02.05.15 VOL. XLVI, NO. 11 CONTENTS
FORUM 3 Bienvenidos a Costa Rica 4 Positive Forecasts 5 Bars & Burritos 6 Ra-Ra-Ra-Ramen 7 Dangerous Speech NEWS 8 Are you Human(ist)? ARTS 9 Swift Destruction SPORTS 10 U-Win Union 11 Foreign Affairs 12 Elation Inflation As Harvard College's weekly undergraduate newsmagazine, the Harvard Independent provides in-depth, critical coverage of issues and events of interest to the Harvard College community. The Independent has no political affiliation, instead offering diverse commentary on news, arts, sports, and student life. For publication information and general inquiries, contact President Albert Murzakhanov (president@harvardindependent.com). Letters to the Editor and comments regarding the content of the publication should be addressed to Editor-in-Chief Shaquilla Harrigan (editorinchief@harvardindependent.com). For email subscriptions please email president@harvardindependent.com. The Harvard Independent is published weekly during the academic year, except during vacations, by The Harvard Independent, Inc., Student Organization Center at Hilles, Box 201, 59 Shepard Street, Cambridge, MA 02138. Copyright Š 2014 by The Harvard Independent. All rights reserved.
02.05.15
Inside: New Eats, First Amendment Rights, and the Super Bowl
The Indy is well-travelled.
Cover design by Anna Papp
President Vice Presdient Editor-in-Chief Director of Production News Editor Forum Editor Arts Editor Sports Editor Design Editor Associate Forum Editor Associate Arts Editor
Albert Murzakhanov '16 Farhana Nabi '16 Shaquilla Harrigan '16 Sean Frazzette '16 Aditya Agrawal '17 Ritchey Howe '17 Michael Luo '16 Caroline Cronin '18 Anna Papp '16 Caroline Gentile '17 Andrew Lin '17
Illustrator Yaara Yacoby '17 Designers Alice Linder '17 Abigail Parker '17 Staff Writers Whitney Gao '16 Manik Bhatia '16 Terilyn Chen '16 Yuqi Hou '15 Chloe Li '16 Dominique Luongo '17 Orlea Miller '16 Albert Murzhakanov '16 Carlos Schmidt '15 Frank Tamberino '16 Jackie Leong '16 Andrew Lin '17 Madi Taylor '16 Shreya Vardhan '17 Peyton Fine '17 Michael Luo '16 Eloise Lynton '17 Caroline Cronin '18 Hannah Kates '18 Chris Riley '17
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Pura Vida, Mae!
My Wintersession in Costa Rica By SEAN FRAZZETTE
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he week before classes started, while Cambridge was a mixture of freezing temperatures and snow, eleven members of the Harvard community and I traveled down to the warm and sunny city of Liberia in northern Costa Rica to build a house for PBHA’s Habitat for Humanity. The trip, which was a total of eight days, was an incredible mix of hard work, community service, and cultural education rolled into one. The group of twelve was composed of seniors Aleja Jiminez-Jaramillo, Helen Zhao, Sietse Goffard, Jenny Shi, and Lenica Morales-Valenzuela, juniors Saad Amer, Nicole Maloney, and Viviane Valdes, sophomores Nisreen Shiban and Vinh Nguyen, and Mather tutor Naseem Surhio. After departing from our dorms at 3:30 am on Saturday morning, we arrived in San José, the capital city, by midday, and began our four-hour trek up to our destination. It was then that we met our hosts, Habitat guides Nathalie and Mariella, as well as our driver Mao, all of whom were absolutely phenomenal at leading us in the work ahead as well as integrating us into the Costa Rican culture. Upon arrival at our hotel in Liberia, we immediately fell asleep from pure exhaustion, but looked forward with eager eyes towards the adventurous week to come. Our first full day in Costa Rica was one of relaxation. With work not starting until Monday, we had the entire Sunday to ourselves. We headed to a beach located about an hour away, where, after walking up and down 780 stairs, we finally found the whitest sand and clearest blue water I have ever seen. The crew set up shop under some palm trees and near a cliff, and immediately proceeded towards the water, swimming, playing games, and bonding with one another, starting off our week together just right. We eventually left that beach, only to watch the sunset on another—this one with matte black sand. Eventually, our day of relaxation ended and we left for bed, excited for the work ahead. The week then followed a consistent pat3 harvardindependent.com
tern. Every day, we woke and had breakfast from 6:30 to 7:30, left for the work site where we worked until noon, and then broke for lunch. On Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday, we worked for another two hours after lunch, and on Wednesday and Friday, we proceeded to go out for cultural activities. On the first day we were introduced to one member of the family moving in, Helen, and were told that due to work and classes, we would most likely never meet her husband. But we did meet her newborn daughter, and, despite the language barrier for some of us, we got to bond and share great memories with her as the week progressed. We also met Enrique, a foreman who had built over 1000 houses, who directed us for the week on what exactly to do. The work started from scratch. We arrived at a plot of land filled with plants and containing a giant concrete slab for a car to park on. Our first job was to remove the plants, tear up the concrete slab, and level the land to begin the house. Another group was then chosen to begin digging a five-foot deep hole, along with a trench leading up to the hole for a septic system. Although we had to struggle with a tree that had to be removed, the clearing of the lot took only about half a day. Yet, the hole and trench managed to last the entire week. Approximately two to three feet into the ground—once one gets past the pesky roots—the ground turned to a mix of limestone and clay, making the digging especially difficult. Eventually, however, after many long hours, the whole team finally reached the desired depth, and left the situation almost complete. After clearing the lot for preparation, we spent a day digging thirty-two small, ninetycentimeter holes that would serve as spots for giant columns to support the house. One group then lifted these columns into the holes, while another would mix and pour cement to keep them in place. On the last day of the job with all of the columns up, a group of workers slid massive concrete slabs inbetween these columns, finishing the walls
