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By and for the students of Hobart and William Smith Colleges FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 1, 2008
VOLUME CXXX ISSUE 10
Support Senior Statesmen and Herons as they Finish Their College Athletic Careers
Fisher Center Speaker Pagan Kennedy Speaks on “Sex, Drugs and Memory” By Rachel Cico Herald Contributor Pagan Kennedy, a featured speaker of the Fisher Center this semester, presented her lecture on “Sex, Drugs and Memory” on January 30th. This lecture addressed gender and memory in our age of pharmaceuticals. “Gender” is a social construction, as she points out, and was rarely used one hundred years ago. Today we use the term gender to refer to our social constructs of how our society operates on sex. Identity and gender, masculinity and femininity, exist on different levels within the mind and the brain and the social role. Kennedy points out the difference in the mental sense and physical sense of your identity. Throughout history we have deemed those who “don’t match-up” to be abnormal. Sex-change operations are fairly new and there is still a lot of ambiguity and controversy surrounding the
Assault on St. Clair Street By Trippe Duke Managinge Editor Coordinator in Residential Education could not comment further on the event but urges all students to follow the safety guidelines outlined in the email by communications, adding that “I have always felt this campus to be very safe.” Despite the great effort the Colleges have expended making the campus a safer place some older students who were on campus three and four years ago, and who remember the multiple incidents of sexual assault which occurred during that time are still nervous, despite the increased safety measures. Any Persons who have additional information regarding the incident are urged to contact Campus Safety at extension 333.
identity and to produce happiness. In relevance to transsexuals, he said, “Where the mind cannot be made to fit the body, the body should be made to fit, approximately at any rate to the mind.” Plastic surgeons, who were almost non-existent at this time, were the first to agree with Dillon. As Kennedy looked into the drugs and other medical treatments relevant to gender, she came across a study of sea slugs where doctors were working on treatment for semantic memory. This gave way to her book, Confessions of a Memory Eater, based off of Thomas De Quincey’s Confessions of an Opium Eater. In this novel, the protagonist, Win Duncan, becomes addicted to a drug, “Mem.” Mem boosts your episodic memory. KENNEDY continued on Page 4
By Timothy Robbins Herald Contributor
Next week something big is happening on campus here at Hobart and William Smith Colleges, but then again it is something big that is happening across the nation. On Wednesday the 30th and Thursday the 31st of this month, Hobart and William Smith Colleges will be participating in an event called “Focus the Nation: 2008”. Across the United States over 1,100 colleges, universities and an assortment of other public and educational institutions will be holding a teach-in which will focus directly on global warming solutions for America. The event will begin on Wednesday night at 8 pm Eastern Standard Time in the Albright Auditorium. At 8 a live webcast will be shown on the big screen. The webcast is called the “Two Percent Solution”. What the “Two Percent Solution” consists of is a panel style discussion amongst experts discussing the issues of global warming and climate change. The
See page 5 for your easy-touse voter’s guide!
WEEKEND WEATHER Saturday
topic. Some look at changing the body as a way of matching one’s body to his/ her mind. She describes our bodies as “wallpaper we find to match the identity we have formed in our mind.” T h r o u g h advancements in medical treatments in gender identity cases many have fought to address social issues and stigma. Michael Dillon, who was once uncomfortable in his born skin as “Laura,” wrote Ethics and Endocrinology, the first argument for the rights of transgendered people. He argued that medicine had another role which was to fulfill one to their true
Focus the Nation: 2008
Photo Courtesy of KEN DEBOLT
Last Monday, at 1:30 in the afternoon, it was reported that an unidentified man abducted and sexually assaulted a William Smith student while she was walking past the Hubbs Health Center located in the main campus. The perpetrator is said to be a 30 year old Caucasian with brown hair and eyes, and was driving an old model Grey Jeep Cherokee. The incident, which was reported to Campus security at 6:45PM and subsequently to the Geveva Police Department is of upmost importance, which has led many students concerned that the some sort of campus wide email alert was not sent out in a more timely fashion with the first alert being posted by the Colleges at 8:26PM. Michael F. Hoepp ‘05, an Area
Geneva, NY
Sunday
