Science Tuesday: The ‘Girlfriend Coat’ offers synthetic affection

By Christina Janansky
@cjanansky

Suffering from a fresh breakup?

Fearsome of dying alone?

Worried you will replace your loneliness with dozens of cats?

Well, no need to fear— the new “girlfriend coat” is here.

The girlfriend coat— a new development by a team of students at the University of Tsukuba in Japan— won’t ever cheat on you or leave you!

According to a Discovery News article, you simply put the hooded toggle coat on and fasten its lime green nylon belt around your waist. The coat contains a mechanical device on the back of the waist that tightens the belt to simulate the feeling of a hug.

Interesting? Yes. Strange? Most definitely.

It gets even creepier: the jacket also has an audio component. The wearer of the girlfriend coat simply plugs in a set of headphones. When the coat “hugs” it also emits a female voice that says “I’m sorry! I’m late!”

In Japan, the girlfriend coat is actually called the “Riajyuu Coat,” which is Japanese slang for “someone who is pleased with their life outside the Internet.”

No— this is not a joke, though developers laughed at themselves at the creation, as seen in the video.

However, the girlfriend coat won’t hit the markets just yet. As of now, the girlfriend coat remains a concept device and is not for sale.

So hold onto your loneliness and find yourself a cuddle buddy until then.

 You can check it out in this YouTube video:

Abbie Abroad: Unintentional environmentalism

By Abigail Lin
@abbielin

The staircase, impossible to navigate in the dark/ PHOTO BY Abbie Lin, Staff

The staircase, impossible to navigate in the dark/ PHOTO BY Abigail Lin, Staff

So far, one of the most palpable disparities between Europe and the United States that I’ve noticed is in its’ citizens environmental consciousness. How many bags did you last use in your trip to Shaws, 10? While they have plastic bags for purchase in Paris, each one costs the equivalent of four cents. While it seems like chump change, obviously it adds up. Personally, to avoid the charges, I’ve been seen juggling a jug of milk, a block of cheese, cookies, and oranges back to my apartment from the supermarket. I’ve gotten the infamous Parisian snobbish stink-eye multiple times, but as long as I get back to the apartment with all my goods, it’s worth it.

I didn’t notice the types of bags offered to carry purchases from clothing stores at first, but my host mom pointed out that Gap— an American company— uses plastic bags rather than the customary paper bags provided by most other fashion companies. The French don’t see themselves as being especially “green,” rather, the cognizance of conservation is engrained in their culture. This is speculation on my part— but the French take short showers since water is especially expensive, so perhaps that’s why there’s a stereotype that they smell? (Read: a joke).

In my apartment building and in most other buildings in Paris, all the lights are off for most of the day, by default. They aren’t motion-detection sensored, and require the good ol’ use of effort to manually turn them on. They stay on for a pre-determined fraction of time, before they shut off again.

One night, as I closed the door, I pressed the button for the light in my corridor’s hallway. I took an unusually long time to lock the door, and as I stepped four steps down the marble spiral staircase, I was met with debilitating darkness as the lights clicked off. I grappled my way over to the stair rail, fending for myself in a cold, dark world; I imagined slipping and faceplanting mere yards away from my front door. Surely the embarrassment alone would kill me. As I navigated my way blindly down each successive step, I finally hit the third floor. As I shuffled over, one cautious foot in front of the other, I got to the light switch, and began my carefree descent. Another small victory in ma vie quotidienne Parisien.

There’s an app for that

By Devon Delfino, Staff Writer
@devondelfino

Devices

These days it seems like we never have a tech-free moment/ PHOTO VIA Flickr user Jeremy Keith

Last week’s American Airlines computer snafu , which caused the cancellation of over four hundred flights, served as a disturbing reminder of how reliant we have become on technology, and how easily it can fail us.

Smart phones, tablets, laptops, etc. We now have countless ways to stay connected. And with every month, it seems, we are introduced to faster and smaller versions of technologies we probably already own. Not to mention the countless apps at our disposal.

Have a sudden desire to become a priest? There’s an app for that, according to an article on CNN’s Belief Blog. Need to find the nearest Starbucks? There’s an app for that. Need someone to shame you into going to the gym? There’s an app for that, too. There are so many apps that my phone can barely stay charged.

While riding the bus to work the other day, I suddenly looked up from my phone and realized that every single person around me was on some sort of mobile device, avoiding eye contact at any cost, as if it were unnatural. And who can blame them? We all do it.