to the house, leaving the roof for next week when another team would arrive. We all agreed upon arrival that we wanted to finish the house, and, effectively, that is what we did. The finishing touch, according to Enrique, would only take about another week, leaving us happy with the work we completed for Helen and her family. Besides all the physical labor, however, we tried to immerse ourselves in the culture that we were surrounded by for the week. One day, after work, we went to a small plot of land nearby and played a soccer tournament with the local families. Even those of us constrained by our lack of Spanishspeaking ability could share in laughs, cheers, and competition in a sport so universally adored. We also had a piñata party on the final day of work. Here, we helped to prepare and cook empanadas, blew up balloons, set up a piñata, and played games with the local children. When not at the worksite, we explored Liberia by spending a day at a hot spring before walking around San José before departure. Although when we landed back in Cambridge we were all exhausted from the week that had passed, no one had any regrets. Friendships were formed, a house was built, and some of us even learned some Spanish, most notably the phrase pura vida, mae, which literally means “pure life, dude,” but which Costa Ricans use colloquially to mean a number of things from “hello” to “thank you.” While reflecting on the trip as a group, many of us brought up similar setbacks— hitting some roots while digging, tiring out while lifting concrete, or struggling to break through clay—but not one of these low points could come close to outweighing the tremendous number of highs we each had over the course of the week Sean Frazzette ’16 (sfrazzette@college.harvard.edu) wants some more beans and rice. 02.05.15 • The Harvard Independent
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Weather Woes Is no weather good weather?
By ELOISE LYNTON
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ast Tuesday, Juno brought me my first ever snow day. Some people were worried about the blizzard wreaking havoc, but I had no such qualms. No class? No homework? No obligations to speak of? As far as I could tell, I had no choice but to stay inside with my friends, eat food, watch TV, and I couldn’t have been happier. This day was like a holiday, but better. Holidays are planned, and something always comes up that takes up your time. Something about the spontaneity of this snow day, the fact that I hadn’t seen it coming and the fact that all Harvard students (notorious planners) were forced to give up any attempt at scheduling, made me feel spectacular. I could do anything. Sit in bed and watch TV? Make hot chocolate and talk with my roomies? Get drunk and have a snowball fight? I couldn’t believe I’d never experienced this as a kid. I thought I was lucky to have nice weather, but what had I been missing out on? When I tell people I’m from Los Angeles, the first thing they ask me is, which famous people have you met? The second thing is isn’t the weather amazing? To the former question, my response was generally pretty uninteresting. I don’t care that much about celebrities, (I once confused Dennis Quaid with a family friend because I thought he looked “familiar”), so even if I have met them, I wouldn’t know it. But until recently, I actually agreed with them about on the latter point; I’d nod enthusiastically, and begin my usual tirade about how superior our weather on the West Coast is, and how it really affects the culture and emotional well-being of everyone blah blah blah. Now though, I’m not so sure. Growing up in Los Angeles, it wasn’t just that snow days were nonexistent; weather itself was nonexistent. I never once opened the weather app on my phone until I moved to Cambridge. There was no point. Every single day is a balmy 60 degrees, slightly overcast in the morning, but sunny by about 12pm. It’s big news when temperatures drop below 50, and in that case I’d rather just brave the storm. Obviously, on the one hand, never experiencing real weather is a blessing. We wore shorts year round, went to the beach in February, and never worried about snowy road closures or other inconveniences. And I’ll admit, it was nice that the only time I had to worry about warm clothing was when I needed a sweater in air conditioned movie theaters. On the other hand though, part of me feels like I missed out on a huge part of growing up. Nice weather isn’t just nice; it’s consistent; it’s mundane to the point of being boring. To some extent, lack of weather gives Los Angeles lack of character and a lack of urgency. Imagine never watching the seasons change; no colorful falls, snowy winters, or a The Harvard Independent • 02.05.15
Photo by Eloise Lynton/the Harvard Independent
boiling summers. We are all laid back and relaxed; there’s always time to do everything tomorrow. We can always go surfing, always go swimming, always ride our bikes or go on walks, and so, consequently, we never do. On my first snow day last week, as I watched kids frolic in the snow, sit by the fire in the common room, and throw blizzard day-gers in their cramped dorms, I suddenly realized that my childhood of perfect weather wasn’t a blessing. It was a curse. So tomorrow, when you trudge through the three-plus feet of snow outside on the way to class, when your fingers get so cold that you can’t type on your iPhone (God forbid!), and Juno has all but ruined your shopping schedule and thus jeopardized your entire future, just take my advice and remember that maybe, just maybe, bad weather is better than no weather, and freezing your legs off is better than having to shave them every day.
Eloise Lynton ‘17 (eloiselynton@college.harvard.edu) is hoping for another snow day.