panelist members come from various different scientific fields and political arenas, and are widely regarded as experts by many sources. The second night will begin at 7 PM, also in the Albright Auditorium. The second night will consist of a Panel discussion that is going to occur right here on campus with prominent experts and leaders within the Geneva community and surrounding area. This list of participants includes faculty and students from the colleges, the new Mayor of Geneva, Stuart Einstein and representative of Casella Waste Incorporated, Jerry Leone. The layout of what the event will look like is as follows; Focus the Nation: 2008 Wednesday January 30th 8PM – 9PM EST Live Webcast Thursday January 31st Event Introduction: Welcome to Focus the Nation 7:00 PM
1. Regarding Energy Keynote speaker: Casella Waste Systems Inc. Subject of Discussion: “Trash to treasure” 2. The Cost of food: Our Food Systems - McNally, Susanne Keynote speaker: - Senior Integrative Experience (SIE) ENV Program Subject of discussion: Composting, reusable cups, reusable binders 3. Policy Power: A catalyst for change in Geneva Keynote Speaker: Einstein, Stuart: Mayor of city of Geneva, New York Subject of discussion: Making solutions: Energy and the Environment in Geneva 4. Regarding Environment and Education - Kehle, Paul Keynote speaker: Moskell, Christine Senior Integrative FOCUS continued on Page 4
The Herald Inside NEWS AND CAMPUS REPOR T Police Blotter HSG Update New Professors AR TS AND ENTER TAINMENT L iz B l ac k we l l Se x A d v ic e M ic hae l C l ayto n to P l ay in Sm ith O pe r a Ho u s e R I P He ath L e d g e r SPOR TS T h i s We e k i n S p o r t s
Cloudy
Mostly Cloudy
High 31
High 34
Low 25
Low 28
Chance of Precipitation 20%
Chance of Precipitation 10%
Short Stories or Poems?
The Herald is now taking submissions for our new ‘Perspectives’ section. Feel free to submit your work by 5pm Monday evening to Herald@hws.edu.
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THE HERALD, FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 1, 2008
The Herald
Established 1879 By and for the Students of Hobart and William Smith Colleges Rebecca A. Dennee, Editor-in-Chief Trippe Duke, Managing Editor Carly Cummings, A&E Editor Michael Kaplun, Sports Editor
Contributors Zinnia Gill Olivia Carb Timothy Robbins William Gammel
Dealva Jade Dowd-Hinkle
Circulation Manager Zinnia Gill
Layout Rebecca Dennee Trippe Duke Carly Cummings
Submission Guidelines The Herald is currently accepting submissions for our upcoming issue. Deadline for this issue is Monday at 5 pm. All submissions must be left in the drop box. Must include the: 1. Name 2. Individual phone number or e-mail 3. Hard copy 4. Disk copy E-mail submissions must be made via file attachment. If criteria are not met The Herald may not be able to print the submission.
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Campus Report The Herald
HSG UPDATE BAC Elections Part II By William H. Gammell ‘08 Herald Contributor The second meeting of this spring semester was started with a free pizza dinner and brain storming session attended by the all three deans; the resounding success for these types of events has led the executive board to schedule more over the course of the semester. Once the session got underway officially, the business of electing new members to the Budget Allocations Committee was attended to. Since the previous members had all left for a semester abroad the alternate, William H. Gammell ‘08, now holds the primary student seat. The serious nature of this position was made clear by Treasurer Harrison Goldberg ‘10, as President Jake Napier ‘09 stated, “If this job is not taken seriously you will never be allowed influence in student matters, ever.” The elections were close, but three students were formally chosen to allocate over $180,000 in student tax dollars to clubs and organizations during this spring term. Phillip Flammer ‘09, Paul Grolob ‘11, and Theodore Raymond Tanzer ‘09, will now represent the Hobart student body in the BAC along with William H. Gammell ‘08. Afterwards, Thomas Cahill ’09 brought forward a resolution to grant five scholarships
to the first year students who have the highest aggregate GPA after their first semester, irrespective of which college they attend. The scholarship winners will receive $400 each at the bookstore for books in the coming semester, in addition to receiving an award from the HSG. The resolution was endorsed by the quorum and temporary funding was provided. Joel Leconte brought forward a resolution to create a club basketball team. The resolution was passed by a large majority. For any questions concerning membership please contact joel. leconte@hws.edu. The quorum was notified that security has purchased, and is installing an emergency alert system and management system for use during times of crisis, such as the Virginia Tech shooting last year. Nick Carro, Grahame Hoffman, and Dave Casey proposed for the creation of the Helping our Heroes club, through which they hope to raise funds to donate to the charity Homes for our Heroes. They will be recycling ink cartridges, and cans, and are applying for a theme house for next year. The resolution was passed by a large majority.
