VOLUME CXXX
SEPTEMBER 29, 2006
ISSUE 4
Celebrate Service… Celebrate Geneva’s Bicentennial! Rachel Sumner ‘08 Herald Reporter
INSIDE:
1 2 4 6 7
NEWS CAMPUS
Darfur update
Don’t forget it is Parents Weekend !!!!!
The 14 th annual Day of Service will be held on Saturday, October 14th, 2006. The planning committee has been working wicked hard to ensure that this year’s Day of Service is even more awesome than usual, because this year is also Geneva’s bicentennial. If you volunteer on DOS, not only will you receive a fantastic Day of Service 2006 t-shirt, but you’ll also help others and be a part of this great HWS tradition!
We are hoping to have a record number of volunteers, both from HWS and from the Geneva community, in order to get a ton of service done and to unite the two communities for a common cause. If you’re interested in being a volunteer, please sign up at our table in Saga starting Monday, October 2nd. You can sign up as an individual, or you can sign up as part of a team to do some service with your friends! Participating in Day of Service
is a great way to meet new people, try something new, and give back to this excellent community in which we spend the school year. After doing service in the morning, there will be an awesome celebration on the Quad, including food, music, and other delightful activities. We need your enthusiasm and participation to make Day of Service 2006 a wonderful and successful event!
After Major Problems, Facebook is at it Again Annalise VanHouten ‘09 News Editor
A&E
Interview with Mark Neveldine ‘95, wirter and director of Crank
OP-ED
Forced to go Downtown Super Wal-Mart
SPORTS
We’re still searching for sports writers! Contact herald@hws.
The Herald needs your help! As always, you should feel guilty for not contributing to The Herald. Please help continue our tradition of ‘excellence.’
Every Tuesday Night In the Office Next to the ATM in Scandling 7 p.m. If you play sports or do another activity, quit. We need you more.
It seems like the popular website Facebook has been changing non-stop these days. First was the News Feed and mini-feed in early September. These alerts, as creator Mark Zuckerberg stated, let you “know when Mark adds Britney Spears to his Favorites or when your crush is single again.” Shortly after, users complained so furiously that it became headline news on ABC, and was featured in a number of prominent newspapers and websites, including Time magazine. However, aside from the annoyances that the News Feed and mini-feed have caused, there is more significant issue. As you have probably noticed, membership on Facebook has been opened up “to anyone in
the world” with Internet access. The days of Facebook being exclusively for college students are gone, and recent changes, like opening the site to high school students, may have foreshadowed this occurrence. According to co-founder Chris Hughes, this major expansion includes 500 networks all over the world, with smaller regions and groupings for the United States. Zuckerberg claims that this expansion answers the “number one request [he receives] from people…to invite friends outside their college network.” What do students at HWS think? Diana Haydock, a William Smith sophomore, says “I think Facebook should be restricted to college students, faculty, and alumni (within two
to three years of graduating). If corporations or businesses want a network like this they should start their own and make it more professional… not a means to find out which co-workers are single or what their favorite movies are.” Rafeek Mohamed, a Hobart junior, agrees. “I feel like Facebook entails an academiaacademia relationship and there is a degree of privacy, but with everyone on Facebook, it will essentially be another ‘MySpace.’” These students reflect the general feeling of discontent among Facebook members. This will most likely continue, due to alarming news that has surfaced in the past week. According to Yahoo News, Face-
CONTINUED, PAGE 6
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Campus Life
Campus Life
Save Darfur Now Erinn Cain ‘08 Herald Reporter
Jacqui Sands is on a mission. A mission to increase awareness of a tragedy that is occurring every day only an ocean away. In the Darfur region of Sudan, a bloody conflict between the Sudanese armed forces and militia, the “Janjaweed,” and two rebel groups has resulted in the killing of 400,000 people, the rape and assault of thousands of women and girls, the destruction of hundreds of rural villages, and the displacement of more than 2 million civilians, according to a press release from the Save Darfur Coalition. “Something about this genocide being allowed to continue, and the fact that this issue hasn’t been resolved truly gets to me,” said Sands. In order to gain more awareness for the Darfur genocide, Sands organized a group of students to go to New York City on Sept. 17 to attend a benefit concert and rally entitled “Raise Your Voice: Save Darfur Now,” The rally was one of many that occurred in 55 cities across the world on the Global Day
for Darfur, a day to “push for a U.N. peacekeeping force to Darfur immediately,” said Jeff Kovick, a spokesperson for the Save Darfur Coalition. Sands first learned about the Darfur genocide in a high school economics class, and then in a course taught by Professor Michael Dobkowski she returned to the issue. “That really inspired me to get active,” she said. After attending the Darfur rally in Washington D.C. last year, Sands was eager to participate in this year’s rally in the East Meadow of Central Park, she said, remembering the whirlwind of emotions of the previous year, with people simultaneously screaming and crying. Sands was responsible for all aspects of organizing the trip to New York City, including soliciting student and faculty involvement, organizing the transportation, and applying for funding, which she received from the Young Memorial Trust for International Peace and Understanding, the religious studies program, the Progressive Student Union, Hillel, and Dobkowski, said Sands.