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Felipe’s is Re-opened The Cambridge classic now has a rooftop bar. By ADAM WONG and DANA FERRANTE
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t was dark times in 02138. Last spring, Felipe’s, our true savior for the midnight munchies, vanished, and was banished to a little, cramped corner of Flat Patties. Throughout last semester we looked longingly at the promising new location, then boarded up with brown paper wrapping as if it were one of their stacked steak burritos. We dreamt about the day when we could once again eat our nachos and quesadillas in the comfort of Mexican decor. We waited, some of us more patiently than others, for Felipe’s to once again ascend the throne.
Image courtesy of Adam Wong
Then, the day came. It was a Tuesday night, the middle of finals week, and as we lethargically ‘studied’ in the dining hall, we heard the news: Felipe’s just reopened. Dropping everything, first and foremost our jaws, we ran through the mist to Brattle Street. We hardly even recognized it. As we peered in through the huge front windows and into the ginorThe Harvard Independent • 02.05.15
mous new space, we could already taste the scrumptious burritos. The little “dump on Mt. Auburn street” as owner Tom candidly described it, moved to a two-floor (three, if you count the rooftop bar currently undergoing construction), half rustic brick, half artful stucco, restaurant with a new attitude. Repurposing wood from the demolition and incorporating hand-made metalwork from Mexico, Tom has created a space that bursts with energy and style. Arriving just after midnight, the staff had just begun cleaning up, yet kindly let us in to look at Felipe’s 2.0. Felipe’s manager Francisco explained how excited his staff felt about their location change. After running two restaurants out of the petite Flat Patties location during the spring and the summer, the staff now finally obtains the muchdeserved space to make everything from carnitas to queso fondido for the hoards of customers to come. And good thing they have all that new space, because the food will be flying off the line once word gets out about their new menu items. Felipe’s Mexican spread now includes fish tacos, shrimp tacos, and by popular demand, a salad option. Additionally, for just two dollars more, every burrito has the option of getting deep-fried in a delicious queso sauce. But, it wouldn’t be our beloved Felipe’s without a deal. Perfect for the college student budget, Felipe’s maintains the lowest priced and best tasting Mexican food in the area. As if we could ever want more, Felipe’s has outdone itself yet again. Now sporting a full bar, soon to be stocked with classic Mexican liquors (read: tequila), the restaurant aims to serve the best, most authentic margaritas in town. But what could be better than splurging on top-quality Mexican food with an ice-cold bottle of Pacifico? Doing all of that, on a roof. Up another staircase (or an elevator, if you prefer) lies a sweet rooftop lounge with a bar of its own for easy access. Though there’s still some work to be done, the owner told us that the roof will open as soon as the weather permits. The open sky above the patio, he explained, will ensure both constant sunlight and an unmatched view of the Cambridge skyline. With the roof included, Felipe’s has a restaurant capacity pushing just about 200 party people. The implications are enormous. Just think: no longer must we suffer while indecisive roommates weigh the merits of getting either their drink or grub on. Now a veritable wonderland of both gastronomy and beauty, Felipe’s is the nighttime destination. The crown jewel of our Harvard Square kingdom has finally returned.
Editor’s Note: This restaurant review was originally published on Crimson Crave, an up-and-coming food blog by Harvard students for Harvard students. For more information, please visit their website, www.crimsoncrave.com. harvardindependent.com
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Classy College Cravings Ramen coming to Harvard Square soon. By ADAM WONG
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he word is out: Santouka, a Japan-based ramen chain, is opening within smelling distance of the Harvard Inn and Wigglesworth. Lucky for them too, because by the beginning of second semester, the new ramen joint will be cooking up the kingpin of modern Japanese cuisine complete with rich and savory
ramen of the north, to the deep and rich flavor of Tonkotsu broth from Kyushu made by stewing flavorful pork meat and bones for hours. The broth is paired with long strands of springy and toothsome noodles, set in a deep bowl with garnishing of spring onions, crunchy bamboo root and roasted seaweed. Placed on top, like
broth, tender simmered pork, and mouthfuls of long wheat noodles. This ain’t your supermarket’s “chicken flavor top ramen.” This is the ramen big league. Traditional ramen, the granddaddy of instant ramen, is a broth and noodle soup with incredible regional variety from all over Japan. The broth can range from the light and refreshing clear broth of Yokohama, to the bolder and fragrant miso
a champion on a pedestal, is the pork. Ahh…sweet pork. Melt-in-your-mouth, coat-your-tongue, holy-crap-I-just-had-anout-of-body-experience: pork. Put together these ingredients and you’ll get a team more potent than a Harvard Class of 20XX flame war. I think I am not alone when I say that I am very excited for this addition to the Harvard food scene. It will add versatility
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to the late night grub grab. As delicious and timeless as Noch’s, Felipe’s, and Tasty Burger are, the pizza-burrito-burger trio loses a little spark after the fifth weekend in a row. Ramen provides something new. Yes, yes, eating ramen is a religious experience, but you can just get that in RELIGION 2541: Religious Experience Seminar. What’s the real value of ramen in our everyday, conveniently located lives? Imagine this: Late night. Getting back from that party in Mather. You know a long cold walk awaits you. All that dancing and fist-pumping has turned into a raging appetite. You want food. You want warmth. You want to walk into a room heated and scented by the rolling boil rich broth. You want to chew on noodles and slurp down just a good soup and have it radiate its warmth through your body as it finds a home in your belly. You want ramen. Ramen won its fame in the bustle of Japanese metropolises for its convenience, affordability, and flavor. It will do the same here at Harvard. While it is true that ramen exists in our general proximity, it still neither has the convenience nor affordability that it is meant to have. Wagamama, which has ramen as a side show in its pan-Asian menu offers a bowl at the pricey 15 dollars a pop. The next closest ramen place is Yume Wo Katare in Porter Square. Authentic as it is, nobody is going to causally jump on the T to go to Porter after partying in Mather. This leaves Santouka as our best, and only, hope. Let me end with a quote from the CEO of Santouka on ramen. Surprised to see the only ramen options for Harvard students were as expensive as $15, he said, “It should be a cheap comfort food for you to have with a beer after a long day.” This guy gets us.
