Medical students challenge conflict policies at Harvard

By Andrew FitzGerald

BOSTON – (Oct. 20, 2008) A group of doctors-in-training is accusing Harvard Medical School of allowing drug marketers to push unnecessary and possibly unsafe medical products on its future practitioners, thanks to weak or nonexistent conflict of interest policies on campus.

At least 41 of those students gathered in front of the massive stone pillars facing the quad of HMS’ Longwood campus Friday afternoon to protest what they say is an unhealthily permissive atmosphere for pharmaceutical and medical device companies, which they accuse of seeking to influence medical students before they even begin practicing as residents.

Though the event focused on HMS policies, medical students from Boston University, Brown University and the University of Connecticut joined the demonstration. Davida Schiff, a first-year Boston University School of Medicine student, said any effort pharmaceutical companies take to influence future doctors ultimately hurts the people they treat.

“Whether that be a free lunch or continuing medical education or talks sponsored by drug companies, studies have shown that that kind of psychological influence actually impacts what you prescribe for your patients,” she said.

The American Medical Students Association publishes a scorecard of medicals schools’ conflict of interest policies as part of a nationwide initiative to build stronger safeguards against corporate influence at medical schools. Criteria include written policies on gifts and meals, oversight mechanisms to detect lapses and sanctions when instructors or administrators do not comply. Harvard received an F.

First-year Harvard medical student Simeon Kimmel said he and a group of classmates grew suspicious of their school’s policies last month when a specialist lecturing on the cancer drug Velcade suggested offhandedly that it could be prescribed before any other therapies, instead of as a “third-line” solution used when other treatments fail, a claim which he didn’t seem to support with any data.

Kimmel said he and some classmates looked up the lecturer, HMS associate professor Paul Richardson, on PubMed.com, a medical journal database, and found he hadn’t mentioned his work as a consultant for Millenium, the company that owns the patent to Velcade.

“In peer-reviewed journals, you’re supposed to publish your conflicts of interest,” Kimmel said. “We found out that this guy had been paid by the company that made this drug Velcade, and hadn’t disclosed that in his class.”

Richardson said in an email he was surprised by the AMSA students’ response, considering he had delivered the lecture during the past two years without incident. Though he acknowledged his work as a consultant for Millenium, he said he is “very careful to declare this at any lecture in which this is required.”

In addition, Richardson said his lecture was clearly informal – he came to present a patient as a case study of the drug’s uses, not to deliver a formal lecture – and added his appearance was not paid for “by anybody.”

Randall King, the course director who invited Richardson, said he took the students’ concerns seriously and noted that the school adopted a new disclosure policy six days after the students made their concerns about the lecture known.

“I agreed with their assessment that the medical school needed to have a formal conflict of interest disclosure policy,” King said in an email. “As a result, I contacted all of our course faculty, and asked that they disclose any such relationships that might be relevant in subsequent lectures.”

Kimmel said the newly formalized policy on lecturing was “just the tip of the iceberg,” however, next to company-sponsored lunches and free samples, all permitted under an unenforced conflict of interest policy.

These efforts not only compromise students’ integrity but also influence patients’ care, said Allan Coukell, policy director for the Prescription Project, a Boston nonprofit group that collaborated with AMSA to develop the medical school scorecard.

“Often these drugs are no better than the older, cheaper drugs, and sometimes they’re less safe,” he said.

As for pharmaceutical companies funding or otherwise influencing clinical trials at research universities, Coukell said the project is choosing to focus on the companies’ influence on current and future practitioners. Research is simply too complicated an issue, he said.

“There are issues there, but there is no doubt at the present time we need collaboration between academic medicine and companies to develop new drugs,” he said. “Our issue is really with marketing.”

The Revs fight on despite the odds

By: Yumi Araki yaraki@bu.edu

FOXBORO, Mass. – Amidst the grey clouds that hovered over Gillette Stadium and the exhausted chants of weary supporters, Stefan Digregorio stood up in his red-white-and-blue jester hat and called encouragingly to the crowd. “C’mon guys, you gotta show your support to the team.”

It wasn’t so easy for the crowd as the New England Revolution were defeated 3-1 in the last game of the regular season last Saturday against the Kansas City Wizards. On the pitch, the Revs battled a hard first half as a steady rain began to settle in, and two players were given red cards. The crowd booed vehemently when defender Gabriel Badilla tackled Kansas player Claudio Lopez, and was ejected from the game.

“Are you even watching the game?” yelled angry fans as they cursed at referee Kevin Stott. “That was a clean tackle!”

A long moan of disappointment filled the stadium when Lopez made the penalty kick, making the Wizards the first scorers of the game. In the 42^nd minute, Stott gave another red card to Revs midfielder Khano Smith, leaving the team with only nine players against Kansas’ 11.

“We…wanted to have some confidence going into the playoffs but things went wrong,” said Revs defender Michael Parkhurst in a post-game interview. “We came out with a bad mentality again and a couple stupid tackles…combine that with the refereeing…it hurts.”

“To send Badilla off just shows a lack of understanding,” Revs head coach Steve Nicol said. He mentioned that Stott had previously ejected a key Revs midfielder, Shalrie Joseph, during a 2007 game against D.C. United.

FOXBORO (10/25/08) – Kansas City Wizard midfielder Lopez (left) stands in the corner kick area while a referee and Revolution forward Kheli Dube deliberate.

Both Badilla and Smith will not be able to play in the opening match against Chicago Fire in MLS Cup Playoffs this Thursday.

Digregorio, however, believes that the Revs can perform well in the playoffs.

“The Houston victory will give us motivation. Plus, we have the experience. I’m confident that they can do it.”

Even after Kansas midfielder Davy Arnaud scored with assists from teammates Lopez and midfielder Roger Espinoza, Digregorio remained relentlessly supportive. Shortly afterwards when midfielder Sainey Nyassi made an unintentional pass to a Wizard player, Digregorio joked, “We’re not in our away jerseys, guys.”

Other fans were less sympathetic when Parkhurst scored an own goal in the 88^th minute, bringing the score to 3-0. Some supporters began to leave the stadium as all luck seemed to have exhausted for the home team.

“I don’t care what the score is. You gotta stay until the end,” said Digregorio as he tapped together his inflatable beaters to resurrect a dwindling “REVOLUTION!” cheer.

