the Bennington Free PressT H E B E N N I N G T O N C O L L E G E S T U D E N T N E W S P A P E R

Volume 18 Issue 2 | Friday, October 26th, 2012

INSIDE

Concluding months of debate and delib-eration, on Tuesday North Bennington resi-dents passed two measures providing for the replacement of the public North Ben-nington Graded School (N.G.B.S.) with the private Village School of North Bennington (V.S.N.B.). By a tally of 294 to 268, voters tasked the Prudential Committee --a public school board once led by Bennington Col-lege Dean of Student Life Eva Chatterjee-Sutton--with closing N.G.B.S. by July 1st, 2013. A second measure, passed 304-207, authorized the leasing of the N.G.B.S. building to the V.S.N.B. “I am thrilled that the vote passed (again) to move forward toward the creation of the independent school,” wrote Chatterjee-Sutton, now the co-chairperson of the V.S.N.B., in an e-mail to The BFP. In March, North Bennington had ap-proved a similar question allowing for the closure of N.G.B.S. by a much larger mar-gin (304-257). The V.S.N.B.’s application to the Vermont State Board of Education was tabled in May, however, and the State B.O.E. required the village to have another vote before once again considering the ap-plication. Supporters of the V.S.N.B. cited increas-ing expenses and decreasing enrollment as reasons for closing N.G.B.S., a source of pride for many in the community. On Octo-ber 13th, Chatterjee-Sutton was quoted (as Ms. Sutton) warning that “You’re going to

Village Votes to Privatize North Bennington Graded School ;R�I>M>�?>R%��*.

Meet the Candidates

see a reductions in the kind of programs that can exist in this building, which will fail to keep North Bennington the school that it is. It may not be that the school closes, but the essence of what the edu-cation is will be gone in time because you can’t support it anymore.” This claim was often contested, es-

pecially by prominent administrators of the Southwest Vermont Supervisory System (S.V.S.U.), which presides over six school districts in the Bennington area. In a letter to The Bennington Ban-ner published in October 20th, Richard Pembroke, C.F.O. of S.V.S.U., cited enrollment projections done by an in-

dependent contractor that asserted enroll-ment would actually slightly increase over the next ten years. He also called into ques-tion whether or not two school outstanding improvement bonds (from 1996 and 2011) would retain the tax-exempt status they had with the N.G.B.S. He wrote that if they do QRW�� LW� ´PD\� KDYH� VLJQLÀFDQW� DGYHUVH� WD[�consequences which might result in a sig-QLÀFDQW�FRVW�WR�WKH�GLVWULFW�µ Members of the Prudential Commit-tee have stated that N.G.B.S. will not be closed if the bonds become private. If the bonds do remain tax-exempt and the State B.O.E. approves the V.S.N.B.’s new appli-cation for establishment, the N.G.B.S. will join a long list of recently closed American public schools. It will also serve as another example of a changing societal attitude to-wards the importance of public education in a democracy. Once considered a cornerstone of such a government, Prudential Commit-tee chairman Raymond Mullineaux called Tuesday’s vote a “victory for democracy.” Information in this article was from The

Bennington Banner articles “Closure de-

cision in North Bennington may ride on

voter outlook” (October 13th) and “Grad-

ed School district votes ‘yes’ to indepen-

dent school” (October 24th) by Dawson

Raspuzzi“Letters: To NBGS voters” by

Richard C. Pembroke as well as the letter

“To NGBS voters” by Richard C. Pembroke

appearing in the October 20th Banner.

In our last issue the BFP noted that while Bennington College’s 700 students represent a potentially powerful voting bloc in Vermont House District 2-1, few Bennington students are actually registered to vote in the state and even fewer traditionally turn out to do so- less than 75 in the 2010 election. Recent developments are coming together to buck the trend, however, and the BFP estimates that nearly 300 Bennington College students are now registered in the district. The BFP talked with each of the contenders for our district’s two seats in the Vermont House of Representatives to discuss their positions and thinking on some issues of interest to Bennington students, including Governor

Shumlin’s 2011 Comprehensive Energy Plan (CEP) to make the state 90% renewable by 2050, the way forward for the state’s single-payer healthcare system, the right to choose for women, and marijuana decriminalization.

Disclosure: Mike Goldin worked for Representative Campion in Montpelier in January and February of this year.

Rep. Brian Campion (D) Incumbent Warren Roaf (R) Challenger Rep. Timothy Corcoran II (D) Incumbent

As a long-time employee of the College, most Bennington students know Representative Campion simply as Brian. Originally elected in 2010, Campion serves on the House Education committee, as well as the newly formed education and economic development task force. Campion is emphatic in his position on the environment, noting that climate change is a “serious crisis” and that in regards to the state’s 2011 CEP, he states, “At this point we really don’t have a choice but to get there by 2050... Would I like to see it done by 2040, 2030? Absolutely.” Campion is also enthusiastic about the state’s healthcare plan, and sees its implementation not only as a legislative imperative, but a potential economic boon. “Predictable healthcare costs and healthy communities that emphasize prevention make a big difference in what kinds of companies, what kinds of physicians, and what kind of people you’re going to attract to the state.” In regards to the right to choose, Campion says that while he would be shocked to see Vermont produce any legislation that denied women access to reproductive KHDOWK��KH�ZRXOG�́ FHUWDLQO\�ÀJKWµ�IRU�WKH�ULJKW�WR�FKRRVH�� And decriminalization? “This state has been a leader in gay rights, healthcare, the environment, and now, hopefully with the voice of young people, other things. This war on drugs that was started in the 80’s by the Reagan administration- well, maybe it’s time to really have a serious conversation around that and say, ‘okay, does the war on drugs mean that people should be arrested and put in jail for marijuana?’ I don’t think so.”

After 34 years as a social studies teacher and prin-ciple at Mount Anthony Union Middle School, Warren Roaf isn’t quite ready for retirement. “As a social studies teacher I always taught my classes that in a democracy... LW·V�DOO�DERXW�FKRLFH��,�KDWH�WR�VHH�RIÀFHV�JR�XQFRQWHVWHG�µ�5RDI�VDLG��´6R�ZKDW�LQVSLUHG�PH�>WR�UXQ�IRU�RIÀFH@�LQ�WKH�moment was simply that I wanted to set a good example for kids that I had taught and kind of walk the walk.” While Roaf is running as a Republican, he consid-ers himself a moderate and says he would look for good ideas on both sides of the aisle if elected. In regards to the CEP, Roaf is optimistic, but cautions that the state should be conscientious in ensuring that all Vermonters are treat-ed fairly during the transition process. “Living in Ver-mont, it’s easy to want to protect the environment... In the meantime, we can’t forget about the current population.” Roaf is cautious in regards to Vermont’s healthcare bill, noting that food and fuel assistance are of great importance to Vermonters as well, and that with limit-ed resources the legislature will need to consider care-fully where funding for the new system will come from. Asked about women’s right to choose, Roaf is upfront: “I very much believe in right to life.” (he does take excep-tion in cases of rape, incest and the life of the mother). On decriminalization, Roaf sees an opportunity for the state. “From an economic point of view it makes a lot of sense because not only would you decriminalize it- you could regulate it, you could tax it, so it kind of reverses the economic question.” He cautions, however, that “the devil is always in the details” and he would be in favor of moving slowly on a decriminalization program.

Born and raised in Bennington, Representative &RUFRUDQ� RULJLQDOO\� UDQ� IRU� RIÀFH� LQ� ����� ZKHQ� KLV�employer at the time, Chemfab, closed its local opera-tion after being acquired by French multinational Saint-Gobain. Asked what keeps him in politics after nearly ���\HDUV�LQ�RIÀFH��&RUFRUDQ�LV�SUDJPDWLF��´8QIRUWXQDWH-ly there’s a lot of red tape involved in a lot of everyday issues... just helping people out and being there to do whatever they need to do and trying to relay their con-cerns... It’s a good thing; I get satisfaction out of that.” In regards to the state’s 2011 CEP, Corcoran is cau-tious. “Having a goal with renewable energy is admira-ble and a good thing to strive for, but is it realistic in that time frame? I don’t quite see it.” Corcoran is similarly DWWHQWLYH� WR� WKH� SRWHQWLDO� ÀVFDO� SLWIDOOV� IRU� WKH� VWDWH� LQ�moving forward on its healthcare bill, noting that Ver-mont’s small size may limit the plan’s feasibility. “Be-OLHYH�PH�,�ZRXOG�ORYH�WR�VHH�>D�VLQJOH�SD\HU�V\VWHP@�DQG�have everybody covered and ride off into the sunset, so WR�VD\��%XW�LW�FRPHV�GRZQ�WR�ÀQDQFLDOV��8QWLO�,�VHH�WKRVH�ÀQDQFLDOV�LQ�IURQW�RI�PH�DQG�VHH�WKDW�LW�LV�EHQHÀFLDO�DQG�it’s not gonna cripple our economy and force businesses and doctors to leave... That’s what I’m holding out for.” On the right to choose Corcoran notes that in the past he has signed onto pro-choice resolutions, but will continue to listen to his constituents in decid-ing where to take the issue in the future. He draws a harder line on marijuana decriminalization, however, saying he worries about the message it would send to young people. “I know it’s probably not popular at %HQQLQJWRQ�&ROOHJH�>ODXJKV@�EXW�WKDW·V�P\�YLHZ�RQ�LW�µ

Meet the Candidates: Vermont House District 2-1FBD>�@HE=BG%��*-��F:G:@BG@�>=BMHK&BG&<AB>?