Sands, along with 32 other students and Lorinda Weinstock of the Religious Life Office, left early Sunday morning to arrive at the park in time for the rally, which began at 2 p.m. The group was among over 30,000 people who attended the rally, said David Rubenstein of the Save Darfur Coalition. Speakers at the rally included Madeleine Albright, the former United States Secretary of State; Joey Cheek, the U.S. Olympic Team speed skater; and actress Mira Sorvino, while performers included Big & Rich and O.A.R. One of the goals of the rally was to gain support for a U.N. peacekeeping mission to Darfur, which was authorized by the United Nations on Aug. 31, according to a press release from the Save Darfur Coalition. “Only a U.N. peacekeeping force will bring peace to the people of Darfur,” said Rubenstein. “We must intensify our efforts to compel President Bush and other world leaders to do all they can to ensure the peacekeeping force is deployed.” In order for the force, which would include 22,600 military and police personnel to be implemented, the Government of Sudan must grant permission, according to a press release from the Save Darfur Coalition.
Another goal of the rally was to gain awareness for an urgent issue that continues to be overlooked. “It’s not something heard on the news,” said Sands. “I definitely just want people to know.” Although the rally was deemed a success, efforts must not cease, said Rubenstein. For students who are interested in contributing to the cause, they have several options. They can visit the Genocide Intervention Network Web site, www.genocideintervention.net, to get more information about the conflict, and Kovick suggests that students start a STAND, or Students Taking Action Now: Darfur, chapter on campus. For her part, Sands is not going to let the momentum gained at the rally fade away. She plans to start a group within the next month named SAD: Student Activists for Darfur, which will focus on efforts to change the current situation in Darfur, and she encourages any students who want more information to contact her. “The students that went [to the rally] are excited and motivated, and are ready to bring this issue alive on campus!” she said. “It is my hope that with this group, we can really make an impact by showing solidarity and activism for a cause that truly needs it.”
The Herald 2006- 2007
THE HERALD Established 1879
By and for the students of Hobart and William Smith Colleges Liz Staino Managing Editor Karen Mattes Layout Editor Emily McLoughlin Content Editor Laura Batchelor Business Manager Trippe Duke Op-Ed Editor Annalise VanHouten News Editor Jawad Cipriani El Heraldo Editor John Heavey Sports Co-Editor Michael Kaplun Sports Co-Editor Trevor Browne Campus Life Editor Louise Sheldon A&E Editor Amanda Lassell Photography Editor Lauren Burke Circulation Manager Marisa Athas Copy Editor Rachel Stephansky Copy Editor Amy Kulow Copy Editor SUBMISSION The Herald is currently accepting submissions for our coming issue. The Deadline for this issue is Monday at 5pm. Submit to herald@hws. edu.