Digregorio’s attempt to regain supporter confidence reflects the Revs and the MLS’s efforts to increase soccer’s popularity over the

past few years. With the establishment of the Patriot Place shopping complex next to Gillette Stadium, the Revs’ name has been dwarfed by New England’s National Football Association (NFL) team, the Patriots until recently, when Mayor Menino announced in early July 2006 that he would call a task force that would determine the location of a new stadium for the Revs, according to the Boston Globe.

FOXBORO (10/25/08) – Season ticket-holder Stefan Digregorio shows his support for the New England Revolution.

“I am excited by the opportunity to showcase Boston to Major League Soccer and look forward to a long productive relationship moving forward,” wrote Menino to MLS Commissioner Don Garber.

The Boston Globe also reported that The Kraft Group, which owns both the New England Revolution and the Patriots, is leaning towards building the new pitch in East Somerville, encompassed in the Brickbottom and Inner Belt area. In his 2008 Inaugural Address, Somerville Mayor Joseph Curtatone said that the area proposed for the stadium “represents the most exciting Smart Growth development project anywhere on the East Coast.” He also mentioned Governor Patrick’s approval of a development proposal of the Green Line to run from Somerville to Medford, which would embrace accessibility for fans. While some Somerville officials and businesses fear that the plan to build the new stadium might slow down other Brickbottom and Inner Belt redevelopment projects, Digregorio and other fans remain in accord that the stadium would boost supp

orter participation.

“It’s going to be big,” said Digregorio. “It’ll be good for fans who have to come from…far like me; I’m coming from the North Shore area.”

“It’ll be awesome to have a stadium that’s more centrally-located,” said Jon McCormick, a Somerville resident who became interested in supporting the Revolution after watching the 2006 World Cup.

However, the Revs have yet to gain popularity on the air. With highly-anticipated games like last night’s Boston Celtics season opener against the Cleveland Cavaliers, MLS games prove difficult to rank high on Nielsen TV ratings.

The top cable TV program during the week of October 13 was the American League Championship Series Red Sox game against Tampa Bay. The NFL Regular season game on ESPN was the top syndicated TV program during the week of October 6.

Nevertheless, soccer-only networks have strategized to maximize the quality of their MLS playoff coverage.

According to the New

England Revolution Official Blog, ESPN2 and Fox Soccer Channel chose to cover their team of choice in a way that would “fully tell the playoff story.” The blog noted that “with ESPN2 selecting [the Revs’] series against Chicago…and Fox Soccer taking the Real Salt Lake [versus] Chivas USA series…it should make for great two weeks of soccer action on national TV.”

“The reason why soccer might not be as popular as football is because…football has so many breaks where advertisers can get air time,” McCormick mentioned.

Indeed, NFL breaks serve not only as commercial opportunity, but also, according to American football coach Howard Schnellenberger, current head coach of Florida Atlantic University, “the best thing about American football.” Aside from game play breaks, the NFL has allocated lucrative breaks exclusively for commercial purposes during games.

In a recent L.A. Times Sports forum, reader Chuck Culpepper refutes Schnellenberger’s claim, and names the “top three complaints about American football

FOXBORO (10/25/08) – The End-zone Militia get ready to fire as Jeff Larentowicz scores in the 90^th minute of the game, bringing the Revs up 1 to Kansas’ 3.

heard or overheard during three years in the United Kingdom”. Too many breaks was the top complaint, Culpepper noted, but Schnellenberger argued, “it's that 20-to 30-second gap between plays…The inactivity not only leaves time for serial strategy adjustments from the sidelines, but allows the construction of anticipation, excitement, dread, hope and tension in the audience.”

The breaks also bring in huge dollars for NFL teams. Charlotte News’ Business Journal section reported that ad rates for a 30-second spot during Fox Carolina Panthers broadcasts range from $10,000 to $15,000, according to local media buyers. On a larger scale, the Super Bowl brings in an average of $2.7 million for a 30-second spot, according to Marisa Guthrie, a Broadcast & Cable correspondent. Soccer has one 15-minute break, where most is allocated to post-first-half coverage.

Sponsors have also tried to propel popularity. The New York Metro Stars changed their name to Red Bulls New York when Red Bull Company, which owns the successful Austrian FC Salzburg, acquired the team. According to the official Red Bull sponsorship website, Red Bull CEO Dietrich Mateschitz said that he took the next step to buy another team after Salzburg showed success when it qualified for the 2008/09 European Cup.

“18 million Americans actively play soccer in the US, up to 60 million follow the games every weekend as fans or players,” said Mateschitz. “Soccer is just about to make a big breakthrough in the US media. For us it is the logical consequence following the successful launch in Salzburg.”

Two minutes before the whistle blew to conclude the game, Revs midfielder/defender Jeff Larentowicz intercepted the ball from midfield and shot 30 yards from the goal to score a point for the Revolution. The game ended 3-1, bumping the Wizards up to fourth place, and securing the Revs’ third place position in the MLS Eastern league.

“Really, soccer’s about playing until the end,” Digregorio said. “After all, you’re paying for it, right?”

The New England Revolution will play on Thursday, October 30 against Chicago Fire in the 2008 MLS Cup Playoffs at Gillette Stadium.

See related video: http://bujournalists.blogspot.com/2008/10/video-new-england-revolution-fans.html

Doctors Prescribe Books

By CATHERINE MOORE, camoore@bu.edu

            BOSTON, Mass. (10/21/08)--The heavy, red-furred dog costume, worn by Dr. Perri Klass’s 13 year-old son, Anatol, was just one of several costumes donned by volunteers, Sunday. Story book legends came to life at the Seaport Hotel in Boston Harbor at the annual Reach Out and Read “Read and Romp” event.

            Norman Bridwell’s children’s book character, Clifford the Big Red Dog, was led around to greet youngsters on the arm of his mother, one of the early members of the Reach Out and Read organization.

            Dr. Perri Klass joined the Reach Out and Read (ROR) organization 16 years ago, with a passion to promote literacy. She said that today, according to Reach Out and Read statistics, 35 percent of children who enter kindergarten lack the basic language skills they will need to learn to read.

            These children come from mostly from low-income families. Without intervention, those children will have low literacy skills and poor economic potential in their adult lives. This is where Reach Out and Read comes in, providing books, while promoting literacy by educating parents on the importance of reading to children at early ages.

