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I SIB SK B ■J ■ " w NOVEMBER 6, 2008 • THE CAMPUS NEWSPAPER OF SWARTHMORE COLLEGE SINCE 1881 ' VOLUME 131 ISSUE 101 * a i *
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Winning personality On the eve of Election Day, Joe Biden, now a newly minted Vice President-elect made one last stump speech in southern Philly, vowing to "return respect for America in the rest of the world." Hat Clark Phoenix Staff Quote of the Week "I lost my mind. I think I actually blacked out. I ran over the entire campus in about ten minutes." Brigette Davis 'lO, on how she responded to the news of Barack Obama winning the 2008 Presidential Election, see story on p. 6. HPHOENIXI EDITORIAL BOARD Mara Revkln Editor in Chief Kaitlin Kyi Managing Edtior lan Yarett Editor Emeritus Caitlin Adams News Editor Mary Prager News Editor Jonathan Emont Assistant News Editor Anna Zalokostas Living & Arts Editor Apolline Berty Assistant Living & Arts Editor Emily Crawford Assistant Living & Arts Editor Yoel Roth Opinions Editor Jaff Davidson Assistant Opinions Editor Melinda Petre Sports Editor Alyssa Bowie Assistant Sports Editor Eric Holzhauer Chief Copy Editor Vivaan Nehru Assistant Chief Copy Editor Hena Choi Photo Editor Tamar Lerer Web Content Editor Peter Akkles Web Developer Sarah Chasins Graphics Editor BUSINESS STAFF Tally Sharma Director of Business Development Rahul Garg Business Associate Johnny Taeschler Business Associate Anne Hu Circulation Manager STAFF Ariel Martino News Reporter Martha Marrazza News Reporter Ashia Trolano News Reporter Liana Kate Living & Arts Writer Ming Cat Living & Arts Columnist Alexandra Israel Living & Arts Columnist Liana Kate Living & Arts Columnist Tamar Lerer Living & Arts Columnist Elena Smith Living & Arts Columnist Joel Swanson Living & Arts Columnist Fletcher Wortmann Living & Arts Columnist Gabriel Zacarias Living & Arts Columnist Apolline Berty Living & Arts Artist Maria Khim Living & Arts Artist Aurora Munoz Living & Arts Artist Diana Pozo Living & Arts Artist Sonny Sidhu Living & Arts Artist David Burgy Opinions Columnist Juan Victor Fajardo Opinions Columnist Phil Issa Opinions Columnist Sam Goodman Op-Artist Josh Abel Sports Columnist Kevin Friedenberg Sports Columnist Hannah Purkey Sports Columnist Dennis Fan Sports Writer Matt Bleiman Copy Editor Carolyn Maughan Copy Editor Sarah Pearlstein-Levy Copy Editor Sarah Pozgay Copy Editor Zach Weinstein Copy Editor Kat Clark Photographer Todd Friedman Photographer Elisa Lopez Photographer Camilla Rogine Photographer Mlyukl Baker Staff Artist Anna Schectman Crossword Writer Ben Schnelderman Crossword Writer CONTRIBUTORS Clarissa Skinner, Amelia Possanza, Natalia Cote-Munoz, Daisy Schmitt, Amber Wantman, Anne Hu, Alex Zhang, Youngin Chung, Elan Silverblatt-Buser, Silbia Han, Jared Nolan, Danny Friel, Jason Hongin Yin, Charlie ' Huntington, Laura Rodgers, Laura Pond, Susanna Pretzer, Hannah Christensen TO ADVERTISE: E-mail: advertising@swarthmorephoentx.com Advertising phone: (610) 328-8172 Address: The Phoenix, Swarthmore College, 500 College Ave., Swarthmore, PA 19081 Direct advertising requests to Tally Sharma. The Phoenix reserves the right to refuse any advertising. Advertising rates subject to change. CONTACT INFORMATION Offices: Parrish Hall 470472 E-mail: editor@swarthmorephoenix.com Newsroom phone: (610) 328-8172 Address: The Phoenix, Swarthmore College, 500 College Ave., Swarthmore, PA 19081 Web site: www.swarthmorephoenix.com Mail subscriptions are available for $6O a year or $35 a semester. Direct subscription requests to Mara Revkin. The Phoenix is printed at Bartash Printing, Inc. in Philadelphia, Pa. The Phoenix is a member of the Associated College Press and the Pennsylvania Newspaper Association. All contents copyright © 2008 The Phoenix. Alt rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced without permission. 6, 2008 Cover Story Guess who In a historic moment, Barack Obama was ushered in as America's next president amidst the fanfare of election parties and widespread efforts of campus canvassers. Cover photo: courtesy of http://z.about.com/d/usliberals/l/0/V3/KerryObamaßichardEllis.jpg Cover art: Yoel Roth Phoenix Staff News 3 Class awareness refocuses discussion Organizers for Class Awareness expand the agenda to include dialogue on the recent election as well as financial aid and justice. Living & Arts 8 Spicing up Sharpies Finding Sharpies fare a little lackluster? There are alternatives, if you use a little creativity. So next time you're staring blankly at "Puppy Club" bar, fear not. Editor's Picks graphics courtesy of obamamedia.files.cobleaudio.com, wordpress.com, examiner.com and hiroyukihamada.com Opinions 14 Tale of two elections: Israeli politics matter With the United States' national election over, it's important not to forget another country with a monumental election coming up: Israel. Sports Id Running: terrifying but necessary Kevin Friedenberg confronts an old enemy—running. Sure, it's important, but why does it have to be so gosh darn hard? And don't even get him started on people who run for fun.
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News swarthmorephoenix.com Alum discusses uneven consequences of climate change BY JON EMONT jemontl@swarthmore.edu Last Thursday, alum Michael Greenstone '9l presented a lecture entitled "The Consequences of Climate Change on Mortality in the United States and India." His presentation came as this year's Bernard Saffran Memorial Lecture. Bernard Saffran was one of Swarthmore's most prominent economics professors until his unexpected death in 2004. Greenstone began the lecture by revisiting his experience studying under Saffran over eighteen years ago. He described his former professor as a father figure and said that it was 'Vmite an honor" to be the keynote speaker at an event held in memory of his former mentor, whom he fondly referred to as "Bernie." Greenstone said that it was Saffran who convinced him to pursue a graduate degree in economics, a decision that led to his career as a member of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology faculty and a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution. After concluding his remarks on Saffran's Swarthmore career, Greenstone discussed his research on the impact of climate change on mortality rates in the United States and India. He used these numbers and a few other indicators to predict the extent to which "business-as-usual" levels of climate change would result in mortality increases in India and the U.S. He concluded that in the year 2100, there would be a "relatively minor" two to three percent increase in the mortality rate of the U.S. India, however, would exhibit a more extreme increase. One of his models indicated that India's increase in mortality could be as high as 36 percent. Greenstone began his lecture by describing why an analysis such as his is useful and, in fact, necessary. "Evidence on the magnitude of these impacts is necessary for the design of optimal policy," he said. Greenstone proceeded to describe the methodology behind his results. By calculating the extent to which past mortality rates have increased due to high temperatures, Mr. Greenstone predicted the amount of "very hot" days there would be in 2100, and combined the two figures to determine the rate of mortality increase in both India and the U.S. Before conducting the study, Greenstone had considered that a reduction in the number of very cold days (and the associated public health risks) could mitigate the increase in mortality resulting from the very hot ones. As a result of the study, however, he determined that the impact of a reduction in dangerously cold days was negligible. "The truth is the hottest days are the worst days," Greenstone said. Greenstone explained the large disparity between American and Indian increases in mortality rates by suggesting that it was the high rate of poverty which made climate change affect Indians so much. He said, "If you need a measure of why it's good to be rich, here's a measure." He argued that people with less money would be less able to adapt to the changing climate, and also suggested that the heat would lower the Indian rural agricultural wage by as much as 29 percent, as the climate would become much less conducive to agriculture. "The costs of climate change are unlikely to be spread evenly across the globe ... This has not-so-hot implications for ever producing a worldwide climate change policy." Greenstone said during his lecture. He acknowledged, however, that his study was only designed to produce rough predictions of the impact of anticipated climate change. In such a broad study, there were many variables to take into account. Greenstone acknowledged the possibility that his study may have "overestimated the costs" associated with climate change, because his data did not take into account adaptations that would be developed by people as a result of climate change. Greenstone's estimations additionally varied widely depending on the models he used to assess the changes in temperature resulting from climate change. According to Visiting Professor of Economics Ted Crone, Greenstone's analysis 'tiidn't deal with all the costs, or, therefore, benefits of reduction of carbon emissions, but did illustrate how difficult it is to do cost-benefit analysis for real world externalities." Students generally found the lecture to be informative and timely. "I really enjoyed the lecture. We always learn about climate change from a scientific standpoint, so it was new to hear about it from an economic standpoint, as well," said Tania Doles 'l2. MULTi discussion of dating addresses more than race BY MARY PRAGER mpragerl@swarthmore.edu "Would you date me?" The MULTi dating discussion on Oct. 30 posed this question within the context of multi relationships and various complicated issues including exotification, fetish-izing the other and objectification. MULTi, the student affinity group for those who self-identify as multi-racial, -ethnic, - socioeconomic or -religious, etc., hosts the discussion each semester. Roughly 30 people attended this semester, filling up Parrish's west parlor. Kavita Hardy 'O9 and May Maani 'O9 co-facilitated the discussion, which, according to Hardy, is one of the most successful of MULTi's events and usually draws a large audience. "We hold this conversation on multi dating every year because we feel that it's something that a lot of students can relate to," Hardy said. This year, unlike last year, the facilitators focused on integrating different types of diversity socioeconomic, racial, ethnic, religious and tried to make a smooth transition between them, Hardy said. Students of all four class years attended the discussion for various reasons. "I'm in a multi relationship, and we wanted to see how other multi relationships function, and whether we could provide proof that multi relationships can work," Adam Chuong 'l2 said. While Chuong is not a member of MULTi, he attended an information meeting during Ride the Tide. Hardy noted that the discussion was particularly illuminating for those new to the discourses of multi relationships. "For the freshmen especially, who I talked to, they felt like this sort of opened their eyes to a new way of looking at their relationships not just their intimate relationships, but other relationships," she said. G Patrick 'lO attended the discussion in part because he wanted to learn more about others' experiences with exotification. "I don't find ... exotification to be as much as an issue as apparently other people do, and I wanted to figure out what the problem was," Patrick said. Throughout the discussion, students brought up experiences and elements of their relationships that were at times reassuring, illuminating and disappointing. "One student commented that his multi relationship had received, in my mind, surprising amounts of negative comments, which is something that surprised me because I hold our community to a higher standard than that, and I was quite hurt to know that ... a fellow student's relationship had not been accepted by the community," Hardy said. Patrick felt similarly. "What I thought was compelling was how even though we're at Swat, sometimes there is this feeling of people looking at multiracial couples and not seeing them as just another couple, but as an interracial couple," Patrick said. "People do look at them and objectify them." "There were some more positive comments, too, [from] students who had experienced relationships between two people of color coming together ... and how their relationship differed from a relationship between a person of color and a person not of color," Hardy said. "It's certainly not the only discussion about racial interactions that should occur," she said, "because there are students that don't relate to relationships, which was a concern raised during the discussion." THE PHOENIX November 6, 2008 3 ADVERTISEMENT 341 Dartmouth Avenue SSsllSiira discount for Mon-Sat: 8 am-8 pm Sun: 8 am-7 pm
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THIS WEEK IN PICTURES Alex Zhang Phoenix Staff The fully-costumed Wind Ensemble plays its fall concert last Friday, featuring a program of spooky classics. Anne Hu Phoenix Staff The thespians of Vertigo-go entertain at their annual Halloween show on Saturday. Andy Bastian Phoenix Staff Monica Joshi clucks to dodge a kick from Caitlin O'Neil as they practice capoeira in front of Parrish. Anti-oppression workshops aim for empowerment of community BY MARTHA MARRAZZA mmarrazl@swarthmore.edu Training for Change, an activist training organization, will conduct workshops this Friday and Saturday on issues surrounding community-building and anti-oppression. The workshop is entitled "Creating Community: Tools for Collective Empowerment." A group of students wanted to bring Training for Change to Swarthmore to address issues of marginalization that occur every day on campus. "I worked with George Lakey over the summer, and I was bouncing a couple of ideas off of him when he said that Training for Change did these types of things, antioppression work, so he gave us a contact there," said Maurice Weeks 'O9, one of the workshop organizers. "A lot of workshops are focused on how to win campaigns or do other things, and they always have a section on anti-oppression, but since I've been here there hasn't been a workshop on oppression inside campus groups." Zoe Bridges-Curry 'O9, another workshop organizer, said plans for the upcoming event began as early as last summer. "I think plans for the workshop started as a discussion among friends," she said. "A community-building workshop was something that we wanted to see on campus." "There's not one group of people who organized this, but there are representatives from several action-based groups on campus that got together at the beginning of the semester to make this happen," Kavita Hardy 'O9 said. "We're really looking to reach people who are concerned with group dynamics, and that's everyone from people who do sports to people who are feeling marginalized in the classroom. We're not targeting a particular segment of the population since it's important for any group to talk about these issues." The workshop will take place over two days this weekend, beginning with a shorter Friday evening session in the Admissions Commons and continuing on Saturday afternoon in Bond Hall. Attendees are encouraged to go to both sessions if possible. Student organizers of the workshop focused on encouraging a wide variety of students to register for the event. "We have 99 people registered from so many different groups ... there is an incredible diversity among the people registered," Hardy said. "I think this weekend has a lot of potential." Dermot Delude-Dix 'O9, another organizer of the event, said the workshop will benefit a wide variety of students, not just student activists on campus. "In the first meetings we were thinking that sports teams and other groups, not just activists, but cultural groups, comedy groups, even friend groups, should have access to this," he said. "It's the kind of thing that a community like this should go through in order to remain healthy. I think we're all excited to provide this opportunity for all students here, especially new students who may be taking on these discourses and ways of thinking for the first time," Delude-Dix said. Hardy agreed, saying that issues of oppression are present in a variety of settings at Swarthmore and deserve discussion. "I think the dynamics of some science classes make it difficult as a woman to speak up, for example. I think the dynamics of the IC community can sometimes be very exclusive," she said. Hardy gave more examples of oppressive power dynamics in social situations. "Team structures: when freshmen come in they're not confident, and it takes really good captains to create an inclusive team. Not being able to talk in class because of power dynamics surrounding race ... the point is that it often happens without people realizing it," Hardy said. Organizers worked with Dean Darryl Smaw in the planning stages and secured funding from the Office of Multicultural Affairs, the Fun Fund and the President's Office, Hardy said. While an overwhelming number of students have already registered for the training, organizers said that the workshop is still open for a few more students. Bridges-Curry said the Training for Change program is known for not only facilitating discussion but also for moving beyond that discussion to equip students with real tools for change. "They're good at having discussion and internal work but also at focusing on concrete ways to address problems. They're not just into discussion, they're also into the practical side of things," she said. "I have faith that they'll have a workshop that is as useful as it is interesting for individuals." Hardy said the upcoming training will change the way students think about things like power hierarchies in their community. "I firmly believe that most of what people learn here is not from their classes but from things that happen outside class," she said. "A training like this can be mind-blowing." "They're good at having discussion and internal work but also at focusing on concrete ways to address problems." Zoe Bridges-Curry 'O9 "Most of what people learn here is [from] outside class. Training like this can be mind-blowing." Kavita Hardy 'O9 "It's the kind of thing that a community like this should go through in order to remain healthy." Dermot Delude-Dix 'O9 News swarthmorephoenix.com November 6, 2008 THE PHOENIX 4
