The Miscellany News
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Vassar College Poughkeepsie, NY
Volume CLI | Issue 6
October 11, 2018
Vassar alum in media College to host Labyrinth Week reconnects with roots Charlotte Varcoe-Wolfson CONTRIBUTING EDITOR
Meghan Hayfield GUEST REPORTER
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he ringing of a Tibetan singing bowl echoes through Kenyon Club Room and signals to 10 students and Professor of Psychology Carolyn Palmer that CLCS 151: Introduction to Contemplative Studies is beginning. The first of its kind, this class invites students to study, as well as to partici-
opment in the emerging Contemplative Initiative, a collaborative effort of the Engaged Pluralism Initiative’s Capacity Building Working Group, the Carolyn Grant ’36 Committee and the Office of Religious and Spiritual Life and Contemplative Practices (RSLCP). The first of these groups’ mission is as follows: “We are committed to buildSee LABYRINTH on page 4
Dance company wows students Abby Tarwater
GUEST COLUMNIST
D
ance is a remarkably singular art form, unique both in its fusion of artistry and athleticism and in its ability to tell a story via movement. The striking quality of dance to evoke emotion and awe is exemplified by Doug Varone and Dancers, a venerated New York City contemporary dance company that is currently in its 32nd year. The group performed at the Frances Daly Fergusson Dance Theater in Kenyon Hall on Sunday, Oct. 7, at 7 p.m., in an event that was open to all Vassar students and the greater Poughkeepsie community. Doug Varone and Dancers is highly distinguished internationally, having See DANCE on page 7
Courtesy of Erin Baiano
rik Lief ’85 is currently the Director of Communications at the American Council on Science and Health. With previous experience at various prestigious presses, Lief shared his perspective on the media industry and how Vassar prepared him for a career in communications. The Miscellany News: How did your time at Vassar impact your life and career? Erik Lief: Being at Vassar exposed me to thoughts and ideas that I’d never had before. When you expand your education, you see things in a whole different way. Vassar was a real revelation in that regard. The second thing was diversity. I met so many people that I’d never think would be my friends. The diversity at Vassar was fantastic; it opened up a world of possibilities for me because I began to think that I could go in any direction. I didn’t have those thoughts in the beginning of college, but I definitely had them in the middle of college. The other thing that sticks with me to today is that I have a lifetime of friendship from people that I met at Vassar. It’s remarkable.
I’m still in touch with the school. I’m up [visiting Vassar] frequently. The people that I met then in 1981, ’82, are the people that I’m friends with today. The Misc: What setbacks did you face at the onset of or throughout your career, and what did you learn from them? Lief: When I finally settled on what I wanted to do, which was journalism and reporting, the idea was, how am I going to get into this and how am I going to do it in a meaningful way? I’m in the media capital of the world, but how am I really going to get a footing in there? And then I realized that what I had to do was try to set myself apart, try to break in and take chances. If you continue to try to play it safe, you may miss chances along the way. One moment came when I was referred to someone at CBS News, and he said, we have a job for you. We’re looking for someone to write the news, national news, but for the morning broadcast, CBS this morning. But in order to have the broadcast written for the morning, you have to be there all night long. I had to show up at 11 o’clock at night See ALUM on page 10
pate in, a wide variety of contemplative traditions and practices. As Palmer described in an email, “An interdisciplinary field, Contemplative Studies draws on humanities, arts, and sciences to understand contemplative traditions from critical third-person scholarship, second-person witnessing, and first-person immersive experience.” This course is a significant devel-
On Oct. 7, Vassar hosted a recital by acclaimed New York contemporary dance troupe Doug Varone and Dancers. The company inspired the audience and offered students a window into what constitutes professional dance.
Moten shares life, insights, poetry New men’s basketball coach makes his intro Mateusz Kasprowicz GUEST COLUMNIST
“R
evise, Revise, Revise.” Fred Moten thus began his
Myles Olmsted SPORTS EDITOR
On Oct. 3, Vassar welcomed esteemed poet Fred Moten to campus. Moten discussed everything from the impact other artists have had on his work to the significance of the personal experiences embedded in his poetry.