NEWS ARTSVOICESFEATURES

the community to accept people of non-

normative gender identity or expression.

The queer community itself isn’t

something that might normally

characterize a “Most LGBT Friendly” list

topper either: “I think the rating can be

deceiving,” said an anonymous student

in an email interview, “in that it implies

that we’re all one big queer family that

sings and dances at the end of the world

together when in reality, that just isn’t

Bennington’s queer community at all.”

� � � � �,I�WKH�VFKRRO�KDG�¿OOHG�RXW�WKH�VXUYH\�from Campus Pride, perhaps its LGBT

friendliness would have a different

reputation—the questions on the survey

IRFXV�PDLQO\�RQ�VSHFL¿F�KRXVLQJ��DFWLYLWLHV��organizations, and classes focused on LGBT

students and rights, as well as recruitment

efforts—although the school may have

aspects that can make it a uniquely positive

environment for queer students, the survey

VWXGLHV� WKLQJV� WKDW� HLWKHU� GRQ¶W� ¿W� LQWR�Benington’s philosophy or that are too

VSHFL¿F�WR�KDYH�D�SODFH�DW�D�VPDOO�VFKRRO��The rating, then, seems to have come

from another source, but representatives

IURP� WKH� RI¿FHV� RI� $GPLVVLRQV��Communications, and Media Relations are

unsure of how it might have come about.

>>SkinnyWe’ve !gured you out, Bobby DeLangerobertdelongmusic.com

There’s not much you wouldn’t do for a million bucks.Welling 16.

Go Vote.Really.

Can!eld’s Traditional Long-Week-end Foam PartyHuge success

Spring 2013 Curriculum LeakedLiz Coleman is taking it down from the inside

Has anyone found Kony yet?How is that guy?

Jason MoonIs a skinny item

“People still know who I am, right?”Class of 2012

Fuck ScreensI need to puke out of my window

Pod TimLongest serving Benning-ton College facutly mem-ber, 40 years

Fuck-storm 2012Sandy be gentle

HOMECOMINGI’m so excited to relive my teens.

Welling Town House now has meatSoylent Green is people

Next issue: Truth behind School for LiesCheck back for behind the scene scandals

Ruler discovered next to three hole punch in PodStapler is yet to be found

Watch out for the ghost BatorHe can reach the second !oor

Joe GrecoTastiest man on campus

2 The BenningTon Free Press / October 26th 2012 > Vol. 18 No. 2N E W S

Though he may be an unfamiliar face to most current students, Nicholas Forcier, the new international admissions o"cer, has made an

unforgettable mark on the international students in the class of 2016. With great patience and diligence he has been working with students from countries such as Vietnam, Pakistan, and Ecuador throughout each step of their transition to Bennington, with the goal of of diversifying the campus. During his interview with The Bennington Free Press, Forcier explained his motivation to relocate from a major university in New York City to the small campus of Bennington. “I could work with students a lot better and spend more of my time talking to students instead of doing administrative stuff,” he said. Even though the admissions process is now in the past, international students always have the option to remain in contact with Nick, while he works with ������ ��ϐ����� ��� ������� ��� ����� ����� ����� ������ �������� �������������Ǥ��������ϐ�������������������������������ǡ������ ���������������� ������� ���������� ������ ���������� ���� ������� ����� ��������� ����� ������ ���� ������ ��������Ǥ� ���� ��ϐ���� ��� ������� ����Ǥ

Forcier’s door is always open for international students

;R�F:B�MK:G%��*/

Bennington made national news

recently when it topped a ranking list

of the most LGBT friendly schools

on Unigo.com, a database of colleges

built for prospective students much like

CollegeBoard or Princeton Review.

The list, titled “Top Ten Schools

with Pride and No Prejudice,” described

Bennington students as “unconsciously”

open and accepting of alternative

gender identities and sexualities, as

“one might expect from a school

with a fairly lax policy about nudity.”

Unigo generally uses the Campus Climate

Index to rank the LGBT-friendliness of

schools. The Index is a rating system

FUHDWHG�E\�&DPSXV�3ULGH�� D�QRW�IRU�SUR¿W�whose goal is to create college campuses

that are welcoming to LGBT students.

%HQQLQJWRQ�� KRZHYHU� KDV� QHYHU� ¿OOHG�out the survey necessary to be ranked by

Campus Pride, and it’s the only school

on Unigo’s top ten list that hasn’t. While

Unigo put Bennington College at the top of

this particular ranking, the website doesn’t

Mysterious List--Bennington’s rank as most LGBT friendly

Ngb`h�l�Mhi�M^g�Eblm*)'�N<�;^kd^er2'Ngbo^klbmr�h_�<ab\Z`h1'�Ngbo^klbmr�h_�O^kfhgm0'>f^klhg�<hee^`^/'LZkZa�EZpk^g\^�<hee^`^.'�LrkZ\nl^�<hee^`^-'�;khpg�Ngbo^klbmr,'�:fa^klm�<hee^`^+'�G^p�Rhkd�Ngbo^klbmr*'�;^ggbg`mhg�<hee^`^

include a statistic for “LGBT friendliness”

as it does with most schools. It seems

clear that the list was not at all related to

the survey that Unigo usually uses; the

rankings had no correlation to the rating of

the colleges on the Campus Pride website.

This fact becomes particularly poignant

in light of disagreements that some students

at Bennington have had with the rating.

Though our LGBT group is not as old as

organizations on some other campuses, the

write up in Unigo says that is because of

“a lack of need for such a group rather than

a lack of interest.” Jadyen Sparke, leader

of the school’s Queer* group, sees exactly

this as the major problem. Sparke disagreed

ZLWK�WKH�UDWLQJ��³,�GH¿QLWHO\�GRQ¶W�WKLQN�LW¶V�the worst, but the fact that people don’t

think there needs to be any activism at all

in the way of LGBTQ rights does not put us

anywhere near a top ten list of anything,”

he said. While he believes the school is

a particularly positive environment for

what he calls “assimilationist gays or

lesbians,” he says that the school is years

behind on other LGBT issues, particularly

regarding trans students. He cites, from

personal experience, incidences of being

misgendered by professors multiple

times, having trouble getting his name

changed in the school’s computer systems,

outdated practices in psych services when

he went to them about his transition,

DQG� UHVLVWDQFH� IURP� RI¿FHV� ZKHQ� WKH\�were confronted with opportunities

to complete sensitivity training.

Dean of Students Eva Chaterjee-

Sutton presented a different view: “I

think people here who were transgender

have found it to be a very supportive

environment, it’s a deeply personal

experience.” She believes that the

openness about all identity expression

on campus translates to an openness in

;R�DKBLM:�MAHKI%��*.NEWS EDITOR

Search begins for the next Liz Coleman

This past Tuesday marked the beginning of the search for a new president of Bennington College. A conversation Tuesday night was led by the Presidential Search Com-mittee, which included Alan Korn-berg '74, Susan Paris Borden '69, Suzanne Brundage '08, Barbara Ushkow Deane '51, Michael Hecht, Robert Ransick, Susan Sgorbati, '72, James Simon '97, and Deborah Wadsworth. The search committee is being advised by Sarah James and Jane Phillip-Donaldson from 3KLOOLSV�2SSHQKHLP�� D� ÀUP� ZKLFK�specializes in executive searches IRU� QRW�IRU�SURÀW� RUJDQL]DWLRQV��

Students gathered in CAPA on Tuesday night to give their own opinions on important quali-ties in potential candidates to the search committee. The evening was organized around a series of questions asked by Suzanne Brundage, a Board of Trustees member and CAPA fellow who graduated Bennington in 2008. Questions included why students came to Bennington, what they think makes Bennington stand out, and what is strong about student life at the College. The ÀQDO� TXHVWLRQ� ZDV� D� K\SRWKHWL-cal: if you could go into the new SUHVLGHQW·V� RIÀFH� DQG�PDNH� DQ\�one request, what would it be? Students answered with a wide range of opinions and sug-

gestions. The main themes of the night were trust, ac-cessibility, collaboration, and the unique passion that Bennington students bring to their work. While all grades were represented, the crowd was disproportionately com-prised of house chairs, admis-sions interns and freshmen. At the end of the night, the search committee in-vited the students to ask questions of them—those questions ranged from if in-ternal candidates would be considered to what our plan was to hire Barack Obama if he didn’t win the upcom-ing election. (The answers

;R�<>E>G>�;:KK>K:%��*.VOICES EDITOR

:G=�DKBLM:�MAHKI%��*.NEWS EDITOR

were, respectively, “Yes” and “We brought that XS� IRXU� RU� ÀYH� WLPHV� WR-day but aren’t sure yet.”) The ultimate deci-sion will not be made by the committee but by the Board of Trustees. The search committee will advise the board, keep-ing in mind the feedback, opinions and suggestions they collect from students, faculty, senior staff, and of course, Liz Coleman.