Senior Year: Fading Fast By Julie Kozarsky ‘08 Herald Contributor
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For many of us here at Hobart and William Smith, the onset of this semester means that senior spring has finally arrived. Graduation, once just a distant vision or what we watched other classes suffering through, is now in the immediately foreseeable future. With that diploma comes what I have been simultaneously yearning for and dreading since I was born: real adulthood. My parents have been extremely generous for these four years, but as soon as I walk across the quad in my cap and gown they’re probably going to cut me off. With this knowledge, the pressure to formulate a plan for the “real world’’ just keeps mounting. “What are you doing next year?” is a question often heard in the seniorladen residences of Odell’s or offcampus. It is an innocent question that can be met with a wide range of responses. In the voices of my fellow seniors, I’ve heard ambivalence, I’ve heard confidence, and I’ve heard terror. Some people respond with a solid game plan: “I’m applying for teaching jobs in my hometown,” or “I
got a job in event planning/finance/ marketing so I’ll start that in May.” Others respond with more hesitation: “Well, I’m looking for something in Boston…” Still others will shoot back some variation of “I don’t know and I don’t want to think about it!” My answer is right in the middle. I know where I want to go (Atlanta) and why (sick of snow). I know what kind of job I want to get (communications) and in what field (healthcare). So when I hear “the question,” I am able to respond with some vestige of confidence, which usually leaves the asker saying, “Well, at least you have an idea.” But my response is just that: an idea. It’s nothing set in stone. It hinges upon a few things, such as getting the job I want, and knowing that I’ll be financially stable (i.e., able to pay rent and eat something beyond Ramen noodles). And furthermore, while it’s exciting to make plans, it’s also depressing. I can’t believe that college – “the best four years of your life!” – is almost over. Even more unbelievable is that it flew by so fast. If the best four years of life are almost over, what
do we seniors have to look forward to? Paying the bills and a 9-to-5 job? We all complain about papers and exams, but our recently graduated friends beg us to enjoy it while we can. As much as I want to heed their advice, it just scares me. When it’s 3 in the morning and you’re chugging pure caffeine for the energy to steamroll through the last few pages of your research paper, your heart is racing and your head is pounding and it’s hard to imagine enjoying anything about the process. So to my fellow seniors: If, right now, you have your post-graduation plans mapped out, congratulations. If you took the other path and don’t really know what you’re doing, congratulations to you, too. That way, you can’t yet visualize the future you have to dread. And for all of us, in the meantime… we need to enjoy our last semester here at HWS. Before we know it, these times will just be memories. For questions or comments, e-mail the writer at jk3758@hws.edu.
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THE HERALD, FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 1, 2008
Campus Report The Herald
Police Blotter By Olivia Carb ‘11 Herald Contributor
As of the 27th there have been three instances of “criminal possession of a controlled substance” (marijuana) discovered in South, Sherrill and 704 S. Main. Basically, three people did a terrible job of masking the smell of skunk in their dorm rooms. Remember, open up your windows, put a towel under your and always have Febreze handy, people! Also on the 27th, some jerk endangered the lives of the residents of Hale by vandalizing Fire Safety Equipment. Seriously, off all things in a dorm to screw with, the last thing someone should destroy is the apparatus that saves you at 4 a.m. when you’re passed out. Other less lifethreatening forms of vandalism this past week include a window, ceiling tiles and stereo equipment. The residents of Emerson better start locking their doors considering two televisions, a DVD player, and some cash money were stolen on various
evenings throughout the week. The campus’ thoughts go out to the two students of Lansing and Bartlett who are missing their valuable macbooks, and to the women in Hirshon who had “various items stolen.” Unfortunately for the Hobart Hockey team, they lost both games this weekend – but the people who were caught with underage possession of alcohol probably don’t remember and at least they had already drowned their sorrows. Two other alcohol-induced mistakes were made this week as well – someone near Jackson conquered the cold weather enough to have the courage to urinate in public while another one of our esteemed students attempted to conquer Main St. via automobile but ended up with a DWI. Our High School D.A.R.E. officers would not be proud! Last but most certainly not least: Buy some pepper spray and a dagger.