Technology has become a way of distancing ourselves from others; even under the guise of “social media,” we still use our phones and iPods and tablets to avoid human interaction, whether it’s on the bus, or simply walking to class.

Our reliance on technology is particularly clear in those moments when it fails us. We expect so much of our phones and tablets and laptops, and we tend to freak out when it takes forever to download that new game, or when the touch screen on our phone decides it’s not working right now. It’s incredibly frustrating.

We are wired in nearly twenty-four hours a day, googling our every whim, yet we still need more. We demand faster processors, smaller phones, and better screen resolution.

So ask yourself when the last time was that you went a whole day without using the internet; it’s probably not a bad idea to unplug every once in a while.

MUSE: Travel back in time at the ‘Samurai!’ exhibit at Boston’s Museum of Fine Arts

By Deborah Wong, Staff Writer
@deb_wong_

The sword that stood out from the rest of the 'Samurai!' Collection at Boston's Museum of Fine Arts/ PHOTO BY Deborah Wong, Staff

The single sword that stood out from the rest of the ‘Samurai!’ Collection at Boston’s Museum of Fine Arts/ PHOTO BY Deborah Wong, Staff

As you enter the ‘Samurai!’ exhibit at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, you face three formidable samurai armors.  These armors symbolize courage, skills and status in  Japanese society. You initially stare in fear at the dragon-shaped horns on the helmet, the protruding nose on the mask and the gold-encrusted swirls on the chest piece. But after understanding that every minuscule detail has a function and meaning, you stare in awe at these majestic Samurais– the military elite of Japan.

The exquisite art of these Japanese warriors fascinate collectors Ann and Gabriel Barbier-Mueller— so much so that eventually expanded their collection into The Ann & Gabriel Barbier-Mueller Museum in Dallas, Texas. ‘Samurai!’ shares a selection of these artifacts with Bostonians, illustrating the evolution of these fearsome fighters from the 12th to the 19th century. The samurai is still widely talked about today, and their skills continue to inspire multiple Eastern sports and martial arts. The samurai— with their truly remarkable finesse— are praised for their honorable code based on the seven essential virtues: honesty, courage, respect, benevolence, rectitude, honor and loyalty.

The opening of the collection introduces the overall history of these highly trained combatants. Three soldiers stand erect in full uniform, clutching their weapons: chest armor, footwear, a mask, a helmet, a bow and arrow and a thin sword. Their posture resembles a Buckingham palace guard, but you wouldn’t want to stand too close to these men should they to come to life. As you continue along, parts of the armor are separated for you to analyze each of the traditional opera-like masks, the vibrant horse saddles and the daunting helmets.

The Shogun, or warlords, described the sword as “the soul of the samurai,” but surprisingly there aren’t many swords at the MFA. In fact; only one sword stood out from the whole collection. The single sword was placed in a glass box, almost like it was levitating in the middle of the room. The gold on the handle and the bronze pieces radiated, causing anyone who entered this room to approach the thin piece of steel. Museum guests could not take their eyes off the detailed gold leaves and the shiny lacquer. I applaud them for this intriguing, alluring display of the soul of these fighters.

But hands down, the helmets stole the spotlight; the intricate engravings of the iron and steel are absolutely breathtaking. Certain carved shapes and pieces reveal Japanese beliefs and superstitions. For example, one helmet had what looked like Bugs Bunny ears planted on the top. Since the metal looks extremely long and heavy the design may seem to hinder the warrior’s performance when fighting, but those hare ears symbolize longevity.

Once you step to the next helmet, you’re faced with one that is adorned with little flames on the side and on the top to represent the Buddhist doctrine. Besides that, the pendant for the goddess of archers is emblazoned on the forehead of the helmet. Every little detail matters in the construction of these uniforms.

However the exhibition did not provide any description of the fighting styles of the samurai. They are trained to be precise in their fighting technique yet they also carry some form of art in their movements. The benefit of omitting the gory war scenes is to allow the viewers to imagine for themselves on how these samurai perform on and off the battlefield when they strap on their armors. Plus, with just the artifacts on display, it reminds the audience that they’re not just bloodthirsty killers— they carry some form of grace.

Nonetheless I would personally love to view some aspects of their training. There seems to be a gap in their display of the growth of the start of the samurai’s journey as a 12-year-old boy to the time when he vows to follow bushido, a code to fight and to accept death.

The names and the classes of the samurai may be confusing but, overall the exhibition was able to illuminate on their transformation from generation to generation, providing sufficient background on the cultural and doctrinal beliefs, the military history of them, their feudal lords, and the creation of each individual masterpiece.