Inside this issue
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[Editor’s Note: This interview has been lightly edited for length and clarity] n late May, Vassar Athletic Director Michelle Walsh announced the hiring of a new Head Men’s Basketball Coach, Ryan Mee, to fill the spot vacated in April by B.J. Dunne, who left Vassar for Gettysburg College. Mee had been working as an assistant under well-known coach Bob McKillop at Division I Davidson College since 2012. Prior to his role at Davidson, Mee was an associate head coach at the University of Rochester (where he also played from 2001-2005). Before returning to Rochester, Mee made assistant coaching stops at Hilbert College, Elmira College and Skidmore College. The Miscellany News recently had the chance to sit down with Mee and learn more about his professional past, his coaching philosophy and his goals for the program. The Miscellany News: When did you start coaching and what made you want to get into it? Coach Mee: I grew up in a coaching family—so my dad was my high school baseball and basketball coach at the varsity level. I thought I was going get
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Courtesy of Kari Orvik
talk on Wednesday, Oct. 3, quoting from Elizabeth Bishop’s poem “North Haven,” an elegy to her fellow poet and friend Robert Lowell (The New Yorker, “Works on Paper: The Letters of Elizabeth Bishop and Robert Lowell,” 11.03.2008). Careful not to spend too much time on his personal relationship with Bishop’s work, Moten nevertheless found in “North Haven” a kernel of an idea which would animate the reading, manifesting his thoughtful reconsideration of academic work and inviting the audience to also see study as an “ongoing process of revision.” Professor of English and longtime friend of Moten Amitava Kumar introduced the talk with a similar theme in mind. He quoted from Moten’s most notable work “The Undercommons: Fugitive Planning & Black Study,” reading aloud, “It cannot be denied that the university is a place of refuge, and it cannot be accepted that the university is a place of enlightenment” (Fred Moten, “The Undercommons: Fugitive Planning & Black Study,” 2013). The diverse sampling of poetry, critique, music and theoretical rumination that followed these thoughts was illuminated See MOTEN on page 8
Trip to dairy farm gives prevet students FEATURES “paws”
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Don’t you “C”? This vitamin isn’t what it’s OPINIONS cracked up to be
16 HUMOR
away from that; I went to the University of Rochester, I was an economics major, tried life in real-world business and corporate things, and it wasn’t for me. I just wasn’t happy, so I got back and was volunteering at Hilbert College, and my next goal was to find somebody to pay for my masters and to get a graduate assistant position. I did that at Elmira College. I had two really good years there where I had every responsibility that you could imagine, and really developed the work ethic necessary for coaching. From there I went to Skidmore, and at Skidmore had a really great experience with a really young team ... But I would say the first glimpse of coaching I got was my senior year in college, because I tore my ACL in the fall. I was functional enough to play, so I played my senior year on a torn ACL, but I wasn’t able to play to the level that I was capable of, and I was mentoring the younger kids on the team. So that’s where I was like, “Hey, I get enjoyment out of this, it’s better for the team,” and we ended up losing in the national championship game. That experience was like, “I think I’m gonna do this,” even though I wanted to be different from my family and not depend on the See COACH on page 19
Proud pet owner claims nothing “fishy” about her love
The Miscellany News
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October 11, 2018
Editor-in-Chief Talya Phelps
Senior Editor Leah Cates
Contributing Editors
Noah Purdy Charlotte Varcoe-Wolfson Laila Volpe
Courtesy of Aidan Zola
Dylan Joyner ’20 is currently studying abroad in Cape Town, South Africa. Joyner writes of the above photo, “I went paragliding from the top of Signal Hill, which required me sprinting really fast down a hill and hoping that the wind would catch me. It did.” Joyner’s inaugural Far and Away post offers insight into race relations in Cape Town: “We (the Black Americans) tell South Africans that we came to here so that we could finally be in the majority. They laugh. ‘You came all this way and you’re still not in the majority. Cape Town is so white.’ I find it ironic because we turn toward one another, shrug and think in disagreement. UCT may be white to them but it is the most diverse campus I have ever encountered (outside HBCUs). White people may statistically outweigh the Black people, but it is as if they are drowned out by so much color.” To read more about Joyner’s experiences, plus those of fellow JYA-ers, visit farandaway.miscellanynews.org!