Interested In Writing For The Herald? Email your articles at Herald@hws.edu
Deadline: Monday 5PM Meetings: Tuesday 7 PM in Stern 103 We Are Looking Forward To Receiving Your Pieces!
A Spirited Review...
Focus Cont. The Origional Drink of the Week Since 2006
BLOODY MARY Trippe Duke ‘08 Op-Ed Editor
The greatest of breakfast drinks, the Bloody Mary is enjoyed by millions of people, and almost everyone has their own version of the drink. Indeed there are many variations; and the more creative of us find great ease in exploring the variety of options offered. Perhaps add something like Green Chilly sauce, or Old Bay seasoning, even a touch of vinegar. It’s up to you. This recipe is fairly basic but requires some special ingredients. Mainly Clamato which is a tomato cocktail juice created with the soul purpose of providing the perfect base for a Bloody Mary. Marvelously blending tomato juice with faint hints of vinegar, Clamato perfectly captures that sweet and salty flavor, provided by a small amount of dehydrated clam juice. BRILLIANT! The problem with Clamato though is that it is not widely available, Wegmans would probably be your best bet. Ingredients: One Pint Glass half full with ice Vodka (as much as you want) Clamato or tomato juice (fill to top) Worcheshire Sauce (four dashes) Horseradish (see below) Pepper (three dashes) Add the Vodka and Ice first followed by the horseradish, pepper and Worcheshire Sauce (you can also add some hot sauce or pepper sauce). For the horseradish, everyone has their own taste so I would say add as much as you would put on half of a sandwich. Then, add the Clamato and then shake vigorously so there is a nice froth on top. Finish the drink with a garnish of celery and a slice of lime and lemon, and end with a good morning.
Experience (SIE), Honors Project. Subject of discussion: “making choices” what we buy from where 5. YOU: Get Involved, Get Focused – Tim Robbins Subject of Discussion: Engaging in the environment at Hobart and William Smith Colleges 6. Question and Answer Period Panelists will receive questions from the audience Event Conclusion: 9:00 PM Although this is the first year that this event is going to occur at Hobart and William Smith is has already drawn considerable attention within the community and participation from some knowledgeable resources. At the end of the Panel discussion, the audience will have a chance to address questions to individual panelist members or the entire panel itself. The subjects are going to cover a range of issues including education, energy, food and local governmental policy. The speakers are fantastic
people who are well educated and experienced in the fields in which they will be talking about. This will truly prove to be a valuable experience for anyone deciding to attend, be it environmental science majors or those studying for a degree in public policy. In the end it doesn’t matter whether you believe in Global warming or not, it is about addressing the real issues that are present and finding real answers. If you have time on Wednesday or Thursday come out and see what Focus the Nation has to offer, you might even learn something. Too frequent in today’s world do we hear all about the problems and not enough on how to fix them. Focus the Nation will address the problems, but most importantly it is working towards the answer. So on Wednesday and Thursday next week come on down, get focused. Tim Robbins The Committee on Environmental and Political Relations
Kennedy Cont. The Herald reminds you to enjoy the drink of the week safely and at the appropriate time and location, as long as you are of age…
She describes the high of Mem as a “Nostalgia fest” where people form “vampire-like relationships” with others who take the drug. This novel addresses the functions of memory between social groups. She describes memory as “an amazing glue that we
have” because we can “exist in the minds of others, and we sometimes depend on that.” Her novel takes Win back into his good memories where he can relive his life and edit it into his “own personal Disney Land.”