The samurai celebrated “tango-no-sekku” to remind the young men of their importance of their samurai status. Now the stories of these Japanese elite fighters aren’t only shared among young men, but among people of all ages. Go see the MFA version of tango-no-sekku where they remind everyone of these revered and warriors.

The ‘Samurai!’ exhibition will run at the MFA through Aug. 4.

Should college insurance cover sports-related injuries in current and former college athletes?

By Brandon Lewis, Staff Writer
@Brandon_S_Lewis

Terrence Williams with the pass

Kevin Ware’s teammate Terrence Williams. Ware’s injury has stirred up controversy regarding whether or not the injuries that college athletes sustain while playing college sports should be covered by college insurance plans./ PHOTO VIA Flickr user Bradjward

Kevin Ware recently suffered one of the most gruesome sports injuries in the history of the NCAA tournament. While attempting to block a Duke player’s shot, the University of Louisville point guard landed awkwardly on his legs, which resulted in his leg breaking in a very graphic and painful way. I would show you the video of the incident but I will spare you the gore.

After sustaining the injury, Ware was treated for his injuries. Officials at the institution he attended, University of Louisville, stated that Ware would not be on the hook for the medical expenses regarding his injury while he was in college. All Louisville athletes will not have to pay out-of-pocket for injuries sustained while still in school. However, this isn’t always the case.

Another issue surfaces when athletes graduate or move on to the big leagues. The New York Times reported that universities do not cover the health care expenses for post-college injuries that arise from injuries sustained in college. So if Ware had leg problems down the road, he will be liable for those medical bills.

So the question is: should colleges extend their medical insurance to athletes after they leave their institutions?

I say yes. NCAA basketball is an empire earning over $780 million a year simply based on the performance of the ballplayers. NCAA’s revenues stem from sports fans paying to attend games, television broadcasts of games, and countless donations. The NCAA has more than enough money to provide schools with the funds to medically cover their unpaid athletes. So money isn’t really the issue; it’s the colleges themselves.

College scouts travel all over the country looking for athletes to add to their teams in hopes of creating a championship caliber  team. Once athletes commit to a school and play competitively, there is a possibility that they will get injured. Colleges should not withdraw their support for these hand-selected students when injuries occur. The least they can do is provide full medical insurance for  athletes that these recruiters compete for.

When athletes leave college, I believe that universities should continue to cover the medical expenses related to injuries sustained or related to their time spent faithfully serving the school as student-athletes. In other words, after Ware leaves Louisville, I believe the school should cover the bills of any later health problems resulting from his broken leg. Athletes provide innumerable amounts of publicity for colleges, entice prospective students to attend their schools and build up the reputations of their institutions. They do so much for their universities and it’s only right for the schools to return the favor.

Boston University Facebook groups

By Heather Goldin, Staff Writer
@HeatherGoldin

One of the more popular of the many BU Facebook groups, BU Confessions/ PHOTO BY Heather Goldin, Daily Free Press Staff

One of the more popular of the many BU Facebook groups, BU Confessions/ PHOTO BY Heather Goldin,  Staff

Over the past few months, trends in hilarious Facebook groups have prompted Boston University to create some witty groups of its own. We have already covered the notorious Banana University, but that is just one of the many entertaining pages.

Similar to Banana University, Bedtime University is also based on the participation of the students who like the page. The more submissions each group has from students, the more the group grows.

The popularity of other BU Facebook groups such as BU Confessions and BU Crushes work a slightly different angle on student interest. Unlike picture-based groups, these pages are based off of anonymous submissions, and with the help of survey tools such as Survey Monkey and Google, not even the creator of these groups know who are submitting them.

A vast range of well-written, borderline inappropriate, and ‘what were they thinking!?’ posts create addicting groups that have students clicking the refresh button to see if the page has been updated within the last minute. BU Confessions was liked by over 4,000 people- that’s more people than are in this year’s undergraduate freshman class.

Keep in mind that these popular groups are not the first groups from Boston University. In fact, there is an entire community on Facebook that you can have access to with your bu.edu e-mail called Groups at BU. Groups at BU help you find Facebook groups that are related to the university in some way. Many of these groups can be categorized as being a mutual interest, residence, or course/school.

Facebook groups for BU are being created constantly, and it is even possible to create your own BU Group. Some of the best groups I’ve found so far aren’t nearly as popular as others. Here are some of my favorite (underrated) Facebook groups for Boston University:

BU Compliments

One of the groups that should definitely be as popular as BU Confessions, BU Compliments is a feel-good group that is all about “spreading positivity to fellow Terriers” as the page’s “About” section explained. Through a Facebook message, you can send an anonymous compliment to the moderator of the page who will then post it up. People who read the page are also encouraged to tag their friends so that they can be sure to see that they have been complimented.