Features Opinions Humor and Satire Arts Sports Design Outreach Copy
Andrea Yang Steven Park Hannah Gaven Izzy Braham Myles Olmsted Rose Parker Kimberly Nguyen Teddy Chmyz Jessica Moss
AssistantSocial Media Patrick Tanella Assistant Online Chris Allen
Reporters Duncan Aronson Columnists Catherine Bither Jimmy Christon Jesser Horowitz Izzy Migani Sylvan Perlmutter Blair Webber Copy Anna Blake Natalie Bober Madeline Seibel Dean Amanda Herring Frankie Knuckles Anastasia Koutavas Lucy Leonard Francesca Lucchetti Caitlin Patterson
The Miscellany News 11
October
Thursday
VCVI Improv Show 9:00 p.m. | Taylor 203 | Vassar College Vassar Improv
Weekender_ 12
October
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Friday
October
Saturday
A Day at Vassar
Soccer (W) vs. Clarkson University
8:30 a.m. | College Center Villard Room | Office of Alumnae/i Affairs and Development
4:00 p.m. | Prentiss Competition Field | Athletics Courtesy of VCVI FB page
Rugby (W) vs. Bowdoin College 12:00 p.m. | Rugby Field | Athletics
Soccer (W) vs. St. Lawrence University
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October
Sunday
Field Hockey vs. Union College 11:00 p.m. |Prentiss Turf Field | Athletics
No Paper Critique this week! Join The Miscellany News for Critique when we return from fall break, on Sunday, Oct. 21. 9:00 p.m. | Rose Parlor | The Miscellany News
2:00 p.m. | Prentiss Competition Field | Athletics
On Oct. 11, Vassar College Vassar Improv welcomes new members Noa Rosenberg ’22 and Phineas Hilliard ’22 in their first show of the semester.
MISCELLANY NEWS | VASSAR COLLEGE
CORRECTION POLICY The Miscellany News will only accept corrections for any misquotes, misrepresentations or factual errors for an article within the semester it is printed. The Miscellany News is not responsible for the views presented within its Opinions pages. The weekly staff editorial is the only article which reflects the opinion of the Editorial Board.
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October 11, 2018
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Saxe lectures on relationship between math, social justice Sarah Kopp
GUEST REPORTER
I
Po
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l Roun a c i d lit Ae n a K h a n
[CW: This column makes multiple mentions of rape and sexual assault.] In the United States... After one of the most—if not the most—divisive confirmation hearings in the history of the U.S. Senate, Judge Brett Kavanaugh was confirmed as a Supreme Court justice on Saturday, Oct. 6. The vote was split almost entirely along party lines, with 50 voting to confirm and 48 against confirmation. Senators Susan Collins (R-ME) and Joe Manchin (D-WV) released statements on Friday confirming their intentions to vote for Kavanaugh, thus establishing the likelihood of that outcome. Likewise, Jeff Flake (R-AZ) voted “yes” in spite of criticism over the lack of results produced by the FBI investigation for which he and Senate Democrats pushed the previous week. Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), another swing vote, voted “present” instead of “no,” as her absent colleague Steve Daines (R-MT) would have voted “yes.” Collins has come under criticism for her nearly 45-minute speech on the Senate floor on the evening of Thursday, Oct. 4. She simultaneously praised the #MeToo movement and called for senators to adopt a “presumption of innocence” in considering Dr. Christine Blasey Ford’s sexual assault allegations against Kavanaugh dating back to their high school days. Collins further stated, “This outlandish allegation was put forth without any credible supporting evidence and simply parroted public statements of others” (The New York Times, “Read Susan Collins’s Speech Declaring Support for Brett Kavanaugh,” 10.05.2018). Supporters of the #MeToo movement took to Capitol Hill to protest the confirmation, and many more are looking to the midterms and 2020 elections as prime opportunities for voting out the Senators who pushed to suppress Ford’s testimony (The New York Times, “Kavanaugh Is Sworn In After Close Confirmation Vote in Sen-