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Class Awareness Month refocuses discussion on politics and aid BY AMELIA POSSANZA apossanl@swarthmore.edu Class Awareness Month kicked off earlier than usual this year to include discussions about the intersection of race, class and the election. Later on in the month, the dialogue will shift to issues currently facing Swarthmore students, such as the recent concern about financial injustice and inadequate financial aid packages. Earlier this month, with an African American candidate for president, a female candidate for vice president and constant references to Joe the Plumber, a dialogue about the election quickly evolved into a dialogue about class. One of the month's first events, last Thursday's "Class and Race in the 2008 Presidential Election," was a forum for just such a discussion. History professor Allison Dorsey, political science professor Carol Nackenoff and education professor Cheryl Jones-Walker shed light on how race and class played into the election. Student questions led the panelists to talk about Joe the Plumber, national identity, and what types of candidates are seen as "electable." "All [the panelists] had a similar understanding of [how candidates were] using Joe the Plumber to talk about class. The way we talk about [the] working class is very coded. Democratic candidates have learned that talking about poverty does not win elections. So it's been interesting to see how the Democratic candidates were really about the middle class and eager to talk about the middle class. The Republican Party hasn't been generally [eager], but now all of the sudden in the eleventh hour, Joe the Plumber comes up," Jones-Walker said. She considered the panel a success, noting that nearly one hundred students attended and actively engaged in the discussion. Inspired by her participation on the panel, Jones-Walker brought the discussion into her Intro to Black Studies class. "I've been careful not to talk about the elections in my courses," she said. "But I've decided for Wednesday to integrate a discussion into part of my class because I can't imagine not speaking to it the day after we've elected a new president given how historic this election is." Besides addressing issues the entire nation is facing, CAM is also focusing on issues of race and class on campus. "One of the aims of Class Awareness Month is to give Swatties and students some perspective on where other people are coming from in the campus community, but it's also to encourage dialogue about these issues," Brianne Gallagher 'O9, one of the students who helped plan this month's events, said. To this aim, two discussion groups were hosted to kick off the month, a working class discussion and a privileged class discussion. The working class discussion took place on October 27 and drew about a dozen people. "[The discussion] gave me a lot to digest and a lot to think about. It also really pushed me towards trying to understand what it means for me to be someone from a working class background and to come into this world of privilege," Sable Mensah 'll said. The group talked about the impact they experienced on a day-to-day basis as well as in the long term. Also, to focus on issues at Swarthmore, attendees at each event are asked to sign fake dollar bills as a way to indicate that they support two on-campus initiatives. One asks the libraries to devote a portion of their budget to ensure that it has up-to-date textbooks for each class on reserve for students that don't want to or can't afford to buy expensive textbooks that will only be used for one semester. The second initiative addresses seminar snack breaks. It asks departments to put aside a seminar break fund that students can choose to tap into to purchase snacks for their seminar classes. Some of the upcoming events also have direct ties to Swarthmore. This Friday, Tayarisha Poe 'l2 and Eva McKend 11 will be performing alongside recognized spoken word groups iLL-Literacy and 3xLady Crew at Olde Club. "I don't write a lot about class, but I'm so excited about this month because it's giving me the opportunity to write about class," McKend said. "I think in the Swarthmore community we have tremendous issues surrounding financial injustice. I wanted to take a break from spoken word this semester, but since I'm dealing with financial issues, I felt I needed to give voice to students dealing with the same issues." McKend said that like several other students she's spoken to, her family received less financial aid than expected this year. Her performance on Friday will speak specifically to financial injustice. A financial aid question and answer session on Nov. 18 will have incredible relevance for Swarthmore students. "We turn in all these important forms and paperwork and get this number. A lot of people might not understand what it means. [So it's] a chance for the student body to go into the financial aid office and say, 'Can you shed some light on this?'" Mensah, a CAM organizer, said. Recent news concerning the changes in individual aid packages from year to year and the inflexibility of aid packages is bound to make this session popular. Other events this month include a lecture by Pulitzer Prize-winning author Junot Diaz, a movie screening and an anti-oppression workshop. At its heart, each event is designed to raise awareness about class issues and get people talking. "There are a lot of issues that play into and intersect with class," Gallagher said. "It's not necessarily separate from women's rights. It's not necessarily separate from race and injustices in that regard. It can really potentially involve a lot of people and get people talking." CLASS AWARENESS MONTH Thursday, Nov. 6th at 4:3opm in Sci. Center 101 "Class and Civic Engagement," a lecture by professor Ben Berger of the political science department Friday, Nov. 7th at 9pm in the Olde Club Spoken word performance with ill-Literacy and 3xLady Crew Monday, Nov. 10th at Bpm, location TBA "Working Class Organizers: Hotel Workers' Perspectives" Tuesday, Nov. Uth at 7:3opm in Kohlberg 115 Documentary screening of "People Like Us" Friday, Nov. 14th Junot Diaz, "Negotiating Our Other Selves" (at 12:30pm in LPAC Cinema) "Rally for an accessible education" (location, time TBA) Tuesday, Nov. ISth at 4:3opm, location TBA "Financial Aid Question and Answer Session" Wednesday, Nov. 19th at 4:30 pm in LPAC Cinema "Environmental Justice and Class" Schedule courtesy of Class Awareness Month News swarthmorephoenix.com THE PHOENIX November 6, 2008 5 ADVERTISEMENT THE ROBERT DAY SCHOOL CLAREMONT McKENNA COLLEGE MASTER'S PROGRAM FINANC A new approach, a new program. An innovative one-year degree program for students with strong leadership potential beginning Fall 2009. Highiights include: * Generous funding for merit-based scholarships ■ Dedicated career services specialist and extensive alumni network m Excellent faculty with experience both in academics and industry * Intensive Finance curriculum completed in one year * Co-curricular program designed to enhance leadership and communication skills, as well as provide access to speakers, conferences, alumni and employers. For more information, or to apply, please visit www.claremontmckerina.edu/rdsgraduate, or contact us at rdsadmission@claremontmckenna.edu. 500 E. NINTH STREET, CLAREMONT, CA 91711 TEL: 909.607.3347
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Obama victory exhilarates campus BY CLARISSA SKINNER cskinnl@swarthmore.edu The results of Tuesday's election inspired hope and celebration among many students On the night of Tuesday, November 4, 2008, Swarthmore students clustered around televisions and computer screens across campus - in dorm lounges, in Paces, in Tarble. Hours of anxious waiting and second guessing finally culminated in screaming, dancing and singing across campus as the West Coast poll results came in: Barack Obama had been elected the next president of the United States. To Obama's supporters on Swarthmore's campus and across the country, the outcome of the election marks an unprecedented transcendence of partisan, racial and geographical differences. After winning the election, Obama opened his victory speech with an affirmation of the opportunities available to all participants in the American democratic process. "If there is anyone out there who still doubts that America is a place where all things are possible, who still wonders if the dream of our Founders is alive in our time, who still questions the power of our democracy, tonight is your answer," Obama said to a crowd of 125,000 supporters in Chicago's Grant Park. Obama's promise of a post-partisan society appealed not only to the Democrats on campus, but to Republican students as well. David Pupkin 'O9, who helped found the current chapter of the College Republicans, acknowledged that Obama's victory says something powerful about the state of American politics. "This is the revitalization of the American Dream. People around the world can say, 'I too can watch my child become President of the United States by the sheer fact that if they work hard enough and have the skill, anything is possible.' The United States is again the paragon of possibility," Pupkin said. Dani Noble 'l2 captured the combination of euphoria and incredulity that many students expressed over the course of the evening. "It's surrealism," Noble said. "People are overcome by the election, by the hope and potential for this country to be the nation that we would like it to be." Many students were won over by Obama's promise to restore a broken political system. "Four years ago, I lost faith in my country, and today it was restored almost completely," Margot Adams 'lO said. The success of Obama's campaign has been widely attributed to his unique ability to construct a coalition of disparate demographic blocs. Referring to the diversity of his supporters in his victory speech, Obama said, "It's the answer spoken by young and old, rich and poor, Democrat and Republican, black, white, Hispanic, Asian, Native American, gay, straight, disabled and not disabled." No candidate with a background as diverse as Obama's has ever been elected to the country's highest office. Early in his candidacy, many observers questioned whether Obama could overcome historically entrenched racial barriers. The candidate proved skeptics wrong on Tuesday night and his ability to dismantle racial barriers was inspiring to many students. "This man is biracial, his middle name is Hussein, and he's President of the United States. That makes me smile," Ali Farnos Wilker 'll said. Brigette Davis 10 captured the perception that the election's outcome reflects the beginning of a new era when she said, "America has transcended; it has reached a new plane of existence." Although his campaign did not emphasize Obama's racial identity as an African-American candidate, the election of a biracial president marked an important turning point in American history. "We're studying the civil rights movement in class, and when the camera panned to an old, black man, and he was crying, I understood. These people lived in an America where they were not real people. They risked their lives forty years ago when they walked through the streets singing that they will overcome, and now they have," Farnos-Wilker said. Noah Lang 'lO said that his mother offered an interesting historical perspective on the election. "My mother grew up in the 1950's in Tennessee. The first thing that she messaged to me tonight was, T remember segregated water fountains!' That was the first thing to her mind," Lang said. At Swarthmore, the reaction to this election was elation. An Obama cardboard cut-out went crowd-surfing, Sixteen Feet sang a rendition of The Star-Spangled Banner, and McCain was serenaded off of his speech platform by masses of students singing Steam's "Na Na Hey Hey Kiss Him Goodbye." Students were still singing, yelling and dancing in celebration hours after Obama's victory speech. Upon the announcement of the election results, Luke Rampersad 10 said, "I just started singing and dancing. I called my parents and made up a song about Obama. I just started yelling and smiling, and I haven't stopped smiling since." Brigette Davis 'lO said, "I lost my mind. I think I actually blacked out. I ran over the entire campus in about ten minutes." Andrew Loh 'lO, an international student from Malaysia, could not vote in the election, but was nonetheless blown away by its outcome. "I just stood up and stared and took it all in, because this is a part of Swarthmore ... I was compelled to receive it, to perceive it, to just sink myself and immerse myself in that feeling. It's a feeling of solidarity, of happiness, of hope, of change, of cliches, of Disney." Many Swarthmore students campaigned extensively for Obama and felt that his victory was their victory, too. Obama himself said that the campaign "drew strength ... from the millions of Americans who volunteered and organized and proved that more than two centuries later a government of the people, by the people and for the people has not perished from the Earth." Molly Weston 'lO, president of the College Democrats, noted that college students were extraordinarily active in this election. "We're college students. We have the energy to go out and stand on our feet and knock on doors. People that have never been involved in an election before are really coming out. They're taking the time to make a difference," Weston said. Speaking of the power of canvassing, Executive Director and former president of the College Democrats Daniel Leigh 'O9 said, "Door-to-door voter canvassing can increase voter turn-out by seven percent. It's about one citizen going out and talking to other citizens. Door-todoor, person-to-person voter contact. It's far and away the most effective contact." After the election of Obama, Noble, who also did canvassing, said, "I think everyone who had a part in the election, in canvassing, the phone bank, feels like they personally won tonight. Obviously a lot of it's a wash, but I can think of two to three people that I convinced to vote for Barack Obama who wouldn't have otherwise, and to me that's powerful." Obama's victory has significant implications for America's standing in the international community. Speaking of Obama's election, Jess Engebretson 'O9 said, "I hope it means that the course we're going on as a country can change for the better. It'll change the perception of America in the world, the place of America in the world, and America's ability to act in the world." Loh offered his perspective as an international student. "The world's going to be very happy. His foreign experience definitely shaped him in his convictions, his ideals and his values. He's sympathetic to how other people think and feel. And you can see that in how he's running now. He's running on a platform of compromise and consensus. He's not only the Democratic nominee, but also the world's nominee," Loh said. Now that he has won the presidency, Obama faces the challenge of making good on his campaign promises in spite of the accelerating economic downturn and present U.S. involvement in both Afghanistan and Iraq. Obama acknowledged these obstacles, saying, "The road ahead will be long. Our climb will be steep. We may not get there in one year or even one term, but America, I have never been more hopeful than I am tonight that we will get there. I promise you: We as a people will get there." Katie Schaffer 'l2 said she has no illusions about Obama's progressivism and said that "people looking for significant change" may be disappointed by Obama's moderate stance on many issues. "First of all, he's inheriting an awful state of affairs, and second of all, he's a moderate," Schaffer said. Obama acknowledges the challenges that lie ahead, but said he does not believe they are insurmountable. In his victory speech, Obama said that a new approach to domestic politics and international affairs is essential to overcoming adverse conditions and he promised to bring this new approach to Washington. "Change has come to America," Obama said in his speech, summing up the momentous outcome of a fiercely contested race. "I just started singing and dancing. I called my parents and made up a song about Obama. I just started yelling and smiling, and I haven't stopped smiling since." Luke Rampersad 'lO Elan Silverblatt-Buser Phoenix Staff Hundreds of students stare, mesmerized, at the projector screen in Upper Tarble as results from exit polls pour in Tuesday night. Later that evening, Obama supporters cheered and reveled at Obama's ascension to the presidency. News swarthmorephoenix.com November 6, 2008 THE PHOENIX 6