photo couresy of Jacqui Sands
The Herald
Campus Life
Page 3
Spotlight on Study Abroad: Vietnam
“So Many Graves...” Jonah Levy ‘08 Herald Reporter
I look out and count one section: 25 by 30. 750 dead. This is approximately one quarter of the area we are looking around in. At the far end of the area, there is a very primitive construction job under way. Whatever it is, or was, crooked poles are holding up the hut’s roof and foundation. Workers, male and female, are hammering and working on pieces of wood on the side. Between the thirty-year-old graves and the work on the hut, I see an appropriate balance of creation and destruction, development and remembrance. But then we go to the next area. Twice as many graves, in stretching rows, face two contrasting prayer areas. One is more traditional, pastel colors and tile decorations, with a site for burning incense (although there is also a small pile of
rocks on each tombstone for the same purpose). The other is strikingly modern; a large red warped hood bearing a golden star covers relics from the war and photos. Past the hood there are more graves, which I vow to look at later. I ask Professor Jewell if the first title of each tombstone, “Lei si” means “soldier” or marks some sort of rank. “These are all non-combatants” he replies, “These are all people who were working on the trail or were carrying supplies”. Embarrassment strikes me awkwardly; I’ve been so spiritually affected by all these lives lost, and I didn’t even know what they were killed for. In some ways, it’s all the same, but I would be an ass to describe it that way. These men and women, ages going from early teens (youngest, 15) to middle age (oldest, 45) are dead. Each of
these deaths devastated a family, a village, a nation, a lover, a child, a church, a mother, and so on, and so forth. I’ve seen dead people lined up in ditches, shot point blank in the head, ripped apart from an explosion, but only in photo exhibits. I’ve seen and heard numbers, such as 3 million, or five hundred and four, and I compare it to 2,497, or one. Now, I look at one grave—and the next—and the row it’s a part of—and the twelve rows in the section—and the other half of the area—and then I walk to the next section, where there are hundreds more. I realize that comparison is the gateway to true morbidity. The rest of the group is gathering by a granite tower, which I tried to use as a comparison point while shooting film (This is one area, in view of the granite tower. Next I’m in another area, completely different, but still in view of the granite tower). They’re all done with it, slacking back into
their relationships with each other, no longer alone with the graves. But I’m not finished. I pass through the loopy red hood and see yet the largest section of graves. I try to use the red hood as a comparison point. It’s barely visible from the point where I can shoot and see the longest row of graves, which takes fifteen seconds to zoom all the way out to. There may be no point in comparing one section of graves by the red hood to another section of graves a little farther from the red hood. They’re all dead, and it’s a painfully massive number of graves, no matter how close they are to each other. Viewers might not realize I’m in the same place if they don’t see a recognizable figure, but death should be recognizable enough to get the point. I sit down for a second to take a break from all this. Professor Jewell will later tell me that what we saw today was 20% of Truong Son National
Ananya Chatterjea Takes the Stage… Caitlyn Schrader ‘10 Herald Reporter
“It’s been amazing, a great experience,” stated Ananya Chatterjea, dancer, choreographer, and women’s activist, of her experience here at Hobart and William Smith. She also expressed her gratitude for the energy and the helpfulness of our students and staff here during her stay. The Fisher Center kicked off its Fall 2006 lecture series, “Arts and Gender Activism,” with Ananya Chatterjea and her company of women artists of color, Ananya Dance Theatre. The active involvement of many of our students, professors, as well as community members, proved to be a suc-
cessful start to the upcoming season! The crowded classroom, dance studio, and theater stood testament to the overall success of Ananya Chatterjea’s presence. Each event proved to be more fascinating, as she presented her lecture entitled “Dancing My Politics,” her master dance class, and finally her performance Duurbaar with her company. In her lecture Ananya discussed how and why she creates works that are inspired by the lives of women, hoping to reach out to diverse people about contemporary issues that she believes acquires social change. For her this is done through movement, or dance,
for she believes that “dance is a potent site of social change.” William Smith student Leanne Roncolato agrees with Ananya. She comments about Ananya’s lecture, “it was worthwhile, especially because dance is a discipline that is marginalized and academic,” and that the feminism, which Ananya Dance Theatre stresses “is not taken seriously.” She also believes that “Feminism is a way of communicating intelligence,” and it’s “important to have a serious academic,” which Ananya Chatterjea clearly exemplifies. I’m sure anyone who had participated in the master class would not disagree that it was quite an interesting experience.
The workshop exposed the students, professors, as well as community members to the basic technical principles necessary to perform the type of dance Ananya and her company practice. William Smith student Gabrielle Bridgda said the master class was “challenging,” something “totally brand new and interesting.” Needless to say, for those of you who missed out on this experience, I give a lot of credit for the dancers who put their bodies through that tough, rigorous physical training. The performance was just as engaging, proving to be an amazing end to Ananya’s three day stay here on campus. It also was a great opportunity
Cemetary.
**If you know someone who is currently studying abroad, if you’re a former study abroad student, or if you will be studying abroad this coming Spring and are interested in contributing your experiences to The Herald, (I’m not picky)… please contact me at av8520@hws. edu**
Come to The Herald Meetings, Tuesdays at 7 pm for some of our William Smith students of color to participate in the actual performance. Ananya said that by incorporating them into the piece she is fulfilling her mission of community building. One of the dancers remarked on the involvement of our students, that it was a “positive and marvelous experience with the women at Hobart and William Smith.” So if you missed out on the start of the Fisher Centers Lecture Series, it’s not too late!! Make sure you come check out the next event, Wednesday, October 4th, when Susan Griffin presents “Ecologies of Soul: Restoring the Connection Between Self and World, Art and Society.” I’m sure it will prove to be just as
Arts & Entertainment “CRANK” Interview with Writer & Director Mark Neveldine Hobart ‘95 John Heavey ‘09 Sports Editor
Q: How did HWS prepare you for a career in film? A: HWS was cool- it was a place where I learned a little of everything... and as I moved into my junior and senior year, it became a place where I could begin to prepare for my career in the entertainment biz. I came to the school amped up to play football, and other sports, but as I met certain friends and faculty members, I decided to prioritize my life. I needed the time to write, and wanted to act in the school plays, and also direct - which I did my senior year for a midnight performance at the sunken gardens. I was also directing scenes in class. Q: Did HWS spark an interest in film for you? A: I wanted to be in the film/TV business since I was 5, but I was sidetracked by sports (which I think was great because it taught me that discipline and hard work pay off, something Coach Cragg knows well).