Editor’s Note: This restaurant review was originally published on Crimson Crave, an up-and-coming food blog by Harvard students for Harvard students. For more information, 02.05.15 • The Harvard Independent
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In Defense of Satire
Why I will defend Charlie Hebdo–and freedom of speech–regardless of how controversial it may be. By ALBERT MURZAKHANOV
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We do not kill anyone. We should stop conflating the murderers with the victims. We must stop declaring that those who write and draw are ‘provocateurs,’ and are throwing gas on the fire. We must not place thinkers and artists in the same category as murderers. We are not warriors,” stated Gerard Biard, the new editor-in-chief of Charlie Hebdo. The inexplicable massacre that left twelve people dead at the offices of the French satirical newspaper, Charlie Hebdo, is something I simply cannot fathom. What I have an even more difficult time trying to understand, however, is the shockingly high number of people who criticized what Charlie Hebdo was doing and essentially stated that the newspaper brought the attack upon themselves by employing bully tactics. I did and do not understand how people could try to justify an unjustifiable act. No one has to support everything Charlie Hebdo does, but everyone should support the paper’s right to do it. I have always identified as a liberal when it comes to most social issues. Although to me this case is no different, I’ve seen too many “liberal” people dismiss Charlie Hebdo as a racist newspaper that had it coming. Racism and satire are not equivalent. Charlie Hebdo does not target one particular religion, and I would argue that it does not simply target Islam but pokes fun at the extremism associated with it. For example, one issue has a sign saying “guest-edited by the Prophet Muhammad” and states “100 lashes if you do not die of laughter.” Rather than simply proclaiming Muhammad as violent, there is a tag on the cover stating “Charia Hebdo” paralleling the name to “Sharia law.” There is a difference between targeting an entire religion and targeting an extremist version of a religion. However, even if the magazine does target religions, its right to do so is deeply engrained in the notion of freedom of speech. I do not see why making fun of religion is off bounds as a form of satire. If religion can be used as a mechanism to deny various people equal treatment, then why is there an obligation to respect it? As long as Charlie Hebdo is not going out The Harvard Independent • 02.05.14
and impeding the freedom of people, then the paper should be allowed to operate and continue to do what it does. A secular society should not be ruled by the dictations of religion. For equality to exist, we must protect the right of an individual to practice his/her faith. However, what is not protected–rightfully so–is the ability of the individual to practice his/her faith free from ridicule. The cartoonists of Charlie Hebdo are no different from the creative geniuses of South Park. Their lives are not worth less than those of religious people, and although we can peg both South Park and Charlie Hebdo as having bad taste, we cannot succumb to a barbarianism in which it justifiable to kill them. Instead of victim-blaming a newspaper that publishes controversial material, let’s analyze the root of the problem. Why should religion dictate morality? It shouldn’t. It is this same kind of barbaric thinking that “justifies” the killings of gays or even women. Why should a gay person have to respect a religion(s) that states he should be stoned? Why should a woman not be allowed to point out the hypocrisy of “holy” text(s) that states she is lesser than her male counterpart? Religion has been used, and is even continuing to be used today, to justify unequal treatment under the law. Yet it is unjustifiable to simply poke fun at it? As long as Charlie Hebdo does not advocate the murder of innocent people, I will continue supporting a paper whose writers literally put their lives at risk to send a message that is too powerful to ignore. “Tolerant, but not stupid! Look, just because you have to tolerate something doesn’t mean you have to approve of it! …’Tolerate’ means you’re just putting up with it! You tolerate a crying child sitting next to you on the airplane or, or you tolerate a bad cold. It can still piss you off!” stated by the wise Mr. Garrison of South Park.
Albert Murzakhanov ‘16 (amurzakhanov@college.harvard.edu) supports the right to free speech. Photo courtesy of Albert Murzakhavov harvardindependent.com
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News
Who Hosts Anti-Football Parties?
