million) have been combed over by critics enough so Apple knows what not to do. The steep price of the iPhone when it was first released (starting at $500 for what is now, three years later, a $99 device) was a large matter of discomfort amongst consumers, especially when Apple steeply dropped the price only months later. With a proper price point and an ad campaign as slick as those of its current products, Apple is basically guaranteeing itself ten million sales.

Apple is staying silent...So does it really exist?

Not everyone is optimistic about the appearance of such a product. Ian Paul of PC World wrote an article recently entitled “The Apple Tablet is Dead” puts it as bluntly as the article title: “These rumors are getting so ridiculous that I think it’s time we accepted the truth: the Apple tablet is dead; in fact it probably never existed.” Paul cites numerous delays (true, if you count rumored release dates, because that’s all we have to go by), fluctuating costs, and the cost of building an energy-saving, LCD model to be much too high for Apple to price one reasonably. But he seems to be one of the lone cynics in a sea of people who, at the very least, believe such a device is coming. Follow-up comments to the article indicate a near-universal opinion of disagreement, with people saying that Apple will “take the world by surprise and storm” or that Paul is simply “trolling for clicks.”

Even worse than the Apple Tablet’s extinction: it could come out and make no impact whatsoever. CNN’s tablet article gives an example that I don’t think could be done any better: “For instance, smartphones have cameras for quick snapshots, but when you go on vacation, you’re probably going to want your digital camera to come along with you for high-quality photos.” Analyst Zues Kerravala says in the same article, “What we’ve found in the past with these multi-function devices is that they’re better for ad-hoc purposes, like quick and dirty tasks.”

With a device as anticipated as the Apple Tablet, Apple can take its time preparing whatever it wants – if such a thing exists. Since their public withdrawal from Macworld, Apple has been able to capture the attention of the global media by just holding a simple press conference. When Apple speaks, people listen. If Apple unleashes its personal computer, it’s very likely it can make numerous other devices obsolete – and perhaps usher in a whole new marketplace of ideas. But if it doesn’t, another company may snatch up the opportunity. The Tablet PC has incredible untapped potential as a user-friendly multimedia device; it’s just that no one has done anything about it yet. Still, fanboys won’t stop dreaming until Apple puts the nail in the Apple Tablet’s coffin.

Remodeled Classic: Apple Pie Cupcakes by Estefania Souza

BSB | photo courtesy of wikimedia

Just kidding. You may resume breathing.

In the course of the last twenty years or so, I have developed a fairly eclectic taste in music. From Coltrane and Coldplay to the depths of metal and hip hop experiments and independents, my library has grown substantially in size and scope. But before anything else, the genesis of my musical pilgrimage could only be marked by my discovery of the Backstreet Boys. And I don’t think I’m the only one.

You probably should listen to this while you read:

The likes of the Backstreet Boys and ‘N Sync may be proverbially sh*t upon by college students today, but in ‘96 ( if you graduated high school in 2007 that’s second grade!) the pop era was blasting  from radio frequencies and walkmans in full force. That was the year the Backstreet Boys’ first album hit the streets and elementary school playgrounds everywhere.

Perhaps the abrasive arrival of grunge a few years prior could be held responsible for this massive trend. Maybe it was the arrival of GI Joe or a democrat in the White House; maybe it was just an addiction to the Mickey Mouse Club. Whatever the case, echoes of the pop monolith are embedded deeply in today’s college youth culture and still very much apparent.

I think there’s a mechanism at play here. Those of us who were young enough to be entranced by the boy band craze are now the arbiters of American pop culture. We are calling the shots in mainstream entertainment, and there’s a lot of fallout from our earlier love affair with boy bands.

For one, Justin Timberlake is still very much in the public eye after all these years, although it does seem that he fell out of the limelight for a short time between ‘N Sync and becoming a regular on Saturday Night Live. Maybe he had to grow up a little to be taken seriously by a maturing audience. Maybe we needed to grow up a little bit, too, to gain the power to redirect the camera back to Timberlake’s new image.

Old 'N Sync promo photo, note Timberlake's curly mug

Britney Spears’ career has gone through a similar progression, although her media resurrection has been more of a barrage of bad publicity and tabloids than commercial success. I think all of that Hollywood stuff is a  bunch of garbage, but it does raise an interesting social commentary that athe pop princess’ poor life choices made it on to CNN’s lineup alongside the War on Terror.

Take a good look at your friends. I’d wager 2 out of 5 people you know have a boy band song or album on his or her iPod. And that person is probably a girl. Even so, I’d guess 4 out of 5 BU males know most of the words to a few songs and could probably sing along (pending, perhaps, a few drinks).

And I know more than a few people who have picked loyalties – particularly between the Backstreet Boys and N’ Sync – and are willing to argue to the death the dominance of their favorite.

I’ll have to side with the BackstreetHeads on this. If ever “Quit Playin’ Games (With My Heart)” hits the speakers I feel a pretty strong wave of nostalgia smack my brain. Its probably just memory tied to the music that keeps me from changing the song. Those guys are really talented singers, but I feel like there’s just something off-putting about all of that mushy stuff.