Q: What were the best/ worst parts of the production of Crank? A: Crank was fun to write, fun to shoot, fun to edit, and fun to watch... what wasn’t fun - waiting, waiting, waiting to get the movie set up and convincing people to believe in us as filmmakers. Q: What is the most rewarding aspect of the final production? A: Most people would say box office, because we are considered a box office success, and currently are the number one movie in Turkey (laughs). But the truth is, the most rewarding thing is that people are responding to the film – I mean the people who like it, really like it... and that every studio in town wants to give us a job... cause that’s what this is all about - not the money – the work... we love filmmaking. Q: Where did the inspiration and drive for Crank come from? Why that movie, why now? A: Brian Taylor [co-director] and I have a background as
Page 4 cinematographers. When we met 4 years ago, we realized that a) we were both insane b) we both like Guinness beer and an occasional strip bar, and c) we love moving the camera... we’re not fans of “setting marks” and having the actors hit their mark... we like to follow the actors around, we like to be more organic, moving the camera with purpose. We also didn’t have any money when we were shooting short films or doing indie features, so we had to be creative... we kind of became a double-headed Robert Rodriguez (to quote a studio exec). Anyway, we wanted to find a reason to keep the camera moving for 90 minutes and we started talking about a hit man who had to keep moving... but why? How? Then, it hit us, “let’s poison the fucker.” We did a little research with a couple of doctors and found that this actually existed and could happen. We wrote an outline with many of the characters coming out of our LA experience. We also knew that we wanted to make sure these characters were going to be living in an ADD movie world, and we wanted to “wink” at a lot of other films- we didn’t want to take it too seriously. Once we had the outline, which we finished while sitting at a bar, we spent the next four and a half days writing the script for Crank. It just felt right, in this fucked up little ADD world that we live in. And we wanted to comment on that as well as be a part of that movement- if that makes sense. It’s like a dark parody of an action film, while being an action film - keeping two breeds of movie-goers happy. Q: How does your HWS experience inspire or affect your work today? A: I didn’t know anyone when I moved to NY, and then again when I moved to LA. I really had to make this career happen on my own, but in a
The Herald weird way, HWS prepared me to deal with people and understand them- maybe all those psychology courses at HWS helped! I’m very good at understanding people and knowing shortly after meeting them what they want. This has been an instinct that has served me well. Q: Why do you love to make films? A: Well, I love to write, and I love photography, and I’ve always loved watching
photo courtesy of the HWS archives
yet, keeping in mind that others are going to see them too. The goal is to entertain, right? Both ourselves, and others. We loved making Crank, and I think it’s important to feel inspired in order to entertain. We also want to push the limitswho doesn’t? We want to find new, wild ways to keep people’s interest- it doesn’t always have to be a sex scene in Chinatown, it could be a different way to film an argument, making it feel like a POV, as if the person on screen was arguing with you the viewer, so that you could better see what the character is dealing with in this intimate, heated moment- and lensing and lighting it in an uncomfortable way. Everyone is expecting only crazy action films from us, but we have optioned one of our horror films to Lakeshore, and have another weird horror-esque thriller that we wrote, a sci-fi time-fuck movie, a big tent pole King Kong sort of thing, and a heist flick. I think we’ve written seven scripts so far, and we’re working on another one right now. Q: Is there a specific HWS faculty member that had a significant effect on you? A: There are several- the two most important, who I also keep in touch with every couple of months are Grant Holly - my screenwriting teacher, and Robert Gross - my acting teacher. Robert really focused
movies. I get so excited when something is going to come out that I want to see- I still have this little kid in me that wants to go to the drive-in theater every night. Being on set, working with actors, and camera-operating is awesomejust telling a visual story is so much fun. I learn something new every time I step foot on a set and that’s just so fucking exciting, because I love new experiences. Q: What is your ultimate goal in writing/directing movies? A : We want to make films that we Neveldine pictured on the right Photo courtesy of want to see, Lionsgate Films
The Herald me in on the craft of acting and the importance of it all. He was so inspiring and an incredible director and person. Grant taught me a lot about the ‘biz’, the bullshit you have to deal with, and how to work towards an exciting story. Talent and doing the work were a given (meaning you better have the talent, and you HAVE to do the work) - but you also have to know how to sell. Movie making, as I said earlier, is about entertaining- it’s an art form for the masses and you have to know how to grab someone’s attention, therefore you need to build exciting characters and situations from the ground up - and Grant knows what works. It’s kinda funny because Robert and Grant are complete opposites and what they teach and their philosophies are both so very important. I thank both of them for being so encouraging in my pursuit. Another faculty member who inspired me was Martin Kelly (who I hear is no longer with the school - and a big loss!). Martin was my psychology professor and taught