The Harvard Independent Profiles the Harvard Humanist Hub. By ADITYA AGRAWAL
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general wave of enthusiasm and anticipation greeted the Super Bowl this past Sunday; viewing parties across dorms and houses became the highlight of the day. Breaking this sacred circle of tradition, however, was an organization that few people at Harvard even knew existed: the Harvard Humanist Hub. It attracted much attention, as it did praise, censure and debate, with a dual Super Bowl and anti-Super Bowl party at its apartment Sunday evening. Housed at 45 JFK, the Humanist Hub has existed for over 40 years. The organization’s website claims that the organization served “humanists, atheists, and agnostics at and around the University for over 30 years." It has, in recent years, “evolved into a hub for secular community programs in Greater Boston and beyond." The organization seems to do well for an organization funded entirely through donations; it rents an apartment in the posh suburb of Harvard Square and actively organizes events. The Hub offers a range of activities most weeks— from Discussion Groups and Secular Meditation Groups to Book Groups and Game Nights. Access to these activities requires no Harvard affiliation. It also frequently hosts prominent guest speakers, including author Sam Harris and journalist Karenna Gore, among others. The dual party served to accommodate members who questioned the merits of football. The anti-football brigade faction's objections include issues like the spike in domestic violence that follows Super Bowl matches, the trauma that arises for players after training long, hard years and the promotion of a oversexualized, sexist culture that washes over passive watchers. Those present at the party felt a very tangible tension along the pro-anti lines, but the officers of the group did a marvelous job moderating the discussion in such a way that the Super Bowl was discussed without insulting anyone’s love of sports. The Humanist Hub, in the words of assistant humanist chaplain Vanessa M. Zoltan, ensured that “the dialogue and debate about whether football is a good thing was at the center." 8 harvardindependent.com
So what precise goals does the Humanist Hub seek to achieve? Google tells me that humanism is “a system of thought that attaches prime importance to human rather than supernatural matters." The Hub provides a place for a growing percentage of non-religious people to discuss relevant issues, from politics to morality, social justice issues, education, etc. The group actively welcomes atheists and agnostics in
humanism extends this claim by positing that one can’t rely on a second person’s claim to supernatural processes if they fall in conflict with laws of rationality. Our member in question thinks that identifying as either an atheist or a humanist doesn’t really matter, "They are only slightly different, and can be used in different contexts." For someone who was scared even t o Go o gl e “a n yth i n g r e l e va n t to secularism” and had never heard of the term ‘humanist’, they believe that the Hub has provided a wonderful community to ferment and develop their views, especially through such community building efforts as the Super Bowl/anti-Super Bowl party, and Thanksgiving Brunches. However, the member did think that members tend to be “overwhelmingly well educated, welloff financially, and white." It isn’t hard to believe this claim. Greater proportions of white people tend to be more educated, and better paid. With larger paychecks comes greater economic independence, more time to dwell on issues of religion and belief, and most vitally, reduced dependence on what the member called a “close knit church community”. This problem of diversity only feeds back into the national perception of irreligion as a function of privilege. There is much ground to be covered, and the Hub itself is well aware of these issues of representation, and according to our source, has discussed these issues of equality and race on multiple occasions. Appealing to a broader base, however, is not a problem endemic to the Humanist Hub in particular. It requires a significant effort on part of the entire humanist, atheist, and agnostic communities in America and beyond to make itself a welcoming and accessible to people of diverse races and backgrounds. The Hub, meanwhile, lives on, continuing its tireless efforts to serve the humanist community in Harvard and Boston. It gets ready to welcome feminist blogger Aneeta Sarkeesian as the Harvard Humanist of the Year 2014 on February 8th.
addition to humanists. An active member of the Humanist Hub, on conditions of anonymity, shared their experiences with the Hub, and with humanism in general. The member in question comes from a strictly religious background and it was in a Greek mythology class during their sophomore year of school that “it just slammed [me] that ancient Greek mythology and Christianity (that was everything in my hometown) were super similar: they didn't really need to be physically real to serve the purposes they did in humans' societies and lived experiences." This experience galvanized them over to the other side, though they still struggle to decide between the humanist and atheist labels as a way of identifying themselves. The differences between a “humanist” and an “atheist” indeed fall along some very gray areas: while atheism claims rejection of belief Aditya Agrawal ‘17 (adityaagrawal@college.harvard.edu) in the existence of Gods and deities, loves humans.
02.05.15 • The Harvard Independent
Subcultures Subverted On artistic subcultures versus a catchy T-Swift single. By ANDREW LIN
