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7/29/2019 Fall 2012- Volume 18, Issue 1
1/8
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 1 | Friday, September 28th, 2012
Local Election Season in Full Swing-Where are the Students?
On Wednesday, September
19th, Bennington College
President Elizabeth Coleman
announced her decision to step
down from her position at the end
of the 2012-2013 academic year.
President Colemans stepping
down coincides with her 25th
year at Bennington, thus making
her by far the longest serving
president to reside over the
college in its eighty-year history.
Many students and facultywere surprised by the news and
struck by the pivotal question:
Why now? The Bennington
Free Press put this question to Liz
-
ment interview: Its not like
Im tired or bored. I did have to
cant go on forever and to try
to confront that as gracefully as
I knew how...I think at 25 years
is probably a moment that makes
sense. But there is not some thing
just thinking this is the proper
and graceful and good thing to
do for the College and for me.
Lizs time at Bennington was
marked by a multitude of changes
and additions to the school, from
the Symposium in 1994 to the
construction of CAPA (the Center
for the Advancement of Public
Action) in 2011. Since Coleman
was selected as President, the
school has raised more than
$175 million, and the college
is at an historical high in terms
of enrollment (currently 690
undergraduates). These are just
two in a host of achievements,
including the college no longer
being the most expensive in thecountry, and conversion from
an oil-based heating system to a
sustainable wood one. Dean of
the College, Isabel Roche, who
has worked closely with Coleman
over the last two years in her
current position, as well as eight
years prior as a member of the
foreign language faculty, spoke
fondly of the time that she has
spent with Liz. I think that the
length of time shes been here
has allowed her to internalize
this sense of the institution...She
cares about this place deeply and
she cares about people deeply andthose are pretty special qualities.
While members of the
Bennington community react
to the news, students turn their
attention to the selection of
the next leader of Bennington
College. The administration has
made it clear that it is interested in
as much involvement from current
students and faculty as possible in
the near future. For the time being,
the Board of Trustees is leading
the search while developing
ways in which to engage
the Bennington community.
When asked if she had anyadvice for a successor, who has
a big act to follow, Liz naturallyhad an opinion. I think getting to
know [the college] is a challenge-
not a bad challenge, its a
wonderful challenge- I actually
think most of the challenges
are wonderful. They do have
to do with falling in love with
Bennington. I dont think thats
very hard to do, but I think its
important. Really, the issue of
love is very important here- that
is, Bennington being something
that you deeply, deeply care
about. Not so that you become
blind or cheerleading so much as
having a commitment that keeps
you going. Equally fundamental
is appreciating how important
this institution is in the landscape
of American education.
While President Coleman
will be leaving her position this
spring, she will not be leaving
the Bennington community quite
yet, and will be taking on the
position of Director of the Center
for the Advancement of Public
Action for the next two years.
in a three-part retrospective
on President Colemans
time at Bennington.
President Coleman to Step Down After 25th Year
Come November 6th, Barack
Obama and Mitt Romney wont
be the only names Bennington
residents will be considering
in the voting booth. This is the
will be publishing on local
elections leading up to election
day. Look to our next issue for
candidates and their positions.
Bennington College students
represent a potentially powerful
but historically under-engaged
constituency in Vermont House
District 2-1 (which comprises
the village of North Bennington,
old Bennington, the west end
and many neighborhoods
downtown up to East Road).
With a district population of just
under 7,800, the 700 students
at Bennington College would
potentially make up 9% of the
voting population- a hugely
the fact that many Bennington
students remain registered in their
home states and vote by absentee
ballot, or never register at all. In
2010 fewer than 75 Bennington
students voted in local elections;
a surprisingly low turnout even
in a non-presidential race.
Bennington Free Press writer
Brendan McPherson spoke with
community leaders about the
possibilities of getting students
more involved in Bennington
proper and engaging more
actively with local politics.
Representative Campion (who
is also an employee of the
College) appealed to the activist
spirit of Bennington students in
noting Vermonts consistently
progressive record as a state that
legislating on national political
issues. This is a really interesting
state [...] The marriage equality
bill was huge- led by Vermont.
Healthcare- led by Vermont. We
just passed a law last year thatwill prohibit fracking in this state.
This is a state that students are
living in that has led on a lot of
important issues. Campion also
expressed hope that students will
recognize the unique opportunity
Vermont affords voters to become
meaningfully involved in the
political and legislative process.
[...] in Vermont theres 600,000
people. You can really get
involved. Youre not at school
in New York state where you
would probably have to make an
appointment months in advance
to meet with a legislator. I mean
literally, somebody could text me
and we could meet for coffee.
Long-time town clerk Tim
Corcoran noted that while he has
observed local college students
tending to be more informed
about nuanced issues than many
voters, their actual participation in
elections seems to wax and wane
with the presidential election
cycle. While this is a national
trend that cuts across many
demographics, one might think
that a school so bound up in the
gospel of Public Action would see
its students more involved withlocal issues. John Shannahan,
director of the Better Bennington
Corporation, is working to get
college students more involved
in the community, and notes
that many students choose to
become residents after they
Top to Bottom: Representative Brian
Campion, Representative Tim Corcoran II,
and candidate Warren Roaf, all of whom are
running for the Vermont House of Repre-
sentatives in VT House District 2-1.