            A journalism and pediatrics professor currently at New York University, Klass returned to Boston this past weekend on her annual trip to Beantown for the Read and Romp. Despite relocating to New York City for her career, Klass continued her volunteer legacy as a Reach out and Read medical doctor on the Board of Directors.

            The Reach Out and Read organization, started in 1989, was an attempt by pediatricians and primary caregivers to become more involved in their clients’ lives. They went beyond conventional healthcare to give low-income children a chance. These doctors and nurses left behind tradition in order to tell parents about the importance of reading in child development. Upon each check –up visit, nurses and doctors provide parents with information on how to read to children at each developmental age as well as sending each child home from his or her appointment with a new book to keep as his or her own.

            “The books hold so much meaning, so much pleasure, and so much possibility,” said Klass. “It is so much fun for parents to see their child enjoy a book. It’s inspiring. It’s what we want all children to have. We want every child who comes into the office for medical care, to leave with a book in hand.”

            The Read and Romp is a Reach Out and Read event, co-sponsored by the Cabot Corporation, Walden Media, and Scholastic Inc. The event brings in over 80,000 dollars each year that is used to buy books for more than 4,000 ROR programs nation wide. The Read and Romp has helped more than 3.3 million children explore their favorite books.

            This year the Seaport Hotel Plaza conference room was transformed into a storybook land, featuring 11 stations, each focusing on a favorite children’s book with an activity to accompany it.

            Margaret Wise Bloom’s The Runaway Bunny station gave children the opportunity to coddle live baby bunnies. Next door at Eric Carle’s The Very Hungry Caterpillar station, children make their own butterflies out of clothespins and coffee filters. Laura Joffe Numeroff’s book If you Give a Mouse a Cookie station was in the center of the room and children could decorate their very own cookies. The timeless book Mike Mulligan and His Steam Shovel, by Virginia Lee Burton, recreated a “construction zone” in one corner of the room, with trucks and blocks scattered all over the floor.             Throughout the afternoon, the storybook characters literally came to life for the children to enjoy. Clifford the Big Red Dog was joined by Frog and Toad from Arnold Lobel’s Frog and Toad are Friends as well as several other characters. The children and their parents were busy as bees, moving from station to station as they share each other’s pleasure.

            “I think for all of us that work for the program in any capacity,” said Klass. “It’s all about the pleasure that parents and children get together, from reading.”

            More than 60 volunteers spent time and energy planning this year’s Read and Romp. Co-chair of the event committee, Kirke Hall from Westwood, MA, said that she has been involved with Reach Out and Read for more than 12 years and she has been working at the Read and Romp for all five years of its existence. “A friend got me involved,” said Hall.

            With her husband and both of her children present at the event, Hall said that she got her whole family involved. “ROR can offer its full five year program for a mere $40 per child,” said Hall. “That means that by the time the child enters kindergarten, he or she will have a home library of at least 10 books, and parents who understand the great importance of reading aloud.”

            One of a handful of paid employees working the event, Matt Ferraguto has only worked as the communications director for ROR since last December, but he already says that promoting literacy is the “best job ever.” Before ROR, Ferraguto worked as the public relations representative for Senator Kennedy and Congressman Lynch on their political campaigns.

            Ferraguto explained that ROR’s crusade is not to teach reading, but to let parents know of their responsibility to read to their children, far before the kids are actually learning to read by themselves.

            “I’m about to have my first baby,” said Ferraguto, referring to his wife’s pregnancy. “If it were not for ROR, and if I did not work here, I would never have known that you should read to a 6 month old baby.”

            Ferraguto said that studies have shown that spending time talking to a child from infancy to the toddler years can prove to be a much more effective form of preparation for kindergarten than planting children in front of the television.

            Abbie Bloom, the event coordinator employed by ROR, said that she thinks the best part about the event is that it is “impossible not to have fun.” Bloom, who has helped to plan the past three Read and Romps, is also planning an ROR fundraiser for adults in the springtime.

            “The ‘Read, Romp and Rock’ event is a non-traditional gala fundraiser for adults that will be held on April 3^rd this year.” Bloom said, “It’s at The Estate venue, and it will feature dinner by the bite, music, dancing, and games.”

            “It’s the perfect night out for, parents, many of whom have brought their children here today and will continue to show their support for ROR by attending the gala in the spring,” she said.

            Michael and Joy Surprenant were not only in attendance at this year’s Read and Romp, but they were also sponsors of the event. The Surprenants said that their monetary donation to the event is a reflection of their investment in the importance of reading. They have been bringing their five year-old son to the event since he could walk and he has come to look forward to it.

            “We started to support ROR and attend the Read and Romp while we were still reading out loud to him,” said Mrs. Surprenant. “Now he’s starting to read on his own; beginner books. He loves it. That’s part of why we want to promote ROR, we want to let everyone enjoy reading.”

By CATHERINE MOORE

VIDEO: New England Revolution fans defend their team against Kansas City Wizards in the last game of the regular season

FOXBORO (10/25/08) - Fans are enraged when the referee calls a red card with three minutes remaining in the first half of the game on midfielder Khano Smith; the second red card for the Revs.



FOXBORO (10/25/08) - Stefan Digregorio, a season ticket-holder overlooks the pitch as he watches the Revbs lose 3-1 at the last game of the regular season against the Kansas City Wizards.

ENVIRONMENTALISTS BRAVE WEATHER FOR FIRST ANNUAL GREENFEST

BOSTON, Mass (9/28/08)-- With rain clouds looming, a reduced crowd turned out at City Hall Plaza Sunday for the first annual Boston Greenfest, an event designed to raise awareness of new developments in environmental initiatives.

While heavy rain deterred many and forced the festival to condense from two days to just one, organizers said the festival was still a success and accomplished what they set out to do.

“We were expecting 30,000 people over two days,” said Jennifer Boudrie, a board member of the Foundation for a Green Future, the organizers of the event. “Obviously the rain has reduced the number of people, but many still came and the people who did come are very interested in what we have to say.”

The festival has expanded somewhat since its beginnings as “AltWheels,” a festival dedicated solely to alternate forms of energy and transportation. This is the first year that the festival has included other areas of environmental concerns as well, and the name changed to reflect that.

“We’re really proud of the diversity here today,” said Boudrie. “It’s an opportunity for all of Boston to come together and work on sustainability.”

The large event consisted of two stages where performers and speakers were scheduled throughout the day, a workshop tent, a video tent, a children’s area, four tents lined with exhibitors, and a special tent called the “time tunnel,” where visitors could see the effect of environmental damage over the years.