sciences and humanities at Vassar. Understanding the potential and limitations of the intersection of math and social justice is crucial in modern society.” The second topic Saxe discussed was how mathematics can reveal gerrymandering in politics. She first discussed the basic political terms legislators use to draw with voting districts, such as census, reapportionment and redistricting. Saxe went on to indicate how calculus and the ratios of district areas to circles can help in
Courtesy of Clara Pitt
n the latest installment in the Social Justice in Question lecture series, Associate Professor of Mathematics and Statistics Jan Cameron hosted Dr. Karen Saxe for a talk entitled “Mathematics and Social Justice” this past Thursday, Oct. 4, in Rockefeller Hall. Cameron brought the lecture to campus in conjunction with his firstyear writing seminar Social Justice in Question. Saxe, the Associate Executive Director of the American Mathematical Society (AMS) and Professor of Mathematics at Macalester College, has received a Distinguished Teaching Award from the Mathematics Association of America and the Macalester College Excellence in Teaching Award. As a female mathematician, Saxe is very active in the community of women in STEM. Saxe is active in policy and advocacy activities with the AMS and the Association for Women in Mathematics, working to connect mathematics with decision makers in other fields to address social issues mathematicians and other scholars face. In the lecture, Saxe broadly discussed the connections between mathematics and social inequalities, particularly addressing the different ways for people to get involved in mathematics. The first of three topics Saxe addressed was income inequality. She used mathematical examples and graphs to show that national income distribution is wildly unequal; she then demonstrated the effects of a more equitable distribution of income. Saxe explained, through
mathematical formulae, that the United States has the greatest levels of income disparity of all the countries in the Western world. Tied to the social justice aspect of the lecture, Saxe asked students to consider how benefits and available resources affect income. Students who attended the lecture appreciated the interdisciplinary nature of the talk. As Christiana Prater-Lee ’19 said via email, “I really enjoyed the lecture and the efforts of the math department to bridge the gap between the hard
As part of the Social Justice in Question series, Macalester Professor of Mathematics Karen Saxe gave a talk on Oct. 4 about math’s ability to reveal social realities and predict policy changes.
ate,” 10.06.2018) (The Hill, “Avenatti pushes back after Collins blasts client’s allegations in Senate floor speech,” 10.05.2018). Education is quickly becoming an issue that may impact voters’ support for candidates around the country come November, particularly since President Trump’s appointment of Betsy DeVos as Secretary of Education in February 2017. In gubernatorial and congressional races this year, such as those in Georgia and Pennsylvania, education came up as a point of concern, specifically in regard to DeVos’ support of charter schools and systemic weakening of public schools. Democratic educators have long cited low wages and lack of resources as detriments to the quality of public education provided in the United States, and many are now seeking elected office to combat these issues. In Wisconsin, Democratic gubernatorial candidate Tony Evers justified his candidacy, saying, “I am goddamn sick and tired of [Wisconsin Governor] Scott Walker gutting our public schools, insulting our hard-working educators, and destroying higher education.” Likewise, the Associated Press quoted a Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee spokeswoman saying that Maine’s and Minnesota’s state legislatures may be flipped in favor of the Democrats by teachers running for office (The Boston Globe, “Education—and Betsy DeVos—are issues in key political races this November,” 10.04.2018). In international news... The Nobel Committee awarded the Peace Prize on Oct. 5 to Nadia Murad and Dr. Denis Mukwege. Murad, a Yazidi woman who was forced into sexual slavery by ISIS as a teenager, now serves as an advocate for survivors of rape by ISIS. Mukwege, a Congolese gynecological surgeon, has spent most of his adult life treating victims of sexual assault in what was once deemed “the rape capital of the world” by the U.N. and opened a hospital supporting survivors of sexual assault. The committee cited the winners’ dedication to fighting the use of sexual violence as a weapon of war. Murad responded to the prestigious honor in a statement by remembering those who have been killed by ISIS and the 1,300 women and children who remain in captivity. Dr. Mukwege was in the operating room when he heard the news, later saying, “This Nobel prize is a recognition of