3 The BenningTon Free Press / October 26, 2012 > Vol. 18 No. 2 F E A T U R E S

Disclaimer: Dr. von Doin’ It is NOT

an accredited doctor of any kind.

Dearest Dr. von Doin’ It,

My roommate keeps locking me out of my

room, and each time I can hear the bed

frame banging against the wall. What if I

need my computer? What if I have a girl

with me and I’m trying to get lucky? How

can I tell him to stop sexiling me if I have

my own plans to sexile him at some point?

-Love on Lockdown

Sexile, my young lad, is an inconvenient means to a glorious end. Surely you must understand its necessity in this particular environment. Forbidding your roommate IURP�ORFNLQJ�WKH�GRRU�WR�JHW�QDVW\�LV�GH¿-nitely not the answer, and I can tell by your question that you know why: in an ideal situation it’s reciprocal! To take your sex-ile with dignity is to raise your own sex-ile points, as well as to symbolically pat your roommate on the back in congratu-lation while he or she is getting lucky. �� � � � � 7KDW� VDLG�� WKHUH� LV� GH¿QLWHO\� VH[LOH�etiquette, and the fact that you are in this awkward position is probably the result of a lack of communication. You musn’t forget that the roommate relationship is in many ways more intimate than any sexual relationship, minus the erotic ele-ment (usually). Start by explaining your situation. It’s your room too; maybe you needed your computer to do your home-work. Maybe you yourself were bringing home a fancy makeout guest. Maybe you just really needed to spend some alone time with your favorite body pillow, Daw-son’s Creek and some Hot Pockets. I don’t know. What I’m trying to say is you need to explain your situation to your room-mate in a way that he will understand.

Next, make a game plan. Posting your schedules on the wall is one of the easiest ways to create what I like to call “Windows of Oppornudity”, during which you each have a few periods of two to four hours of uninterrupted freedom a week. If he or she is going to lock you out at night, however, a friendly heads-up is only fair. Even a “sup bro having sex like rite now” text would be appreciated, am I right? Communication and courtesy are the keys to avoiding those midnight hallway meltdowns to which the regularly sexiled are so hilariously prone.

Dr. von Doin’It

What advice do you have for a gay freshman

ER\� WKDW¶V�KDYLQJ� WURXEOH�¿QGLQJ�D�PDWH"

-Lonelyboy ‘16

Oh brother. The cause of the Gay Boy

at Bennington is one near and dear to my heart, and I suppose I should start by saying that it’s not easy. In my years at Bennington I can only think of two or three male cou-ples, and there are scores of complex and intertwining reasons for why this might be. Bennington College was recently named the top gay-friendly college in the nation E\� WKH� +XI¿QJWRQ� 3RVW�� 7KH\� WDON� DERXW�how only recently did an LGBT group form on our campus, and how the fact that we had gone so long without one is a tes-tament to the fact that we never needed one, and I would agree with that statement. But our ability to transcend sexuality roles may have led to the other extreme, where there is not much camaraderie between and even among these sexuality groups. Overall, Bennington, being the progres-sive place that it is, allows for people who identify as gay to stop caring. They don’t KDYH�PXFK� WR�¿JKW� IRU� ±� WKH\� DUH� IUHH� WR�be who they are without any judgment. But the moment a cause stops receiving atten-

tion is a melancholy moment in my book, and I urge you to start a mini LGBT com-munity if you can. It wouldn’t even need to be a place to talk about gay issues or top-ics, but rather a social organization to make gay friends. Queer*, Bennington’s LGBT club, could be a helpful place too if you’re more interested in discussing queer theory and how it relates to Bennington, but as far as I know it is not very well attended by the school’s gay male population. I think that the expectation before arriv-ing at a place like Bennington is that there will be a lot more gay boys than there actu-ally are. And then upon arriving it seems like that was an accurate assumption, but \RX¶OO�VRRQ�¿QG�WKDW�PDQ\�RI�WKH�ER\V�WKDW�RQ�¿UVW�QRWLFH�PLJKW�VHHP�WR�EH�JD\�DUH�DF-tually straight, and the opposite can often be true as well. This is one of the great things about Bennington because it’s a place that teaches you to forget concepts like “gay-acting” or “straight-acting”. But at the end of the day, all I can really tell you is that your options are limited, and you’re bound WR�IDOO�IRU�D�VWUDLJKW�ER\�ZKR�PLJKW�¿QG�LW�fun to kiss you during a game of spin the bottle and then go home with his girlfriend. � � � � �0\�DGYLFH� LV� WR�EXLOG�XS�\RXU� FRQ¿-dence and don’t fear rejection. Everyone will deal with rejection in some form or another, and putting yourself out there might leave you lonelier than before, but it could be the only way to meet some-one. For all you know you could be wait-ing for a boy to make a move when re-ally he is waiting for you to do the same.

Lovingly Yours,

Dr. von Doin’It

Intersted in asking Dr. von Doin’ It your sexy questions? Check out the new en-velope on the Commons bulletin board.

Sexile Etiquette and Being Gay at Bennington, with Dr. von Doin’ It

Only the lonely: The sad, horny saga of btonmissedconnections.tumblr.com

In the early days of October, in the wake of Dress to Get Laid, a strange, sad thing was born in that miniscule cavity of the in-ternet dedicated to life at Bennington Col-lege. At the very least, you’ve heard of it. It’s more likely that you’ve occasionally trolled tipsily through its pages looking for your description. Statistically speak-ing, there’s a good chance that you’ve even posted on it. It’s the Bennington College Missed Connections tumblr, and over the FRXUVH�RI� LWV�ÀUVW�DQG�SRVVLEO\� ODVW�PRQWK�of existence it has amassed over 1,000 testaments to the inchoate, absurd, and frustrated yearnings of our quivering stu-dent body. The ways in which different people use the forum vary widely: some posts are jokey advances on professors, cats, and Goatboy (by the way, Goatboy, if \RX·UH�UHDGLQJ�WKLV��,�OLYH�RQ�WKH�ÀUVW�ÁRRU�and I keep my window open at night, so hmu), some are alarmingly poorly written booty calls, some are sincere declarations of misguided infatuation, and some are the just the garbled SOS signals of too-long-unfondled genitals screaming into the accommodating void of .tumblr.com. Anybody familiar with the missed con-nections section of craigslist has seen the kind of bizarre and sometimes heartbreak-ing narratives that can unfold in a setting that is, ideally, the creepy gateway between the real world and the virtual world. Be-cause people who are trying to sincerely use the tumblr are nervous about breaching

the protective bubble of anonymity, in this case especially due to the size of this com-munity, their posts are often vague to the point of uselessness. How the fuck is “the short girl with the big boobs” (October 4) JRLQJ� WR�ÀQG�KHU�NQLJKW� LQ� VKLQLQJ�DUPRU�VR�WKDW�KH�FDQ�ÀQDOO\�´H[SODLQ��KLV��DWWUDF-tion?” What could possibly come of the statement “I saw you getting a drink in the dining hall. You’re hot. You look like you work out” (October 14) other than confu-VLRQ�DQG�D�VXUUHSWLWLRXV�SHF�ÁH["��$QG�́ KH\�girl, you spat on the ground while we were talking and i fell a little in love w/ u maybe” (October 2) is probably about a girl who wouldn’t remember doing that in the morn-ing, let alone her conversation with you. Even on the level of data analysis, the Bennington College Missed Connections

tumblr can be as alternately painfully ho-mogeneous and cloyingly earnest. Ac-cording to a program created by Jonathan Kiritharan ‘13, the word “bearded” has EHHQ� SRVWHG� ÀYH� WLPHV�� DQG� ´EHDUGµ� KDV�been used eleven. “Flannel,” surpris-ingly, has only showed up three times, and thankfully there is only one “fedora.” “Bangs” has appeared 6 times; “love,” 64; “want,” 105; “fuck,” 22. Poignantly, “lonely” has been used 63 times, mostly in reference to the bodice-rippingly ex-FLWLQJ� DQG� XOWLPDWHO\� XQIXOÀOOHG� URPDQFH�between Lonely Boy and Lonely Girl that reached its peak around October 5th. But like all great things, this too may fade. After the initial three weeks of rela-tively feverish activity, posts have become less frequent and the enthusiasm appears

to have died down. The magic of these things, however, is their potential for sud-den resurgence. Tonight’s posts have con-sisted of the typical 50/50 mix of jokes and personal ads for shy people, but with the weekend may come a landslide of new treasures like “I saw u dancing @ booth hmu”, “We watched the clouds and I told you about my lingering resentments against my father while we held hands”, and “You put your whole hand in my butt on satur-day. I want to get to know you. What is your name?” Bennington College Missed Connections may be the gloryhole of the Bennington internet rest stop, but you have to admit that if you don’t want to put your dick in it, you at least want to stand on the other side and watch what comes through.