BY RACHEL JACKSON
EDITOR-IN-CHIEFOF CONTENT
WITH REPORTINGBY AKHURAPA
AMBAK
INSIDE
graduate. Youth is good for our
community, especially in the state
of Vermont which is one of the
highest aging populations in the
country. Its nice to have young
people [and] once they come to
school here, a number of them
make it home and they invest their
whole future in the community-
and it lifts the community up.
Bennington select board
member and local businessman
Jim Carroll observed that
Bennington College students
by and large- and I would say
the SVC students as well- stay
below the radar [...] Theres
an age old problem that has
existed between all the colleges
here in town. Theres a certain
remoteness to both of the larger
colleges. From his hot dog
cart in front of Greenbergs,
Carroll interacts daily with a
cross-section of locals, tourists
and other travelers, making
him a good point from which totake the pulse of local opinion.
He also offered the following
advice to Bennington students:
Dont be afraid of the townies!
Were not gonna hurt you.
MANAGING EDITOR-IN- CHIEF
WITHREPORTINGBY BRENDEN
7/29/2019 Fall 2012- Volume 18, Issue 1
2/8
>>SkinnyNon-Fat Swirl in a Cake
Cone
Liz Colemans last Dairy Bar
order.
We dont understand the
living room installation.
But we like napping.
Kissing: Out
Ying: In
What the fuck is an
iPhone?
No, seriously.
Missing the Garlic Festival
Making us more vulner-
able to vampires, depres-sion
Student Gender Ratio
Now 6:4
Bennington sure to remain
romantic bizarro world
Sexiest Freshman:
Joe Greco
Too Erect To Get Dressed
To Get Laid
Put your sad in my sad.
Whats Obamas Last
Name?
No, really?
Which words in end of
the world are capital-
ized?
Were all wondering.
President Colemans Last
Dressed to Get Laid
Drizz to get Liz
We Hate Airplane Win-
dows, Too.
It gets stuy in there
The New Toasters Already
Broken
And it was so easy to use!
The New Kanye is Hot Fire
He should really be a
senator
Andrew Wu for President
Rap Game 2012
LMFAO Broke Up
Fingers crossed for Yeesh
GLOVE FUCK 2012
Even my dreams smell like
latex
2 The BenningTon Free Press/ September 28th, 2012 > Vol. 18N E W S
For Benningtons Class of 2016,
arrival on campus meant arrival at a
new life. On August 31st, the freshman
class was greeted by their classmates
and mentors, and with a gentle nudge
from President Liz Coleman, left their
parents and families behind. Events
and opportunities to learn more about the
school and each other lay ahead of them.
Prior to the arrival of the entire Class
of 2016, however, about 70 freshman
participated in the Pre-Orientation
Trips. Led by returning students, groups
Orientation 2012
With the fall term getting into full swing
and midterms approaching (really, theyre
closer than you think), its important to re-
member: youre not alone! Aside from the
seven hundred-odd other students on this
campus, if you make your way to Barn 120
youll meet Kate Child, Assistant Direc-
tor for Academic Services. Much like last
years First Year Advisors, Child is here
to work with students on managing their
classes, communicating with faculty advi-
sors, and to act as a resource for students,
years. The college is also in the process
of hiring a second Assistant Director, who
take charge of the Study Abroad program.
Child is enthusiastic about the new term
and incoming class, saying that the begin-
ning of the year was an exciting time to
start, and that she felt a lot of energy
from the school and its students. Her open
hours are Monday through Thursday 12:30
2:00. Stop by and say hello!
Bennington Welcomes New
Assistant Director for
Academic Services, KateChild
Ken Himmelman Resigns After Eight Years
Himmelman and President Coleman teaching their
Fundamentals of Public Action class together in 2011.
PHOTO CREDIT: BENNINGTON COLLEGE FLICKR
NEWSEDITOR
At the end of this summer, Dean of
Admissions Ken Himmelman announcedhis departure from Bennington Col-
lege after eight years of working here.
Himmelman will be leaving to work
at Partners in Health, a global health or-
ganization that focuses on providing al-
ready existing cures and remedies to
places that they are not yet available.
a strategic position meant to lead co-
operative plans with other companies.
When Himmelman arrived at Benning-
ton, he had no experience with college
admissions. The interim Deans of Admis-
sions at the time, Janet Marsden and David
Rees, got him up to speed on the col-
lege, but it was a new experience for ev-eryone: I would say we were all learning
admissions on the job, said Marsden in an
email interview. Himmelman cites Rees
and Marsden as his mentors at the school.
Despite his lack of experience with
Admissions, Himmelman had a sig-
-
munications, Admissions, and the cur-
riculum. When he arrived in 2004,
750 people applied to the college. This
past year, there were 1236 applicants.
In addition to being Dean of Admis-
sions, he was an instrumental part of found-
ing the CAPA program with Liz Coleman,
which started four years ago. Hes taught
CAPA classes, including a program on
education reform that ended in a student-
run forum as well as various tutorials, and
the Fundamentals of Advancing Public
Action course with President Coleman.