Opinion-Editorial Arts and Entertainment me so much about people and myself- he was so damn cool. Libby Smigel was also a good performing arts teacher Q: General HWS memories: Dorms, teachers, classes, parties, anything that stands out as the relative best and worst? Neveldine’s freshamn photo courtesy of the HWS archives
A: I was in Kappa Sigma the best frat on the block - and I keep in touch with many of my brothers (who for a while made fun of me for acting in the college plays). By the way, one of my fraternity brothers, Jai Stefan, has a cameo in Crank. The old golf and toga parties were great, and our cook Carol ruled. I remember my freshman year in Hale Hall, before
they remodeled it. It was great because we could put holes in the walls and fuck shit up because we knew they were going to tear it apart at the end of the year. The worst thing- I drank too much in my first couple of years, and wasted good brain cells. Really, I wish I would’ve stayed home and watched more classic films instead. I remember not drinking for the majority of my senior year and it was amazing how much work I got done. No one is to blame but yourself if you don’t use the great resources at HWS. It is all there waiting for you to use, and there’s a great faculty who want you to succeed. So if I have any advice - DO THE WORK. And if you really want to be in the difficult business they call entertainment, it’s really easy- you need to wake up every single morning knowing that this is the only thing in the world that you want to do. And you need to do the work. If not, don’t bother showing up.
A Spirited Review...
Southern Comfortable Screw Trippe Duke ‘08 Op-Ed Editor
The 1970’s idea of a joke in the drinks name may be a touch embarrassing now, but the mixture is a good one, and the drink was something of a modern classic a generation ago. 1 Measure Vodka 1 Measure Southern Comfort ½ measure Sloe Jin 5 measures Orange Juice Add the first three ingredients to a highball glass half packed with ice. Stir to com-
bine, and then top with the orange juice and stir lightly again. Garnish with a cocktail cherry on a stick for the essential seventies touch, and add two long straws. A plastic novelty will add that final note of sheer class, as will throwing back three of them and slow dancing with someone ghastly. 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…
photo courtesy of roymorgan.com
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Restaurant Review Madder Lake Cafe
Louise Sheldon ‘07 A&E Editor
What’s the Madder? Nothing, I just like Ports more. I will tell you how I feel about The Madder Lake Café, because at the moment, I am a little skeptical of the improvements of the Campus Pub (please note: never ever change the Cobb Salad I love avocados, it’s brilliant). For those of you who don’t know about it, Madder Lake is the newer expensive restaurant on Lake Road. In my eyes, it is in stiff competition with the classic Lake RD. Café,Ports. The food is impeccable down to the very details of presentation. The chef at one point taught college level art classes in upstate New York; I can’t remember where, because to be honest, all I was thinking about at the time was how those two professions compare; it seemed kind of strange to me. Almost everything on the menu is delicious at Madder Lake, but for some reason I feel like there is a bit of cockiness about their restaurant that makes me want to bring them down a few notches. One thing I disliked was their wine menu the cheapest red wine on the menu is about 17 dollars and for that amount of money you should be able to find a pretty delicious selection all around, but I tried the cheapest selection under the red column, it was a Sicilian wine, and it was pretty gross, of course my friends and I shared it, because we are young and don’t care that much. To order a good wine at Madder Lake you need to know wines and I think that is not fair to people willing to shell out all that wampum. To anyone looking for a good choice I always choose Cab-
ernet Sauvignon or Chianti; and I trust Ports wine list a whole lot more than Madder Lake’s list. I also found the atmosphere so sterile; at one point this place was probably a garage and you sort of feel like it still is. It is a large square room, with low ceilings, and cautiously selected décor, (fauxChihuly glass plates artistically arranged in a surprising rainbow.) The inspiration probably came from a decoration reality show, and is, in my opinion, completely unoriginal. These things don’t really matter at all, those are just two minor details that bothered me, the main thing that matters is the food and Madder Lake has a great Menu. Along with the mediocre wine, I had the salad with goat cheese, I really should have ordered what my friend got; the Ceasar salad. It was much better and an exceptional Ceasar salad there wasn’t any mayonnaise in the dressing so it is really good. FYI Saga, Sodexho, whoever, the original Ceasar salad didn’t have mayonnaise in its dressing either and its better that way. I had the Duck it was quacktast-I mean fantastic. It came with figs, mashed corn and string beans and I loved every bite. The desserts are good too, especially the Crème Brule; I don’t want to sound too enthusiastic about the food because I felt like it was overpriced and it’s against some of my Yankee principles. It is really good food better than I make it sound, it’s probably worth the long car drive, where I hope you don’t get pulled over by a cop on the way back.