BY EMMA DEL VALLE �*,FEATURES EDITOR

4 THE BENNINGTON FREE PRESS / October 26th, 2012 > Vol. 18 No. 2 F E A T U R E S

Halloween Costume Inspirations: From Scary, to Sexy, to Group-Themed Ideas, The BFP Brings you the Hottest Trends!

erotic. “Sexy iPod Nano” (pictured) is another great option that can be made at home, and is ever better when done with a group. Speaking of group costume ideas, how about “Reunited Backstreet Boys” or “Beez in Tha Trap” (interpret how you wish)? And for couples try “RiFF RaFF” and “Kitty Pryde” or “Retired Bennington Security Guards”. And, last but not least, the ingenious category. Try “The Ghost of Mrs. Jennings” (long white dress, wheelchair, noose), “Peter Dinklage” (knee pads, brown leather jacket, a mace), or Brandy (black slacks, black polo, pink baseball KDW�� EXWWHUÁ�\� VWHUQXP� WDWWRR�� DEXQGDQW�sass). Then there’s my personal fave: “Blue Ivy Carter” (for the Beyoncé wear a Poison Ivy costume, but in navy blue – spray paint on the ivy - and for the Jay-Z DGG�D�QDY\�<DQNV�À�WWHG���,�ZLOO�VHH�\RX�DQG�\RXU�FRVWXPH�FUHDWLRQV�RQ�WKH�GDQFH�Á�RRU�

As Swalloween quickly approaches, you may be asking yourself, “How can I have the scariest/sexiest/most ingenious costume RI�DQ\RQH�RQ�FDPSXV"�"µ�:HOO��,�FDQ�KHOS�\RX�RXW��,�KDYH�GRQH�LQWHQVLYH�+DOORZHHQ�costume brainstorming and research so \RX�GRQ·W�KDYH�WR��/HW·V�VWDUW�ZLWK�WKH�VFDU\�category. If you’re feeling a mask this year, I highly suggest checking out halloween-mask.com, which offers such nightmares DV� ´&DUORV� 6DQWDQD� �/DWLQ� *URRYH�µ� DQG�“Breakface” (pictured). Other terrifying ideas include “Crazy Britney” (bald cap, grey sweatshirt, umbrella), “Honey Boo Boo”, or “Mitt Romney”.� � )RU� VH[\� RXWÀ�WV�� DQ\� FRVWXPH� IURP�yandy.com, especially the fuzzy ones with legwarmers, are priceless. “Sexy Corn” (pictured) is my personal favorite. Basically take any costume idea, cut the bottoms to your butt cheek crease, throw on a pushup bra, and 6” platform stilettos, and it will instantly become confusingly

No, Bennington’s not hosting the Tri-wizard Tournament this year, but we were met with a similar surprise upon arriving on campus this Fall: Homecoming. Yes, our beloved Bennington, the bastion of 3ODQV� DQG� 3DQVH[XDOV�� LV� Á�LUWLQJ� ZLWK� WKH�LQGRPLWDEOH� KLJK� VFKRRO� WUDGLWLRQ� RI� À�UVW�GULQNV�DQG�À�UVW�NLVVHV�� The fun starts Friday, October 26th with DQ���3�0��ERQÀ�UH���GRQ·W�IRUJHW�\RXU�´:DJ�RQ� :KHHOµ� VKHHW� PXVLF� �� DQG� FRQWLQXHV�into Saturday with a special 3 P.M. soccer match that pits students against alumni and faculty. Of course, this being a Homecom-ing weekend, the main event is the Satur-day night dance. Dance activities begin with the “Pre-+RPHFRPLQJ�6DORQ�3UHS�(YHQW�µ��� WDNLQJ�place in the Greenwall Dressing Room IURP� ����� WR� ������ � )RU� D� Á�DW� UDWH� RI� ���select house-chair-fashionistas will style, manicure, and groom whomever needs VSLIÀ�QJ�XS��0RQH\� UDLVHG� IURP� WKH� HYHQW�ZLOO� EHQHÀ�W� Spectrum Youth and Family Services, an organization that works to em-power teens and young adults with a his-tory of violence. From 5:00 to 6:30 the din-ing hall is getting in on the act as well with a “fancy” dinner complete with tablecloths �JDVS���DQG�FHQWHUSLHFHV��ZRUG�RQ�WKH�VWUHHW�is that Bill Scully has bought all of Hann-ford’s foie gras for the occasion. At 7:30 the dance will begin in Green-wall. House chairs will provide DJ services and run a photo booth so that we can all be sure to remember the best night of our

lives. In order to ensure that we all get a good night’s rest, at 10:30 the dance - as ZHOO�DV�%HQQLQJWRQ�&ROOHJH·V�À�UVW�+RPH�coming - will come to a close. �����:KDW�ZLOO�FHUWDLQO\�QRW�HQG��KRZHYHU��LV�the debate concerning the school’s decision to host this unprecedented affair. Accus-tomed to grossly ironic and sexualized af-ter-hours events, many students are unsure of what to think about this new tradition. “I never went to my high school homecom-ing, so why would I go to the Bennington one? It’s ironic, but also depressing,” said C.C. Stiles ‘13. “I think a much better idea ZRXOG�EH�WR�KDYH�D�PLQJOHU�ZLWK�:LOOLDPV�µ�said another student who wished to not be LGHQWLÀ�HG�� ´,·P� MXVW� QRW� VXUH�ZKDW� WKLV� LV�supposed to be.” The house chairs, who are ostensibly running the event, are assured of LWV�EHQHÀ�WV��´,�WKLQN��RYHUDOO��+RPHFRPLQJ�is going to be a fun and new way for the camp us to come together and build cama-raderie,” said Stokes house chair Eddie Sitt ‘13. Of course, by Sunday morning we will know if Homecoming is depressing, ironic, RU�JRRG�ZKROHVRPH�IXQ��:H�ZLOO�DOVR��PRVW�importantly, know who reigns as Benning-WRQ·V� À�UVW� +RPHFRPLQJ� .LQJ� DQG� 4XHHQ��RU�4XHHQ�DQG�4XHHQ��RU�.LQJ�DQG�.LQJ��or Badger and....). So brush the dust off your powder blue tux, muster up some school spirit, and pre-tend that we have bleachers big enough to make out under, because, unlikely as it seems, it’s Homecoming weekend.

Bennington College Organizes First Homecoming

Ousseynou Diome

Paul Stoicheff

Micaela Evans

Stephen Piccarella

Eddie Sitt

Brittany Klein-

schnitz

Your Homecoming Court!

Carlos Mendez

Bahar Baharloo

Kenneth Olguin

Gianfranco Saal

Timothy Desrosiers

Alexander Diaz

Carlos Torres

Jan-Erik Asplund

Fall 2012! Rock the Vote!

BY CAITLIN OVERINGTON �*-

BY PETE FEY �*,

HALLOWEEN-MASK.COM

COSTUME-WORKS.COM

YANDY.COM

BEENLMK:MBHG�;R�K:<A>E�C:<DLHG��*-EDITOR-IN-CHIEF OF CONTENT

“Mini” is subjective.

BIG HAND SMALL HAND

5 The BenningTon Free Press / October 26th, 2012> Vol. 18 No. 2

V O I C E S

Reasons Why I’m Nervous About November: That Thing Where We Pick That GuyBY KILLIAN WALSH �*-

November is fast upon us, and my absentee ballot is being mailed across WKH�FRXQWU\�DV� WKH�ÀUVW� VWRS� LQ�P\� LQLWLDO�electoral duties. Possibility of jury duty be damned, I’m voting--but I don’t like it. Not this time. Not one bit. Thinking back to the 2008 election, I can remember how excited I was when Barack Obama became our 44th president. Hell yeah. That Sunday LQ�*UDQW�3DUN�IHOW�OLNH�WKH�ÀUVW�WLPH�,�ZDV�actually swept up in some part of history, and not just learning about it or seeing it on the news. The following day as I readied myself for school, listening to the Young Jeezy song “My President” seemed both appropriate and even profound in its own way, but as of late I say, and quote, “we need a miracle, cause this shit is hysterical.” You can defend the president’s policies, his concessions and exceptions, and make the case that he did the very best he could with the resources that he had in these past four years, though now I’m very doubtful of that. However, it wasn’t until the second presidential debate, when I reconsidered voting Obama in for a second term altogether. Politically, I am an independent who can at most times be counted on to vote in line with the Democratic Party. I always consider an issue rationally, but my morals and beliefs were closely aligned with the POTUS for the better part of his ÀUVW� WHUP�� ,� IHOW� FRPIRUWDEOH� GHIHQGLQJ�him. The debate, though? I can’t quite put P\� ÀQJHU� RQ� ZKDW� H[DFWO\� LW� ZDV� WKDW�President Obama said that turned me off so intensely, except that it reminded me far too much of the croniest parts of Chicago Democratic politics. During

2EDPD·V� WLPH� LQ� RIÀFH�� KLV� IRUPHU� FKLHI�of staff Rahm Emanuel ran for mayor of Chicago and won, and his time running the city--though far more effective than the previous Democratic seat-holders--carried the burden of suspicion. The city has a

history of crook mayors, and the state has seen four of its governors end up behind EDUV�� VR� WR� KDYH� D� ÀJXUH� DV� QRWRULRXV�as Rahm Emanuel (need I bring up the infamous locker room incident?), a man called “son of the devil’s spawn” by retired New York representative Eric Massa, running your city, you naturally get a bit nervous. And it’s not like the connection between Emanuel and Obama is a purely

A Series of Unfortunate Events

ABOVE: PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA AT HIS INAUGURAL SPEECH ON JANUARY 20, 2009. PHOTO CREDIT: JASON REED, REUTERS.