The exhibitors consisted of non-profit organizations , small businesses, larger businesses and sponsors such as Home Depot, a national chain of home improvement stores. Some exhibits were simple demonstrations, such as the “magic energy bike,” which allowed visitors to see just how much less energy a compact fluorescent bulb uses by pedaling a bike to power both.

The dominant presence at the event were non-profit organizations looking to change environmental policies in Boston and Massachusetts.

One such group was Secure Green Future, who advocated a goal of 80 percent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions for Massachusetts by 2020. The current goal is 10 percent, with 80 percent by 2050.

Leon Raykin, a spokesperson for the group, said that while that goal is in line with “politics,” he believes a much greater reduction is possible.

“We’re a lot more optimistic than other initiatives, but we think we can really reduce the carbon footprint significantly in Massachusetts,” said Raykin. The group has been able to get a question on the November ballots in several districts, prompting voters if they would like to ask their state representatives to try to attain this goal.

Although the environment didn’t exactly play nice with the environmentalists, the organizers maintained that despite the heavy rainfall, they believe the event was a success and will return next year.

"You’ll see more festivals in Boston and other areas,” said Boudrie. “They’re becoming very popular. It’s completely free to come and be inspired and learn about the environment.”

CELEBRATE THE "AHTS" IN BOSTON

BOSTON, Mass (9/14/08)-- Sculptors, painters, musicians, photographers, poets, dancers, glass-blowers, and many others all gathered this weekend in Christopher Columbus Park for “ahts,” the Boston Arts Festival. The three-day event showcased various works by local artists in an attempt to introduce the different aspects of Boston’s artistic community to the city at large.

Although the festival is in its sixth year, this is the first year that the festival has extended across the entire weekend. The event is commissioned by the Mayor’s Office of Arts, Tourism, and Special Events, in conjunction with both local and national sponsors.

Tony Nunziate, the spokesperson for said office, says that the goal of the festival is to reach people who might not necessarily be interested in or even aware of the artists working in Boston. “It’s an opportunity for local arts groups to showcase their talent,” he says. “But it also introduces a new audience to the art in their city.”

The artists taking part in the festival are essentially broken down into two groups: visual and performance-based. The visual artists assemble in booths along a midway where they display their artwork and sell to potential customers. Art has a broad definition here: the usual mainstays such as painting and pottery are well-represented, as are less common niches such as wire figurines and t-shirt designs.

For these artists, the festival presents an economic opportunity as well. Brian Beaucher is the owner of Boston Coasters, a store specializing in items such as mugs and t-shirts with a local flavor; many of their items feature photographs of area landmarks, the Red Sox, or even subway stops. Along with his chief photographer,Mike Ritter, they have been selling their wares at the festival for three years running. Beaucher and Ritter’s booth was one of the busier throughout the day.

“We find that a lot of times the medium is more important than the work for some people,” says Ritter. “It gets rid of the guilt factor a bit- you’re buying something useful rather than something just hanging on the wall.”

The other main draw of the festival is the performances. With both a “garden” and “waterfront” stage, so two shows could run at once, the festival included demonstrations by Blue Man Group, the Boston Ballet, and a traditional Chinese dance group- all in full costume, of course. Performances ran almost non-stop throughout all three days on both stages, ranging from Irish step dancing to indie rock.

One such performer was Sam Cornish, Boston’s poet laureate. A first time performer at the festival, Cornish gave a reading of many of his works. “I do many readings all around- at coffee houses and the like, but not often like this,” he said. “It was a nice audience for me, they were very receptive.”

Nunziate hopes that the festival will someday become a time-honored tradition in Boston. “There are cities in Europe that have been doing this for fifty years, and they go for a whole week,” he said. “Maybe we’ll get there eventually.”

A Fresh Crimson Tide

BOSTON – For baseball fans, October is an exhilarating month. The playoff rush has swept eight deserving teams into division or wild card championship positions. But in Boston, baseball is not the only October sport. The ice men cometh: college hockey starts its season.

While Boston College and Boston University are easily thought of as the top dogs in Beantown hockey – they combine for a total of 42 Beanpot titles out of a possible 56 – there is one team that longs to break through the B.C.-B.U. barrier.

The Beanpot is a tournament comprising of four teams – Boston College, Boston University, Harvard University and Northeastern University – who play in round-robin style. Debuting in 1952, the Beanpot is a way for Boston teams to gain bragging rights for being the best local team.

The Harvard men’s hockey team starts its season on October 31^st against Dartmouth. The Crimson finished last season in the Eastern College Athletic Conference with a 17-13-4 record and a No. 16 national ranking. Head Coach Ted Donato said each new season begins with trying to get every player on the same page, understanding how the game will be played and how to carry oneself.

“There’s a level of work and commitment on and off the ice,” Donato said in a telephone interview. “[That’s] put in place with the system stuff – understand where and when to be on the ice, special teams…in the beginning there is a lot of preparation and getting ready as quickly as possible.”

This season finds the Crimson with a majority of underclassmen; 16 of the 26 rostered players are freshmen and sophomores. But being young is not something Donato is worried about.

“We’re definitely a young team,” he said. “[But] I like the talent level that we as a team bring to the table. In order for us to have success we’re gonna have to improve throughout the year.”

Donato added that there might be some rough patches early on in the season, but as players begin to understand their roles, Harvard has a chance to be a very good team.

Senior team captain Brian McCafferty agreed that the Crimson should not be dismissed because of the team’s average age.

“It doesn’t really matter how old you are if everybody comes in and feels welcome, especially the freshmen,” the Lexington native said. “I think we got a pretty good group this year and everyone can make a difference for us. [It’s] maybe not the most numbers in older guys but we got a lot of good leadership up there and that’s going to help us out a lot, especially at the beginning. Once the first game comes, everyone’s in the same playing field.”

Last season, McCafferty placed second in scoring for Crimson defensemen, with 17 points (3-14-17). He also helped lead Harvard in ECAC Hockey in scoring defense (1.86 goals allowed per game) and penalty killing (.913, 94 for 103) in league play.

“A new goal for us is to make the new guys feel as welcome as possible and let them know that they can make a difference,” he said. “I know that when you’re a freshman coming in, sometimes kids can, you know, have concerns or questions or whatever and I think that as a senior, you can make them feel at ease and make them feel as comfortable as possible. I think that’s a new personal goal that both of us [captains] have is to kind of get everybody on the same page and start out on the right foot.”