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The Herald
Downtown: No Longer a Holiday Trippe Duke ‘08 Op-Ed Editor
When I got back to school late last Sunday night after having been gone for six days, I wasn’t too surprised to find out that there was trouble at the bars again in downtown Geneva. Now this wasn’t the normal Saturday night stabbing, but rather a series of raids at various bars in the downtown area aimed at busting the under age students of Hobart and remain in charge of Facebook’s CONTINUED FROM content. The hope is to make William Smith Colleges for PAGE 1 Facebook more popular through drinking illegally. Now this is nothing new, advertising and revenue, and it seems that the bars get book is in “serious talks” with Yahoo could make that happen. raided about once a month. Zuckerberg has been quoted a media company to sell itself in the Wall Street Journal as Normally they only grab a for close to $1 billion. few kids, every once and a If the deal does go through, saying, “I would never say while there is a big one as we what does this mean for that at no point in the future saw last week. The students us? Supposedly, Yahoo has would we go public or become here are fairly intelligent, evpromised to keep the com- part of a larger company…but eryone knows that these raids pany somewhat independent what I would say is, it’s not our happen, yet there are strong if Zuckerberg agrees to the priority”. From the looks of it, it is be- numbers of underage drinkers deal, and the 22-year old will every Wednesday, Friday, and coming a major priority now. Saturday night. Maybe it’s the excitement of GENEV A CINEMA 5 ASHTON KUTCHER GENEVA breaking the rules, that 495 EXCHANGE STREET 789-7978 KEVIN COSTNER WWW.HOLLYWOOD.COM extra adrenaline buzz FRI 9/29-THU 10/5 D T S PG-13 one gets after you get z1:00z3:50-6:40-9:30 in. Maybe it’s the fact that all of your friends are there and you don’t want to be sitting in BILLY BOB THORNTON JON HEDER you dorm room alone playing Mario Kart. Or maybe it’s the fact that D T S PG-13 z2:40z4:50-7:10-9:20 it seems like almost everyone goes downtown,
z2:20z4:40-7:00-9:10 EDWARD NORTON
that it’s the only thing to do. It is easy to blame all of the kids who got arrested last weekend for breaking the law. They made the choice to go downtown and they will have to deal with their various consequences, but possibly there are some other factors that led them to make those decisions. Was it the fact that they truly wanted to go to out to the bars, or was it simply a lack of anything else to do? There are things to do on campus at night. You can go see a movie in a theater with desks, have a sunday at the ice cream social, maybe even get your face painted. Lets face it, people are going to cut loose a bit on the weekends and the school does not provide them with an environment to do so, which pushes them downtown. Now there is no disputing that underage drinking is illegal, and the school does have many reasons to limit it on campus for fear of litigation, but you have to pick between the lesser of two evils. What is the safest place for HWS students? On campus. If campus socializing was permitted, we could come together on this beautiful campus of ours, which would incorporate the students rather than push them away. On campus socializing can be controlled and limited at levels appropri-
R PAUL GIAMATTI
z2:10z4:30-6:50-9:05
PG-13 z2:30z4:30-6:30
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PG-13 THE COVENANT 8:25 z$4.00 MATINEES SAT-SUN WED BARGAIN NITE
cartoon by Tara Gentile ‘09
ate for a normal college by the students. After all, there is nothing that will deter binge drinking like a crowded keg swarming with 20 thirsty college students. These parties will limit themselves, and if there is more than one there will be no dangerous concentration of people. If the young men and women here were given a sense of responsibility, perhaps they would be responsible. The lack of ability for HWS students to socialize on campus leads them to a dangerous environment in the downtown area. This is a problem at this school, and instead of slapping a few kids on the wrist with social probation every time raids like this happen, there needs to be a realistic solution. Loosening up a bit around campus will provide members of this community with a safe atmosphere to drink responsibly and would be in the best interest of the student body’s health and safety. Do we really want this to be a campus where the students feel they need a fake ID to have a good night? This problem must be looked at and addressed honestly with the nature of your typical college student in mind, because if kids are willing too risk it downtown at this point, they must be pretty desperate.