the suffering and the failure to adequately compensate women who are victims of rape and sexual violence in all countries around the world” (BBC, “Nobel Peace Prize for anti-rape activists Nadia Murad and Denis Mukwege,” 10.05.2018). Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi disappeared this past Tuesday, Oct. 2, after entering the Saudi consulate in Istanbul. Turkish officials stated that he was murdered by a hit squad. Khashoggi lived in self-imposed exile for over a year in the United States after spending years writing reports for The Washington Post contesting the policies of Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan told CNN that he was hopeful Khashoggi could be found and that all video surveillance footages of the consulate’s entrances were being examined. Khashoggi reportedly entered the consulate to sign paperwork required of him to marry his Turkish fiancée. Human Rights Watch called for an investigation into his disappearance, stating, “Khashoggi’s reported kidnapping and even murder in the safe confines of the Saudi consulate is a deliberate strategy to sow fear into every Saudi who has spoken out about the government’s shortcomings” (The Guardian, “Pressure on Saudis after disappearance of dissident in Istanbul,” 10.07.2018). Brazil is poised to choose their next prime minister in this year’s general elections, which require a winning candidate to receive at least half of the valid ballots. Jair Bolsonaro, a former army captain and right-wing nationalist whom critics have likened to a Brazilian Donald Trump, is the favorite to win. His main rival is left-wing candidate and former mayor of São Paulo Fernando Haddad, but as the polls closed on Sunday, Oct. 7, it became increasingly evident that the favor lay with Bolsonaro’s Social Liberal Party. His popularity rose after he survived a stabbing attack at a campaign rally, after which he lost nearly 40 percent of his blood. Supporters praise Bolsonaro’s tough stance against crime, despite his history of racist, homophobic and misogynistic comments (BBC, “Brazil Election: Long queues as Brazilians vote in divisive poll,” 10.07.2018). President of Interpol Meng Hongwei formally resigned on Sunday, Oct. 7, after China’s top anti-corruption agency stated that he was under investigation for an unspecified crime. Meng was
MISCELLANY NEWS | VASSAR COLLEGE
detecting gerrymandering. All of this discussion was used to show students how mathematics can be used to observe the inequalities and injustices in the political institutions in our country. In the third portion of her lecture, Saxe specifically addressed the disparities in educational opportunities, which have been salient points of debate in U.S. politics in recent years. She discussed how fundamental mathematics is to every student’s education, since math is almost always a required subject. Saxe then discussed improved policies to reduce the extreme inequality in the quality of education across the nation. When people often think of social justice, mathematics does not usually come to mind. However, as Saxe showed, mathematics is incredibly relevant to all social issues, both in revealing their realities and in postulating solutions. Visiting Assistant Professor of Mathematics and Statistics Moshe Cohen reflected on Dr. Saxe’s lecture and on the recent increase in the popularity of math courses on our traditionally liberal arts campus. As Cohen stated via email, “It’s really great to see the interests of our Mathematics and Statistics Department faculty and of our national mathematics community align with student interest on such important issues of our time. Even those outside the traditional STEM fields are realizing that they can use some relatively simple mathematical ideas to better quantify the things they are studying in the social sciences and in the humanities.”