Senior captain Jimmy Fraser said the experience that last year’s freshmen gained should definitely help in the upcoming season.

“We’re always looking to improve in every aspect of our game. We have to work as hard as we can in practice and listen to our coaching staff because they’re the brains of the operation.”

Hailing from Port Huron, Michigan, Fraser was also part of the penalty kill unit last season that led ECAC hockey in league play. He had 13 points on the season (2-11-13), tying for eighth on the team in scoring.

The new season depends on the team getting off to a quick start, Fraser said, because Ivy League rules requires teams to start more than two weeks later than other schools: a delay giving other schools more game-time experience.

“[W]e’ve always been a quick team, a fast team, a hard working team,” he said. “I think we’re going to have as much skill in all aspects of the game as we had in my four years. We’ve always been on the smaller side, but we make up for it with grit, hard work and determination. That’s pretty much been our motto in my four years.”

The Crimson has a series of goals, according to Donato, when it comes to winning games, tournaments and championships. They want to win the Ivy League championships, ECAC and NCAA championships, and the Beanpot, he said.

Last year’s Beanpot ended in a heartbreaking overtime loss to Boston College, 6-5.

“The idea is that we improve, play the best we can, and give a maximum effort,” Donato said. “At end of day if we do that, the results will be there and we can live with those results.”

Donato, a former Crimson player and captain himself, returns to lead the team as head coach for the fifth straight year. Returning to Harvard as a coach was a great opportunity, and it is very special to return to the school, he said.

“It was an opportunity to stay in the game of hockey and Harvard is, and always will be, a very special place for me. I like the challenge of balancing a tremendous education with a challenging hockey schedule, and I want to continue the tradition of Harvard having very good hockey teams.”

One of the things that attracted Donato to being a coach, he said, was the way his head coach, Bill Cleary, operated the team while Donato was still a player. Cleary led the 1989 Crimson squad, of which Donato was a part of, to an NCAA championship.

“I like to think that some guys will have a future in the game, whether that’s playing, coaching, managing…at whatever level they decide,” Donato said. “I love the sport of hockey and hopefully our guys will get better, but have fun and continue their love and passion for game.”

While Fraser said it is “kind of depressing” to be donning the Harvard uniform for the last year, he added that one of his goals is to have a great senior year and keep playing afterwards to see where hockey takes him.

“I can always fall back on education,” the psychology major said. “But I want to try and use my body while I still can before I get too old.”

McCafferty agreed, and said he would love to try and get a chance to play after college.

Both captains also said they enjoy proving to Boston hockey fans that Harvard is a competitive team, and they should not be overlooked simply because they are not Boston College or Boston University.

“People always ask you, ‘Oh you play for Harvard, isn’t that were B.U. and B.C. are?’” McCafferty said. “We always get overlooked and it’s definitely a challenge to try and get people to come to our games as opposed to those bigger games. But you know I think for us, it kind of puts a chip on your shoulder a little bit. It makes you want to work hard, especially games where we play [B.C. and B.U.]. Deep down in our hearts we know we’re just as good, and can be just as good as they are.”

Wikipedia Founder Looks Ahead

BOSTON, Mass (09/12/08) -- The founder of Wikipedia outlined his vision for a new type of search engine Thursday night for a capacity crowd at Suffolk University’s Ford Hall Forum.

Jimmy Wales described his work in creating a Wikipedia-style search engine – one that lets users have a say about the results being generated. The new project, called Wikia Search, allows people to rank, delete and edit results with only a click of the mouse, Wales said.

“You can actually improve the search results in real time,” he said.

Traditional search engines, Wales said, force users to accept whichever links the site views as important. But the Internet should not work that way, he continued. It should allow users to contribute their own ideas.

“Myspace, Facebook, YouTube,” Wales said, listing several popular Web sites. “They’re all read-write. They’re all places where you can actually come participate and help build something for whatever reason you might have. Search is still read only.”

Wikia Search is still in its infancy, Wales said, having just reached its first day with 100,000 search requests.

“That means we’re essentially nonexistent,” he said, “but it is a community project and it’s growing. We’re excited about it.”

Wales also discussed Wikia communities – 6,000 groups each devoted to a different topic. If Wikipedia is a general interest encyclopedia, Wales said, Wikia is like a library with encyclopedias dedicated to specific areas. The number of Wikia communities is growing quickly, Wales said.

During his lecture, he showed the audience the Muppet Wikia, a collection of 15,271 articles all having to do with Muppets.

“It’s basically an encyclopedia of the entire world from the Muppet perspective,” he said.

Journalist Christopher Lydon introduced Wales and led a question and answer session after the lecture. Lydon highlighted the great influence Wikipedia has had on society’s ideas about knowledge.

“The idea of thousands and thousands of people checking, contributing, adding and arguing is in itself a profound revision of our ideology of who we are and who has authority,” Lydon said.

The Web site’s significant impact is what led the Ford Hall Forum to invite Wales to speak, said Alex Minier, the executive director, in a telephone interview. The Forum is the nation’s oldest public lecture series, and it has hosted many influential figures, ranging from Al Gore to Robert Frost to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

“We essentially try to pick the most compelling thinkers, doers, experts and opinion leaders who are making headlines today,” Minier said. “We try to see who’s out there, who’s making news, who’s on the cutting edge of interesting questions and invite them to speak.”

People of all ages filled the 400-seat auditorium Thursday night, and many expressed great appreciation for Wales’ ideas about the Internet. Bob Defillippi, a management professor at Suffolk University, said Wales is revolutionizing the way people share knowledge.

“This is like having Bill Gates here 20 years ago,” Defillippi said. “I was very moved by having him here.”

Audience member Susan Sered said she loves the way Wales has made knowledge accessible to more people.

“It’s the most democratic way of accumulating information that I’ve ever heard,” Sered said. “He’s one of my heroes.”

Photographer goes "Skin Deep" with photo exhibition

By: Yumi Araki yaraki@bu.edu

BOSTON, Mass. – Photographer Jonathan Stark met one of his subjects at a Starbucks in Kenmore Square.

“He said that I had dynamic eyes,” recalls the subject, who appears in a portrait that captures her expression from neck up in Stark's collection.