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THE HERALD, FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 1, 2008
Campus Report The Herald The Search for the Perfect Summer Job: What I Learned At Camp
Camp is a rite of passage for many. It is an unforgettable part of each child’s life and truly does shape who we are as people later on in life in so many ways. Each year I returned to camp my experiences were always different. My first year (and every year after), I would sit eagerly in the car, butterflies in my stomach, wondering nervously who my new counselors would be what cabin would I be placed in, what changes would my camp friends have made. These thoughts would recede within days of my arrival and once again I would fall into the routine that I knew and loved. For four years I made this trip, with the same feelings and the same uncertainties and reservations. Never did I doubt that I would have a good time, yet it was these initial fears that led me to my adventures, but surely did not end them. In those four years I learned to be a fellow sister,
friend, and a shoulder to cry. I owe a lot to those initial four years of my camping experience. Last summer, after having left camp behind, I returned to those butterflies, only instead of wondering who my fellow campers would be, I wondered who my fellow counselors would be. It was a new and different but amazing experience. I had a new perspective on the women that changed my life and I soon realized I would become someone I had truly admired when I was younger: a camp counselor. The friends that I made all those summers were ones that I would always be connected with; these friendships, though we may have moved on, were ones that I look back on fondly. Sometimes you are lucky enough to meet great people that you will be friends with forever, and sometimes they are just your friends
for the summer, but no matter how long those friendship last, these are the friends that love you unconditionally, even when you haven’t showered for days, and you are dancing and singing silly songs. The funny thing about camp is that you let go, you are exactly who you want to be. There is no one to judge you, because chances are you will look around the room and see a hundred other people doing the same thing! Life truly is simple, enjoy it! People will come in and out of your lives, circumstances change. Good and bad situations will arise, but just remember the camping days, the fun and simplicity that life can take, and just live your life. Remember there is always tomorrow. ~Rebecca “Daisy” Dennee
The HWS Family Continues to Grow New faculty and students arrive for the Fall 2007 semester By Dealva Jade Dowd-Hinkle ‘08
Herald Contributor
Jamie Barrera never planned to be a professor. In fact, as an undergraduate at Texas A&M University (tamu.edu) he was working towards an industrial job. That all changed in his junior year when he went on a Research Experience for Undergraduates Program and found himself at Cornell University (cornell.edu) in upstate New York. At the REU program he learned what hands-on research was like and when he returned to Texas he made a big decision. “ I changed directions in all my courses. I took a bunch of courses that I would need for graduate school.” After this Barrera changed his degree to a bachelor of Science in Applied Mathematical Science and a minor in Statistics and in May of 1998 graduated Cum Laude from Texas A&M. But not only did he change directions in his education, he also picked up and moved all the way across the United States to attend Cornell University in Ithaca, a small liberal college town at the bottom of Cayuga Lake in upstate New York. In 2003 Barrera earned his Masters degree and is now working towards his Ph.D at the Center for Applied Mathematics. While working towards his two Masters degrees, one in Applied Mathematics and one in Computer Science, Barrera also participated in a variety of research projects, including working as a graduate research assistant at the Los Alamos National Laboratory during the summers of 2000 and 2001, working with a nonlinear time-delayed harmonic oscillator that is connected to cochlear mechanics, or hearing mechanics in your ear. But he is not only working towards his Ph.D, he is also teaching two Calculus II courses and their accompanying labs, and these two things aren’t even in the same town. “ I commute from Ithaca [to Geneva]. I’m living there too . . . it’s been tough. I work 100 percent of my time on teaching so there’s little time to waste.”