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irst come the bass tones, heavy and minimalistic, the not-quiteidentifiable apex of a musical progression stretching back through to Bach and Gibbons and a whole host of other dead names. Then come the opening lyrics, a barrage of monotone words that rapidly morph into a steady portrait of crazy infatuation slipping deeper and deeper. The chorus then progresses forth, calling forth a mock-grandeur grounded by resounding bass chords and the rolling elegy of the vocals and lyrics. And then more lyrics, sung in the same tune but this time with a darker, almost cataclysmic edge, the fury of a woman scorned made into musical notes and rhythms. And the whole time the video plays inextricably forth, a seamless depiction of a man and all his toys laid waste by the wrath of a woman armed with a single incriminating text message. In this manner the condensed minidrama of Taylor Swift’s “Blank Space” plays out a concentrated and distilled self-parody made to run in a couple minutes’ length and broadcasted to an eagerly interested world. And certainly it and the accompanying album have been skillfully crafted, with throbbing dance floor layered auditory textures and all the other tricks of the modern pop-music trade in full-flourish. These features, however, are reduced somewhat in stature relative to a singular controversy around a single piece of setdressing in the accompanying music video: an ostensibly priceless Shelby AC Cobra, which by virtue of its status as the leading man’s prized possession receives a uniquely undignified bashing with a golf club by a jilted Swift. For a time, the story filled many minor news outlets, giving rise to much rage and fury amongst committed gearheads and a strident defense by equally-fervent T-Swift fans. The collected gearheads of the world certainly had a lot to cherish in the AC Cobra, which does hold a fairly high place in the grand pecking order of classic cars by virtue of a distinguished and unique parentage. A two-seater roadster, the AC Cobra at first glance seems to be yet another example of the fine 60’s/70’s British tradition of the underpowered convertible sports car. But entered into this equation is an American chili pepper by comparison: the great Carroll Shelby, who fitted this diminutive little chassis with a massive 7.0 L V8 engine–the same engine as the original The Harvard Independent • 02.05.15
production Ford Mustang. The result was a fiery pocket-rocket of a car, a two-seater convertible nevertheless capable of 186 mph (in 1964!) owing to its lightweight construction. As a result, it was indeed a brilliant racecar, easily outstripping its Maserati and Jaguar competitors in drag races and winning races well into the 1970s. But a brilliant racing history did not obscure the teething problems it had as a daily driver. With an unstable ride and nightmarish handling contributing to such low sales, Shelby eventually discontinued his partnership with AC Cars. In this manner, the Cobra grew to possess a unique and highly desirable status in the classic car world, namely in its simultaneous rarity (by virtue of being an unpopular car) and great historical value. By the end of the 1970s, AC certainly did not have the remaining capacity to even repair its cars, having gone into bankruptcy during the troublesome Leyland-era ‘70s. As a result of this economic knockout blow, the remaining original Shelby AC Cobras have become highly prized collectibles, selling for millions of dollars at auctions and on eBay. And it is for this reason that so many gearheads grew incensed at the sight of a furious Taylor Swift ostensibly destroying such a precious classic. In this vein, news outlets started to question the status of that little Cobra, and the cost of the destruction T-Swift wreaked with her sharpened fingernails and a blunt golf club. Of course, the short answer to such a question could only be an emphatic “no.” The car featured in the video was, in fact, a replica built in South Africa and lent to Swift specifically for the shoot. Swift and crew paid for a comprehensive repaint of the whole car to rectify the scratch marks. But the point still remains, namely in that car fans immediately and implicitly assumed that one of their most-prized cars had been irreparably damaged. Not only had it lost its mint condition varnish, but also an otherwise-pristine service history became stained for the sake of a pop singer. For fans of the motoring tradition, this sort of situation is certainly not without precedent, although the Cobra is certainly far and away the most valuable car that has been apparently trashed. And indeed for these motoring enthusiasts the enemy has been as much within as anything else: shows such as the 200-million-viewer-strong Top Gear have relentlessly trashed rare cars such as
Morris Marinas and aged Alfas in the name of viewer figures and a quick laugh. The fundamental idea of the persecuted subculture, however, is not in any way limited to those who call themselves fans of the great ideal of the British sports car or even of any motoring persuasion; rather, subcultures of all sorts and kinds use their exclusivity and sense of persecution as a means of strengthening devotion and justifying interest. From old-school Trekkies spurning the flash-bang populism of J.J. Abrams’ new incarnation of Star Trek to the legions of retro-worshipping hipsters who swarm through the cloistered streets of Williamsburg (and Cambridge too), the idea of an artistic subculture under siege has fascinated its various constituent members. Much of this appeal is due to the simple romanticism of a seemingly-lost cause: the gearhead fixing yet another spark plug on his Triumph Stag does indeed sit in the same boat as a Trekkie earnestly debating the specifications of the Miranda-class starship, or for that matter any member of any other subculture. To that end, all the media hype about Taylor Swift desecrating an automotive icon was just that: hype. One designed to sell papers or garner clicks or whatever passes for media success in these troubled times. Ultimately, it was handled with aplomb by both sides. Swift posted a revealing tour of the video sets (and a cute disclaimer), while the automotive websites and their devoted followers disseminated the news. Then in typical fashion, the beating heart of the media-beast went on lurking for other targets. But in this little (and by now mostly forgotten) incident between two seemingly wholly unrelated people, there still lies a pleasant lesson to be learned. Subcultures need not be cast against each other to survive, like boats flung against the ramparts of popular opinion and media self-interest; instead, they may coexist, resolving disputes as needed and keeping to themselves as wanted. And in a community as diverse and broad in its pasts and futures as our own world (and indeed our little Harvard), such a policy of coexistence is perhaps the best way to embrace the diversity of humanity itself.
