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    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

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    >>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.

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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

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    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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    6 The BenningTon Free Press/September 28, 2012 > Vol. 18 No.1V O I C E S

    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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    7 THE BENNINGTON FREE PRESS/September 28th, 2012 > Vol. 18 No. 1A R T SFall Arts Preview

    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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    8 The BenningTon Free Press/September 28th, 2012 > Vol. 18 No. 1A R T S

    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