Maybe those guys are just so completely white-bread that the whole thing has become a horrible caricature of itself. I definitely think that the eventual death of the boy band era had to do with some anxieties surrounding a changing society. Perhaps the boy band era was a necessary stepping-stone for hip hop to become as mainstream as it is now, sacrificing a generation of overzealous suburbanites for the good of music-kind.

The Black Keys Are Back: ‘El Camino’ Puts the Glam Back In Rock by Nee-Sa Lossing

No Flops at BUBattle of the Bands by Briana Seftel

Photo from www.lifemedicalsupplier.com.

In the past few weeks, headlines have been dedicated to the new study results released outlining what age women should get mammograms. Mammograms, a test that uses X-rays to determine if a woman has breast cancer, seems like a concern far off in the future for us 20-something college students. (For guys, I’m sure it barely even registers a blip on the radar, since mammograms are commonly though to be only for females.) But the study results could prove to be immensely important in our future.

The US Preventative Services Task Force released these results earlier this month, recommending that women get screened for breast cancer at 50 instead of 40, and to only get screened once every two years, rather than annually. The USPSTF also discouraged doctors from teaching women how to give themselves breast exams.

Although the panel of doctors that compose the USPSTF are “independent” according to their website, they are appointed by the US Department of Health and Human Services.

Since there has been a major push to pass national government-funded healthcare, the study results seem a bit fishy. Currently, most states in the US require health insurers to pay at least part of the mammogram cost, according to cancer.gov. The cost of the test is pretty high, averaging $102, according to costhelper.com. If we were to have national health care, wouldn’t it make sense that a study released by a government-funded group of doctors would discourage women to get costly annual examinations starting at age 40? If the government has to foot the bill for these breast tests, it makes sense that they would want to discourage women from getting them often.

While this reasoning might seem like a bit of a stretch, why would the panel suggest that you SHOULD NOT perform self-examination? The official reason – undue stress – does not outweigh the benefits of discovering, and eventually treating, a lump that could lead to death by breast cancer.  When a woman checks her own breast and finds a suspicious lump, the first thing she does is run to the doctor to get tested via mammogram. But if we’re discouraged to stop self-examinations, then less women will go get tested, resulting in a decrease of mammograms – and a decrease in paying for the expensive test.

Even if national healthcare does not pass, the recommendations could have a negative impact on our medical bills in 20 years. Considering a panel employed by the government released the study, states could rescind their requirement for insurance companies to fork over mammogram money to patients. Currently, insured patients have a co-pay between $10 and $35 for mammograms, according to costhelper.com. But by the time our generation gets to be middle-aged, the new guidelines could justify insurance companies’ tendency to stiff us. For example, if you decide that, hell, you DO want to get mammograms annually once you turn 40, guess what? Your insurance company might make you pay for the whole amount. This is a dangerous practice, since the high price will discourage you from getting tested outside the insurance company’s rules.

A woman gets her annual mammogram. Photo by www.cpmc.org.

The reason that the USPSTF provides for its recommendation of later, less frequent testing also makes me uneasy. Citing unnecessary anxiety caused by diagnosis of a tumor and further medical tests, the USPSTF said the benefits of mammograms outweigh the emotional downfalls. However, the cancer death rate decreased 15 percent in women who get tested in their 40s. While the report makes it seem as though 15 percent is low, mammograms save 15 out of 100 cancer patients in their 40s every year. According to cancer.org, 40,170 women have died from breast cancer in 2009. If 15 percent of 40,170 were saved due to mammograms, 6,025 women would be saved by the test in this year alone. Trying to sway the public with low percentages is not a good way to actually relate the benefits and downfalls of the tests – real, flesh-and-blood lives are a better way to approach the topic.

So while we, as college students, might brush off the new suggested guidelines as something for older women to worry about, the consequences of the study released are astronomical even for our generation. Once we fully understand the context of the study, we can proudly make informed decisions that could save our boobs – and our lives.

For more information on the new mammogram guidelines, this article has proven to be especially helpful in understanding the facts.

Pub Quiz Fundraiser Fights Cancer with Nachos and Trivia by Nee-Sa Lossing

Do you like to write?

Yeah, I’m talking to you.

If you like what we’re doing and you want to get on board the staff of The Quad, then here is your big chance to hop on for next semester! We’re issuing a call for writers and photographers to be a part of our 2^nd semester (and 2^nd edition) staff and holding a special General Meeting to gauge student interest. As of this point, no subject is off limits: If you’re a sports nut, music junkie, fashion fiend or a technology fanboy and you love to write about what you love, then this place is definitely for you.

Writers of The Quad have an opportunity to express their own voice and their own opinions in a stylish and reachable publication. We’re looking for our 2^nd edition to be as badass as our inaugural semester, and that’s going to take some work. But, if you’re a diligent, hardworking, timely and organized writer, then we’ve got a spot for you.