Though a committed lover of all things related to cars, Andrew Lin ’17 (andrewlin@college. harvard.edu) loves him some T-Swift, too. harvardindependent.com
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Photo courtesy of WikiCommons
A Super Duper Bowl
The Indy recaps Super Bowl XLIX By ANDREW ADLER
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hat a game! Was Super Bowl XLIX better than the previous XLVII Super Bowls? I think so. Here a few of my many takeaways from the showdown in Glendale, Arizona. Some players probably won’t get the recognition they deserve. Extra points don’t come easy especially during the Super Bowl, but Patriots placekicker Stephen Gostowski, managed to make four out of four field goals. That’s incredible! Great work Stephen. Patriot’s linebacker Dont’a Hightower also should be recognized for his tackle on the Seahawk’s Marshawn Lynch at the one-yard line saved a sure touchdown. Shedding lineman Russell Okung and brining down Lynch from behind is a play most people couldn’t make. I know I couldn’t. Tom Brady, who has fifty postseason touchdownthrows, was named Super Bowl MVP. The mid-sized Chevy Truck he won simply doesn’t do the man justice. He deserves a full sized Ford F-150. You can’t beat that aluminum body and best-in-class towing. The halftime show was really great. Those sharks were a hit. Thanks Pepsi! However, no recap of the half-time show would be complete without mentioning Missy Elliott’s amazing comeback performance. The only thing that could have made the show better would have been Ciara busting out of one of the sharks to join Missy Elliott. It’s a shame that the Internet thinks Katy Perry introduced her as an up and coming artist to rest of the world. Until the infamous slant-pass on the one-yard line, the Seahawks had run a perfectly designed drive. A 31-yard pass to Marshawn Lynch brought the Seahawks to the Patriots 49 yard line. An 11yard pass on third down brought the Seahawks to the Patriots 38 yard line. Then, Seattle coach Pete Carrol went deep in the Seattle play vault to pull out the play where wideout Jermaine Kearse 10 harvardindependent.com
Photo courtesy of Jeffrey Beall/WikiCommons
misses the initial catch, allows the defender to tip the ball, and finally lets the ball bounce off his shin and both hands before securing the catch. They had been waiting for the right time to use this play and this was it. It worked like a charm. Impeccable play calling by Pete Carrol and the rest of the Seattle coaching staff. My cool 21-year-old French friend Andre Wadler doesn’t really understand the rules of football so he decided to place some money on the game to make things interesting. He bet $25 on the Patriots to cover the spread and $5 on the Gatorade poured on the winning coach to be blue. Malcolm Butler had greatness thrust upon him and quite literally at him in the last minute when his late pick maintained the Patriot’s four-point lead. The interception would prove clutch, and the Gatorade would prove blue. Andre views sports gambling as a steady stream of income and doubts whether he should continue with his higher education or any other path to employment for that matter. A lot will be said about how the Patriots didn’t deserve to win, but are rather the benefactors of one asinine play call. The Patriots should have fallen to the Seahawks who should have fallen to the Packers who should have fallen to the Cowboys who should have fallen to the Lions. If we follow this train of logic long enough, the Oakland Raiders emerge as the clear Super Bowl champions. Congrats Oakland!
Andrew Adler ‘17 (andrewadler@college.harvard.edu) can’t wait to drink some more delicious Pepsi and buy a mid-sized Chevrolet. What a machine!
02.05.15 • The Harvard Independent
Sports
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Traveling Crimson
How Harvard’s athletes spent their break By CAROLINE C. CRONIN
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inter break for Harvard students presents over a month of endless opportunities. Some returned to their corners of the world to revel in the glory of homemade cooking and doting family. Other bright students were abroad studying foreign concepts, working in prestigious employments, or helping those less fortunate than they. With the sprinkling of Harvard students all over the globe during the winter recess, there were also a few specific groups who travelled in the name of athletic excellence. Team training trips are popular at all levels because they encourage team unity and celebrate dedication while allowing the athletes to continue to work hard and compete well. In addition, what better way is there to work off that extra winter insulation and rid yourself of the sun-deprived pastiness?! This January, the Harvard rowers meandered down to Florida, the polo club ventured to Argentina, the women’ swimming and diving team paddled to Puerto Rico, while their male teammates were just a few strokes away in St. Croix, and the squash team deployed to the Cayman Islands. Each and every one was an adventure and our athletes have returned to us stronger than ever! The Harvard and Radcliffe rowers spent some time in Florida at the Manatee County Training Facility at Fort Hamer Park. Both the women and men enjoyed rowing on the beautiful Manatee River in the warmth of the Florida sunshine. The trip is an annual one that many rowers have been lucky to experience and many more will as the tradition continues. The training done in Florida maintained the teams’ excellent shape and ensured they would not lose all to the long Boston winters—for it will be quite some time before the Charles thaws! Venturing south of the equator, the Polo team spent much of January in Argentina. There, only two hours outside of Buenos Aires is the Santa Maria de Lobos Polo Club where the players lived and rode with other Argentine players and some magnificent horses. The Argentine club was founded in part by Harvard alum and polo enthusiThe Harvard Independent • 02.05.15
Photo courtesy of Robiny Jamerson ast Tommy Lee Jones, and it was he who made it possible for the students to play with and learn from fabulous coaches and experienced professionals. Women’s captain Aemilia Phillips ‘16 states the trip was “an incredible opportunity, not only because we got to improve our game playing some of the best horses on a great field, but also because working and living with the team for two weeks gave us more time for team bonding than we ever get during the semester.” The larger outdoor field and increased speed of the play in Argentina has conditioned the team for the upcoming pre-regional USPA tournament to be held at Yale at the end of this month. In keeping with the warm weather trend, the women’s swimming and diving team took a turn in the waters of Puerto Rico. There, in Mayaguez, the team trained hard with many grueling sets and training sessions. They did not spend the entire trip in the pool or on the board for the team also bonded over time at the beach, learning to surf, and adventures zip-ling through the rain forest. The team returned to compete in many meets for the rest of January, losing only to Duke and tying Princeton in the thrilling HYP meet. The women will head to the Ivy League Championships on February 19th. The men’s swimming and diving team has also had training trips to Puerto Rico in the past, but this year they trained on the island of St. Croix of the U.S. Virgin Islands. The men were hosted by the St. Croix Dolphins, and during their training participated in a one-mile sea swim! Well, the magic of those southern waters certainly made a difference for the men did well in all of their January meets and completely swept the Harvard-hosted HYP meet on Saturday. They will compete confidently for