BY PETE FEY �*,

professional one. They both cut their teeth politically in grassroots efforts, various campaign jobs, and in the local level of Illinois politics. They operated in the same circles, with the same crookish business going on in each.

I’m not psyched about Romney, either. He exudes the aura of a teen boy desperate to lose his virginity on prom night, no matter the cost. He’s noncommittal, wooden, and even though it’s his faith that prohibits him from drinking coffee, the fact that he doesn’t just creeps me out. Not that this factors into my decision, but the apparent absence of any vice on the part of Governor Romney makes me think

On election night four years ago Barack Obama proclaimed to the world that “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.” I’ll admit that as he was saying this I was bawling uncontrollably, tears streaming into my sparkling apple juice. I was sure that Obama’s victory was indicative of a turning point in history, the dawn of an age where government is righteous, pure, and noble. But now I am not so naive. America isn’t a place where all things are possible; it is a federalist state governed by a constitution located on the North American continent, ERUGHUHG� E\� WKH� 3DFLÀF� DQG� � $WODQWLF�Oceans, and which contains a variety of ecosystems. I am now unconcerned with the dreams of the Founders, a dream that could never have included the Internet, AIDS, or the state of California. And while I never doubted the power of democracy, ,�DP�WHUULÀHG�RI�RXU�SHQFKDQW�IRU�HOHFWLQJ�bigots, racists, homophobes, and imbeciles. Maybe I am angsty, but I think more than anything else I am fed up. Yes. I am fed up with politics. And frankly it’s been a long time coming. Do you remember the 2000 election? I do, although only barely. I recall staying up late with my parents, going to bed happy because Al Gore won, and then being told in the morning that though he had still won, he had lost. I was sad, mainly because my parents were sad, but could not be bothered long; the Packers were 9-7 that season, just missing out on the play-offs. Do you remember 9/11? Of course you do. What about the start of the war in Afghanistan or Iraq? Listening to Robert

Siegel report on Baghdad bombings and al-Qaida killings on your way to soccer practice did you think you’d hear similar stories ten years later while stoned in your dorm room? I didn’t, just like I didn’t think that Kerry could possibly lose in 2004. But he did, and months later the education system swift-boated me to High School. During those four years The Daily Show, Conor Oberst, and Michael Moore would foster within me a greater political awareness. We may have known about the attacks on 9/11 prior to their occurrence? There were no weapons of mass destruction? No Child Left Behind is the reason I’m taking this inane multiple-choice test? Around this same time I became obsessed with The West Wing; I yearned for President Bartlett and Josh Lyman to descend from Hollywood into the White House. And with Barack Obama I thought they had. His message of hope and change, although ambiguous, seized my emotions. But as I’ve already made clear, I am no longer enraptured. Money is still the most important player in politics. Our army LV� VWLOO� HQJDJHG� LQ� IULYRORXV� FRQÁLFWV�overseas. We still have nuclear bombs. Our Earth is still dying. Now, understandably, you may not give a shit about my feelings. That’s cool. I also know that I was remarkably innocent in believing that President Obama would create a government devoid of nukes, LQÁXHQWLDO� PRQH\�� ZDUV�� DQG� JUHHQKRXVH�gases. But my point is that I think we came of age politically at an awful time. Indeed, it is understandable that someone of our generation would be apathetic about this coming election. Our political system has done nothing to show us its value. Does it really matter who’s President? More and more I think that it does not. I still believe that Barack Obama is an admirable man,

doing the best job he can in an impossible situation; anyone that votes for Mitt Romney is chronically deluded. But the change we need is systemic, something neither Obama, Romney, Stein, nor Johnson could possibly provide. I’m not talking revolution, but then again maybe I am. The way things are, I simply see no hope for the future.

whatever he does to let off steam has got to be terrifying. I half pictured him leaving the second debate discreetly, loosening his tie, and going out back to shoot six dogs in rapid succession. Then another two weeks of chastity.

In all seriousness, this has been the ÀUVW� WLPH� ZKHUH� ,�feel a vote for either candidate is a bad one. The Democrats could very well suck us into a black hole GHÀFLW� RI� ZDVWHIXO�spending and half-baked programs, but the Republican Party would undoubtedly weigh the budget down with extravagant military spending and, with how they maintain foreign relations, get the country involved in several more FRQÁLFWV�� %XW� LW·V�all for the sake of democracy. So I honestly don’t know who I’m going

to vote for when my ballot shows up. I really don’t. And I hope that you don’t either- if only because this election above all others has major implications on the future of our country.

ABOVE: RAHM EMANUEL AND BARACK OBAMA.PHOTO CREDIT: TRACY A WOODWARD, WASH-INGTON POST.

6 The BenningTon Free Press / October 26, 2012 > Vol. 18 No. 2

V O I C E S

THE BFP STAFF

EDITORS IN CHIEFFBD>�@HE=BG��*-

K:<A>E�C:<DLHG��*-

NEWS EDITORDKBLM:�MAHKI��*.

VOICES EDITOR<>E>G>�;:KK>K:��*.

FEATURES EDITOR>FF:�=>E�O:EE>��*,

ARTS EDITORC>O:�E:G@>��*.

PRODUCTION MANAGERETHAN CLARK-MOSCHELLA

�*-

PRODUCTION ASSOCIATE;K:=R�PBEEB:FL��*/

COPY EDITORS YOUR NAME HERE

Livin’ in the Future BY ERIC MOSHER �*,

;R�=HFBGBD�>BL>GL<AFB=M��*,

Sober October: A Look Inside Drinking at Bennington College

:;HO>3�G>P�RHKD�PHKE=�L�?:BK%�:N@NLM�*2/-'�IAHMH�<K>=BM3�IE<K�HG�?EB<DK'<HF'�

PHOTO CREDIT: DOMINIK EISENSCHMIDT �*,

I admit that alcohol plays a big role in my college life. Most of my paycheck goes into thirty racks or other treats from the BBO. Having three drinks or more on at least a couple of nights per week VHHPV� WR� UHÁHFW� DYHUDJH� GULQNLQJ� KDELWV�on this campus, yet not many students are seriously concerned about alcoholism. Mostly the conversation goes like this: “Do you think you’re addicted to alcohol in any way?” – “No, because that would make me an alcoholic.” – “So you could stop whenever and as long as you want?” – “Yes, of course, but why should I?” I think it was the Sunday after Dressed to Get Laid when I found my personal argument. I had wasted the entire day trying to reconstruct the events from the night before; an activity only interrupted by watching the Patriots destroy the Broncos. My personal transcript from that ZHHNHQG�ZRXOG�KDYH�VDLG��&XSÁLSSLQJ�²�$��6KRWJXQQLQJ�²�$��%HHUSRQJLQJ�²�%��\HDK��I don’t what happened there); academic work – F. Being hung over killed every tiny bit of motivation in me. Motivation I was in desperate need of, considering the reading, papers, grad school-, grant-, and FWT- applications that I am facing in my second to last term at Bennington. Close to the end of my college education, I am at a point where I need to take any possible control of where my life is heading. Whatever I will make happen within the next months can have serious LQÁXHQFH�RQ�P\�IXWXUH��DQG�,�VLPSO\�PXVW�not let anything get in the way. Minimum effort – maximum fun; a motto that ruled freshman year, should not represent what I came here for any longer. I always insist

on how passionate I am about my work at Bennington, but I felt like my actions did QRW� UHÁHFW� WKDW�� ,W�ZDV� WLPH� WR�EH�EUXWDOO\�honest with myself. So I made a decision: Not a single drop of alcohol for one month – SOBER OCTOBER! I cleared out my fridge, gave all my alcohol away, and told my friends about my idea. Weirdly enough, most people thought it was a big deal, unconventional, mind-blowing, even newsworthy, including the editors of the BFP, obviously. Let me tell you: It should not be a big deal. If it ever becomes a big deal, I will be getting up from a chair to announce my full name to a circle of strangers. I want to make one thing clear, because it is fairly easy to sound like a hypocrite in an article like this: I enjoy drinking; I have more fun at parties when I am drunk, and I wish with all my heart that there is a way to reconcile a productive, healthy lifestyle with wild nights of limitless debauchery. What does that say about my personality though? That I need to change my state of mind in order to be able to have fun at parties? That I am full of inhibitions that render me incapable of losing myself in WKH�PXVLF�RQ� WKH�GDQFH�ÁRRU��XQOHVV�,�DP�intoxicated? Is it maybe the party scene at Bennington that makes it impossible to enjoy oneself sober?� � � 2Q� P\� ÀUVW� VREHU� ZHHNHQG� ,� UHDOL]HG�that the fact that it is Friday night does not inevitably put me into party mode. Normally an Old-Fashioned would have taken care RI� WKDW�� EXW� QRZ� ,� KDG� WR� ÀQG� VRPHWKLQJ�else. Thus, my nights started off with /\NNH�/L·V� ´,�)ROORZ�<RX� �7KH�0DJLFLDQ�Remix)” and me dancing like a maniac by myself. Now I was ready for a room party.