The Herald
Op- Ed
Wal-Mart Super Center Peter Gregory ‘07 Contributor
The local Wal-Mart is planning to expand to a larger “Super Center” store and to offer even more services to our community. However, if you walk down several streets in Geneva, I’m sure you’ll notice a “No Super Center” sign in a few front lawns. It looks like Wal-Mart is just like the New York Yankees: people hate them because they are on top. We’ve been hearing about the horrors of Wal-Mart for years. Politicians and liberal activists have made attacking the company part of their platform. Unfortunately for them, Wal-Mart has effectively and consistently disproved their claims that the company destroys communities, pays substandard wages, and acts worse than other major retail chains. The bulk of the criticism comes from the political elite, who have no personal contact with the company. There is no Wal-Mart in: Hollywood, the Upper West Side or the Upper East Side of Manhattan, or in Washington, D.C. Our leaders feed off of documentaries such as WalMart: The High Cost of a Low Price and studies which claim that the company has a negative effect on the economy. What many people don’t know is that the documentary and those studies were produced by unions such as the American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees (AFSCME). In fact, the top anti-Wal-Mart organization, “Wake Up Wal-Mart,” was actually not the creation of an independent group of concerned citizens; It was founded by the
United Food and Commercial Workers International Union. It appears as though the left is listening to their union support, instead of actual voters. In a December 2005 poll, the non-partisan Pew Research Center found that a majority (62%) of those who claimed to be “liberal Democrats” found Wal-Mart to be “a good place to shop.” On the other side of the isle, 73% of Republicans had a “favorable impression” of the company. Why would the majority of Americans have a favorable view of the company? There is a very simple answer: Wal-Mart helps them.
omy. There is no reason why we should not welcome the expansion of Wal-Mart. The local economy is already in the tank and needs a boost. The company creates thousands of jobs per year and offers health insurance to its employees for as little as $11 per month. They also offer a competitive wage. At Wal-Mart, the average, fulltime hourly wage is $10.11 and this figure is even higher in urban areas. This is nearly 50% more than the minimum wage of $6.75 in New York. WalMart is also a viable career, as about 3/4 of all store managers began at Wal-Mart in an houry position.
Photo Courtesy of Amanda Lassell ‘07
A Democratic strategist was quoted in National Review as saying, “All these guys who make $200,000 a year and live in Washington think it’s a bad idea for Wal-Mart to save their customers thousands of dollars. Sometimes our party is more interested in punishing those who have gotten ahead than it is in helping those who could really use a hand.” The residents of Geneva could really use a hand and the expanding Super Center is expected to create about 300 new jobs in the area. For those of you not familiar with Upstate New York, the region is in the middle of an employment drain due to high taxes, and any new job opportunities would be a huge help to the local econ-
Wal-Mart also hires a diverse work force and was named as one of the “Top 25 Companies for AfricanAmericans” by Black Professional Magazine and was also named as a “Top Company for Minorities” by Hispanic Network Magazine. And if that is not enough, Wal-Mart donates over $200 million to charities annually. The vast majority of this money is given at the local level, so it can help improve the local communities that the company is already benefitting. The next time you see a “No Super Center” sign in a front lawns, really think about who the Super Center will benefit. It is unlikely that Hobart & William Smith students will
Page 7 be the ones that the Super Center will hire. We don’t need those jobs, and neither do the professors and administrators who are rallying us to oppose the expansion. The residents of Geneva would benefit from those jobs and, it’s about time we started to “help those who could really use a hand.” The next time you are in Wal-Mart buying supplies for your room, snacks, or Solo cups, sign the petition supporting the store’s expansion. Bring a Wal-Mart Super Center to Geneva, N.Y. photo courtesy of Amanda Lassell ‘07
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The Herald
New Face on the Field: GESWELL Helps Lead Statesmen to Impressive Start. John Heavey ‘09 Sports Editor
Editor’s Notes on the MLB Michael Kaplun ‘08 Sports Editor