Another program that Himmelman
worked hard to build is the Admissions
intern program. If I could have any
legacy, it would be that every student
who comes here wants to work in admis-
sions, he says. He strongly believes that
the college admissions process should
involve the Bennington community, so
it can best embody and communicate the
schools philosophy. Himmelman was al-
ways aware that the college admissions
process can be monstrous, and he didnt
want Bennington to be that way. Himmel-
man has worked with the Board of Trust-
ees and President Coleman, in an atmo-
sphere of increased technology use and
pressure in college admissions, to ensure
that the Bennnington admissions process
The college is currently searching for
a new Dean of Admissions. In the mean-
time, Marsden, who now serves as Di-
rector of Communications, will hold the
position. Serving as both Director of
Communications and acting Dean of Ad-
missions in this moment feels so natu-
ral--its an extension of the work I have
been doing for years, Marsden said.
Though the school will certainly change
without Himmelman, he believes it to be
a good thing. People, and organizations,
need change, Himmelman says, express-ing his belief that a new Dean of Admis-
sions will bring new ideas to the college,
the same way he is bringing something
new to Partners in Health. As Ken leaves
Vermont, moves to Boston, and begins
parting sentiment to share not about the
impact he had on our school, but about
the impact that our school had on him:
I will never be able to leave this place.
participated in various outdoor
activities, including backpacking,
canoeing, and biking. Backpacker Eri
Stern found that the trip exceeded her
expectations. I went into the trip not too
excited about it, she says. I just didntknow what to expect. But I think it was
really useful because of the friendships I
formed and, it was just a good way to get
International students from the
freshman class also arrived early.
For Fatima Zaidi, it was helpful
to be surrounded by others going
through the same experience. It was
easier for us to settle in with [so] few
people on campus and it was good
that all the international students got
On Friday night, speeches from
Isabel Roche, Dean of the College,
Duncan Dobbelmann, Associate
Dean of the College, and Eva Chatterjee-
Sutton, Dean of Students, welcomed the
whole class. Activities within orientation
groups and house communities followed
and continued throughout the weekend.
One of the new additions to the
Orientation schedule was a faculty panel,
including Marguerite Feitlowitz, Karen
Gover, Nick Brooke, and Robert Ransick,
discussing the question, What is Original
Work? Each faculty member spoke
on their interpretation of the question,
with responses varying from personal
narratives to sound clips of Girl Talk.
Zaidi remembers
campus fondly: Itwas just like a dream
because Vermont is
so beautiful seeing
mountains was just
amazing and surreal.
It was so much
better than any of
the photos. It is an
exciting time for new
students, who are fresh
to the landscape and
energy of the campus.
7/29/2019 Fall 2012- Volume 18, Issue 1
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3 The BenningTon Free Press/September 28th, 2012 > Vol. 18F E A T U R E S
you ask? For the same reason that I have
anonymously ask me all
shocked to learn on the Internet that you
Meet Dr. von DoinIt, Your New Sex Guru
Requiem for a Cake: Being Gluten-Free at Bennington
Disclaimer: Dr. von DoinIt is NOT an
accredited doctor of any kind.
name of the party. If youre
youll have at least already
Have any questions for the Doctor?
Send them to [email protected].
7/29/2019 Fall 2012- Volume 18, Issue 1
4/8
4 The BenningTon Free Press/September 28th, 2012 > Vol. 18F E A T U R E S
Is there another individual on campus
that we trust more than Joe Greco,
our new Executive Chef? Indeed, he
could kill us all pretty easily. But so
far he has not, and after sitting down
with the attractive, animated Saratoga
native I think we have nothing to worry
about - just dont diss the Filet-O-Fish.
Tell me a little about yourself
and how you came to Bennington.
Well I grew up in up-state New York -
Saratoga County - and went to college at
the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde
Park, New York. Ive been cooking for
and Im thirty now. I learned about the job
opening at Bennington from monster.com
actually, and then interviewed for it. I then
participated in a cook off, where I made a
vegan tofu dish with coconut curry broth,
seared scallops, and a salad. And I got the job!
Whats the craziest story you
have so far from the Dining Hall?
We were loading up an event for the
entire rack of hot entrees fell on the
Luckily, for some reason that day we
had overproduced what we were serving
- crab cakes - and we had enough to
get through the day. It was crazy. We
driving them back and forth in a golf cart.
If you could cook dinner for
one person, whom would it be?
I would have to say my grandfather
because he died just as I was entering
my career. He was a hardcore Italian-
Sicilian. I think I would like to cook for
him so he could see what I can do now.
Favorite fast food restaurant?
Im gonna have to tell ya something.
My guilty pleasure is a McDonalds
sea - so they say, at least - so thats good.
But the combination of the soft bun,
the good cheese, and, well, too much
tartar sauce... thats my guilty pleasure.