Being sober in a room full of drunk people makes you feel like the foreign exchange student that your friend from high school brought along. You’re certainly welcome, and people will try to have conversations with you, but mostly they won’t speak your ODQJXDJH��$IWHUZDUGV�WKH�FURZG�ÁRFNHG�WR�a dance party. I have yet to stay longer than 2 minutes at a Bennington dance party, mainly because I actually notice the music ZKHQ� ,� DP� VREHU��$FFRUGLQJO\�� ,� ZHQW� WR�bed at around 1am. Sober nights end early.

That does not sound like a lot of fun, you say?! You’re somewhat right…I think I need to rediscover how to even have fun being sober. Since I am too new to the game, I am sure I would have had a better time drunk, but consider what I got in return for staying sober: No hang over, no last minute homework stress, no bad decisions, no Sunday night insomnia, no coming down from a drinking binge. Furthermore, in 3 weeks I saved approximately $90 and lost 6 pounds without changing anything about

my diet or workout. BUY “SOBRIETY” 12:� $1'� *(7� $�FREE BEER!!! In all honesty, I missed drinking every now and then, because it is a social activity. My plan is to adjust my drinking habits to a point where I get the best of both worlds, and they do not interfere with my goals in any way. In conclusion, I can only say it is worth trying. November is close. Until then, let me open the last can of my 12-pack of cranberry-OLPH�VHOW]HU�DQG�FKHHU�to you all.

We can all agree that living in the past is not the best way to be. Even though in the Big Lebowski, Walter Sobchak refers to the “three thousand years of beautiful tradition, from Moses to Sandy Koufax” to justify how the Dude is “goddamn right [Walter’s] living in the past,” we all know that he’s fucking Polish Catholic and should just accept it already and move on. I’d say most people think that taking life as it comes, doing what we can with what we’re given, making lemonade with lemons—in short, living in the present—is how we should carry out our lives. But what about livin’ in the future? Does that make any sense?� � � � � $� � IULHQG� DQG� IRUPHU� FR�ZRUNHU� RI�mine started saying, “livin’ in the future,” whenever, basically, something happened that wouldn’t have happened a couple of years ago. I don’t remember exactly what ZDV�JRLQJ�RQ�WKH�ÀUVW�WLPH�,�KHDUG�KHU�VD\�it, but the saying stuck in my head, and I EHJDQ�WR�ÀQG�P\VHOI�PXPEOLQJ�WKH�SKUDVH�to myself anytime it seemed like I had stepped into a time machine set for next year. For example, last winter, I was on the subway headed to Union Square; I got out and there was a guy selling umbrellas. Nothing weird about that—opportunistic guys have been selling umbrellas at crowded thoroughfares on potentially rainy days for decades, right? Maybe even longer. What was different about this guy was that he had a smartphone in his other hand, which displayed a radar map of a huge storm making its way towards the tri-state area.� � � $OO� ,� FRXOG� WKLQN� ZDV�� ´/LYLQ·� LQ� WKH�future.”� � � � �%XW� LW·V�QRW� MXVW� VPDUWSKRQHV� �WKRXJK�every time I look at mine the quip goes

through my head). Think about Skype. 0\�GDG� WHOOV�PH� WKDW�KH�ÀUVW�KHDUG�DERXW�video-chatting at the 1964 World’s Fair in Queens, New York. It was billed as a part of the future that would one day be within our reach. Sure enough, 50+ years later, my father and so many others who dreamed about video-chatting as pre-adolescents can now actually do it, for free, with anyone around the world. How’s that for livin’ in the future?� � � � �$QG�ZKDW� DERXW�P\� OLWWOH� EURWKHU�� RU�even younger kids, who can’t remember a time when the internet didn’t exist? They take applications like Skype and Oovoo completely for granted, as though

they have always been around. What will the future look like to them? What will the future look like to any of us? What idea will we dismiss as a pipe dream today, only to be proven wrong by some revolutionary invention that emerges as we near retirement? What will be the computer

and email of the future; what will we ask our kids and grandkids to navigate for us, because we can’t see those damned little VFUHHQV��DQG�RXU�ÀQJHUV�DUH�WRR�IDW�WR�SUHVV�just one of those fucking buttons at a time? I guess the point is this: we are always OLYLQJ� LQ� WKH� IXWXUH�� $V� HDFK� PRPHQW�succeeds the last, we careen inevitably towards an unknowable abyss. We should come to terms with that fact, try not to look back at squandered opportunities, and look IRUZDUG� WR�QHZ�FKDQFHV� WR�VXFFHHG��$IWHU�all, every time we blink and open our eyes, a new future is unveiled before us. Living in the present is livin’ in the future.

>=BMHK�L�GHM>3�MA>�L>IM>F;>K�+/MA�OHB<>L�:KMB<E>%�LIB<>R�LIB<>L%��;R�MK>OHK�M'�LM:GGNL��*.% LM:M>=�MA:M�MA>K>�P:L�GH�LKBK:<A:�BG�MA>�=BGBG@�A:EE'�MABL�P:L�BG<HKK><M&�MA>�=BGBG@�A:EE�=H>L�H??>K�LKBK:<A:'�

7 THE BENNINGTON FREE PRESS / October 26th, 2012 > Vol. 18 No. 2A R T S

You Don’t Know What You Want– The Classic Film Series Opens Eyes and Minds;R�C>O:�E:G@>��*.

ARTS EDITOR

An inspiring artist stands behind the

podium, facing hundreds of young art

students, and passionately explains his or

her life work. None of the three lectures

come across as yet another discouraging

talk on how incredible famous artists are

and how we’ll never be as successful.

Every lecture starts at the root of each

artist’s journey, continues on to how their

ideas originate, and then how they create

and present their ideas to their audience. It

LV� WKHQ� WKDW� \RX� UHDOL]H� LW� LV� QRW� WKH� À�QDO�work, but the whole journey that matters,

and that this artist started out with irrational

and outrageous ideas too. You realize that

you are not alone.

Visual Arts Lecture Series Review: Colburn, Greenbaum, and Middlebrook

;GD:MJF�K�EMJ9D�K@=�KHA<=J�� *((+!�

Martha Colburn - “My artwork is pretty much money, porn and blood thrown together. It’s just a way of recycling things around my house.”� � � � � �&ROEXUQ·V� VW\OH� LV� GHÀ�QLWHO\� D� VWURQJ�example of unique art. This is illustrated

just in her bringing pornography into the

artwork as part of her messages. Being a

young artist herself, many of her projects

are easily related to by younger viewers.

&ROEXUQ� PRVWO\� PDNHV� VKRUW� À�OPV�� 2QH�VXFK�À�OP�LV�´$VWKPD�µ�LQ�ZKLFK�D�À�IWHHQ�year-old sings about being unable to smoke

LQ�KLV�PRP·V�KRXVH��$QRWKHU�À�OP�LV�DERXW�PHWK�DGGLFWLRQ��HQWLWOHG�´0\WK�/DEV�µ�DQG�XVHV�À�JXUHV� LQ�$PHULFDQ�KLVWRU\��DQLPDOV�

and supernatural images. The drugs turn

a individual from scarecrow to superman,

for instance.

�����´,W�ZDV�SUHWW\�PXFK�MXVW�D�ORW�RI�KHDGV�FXW�RII��ERRELHV�SRSSLQJ�µ�&ROEXUQ�VDLG�RI�the piece.

Colburn also started putting the

American Revolution, World Wars and

RWKHU�KLVWRULFDO�LQÁ�XHQFHV�LQWR�KHU�SURMHFW�´7ULXPSK�RI�WKH�:LOG�µ� � � � � ´,� GLG� WKH� ZDU� À�OP� EHFDXVH� ZH·YH�EHHQ� LQ� D� ZDU� IRU� VR� ORQJ�µ� VKH� VDLG�� ´,�feel irresponsible creating pieces about

YDPSLUHV�DQG�DOO�FUDS�µ� Throughout her career, Colburn has

gone through various kinds of jobs, like

KDQG�SDLQWLQJ�VFKRRO�FHUWLÀ�FDWHV��RU�UHFRUG�covers--anything for anyone with a taste

for handmade and wacky art. All that ends

up in her works.

Joanne Greenbaum - “I don’t always have to do Joanne Greenbaum, but it will always be my work.”

For Greenbaum, art has always been

more about fun and playing around since

she knows how to put drawing, her lifelong

obsession, into everything she does. To

Greenbaum, each project is a journey itself.