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Fiscal crisis may be a boon for applications BY TYLER WARNER CHICAGO MAROON (U. CHICAGO) AROUND HIGHER EDUCATION (U-WIRE) When the economy sours, students start thinking about grad school. At least that's what early graduate application numbers at the University of Chicago seem to indicate. Applications at the University's Law School have increased 10 percent compared to this time last year, according to Ann Perry, associate dean of admissions for the Law School. She noted that economic downturns tend to spur increased application yields. The Law School saw a similar increase in applications in 2001, she said. During that same period, the economy shed three million jobs. A popular explanation for the trend is that students attempt to dodge the job market by turning to graduate school instead. Increased interest in graduate school has been noted outside the University as well, as more students take graduate school entry exams. The number of GMATs business school entry exams taken in the United States increased by about six percent compared to last year, according to Jennifer Kedrowski, the GMAT program manager for Kaplan Test Prep and Admissions. Outside of the U.S., the figure rose by 22 percent. But like most of those interviewed, Kedrowski would not directly attribute testing numbers to an economic downturn. "Traditionally, students, those in the workforce and those who have recently lost their jobs turn to business school, law school and grad school, as safe refuges to ride out the economic storm," she said. "Graduate-level programs saw this trend in the aftermath of September 11, and we are seeing another shift now." Kedrowski also noted that registration for free practice tests and seminars has achieved even higher levels of growth: attendance has more than doubled some months this year. The number of students registered for all tests has risen in the past few years, although Kedrowski noted that MCAT courses are generally less affected by economic instability because the preparation for medical school requires a number of years. Interest in the GMAT, however, has shown the largest increase over the past year. According to Perry, the financial crisis will not necessarily reorient career goals. But it could encourage earlier applications from those who would have otherwiseotherwise put off graduate school. "Usually someone's already been thinking about law school; now they just move it up a few years," she said. At the Divinity School, however, the trend seems less apparent. According to Teresa Hord Owens, the dean of students for the Divinity School, this year's application numbers are on track to wind up at roughly the same level as prior years. To date, the Divinity School has received 300 applications out of a yearly average of 400. In fact, Owens worries that the financial crisis could have a negative impact on graduate studies. As problems in the financial sector leave credit harder to come by, she worries that many students who want to attend graduate school may be unable to afford the rising costs of continuing education. "If credit for student loans becomes tighter, it may have an adverse impact on students' ability to finance their graduate education," she said. "Ph.D. programs are now financed more generously in terms of student aid here at the Divinity School, but master's level students will likely feel the pinch more immediately." Unlike many other University graduate programs, the Law School, which uses rolling admissions, has a better opportunity to gauge application numbers this early in the cycle. In the Physical Sciences Division, time will tell whether a similar increase will be seen. "Conventional wisdom holds that applications to graduate schools increase when the economy stumbles," said Richard Hefley, dean of students in the Physical Sciences Division, in an e-mail interview. "It is still too early in the application season to draw any meaningful conclusions about the applicant pool for 2009-2010." "Traditionally ... those ... who have recently lost their jobs turn to business school, law school and grad school, as safe refuges to ride out the economic storm." Jennifer Kedrowski GMAT Program Manager for Kapian Voter politics influenced by family BY HANNAH BOEN DAILY TOREADOR (TEXAS TECH) (U-WIRE) Steven and Elyse Keaton could be considered by many to be zealous left-wing hippies, raising children with entirely different values from the characters on the television series "Family Ties." Upon watching the show, viewers are left to wonder if a real family exists with such contradictory political ideals. But Alan Reifman, a Texas Tech professor of human development and family studies, said a voter's family is only a part of their political influence. "How often that exists in real life," he said about the probability of a real-life Keaton clan, "I don't know." The professor, who studies adolescence and transition into adulthood including political identification said parents do play some role in developing a child's party loyalty, but so do other factors, including school, peers and the media. Although children often are influenced by their parents' political ideals, Reifman said, it is likely the exposure to politics in college can be another significant influence. For Reifman, proof of this influence lies in the Bennington College Study led by late psychologist Theodore Newcomb. Reifman said the private women's college in Vermont was widely known as liberal, but students came to the college mostly from Republican families. The study, conducted in the 19305, showed education affected political identity. "You figure the kids will be fairly conservative," Reifman said, "but when professors and upper-year students are liberal, the two forces hit each other." Reifman said the study showed conservative women who pursued higher education at a liberal college may have left the party loyalty of their families and shifted to the left. "A roughly small group of women remained conservative," he said, "stuck to their families' viewpoints." The women who remained conservative, Reifman said, were aware of the shifting views of their peers, but made a conscious effort to stay close to their family values. While the Bennington study suggested the college environment plays a large role, Reifman said he believes the results would not be consistent on Tech's campus. "Certainly, Texas Tech is not overwhelmingly liberal like Bennington College is," he said, suggesting that Tech students who grew up in a conservative household will be exposed to much the same ideals in college. Reifman said coming to Tech from primarily Republican regions will receive the same exposure on campus, but students who come from more liberal regions may be exposed to very different political ideals. "If what you're exposed to in college is the same as what you're exposed to at home, it's probably going to reinforce what you believed at home," he said. "The difference is if college experience clashes from ideals taught at home." That difference, Reifman said, is where students may allow their pursuit of higher education to have an influence on political ideals. Cindy Rugeley, assistant professor of political science at Tech, said researchers cannot be 100-percent certain, but the best indicator of political socialization is family. "Family is a big part and it continues through to whether or not they vote and party identification," she said. When children are young, Rugeley said, they learn from their families, and what they learn typically follows them through their entire life. She acknowledged young people often change their opinions, and that does not exclude politics. Rugeley attributed political shifts in college to the fact that higher education is being pursued. "As people become more educated," she said, "they tend to become more liberal." Sea melting glaciers BY MITHCELL GOULDING WASHINGTON SQUARE NEWS (NYU) (U-WIRE) It is getting colder in New York, but hotter underwater. According to a recent study by NYU researchers, it's not just warming air temperature that causes glaciers to melt. The Center for Atmosphere Ocean Science, a part of the Courant Institute of Mathematical Science at NYU, discovered that rising oceanic temperatures have been melting glaciers from below land surfaces. David Holland, the director of the center and lead author of the study, found that rising ocean temperatures are more important than first thought. Scientists originally believed that warming air temperatures were causing surface snow on the inland Greenland glacier to melt. However, Holland's team found that it was actually subsurface water temperatures that were rising and causing the ice sheet to break apart. Using data from other studies that relied on NASA's Airborne Topographic Mapper, the researchers noticed a rapid rate of glacial thinning, which coincided with rising subsurface water temperature."Modest changes in atmospheric circulation can drive warm ocean water towards and under the edges of the ice sheets, and when this happens, the ice sheets fall apart, and the rate of rise of sea level increases," Holland said. "This is not so much a warming of the global ocean as it is a simple redirection of warm waters towards the ice sheets." However, Holland noted that it would be the application of the information gained from the Greenland region that would be most important. Holland found that if these results translated to Antarctica, which holds 10 times the volume of ice compared to Greenland, the impact would be much worse. "Antarctica holds the potential for producing a rapid change in global sea level in this century and beyond a situation that, if it happened, society is illprepared to deal with," he said. Jeremy Friedman, project administrator of the NYU Sustainability Task Force, said that students could have a tangible impact on fighting the effects of global warming. "The fire in NYU students has been driving the entire initiative," Friedman said. "From participating in sustainability task force to doing research, student activists act like watchdogs keeping the university honest. Our goal is conservation of efficiency. Better than changing the light bulb is not using it at all." Although the research warns that a continuation of glacial melting could become a dire situation, Holland admitted that researchers in the field have no way of gauging how long it would take or to what degree sea levels will change. The National Science Foundation, which offers more than $6 billion per year to scientific studies, supported the study through a grant to NYU in conjunction with the NSF Office of Polar Programs. "Our goal is conservation of efficiency. Better than changing a light bulb is not using it at all." Jeremy Friedman NYU Sustainability Administrator News swarthmorephoenix.com THE PHOENIX November 6, 2008 7
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Living & Arts swarthmorephoenix.com The end of an era: counting down the films that capture the Bush years I've said from the start of this column that I intend to write about movies in a broader social context, examining their relevance within the framework of contemporary societal issues and current events. This week, what event could be more pertinent than Election Day? The 2008 presidential election mercifully marks the close of the long and painful George W. Bush era, and although we have to wait until January to actually get rid of the guy, I thought it was appropriate to list, on the week that marks the selection of his successor, the movies that I believe to be most emblematic of the Bush years. Therefore, without further ado, I present to you my list of the five films that historians will look back on and wonder how we could possibly have elected and supported this guy. 5. "Left Behind" (Columbia TriStar Pictures, 2001) Few groups have been more studied and. vilified in interpreting the success of the Bush political coalition than the emergent religious right, and few pop culture phenomena better show these people in all of their glory than "Left Behind," a movie based on the frighteningly successful series of Christian novels about the end times. "Left Behind" tells the story of reporter Buck Williams, played with appropriate gusto by child actor turned evangelical activist Kirk Cameron. This is the sort of film that begins with the destruction of thousands of Syrian jets by God as a means of protecting Israel. You pretty much know what you're getting into from there. Along the way, we get to meet Nicolae Carpathia, a United Nations official who actually turns out to be the Antichrist. If you, like myself and most other secular left-wing Swarthmore students, are more than a bit curious that people actually believe that Obama is the Antichrist, you should watch this movie to see how the Other Half thinks. 4. "300" (Warner Brothers, 2007) Few movies better capture the paranoia and racism of right-wing political discourse than this piece of cinematic dreck. This lavish, visually arresting video game masquerading as a film tells us the story of the Battle of Thermopylae, where three hundred Spartans fought valiantly but futilely against a vastly larger Persian invasion force. Since the Persians are darkskinned and tyrannical and the Spartans are white and (at least comparatively) democratic, it isn't very hard to read the politicalpolitical subtext. This racist, testosterone-filled movie helps explain how so many Americans are able to paint millions of Middle Easterners as an amorphous, abstract "Other" that can be demonized for the purpose of our political discourse. Madness? This is America! 3. "W." (Lions Gate Entertainment, 2008) Okay, so it might seem like a bit of a copout to say that a biopic about George W. Bush reflects the George W. Bush era. But what's fascinating about "W." is that it was made before the end of Bush's presidency. It's as if filmmaker Oliver Stone decided that history has already declared its verdict on Bush, that there isn't any need to wait a bit longer before making a movie about him. "W." is unlikely to be very successful; Americans are unlikely to want to see a movie about the president who can't leave office fast enough. But the fact that it was created at this point in time speaks volumes about Bush's unlikely ability to unite the American people behind the unanimous decision that he is a failure as a president.2. "Fahrenheit 9/11" (IFC/Lions Gate Films, 2004) The surprising financial success of Michael Moore's controversial anti-Bush documentary, which is deeply flawed in many ways, at least shows that millions of Americans were willing to consume entertainment that openly questioned the motives of their president. Nevertheless, "Fahrenheit 9/11" was ultimately unable to influence enough voters to swing the 2004 election in favor of John Kerry, so its actual value as political propaganda is questionable at best it probably only served to reinforce the views of the half of the country that already hated Bush by that point. Nonetheless, it did succeed in winning President Bush a Razzie award for Worst Actor, which means that Bush managed to do something better than anyone else that year And the number one film that tells us about the Bush era in America is ... 1 "G.I. Samurai" (Toho, 1979) While browsing the movies in McCabe freshman year, I discovered this one a truly bizarre, widely forgotten Japanese samurai movie. Of course, I had to watch it. But the aspect of the film that struck me as strangest was when I learned that it had been remade in 2005. Why, after all these years, would a justifiably obscure samurai movie need a remake? And then it struck me: this film is the perfect parable for the present time. "G.I. Samurai" tells the story of a small group of Japanese forces that invade 16th century Japan. (Don't ask how they do this; it's never really clear.) Despite seeming to have the advantage in terms of military technology, they are invading a land about which they know little, for no apparent reason and with no plan for how to win peace, and they go in with far too few forces to do the job. Sound familiar? The analogy gets even better at the end of the movie, when the filmmakers seemingly either ran out of money or were too bored to make a proper ending, and all of the main characters just die anticlimactically. (Sorry if I ruined it for you, but let's face it, you're not going to see this movie anyway.) The filmmakers just wanted to get the movie over with at that point. Sort of how the American people feel about Bush. So there you have it, five films that I feel represent America during the George W Bush years. As awful as they've surely been, at least they've inspired a variety of artistic depictions. This, of course, raises a good question: Who are we going to mock now, with Bush gone? Luckily, the farce that was the McCain 'OB campaign leaves us with plenty of material. How long can it really be until we get "Plunge It!: The Joe the Plumber Story?" Joel is a junior. You can reach him at jswansol@swarthmore. edu. JOEL SWANSON They're Watching cartoon by sonny sidhu CROSSWORD ACROSS L 1952 8. URL start 12. The time is 13. You can dress in it 14. Celestial hunter 16. Dance movement featured in “Rize” 18. Walk surreptitiously 20. All-Star Game team, maybe 2L Some works at MoMA 22. “Ere Elba” 25. Tue. Follower 28. Songstress James 29. Sacrifice site 31 Indonesian island 32. Superhero computer game; abbr. 33. Dodgers fielder Ramirez 34. Mining extracts 35. “2008” 40. Leave out 41 Ransacks 43. Prefix with -bute or - cycle 45. Most August birthdays 46. Lake dwelling bloodsucker47. Boot part 48. Arcade game for those with rhythm, maybe? 49.1975 Wimbeldon champ 50. Laud 52. Wedding or Prom garb 55. “This little piggy” went into it, with the 57. Coolio’s “Gangsta 6L River seen from President Sarkosy’s office 62. Modem day Persia 63. Droop 64. Result of a fender-bender, maybe? 65. See 10 down DOWN L Corporation abbr. 2. Online chuckle 3. Jima 4. Famous drag queen Dame 5. Eye part 6. Philosopher with a categorical imperative 7. It may be hard-boiled 8. “Some Like it 99 9. The Supremes, e.g. 10. With 65-Across, “1840” 11 Idaho export 15. Pole, Santa’s domain 17. “1940” 19. LAX posting: abbr. 22. “ Legend,” 2007 WiU Smith film 23. Serb, e.g. 24. cost (free) 25. Maxine Hong Kingston’s “Woman 26. Votes into office 27. Plate 30. “Catcher in the 31 Bellowed 36. Forfeit your hand, in poker 37. or nothing 38. Leaves. 39. -a-Sketch 42. Pronoun for a boat, maybe 43. Home of the Mavericks and Spurs 44. Raised 47. Skirt edge 5L Gore’s home state: abbr. 52. Indiana city with its own “Music Man” song 53. Like some presentations or fixations 54. Diminish 56. Vietnamese holiday 57. Olive part 58. Suffix with Elit- or Chem-59. Paulo, Brazil 60. It may be inflated By Anna Schectman November 6, 20Q8 THE PHOENIX 8
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cartoon by dianapozo Seven inches to heaven: vinyl's comeback I have many happy vinyl memories: sifting through my mother's old record collection, pouring over the psychedelic album jackets that seemed to be from another world, fidgeting with our turntable's needle to find the most ridiculous track on "The Warsaw Men's Choir Sings Classic Polish War Songs." After a listening experience that had me rolling on the floor in sonic ecstacy, I even started to agree with those vinyl diehards who say that the sound quality of a CD is incomparable to that of a record (try listening to Lou Reed's "Transformer" first on a computer and then on a record player; let me know if you can hear the difference or if at any point your body is overcome with the desire to make orgiastic contact with the ground). Recently, vinyl has been doing more than furnishing fuzzy childhood memories to 'Bos babies like me who grew up treasure hunting in their parents' piles of musty records. Music listeners are choosing to buy vinyl over CDs and, in some cases, over digital downloads, reviving the medium which seemed doomed to rot in sale bins. CDs, which many once believed would usher in the death of vinyl, are now being eclipsed by their 7-inch predecessors. RIAA reports have shown that the sale of physica CDs has been waning since th early years of the new millennium. But while CD sales fell by 17% in 2007, 7-inch single sales increased by 13%. Although records have always carried with them the essence of cool, it has become increasingly hip for teenagers and young adults to purchase vinyl. Alongside obsessive collectors, kids now scavenge for retro gems and snatch up new 7- inch releases from bands such as the White Stripes. Some club DJs are also returning to their vinyl roots, foregoing computer programs which have made DJing a wholly digital affair. Tv really been getting back into my vinyl. I love it," one DJ told the UK Guardian in July of 2007, "I like to hear crackling, as if it's actually real." When the 'economic downturn" floated to earth in the past few months, wrapping all aspects of life in not-so-cozy blanket of anxiety, music retailers realizec that records and turntables may be their saving grace CD sales have not yet entirely stagnated but both chain and independent retailers are moving to increase their vinyl holdings while also pushing the sale of turnta bles. For chain stores, this means stocking up on th latest shrink-wrapped 7-inch singles. Indie retailers, on the other hand, must broaden their vintage and use< selections to appeal to both entrenched vinyl-heads anc those new to the world of records. Still, it is important to remain skeptical of how lon this trend will last and how powerful it will be. Medi headlines may rush to tout the soaring rebirth of th record ("Vinyl May Be Final Nail in CD's Coffin" quoth