Inspired by moments of vulnerability and candidness, Stark’s “Skin Deep” photography exhibition captures the eye with portraits, nude shots and interblended collages that underscore the quirks of human expression. Stark explained that “the motivation for ‘Skin Deep’ started with a project that [he’s] still working on called the ‘Zipper Project,’ which is trying to get at the moment when we decide to reveal ourselves physically and emotion[ally] to someone.”

Originally, Stark incorporated zippers into his subjects’ photos as a metaphor for the gradual shedding of one’s emotional defensive layers. However, for the “Skin Deep” collection, Stark discarded the idea and pursued a deeper, more natural direction.

“Things like using a zipper or buttons have worked for me, but they tend to be very fashion-y. What I’m trying to get at is at the emotion of that moment when we either say ‘yes’ or want to reveal a part of us, or [when we say] ‘no, I don’t’.”

The shadows in “Resting I” for example; a mid-range photo that frames around a mud-smeared couple’s navel, underscores the intimacy of the couples’ embrace as their hands rest gingerly on each other’s stomach.

In order to preserve what he believes are these “moments of sacred,” Stark chooses his subjects in a way that adheres to his mission of obtaining authenticity and genuineness.

“I don’t use models. I don’t use people that take their clothes off for a living.” Instead, Stark chooses from a range of acquaintances and strangers alike. “Some people are my friends. Others are someone that I meet…in some kind of other context. I’ll also ask people on the street.”

The same subject Stark met at the Kenmore Starbucks subtly cocks her eyebrows as her almond-shaped eyes squint imploringly at the viewer in her portrait, “Porquois”. Her expression calls out to the viewer as if to reveal uncertainty or insecurity.

While she had never been photographed before, the subject said that she wasn’t nervous and that she enjoyed the shoot, despite the challenge of keeping her poses.

“My eyes began to tear up from having the sun shine right at me,” she said. “But it was a really fun experience.” When Stark approached the subject, he made sure that he would shoot her at a level that she would feel comfortable.

“I’ll ask people to go to my website. And if they’re interested, they’ll call me. Once people see that the work seems to be honest, they’re very willing to work with me, to learn, and to explore.”

Working with film is another way Stark helps his subjects engage with the camera.
“The process of shooting film is very important. Staying focused on my subjects without [having to] checking the back of a digital camera and losing contact, is critical.”

Stark admits that it can be difficult to extract both expression and physicality in every photograph.

“At times, [his subjects] come to feel like they can’t explore, and that’s a part of it,” he said. “To get at the emotion as well as the physical-ness is very hard, and to do it in a way that is visually interesting…is a challenge.”

For photographs that lack either the emotion or the physicality, Stark merges images that seem to fill each other’s aesthetic void. “Exploring I” is one such photograph where Stark combines a photograph of overlapping hands with a photograph of a woman’s upper thigh area.

“If you look more into the body, then you don’t necessarily get all the emotion. And if I pull back far enough in the pose, then something is lost. Composite images are…for me, being able to build both the emotion and the physical-ness.”

Stark said that he keeps an open mind when he points his camera. “I’m not trying to get anywhere. I’m trying to see what that [emotion] is.”


Jonathan Stark’s “Skin Deep” exhibition runs from October 10, 2008 until November 7.

See works from Jonathan Stark's "Skin Deep" exhibition online:
http://starkview.com/~starkvie/image/tid/6

New York Rangers Win Home Opener 4-2 Against Blackhawks

By Margaret DeJesus (marg88@bu.edu)
NEW YORK-(Oct. 10, 2008)--The New York Rangers have gone out with the old and in with the new this season -- saying “bye” to Jaromir Jagr and Co. -- and it’s paying off big time so far. The team has won three straight games with contributions from its young rookies and newly acquired veterans to complement its solid goaltending.

Brandon Dubinsky, a rising star in his second NHL season, along with his new teammates and linemates Nikolai Zherdev and Aaron Voros led the Rangers past the Chicago Blackhawks 4-2 on Friday night at the home opener at Madison Square Garden.

Dubinsky had a goal and two assists in the Original Six matchup against the Western Conference team while his line combined for seven points.

With red, white and blue balloons dropped from the rafters, the lights turned down low and special effects smoke pumped in, the team and its new captain were introduced to a sold out and rocking crowd of 18,200 in a pregame ceremony.

“It’s a huge honor and I’m thrilled to be doing it,” said forward Chris Drury, a 10-year veteran of the NHL, about being named the 25th captain of the Rangers. The former Buffalo Sabres co-captain signed with the team last summer.

Defenseman Wade Redden, who signed a six-year deal worth $39 million with the Rangers this summer, fired the puck past Blackhawks goalie Cristobel Huet after Drury’s weak shot rebounded toward him at 6:47 of the first period to give them a 1-0 lead.

The Blackhawks tied it up before the end of the first period when defenseman Brian Campbell banked the puck off of the side of the net to center and last season’s NHL Rookie of the Year, Patrick Kane, who zipped it past goalie Henrik Lundqvist.

“We didn’t necessarily have the best game in the world,” said Aaron Voros in the locker room after the game in which he had a goal and an assist.

“We had a couple of mental lapses out there but all in all, we played pretty well.”

Dubinsky scored in the second period to make it 3-1 after nabbing a loose puck at center ice and gliding past three Blackhawks to beat Huet.

“I’ve been fortunate enough to get thrown into a role where I’m going to play some good minutes and be forced to contribute. So far so good,” said the 22-year-old standing near his locker following the game.

With some bad giveaways, momentary lags in intensity, and some weak play in the defensive zone, the Rangers almost allowed the Blackhawks to claw their way back in to the game, especially in the third period after Duncan Keith scored to make it a one goal game.

“We were good enough to win but almost bad enough to lose it,” said Coach Tom Renney in the post game press conference.

The team started the regular season with a pair of back-to-back 2-1 wins over the Tampa Bay Lightning last weekend in the Czech Republic. The teams were two of four chosen to start the NHL regular season in Europe as part of the 2008 Bridgestone NHL Premier designed to spread interest in the league globally as well as allow players the memorable chance to play in front of fans from their home countries.

The Rangers haven’t had a 3-0 start since 1989.

So far, the Blueshirts seem to be doing just fine without Jaromir Jagr, Brendan Shanahan and Martin Straka, the former captain and co-captains and bulk of the first and second lines who were not resigned by the organization over the summer. Similarly the fan favorite and agitating forward Sean Avery wasn’t brought back either after two seasons.