He admits that this balance between working in Geneva and continuing his PhD in Ithaca can be a struggle. For the first part of the semester he had to work hard to keep just a day ahead of his class, but as the semester continues he’s catching up and no matter how hard the work is, he knows where his heart and his efforts go. Teaching a fifteen-week course and working towards a PhD can be a daunting and difficult but professor Barrera doesn’t see balancing his job and his continued education as the hardest part of his day. Instead, he describes his struggle to find what he calls the “heart of the class”. “ I can teach them everything I know and they wouldn’t learn anything because it would be all above their head . . . the hardest part is to figure out how fast to go and what depth to cover and to do it in a way that challenges the really bright students while not leaving behind the weaker students.” This idea of finding the heart of the class is a part of professor Barrera’s larger philosophy of teaching (http://math.hws.edu/ barrera/statementOf TeachingPhilosophy.pdf). This philosophy emphasizes hands-on experience and problem solving to increase students learning abilities, even in classes like Calculus II, where students may not understand the connection to real life experiences until they are shown to them. Professor Barrera explains that most students “want to approach it from a mechanical point of view where this is the problem and this is the answer and all I care about is how to get there” and while this is an important part of Calculus it is not the whole picture. For professor Barrera, focusing just on the mechanics is a waste of time without the connection to the world. While this sort of integration can be a struggle in Calculus II, professor Barrera has plans in the works for a very different course that will help students to learn the applications of
mathematics and computer science and integrate these skills into their everyday lives. “The skills that you learn as far as problem solving and estimating things in a rigorous way, in a systematic way, solving problems, attacking them, those are all things that you’ll use in any field that you go into.” When deciding where to work Professor Barrera had two alternatives in mind: he wanted to live in a big city or live in Ithaca or somewhere nearby so he could continue his PhD at Cornell University. That’s when he saw the posting for tenure positions at Hobart and William Smith Colleges and he knew that was where he wanted to be. “This area, the Finger Lakes region, is a beautiful place. So when I saw the posting for Geneva, I said ‘ok, that’s perfect.’ And then when I started looking more into the school it was a very attractive place.” His only complaint about working in this area, “that’s not really a valid complaint because the school has no control of this” is that Geneva is a very small town. Despite this minor complaint Professor Barrera really enjoys working at Hobart and William Smith Colleges and, if asked to grade the schools, would “give it a A-+, and if it was set in a big city, I would have to give it a A++. I really am happy here.” Additional Information: Professor Barrera’s Full Research and Experience History http://www.cam.cornell.edu/~jhb9149/Vita.pdf Center for Applied Mathematics at Cornell University http://www.cam.cornell.edu/ Math and Computer Science Department at HWS http://math.hws.edu/
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THE HERALD, FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 1, 2008
Campus Report The Herald 2008 Presidential Candidates Quick Guide On The Issues
Roe v. Wade Death Penalty Education (No Child Left Behind) Embryonic Stem Cells Homeland Security (Patriot Act) Immigration (Citizenship for Illegals) Iran (Sanctions) Iran (Military Action) Iraq War (Troop Surge) Iraq War (Withdrawal) Minimum Wage Increase Same-Sex (Marriage) Same-Sex (Civil Union) Universal Health Care
Clinton
Obama
Gravel
(Democrat)
(Democrat)
(Democrat)
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Clinton
X
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Obama
McCain
Huckabee
Paul
Romney
(Republican)
(Republican)
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X X
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(Republican) (Republican)
X X
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Gravel
Election Key
supports X opposes phased withdrawl alternate plan --- no plan noted
X
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McCain
Huckabee
Paul
Romney
Don’t forget to vote... Send in your absentee ballot or go to the voting booths. Super Tuesday February 9, 2008 For more information regarding candidates views on the issues visit: http://www.2decide.com/table.htm http://politics.nytimes.com/electionguide/2008/election/index.html http://www.ontheissues.org/default.htm
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THE HERALD, FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 1, 2008
The Herald │ arts and entertainment OSCAR NOMINEE “MICHAEL CLAYTON” TO BE SCREENED AT SMITH OPERA HOUSE
GENEVA – Nominated for seven Academy Awards including Best Picture, “Michael Clayton” is a sharply written, twisty legal thriller abut a lawyer trapped in a job that is corroding his soul. It will be screened at 7 p.m., February 9, 11, and 12, and at 2:00 on Sunday, February 10, at the Smith Opera House, 82 Seneca St. A deftly written, tautly suspenseful and intellectually demanding morality tale, it stays a step ahead of the audience and features multidimensional characters played by actors at the top of their games. The pace and style harks back to such classics of the ‘70s as “All the President’s Men” or “Network.” Earning a Best Actor Oscar nomination, George Clooney is a functionary in a high-powered New York City law firm. He’s variously described as a fixer, a bag man, a janitor, and the guy who cleans up the messes -- hit-and-run driving cases, ugly divorces, immigration muddles -- in which the