Wired Magazine), but it seems unlikely that technology that dates back to the 1860s will have the ability to sin glehandedly save the record industry and music retail ers. Clever marketing ploys and appeals from olde generations of musicians who cut their teeth recordin analog may not be enough to dissuade consumers from the conveniences of MP3s and iPods. Whether records are experiencing a true resur gence or not, what is it that makes vinyl so attractiv these days? After all, aren't records supposed to be th unwieldy and slightly dorky vestiges of a bygone era A true vinyl connoisseur would probably say that th masses are finally realizing the poetic "richer sound" o records. The more likely answer is that listeners in today's computer age are longing for something tang ble in contrast to their MP3 files. Although iTunes often does provide a reproduction of an album's artwork browsing through a digital image is never the same a bating through the liner notes of a CD or recon downloading requires no process save for the clic "a button. With buying records, there is a distinc 'tual that begins with physically entering and ends with material and aural gain It is all about the process, according t George Pettit of Alexisonfire: "Lik iunkies who require a more poten dose to get high, so do record collec tors... Around every turn, there is xiew kick, a new branch of musica lineage to explore." While providing music fans wit >omething tangible, buying vinyl als nitiates consumers into an estabished cult-like community. Indi ecord stores have long been haven or music afficionados to learn abou lew bands and to argue about whic Rolling Stones album is truly th best. Now that vinyl is testing th mainstream waters once again listeners are drawn to th romanticized aura of the recor shop, joining in on the endless quest for the perfect record. Liana is a junior. You can reac ?r at lkatzl@swarthmore.edu. LIANA KATZ Digital Natalia Cote-Munoz for The Phoenix ' Spicing up Sharples BY APOLLINE BERTY abertyl@swarthmore.edu "Cream dried beef biscuits," "vegetarian vegetable," "blintz bar," "old-fashioned meatloaf," "patty grilla bar," and, let's not forget, "pasta bar." These delicacies are all available at Sharpies, your allcampus food source. But don't be intimidated by these incomprehensible terms; there are alternatives available to you at Sharpies. For those times when the lines are too long because everybody decides to have lunch at the same time on Tuesdays and Thursdays, there is a salad bar, a sandwich bar, two panini presses and a wok. There are other options besides cereal, and here are some toothsome delicacies and tips by our own Swarthmorean chefs. Tired of the meals Sharpies had to offer, Esther Burson'lo looked into the cafeteria's other facilities. "I think I just got tired of the options that were there everyday... and I realized that it doesn't take much more time to get creative," she said. Burson cooks a good deal at home but hadn't thought of doing the same in Sharpies until after freshmen year, when she decided that it was more varied and healthier for her to make her own food. Whenever Burson goes to Sharpies, she first makes a round and scouts for unusual or different foods or ingredients. "I don't think I'm particularly creative, I just try to work with what Sharpies has. It really depends on what they have on a given day," she explained. Her default, though, is to check out the salad bar and get ingredients for a sandwich, salad, or stir-fry. When making a stir-fry, Burson cuts up vegetables broccoli, onions, mushrooms, peppers and after warming up the wok and adding some water, she steams them for a couple of minutes, adding soy sauce or other seasoning. To make fried rice, also using the wok, she beats an egg, acquired at the grill, and scrambles it. Burson then adds brown rice, usually found at the vegetarian bar, and mixes it in with some peas or corn. One of Burson's favorite salads includes mixed greens, sliced apple, raisins, feta cheese, and sunflower seeds. For a sandwich, Burson recommends adding hummus, and whatever other interesting ingredient you can find, as well as using the panini press. "Any sandwich is better with heat," Burson said. Her current favorite is making a grilled cheese sandwich with sharp cheddar and an egg from the grill. The grill is another great resource at Sharpies, serving up fast food options every day and making omelets on weekends with ingredients from the other food stations brought by students. Sarah Reece'll and Megan Colombo'll prefer to use the wok to make their own omelets, however. "We make our own omelets, because at the grill they don't use real eggs, they use the ones in cartons," they both explained. Sundays and Wednesdays, Sharpies brings Swarthmore students additional ingredients to work with: chocolate chips and M&M's from ice cream bar. With these, Nicole Singer 'lO and Myles Dakan 10 make "Banana Boats," a campfire dessert Singer learned from a friend. "I came up with the idea to make it in Sharpies when I saw that sundae bar conveniently supplied all the ingredients, and that the rungs of the toaster ovens happen to be the perfect distance apart for baking bananas," Singer wrote in an email response. To make this delicious dessert, according to Singer, get a banana, pull back the strip of its peel on the inside of the banana's curve, but do not detach it. Scoop out about 1/3 of the banana lengthwise, and stuff with marshmallows and chocolate chips; toffee, peanut butter, and M&M's could also work as scrumptious alternatives. Put the peel back in its original place, covering the stuffings, and place the banana in the toaster oven, making sure that both the top and bottom elements are turned on. Once the peel turns black, the banana boat is ready to eat. Another original make-it-yourself-dessert is sauteed apples. Back to the wok, Burson melts butter, then adds cut apples and raisins and when the apple becomes soft, sugar and cinnamon. To learn other recipes adapted for our cafeteria, a student cookbook is available at Sharpies, to peruse and add on to. Living & Arts swarthmorephoenix.com THEPHOEfHX November 6', 2008 9
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RECONSIDERING THE AUDACITY OF ART Laughs and chuckles, grunts and groans. These inodes of expression are so often banned from the gallery space by the sterility of the walls, the gravity of the security guard and the solemnity of art. But R. Crumb’s Underground at the Institute of Contemporary Art (ICA) offers a change of pace laughs and groans of disgust are the two primary reactions to the works of R. Crumb, a legendary figure in underground comix movement.Born in Philadelphia. Crumb moved to the Haight- Ashbury district of San Francisco in 1967 and immersed himself in the counterculture movement. His trippy inventions include Fritz the Cat (made into a movie in 1970) and the Keep on Truckin' illustration (also a Grateful Dead song). But what Crumb is best known for is his no holds barred take on animation, one that encompasses old style drawing with a laissez-faire and semi-satirical atti- tude to all things good: sex, drugs and rock and roll (well, early blues, but you get the picture). In the 1980s ho moved to the south of France, where he continues to draw comix. Comics are often relegated outside the domain of fine art, but Crumb has recently been welcomed behind the velvet ropes of the art world. In 2004, the Ludwig Museum in Cologne. Germany hosted a retrospective of Crumb’s work. The exhibition at the ICA features works from throughout Crumb’s career, building up from a 1959 drawing to a series of wooden spools completed in 2006. Crumb's fine eye for detail, conveyed through minute illustrations and lengthy chunks of dialogue, demands a time commitment from the exhibition's visitor (the New York Times recommends spending two to three hours at the show). Each scene on his bustling pages is filled to the brim with the tiniest strokes of the pen as Crumb represents individual strands of hair and the fine grain of wood floors. Traces of white liquid eraser are often visible as Crumb rehashes his designs. His aggressive characters rant about life ad nauseam, covering Crumb's comics in piles of dialogue. For some. Crumb is a comic genius. He boldly goes wrhere only the most audacious (or most insensitive) comedians will venture, tackling any and all topics that are politically incorrect. Angelfood McSpade. the Zap Comix ‘Dream Girl of the Month,” may perhaps be his most offensive character. Crumb combines a number of derogatory stereotypes to create McSpade. Her dark face with wide lips comes straight from the minstrel's stage and her palm leaf skirt indicates the ‘primitive” nature of Africa. Crumb s depiction of women is also less-than flattering. Females are sex objects and eye candy; Crumb graphically renders sexual encounters between the highly- charged male characters and the weak women. "Three Graces” is characteristic of Crumb's drawings of women. They are universally large-breasted with huge buttocks. I'll admit that I did not so much as chuckle during my visit to the ICA. I'm one of those easily offended types and 1 can't find humor in Angelfood xMcSpade or female sex slaves. To people like me. Crumb offers “A Word With You Feminist Women,” a strip printed in “Big Ass #2” in 1971 In the first few panels, a smiling Crumb appears on a couch, ready for reconciliation. As the one-sided dialogue ensues. Crumb works himself up, insisting, “I'm not a politician! I’m an artist!” The comic concludes with a close-up of Crumb's enraged face as the illustrator screams, “Fuck You!” While it can be difficult for me to separate form from content, I was able to enjoy a few of the more neutral pieces in the show. My first exposure to Harvey Pekar may have been in the movie starring Paul Giamatti. but 1 had the chance to view strips from “American Splendor” at the ICA. I was also pleasantly amused by “Short History of America,” a color serigraph printed in 2001 In the 15-panel print, a natural wilderness slowly succumbs to the adverse effects of industry and modernity. In the final three panels, Crumb presents three possible conclusions to American history —■ ecological disaster, the space age and “the ecotopian solution.” R. Crumb’s Underground is one of those hit-or-miss exhibitions. You either love or hate Robert Crumb. If you have a sense of humor, this show provides an endless supply of material to absorb. If you're easily offended, it’s not your best bet. My advice? Think about your humor radar before you decide to attend, Elena is a senior. You can reach her at esmithMsivarthmore.edu.ELENA SMITH Arts in the Area Living & Arts swarthmorephoenix.com November 6, 2008 THE PHOENIX 10 ADVERTISEMENT bfW I M I Training Future Leaders to Make an Impact Chitting Edge Legal Education * Ranked by U.S. News as a Top 100 ABA Law School * Extensive Hands-On Skills Training and Programs, Including Seven live Client Clinics * Among the First U.S. Law Schools to Require Students to take Transnational Law Exceptional Students • Bright, Engaged and Accomplished Students from Around the World • Featured by U.S. News on The Most Diverse Schools List • Highly Regarded Academic Journals, Including the Hofstra Law Review and the Hofstra Labor & Employment law Journal Distinguished Alumni Respected Partners, Shareholders and Members of International Law Firms Visionary Leaders of the Judiciary and Government, Including New York Governor David A. Paterson 'B3 Successful Presidents, CEOs and Officers at Fortune 500 Corporations HOFSTRA UNIVERSITY. ©1 of 1 aw law.hofs tra. edu
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Remember, remember, Mustache November BY DAISY SCH&IfTT Here's to fostering a greater appreciation for the "stache, because everyone should join In and participate in Mustache November even if it's just in spirit, Ah, n autumn! Th e new nii iP in fh** %.w the* crunch of hj annual Despite; past criticisms that paint Mustache November as discriminatory towards females, Warner insists that “at Swarthmore, Mustache November is not a gender-defined thing. All humans have facial hair. Of all places on earth, isn’t it great to be at Swarthmore. where all are welcome to grow mustaches and participate in Mustache November as much as we can or want to, regardless of gender issues?” Plus, Warner assures, size really doesn’t matter at Swarthmore, “At Swarthmore, Mustache November is also not a ‘big mustache* thing. We do not compere about hair growth at Swarthmore. It's really just for fun.” the Platonic form that is the mustache, in all of its idealized glory, while challenging assumptions "The mustache is definitely an under-appreciated form I hair and of style in general./- mustache enthusiast Harrison Russia "There an I ereotypes abo said that he likes "&e structing tho I mustache looks 10 Dec. l, when participan er on the steps of Parrish and, bidding November and a month of facial hair adieu, bare their upper lips once more. Mustache cups, which feature an internal rlsn designed to shield the mustache from froth and other liquid residue, ean be purchased online from Marlene's China Hutch for 57.95-1b 1b avoid an. unruly mustache, use a snood. The snood is a net used by men to control the shape and dimensions .of their burgeonlug mustaches while they grow. Anti-oppression advocacy isn't just for Swarthniore students. The American Mustache Institute actively combats discrimination against musiacbed Americans "by promoting the growth, care, and culture of the mustache/’ By Mara Revkin |Pamott£ 4p'Ugtache<§ "The mustache is J TUnn OT Harrison Russin "09 Mlyukl Baker Phoenix Staff Photo courtesy of W&spedsa The Pazyryks, horse-nding pastoral nomads who once populated the Siberian steppe, favored mustaches like the one featured in this artifact , which dates Pack to 300 B.C. Living & Arts swarthmorephoenix.com THE PHOENIX November 6, 2008 11
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Video games? Gotta catch 'em all, my fellow junkies We all have vices, and in the wild world of college, we are instructed to indulge them shamelessly. But, of course, this is Swarthmore, and the strongest narcotic available is free ibuprofen distributed by matronly health-center attendants. Here the sex is infrequent and oppressive, inextricably psychologically linked with getting bonked in the head by neon condoms during the freshman orientation play; the drugs are nonexistent; the rock *n roll is performed a capella in five-part harmony by girls in matching purple sweaters. With conventional avenues of reality-modification closed, Swarthmore students must seek out alternative addictions. And, as always, we succeed. You see the junkies here every day. Our skin is sallow and our eyes red, our thumbs convulsing at imaginary buttons, slaying invisible Metroids against the sulphur skies of planet Zebes. We are broken, hearts depleted, and lives lost. I am talking about our universal indulgence. I am talking about video games. You scoff. But, you insist, "I am one of the popula' kids! I have a girlfriend, and I have seen her while she is not wearing a shirt, several times even! I play sports, Fletcher. Sports." But we are undeniably addicted to electronic entertainment in all of its insidious forms. Yes, fantasy golf is a video game, that thing online where you shuffle little pixelly gems around until they explode into arbitrary numbers is a video game, and I'm not entirely sure what Interpretation Theory is but it sounds like it could be a video game even if it isn't. Also consider Facebook, wherein one collects a mercenary menagerie of freakish, brightlycolored characters that do little other than chirp their own names over and over again. These lovable and highly marketable creatures can be collected, traded, photographed (snap!) and then ruthlessly judged for their aesthetic qualities; given proper time and experience, they may even evolve into biophysicists or temporary accountants. Of course these two-dimensional virtual familiars aren't quite the same as 'Actual friends," but hey! Gotta catch 'em all! None of us are immune to this kind of thing. I am an irredeemable geek and I am willing to admit this in a public forum, but not without dragging every one of you repressed degenerates down with me. That being said, video games are awesome. They are engaging, they promote proper hand-eye coordination or something, they are incredibly entertaining, and they also silence the endless sobbing voices in my head better than a thousand packets of free ibuprofen. Everyone should play video games. As a trusted journalist, it is my responsibility to guide my peers towards quality entertainment, with the impartial, understated approach my columns are known for. That said, here are descriptions of the three major game systems currently available, two of which are produced by massive faceless corporate behemoths and one of which lets you wave your arms around and is the origin of all joy. The Sony Play Station 3 is the most notorious of modern systems. It is also the most expensive, costing something in the range of seven hundred billion dollars, although as an alternate payment method, Sony has agreed to accept their customers' personal submission to sexual slavery, in addition to offering a very generous black-market kidney exchange program (gamers who convince a friend to trade in organs will also receive a coupon good for a free copy of "Soul Calibur IV" at participating locations). The Play Station 3 is the most powerful system currently on the market, with lower-end models possessing not one but several giga-things of memory, and is roughly the size of a small Honda. Indeed, I encourage any and all liberal arts students who can afford to spend six hundred dollars on a video game system in our current economy to immediately rush out and buy one. The X-Box 360 is known for its utterly confounding name, which proclaims to be cubical, cross-shaped and spherical simultaneously. The "X" may be intended to signify 'Extremity" of some sort, and the "360" some kind of snowboarding trick a person might perform twenty feet in the air while drinking an energy drink and high-fiving a ninja. Of course, since the system is produced by those counterculture badasses at Microsoft, the name is entirely appropriate. The X-Box is known for its high failure rate, although this may be deliberate, as the only thing more extreme than killing aliens with an assault rifle is doing so using a video game system that has spontaneously burst into flames. Also, the X-Box features the game "Bioshock," a first-person shooting game that incorporates a critique 6T writer Ayn Rand. Microsoft has yet to release "Remembrance of Things Ultimate" or "F. Scott Fitzgerald's The Legend of Zelda," but announcements are surely forthcoming.The final company currently producing consoles is the ancient and venerable Nintendo, producers of the beloved Nintendo Wii. Ah, yes. The Nintendo Wii. Say its name slowly. It's okay, no one's looking. Say