Getting to Know Executive Chef Joe Greco
2012 is a year of change. After 244
years the Encyclopedia Britannica stopped
foot on the moon died, apparently the
apocalypse is near, and most of all, the
Student Center has a new menu! Say
whaaaaat! I can adapt to a lot of things:
different cultures, different people, yadda
yadda, but I must say that as a 3-year
regular at the Snack Bar, I found myself
quite befuddled standing in front of the
End of the World in particular does
not really make sense to me. I dont see
chicken tenders, nor french fries (now
in 3 different styles) as my last meal on
earth. Some good old friends of mine did
not make the cut, like the Ceasar Salad,or (and the student body agrees in unison
with me) WAFFLE FRIES! Fortunately I
have already found new companionship
in the fancy Asian salad topped with
salad though, and pretty much everything
aforementioned salad costs me $8.85,
which leaves me thirsty with worthless
40 cents down the drain. While our dinner
allowance was increased by a negligible
3%, some items on the menu, like the
Capital B, now cost up to 27% more than
last term, and following the development
money is inclined to continue. Cody
Sullivan 13 , star of the upcoming
production School of Lies, says: One
problem is the lack of communication
between the Snack Bar and the student
body. In the Dining Hall we have the
napkin notes providing us with a voice that
is heard to a greater or lesser extent. I think
kind of forum where students can post their
suggestions, feedback, support etc. But I
do not want to be too negative. Overall,
on this campus has gotten so much better
over the last year, including at the Snack
Bar, which will still have me as a regular
as long as I can afford it. Bon Apptit!
Snack Bar Offers New Menu To Students
Returning students this term mayhave noticed that not only are there new
members among their own ranks, but that
there are several new faces among the
schools faculty as well. The Anthropology
department has welcomed Noah Coburn
into their midst, who is teaching Politics
and Culture: From Big Men to Big
Brother, as well as The Anthropology of
International Intervention for this fall term.
The Literature buffs have a new name to
remember too: Michael Dumanis, who you
Schools and Movements
in American Poetry, and Reading and
Writing Poetry. In the Neurosciences we
have David Edelman teachingReimagining
Memory in Biology and Beyond andthe intriguing A Neurological Almanac
of Animal Vision. The new Computing
teacher is Andrew Cencini, who is teaching
both Computing Ecology, and Big Data.
Finally, the Jennings Mansion has two
new music faculty: Michael Wimberly
teaching the discipline-crossing Music
Compositions for Dance, and Drumming:
an Extension of Language; and Susie Ibarra
MICHAEL WIMBERLY
teaching theBennington World Percussion
Ensemble and the APA Workshop:Focus:
Human Rights Women and Girls.
Now, as you all know, our school has
a rather unique educational philosophy
that affects the types of people hired and
the way they teach. One of the long-
standing Bennington ideals right from
the inception of the school has been that
of the teacher-practitioner, and this years
Andrew Cencini, for one, has not done all
of his learning in a textbook environment.
After school, he says: I went to work for
I was in charge of was [developing] the
core index for Bing. Michael Wimberly
also has a wealth of real world experience
to bring into the classroom. Although hehas been teaching music since he was an
undergrad, he spent many years in New
York City keeping one eye open for any
opportunities. All of the sudden Im
playing in Martha Grahams School of
Dance, he says, and Im playing for the
Joffrey Ballet, because I had a roommate
who was in the Joffrey. [Then] Im working
with the Alvin Ailey Company Im with
Alvin Ailey himself. Mr. Wimberly talks
students: I can bring all of my experiences,
and my stories, and the little knowledge
that I have, and share it with the students
that are here. Andrew Cencini also
speaks to the importance of not learning
in a vacuum. The way that I like doing
things is to take a big project that really
he says, describing a methodology that
emulates the real world cooperation of
the computing world. He hopes to leave
his students with more than just theories;
they will have something at the end of their
course that they can actually use. Both
teachers are very excited about the way
that Benningtons teaching philosophy
works with their own. Mr. Wimberly notedIm learning so much here, and went on
to add that he appreciates the schools
philosophy of creating an environment that
is expansive, an environment that wants to
try a different approach to learning, because
we all learn differently. Mr. Cencini
shared a similar sentiment: Whats so
amazing about this place is the intellectual
generosity, the fact that people from all
Bennington Welcomes New Social Science, Computer Science, and Music Faculty
different disciplines want to work together
on things. All in all, these new additions
to the Bennington faculty are sure to
impress many new and exciting things on
the students here for many terms to come.
Coburn, Cencini, Wimberly, and Ibarra Join Faculty
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5 THE BENNINGTON FREE PRESS/September 28th,2012> Vol. 18 No.1V O I C E S
Where Does the Path to Prosperity End?
In 2011, Rep. Paul Ryan proposed a 2012
budget called the Path to Prosperity. All
but four Republicans in the House voted
for it. Paul Ryan is the Chairman of the
House Budget Committeea man with
strong beliefs adopted from Ayn Rands
philosophy of objectivism. He is also the
Republican vice presidential nominee,
public policy. Ryans Path would cut taxes
on our highest earners and on all foreign
but Ryans plan would do so at the expense
of our middle and lower classes, cutting
spending on health care, food stamps,
higher education and public employment.
Gov. Romney, the Republican nominee
for the upcoming presidential election, does
not have a strong ideology. His positions on
issues from abortion to marriage equality to
climate change have all changed completely
since his 1994 Senate race against Ted
Kennedy. Mitt Romney is saying what he
needs to say to win the conservative vote
and become president; he is not saying
what he (according to his record) believes.
The statements on personal responsibility
into Mitt Romneys true convictions.