First and foremost, it doesn’t matter how

your piece comes off to others. Her paintings

follow ideas of abstraction, and sometimes

they don’t come off clearly to the audience.

� � � � � ´7KH\� ZRXOG� FDOO� P\� ZRUNV� ¶ELJ�GRRGOHV�·µ� *UHHQEDXP� UHFDOOHG�� ´,� ZDV�just really offended by it. I took things

that were as universal as boxes, forms and

OLQHV��+RZ�HOVH�GR�\RX�PDNH�LW�\RXU�RZQ"µ�� � � � � 6KH� FDOOHG� KHUVHOI� DQ� ´REVHVVLYH�GUDZHU�µ� ZKR� OLWHUDOO\� GUDZV� DOO� GD\�ORQJ�� 'UDZLQJ�� VKH� UHDOL]HG�� LQÁ�XHQFHG�her paintings. Painting, after all, is just

drawing with paint, layer after layer on top

of each other. The same thing happened

later with her sculptural pieces, which

she calls three-dimensional drawings.

�����´,·P�QRW�VWULYLQJ�IRU�DQ\WKLQJ�RWKHU�WKDQ�,�ORYH�GUDZLQJ�VR�PXFK�µ�*UHHQEDXP�VDLG�� Not only that, Greenbaum always pushes

herself to go into other uncomfortable

areas. She explained that while being

outside your comfort zone can be wild and

unpredictable, you sometimes just have to

go for it. It doesn’t matter if you sometimes

feel lost. You don’t always have to know

where you’re going; paintings reveal

themselves slowly. You make it, you destroy

LW��\RX�ZRUN�ZLWK�WKH�PLVWDNH��0D\EH�WKDW·V�why painting is always interesting to her.

� � � � � ´,� GRQ·W� UHSHDW� P\VHOI� HYHU�µ� VKH�VDLG��´,� MXVW�QHHG� WR� IHHO� OLNH� ,·P�PRYLQJ�somewhere forward.

EA<<D=:JGGC�K�>MF�OAL@�>MF?A�� *((1!

Jason Middlebrook - “It leads to all kind of mushrooms, painted mushrooms, aluminated mushroom. And people love mushrooms. At one point I have to say ‘No more mushroom.’” In contrast to the aforementioned

DUWLVWV��0LGGOHEURRN�ZRUNV�RQ�KLV�SURMHFWV�at a much larger scale. The work of

DUW� VSHDNV�� DQG� 0LGGOHEURRN� IROORZV�� In the beginning of every project,

0LGGOHEURRN� VHDUFKHV� KLV� VXUURXQGLQJV��looking for anything that could be put

into his work that shows the location

and history of the place. With his project

´$OH[DQGHU� &DOGHU� DQG� &RQWHPSRUDU\�$UW�� )RUP��%DODQFH�� -R\µ� DW� WKH�0XVHXP�of Contemporary Art in Chicago in 2010,

0LGGOHEURRN·V�DUW�PDWHULDO�ZDV�MXQN�VWXII�

collected from the streets of Chicago.

In doing so, he understood the city in

ways he never could have otherwise.

During a reconstruction and relocation

of Art House in Austin for his project

´0RUH�$UW�$ERXW�%XLOGLQJV�DQG�)RRGµ� LQ�������0LGGOHEURRN�WRRN�WKH�PDWHULDO�IURP�the old building to bring its essence to the

new one. To indicate the culinary history

of the town, he asked people to send in

recipes. Now there are 166 handwritten

recipes and wine bottles from bars around

town. His nine months of dedicated work

HYHQWXDOO\� JDYH� ´UHELUWKµ� WR� WKH� EXLOGLQJ�� Another signature work of his is the

PXVKURRP� VFXOSWXUHV� FROOHFWLRQ�� ´)XQ�ZLWK�)XQJL�µ�ZKLFK�KH�VWLOO�FRQVLGHUV�DV�D�love-hate piece. His inspiration came from

rain in New York, when mushrooms were

all over the place the next morning. It was

so easy, fun and simple and it led him to

build all kinds of mushrooms: painted

mushrooms, illuminated mushroom, and

more. People love mushrooms, as it turns

out, and he ended up working on the

project for years.

´,I�\RX�KDYH�IXQ�GRLQJ�LW��LW�PDWWHUV�E\�WKH�HQG�RI�WKH�GD\�µ�KH�FRQFOXGHG�

?J==F:9ME�K�J=FGN9LAGF�HJGB=;L�� *((+!�

;R�F:B�MK:G��*/

It’s a Friday night, and the little room

outside VAPA’s movie theater Kinoteca

is bustling with friends and chatter.

They’re all here because they know about

Bennington’s best kept secret: The Classic

Film Series.

However—it isn’t much of a secret.

Posters for all the showings are hung

around campus (this particular evening, we

were gathered for Roman Polanski’s 1974

neo-noir Chinatown���DQG�SULRU�WR�WKH�À�OP�D�´FRPLQJ�VRRQµ�DG�ZDV�VFUHHQHG��WHDVLQJ�audience members into attending for the

upcoming month.

Just before the feature began, Seth

Katz stood up and introduced ChinatownDV�3RODQVNL·V�ODVW�À�OP�PDGH�LQ�WKH�8QLWHG�States, explaining the director’s tyrannical

production style and lead Jack Nicholson’s

REVHVVLYH� YLHZLQJ� RI� /DNHUV� JDPHV� RQ� D�miniature TV, thus slowing production to

the point that Polanski smashed the TV

with a mop handle. The audience in Kino

laughed. Katz then asked the group to

contemplate if or where Chinatown�À�W�LQWR�WKH�JHQUH�QRLU��7KH�À�OP�EHJDQ�� � � � � ´,W·V� DOZD\V� LQWHUHVWLQJ� WR� VHH�ZKLFK�ones people respond to the most—this was

WKH� ELJJHVW� FURZG� ZH·YH� KDG� DOO� \HDU�µ�Katz said afterward.

The Classic Film Series began when Katz

was a freshman, headed by Ian Dolton-

Thornton. The project at its most basic

seeks to introduce interested audiences to

LPSRUWDQW�À�OPV�WKDW�DUH�D�OLWWOH�PRUH�´RII�WKH�EHDWHQ�SDWK�µ������´:H�VKRZHG�Miller’s Crossing, which

is a Coen Brothers movie, when we could

have shown Fargo, or The Big Lebowski, but those are Coen Brothers movies that

HYHU\ERG\·V�VHHQ�µ�.DW]�VDLG�� � � � � � �+H� DOVR� VDLG� WKDW� KH·V� VHW� D� ´VHPL�DUELWUDU\�FXW�RI�GDWH�RI������µ�DVVXULQJ�WKDW�DOO� WKH� À�OPV� LQ� WKH� VHULHV�ZLOO� EH� DW� OHDVW���� \HDUV� ROG�� ´7KHUH·V� JRLQJ� WR� EH� RQH�exception this term, we’re showing one

from 1995 called La Haine�µ While Katz pays special attention

to who’s attending, he also strives for

diversity in his selections.

�����´,�WU\�WR�VKRZ�WKLQJV�WKDW�GLIIHUHQW�NLQGV�of people would be interested in. We started

RII�ZLWK�D�EOD[SORLWDWLRQ�À�OP��WKHQ�ZH�ZHQW�to Hitchcock, then the Coen Brothers, then

ZH�KDG� D� ��·V� SV\FKHGHOLF�À�OP�� DQG�QRZ�WKLV�µ�KH�VDLG��UHIHUULQJ�WR�Chinatown.

I’ve been attending the Classic Film

Series for two years now, and discovered

some of my favorite movies through my

attendance. Mystery Train, Paris, Texas,

and Eraserhead stand out to me personally,

although the 16mm screening of Breathless is a particularly memorable experience.

Although the print was a bit roughed up,

that was part of the charm—we were aware

WKDW�ZKDW�ZH�ZHUH�ZDWFKLQJ�ZDV�À�OP�

� � � � � ´,� WKLQN� WKDW� DGGV� VRPHWKLQJ�NLQG�RI�VSHFLDO�µ� .DW]� DJUHHG�� +H� VDLG� KH·G� OLNH�to get more prints for the series, but is

limited by what’s available and the cost. In

order to ensure the best quality available

FRQVLVWHQWO\�� DOO� WKH�6HULHV�À�OPV��ZLWK� WKH�H[FHSWLRQ�RI�WKH�À�UVW�WKUHH�RI�WKLV�\HDU��DUH�screened in digital Blu-Ray.

Although Katz is the mastermind behind

this year’s schedule, he admits he hasn’t

VHHQ�DOO�WKH�À�OPV�KH�VFUHHQV��WKLV�\HDU��Foxy Brown, To Catch a Thief and Head were all

new to him). He likes to share things he’s

come across that he believes other people

would enjoy, but also screens things he is

curious about.