it. Nin. Ten. Doh. Wiiiii. My sin, my soul. It is undoubtedly the most subtle and sumptuous of video game consoles. You want to curl up with it at night and whisper secrets to it as you fall asleep, not that I have done so more than once or twice. The Wii is notable for its unique controls, where a motion-sensing remote is used to direct your character inevitably into pits of spikes or molten rock. The Wii also has the game "Super Smash Brothers Brawl." I love "Super Smash Brothers Brawl." It is fantastic. It is like sex, if sex somehow involved explosions and hammers and Italian stereotypes fighting transvestite ninjas fighting giant inflatable penguins on top of a spaceship. It is like a gentle summer rain on your face, or like a symphony. I hope I have helped you to make an informed decision. If one is to waste life and shrivel brain cells (and one is!), then one should only employ the highest-quality entertainment equipment. Friends and family will age and die, but the unrequited love of decades-old Japanese intellectual properties is forever. It cannot be bought, except for the fact that it can be bought for $249.99 plus tax. We can try to find meaning in the company of others, in self-expression, or in social service. But let me tell you, my friends: that princess is in another castle. Fletcher is probably old enough to know better. Other literary game titles he considered for this article included Catch-666, Pride and Extreme Prejudice, and Super Karamazov Brothers. You can reach him atfwortmal@swarthmore.edu. FLETCHER WORTMANN We Are Far Too Young and Clever Hats off to creative costumes, sexy or scary BY AMBER WANTMAN awantmal@swarthmore.edu Halloween starts off innocently enough: unsuspecting toddlers waddle from door to door of perfect strangers, asking to be tricked or treated. Poor little Billy, if he only knew what he was asking, he might pause before he catapulted that Baby-Ruth down his gullet. Hey! I don't care if "Uncle Jimmy" let you take five pieces of Nutrageous; He's NOT your uncle! He laced that chocolate with arsenic, and at this very moment he's watching you from his front window with a ghoulish smile, curling his upper lip and letting his long finger-nails rap against each other in a spider-like fashion. If only Billy knew: Halloween is not an innocent holiday. It never was, it never will be and it only gets more corrupt as we get older. The evolution of Halloween rites-ofpassage continues on the path of degradation in middle school. Boys generally roam the streets armed with silly-string, shaving cream and egg-cartons, asserting their manhood (or hoodlumry?) by defacing property that does not belong to them. Middle school females, on the other hand, take the high road to assert their womanhood. In the 7th or Bth grade, girls usually dawn their first adult-themed costume: in the case of me and my girlfriends, we Bat Mitzvahed ourselves on October 31st of the 2002 school year (our last of middle school): we trick-or-treated as prostitutes. Things pass from R-rated to X-rated very quickly as students gain years, wisdom and, of course, balls. Here at Swarthmore, we are blessed with a plethora of different costumes, from the sexy to the shudder-inducing unsexy to the phallically symbolic (there was no shortage of protuberant banana costumes this year) to the just-plain-gonzo. At Swarthmore, however, not all students give into the sexual explosion that has become "Adult Halloween" as a result of the monopoly that the Playboy Industry has over costume production. My hat is off to those students who agonized this year over their homemade costumes. Top efforts include the cutting-up and sewing-backtogether of two leotards to make a court jester costume, the writing of math equations all over purple balloons that were strung together to create "The Grapes of Math" and one student's effort to look so unmistakably like an NBA player coming out of retirement circa 1982, that until I touched his brawny torso which I thought was an authentic Hawks' jersey I could not tell he was actually wearing a wifebeeter etched meticulously with Crayola. As a bonus, this man's fully exposed thighs, barely covered by his florescent yellow 'Bos-style basketball shorts (or they could have been women's cheerleading shorts), created a look so emasculatingemasculating as to masculate him far beyond any Batman, Superman or "Shirtless Guy" strutting his stuff around Sharpies. But as I mentioned, not every Swarthmore student follows the sexual trend that dominates Halloween costumes. Aside from "The Grapes of Math," puns impregnated Sharpies last week; Poking fun at the sexualization of Halloween, one student attached a giant safety pin to her shirt, from which she drew an arrow pointing straight upward. So instead of dressing like one, she literally went as a "Pinup Girl." But for every creative costume that hits the dance floor, an equally bootilicious outfit does it one better. For clarity purposes, I'd like to state now that I have no personal problem with this, and if I could attend Halloween naked, I would, if only doing so would not defeat the concept of costume-wearing. So if we estimate that half of the women who attended last week's bash are like me and enjoy objectifying themselves for some reason or another, then I have to ask myself just this: why? Bethanne Albert-Bruninga 'lO offers us one explanation, an explanation that sounds a bit like the way I rationalize the scandalous outfits in which I sometimes dress myself, the way in which I shut out those second thoughts that tell me, "Amber, it might not be a good day to have your ass cheeks hanging out." "Looking extremely sexy is a type of high; it makes you feel good about yourself, superior and desirable," Albert- Bruninga said. While I'm well aware that this type of superiority is purely superficial, I cannot deny that lust is a legitimate urge. So if adults lust after one another, and in daily life do little to profess their attraction (which tends to be the case at Swarthmore), what better time than Halloween to act on this urge? As sophomore Katherine Stockbower maintains, Halloween is a time when people act out of character. "They wear what they would not normally wear. It's an excuse to break the rules, or at least that's what people think," Stockbower said. For Albert-Bruninga, breaking the rules is actually a role-reversal: "The word I like to use is empowerment. Because we live in such a male-oriented society where a girl has to wait for a guy to ask her out, I love being able to take the first step towards an interaction, where I can implicitly say, 'Look at me! Notice me!' Guys are checking me out and I can decide whether or not I want to give them the time of day. You just feel so confident and strong." Lucky for your gag-reflex, the destruction of innocence caps off around the college years, and so I end my report without having to cover the trends of the elderly and their Halloween misbehaviors. Living & Arts C3P swarthmorephoenix.com November 6, 2008 THEPHdENSX 12
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editor’s PICKS By Anna Zalokostas 1 e b ate 1 s t n Let's not think about how screwed he is; instead, I think we should maintain a constant stream of spontaneous rallies in front of Parrish and impromptu outbursts of “Yes we can!” k. I don’t believe in political parties, I just believe in parties and Obama! Mostly, I just believe in Obama. And Obama. sa I m m ■ ill - Literacy Olde Club Friday, Nov. 7 9 p.m. ■Bap- c . 1 Come to Oide Club this Friday to hear the spun lyricism of the much acclaimed spoken word group ill - Literacy. ft f I Because really, who needs extra stress? Take that class pass/fail and Swarthmore will be easy living, like ice cold beer on the beach, or mojitos and fries by the pool. It's true. IHK ' -■■ - 1 • 1 Hiroyuki Hamada at the List Gallery ' ’ ' . y. look swarthmorephoenix.com •mtw&K November 6, 2008 13
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Opinions swarthmorephoenix.com A tale of two elections: Israeli politics matters, too ■editorial Israeli voters face four months of uncertainty as they wait to elect a new prime minister in February The curtains around voting booths have blinded Americans to more than just the ballots of their neighbors. In the face of a historic American presidential election, it has become easy to lose sight of the fact that events in the rest of the world do not suddenly come to a halt merely because we make our way to the polls. Threats from Tutsi rebel leader Laurent Nkunda in the Democratic Republic of the Congo to lead militants in a march across the country leaving violence and destruction in their wake have scarcely warranted mention in the American press. News of two bombings in Iraq on Tuesday, killing 16 and wounding over 40, was pushed far below the fold of The New York Times. And in Israel, the Knesset, the state's governing body, seems poised to disintegrate, leaving a lame-duck government until a general election in February. This warrants a closer look. For all the discussion during the American presidential campaigns about candidates' "Israel policies," it seems that both Mr. Obama and Mr. McCain had forgotten that Israel is an active and complex democracy, not a marionette to be played by American politicians. American foreign aid buys this country a voice in some of Israel's affairs, but by no means does it guarantee the United States veto power over Israel's actions. Accordingly, if Americans want a complete perspective on the future of the reason, there is cause to pay a great deal of attention to its present political dilemmas and future electoral prospects. At the core of the present issues in Israeli politics is its multiparty parliamentary system. Whereas Americans directly elected Barack Obama, Israeli voters don't specifically select the leader of their government. Instead, voters choose parties, who are then allocated seats in the Knesset proportional to the number of votes they receive. The leader of the government, the prime minister, is simply the head of the party that receives the greatest number of votes. Among the duties of the prime minister is the formation of a coalition of parties that, together, are able to govern the country.The problem facing Tzipi Livni, the current head of Kadima, the largest party in the Knesset, is that she has been unable to form such a coalition. The reasons for this difficulty are myriad. First, Ms. Livni has run afoul of Shas, the Sephardic-Orthodox party, who demanded that, among other things, she refuse to negotiate with Palestinians over the issue of Jerusalem. Without their support, forming a viable coalition became extremely difficult. But second, and more importantly, Ms. Livni's coalition difficulties represent a broader divide in Israeli politics over how to proceed with negotiating peace agreements with the Palestinians and Syrians. Kadima as a party supports a two-state solution, obtained through Israeli withdrawals from contested territory, such as the West Bank. Kadima's opponents, and the Likud party in particular, take much more hawkish positions, refusing to budge on the question of Jerusalem and insisting on maintaining control over parts of the West Bank. Nevertheless, any sort of referendum on these issues seems unlikely in the near future. Israeli voters will have to wait until February to cast their ballots either for Livni, Benjamin Netanyahu (a former prime minister and the leader of Likud), or Ehud Barak (another former prime minister and head of the Labor party). In the meantime, Israelis are left with a lame-duck government, unable to effectively negotiate or pursue policy changes. And this is where President-Elect Obama enters the fray. During this time of relative political instability in Israel, the American government should not put undue pressure on it to take radical actions in the name of peace. The dismantlement of Jewish settlements in the West Bank, already in a precarious position, will have to remain on the back-burner. And largescale peace talks between Israelis and Palestinians, even with the mediation of an eager American regime, ought to be put on hold for the moment a placeholder Israeli government is in no position to make promises of change, even in the most general sense. Instead, Mr. Obama should use this opportunity to look at the other side of the peace equation: the Palestinian government. The Palestinian National Authority has been perennially hamstrung by the divisive Hamas, a radical party which presently controls the West Bank and to which many Palestinians remain loyal. Without a united Palestinian front, any peace process an Obama administration may undertake is doomed to the same failures President Bush encountered in his contrived 2007 summit in Annapolis specifically, despite the best intentions of the Palestinian and Israeli people and governments, squabbling between the PNA and Hamas serves to derail any substantive attempts at negotiation. This infighting, rather than any malicious intent on the part of the Palestinians, represents one significant blockade along the path to peace. While the fragility of the Palestinian regime precludes putting an excessive amount of pressure on it for reform, Mr. Obama should stress the need for reconciliationreconciliation efforts between the PNA and Hamas. If autonomous unification seems unlikely, American aid should be put on the line. While Palestinian politicians have cried foul at the suggestion, claiming the humanitarian implications of decreased aid could be devastating, the intransigence of some of their lot (the cataclysmic Hamas, which has yet to formally denounce terrorism as one of its methods, comes to mind) has left America with few options. Hamas' grip over some Palestinian hearts and minds will indubitably become less firm if they are seen as the dam holding back American aid dollars. The Israeli-Palestinian conflict has been a thorn in the side of American politicians for decades, to the point where President Bush appears to have lost interest in the matter. But as he prepares to assume office, Mr. Obama needs to make a clear commitment to achieving substantive progress in the region. There are, undoubtedly, great foreign and domestic problems he will have to address during his time in office but they cannot come at the cost of once more allowing the Middle East peace process to falter. Courtesy of http://hefye.kabla.free.fr bolivia op-art by sam goodman November 6, 2008 THE PHOENIX 14
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Taking the next step I find myself in the position of an opinions columnist on deadline, on the week of the election, which for those in the know, means that what you are reading right now was written before the results of the election were known. That also assumes, though, that the results of the election were able to be known by this wonderful Thursday morning and that the result was decisive enough that all of us know who the victor was. Whatever the result of November 4, 2008, many serious questions remain, the most important being What now? After all, both parties' candidates have spent the past twenty months campaigning on constantly evolving platforms, shaking untold numbers of unwashed hands, kissing scores of newborns, and giving speech after speech to anyone who would listen. And over those past twenty months they also made countless promises in their sales pitches to the nation and its legions of eligible voters. Thus, two months from now the time will come for the victor to take the next step, to make the transition from candidate to president.And though the next step has been repeatedly recited in those memorable ten second sound bites, is the next step really as clear now that the people have spoken? The idealistic part of me says that yes, it is clear. I want to believe that the candidate elected will make good on the promises that he made to us during his campaigns, but my political instincts tell me to believe otherwise. In our democracy, once the ticket has been elected, the Executive Branch may maintain whatever level of commitment to the popular electorate that it so chooses. The Executive Branch is only accountable to the nation when its actions are ruled unlawful or unconstitutional, or when the Legislative and Judicial Branches of the national government effectively check the power of the Executive Branch. If, for some unforeseen reason, the other branches begin to recognize their duty to check the power of the Executive Branch, then some of the inherent commitment to the nation could be restored. Yet, if the actions taken by the Bush administration over the past eight years are any indication of a required level of commitment to the electorate, then we don't have much to hope for. It would be foolish to expect any commitment to the electorate shown by the next Executive Branch beyond that which would be most politically prudent for the new administration in achieving its goals. But political sensibility is next to impossible for we, the electorate, to assess, as we do not have all of the information that our leaders have available to them. As a result, there isn't much that we can expect from those elected. We can still hope that they make good on some of the promises that they made to us, and hope that they don't make good on other less appealing promises they made to us. However, hope will only get us so far, and as always we will continue to have to make our voices heard to all of our elected officials to help influence their decisions and bring about favorable outcomes for us and the nation as a whole. For the presidential ticket to, for some unknown reason, interpret the popular show of support for them to be indicative of a commitment to stand for the nation at large, that would be something! Such would be historically improbable for the victor to actually do, given the dearth of examples of politicians making good on their campaign commitments. Even so, the American electorate ought to demand the actions that it has been promised, by whichever candidate was popularly elected. And the other half of the electorate not pleased with the result ought to make every effort to make sure that the majority does not trample on the rights of the minority in the process of realizing those campaign commitments. Regardless of who the victor was, we would be wise to continue to expect the following: Death, not limited to individuals, but rather death in all of its forms; taxes, which may or may not be increased depending on who won; stolen artifacts from the White House by the current administration; DC corruption and the greasing of the K Street lobbying wheel before the changeover; and midnight hour pardons by the current administration. To friends who are not happy with the way the election turned out, you are entitled to a period of mourning of course, but soon thereafter you would be well-advised to move on. It's only 28 months until the start of the next presidential campaign cycle, and 2012 certainly has a nice ring to it, doesn't