elected to the presidency of Interpol in 2016, a position he was expected to hold until 2020. Meng disappeared in late September of this year and was reported as missing to French authorities by his wife Grace, who stated that he sent her a knife emoji before his disappearance. It is unclear whether he resigned under duress, but either way, the irony of possible corruption charges against the man assigned the role of aiding President Xi Jinping’s anti-corruption campaign is apparent. On Sunday, Chinese authorities confirmed that they were holding Meng (The Washington Post, “Interpol president who vanished in China has resigned,” 10.07.2018). In our backyard... Dutchess County Executive Marc Molinaro, the Republican gubernatorial candidate campaigning against Democratic incumbent Andrew Cuomo, was recently filmed wearing a pin of the cartoon character Underdog during an interview. Analysts view the pin as symbolic of Molinaro’s perceived role in the race, seeing as the Yonkers native seeks to win over Westchester and Dutchess Counties in the Cuomo-friendly Hudson Valley. The last Republican to upset a sitting Democratic governor was George Pataki in 1994, who won against Cuomo. However, there are currently 1.5 million more Democrats currently registered and 180,000 fewer Republicans than in 1994, and Cuomo has proven his popularity with a landslide victory against Cynthia Nixon in the Democratic primaries. Nevertheless, Molinaro seeks to draw votes from Long Island and other New York City suburbs (The Poughkeepsie Journal, “NY governor’s race: Marc Molinaro’s Trump dilemma in the Hudson Valley,” 10.05.2018). Dutchess County Legislator Ken Roman resigned on Tuesday, Oct. 2, in a move that will leave a vacancy on the Poughkeepsie Town Board. Roman will instead serve as deputy commissioner of the Dutchess County Department of Emergency Response. The Town Board will now select a replacement for his position among applicants within District 5 of Poughkeepsie, and a confirmation vote will be held during the Oct. 17 Town Board meeting (The Poughkeepsie Journal, “Dutchess Legislator Ken Roman resigns; Poughkeepsie town board accepting applications,” 10.05.2018).
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October 11, 2018
Debut Contemplative Initiative invites pause, introspection LABYRINTH continued from page 1
Charlotte Varcoe-Wolfson/The Miscellany News
Professor Palmer and Contemplative Studies students have studied and practiced a variety of contemplative traditions, including mindfulness, meditation and deep listening.
permanent labyrinth to campus in the next couple of years. During that week, a canvas labyrinth for walking meditation will be open to all in the Villard Room. There will be two events during the week and various faculty members, administrators and students will host the space throughout the week. On Tuesday at 5:30 p.m., Rev. Dr. Donna Schaper will present a “Labyrinth Lecture and Walk” titled “Walking Around in Circles.” On Thursday at 8 p.m., RSLCP will host its annual coffee house. The theme this year is “Finding Our Way,” and the event will feature songs, readings, discussions and baked goods from RSLCP student groups. Each of the organizers emphasized the collaborative nature of the Contemplative Initiative. For over a decade, members of the Vassar community have had energy around contemplative practice and study on campus. Palmer elaborated in an emailed statement, “Vassar faculty have been systematically building toward a contemplative curriculum for twenty years. Through numerous campus events, faculty development projects, retreats, Pedagogy-In-Action workshops, guidance from leading scholars, and support from the Carolyn Grant ’36 Endowment, Dean of Faculty, and Engaged Pluralism Initiative, we are consolidating our progress in several ways at this stage.” Along with pointing to faculty initiatives, Speers highlighted past students’ work toward this project. One former student, Gabriel Dunsmith ’15, wrote his Environmental Studies senior thesis about the idea of installing a labyrinth on campus. Speers shared, “We’re working with that thesis as an incredibly helpful resource for us as we try to move this project forward...In many ways, it’s a good example of the long-lasting impact that student organizing has.” Assing emphasized the value of Dunsmith’s thesis in the continued progress toward a permanent labyrinth, specifically noting a labyrinth’s ability to connect practitioners with nature. He said, “In a labyrinth, you’re in relationship with yourself, but you’re really in relationship with the earth because it’s grounded in the earth, made of natural resources that have a certain both attractiveness and mystery.” Especially in the 21st century, when many people rely on technology to unwind, Assing proposed that labyrinth walking can help community members develop a relationship with themselves through connecting with nature. Drawing on the theme of introspection, Speers stated, “Our main goal with Labyrinth Week is to...reintroduce the labyrinth to the broader campus community as a powerful instrument, as our speaker puts it, quite simply but helpfully it’s a way of learning to go in so you can go out.” Unlike mazes, for which they are sometimes