Boston University Wine and Cheese Society

For the classiest BU students who are over 21, the BU Wine and Cheese Society is meant to educate undergraduate students about the culture of wine and cheese pairings.

Overheard at BU

Another page that has been created for multiple college campuses already, Overheard at BU is exactly what it sounds like. The entertaining part of this page is that many overheard statements are taken out of context.

Spotlight: Condom Couture

By Heather Hamacek, Staff Writer

What is one to expect from an event called Condom Couture?  Well, condoms for one, and fashion for another.  Boston University’s chapter of Face Aids, an organization that helps fight HIV/AIDs in Africa and advocates for safe sex held the university’s first Condom Couture last Thursday night.

The event worked to de-stigmatize condoms and safe sex culture as much as it worked to raise money for Face AIDS.

Dresses, skirts and a jacket made of condoms were strutted down the makeshift runway constructed in the Jacob Sleeper Auditorium while two drag queens, Liza Lott and Ms. Kris Knievil, provided crude-humored commentary and kept the audience involved and laughing.

The judges, including some professors from BU, gave advice to the crowd before the models walked.

“Don’t ever use a condom without lube,” said Sophie Godley, a clinical assistant professor in the Department of Community Health Sciences.

Alfredo Hernandez, another judge, said, “do not stop having sex, by yourselves or with some else. Don’t stop. Do it safely.”

Jeremy Meltzer, one of the co-founders of BU’s Face Aids chapter said condoms do not even faze him anymore.

“The condoms are fun,” he said as he washed the lubrication off one in his sink. “You can make many condom jokes.  12,000 condoms, I’m always safe.  Silly stuff like that.”

Meredith Hoobler, one of the designers and the winner of the fashion show said she has been walking around with condoms falling out of her bag since she got her first allotment of 600 condoms.

“I think it’s a really interesting conversation starter and topic,” said Hoober. “You never know, it tends to come out, something will just fall out of my bag. It tends to make life more interesting I guess during the day because people will be like ‘how’s the condom dress’ and others will do like six double takes.  So I think that’s fun.”

Condom Couture is planning to become an annual event. It is definitely one worth going to.

MUSE: A review of Cloud Cult at Brighton Music Hall

By Sydney Moyer, Staff Writer

Cloud Cult violinist Shannon Frid-Rubin at the concert at Brighton Music Hall/ PHOTO BY Sydney Moyer

Cloud Cult violinist Shannon Frid-Rubin at the concert at Brighton Music Hall/ PHOTO BY Sydney Moyer

Last Wednesday, when my friend told a friend of hers that we were going to see Cloud Cult at Brighton Music Hall, he responded, “One of the best REAL POSITIVE live shows u can see!” After seeing the Minneapolis-based experimental indie act, I can think of no description more fitting.

Cloud Cult has been compared to the likes of Radiohead and Modest Mouse, but neither is really sufficient to encapsulate the band’s sound or attitude. The Brighton Music Hall show featured an eight-person band, complete with strings, horns, and, most notably, two painters who begin the show with blank canvases and end up with gorgeous, musically driven works of art that are auctioned off at the end of the show.

While Cloud Cult is perhaps most renowned for their paintings, the band truly is one of the most real, positive acts out there. The band filled the venue with a pack of devoted fans who shouted along every word to singer Craig Minowa’s poignant lyrics, many of which were inspired by the unexpected death of he and his wife Connie Minowa’s two year old son in 2002. Many Cloud Cult songs revolve around existential notions of life and death, but lack the banality that usually accompanies such grandiose subject matter (e.g. “And even though I don’t know God / I’m happy with the mystery / And I’m certain that I feel it / Every time that you sing to me”).

This band is all about staying positive through the shit, and translating that element into a live show was certainly an incredible phenomenon to witness. Minowa’s energy proved infectious and palpable as he jumped around the stage barefoot, winding his way through old crowd favorites as well as equally strong new tracks off of the band’s latest album, Love.

At the end of the night, two paintings stood before me: on the left, Connie Minowa, one of the bands two painters, had painted an impressionistic rendition of two small figures standing alone in a brightly colored forest. On the right, Scott West had painted a woman with eyes closed, colorful bubbles of what I supposed were dreams rising out of her skull. While I can’t exactly articulate why, those visuals will come closer to capturing Cloud Cult’s live sound more than these words ever will. I can only end by saying that I go to so many shows that very few of them leave me affected— but this one will stay with me, and should you ever see them yourself, you’ll know what I’m talking about.