Paul Ryan has a vision; he has ideals. It is
a vision that rewards public employees with
layoffs, and rewards humble beginnings
with two jobs and no health insurance. Hisvision scares me. Paul Ryans vision leads
only to more inequality, and inequality does
not lead to general prosperityit leads to
prosperity for a few Americans. I fear that
Paul Ryans ideological agenda will win out
over Mitt Romneys passive pragmatism
if they took power, and would plunge
even more Americans into destitution and
disadvantage. Under no circumstances can
we cannot allow the #RomneyRyan2012
ticket to make its way to the White House.
Obama Speaks to Constituents
After a week of Republican attacks,
including Clint Eastwoods chair-fuelled
diatribe, President Obama responded with
a strongly worded nomination-acceptance
speech. In his speech, Obama made clear
the difference between himself and Mitt
Romney, emphasizing the progress his
administration had made, particularly in
the economic sector, an area where Mr.
Romney had incessantly attacked in the
weeks leading up to each partys convention.Obamas speech included references to
topics considered most important by middle-
class votersthe economy and healthcare.
He criticized Romneys campaign strategy,
saying that [Republicans] were more than
happy to talk about everything they think is
wrong with America, but they didnt have
much to say about how theyd make it right.
The speech offered a clear path for
the next four years; he laid out a plan
that focused on continuing the rebirth
of manufacturing, especially in the auto
industry. This was a subject he repeatedly
remarked onnotably, it is an issue that
has tested Romney after the Republican
nominee favored letting the automobile
companies become bankrupt in 2009.
Obama talked about how America had
continued producing goods again, and
linked the increase in manufacturing with
improving standards in education. He also
called for colleges and universities to cut
tuition in the wake of college debt becoming
bigger than credit card debt, an issue close
to the hearts of many middle-class voters.
Mr. Obama also heavily criticized his
opponents. He described the Republicans
as having a strategy that would reverse
[manufacturing] progress, saying that a
Republican run country would give more
tax breaks to corporations that ship jobs
overseas. The President also discussed
the weakness of Mr. Romneys foreign
policy expertise, citing Mr. Romneys
disparaging remarks about Londons
preparation for the Olympics and his
description of Russia as the United States
number one enemy. Finally, Mr. Obamapointed to his own success overseas,
taking particular care to mention the
successful killing of Osama Bin Laden.
Mr. Obamas speech seems to have
had a positive impact among voters; in
the most recent New York Times-CBS
Poll, Obama erased the lead Romney
previously held on the economy. Obama
also still holds a strong lead among
middle-class voters. However, Obama still
trails among Independent voters, a group
he succeeded in winning last election.
Is the Real Paul Ryan for Real Right Now?
Dont Believe the Ryan Hype
Much hoopla has been made over
Mitt Romneys selection of Wisconsin
congressman Paul Ryan as his vice
presidential running mate. Many have
get us back to talking about real issues.
Now, Im not going to comment on the
fact that the media has been celebratinga return to real issues (while bearing a
large amount of responsibility for the
substance-lacking, headline-driven manner
this presidential campaign has been
conducted in). However, if this is what
Lets look at Mr. Ryans proposals and
his voting record. According to Project
Vote Smart, a non-partisan organization
that tracks voting records, Ryan voted in
support of a constitutional amendment
banning equality for same sex couples,
voted to ban all abortions unless in the case
of rape, incest, or the life of the mother.
And while his budget plan claims to hold all
federal spending to 4% of GDP in 2050, Mitt
Romney himself has promised to increase
the defense budget alone by 100 billion,
putting it at 4% of GDP, according to CNN.
Essentially, Mr. Ryan is a wolf in
sheeps clothing. He has found a way
of masquerading himself as a serious
man about serious issues, particularlywith the budget, but his record reveals
him to be another dyed-in-the-wool red
meat conservative out to advance his
personal ideology. Mr. Ryan doesnt seem
to want realistic budget constraints, he
wants the same trickle-down economic
policies of Republicans past, all while
social programs for the poor, elderly, and
middle class are eliminated. Lets not get
ahead of ourselves about Mr. Ryan: As
the song goes, dont believe the hype.
Drone Voice is Loud, Steady
Prior to September 11th, 2012, you
could ask any voter in this country what
the most important issue of this election
is and they would reply, the economy.
However, since the killing of US ambas-
sador to Libya Christopher Stephens and
three of his support staff, foreign policy
has made its way into the spotlight. Mitt
Romney blasted Barack Obamas response
to the killings, saying, Its disgraceful that
was not to condemn attacks on our dip-
lomatic missions, but to sympathize with
those who waged the attacks.
Mr. Obamas campaign responded by
criticizing Romney for politicizing the at-
tacks, and rightly so. It is absolutely de-
plorable that Mr. Romney would choose a
moment of crisis to score political points,
but it does raise an important question:
How have Mr. Obamas policies affected
the Middle East? When he was sworn in,
Mr. Obama was hailed as the savior of
American diplomacy. Rhetorically, Mr.