it? David is a junior. He can be reached at dburgyl@swarthmore.edu. Hope will only get us so far, and as always we will continue to have to make our voices heard to to all of our elected officials. There isn't much that we can expect from those elected. DAVID BURGY Fits of Rage Dysfunctional democracy This past Sunday Chavez declared that he would be "more than willing" to meet with Obama if he were elected president. His willingness to meet with the head of state of "the empire" is both promising and particularly out of character. But that's not why I am mentioning this. What I want to highlight is the way in which Chavez expressed this, which is yet another example of the sort of things only Chavez can get away with. Not once did Chavez mention Obama's name during his speech. He spoke instead of "the black man" and of "the man of African descent and a humble background" and said that he hoped Obama was ready to fill the shoes that history has apparently chosen for him. Could you imagine what would happen if an American politician said something remotely like that about any political candidate? I would have liked to write about the results of the 2008 presidential race in light of Chavez's most recent declarations. Due to inopportune timing, however, this week I hope to transmit a personal and rather simple reflection about democracy that the electoral climate in the US has brought to mind. In times of so-called "revolution," most Venezuelans my age are desperately looking for ways to leave the motherland in search of safety, functioning institutions, opportunities to develop and train themselves in their vocational activities and, most of all, in search of democracy. Perhaps the last of these motives is not explicitly the case. But it can be argued that only in a truly democratic state can citizens exert their power as constituents to make sure that at least their safety will be guaranteed by the government. The promissory note that the Bolivarian Revolution issued in 1998 to give life to these basic needs of the Venezuelan population remains unfulfilled to this date. In fact, since then we seem to have progressively distanced ourselves as a nation from the promised Utopia. If the crime and homicide rates in Venezuela are frightening, the rampant corruptioncorruption and impunity that characterizes our courts and institutions leave no room for hoping that things will ever improve. How this distancing will yield a just, socially responsible, and democratic state is a question that members of the opposition think the Chavez administration cannot adequately answer. What makes things significantly worse is that there is currently no viable political alternative to Chavez's revolution. In my opinion, this is the case not because the segment of the population that wants "change" in Venezuela is a political minority (which is debatable), nor because there is no single political figure strong enough to stand up to Chavez (which may be true). The very root of the issue at hand is that the democratic system in Venezuela is far from being functional, let alone transparent or just. The omnipotence of the Chavez administration in electoral matters and otherwise has led to disbelief with regard to voting urns as a viable way to bring about desired changes. I cannot stress enough how detrimental this has been for political life in Venezuela. Perhaps a perfectly functional and transparent democratic system is nowhere to be found on our planet. But when one thinks of the most developed nations in the world, it is hard to dissociate their comparatively high standards of living with the stability of their institutions and democratic systems.By the time this column is published on Thursday, the results of the 2008 electoral race will be in. Regardless of who wins (although the race has left no room for doubt as to who is the more qualified candidate) there is no reason to think that the results will not directly reflect the opinion of the US citizenry. That is, if the popular desire for "change" is present, democracy will make it actual. This is taken for granted on this campus and elsewhere in the USA, and there is no reason to expect anything less of a democratic state in the 21st century. But, although this probably goes without saying, this is not the case in every country in the world! Even in some nations that are allegedly democratic, like Venezuela, the dynamics of political life and transparency of their electoral system stand in opposition to the proper functioning of democracyI do not mean to imply that countries like Venezuela should look at the US government as a model to follow, or that the US is by any means the embodiment of an ideal system of government. In fact, one of the many reasons why these current elections are so important is because they present the possibility of changing the goals and principles of the White House. All I want to express is a very simple and perhaps selfevident thought: the citizens of the US are privileged in that they live in a country with unshakeable democratic foundations. All I can dream of for my country is that one day a true democratic system will allow Venezuelans to translate their visions for the future of our country into reality. Juan Victor is a senior. He can be reached at jfajardl@swarthmore.edu. The citizens of the US are privileged in that they live in a country with unshakeable democratic foundations. What makes things significantly worse is that there is currently no viable political alternative to Chavez's revolution. JUAN VICTOR FAJARDO Cam-bur-pin-ton Opinions swa rth morephoenix.com THE PHOENIX November 6, 2008 15
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The saga of the (mostly) good campaigners To the jaded voter who is politically informed but well-nigh tired of this twoyear mud-sling, consider the upshot: it was cleaner much cleaner than last time. Think about it. For all of the griping among liberals that next-generation Rovians had hijacked the McCain campaign, and the conservative proliferation of bad-sounding portmanteaux like "Obamedia," this electoral season has been almost cordial compared to the Bush-Kerry race. Remember Bush's forged military records? Swift Boat Veterans for Truth? This election has been dirty at times, but for the most part the contenders have kept the fight clean. Less can be said for the crowd. Voters have distrusted Obama for all the wrong reasons. They have questioned his ability to lead based on his race and his presumed Muslim ties (which is much more a matter of anti-Muslim prejudice than ignorance). McCain did not help with his "Who is Barack Obama?" commercials, but he always directly contradicted any voter who questioned his opponent's patriotism or decency. (Less can be said for his running mate; she deserves condemnation for being the most divisive candidate in this election.) This has not been a fun race. Tension has been high, 'and voters' nerves have been raw. If 2004 was a very important election, four more years of the same incompetent administration has only made the stakes higher. Liberals felt angry and vindicated and were determined not to lose this time around. Republicans were angry too when they saw their hold on the executive branch going the way of their Congressional majorities. And yet, despite the inflamed electorate and the stressful circumstances, neither campaign delivered a brutal, below-the-belt blow. The fusses over Ayers and Reverend Wright were juvenile, but ultimately harmless signs of desperation. Importantly, no 527 group gained enough traction or gall to influence the election in any perceivable way. In fact, the group that acted most shamefully was ourselves, the voters. It was voters who shouted "Kill him!" at McCain rallies, who decided that they would have a problem with a Muslim president. It was voters (maybe?) who produced porn videos featuring Sarah Palin lookalikes. Voters do deserve credit for choosing two candidates who both had spoken out against negative campaigning and smear tactics. John McCain understands the poisonous quality of whisper campaigns he was the object of one in North Carolina in 2000. And part of Obama's message all along was a new kind of politics. He even inspired MoveOn.org to dismantle their 527 apparatus altogether. But there appears to have been a disconnect between the generally calm, respectful tone of the candidates and the teeming mass of electors who in polls said they were increasingly "scared" of what the other candidate would do. Surely, liberals have something to fear besides fear itself. Everyone has seen the effects of George W. Bush's "compassionate" neo-conservatism, and a reasonable person could be scared by the prospect of four more years like the last eight. Conservatives, too, have their reasons to be wary of an Obama presidency. They recognize the failure of the last eight years and are afraid that the pendulum will swing too far to the left. It is possible they are angrier with Bush than liberals are they expected better and now his failures could result in a long-term shift toward liberal economic and social policies.But beyond the many grievances that inevitably affect a political base, a pervasive cultural attitude has also allowed the political poles to increasingly fear the other side. The dichotomous labeling of blue and red has created the false notion that conservatives and liberals have entirely different goals, when in reality they mainly disagree over how to arrive at the same spot. Given the close quarters in which they must work, most politicians understand better than voters the common ground between the left and right. (Governor Palin is the exception there.) Throughout the campaign, Obama has recognized the shared goals that shine through the ideological differences like reducing unwanted pregnancies and promoting affordable education and he has used them to ensure that his campaign does not become too divisive. McCain, for his part, deserves credit just for keeping the Rovians from entirely dishonoring his campaign and himself. A few guilt-by-association attacks are pretty mild compared to what could have spewed forth. So some praise is due to Senators Obama, McCain and Biden. Maybe next time we could all follow their examples a little more. Will is a first-year. He can be reached at wglovinl@swarthmore.edu. This has not been a fun race. Tension has been high, and voters' nerves have been raw. WILL GLOVINSKY The Commotion Examining liberal-conservative relationships in film Out of my whole miserable high school career, one day stands out. I was in my 10th grade English class and we were talking about how attraction is formulated. Not surprisingly, most people in the class felt that people were more likely to be attracted to those who share their political beliefs. Ever since then I've marveled at the spectacle of actual liberal-conservative couples. "How do they do it?" I asked myself. Well, George Cukor's wonderfully orchestrated classic "Adam's Rib" (1949, USA) answers that question resoundingly: "With great difficulty!" Revolving around a pair of married lawyers, Adam (Spencer Tracy) and Amanda Bonner (Katharine Hepburn), the film explores the tensions that arise when the personal meets the political.Mildly conservative Adam decides to take up the prosecution in a case involving a nervous housewife, Doris Attinger (played by a brilliant Judy Holiday), who is arrested for shooting her unfaithful husband Warren Attinger (Tom Ewell), after catching him in the arms of another woman. When plucky Amanda decides to take up the defense, things start to go awry. She argues that a woman has a right to defend her home, especially in light of the fact that Doris has children to feed. But Adam believes that the law is the law. The fundamental issue here is Adam's inability to conceive of the ways in which men are privileged in society. So, even if men and women are technically "equal under the law," how is that standard being arbitrated? During one scene, it becomes perilously obvious what is at stake for Amanda, when she interviews one of the jurors, asking him, "Do you believe in equal rights for women?" and he replies with a staunch, "I should say not!" (It still shocks me every time I see it.) But work is quickly mixed with pleasure as Amanda sits back down on the bench next to her defendant. She looks across the aisle at Adam, who slyly drops a pencil beneath his desk. She quickly follows suit and the two exchange a flirtatious glance or two surreptitiously under the table before, work is quickly resumed once more and Adam must approach the next juror. Navigating political differences with a spouse can be more dangerous, as proven by the scene in which Adam gives Amanda a massage. Amanda begins singing the song that the Bonners' overeager next-door neighbor, Kip Lurie (David Wayne), wrote for her. Adam is overcome with anger: not only does his wife emasculate him by kicking his ass in court, but also other men (gasp!) find her attractive! He gives her an abrupt SLAP! on the ass, after which Amanda breaks down into tears, complaining of "typical, instinctive, masculine brutality." "And it felt not only as if you meant it but as though you felt you had a right to!" she shrieks. Of course Amanda's response to this situation is quickly gendered and trivialized. "Guaranteed heart melter, female tears!!!" Adam exclaims. But Amanda throws the game right back at him, kicking him in the shins with a shrill, "LET'S ALL BE MANLY!!!!" In what seems to be a purely personal domestic exchange, gender roles are used like weapons. Every action taken is seen as a symptom of gendered socialization. According to Adam, women only use tears to get what they want and for Amanda men are all brutes who would love nothing more than to abuse their wives with impunity. But as the film progresses, things just aren't that simple. At one of the wackiest points during the film, Amanda decides to bring in a gaggle of women: doctors, chemists, construction workers, even a circus performer as witnesses in court. Her aim is to prove that women are just as capable as men and therefore deserve equal treatment under the law. The scene ends when the circus performer lifts Adam, against his will, high into the air. Obviously, such a gag is a source of comedy and, as Adam claims, these women really have nothing to do with the case, but there is something evocative about Amanda's proclamation that "not only one woman is on trial here, but all women." Should women be forced to acquiesce to the laws of a society that doesn't have their best interest in mind? For that matter, should women have to follow the law when men regularly break it without care? "Adam's Rib" doesn't give us those answers, even though the jury seems to be with Amanda and lets Doris off the hook. But the battle of the sexes isn't won definitively in the courtroom. At the end of the day Adam wins back Amanda by shedding his masculine toughness and, ironically, a few tears. It is only when the roles are reversed that the Bonners are able to see each other for who they truly are: two very dedicated lawyers and lovers with exceedingly disparate political views. Things seem to end happily ever after, which offers a little hope that we can all learn to get along after all. Lauren is a sophomore. She can be reached at Iramanal@swarthmore.edu.At the end of the day Adam wins back Amanda by shedding his masculine toughness and, ironically, a few tears. LAUREN RAMANATHAN The Margo Channing Report Opinions swarthmorephoenix.com November 6, 2008 THE PHOENIX 16
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Chase's depression column sparks debate letters to the editor Fletcher Wortmann characterizes article as thoughtless' To the Editor: As some of you may be aware, last week marked the observance of Speak to Swatties' first "We're All Mad Here" mental health awareness week, and the apparently coincidental publication of C.A. Chase's "The Problematic Placebo" article. It is moments like these that my withered, blackened heart is opened to the possibility of the existence of an interventionist god. Presumably one with a bastard sense of humor. As an associate of Speak to Swatties, I had a number of problems with Chase's column, which in classic Swarthmore fashion I shall now comprehensively and humorlessly elucidate. First off, Chase significantly misrepresents the October 23rd New York Times article "Half of Doctors Routinely Prescribe Placebos." The statement that the "effect [is] on patients' psyches, not their bodies," for example, specifically refers to placebo pain medications and not to psychiatric drugs as Chase implies. Although the article does mention that placebos may effectively treat depression in "controlled clinical trials," it remains frustratingly vague, and fails to mention any other (potentially significant) forms of treatment offered to the subjects. More so than its inaccuracies, however, I was troubled by the article's trivialization of mental illness. Chase begins by referring to psychiatric treatment as "self-medication," (apparently "self-medication" actually refers to "physician-prescribed medication") and proceeds to equate psychopharmaceutical treatment with college binge drinking and huffing Windex. Although I generally enjoy Chase's music references, her suggestion that the "awful female yowling or pseudo-rock grimaces that populate the airwaves" may in some way correlate to modern mental illness seems slightly unfair; I'm not wildly enthusiastic about Katy Perry or Nickelback, but even at my most indieelitist their music does not inspire in me soul-crushing existential despair. Chase accuses psychiatry of enabling a "bland sugarized version of depression," a "watereddown version of the teenage angst," an "adolescent emo-ish attempt at control." "[W]e aren't really depressed," she claims, "we're just so boring we can't realize that we're bored with ourselves." Such language betrays at best a careless and deeply flawed understanding of mental illness, and at worst outright contempt for the mentally ill. Troublingly, Chase also equates mental illness with creativity and individuality. She praises the "creative despair" and "authenticity", " that offer the tortured but poetic soul the chance of "actually saying something real about the world". This is a common misconception, but a dangerous one. "[G]lamorizing depression", as Chase freely admits that she does, is at best condescending, and at worst callous and misanthropic. Depression is not the result of "relentless analysis" but of maladaptive cognitive mechanisms. It is not "reading into things" and it offers no "creative or analytical benefits." Depression makes people suffer meaninglessly for long periods of time, and then it very often kills them. The human creative impulse is completely unrelated to "the sort of unhappiness that can be cured by sedatives," and to claim otherwise is to belittle those who manage to express themselves through such overwhelming pain. Insanity does not enable art, but only hinders