After getting ousted in the second round of the playoffs two seasons in a row, getting swept in the first round against the rival Devils in 2006, and prior to that not even making the playoffs since 1997, General Manager Glen Sather decided it was time, once again, for the Rangers to go in a new direction with new players like Redden, Zherdev, Voros, and veterans Markus Naslund and Dmitri Kalinin.

Tomorrow, the team heads to Philadelphia to face the Flyers, where Republican vice presidential nominee Sarah Palin will be on hand to drop the puck in honor of the Flyer’s “Hockey Mom of the Year” award presented to a fan.

Coach Renney laughed when asked what he thought.

“I’m Canadian,” he said preferring to stay out of the realm of U.S. politics and stick with the hockey.

GAME NOTES:
The three stars of the game were Aaron Voros (LW), Henrik Lundqvist (G), and Brandon Dubinsky (C).
Petr Prucha, Patrick Rissmiller and Dan Fritsche were healthy scratches for the Rangers.
The pre-game ceremony featured a special puck drop by Ranger greats Adam Graves (No. 9), Harry Howell (No. 3) and Andy Bathgate (No. 9), who will have their jersey numbers retired this February.

VIDEO:New York Rangers post game interviews following home opener 4-2 win

NEW YORK, NY (10/10/08) Brandon Dubinsky talks about his increased ice time and the play of linemate and new teammate Nikolai Zherdev in a post game locker room interview with reporters. The rookie had a goal and two assists in the New York Rangers win over the Chicago Blackhawks.
NEW YORK, NY (10/10/08) Alternate captain Scott Gomez talks about the contributions of the Rangers younger players. Coach Tom Renney speaks about what the team needs to improve on in the post game press conference.

(Videos By Margaret DeJesus)

Immigration: Is it a Question?

By CATHERINE MOORE (camoore@bu.edu)

            BOSTON, Mass. (09/23/08) – Alfredo Carranza’s parents left Mexico 25 years ago to take their shot at attaining the American Dream. Now, after raises two sons, they are thinking of moving back.

            Carranza, 18, spent most of his life in Phoenix, Arizona, and now attends the University of Arizona as a freshman. He said that his parents, Alfredo and Maria Carranza, immigrated to the United States for him.

            Over a phone interview Sunday, Carranza said that the couple left their hometown of Sonora, Mexico 25 years ago to find “a better life and more opportunities.” Like many other immigrants to America, Carranza said that his parents were searching for a place where their children could grow up with more opportunities. They wanted “more for their son,” he said.

            “My father came here before he married my mother,” said Carranza. “He felt like he could accomplish more here than in Mexico.”

            Carranza said that after his younger brother finishes college, his parents will probably return to Mexico. “My parents have always thought about it,” said Carranza. “But I cannot see myself there. I was born and raise here. I am an American.”

            According to the 2000 US Census, the number of Mexican immigrants more than quadrupled from around 2 million foreign-born Mexicans within the United States in 1980 to more than 9 million by 2000. This influx of Mexican immigrants has created social issues that have forced American citizens to pay close attention to US immigration policy.

Chuck Foss, a retired US Border Patrol Agent, has worked to secure American borders with Canada, Mexico, and along Eastern and Western coastal regions. Foss and his family have been working and living in El Paso, Texas, a town bordering Juarez, Mexico, for about seven years. After retiring at 57, Foss was rehired for the US Border Patrol when the United States Government implemented an unprecedented increase in border patrol.

            In the summer of 2006, President Bush ordered the Border Patrol to hire 6,000 new agents by December 2008 in order to raise security measures. Foss said that the US Border Patrol has never, in its 84 year history, increased its size to this extreme. Although the US Department of Homeland Security website does not back this statement, it does state that after the September 11, 2001 attacks on the US, “Border security became a topic of increased interest in Washington.”

            With US Census statistics showing that an estimated one out of every 10 workers in Arizona is Hispanic, the American population, as well as the 2008 presidential candidates, is addressing US immigration policy with a new emphasis on their own ideas of reform and/or reinforcement.

            Both presidential candidates, Democrat Barack Obama and Republican John McCain endorsed a temporary worker program in 2007 titled the “Pathway to Citizenship.” Support for the integration of illegal immigrants into American society is one of the few topics that the two candidates can agree on, Richard Simon reported for the Los Angeles Times June 29, 2008.

            Obama claims to being more committed to helping the Latino immigrant population than his Republican counterpart. Obama stated his position in a speech to a crowd of Hispanic leaders at the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute on September 10. The Americans for Legal Immigration Political Action Committee (ALIPAC) reported that Obama said, “This election is about the 12 million people living in the shadows…they are counting on us to stop the hateful rhetoric filling our airwaves, and rise above the fear.”

            Obama also pointed out in his speech that Arizona native, John McCain, has reversed his position, having recently pledged to tackle border security before any other changes are made to immigration policy as a whole.

            Foss commented that the candidates’ positions on US immigration policy may be a determining factor in the upcoming November election. “Both Obama and McCain are close on the issue,” said Foss about the candidates’ dedication to helping illegal immigrants attain US citizenship. “I don’t feel that it’s a compulsion. I think priority should be to first gain control of the border.”

            Foss voiced the fears and concerns of many Americans who worry that the continual increase of Mexican immigrants will overload the struggling US economy.

“I think that we have an obligation to protect our borders and prevent people from coming in the back door.” Foss said. “We (the US Border Patrol Agents) are sworn to uphold the Constitution of the United States. Part of that is protecting the citizens of the United States from illegal immigrants.”

            Carranza, on the other hand, said that he believes that most immigrants are in the United States for the purpose that America was founded upon, to achieve the American Dream.

            “I have a couple of friends who came over illegally, but they aren’t hurting anyone,” said Carranza, referring to his Mexican friends who came into the US through the “back door.” “It is not right to kick people out who work really hard and aren’t harming anyone. They just want a better life.”

            Doctor Ivan Light, UCLA professor and author of the Russell Sage Foundation 2006 publication Deflecting Immigration, spoke Tuesday on immigration policy at Boston University’s Department of Sociology.

            Light explained American anti-immigrant sentiment with a microcosm. He illustrated the acronym NIMBY, which stands for “not in my back yard.” Nimbyism, a term that is often used in demographic sociology, describes what Light calls a common social movement. Nimbyism occurs when people are concerned about immigration development within their own residential areas. Light said that the Nimbyist movement has often prevented the implementation of integration, housing, and educational programs for immigrants within suburban areas due to the negative response of Americans living in the neighborhoods.