the Ivy title one week after the women on February 26th. The national championship-winning squash team travelled to the Cayman Islands for a week of play and exploration. The team spent their mornings playing and training. The afternoons and evenings were filled with various diversions such as swimming and snorkeling. The team no doubt earned it with hard work and has already gotten quickly back to intercollegiate play. Freshman Alyssa Mehta says, “The trip helped our team train and prepare for the upcoming season. The court conditions were hot so I think everyone felt that their fitness improved. Also everyone on the team was able to grow closer as we got to spend so much time together. We are looking forward to the rest of the season.” The squash teams continue to prepare for the CSA team and individual championships that will take place at the end of the month. Many sports teams find their official seasons coming to an end soon, and we wish them well in the culmination of this year’s endeavors. We look forward to the beginning of other team’s seasons as well! One thing remains the same—adventures await our student-athletes at every turn! If after reading this article, one feels some regret over a break spent in the comfort of one’s bed, or the lack of physical exercise becomes glaringly and burdensomely obvious, I remind you do not fret, the groundhog has seen his shadow, we will have six more weeks of winter, and that means six more weeks to de-insulate ourselves. Caroline C. Cronin ‘17 (ccronin01@college.harvard.edu) congratulates all athletes on a January well spent! harvardindependent.com
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The Dutchmen of Union Upset Harvard
Without McNally, the Crimson struggle to keep Union off the scoreboard By PEYTON FINE By the looks of the game on paper, Harvard should have easily beaten Union last Friday night. Union, the defending national champion, has had a down year by their standards, as they came into the game unranked and sitting almost at the bottom of the ECAC standings. Harvard is in the midst of one of its best seasons in recent memory and came into the game second in the conference and fourth in the country. However, as the old saying goes, “the game is not played on paper.” The “paper” though should have relayed one important note: Harvard would be without defenseman Patrick McNally ‘15. McNally injured his leg days only days before in a game against Cornell and is out for the rest of the regular season. McNally was the Crimson’s top defenseman, and his absence thrust multiple freshmen and sophomores onto the ice in much larger roles than they had faced all season. That would prove to be fateful. Union, led by Daniel Ciampini ‘15, who entered the game leading the country in both goals and points controlled the opening faceoff. Off the faceoff, Union overloaded the weak side and scored twenty seconds into the game. The game continued with Union controlling until Harvard was able to clear its lines with just over seventeen minutes left in the first period. Off a faceoff in the Union zone, the Crimson threw the puck in front of the net, and Kyle Criscuolo ‘16 was perfectly positioned to slot it home and even the game. After a brief delay to fix the boards five minutes into the game, the momentum swung back to Union, who were continually able to put the puck in dangerous positions in front of the Crimson net. If not for multiple stretch saves and composed handling by goaltender Steve Michalek ‘15, the Crimson could have found themselves down further. As it was, the first period ended tied at one. Just a minute into the second period, freshman Jake Horton was able to carry the puck behind the net, fake to one side, and with the Union goalie off balance wrap around to sneak the puck into the net. However, the lead would not last long. With the puck again in front of the net after a Union shot, Union quickly tied the game, and then two minutes later went ahead. However, Harvard again struck back when Jimmy Vesey ‘16 skated through two Union defenders and calmly went top-shelf to beat the Union net-minder. The second period, though, would not end quietly. Just after the halfway point of the period, Union again put bodies in front of Harvard’s Michalek, and Union’s Ciampini scored his second of the night to put the Dutchmen up four to three. Harvard avoided disaster with seven minutes left in the second period. On what looked to be an attempted goaltender change, a Union clear ended up bounding off the post keeping the Crimson down by only one. The Crimson had multiple opportunities, including a power play, fall by the wayside within the last seven minutes of the period and ended the period down one. Throughout the second period, Union cleverly changed lines to allow their top line to skate against Harvard’s third line. The strategy paid off as Harvard’s third line gave up two of the Dutchmen’s
three goals. The third line of the defense was particularly young with two freshmen in the absence of McNally, and the inexperience and lack of size showed. Harvard surrendered all three goals in the second period directly in front of the net. Just as it is in basketball, the team that controls the area around the net in hockey has a distinct advantage. That advantage was never more evident than the second period, and the loss of McNally was really felt. To begin the third, both teams traded penalties. Neither team though could capitalize on its man advantage. The game remained relatively even without any major chances until just under eight minutes left in the game when Union’s center Mike Vecchione ‘17 took a perfect pass from Ciampini and fired the puck into the side netting to put the Dutchmen up by two. Harvard was not done however. With ninety seconds remaining, Harvard pulled the goaltender Michalek to add another attacker to the ice. It paid off in spades as sophomore Victor Newell scored to pull the Crimson within one. Despite furious attacks in the last forty seconds though, the Crimson fell five to four to Union. After a torrid pace to begin the season, Harvard has now dropped two of its last three in the ECAC and has fallen to third in the standings. McNally believes he can be back for the playoffs, but the Crimson’s back line will have to grow up fast to get the Crimson back to winning.
Peyton Fine ‘17 (peytonfine@college.harvard.edu) wishes McNally a speedy recovery.
Photo by Peyton Fine/the Harvard Independent
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02.05.15 • The Harvard Independent