As the 2006 Major League Baseball regular season comes to a close, here are the front runners and my picks for the prominent individual awards: *Note: All stats as of September 25* AL MVP: Derek Jeter (NYY)- .339 avg., 14 HR, 96 RBI David Ortiz (Bos)- .286 avg., 53 HR, 134 RBI Jermaine Dye (CWS).316 avg., 43 HR, 119 RBI Justin Morneau (Min).323 avg., 33 HR, 126 RBI *Winner: Derek Jeter- The Yankee captain’s exceptional play both in the field and at the plate has made him the driving force behind his team’s remarkable season. A Major League-leading .388 batting average with runners in scoring position further exhibits his ability to hit under pressure. Add this award to Jeter’s resume, and you may be looking at one of the best of all time. AL CY Young: Johan Santana (Min)- 186 rec., 2.79 ERA Chien Ming Wang (NYY)18-6 rec., 3.57 ERA, 1 save
Roy Halladay (Tor)- 16-5 rec., 3.19 ERA *Winner: Johan SantanaLike the saying goes, “Good pitching wins games,” and winning is pretty much all the Minnesota Twins have done since June. Santana dominated his opponents and appears to have carried the upstart Twins to a playoff birth. NL MVP: Ryan Howard (Phi)- .313 avg., 58 HR, 143 RBI Carlos Beltran (NYM).277 avg., 50 HR, 114 RBI Albert Pujols (StL)- .327 avg., 46 HR, 129 RBI Alfonso Soriano (Was).285 avg., 46 HR, 95 RBI, 41 stolen bases *Winner: Ryan HowardAs of September 25, his 58 home runs could be the highest total of any “natural” player since Maris’ 61. At age 26, something tells me that he will enjoy several more MVP seasons before his time is done. NL CY Young: Brandon Webb (Ari)- 16-7 rec., 2.95 ERA Brad Penny (LA)- 16-8 rec., 4.21 ERA Chris Carpenter (StL)15-7 rec., 2.93 ERA *Winner: Chris Carpenter
When considering schools in his college search, soccer was a big component for Matt Geswell. “Playing soccer had just become who I was,” Matt said, thinking back to when he was playing for coaches in his soccer showcases. Soccer led Matt to HWS and in is short time here, Matt has already helped to lead the Statesmen to one of their best starts in team history. Hailing from Carmel High School in Patterson, New York, Matt was a three-sport athlete, gaining accolades in skiing and golf, as well as soccer. Matt proved do be a dominant force on the field and in the classroom. In addition to being ninth in his class, Matt was named All-State, All-Section, and All-League during his tenure with Carmel High School Soccer. Additionally, he was named team and league MVP his senior year. In tenth grade, soccer started to become more and more
–Look up the word “workhorse” in the dictionary, and you are likely to find a picture of Chris Carpenter. A 15-7 record with a 2.93 ERA and over 200 innings pitched is considered by all standards to be an outstanding year. It’s also worth noting that his team is in the playoffs after a sub-par regular season. • Looking for something to do this week, come watch our Hobart soccer team in game action at these dates and times: October 6- vs. St. Lawrence 4 p.m. October 7- vs. Clarkson 2 p.m.
serious for Matt. Though he had been playing since he was five years old, and it was his favorite sport and second nature, Matt began to look at soccer a little differently in high school. “All of my friends were college soccer players, and I was starting to realize that’s who I wanted to be and that’s who I wanted to associate with,” recalled Matt. With this mindset, Matt decided, for sure, that he would play soccer in college. His senior year, Matt played in many soccer showcases. At these showcases, there would be a collection of players, exhibiting their skills for an array of college coaches. From these showcases, Matt garnered many letters from a vast amount of schools, but it was HWS that stood out for him. “After I got the letter from HWS,” Matt said, “I did some research on the school, and realized it had one of the best academic records of all the schools looking at me.” This, combined with impressive facilities, and a great coach-
ing staff, sold Matt on HWS. “When I visited HWS on my recruitment trip,” Matt remembers, “I noticed that this team was obviously a tight group, and that’s what I wanted.” Now at HWS, Matt has high aspirations for his academics and athletics. In the classroom, Matt hopes to maintain a 3.5 G.P.A. After his time at HWS, Matt plans to attend medical school and pursue a career in orthopedic surgery. Athletically, Matt is happy to see that his presence is already helping the Statesmen, who have been nationally ranked all season. He hopes to take this auspicious start and help the team to the NCAA tournament. “However,” Matt adds, “I don’t just want to make it; I want to do something while we’re there. Also, I want to keep up this success and national ranking every year. I want this to be consistent success.” Keep an eye out for Matt on the field, playing defense and wearing number 14 when the Statesmen take on St. Lawrence on October, 6th.