            “Now people are thinking about what municipalities can do to deflect the influx of migration,” said Light. “In Missouri and other states they take the State Police and they ask them to enforce immigration laws.” Light said that such a move was the reason for unconstitutional roadside citizenship checkpoints.

            “It is intended by these second tier municipalities to deflect immigration,” Light said. “It is their hope that those who are illegal will go somewhere else.”

            Light speculated on the present American economy, referencing statistics that show historically that there is often slowed immigration during periods of economic strain within the United States. Light said, “If we are moving into an economical depression, as we well may be, then people aren’t going to want to come here.” He said that he foresees a temporary decline in immigration, due to the present lows within the US economy.

            Foss said that he sees the present state of the American economy as all the more reason to protect the United States’ borders against intruders. “The United States is the most generous country towards immigrants. We allow more immigrants to enter our country than the total aggregate number of the rest of the world,” said Foss. “But, we do want immigration. Immigration is what has made America what it is today.”

            Foss concluded that despite this resolve, the United States has to have some way to preserve its job market, economy, and education system, by asking immigrants to go through the legal immigration process. “All we are asking people to do is to knock on the front door, instead of hopping through the back window,” said Foss.

By CATHERINE MOORE

camoore@bu.edu

It's not the Wang, but It's Right Next Door

By CATHERINE MOORE (camoore@bu.edu) 

            BOSTON, Mass. (09/14/2008) -- The colorful murals that enliven every square foot of the theatre ceilings, along with gold leaf lined banisters and elegant red carpeting gives the Cutler Majestic Theatre its nickname as the “House of Gold.”

             Sunday, September 14, the Cutler Majestic Theatre opened its doors to the general public for an afternoon of entertainment, food, and relaxation. The theatre hosted an open house from one to five p.m. featuring live opera performances and serving hors d’oeuvres from local restaurants in the Boston Theatre District.

            “All of the Boston community is struggling to find a way to reengage audiences,” said Julie Hennrikus, the general manager of Emerson Stage. Emerson Stage, the producing arm of the Department of Performing Arts at Emerson College, is one of the many musical organizations that makes its home at the Cutler Majestic Theatre at 219 Tremont Street in Downtown Boston.

             Emerson sophomore Justin Nako works as a front receptionist at the Majestic. With 3 years experience selling merchandise at Broadway shows, Nako told the Globe that the Majestic theatre is unique, not only because of its gold vaulted ceilings and historical revelry, but because of the comfortable work atmosphere that accompanies its quaintness. Compared to the more ostentatious Wang Theatre one block down the street, Nako said that the Majestic sees a surprisingly diverse assortment of performing groups throughout the year. “You get a wide array here,” said Nako. “Yes, Legally Blonde

(the Broadway production) won’t be playing here, but there will be a lot of other stuff.”

            The Cutler Majestic Theatre, built in 1903, is one of the oldest theatres in Boston—second only to the Colonial Theater. Designed by John Galen Howard in the Beaux Arts style, it blends Victorian classical tradition with exotic romance. Thirty years after Emerson College installed drop ceilings, the college renovated the building and found intricate overhead murals covering all of the original ceiling, painted by William deLeftwich Dodge.

            During the Sunday open house, more than 75 people gathered in the Majestic theatre to explore the building. Open house guests were allowed to climb on stage, walk underneath the Opera pit, and explore the multiple dressing rooms in the intestines of the Majestic.

            Nako explained to the Globe that the theatre was experimenting with a way to reach out to the public. “The open house is meant to help foster a better sense of community,” said Nako.

            Representatives from different performance groups who are featured at the theatre throughout the year were invited to set up vendor tables within the auditorium. Performing Groups such as Emerson Stage, Opera Boston, the Boston Early Music Festival, and the New England Conservatory offered information on their upcoming seasons and encouraged visitors to attend performances at the Majestic.

            The theatre also held several silent raffles for open house visitors to enter, featuring prizes such as weekend stays at the Courtyard Marriott Boston Tremont and tickets to upcoming Broadway shows touring through Boston.

            During the afternoon performance, the buzz of the open house quieted down as people found seats in the auditorium and settled themselves to listen to the performers sing. Sitting up in an exclusive balcony alcove in the Mezzanine, Dorothy and Tom Prendergast listened to the live performance of New England Conservatory’s Paul Brennan, an Opera Boston singer who will be featured during the Majestic’s upcoming season.

             The Prendergasts, both retired and living in Bedford, Massachusetts, took the MBTA from Alewife into downtown Boston for the Majestic Theatre’s open house. Despite the rain, Tom Prendergast said that they were determined not to miss the event.

            “This theatre is lovely,” said Dorothy Prendergast, a retired schoolteacher. “It’s more intimate than the others.” Tom Prendergast agreed, saying that although they were enjoying the opera performance, he prefers to see musical theatre when he comes to the Majestic. Frequent visitors to Boston theaters, the Prendergasts are anticipating attending upcoming performances of both A Chorus Line and Chicago in the city.

            After the open house performance was concluded, audience members left their seats and began to mill around the vendor tables once again. Several groups of elderly visitors left the auditorium with a theater receptionist who was giving hourly-guided tours.

            The theatre open house offered the general public a chance to step onto the stage and explore the world of performing arts. The “no-doors-barred” open house, as described in the theatre pamphlet, created an atmosphere that allowed little girls to dance on the massive stage. A backstage manager explained the dynamics of the stage equipment to a small audience and a tall, blonde woman in a long beige raincoat took a spontaneous bow, front and center, to an imaginary full house. “That would be so much fun!” she mused, as her husband gently led her away.

            The Cutler Majestic Theatre’s 2008-2009 calendar features performances by history teacher and comedian Robert Wuhl in October, Giuseppe Verdi’s opera Aida in and Carnivale by Cirque Le Masque in January, and a Celebrity Series by the Hubbard Street Dance Chicago company in February.  The Majestic will also be welcoming the Moiseev Russian Classical Ballet in April to perform Swan Lake.

            With more than 23 scheduled performance during the upcoming season, the Majestic hopes to encourage people throughout the year to venture downtown for an evening of musical enrichment. Tickets can be purchased at www.MAJ.org or the theatre encourages guests to call 617-824-8000 for further information on upcoming events.