Obamas foreign policy is levelheaded and
reasonable. When put into practice, how-
ever, it certainly loses its shine. Mr. Obama
has dramatically increased the usage of un-
manned drone strikes, personally choosing
those to be assassinated. He has even ap-
pointed a Drone-Czar named John Bren-
nan. Under Mr. Brennan, the administra-
tion has deemed all military-aged malesas combatants. Any man who happens to
be within the range of a drone strike, and is
of the proper age, is automatically assumed
to be an enemy combatant and is not count-
ed as a civilian death.
Needless to say, this has caused some
animosity between the US and Middle
Eastern nations. Mr. Brennan also asserts
that the Yemenis love drone strikes,
which makes total sense. Drone strikes are
in fact so unpopular in Yemen that they
are causing an increase in al-Qaida re-
cruitment. After a particularly devastating
drone attack in which 13 Yemeni civilians
were killed, Nasr Abdullah, a noted activ-
ist, said, I would not be surprised if a hun-
dred tribesmen joined the lines of al-Qaidaas a result of the latest drone mistake.
While they have been successful in
killing many high-ranking al-Qaida of-
too high. The United States is already
disliked enough in the Middle East
its hard to imagine that dropping bombs
on civilians is doing us any favors.
LEFT: PRESIDENTBARACKOBAMASPEAKINGATTHEDEMOCRATICNATIONALCONVENTIONINCHARLOTTE, NORTHCAROLINA. RIGHT: COUNTER-TERRORISMCHIEFJOHNO. BRENNAN.
E l e c t i o n 2 0 1 2
November 6th, 2012!
PHOTOCREDIT: BARACKOBAMAFLICKR PHOTOCREDIT: BARACKOBAMAFLICKR
Dont Forget to Vote!
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THE BFP STAFF
EDITORS IN CHIEF
NEWS EDITOR
VOICES EDITOR
FEATURES EDITOR
ARTS EDITOR
PRODUCTION MANAGERETHAN CLARK-MOSCHELLA
COPY EDITORS
BY KILLIAN WALSH
Think back to the beginning of term,
around two weeks or so ago (if you arent
a freshman). You received a large-sized
post card in your mailbox with our localarea code stamped rather attractively on
the front of it. Ring any bells? If youre
unfamiliar, there are about six letters from
there was also a fairly grand service project
held on campus called 05201, geared at
establishing a stronger relationship between
Bennington Town and Bennington College.
Now I know there are some hopeful
optimists among you who think that
the relationship between these two
communities is already fairly strong and,
frankly, doesnt need improving. But let
me say to you--and slip a wallet under your
tongues for this one--this is simply not the
case. For a number of factors, some beyondcontrol and others painfully avoidable, the
interaction between the town and college
up on this hill back in 1932. If youre
curious about it, ask somebody. Preferably
someone with a few years behind them
too. And not someone from New York.
North Bennington is closer to us. Its
been more accepting of our artsy ways and
as far as I know still stones their lottery
winners. Their population has a decidedly
different make up than our neighbors to
the South, too. Add to this the physical
distance Bennington proper is from our
sloping campus grounds, and theres little
natural chance for interaction between us.
Enter 05201: an iteration in a service
project... by a former graphic designer,
John Bielenberg, puts its focus on
Thinking Wrong. And oh boy, if that
isnt the best way to put it. Mr. Bielenberg
sets this method in the context of Steve
Jobs and his innovations at Apple, citing
the mans recently published biographyby Walter Isaacson. For those of you
familiar with the Cult of Jobs--or I
should say aware--its fairly obvious
that the innovation behind the mans
artfully designed consumer electronics
wasnt the product of some session in a
Hopi sweat lodge. It was nothing more
than cold, smart, capitalistic calculation.
This brings me to the gripes I have with
05201. Let me start by saying that I dont
mean to disrespect Mr. Bielenberg in the
slightest. The mans passion for his craft
and the multiplicity of awards he said that
hed won for it gives him a far more expert
perspective on these matters than me, a
college junior. Secondly, I want to state
that I mean no disrespect to the hours otherparticipants in 05201 spent working or the
projects they devised with their time. I wish
them the best of luck with what theyve
come up with. I just dont think it will work.
What instantly struck me as dissonant
with the idea of a service project was
Mr. Bielenbergs reminder that whatever
we came up with had to be capitalist in
nature. Im hard-pressed to think of any
successful service works that start their
development with the goal of making
Bonos Inspi(RED) campaign, but let me
remind you that 80% of those proceeds
went right back into the company.
I could needle over a number of pointswhere I saw 05201 going sour, either in
concept or execution. It brought me back
to countless memories of faith retreats
in Catholic school where you leave
feeling all great without actually having
accomplished anything. So the real test of
this project ought to be whether anything
comes of it. Im running out of space here,but I need to beg the people involved
with CAPA discussions to please, please,
please pick a project concerned with
Public Action, and not Public Posturing.
BY PETE FEY
It is 4:11 A.M. -- and where is Campus
Safety? Where are Joe, Jimmy, Jeffrey
- whatever their names are - to write me
up for extortionate studying, to hand me aviolation for intemperate consumption of
Where was Campus Safety ten hours ago,
when I passed through the Common Room
and found myself thrust into the middle
of an hour-long half-baked discourse
IMPRUDENT PROCRASTINATION:
$75.00 - in my mailbox Monday morning?