Not a Journalism or English major? Not a problem! The staff is made up of several different colleges and many different majors. We’re accepting of anyone who is interested in being a team player and who wants to gain experience in the journalism field.

We’re looking to expand in staff and coverage, so if you have a great idea for a section and a column that isn’t already featured on the website, we’re open to it. The Quad is all about providing a voice for the students, and a new voice is always welcome.

Okay, okay, I know I have you sold on this. So, what’s the next step? It’s easy! The General Meeting will be happening within the next two weeks, but is currently TBA. If you want to be put on the mailing list to get more information, simply email staff@buquad.com with the subject title “Work for the Quad.” Then, tell us a little about yourself, what you’re looking to write about, and why you’re interested in being on staff. Then, watch for the all-important email that gives you the date, time, and location of the event. If you have any questions, feel free to include them. The General Meeting is mandatory, and if you do not come you must schedule a time that you can attend in a separate email.

See? Easy as pie. You know you want to.

Peace,

Lauren Hockenson

Editor-in-Chief

Ginger Rogers’ Exhibit Honors the Life and Work of a Star by Ingrid Adamow

Cooking on the Quad: Build a Better Breakfast by Joel Kahn

WWJFKD?

This column was inspired by an essay prompt from Professor Douglas Kriner’s PO 317 course on American Presidential Leadership.

The comparison between Presidents John Fitzgerald Kennedy and Barack Obama is not a new one. The charisma is certainly there, but would Barack Obama act the same way in a crisis as the legendary JFK did during his term as President?

When one thinks back to an event as historically significant as the Cuban Missile Crisis, its hard to imagine it playing out differently. What made the decisions of President Kennedy such a success really comes back to his administration, and the way that he set up the system in which his advisors would come to a conclusion. In actuality, they never did come to one consensus and left the choice between military action and a blockade up to President Kennedy. However, the entire process of advising involved heavy argument and disagreement amongst the members of the Executive Committee of the National Security Council (known as “Ex Comm”). Different opinions were thrown around and a clear example of the political science theory called “multiple advocacy” was deliberately instituted. From Attorney General Robert Kennedy to Secretary of State Dean Rusk, from Vice President Lyndon B. Johnson to the Joint Chiefs of Staff and Ambassador to the UN Adlai Stevenson, many important figures and powerful members of the Cabinet stepped in to take their stances. Some, such as RFK himself, favored a blockade to end the Russian shipment of offensive weapons into Cuba. Others, including the Joint Chiefs of Staff, supported military action against Cuba. Adlai Stevenson took a far more liberal stance, suggesting that the United States remove missile systems in both Turkey and Italy in exchange for Russia removing them from Cuba.

Adlai Stevenson had one of the more leftist opinions amongst Kennedy's advisors

In the end, after many days of debate, fluctuating opinions and intense deliberation, the main factions of opinion within the Ex Comm wrote up detailed recommendations to be presented to the President. President Kennedy chose the blockade, and although it did not have immediate success (and the United States did indeed concede the weapons in Turkey as Ambassador Stevenson had suggested), it is clear that well-reasoned clash of opinions afforded President Kennedy the opportunity to take a step back from the widespread panic circulating around the United States, maintain calm public appearances, and keep morale high. The country believed in him, and he believe in his advisors. Thus, a terrible disaster was avoided.

Considering the Cuban Missile Crisis, it is hard to correctly predict how the Obama administration would have acted or would act in a similar situation. It is doubtful Obama would be able to take the role as the sole decision-maker in a crisis, however, because he purposely picked a cabinet full of strong-minded political actors. Knowing this, we can assume that he would probably end up following Kennedy’s lead in that he would likely institute a “multiple advocacy” system.

Hillary Clinton has proved to be a diplomatic asset, but could she provide advice in a crisis?

Who would be the key leaders if a sudden change in Iran, Afghanistan, or North Korea were to lead to a national security crisis? Secretary of State Hillary Clinton would clearly take a strong role in any matter involving national security, likely advocating fora more diplomatic solution. I would not be in the least bit surprised if she were to butt heads with Robert Gates, a Bush appointee who Obama kept in place as Secretary of Defense. Vice President Joe Biden has proven himself a dissenter on the issue of Afghanistan, so it would not be in the least bit surprising if he were to take an unpopular position, playing the role that Adlai Stevenson did for the Kennedy White House.

Looking back to the Cuban Missile crisis makes me more confident about the Obama administration. Clearly, a variety of opinions coming from able-minded leaders is what will lead us through any crisis our country may face. And having a President who stays calm under pressure and would take the time to not only consider every option available but to also make sure the country’s morale was maintained will only help. Is Obama the next JFK? It is too early to tell, and lets hope he isn’t tested in the way that the cuban missile crisis tested President Kennedy. However, I think his administration certainly has potential when it comes to crisis-management.

The book Thirteen Days: A Memoir of the Cuban Missile Crisis by Robert F. Kennedy and Arnold Schlesinger was a resource for this column. W.W. Norton & Co publishers.

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