its expression. To claim that the genius of a troubled artist such as (to use two pertinent examples) David Foster Wallace or Heath Ledger is born not of talent and effort, but of a debilitating psychological condition, is to demean their achievements. The most perplexing thing about Chase's piece is her depiction of life on medication, one she groundlessly assumes is "teeth-gnashingly mundane...The weather outside is neither bright nor stormy; instead it's dull and drizzly and everyday." Taken out of context this quote serves as a beautiful encapsulation of life with clinical depression, at least as I understand it. Everything is poisoned, everything is corrupted; the mind pathologically seeks its own misery. Every day, as it were, is like Sunday. "Constant picking at the world and at yourself is a distortion," Chase claims, "but within that distortion is a mechanism for seeing things as they are that healthy people have learned to put aside in their personal lives in order to function." Since when are functionality and mental health things to be ashamed of? Since when is meaningless, ceaseless, unproductive suffering a virtue? Chase seems concerned that, as psychiatric medicine becomes more widely practiced, poor diagnoses are being made and people are using drugs to escape from their problems instead of facing them. This isn't unreasonable. Hell, I'd be surprised if it didn't happen frequently. But consider all of those suffering with undiagnosed mental illness; the tremendous financial, emotional and psychological burdens placed on the mentally ill and their families; the cruel social stigma that discriminates against survivors. As a society, we have a lot of work to do on the perception and treatment of mental disorders before we start worrying about over-diagnosis. How is it possible for us to have gone too far, when we haven't even come close to doing enough? I don't necessarily blame Chase for her arguments, as I think such misconceptions are (distressingly) quite common. The tone of the article strikes me as thoughtless rather than genuinely malevolent. Yet the fact that depression and psychiatric treatment were deemed acceptable subjects for such an inadequately researched and poorly constructed argument suggests that neither Chase nor the Phoenix editorial truly understand the severity of this issue. I urge Chase or anyone on this campus who harbors such views on mental health to please re-evaluate them, and consider a more nuanced and compassionate perspective. If Chase is willing, I'd like to talk to her about her article and her opinions on mental health; generally, however, I believe that Swarthmore students would be better served by contacting a Speak to Swatties counselor, as I am a horrible person and I enthusiastically embrace many of the misanthropic, life-denying philosophies that Chase's article inadvertently espouses. A final note to Phoenix editorial: This is the second time in two years that the paper has published a misinformed, inflammatory article about mental health. I believe that in engaging such a delicate subject, one assumes the responsibility to put forth a consistent, respectful, and carefully researched argument, and while I admire the Phoenix's opposition to censorship, it is inexcusable that such articles are not subjected to a more rigorous editorial process. That Chase's article was deemed publishable in its current state, factual errors and all, is not a testament to freedom of speech but to lazy editing and production. There is no doubt in my mind that if a columnist submitted a similar article that suggested that homosexuality could be 'cured,' or that argued in favor of racial eugenics, the Phoenix would at the very least demand exhaustive editorial revision.Chase's column offers a similarly confused understanding of biological and psychological issues; the only difference is that her arguments are directed at a less visible minority. The fact that mental illness is considered an appropriate topic for such cavalier writing speaks poorly not only of the author and the Phoenix, but of our supposedly enlightened campus as a whole. Fletcher Wortmann 'O9 Linking mind and body To the Editor: C.A. Chase's column "The problematic placebo," published on Oct. 30, presents a grossly misleading depiction of clinical depression. Chase's argument seems to be that because some people with depression respond to placebos, it must mean that depression is all in our minds and that we're just bored with ourselves. She neglects to realize that lots of illnesses, physical and mental, can be treated successfully with placebos, suggesting a connection between mind and body about which we still know very little. If placebos treat depression effectively, it only means that people's minds are stronger than we think. Furthermore, Chase's column serves to belittle a very serious issue. By comparing clinical depression, a severe and debilitating mental health issue, with ordinary teenage angst, Chase reveals how little she understands depression and the experiences and struggles it causes. It's far beyond run of the mill angst and boredom. Those with clinical depression deserve compassionate treatment, be it therapy or medicine, and deserve to have their concerns listened to and taken seriously, not belittled like they are in Chase's column.Joel Swanson 'lO Chase's tone dismissive To the Editor: Speaking on behalf of the Speak 2 Swatties peer counseling program, Charlotte Chase's recent article is an insensitive treatment of the delicate subject of depression. Depression is not, as she implies, just "teenage angst," but a serious biological difficulty with which a number of people, including many Swatties, struggle. For many, medication is crucial to their ability to lead a normal life. We are disturbed to see such complex struggles dismissed in such a cavalier fashion in the Swarthmore community. This article is a testament to the flippant and ignorant way that many people still approach mental illness. The witty but haphazard style suggests carelessness in her approach towards this sensitive issue. We believe that these issues are important, and we know that we also have a lot to learn about them. We hope that Chase's article will be an impetus to discussion on the complex nature of the phenomena of mental illness, rather than an unattended and careless barb attacking the reality of many genuine personal experiences. Megan Jeffreys 'lO Melissa Cruz 'lO Letters Policy Letters and opinion pieces represent the views of their writers and not those of the Phoenix staff. All letters and op-eds must be signed and have the writer's contact information. Letters cannot be longer than 400 words and must be submitted by 7 p.m. on Monday. Op-eds cannot be longer than 600 words and must be submitted by 10 p.m. on Monday. Deadlines and limits will be strictly enforced. Letters may be signed by a maximum of five individuals. Op-eds may be signed by a maximum of two individuals. The Phoenix will not accept pieces signed on behalf of any groups or containing unfounded attacks upon a person's character. The Phoenix reserves the right to edit all submitted pieces for content, length and clarity. The Phoenix editors also reserve the right to withhold any letters or op-eds from publication which are deemed inappropriate. Please submit letters to: letters@swarthmorephoenix.com or The Phoenix, Swarthmore College 500 College Avenue Swarthmore, PA 19081 Please report corrections to: corrections@swarthmorephoenix.com Opinions swarthmorephoenix.com THE PHOENIX November 6, 2008 17
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Phillies fanaticism warranted after stunning victory As a Phillies fan, I am having trouble understanding what just happened last month. I think I watched them breeze through the playoffs to capture their first World Series in my lifetime, but nothing in my years of avidly following the team and the league suggests that that should have or could have just happened. For five and half months, the 2008 season resembled all the other 2000-era Phillies seasons. The Phillies were a good team with a good deal of star power, but there were some noticeable holes as well. A weak back end of the rotation and a few dead spots in the lineup looked like they might doom the Phillies campaign. So like every other year since 2001, the Phillies entered the final few weeks of the season with a real-but-not-great possibility of making the playoffs and contending.From 2001 through 2006, this same situation would always unfold and the Phillies would always fall short - a few games away from the much dreamt-of playoff spot. Last year, they pulled it off and won the National League East on the last day of the season but were eliminated from the playoffs without winning a game. Up through mid- September, 2008 was shaping up according to plan: close enough to dream, but it just looked like they would not have the firepower to make it happen. Then, on September 11th, a funny thing happened: the Phillies stopped losing. They closed out the regular season with 13 wins in 16 games, easily overcoming sizeable deficits in the standings, and then cruised to the World Series title with 11 wins in 14 playoff games. Err, I think that's what I saw. In no venue other than sports can something like this happen. Where else can a formula that has so often led to disappointment spit out a beautiful outcome every once in a while? I was four years old the last time the Phillies played in a World Series. Since then, I've been waiting for their next opportunity, watching thousands of games hoping it could somehow happen. And every season for the past eight, that lovely prize would seem possible, and it would approach quickly as September rolled around. Then suddenly it would disappear amidst a fourgame losing streak or some other meltdown. The Phillies marched us down that same path this season, and though it is my nature as a baseball fan to hope, as a Phillies fan, I could recognize all the signs of another near miss. I waited with a pit in my stomach for the other shoe to drop and for the World Series's quick approach to suddenly halt. But it never did, and this season, which looked to be another source of heartbreak, became something completely different over the course of five weeks. The season transformed from a pit in my stomach to the very thing I had been dreaming of for a lifetime.In the wake of the World Series championship, we tell ourselves that we saw it coming - that we saw the difference in this team. "Well, with Brad Lidge anchoring the bullpen, this team really was built to win." "They had never had an ace like Cole Hamels this decade, so they were finally able to get over the hump this time." But we didn't. In each year this decade, we've said that that year's club had the new element that would lead it to the promised land. The simple, if bizarre, truth is that this Phillies team was probably not that much better than the ones that broke our hearts time and again for the past seven years. They won only three more regular season games than in 2007 and had a markedly inferior offense. Though the pitching was certainly much improved, the 2008 version of the team just did not look like it would break the trend and push deep into October. But then it did. And that's what makes us love sports. In early March, we watch Duke play Acorn State because we want to see a #l6 seed stun a #1 in March Madness. It's not going to happen. But then again, it could, so we watch. When our team trails by four runs in the 9th inning, we watch, praying for the lineup to erupt and come back. It's not going to happen - except for the rare time it does, and you certainly don't want to miss that one. So as a sports fan, you root for the #l6, you hope for that 9th-inning comeback, and you pray for that World Series run. Amid all the crushing iterations that betray your faith, that magical one is lurking. And when it arrives, it is beautiful, and all the heartbreaks of yesterday are instantly worth it. As of October 29, 2008,1 can tell you that with complete confidence. Josh is a sophomore. He can be reached at jabell@swarthmore.edu JOSH ABEL Called Third Two fierce fights end in tough losses for field hockey BY DANNY FRIEL dfriell@swarthmore.edu Despite two valiant efforts, the Swarthmore field hockey team dropped two conference matches in its last two games of the season, losing at home to Haverford on Wednesday by a score of 4-3, and falling to Franklin and Marshall in an away game on Saturday by a score of 4-2. Even after holding onto a 1-0 lead early in the second half on Wednesday, the Garnet was unable to come out on top of a scoring frenzy in the final half hour of the game. Within three minutes of Joslyn Young 'lo's initial goal, each team added another tally. Haverford bounced back to tie the game at 14, only to have Sarah Reynolds 'O9 retake the lead for Swarthmore at 2-L After a pair of consecutive Haverford goals to bring the score to 3-2 in favor of the Fords, Hadley Roach 11 tied up the match again at three apiece in the 61st minute, but it was not enough as Haverford first-year Roxanne Jaffe scored what would turn out to be the game-winner three minutes later. The Fords broke even on the season with the win, finishing at 9-9 (5-5 CC). Goalkeeper Gina Grubb 'lO notched 17 saves in the loss for the Garnet. Against Franklin and Marshall in the season finale on Saturday, the Garnet was unable to overcome a 2-1 deficit at halftime despite out-shooting the F&M in the second half. Natalie Stone 'O9 tied the game at 1-1 in the 16th minute after connecting on a pass from Devon Novotnak 'll The tally, her 9th, makes Stone Swarthmore's leading scorer on the season. Young has the second most goals on the team, with 7 marks to her credit. Co-captain Ashley Gunter 'O9, who was given All- Centennial Conference second-team honors this year, added a goal off of a penalty stroke in the middle of the second half, but it was not enough as the Diplomats scored twice in the second half to clinch the victory. F&M ends the season at 6-11 (3-7 CC). Grubb tallied 5 saves in goal against the Diplomats, bringing her total to 113 saves this season. Katie Ashmore 'll finishes the season with 48 saves. After a series of tough losses, the Garnet finishes the season with a record of 5-13, standing at 1-9 in Centennial Conference play. Yet despite the statistics, the season is not completely devoid of positive memories for the women. Jordan Schmidt 'O9 looks back on her time on the team with fondness. "The thing I will miss most is the closeness of the team, especially the five seniors. Our class has an awesome relationship, and I couldn't have imagined being on the team without them," she said. "I don't think we'll ever lose touch with each other." Gunter recalls beating Johns Hopkins 3-2 in double overtime off of a penalty corner stroke in her sophomore year as a standout moment in her career on the team. Hopkins was ranked #l9 at the time. Of the 2008 season, she said that "our record doesn't reflect the amount of fun we had together. It was hard transitioning to a new coach, but we learned so much from [first-year head coach] Lauren [Fuchs] and really grew as a team." Aside from Gunter, Schmidt, and Stone, the Garnet will also lose co-captains Anna Baeth 'O9 and Sarah Reynolds 'O9 to graduation this year, leaving only 10 players on the roster. Fuchs's ability to revitalize the program will be put to the test next year, when the squad will rely heavily on incoming freshmen. Grubb calls the transition "bittersweet," saying that "I am really looking forward to getting new recruits and having fresh players on our team," despite losing five this year. She, too, has faith in Fuchs, hoping that the team will continue to "improve as players under Lauren's guidance." Sllbla Han Phoenix Staff Anna Baeth deftly maneuvers around a Haverford opponent in Saturday's away game. Sports swarthmorephoenix.com November 6, 2008 THE PHOENIX 18
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Running: terrifying but necessary If you recall my previous column you will remember that I wrote about something that I love: bowling. Subsequently I feel like it is only fair that this week I write about something I hate terribly: running. There cannot possibly be any activity as horrible and painful as running. I would classify myself as a reluctant runner, one who runs only out of absolute necessity. There are so many aspects of running that are unappealing, yet probably its most vile feature is its centrality to so many sports, including my much-loved lacrosse. But surely there are some redeeming qualities to running, right? Running is probably the most basic and simplest exercise known to the human race; after all, it is a survival mechanism (when was the last time you saw an overweight caveman?). That being said, however, for those of you out there who are like me, running is a terrifying and scarring experience (perhaps the survival aspect is actually surviving the run I am on). Running has made my feet hurt, my knees hurt, my shins hurt, my back hurt, my chest hurt, and unfortunately sometimes all of those simultaneously. I have heard people say that once you get into running and the endorphins kick in, running can be fun and addicting. In my experience these 'endorphins" have been mysteriously and painfully absent. Over the years I have flirted briefly with running, some experiments more successful than others. As much as I may curse it, running is something many of us cannot avoid. Not only is running critical to nearly every athlete at this school, but it is also the best way to keep the human body in good physical shape. I apologize in advance, but you track and cross-country types are out of your minds. Running is the worst part of every sport, yet you choose to do it as your only sport. Needless to say I could never participate because my capacity for running is about as shallow as they come in my sport I simply must run to keep from being beaten to a pulp (a necessary skill since I like having intact bones). On my most recent foray into the dark world of running, I did notice one thing I did like about it: the camaraderie. Anytime I am out pounding the pavement and I pass another runner, jogger, biker, walker, etc. that person always seems to give me a smile or a thumbs-up. Maybe it's just because they see a disheveled kid stumbling at them with a crazed look on his face like he was just forced to watch "Garden State." It's impossible not to feel that connection to other human beings tormenting themselves through physical exercise. Additionally, I like to think that with every car that passes me there is a driver saying, "Wow, maybe I should get back into running," and I feel like my suffering has maybe changed a person's life. More likely, however, it is just a traumatic overload of pain in my mind causing me to have these thoughts. The fact that these total strangers seem to share a fleeting bond with me through exercise always helps to add a little fuel to the