Is it true that if I receive three of these
in one semester I can be barred from
buying NOS at the Student Center?
And my meeting with Eva about chronic
mendaciousness - when is that? I know Im
lying. My alarm knows Im lying. Even theRice Krispies know Im lying. So when
will I be disciplined for continually telling
myself that Ill do that at breakfast?
Indeed, every morning is a unique yet s imilar
failure; different homework uncompleted,
the same sleepiness the reason for it.
O superior sages of Bennington, I need
you! Just as I beseech your guidance as
to when and where and with whom I candrink alcohol, do drugs, and smoke my
cigarettes, I implore you to impart your
wisdom on my study habits, on my time
management, on my sleep schedule!
College is killing me, and the only way I
can see myself avoiding certain death by
Chekhov, Defoe, and van Loon is for you
to let me know what I am doing wrong at
the exact moment I am doing it. I learn
from punishment - not experience! I need
monetary values attached to time wasted,
reproves for detrimental eating habits, a
handbook outlining what I will suffer for
one more mindless minute on Buzzfeed!
I need Big Brother! I need Brigham Young
comes to Bennington! I need North Korea!
I need Ken Collamore tailing me day and
night, arthritic by the time I graduate due to
But alas - I actually just need to go to bed.
Variety: The Spice of Life, Not DinnerBY TREVOR STANNUS
It is a common misconception held
by those less inclined toward the spicier
things in life: all hot sauces were created
equal. Yes, most of them may be red and
make you run for a glass of milk (bread
is not an effective cure), but the fact is
that many of us can taste the difference.Many of you may not know this, but our
own Student Center and Dining Hall on
campus offer only one brand of hot sauce,
and that is Texas Pete. Now the label with
the little red cowboy on it has been around
since 1929, and I dont doubt that there is
some following; I, however, am not a fan.
Sure, Texas Pete is based on the classic
combination of red peppers and vinegar
which many of you will recognize from
other (in my opinion, superior) hot sauces
such as Cholula and Tabasco. What, then,
is the difference?
Well, it comes down to the hot in
hot sauce. The heat level of peppers and
hot sauces sometimes referred to as its
pungencyis measured on the Scoville
scale. Texas Pete averages at a mere
750 on the Scoville heat scale. To put
that in perspective, Cholula and Tabasco
both hover around a 3,500. I understand
that its a lowest common denominator
situation here, and that it makes sense that
a less spicy sauce will appeal to the most
people over all, but without that vital heat I
believe that Texas Pete appeals to only one
vinegar. I am not asking for specialty
sauces to melt the faces of the uninitiated;
even Sriracha (at a less imposing 2,000) is
delicious in comparison to Texas Pete. Id
just like to spice things up.
LEFT: PETEFEY. RIGHT: SRIRACHAHOTCHILISAUCE, TEXASPETEHOTSAUCE
PHOTOCREDIT: BFPARCHIVES
PHOTOCREDIT: PETEFEY
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Dead Mans Cell Phone, written by Sarah Ruhl and to be performed as this years fallstudent production, is the comic love story of a woman named Jean and a mysterious,
handsome stranger in a coffee shop who will not answer his cell phonebecause he
happens to be dead. What follows is a fantasy exploration of contemporary life told with
Sarah Ruhls pithy yet whimsical style. It is a style not yet known to Bennington: as
director Ashley Connell said, We havent done a Sarah Ruhl play here, to my knowledge,
and shes a female playwright, shes a modern playwright, the play is a modern play but...
its in sort of a poetic style....I dont think its what [Bennington will] be expecting.
Additionally, the plays focus on female characters ensures that female actors star in
well-developed roles, something we sometimes lack in the department, Connell said.
Dead Mans Cell Phone runs October 13 and 14. It is stage managed by
Abby Beggs, assisted by Rebecca Warzer; with set by Bronwyn Maloney;
costumes by Krista Thorp; lighting by Bronwyn Maloney, assisted by Ranleigh
Starling; sound by Eva Bond. The cast includes: Meg Rumsey-Lasersohn, Rory
Cullen, Andrew Plimpton, Amanda Campbell, Emily Gaynor, and Lily Brown.
Dead Mans Cell Phone
ARTS EDITOR
On display in Usdan Gallery from
September 11 until October 18, Uniting
States of Americans: From I Am An
American to We are the 99% features
two collections of documentary work byCynthia Weber, printed material from
the Occupy Movement, and an event
series organized by Terry Orr 13 and
Forest Purnell 13. Text @unitingstates
to 23559 for live updates on the exhibit.
A few days after the beginning
of Occupy Wall Street last year, the
philosopher Slavoj appeared at
Lower Manhattan. There is a danger.
Dont fall in love with yourselves, he
said. We know that people often desire
something but do not really want it. Dont
be afraid to really want what you desire.
Behind the theatrics of the 2012 US
presidential election, does anyone know
how deep the crisis goes? On another
level, how is the American public
limited in what it can desire by the fact
of what it is? And how does that relate
to notion of the public as the 99%?