� � � � �´,W·V�QRW�UHDOO\�DERXW�ZKHWKHU�RU�QRW�,�OLNH�WKHP�µ�KH�VDLG��´,·P�MXVW�DV�LQWHUHVWHG�LQ� VHHLQJ� WKH� À�OPV� DV� HYHU\RQH� HOVH��especially cause I don’t usually get to see

WKHP�LQ�%OX�5D\�µ������/RRNLQJ�EDFN�DW�WKH�HYHQLQJ��.DW]�KDG�WR�ODXJK��´Chinatown is probably the most

ZHOO�NQRZQ�À�OP�ZH·YH�VKRZQ��,W·V�IXQQ\��I feel like people prefer to see things that

WKH\·YH� DOUHDG\� VHHQ�µ� KH� VDLG�� ´%XW� \RX�know, Stanley Kubrick said something—

UHIHUULQJ� WR� À�OPPDNLQJ� RU� WR� DUW³VD\LQJ�that you shouldn’t show people what they

already want, but show something them

something they haven’t seen, or don’t

QHFHVVDULO\�NQRZ�\HW�WKDW�WKH\�ZDQW�µ If the Classic Film Series were to have a

motto, that would be it.

(Top) Breathless, screened last year on 16mm (Bottom) House, screening tonight in Kino.

8 The BenningTon Free Press / October 26th, 2012 > Vol. 18 No. 2A R T S

;R�EBER�;KHPG�:G=�@K>@�GH£E���*.

To start off, we want you all to know that we chose this movie because we genuinely had hope for it. Based on the somewhat-above-average cast and the SRVLWLYH� 1HWÁL[� UHYLHZV�� ZH� WKRXJKW� WKDW�Goats (2012) would be, if nothing else, at least entertaining. We had hoped to save you from yet another tragically negative review. However. As a general rule, we like to say that any ÀOP�LQFOXGLQJ�PRUH� WKDQ�VL[�PRQWDJHV�RI�desert is not doing so well. We don’t mean to be cruel, but we counted. Nine. There are nine montages of desert. So that’s where we start off. Then we meet our characters. There’s Ellis, the most boring protagonist in the world, Wendy, his manic-depressive new-age trust fund mother, and then there’s Goat Man (aka Javier aka Stephen aka David Duchovny), the pot growing, goat-raising gardener. Ellis secretly applies and is accepted to his estranged father’s classic East Coast prep school, Gates Academy. After a tearful

farewell from Goat Man and Wendy, Ellis arrives at Gates. Here we meet his horrible, disgusting, and ferociously judgmental geek roommate, Barney (ew), and much to our surprise, we are introduced to a new brand of montage. *PREP SCHOOL MONTAGE.* There are Frisbees and statues galore. Ellis waits impatiently for marijuana care packages from Goat Man, but they never come. For how much they “miss” Ellis, there is surprisingly little contact. And by that we mean none. Because Wendy has a new boyfriend, Bennett, played by Justin Kirk. SPOILER ALERT! You see his ballsac. Twice. Ellis’ father, played by Ty Burrell, randomly invites Ellis over for Thanksgiving, and we H[SHFW�D�VKLW�VKRZ��:KDW�ZH�JHW�LV�WKH�ÀUVW�semblance of a functional family. A bunch of other stupid shit happens: Barney becomes an alcoholic, Wendy goes QXWV��ZH�ÀQG�RXW� WKDW�%HQQHWW� LV�JD\��DQG�Goat Man decides he hates his goats, and is now smuggling cocaine via goat from 0H[LFR� �ZKDW"��� $IWHU� WKHVH� KRUULEO\�awkward situations come to light, Ellis ÀQLVKHV� KLV� \HDU� DW� VFKRRO�� RQO\� WR� FRPH�

EDFN� WR� $UL]RQD� WR� ÀQG� WKDW� HYHU\WKLQJ�has been resolved. His relationships with his father, his mother, and Goat Man (who VXGGHQO\�UHDSSHDUV�IURP�0H[LFR�KROGLQJ�D�baby goat) are magically repaired. We don’t get it either. Anyway, every

FKDUDFWHU� LV� FRPSOHWHO\� XQOLNHDEOH� H[FHSW�the goats, who manage to have a more serious character arc than any of the people. This movie deserves no more than one “David Duchovny holding a baby goat” out of ten. Poor form, Mulder.

Ring Ring Ring Ring Looking back at Dead Man’s Cell Phone

The lights of the darkened theater come up to reveal two tables, two strangers and a cell phone that won’t stop ringing. This is Sarah Ruhl’s Dead Man’s Cell Phone, directed by Ashley Connell and staring Meg Rumsey-Lasersohn as Jean and Rory Cullen as Dwight. The play uses both humor and drama to make the viewer consider the effect electronic communication has in our society. After seeing the show, I had the pleasure of speaking with Connell about the process and effort that went into the stunning performance. Connell was chosen to do this semester’s student-directed play. Her production team included Bronwyn Maloney as set design and light manager, Abby Beggs as stage manager, Eva Bond as sound manager, Krista Thorp as costume designer, and Corina Dalzell as choreographer. Connell described the production as a “Really low-stress process, because it’s a group of friends who were able to make the play. Everyone really got along, and [the] production team, which was all female, were really low-stress, really calm people who were really engaged with each other and had a good time.” I noted that there are several visually striking scenes in the play, in particular the scene in which Jean is praying beneath a stained-glass window and the one scene where Jean and Dwight kiss surrounded by paper houses. I asked Connell to elaborate on these scenes. Connell, who is a great admirer of Ruhl’s work, said “[Sarah Ruhl] writes these wonderful, emotional stage directions that take you on a journey if you let them, and if you’re able as a director and as a team to look at impossible stage directions like ‘there are paper houses falling through the air,’ and create something that’s a magical H[SHULHQFH�IRU�WKH�DXGLHQFH��WKDW·V�KHOSIXO�

for creating the world of the play and telling the story that she intended.” Connell continued, “I really struggled with the church scene…I decided to seat [Jean] in the front of the house and it just all sort of lead to her having to pray right in front of the audience. We had to create a church without having a lot of scenery on stage because the idea of the set is that it’s able to be move very quickly and that no space is totally constructed, so Bronwyn, in order to establish a church, wanted to create these windows, and when we saw that the windows were going to be where Jean was going to be, I think we were all thrilled that she would get to pray into this stained glass window.” Finally, I had to ask what prompted the decision to use such an unusual ringtone for Gordon’s cell phone. Connell laughed and replied, “Over the summer I was working a Dorset theater festival…and in the play was Judd Hirsch, who is a pretty IDPRXV�DFWRU��6R�WKH�ÀUVW�GD\�RI�UHKHDUVDO��he had left the room and his cell phone was on the table, and it was ringing over and over and over and over again, and it kept reminding me of the play—and it was that ring tone. And after I head that ringtone, every time I would read the play, that was the ringtone I heard in my head, because it’s just so insistent. Somehow that ringtone in particular—you can’t not answer it. It also rung true to me, with Gordon’s twisted sense of humor, that his phone is super important, but that it would have this ridiculous whistling ringtone to it.” And indeed, the ringtone, as well as many other parts of the play, was ridiculous. However, it is this absurdity, combined with the play’s beautiful and masterful H[HFXWLRQ�� WKDW� PDGH� Dead Man’s Cell Phone an enjoyable and thought-provoking performance.

Margetic on Music$�FULWLFDO�H[DPLQDWLRQ�RI�WKH�PXVLF�YLGHR�IRU�´/LYH�:KLOH�:H·UH�<RXQJµ�E\�2QH�'LUHFWLRQ;R�;>GC:FBG�F:K@>MB<���*.

Five cherubic young Brits begrudgingly pull themselves from peaceful boy band slumber, stumbling about, throttling their tigers. Perhaps due to poor balance or unspoken desires, they fall on top of each other, one after the other, until they’re VWDFNHG� ÀYH� KLJK� LQ� D� WRZHU� RI� WHHQDJHG�titillation. They then gather around a Wes $QGHUVRQ�HVTXH� FDPSÀUH� VLQJLQJ� DERXW�how they’ll be doing what they do, which,

apparently, is giggling and falling on top of each other. They parade proudly down a dusty road with dimples and coiffed, bleached hair, dancing and jumping about. Later, one of them swings into a lake, fully-clad in a pastel button-down and shorts that are just a touch too short. In that same lake the others stumble around, bumping their LQÁDWHG�EHDFK�EDOOV��

As evening falls, the boys of One Direction head to a neon-lit dance/soccer party (you know, normal teen stuff) where they continue their favorite activity: falling RQ� WRS� RI� HDFK� RWKHU�� 1H[W�� LQ� D� UDWKHU�jarring transition, it’s daytime and the boys are again sopping wet, but now they’re falling on top of each other in a kiddie pool, without shirts. Grasping each other, strong arms intertwined, they sing, “we

‘bout to make some memories tonight…tonight let’s get some, and live while we’re young.” As the video concludes the boys are together, arm over shoulder, braided as tightly as Pippi Longstocking’s pigtails. 7KH�ÀQDO�V\QWK�\�VWUXPV�RI�JXLWDU�IDGH�DQG�the boys, giggly as ever, fall down and the video cuts to black.

;R�GB<HE>�E>>���*/

Goats (2012, Christopher Neil)

Stream it Now: Goats, Butts, Ballsacs. Why.