firm’s otherwise respectable clients find themselves embroiled. The partners are grateful for his services, and don’t care to know too much about his methods. Or his extracurricular activities, which include a gambling habit and an $80,000 debt to the mob, who lent him money for a bar that his feckless brother ran into the ground. Much of the tension in this legal thriller comes from watching this morally conflicted antihero wrestle with the question of just who he is. He’s a very good character, one we’ve not previously encountered at the movies, and Clooney plays him with a wonderfully calm subtlety. The man never sweats or raises his voice when the pressure is on him, which it almost always is. At most, he registers anxiety with an almost imperceptible flicker of his eyes. When we meet him, the firm’s leading litigator, Arthur Edens (Best Supporting Oscar nominee Tom Wilkinson) has suffered a serious meltdown in Milwaukee -- in the the midst of taking a deposition he has stripped naked and run out babbling into a snowy parking lot. Arthur has been defending an agrochemical giant in a class action suit and has discovered a document that proves one of its products has, indeed, fatally poisoned a large number of its customers. He has wasted a decade of his life and more billable hours on the case than anyone can calculate and he wants to blow the whistle on the company. Its very tense and ambitious chief counsel (Best Supporting Actress Oscar nominee Tilda Swinton) can’t let that happen. And neither can Marty Bach (Sydney Pollack), the law firm’s senior partner, who has a merger on his mind. The film is written and directed by first-timer Tony Gilroy, the screenwriter behind the razor-sharp “Bourne” movies. Here, his script and direction each earned Academy Award consideration. The film also received an Oscar nod for its score by James Newton Howard. Stemming from the way it allows its characters their quirks, “Michael Clayton” is deeply absorbing. You believe Arthur’s temporary insanity, which is a matter of decent instincts overriding his professionalism. You believe that Pollack’s apparent toughness is
something of a shell. You sense a curious (and not unsympathetic) naivety in Swinton’s corporate lawyer, especially in the scenes where, in private, she works the human kinks out of her public statements ensuring that they remain bland and full of falsity. Above all, the film allows Clooney’s character his somewhat tormented relationship with his family real depth. He has moved up and away from them, and there are resentments on both sides. Yet blood is thicker than the watery morality he has embraced in his maturity. Clayton may be Clooney’s best role in a body of work that is increasingly assured. This is a movie that thrives not on cheap melodramatics but on ideas and a more deliberate pace than most contemporary mainstream movies. Smart and exciting, “Michael Clayton” takes the audience on a ride whose pleasures almost sneak up on you and are all the more satisfying because of it. It’s a rare film that can challenge our minds and rattle our nerves so profoundly. It is rated R and has a running time of two hours. Tickets are $5 general admission and $3 for students and senior citizens. Call 315-781-LIVE (5483) or tollfree 866-355-LIVE (5483) for details or to order tickets. Tickets may also be purchased on-line at www.TheSmith.org. The Smith Opera House is a 501(c)3 not-for-profit organization supported, in part, with public funds from the New York State Council on the Arts, the City of Geneva, the Town of Geneva and by contributions from individual supporters.
If you have a friend who defines
style Submit their names to Rebecca.Dennee@hws.edu for a style profile in The Herald.
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THE HERALD, FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 1, 2008
The Herald │ arts and entertainment
R.I.P HEATH LEDGER By: Zinnia “Yesonia” Gill Distribution Manager As some of you may have heard, Heath Ledger passed away last Tuesday from a possible drug overdose. The campus (and the world) has been buzzing with this latest piece of gossip. What happened? Did he just “accidentally” take too many prescribed pills? My take on it is that Heath Ledger, born as Heathcliff Andrew, became tangled up in the world of mass media. We have to understand the fact that living in the limelight is not a simple endeavor. When a camera lens becomes your daily audience, it has got to be quite difficult to live a life of your own. It is almost as if some A and B-list actors live in front of an audience all the time. We all know how Britney Spears has cracked under the pressure of the ever-growing, ever-changing industry of the media. Maybe Heath Ledger could not deal with the stress placed before him. That brings us to another point in this situation. We’ve been taught from day one that being famous is glamorous and desirable, and that the lifestyle is care-free and effortless. How true is this assumption? How can society judge something that only a fraction of people experience? It is entirely unfair. This pressure that celebrities feel sounds extremely tasking. In a world where good looks and income are extremely esteemed, it is no wonder that celebrities feel pressure to look the best and to make as much money as possible. It is a sad truth, but the amount of attention that stars get is probably quite difficult for them to juggle. It’s a competitive industry, and it’s changing ever-so-quickly. We all remember Owen Wilson’s brush with suicide not long ago. The limelight these celebs are placed in is extremely overwhelming. After awhile, I’m sure all of the glitz and glamour starts feeling tired and boring. Sometimes it’s the little things that count. Maybe celebrities need some space in order to truly experience life without being in front of a camera. In the meantime, hopefully these privileged few can accept that they are just always going to be fawned over. Heath will be missed dearly.