Cynthia Weber, a documentarian and
a Professor of International Relations at
Sussex University in the UK, recently
suggested that the phrase We are the
global unities that are lived incompletely
in the present in the hope that they will
be lived more completely in the future
Webers work, now on exhibit in
Usdan Gallery, addresses the themes of
difference, inclusion, and exclusion in
and particularly
the American public. In her collection I
Am An American, Weber makes public
service announcements out of interviews
with those considered to be unmeltable
Americans. Voices in the collection
include Ofelia Rivas, a Tohono Oodham
Native American whose peoples territory
has been physically divided by a vehicle
border installed in 2006; and James Yee,
a former US army Muslim chaplain who
was detained for weeks under unsupported
claims of sedition, after returning from
service at Guantanamo Bay in 2003. Part
of the permanent collection at the National
September 11 Memorial Museum, I
Am An American speaks to the limits
of inclusion in liberal, tolerant society.Webers recent collection, recorded
at Zucotti Park in New York and other
sites, brings similar concerns to bear on
the Occupy Movement and the phrase
We Are the 99%. In one of the videos,
performance artist Reverend Billy
Talen, dressed in a white televangelist
over a crowd and yells enthusiastically,
exaggeratedly, The 99%my new god!
Weber writes, While OWS and
the 99% movements challenge what
democracy looks like, their initial
success was arguably down to the fact
that these movements appeared to leave
unchallenged the underlying ideology
upon which US democratic practice is
political ideology that champions the
rights of individuals to organize governing
arrangements that protect their freedoms
in social conditions of their choosing.
Whbe afraid to want what we desire, he was
also saying to not be afraid of questioning
liberalism and its limits. Webers I
Am An American series illustrates
those limits through the examples of
unmeltable Americans. We Are the
99%, on the other hand, might show how
easily revolutionary intentions can melt.
Review: Uniting States of Americans,From I Am An American to We Are the 99%
The Arts Section brings you the hottest hits, from Hollywood to 1st Street
On
Campus
After undertaking the colossus of
Angels in America a year ago as well as
Sam Hunters When Youre Here this
past spring, the Drama Department has
chosen to present School for Lies this
term, Henry Ives rambunctious adaptation
masterpiece The Misanthrope. Under
the direction of drama faculty Kathleen
Dimmick, the cast members will learn the
ins and outs of speaking in verse in their
preparations over the next nine weeks.
Like the original, the play skewers
hypocrisy in the arenas of love, law, and
art, at the same time paying sly homageto Richard Wilburs great English verse
translation from the 1950s, says Dimmick.
Student directors include assistant director
Elissa Daniels, stage manager Emily
Anzalone, lighting designer Ranleigh
School for Lies
Choi and Tina Cooper. Cast members are
Cody Sullivan, Colin Hinckley, Olivia
Auerbach, Molly Kirschner, Catherine
Weingarten, Dylan Scott, Tenara Calem,
School for Lies will run November
16th, 17th, and 18th at 8pm.
Skyfall again trialed. When his latest mission
in Istanbul goes gravely wrong, Bond
goes missing, presumed dead and M16s
agents around the world are exposed.
as Ms only ally, suddenly reappears. As
he follows her order to track down the
mysterious Raoul Silva, whose hidden
motives have yet to be revealed, Bond
Mendes of American Beauty notoriety,
Skyfall will premiere on October 23.
Author of theHis Dark Materials trilogy, Pullman is the modern master of the dark
fairytale. Two centuries before him, however, that title belonged to Jacob and Wilhelm
His personal comments follow each story. That, in itself, is a treasure. Out November 8.
resurrection. These are the words that
come to mind as Flying Lotus new
album, Until the Quiet Comes, fast
approaches. Unlike Steven Ellisons
previous albums (Flying Lotus is his
integrated with old school hip-hop beats.
and sharing the same name as the album
is intended as a preview to the upcoming
Kahlil Joseph uses amateur actors and
dancers of all ages and brings us into the
atmosphere and emotion of this musically
surreal world that Flying Lotus has created.Also look forward to collaborations on
the album with the greats: Erykah Badu,
Schoolboy Q, and Beck. Until the Quiet
Comes drops on October 2 and from what
is on the radar at the moment, coupled with
his past three albums, it seems there is only
one direction Flying Lotus is headed. Up.
You can listen to Until the Quiet
Comes now on NPRs First Listen.
Until the Quiet ComesSkyfall
Fairy Tales from the Brothers Grimm:
A New English Version
Skyfall will premiere on October 23.kyfall will premiere on October 23.kyfall
Fairy Tales from the Brothers Grimm:
Off
Campus
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What can we say about Snow Beast?
If you want an hour and thirty-seven
minutes of pure cinematic genius
Snow Beast is
One treat in the movie is when you see
drags the daughter to a cabin in the
Snow Beast
Snow Beast
Stream Snow Beast.
Stream it Now:Snow Beast
(2011, Brian Brough)
-
woman who gyrates her hips in perhaps
-
-
Starships,
Margetic on MusicA critical examination of the music video for
Starships by Nicki Minaj
Welcome to the JungleWith all the new bands on campus, things are going to
sound a little different around here
to the fact that they are using covers to
Brother Dane and the Zen Masters
Jake Saunders
you remember not just the times you
music through the use of harmonies and
and bass and they got into the idea of a
with creating different sorts of sounds than
Harlan and Sam
drone-y music might seem distant from