Plan B available to preteens?

By Devon Delfino, Staff Writer
@devondelfino

Plan B, pharmacy, Hazelton Lanes, Yorkville, Toronto, Ontario, Canada,

Will Plan B soon be available to anyone without a prescription, regardless of age?/ PHOTO VIA Flickr user Cory Doctorow

According to a recent article in the New York Times, a federal court judge ruled that Plan B, also known as the morning-after pill, should be available without a prescription to women of all ages.  Currently, sixteen-year-olds and younger are required to obtain a prescription in order to be given the drug. As reactions pour in, it’s easy to be swayed to either end of the political spectrum.

Conservatives certainly make an understandable case: allowing extremely young girls access to such a drug might send the wrong message, has the potential for misuse and alienates the rights of the parents.

It’s a little scary to think that an eleven-year-old could soon go into a drug-store and purchase Plan B, with no questions asked and no parental notification necessary.

But what affect does this drug have on young girls? In his ruling, Judge Korman acknowledged the lack of research into the affects of Plan B on very young girls, as presented in the case. However, he concluded that, “Neither drug has any known serious or longterm side effects, though they may have some mild short-term side effects, such as nausea, fatigue, and headache.”

With such reaffirming scientific evidence supporting Korman’s ruling, it’s also easy to understand a liberal perspective.

This ruling can also be construed a great leap forward in women’s rights; equal access grants young women the right to be protected from an unwanted pregnancy when other birth-control methods fail.

It also creates a safer environment for these young women obtain the medication without a prescription or parental involvement. Some girls need this type of environment to seek out such a drug, for fear of backlash at home or other adverse reactions.

I think this case can best be summed up in the words of Judge Korman: “This case is not about the potential misuse of Plan B by 11-year-olds. These emergency contraceptives would be among the safest drugs sold over-the-counter, the number of 11 year-olds using these drugs is likely to be miniscule…Instead, the invocation of the adverse effect of Plan B on 11-year-olds is an excuse to deprive the overwhelming majority of women of their right to obtain contraceptives without unjustified and burdensome restrictions.”

Letter from the editor: Boston marathon coverage

By Hilary Ribons, Blog Editor
@hilaryalexisr

An observer looks past police barricades towards a deserted Boylston Street/ PHOTO BY HILARY RIBONS

An observer looks past police barricades towards a deserted Boylston Street the day after two explosions ended the Boston Marathon early/ PHOTO BY HILARY RIBONS

The past few days have been hard for Boston. After the explosions that ended the Boston Marathon early yesterday, a somberness has fallen over the city. Everyone is still on edge and heightened security remains on Boylston.

Today, Online Editor Melissa Adan and I went down to Newbury to take some photos and interview people the day after the event. The city seems to be slightly quiet and deserted, but perseverant.

In respect of recent events, the online team has chosen to withhold posts on the blog until tomorrow evening.

Though the last couple of days have been difficult, some good has come out of it as well. Whenever something like this happens, though terrible, it offers the chance for people to unite and support each other. Buzzfeed.com  produced a list of ways that the nation has stepped up to aid and support those involved in the Marathon explosions. This included marathon runners completing the race and going directly to the hospital to donate blood, good samaritans who helped at the scene and an ongoing google doc that was created a few hours after the event in which people listed open space they had in their home for visiting runners and their families who couldn’t leave the city.

I would also like to commend the newspaper staff on its coverage of this event. It has truly been trying and I couldn’t be more proud. Staff photographer Kenshin Okubo’s photos are receiving international attention and made it onto the front page of the online edition of the New York Times. Online Editor Melissa Adan’s video has now been featured on NBC Latino, NBC Miami and Miami’s WSVN News. Additionally, the rest of the staff has been producing excellent coverage that is being closely watched by many in this city and the rest of the world.

I believe in the strength of this city. Of course no one will ever forget, but they will move forward. The words Obama said at the press conference held on Monday evening echo throughout the city:

“Boston is a strong and resilient town; so are its people.”

A sign outside of a restaurant on Newbury street, near Boylston, echoes the words of President Obama in a press conference held Monday night./ PHOTO BY HILARY RIBONS

A sign outside of a restaurant Tuesday on Newbury street, near Boylston, echoes the words of President Obama in a press conference held Monday night./ PHOTO BY HILARY RIBONS