tank. I recall watching my sister run the Boston Marathon a few years ago, and the energy between both the athletes competing and the onlookers was electric. People are always cheering on random runners, not just those that they came to see. After experiencing a marathon first hand, I have decided that one of my life goals is to run the Boston Marathon. For me that would represent the ultimate achievement over the physical capabilities of my mind and body since running has always proved to be my top athletic adversary. Yet I am not alone in this quest. Many of my friends have confided in me their wish to also run a marathon at some point in their lives. As you can probably guess, running the aforementioned marathon is probably not in the cards for me right away. It will most likely take several months (sigh) of training to even be prepared. Damn, why can't running be as fun as bowling? Kevin is a junior. He can be reached at kfriedel@swarthmore.edu. KEVIN FRIEDENBERG Get Down With Your Bad Self XC cruises through Conferences BY JASON HOUNGIN YUN hyunl@swarthmore.edu Last Saturday afternoon, the Garnet cross country teams competed in the Centennial Conference Championships at Gettysburg College. The men's team finished seventh out of nine schools while the women's squad was fourth among ten teams. The women's team came in fourth overall with 93 points, only trailing Haverford by one point, meaning that if one of the top five runners finished one place further or one of Haverford's girls finished one more place behind, the Garnet would have tied for third. On the women's side, Melissa Frick 'l2 finished eighth with a personal-best time of 23:0317, leading the women's team to a seventh place finish in a nine team-field. Nyika Corbett 'lO ran a season-best time of 23:32.66 to register a 15th place finish. Closing her Conference career, captain Kathy Feeney 'O9 finished the race at 23:49.63 for a 21st place finish. Rounding out the scoring runners were Ashley Davies 'lO and captain Emma Stanley 'O9 who finished the race with times of 23:50.46 and 24:04.96, respectively. Rebecca Woo 'll and Hannah Rose 'l2 crossed the line at 24:06.44 and 24:15.72 to register 28th and 30th places. "It felt like we were out in the middle of a battleground it was Gettysburg," Frick said. "The Battle of Gettysburg caused some of the worst casualties in the Civil War, but acted as a turning point for the Union. The ladies suffered some casualties on the way, but I think this meet has given us plenty of motivation to do some significant damage at Regionals." Johns Hopkins women's team won the championship with a score of 49, toppling Dickinson and Haverford who had scores of 83 and 92. The Johns Hopkins women's team captured their * first-ever Centennial Conference title, beating out eight-time defending champion Dickinson. "We really showed our depth and ran as a team this weekend. Cross country is not an individual sport, and when the going gets tough in the middle of the race, it's great to be able to look in front of you and see another Swattie just ahead. No matter where in the race you are, you know there are teammates nearby who are pushing you to run harder and helping you get through the race," Rose said. On the men's side, captain Erik Saka 'O9 finished the race with a personal season-best time of 26:53.85 to earn a 24th place. Co-captain Dan Hodson 'O9 came in 44th place, clocking in at 27:44.82. Patrick Harnett 'll, David Riccardi 'lO and Chris Mayer Bacon 'll covered the course with times of 28:07.51, 30:12.68 and 30:47.40, rounding out the team scoring. Overall, the men's team finished with a score of 212, and registered Bth place. "As to how well our team performed, it could best probably be described by the phrase from the Roman poet Horace, 'Dulce et decorum est pro patria mori.' Although no one expired for our valiant cause, many suffered extreme travails and in so doing reached the heights of Roman glory," Saka said. "If only we had been in a different age, Roman legions would have marched and hailed the greater glories that were displayed on the field of running this past Saturday." Unseasonably warm weather and the flat course were said to affect both teams' performance. "I think some girls really had an advantage because of that but on the other hand, some women were negatively impacted by the heat. I didn't really like the end of the course, because it was really just running around this enormous field," Woo said. "It kept on dipping in towards the finish line, and then moving out again, so I was never really sure how far away from the finish I actually was. It was a little bit frustrating, especially because in the last 2000 meters of the race, you're really just fighting not to give out." "The conditions were less than optimal for some people but our months of tough training in all types of conditions paid off on Saturday," Stanley said. The cross country teams will return to action on Saturday, November 15th at Waynesburg, PA in the NCAA Mid- East Regionals. Volleyball racks up record-breaking kills despite narrow loss to F&M BY DENNIS FAN dfanl@swarthmore.edu Swarthmore's women's volleyball team ended their season this past weekend in a flurry of shattered records and accomplished milestones. In the last game of a long season that began in August, the team fought with passion through five sets against Centennial Conference rival Franklin & Marshall CoUege, 25-16,15-25, 20-25, 25-16,15-12, losing in the fifth by a mere three points. The outstanding performance of the Garnet women against the Diplomats prompts us to recall the past season and gives us glimpses at the future of Swarthmore Women's Volleyball. In her last game, captain Jen Wang 'O9 led the team on offense and on defense, amassing 22 kills and 28 digs. Wang would finish her last game playing as dominantly as she had all season, earning her school records for season kills (360) and career kills (U7l). Furthermore, Wang ranked impressively nationally, entering her last week with 3.74 kills per set, 35th in Division m Volleyball. Captain Erin Heaney 'O9 would also end the season on a high note, solidifying her place in school and conference history with a school record 1,560 career digs, or 14th in Centennial Conference history. Though the team will sorely miss its two seniors, the team looks to be equally strong going into next season. According to Kearney Bangs 10, who added 44 assists this weekend, "The freshmen stepped it up this season." As a result, "The team will be able to play the same," Bangs said. The team's four first-year players, Genny Pezzola, Hillary Santana, Lisa Shang and Sasha Wijeyeratne have all been significant in shaping this team and their strong performances will likely continue in future seasons. Pezzola has consistently supplied double-doubles (in kills and digs) as well as a significant number of aces. In fact, this season she leads the conference in aces with a total of 62. Santana has become a more versatile volleyball player, playing a greater role on offense as the season has progressed, while Shang has put up team highs in digs over various matches. Wijeyeratne is constantly praised by coach Harleigh Chwastyk for improving every practice and by teammates for her motivating influence. The formula for success this year has been a strong defense, a smart offense, and a tough serve. Coach Chwastyk states that, "by the end of the season we were digging harder balls and scrambling to make plays ... We played defense well and were really smart offensively." This impressive defense ended the season with a national ranking, 23rd in Division HI by virtue of 18.95 digs per set. The season was also successful because the team played unselfishly and with great passion. Sarah Lambert 11 commented that, "As a team we really came together." Whether it was preparing for Senior Day, dressing up for Halloween, or just everyday practice, members of this year's women's volleyball team have been dedicated and have formed a community that has shown on and off the court. According to Bangs, "[The women] did well working together as a team. Our team played for each other and with each other." The Garnet women certainly showed tremendous heart and passion this season at a time when, as Chwastyk put it, "We couldn't afford to play tentatively." Even in the last set against Franklin & Marshall, the women battled back from two five-point deficits before finally losing. During the offseason, the women will hope to continue practicing and continue to stay in shape. Furthermore, the team often comes together to engage in charity work for the community. The offseason is a chance for these volleyball players and Swarthmore students to retool and refocus on the grueling academic demands of Swarthmore College. Though the team finished 6-19 and 2-8 in Centennial Conference play, these numbers do not nearly speak for the number of personal, team, and career accomplishments of Swarthmore's volleyball players. "As a coach you always want to have a winning season, but this year we've accomplished more team goals than here. These women have shown dedication, determination, and passion," Coach Harleigh Chwastyk said. Throughout the season, the women's volleyball team never played halfheartedly, played neck-and-neck with the best of them and never gave up. Snorts swarthmorephoenix.com THE PHOENIX November 6, 2008 19
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Sports swarthmorephoenix.com Men's soccer trounces Haverford on home turf BY ALYSSA BOWIE abowiel@swarthmore.edu The Swarthmore men's soccer team (14- 2-1, 8-1 CC) defeated school-rival Haverford on Saturday, a victory that marks the end of the regular season for the Garnet. This final win at home instilled in the team a heightened energy, which will be important heading into upcoming conference championships. Throughout the entire game the crowd was a contributing factor: 822 fans, mostly comprised of Swarthmore students, showed up to support the Garnet men, stirring up a degree of excitement which seemed to permeate the field. "The crowd was amazing," commented senior forward Evan Nesterak, "It was one of if not the best crowd we've had at Swat." This energy was especially evident in the first 10 minutes of the game, during which the team appeared to be running on pure adrenaline, driving shots and passes with great force and urgency. When they began to settle into a more composed style of play, scoring opportunities became increasingly frequent. The Garnet defense was extremely effective in using their speed and strength to penetrate the attacking third of the field and create chances for the forwards. Haverford, however, lacked this seamless connection between the various positions, and had trouble possessing the ball outside of their defensive half. In the first half, this tactical domination on the part of the Garnet led to numerous chances to score. Defender Jason Thrope 'O9 dominated the right side of the field out of the back, and was able to both penetrate the midfield and switch the field through his explosive dribbling. The best chance of the half came from forward Morgan Langley 11, who was able to receive the ball at the top of the penalty box, take on and beat several players, and rocket off a powerfully driven, low shot on goal. Going into halftime scoreless did not accurately reflect the offensive pressure placed upon Haverford by the Garnet. The first and only goal of the match would come ten minutes into th 6 second half. The Garnet drew a foul just inside half-field, and captain Jeff Kushner 'O9 stepped up to take the kick. Kushner lofted the ball towards the box, where it hung until Nesterak made contact, heading the ball past the Haverford goalkeeper, giving Nesterak his Bth goal of the season. Kushner noted that Nesterak is "really starting to peak at just the righx time for us, as we're poised for our playoff push this weekend." Nesterak's offensive contribution for the Garnet this past weekend should bode well for the post season. Swarthmore carried this momentum throughout the entire second half letting Haverford into its attacking third (only in the final minutes of the game. On the left side of the field, midfielder Yoi 'o9, dominated his mark, setting up the Garnet offense on numerous occasions by driving to the end line after catching his defender flat-footed. Haverford was pressured in all areas of the field, especially by the relentless Garnet defenders, all hungry for goals of their own. Although the game was low scoring, mentions Kushner, Swarthmore, "being the better team, definitely controlled the game but just struggled putting the ball in the back of the net." One needs to only direct their attention towards the shots on goal statistic (28-4 in Swarthmore's favor) to understand the dominance demonstrated by the Garnet. Additionally, with the superb defense exhibited by the Swarthmore men, including freshman goalie David D'Annunzio's sixth shutout of the season, a high number of goals was not necessary in capturing a victory. Upon completing the regular season, the next step for the men is hosting the Centennial Conference championships this upcoming weekend. The 17th-ranked Garnet men enter as the top-ranked team in the tournament, and await the results of the first round game between Muhlenburg and Dickinson to see who their opponent will be in the semi-final round. "The most significant aspect of his year's postseason... is that we're hosting...hopefully we'll get a big crowd so we can maximize the home field advantage," said Brett McLarney 'l2. While focus has undoubtedly shifted towards post-season play, the Garnet men still acknowledge the pride that comes from beating Haverford. "Most importantly," states Kushner, "nobody on our roster has ever lost to Haverford, a streak we hope continues for many years to come." Todd Friedman Phoenix Staff Midfielder Micah Rose helps maintain the dominant defense that carried the team to its last win of the regular season. Despite scoreless games, women's soccer poised for future victory BY JARED NOLAN jnolanl@swarthmore.edu In the final two matches of the regular season, Swarthmore women's soccer (9-3-4, 5-1-4 CC) posted two scoreless draws. The first 0-0 tie came against Haverford (7-9-1, 4-4-1 CG) on the Garnet's Senior Night last Wednesday. The one point from the draw was, however, enough for the Garnet to clinch a spot in the Centennial Conference tournament. This marks the third year in a row that Swarthmore has made it to the playoffs. On this past Saturday the Garnet registered its second consecutive scoreless tie in a match against the Franklin & Marshall Diplomats (8-4-3, 4-3-3 CC) to close out the regular season. While no goals were scored in the match against Haverford, the Garnet controlled the tempo early and had numerous close chances. In the first half Swarthmore held the shot advantage 7-2 over the Fords. Forward Melinda Petre 'O9 missed an early shot over the net and midfield Maggie DeLorme 'lO came even closer when her kick rattled the crossbar and ricocheted downward, barely staying out of the goal. Later in the half the Haverford fans anxiously gripped the cold benches of Clothier Field when their goalkeeper completely whiffed on a ball played back to her, but the Fords regained possession before any harm was done. Swarthmore also started the second half promisingly, getting an early opportunity off of a cross by Amy Vachal 1L Forward Kelsey Cline 'll connected with the ball, but banged it harmlessly off the post. The team was not able to find the net, even after both overtime periods. Cline was not terribly distraught, explaining, "It happens. I would rather fail to score here than fail in the playoffs." A lowscoringlowscoring match could have been predicted, because both teams' keepers are in the top five for career shutouts in Centennial Conference history. All that mattered was that the team clinched a playoff berth on Senior Night with all four seniors: keeper Lauren Walker, defenders Cait Mullarkey and Alexa Bensimhon, and forward Melinda Petre starting. The match against Franklin & Marshall had a similar story line. The Garnet outshot the Diplomats 15-10 for the game and had multiple goal-scoring chances. The best scoring opportunity came in the 70th minute, off of a corner by Petre. Forward Emily Coleman 'l2 positioned herself well and headed the ball, but it struck the bottom of the crossbar and was cleared away. "The goalie pushed me and the ref said it would have been a PK, but he didn't call it," Coleman said. She elaborated that the play was a testament to the strength of the Centennial Conference and how every team played hard to win. The Garnet had more chances, but Coleman conceded that "luck just wasn't on our side that game." \ Swarthmore Head Coach Todd Anckaitis expressed con\ fidence that the team will return to its scoring ways, but also noted the lack of goals is also due to the strong defense in the Centennial Conference. In relation to other comparable conferences, Anckaitis observed that the Centennial Conference has significantly more teams ranked in the top 50 in the country for Goals Against Average and Save Percentage. As a result in practice he is focusing on improving the offensive, "doing more work this week on our set pieces and penalties, as those can often determine a championship." Cline also noted that the team has been using different combinations up front. "We're still getting used to each other's play," she said. This is partly due to the concussion forward Megan Colombo 'll suffered during the Haverford game, but she will be back on the field for the playoffs. While the Garnet could not get lucky around the opponent's net, they did so in another way. "We finally caught a break when Gettysburg and Muhlenberg tied and put us in third," Cline said. The tie meant Muhlenberg fell one point short of Swarthmore, granting the Garnet a firstround bye and automatic placement into the semifinals. The extra rest is welcomed because Swarthmore had played three straight overtime matches. While all of those games ended in disappointing ties, the team is staying positive. "In some ways we're kind of discouraged, but I think everyone is really excited and pumped for this weekend," Coleman said. Anckaitis agreed. "Sometimes on a journey you have to take a detour. The detour doesn't lessen the splendor of the destination," he said. "The upside for us is huge and we're not letting the route spoil the view from where we stand." Right now the Garnet stands at a crossroads. One road fto Swarthmore College, ending the season. The id leads to the Centennial Conference ship. Standing in the way of the latter route is College, whom the Garnet beat 1-0 earlier in the le path Swarthmore women's soccer takes will i this Saturday at approximately 2:30 p.m. at kins University. Disclosure Note: Sports Editor Melinda Petre and Assistant Sports Editor Alyssa Bowie are members of the soccer team but played no role in the production or editing sfthis article. 20 November 6, 2008 THE PHOENIX