Ask Dr. Blackwell Our Very Own HWS Sex Advice Columnist
Got a question about sex that you need answered? Can’t ask anyone else? Don’t know you got that STD from last weekend or what it is?
Write me At herald@hws.edu
Dear Liz, After I’ve been stroking my man in his “special area” and I’ve been in contact with his sperm my skin gets very irritated and turns bright pink. I’m really worried; will I ever be able to touch him again? What is happening to me? Please help! — Afriad to Touch Dear Afraid to Touch First step is to wash your hands, second is to calm downnn. Although this could be a rare disease often misdiagnosed as an STD, it could in fact just be an STD. This rare disease I am talking about is called human seminal plasma protein hypersensitivity (SPH), an allergy to semen. It can cause symptoms such as redness, severe burning pain, and swelling which begin 20 to 30 minutes after contact and can last for just hours, or even days. This could be severely detrimental to your relationship; however there are a few options for treatment. You can first try using condoms and keep your man hydrated, but if that doesn’t work there is an extremely costly and intensive treatment that can help you become desensitized. Please remember that insurance will hardly ever cover something like this. Wishing you the best, Liz Blackwell
MOVIE TIMES
Sports
8
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 19, 2007
FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 1, 2008
The Herald
This Past Week in HWS Athletics By Mike Kaplun Sports Editor
The winter athletics season is in full swing. Here is how our teams faired just prior to and after Thanksgiving:
Hobart
HOCKEY The 2nd-ranked Hobart College hockey team is off to an incredible 8-0 start, following road victories at Oswego and Brockport on November 17-18. The Statesmen have posted three shutouts in their eight victories. On November 30-31, Hobart travels to Manhattanville and Utica for its fifth and sixth straight road games.
Hobart
BASKETBALL The Hobart College basketball team is 2-2 following an 87-78 victory over Alfred on November 27. Continuing where he left off from last season is senior John Grazioli, who was recently named Liberty League Forward of the Week for the second week in a row. Hobart is back on the court on Saturday, December 1 for a home meeting with Keuka. Tip-off is scheduled for 7 p.m.
William Smith
BASKETBALL The William Smith College basketball team is off to a 2-0 start, with its most recent victory coming at Nazareth on November 20. The Herons host their first home game of the year on Saturday, December 1 for a contest versus Keuka. Tip-off is scheduled for 2 p.m.
Photo Courtesy of Kevin Colton
William Smith
SWIMMING AND DIVING The 3-0 William Smith College Swimming and Diving team is back in the water on November 30-December 1 for the Liberty League Swimming and Diving Championships. The competitions, hosted by Union (swim) and R.P.I. (dive), are scheduled to begin on November 30 at 4:00.
Hobart
SQUASH On November 17-18, the Hobart College squash team won its first two matches before losing its last two in the Liberty League Championships. In their two team victories over Hamilton and Vassar, the Statesmen won all but one singles competition. Hobart is back on the courts on Saturday, December 8 at Connecticut College.
William Smith
SQUASH The William Smith College squash team finished second in the Liberty League Championships on November 18. After losing their first match, the Herons went on to knock off Vassar and St. Lawrence in the round robin formatted tournament. William Smith is back on the courts on December 1-2, when the squad travels to Wesleyan for the Wesleyan Round Robin. For complete HWS athletic schedules, visit www.hws.edu/athletics. When you get time to step away from the books this week, please go cheer on your fellow student-athletes. Your support is always appreciated.
Good luck HWS athletics! Photo Courtesy of Kevin Colton
*If there are any sports enthusiasts eager to get involved in sports writing, please e-mail Mike Kaplun at mk2993@hws.edu.
HWS Athletics Events on Campus This Weekend Friday, February 1 William Smith Basketball vs. Clarkson, 6 p.m. Hobart Basketball vs. Clarkson, 8 p.m. Saturday, February 2 Hobart Squash vs. Navy, 10 a.m. William Smith Basketball vs. St. Lawrence, 2 p.m. Hobart Basketball vs. St. Lawrence, 4 p.m. Sunday, February 3 William Smith Squash vs. Toronto, 11 a.m.