Courtesy of the RSLCP
ing and fostering a community that values and cares for all its members and is willing to work inclusive of our intersecting identities to promote shared experience, skills and practices that support ever deepening levels of compassion, understanding and affirmation of one another.” The Carolyn Grant ’36 Fund encourages faculty to integrate experimental, hands-on pedagogy in their teaching. The third collaborator, formerly known as the Office of Religious and Spiritual Life, added Contemplative Practice to its name this year to fully reflect the wide range of traditions and practices that the office supports and oversees. The core organizers of this project are Assistant Director of Counseling Services Wayne Assing, Professor of Earth Science Jill Schneiderman, Director of RSLCP Samuel Speers and Palmer. Schneidermann highlighted the beneficial effect that taking a contemplative approach can have on both students and teachers. She commented in an email, “Contemplative approaches to education teach students to ‘pay attention’ to whatever is at hand.” She continued, “Opportunities for me to cultivate my own practices as someone who has had a mediation practice for 11 years have enabled me to become better at...’attentive listening’ ... I have become a better listener and therefore better able to advise my students.” This fall, along with the launch of Introduction to Contemplative Studies, the Contemplative Initiative is hosting Labyrinth Week, starting on Monday, Oct. 22. This five-day event is one of the first steps in the longer-term goal of bringing a
Every year, the Office of Religious and Spiritutal Life and Contemplative Practice sets up a temporary campus labyrinth. Pictured above is a Lantern Walk on the Chapel Lawn. confused, the goal of labyrinths is not to get lost, but instead to connect to oneself and nature through walking meditation. Labyrinths date back to the Neolithic period, first as designs carved into stones meant to be traced with one’s fingers. Today, large-form labyrinths are used in a wide variety of religious traditions. Speers highlighted the opportunity for all community members, regardless of religious or spiritual belief or lack thereof, to partake in labyrinth walking as a practice. He said, “[Walking meditation] is a good example of a project that fits in a context that’s both secular and inner-religious...It’s something that many different traditions make a contribution towards.” In fact, organizers encourage people to stop by the Villard Room to walk the labyrinth multiples times during Labyrinth Week. Speers explained, “As with any number of different contemplative practices, what’s powerful about it is the way it connects you with where you are in that particular moment. And as human creatures, that’s always different. So every experience of...walking a labyrinth is going to be different because we’re necessarily coming at it from a different place.” Similar labyrinth initiatives have been carried out at peer institutions Middlebury College and Wellesley College in the past two years. Additionally, the Hudson Valley boasts a few labyrinths: one at the Garrison Institute and one at Sprout Creek Farm, just 15 minutes from campus. While Vassar does not yet have a permanent labyrinth, RSLCP constructs temporary labyrinths on campus a few times a year, often encouraging
practitioners to spiral through paper luminaria. The collaborative is excited to be working with Schaper, who will visit campus during Labyrinth Week to give a lecture, as well as to visit Palmer’s Introduction to Contemplative Studies class. Schaper is a long-time activist and Senior Pastor at Judson Memorial Church in Greenwich Village and has authored over 30 books, including one on labyrinths. Speers commented, “It feels to me like she’s an especially good fit for the Vassar community...Bringing an activist’s perspective on how it is that contemplative practices like walking a labyrinth are a way of situating us and sustaining us for the change work that so many people at Vassar are engaged in.” In reflecting on the opportunity to partake in walking meditation during Labyrinth week, Assing said, “The labyrinth is a visual representation, a reminder and then an invitation to practice.”
Labyrinth Week Events Tuesday, Oct. 23, 2018 5:30 p.m. | Villard Room “Walking Around in Circles: a Labyrinth Lecture and Walk” 12:00 p.m. | Villard Room “Hard Questions for Activists—about Immigration, Masculinity, and the Capacity of our Souls” A lunch discussion with Rev. Dr. Donna Schaper RSVP to asampugnaro@vassar.edu
Thursday, Oct. 25, 2018 8 p.m. | Villard Room RSLCP Coffee House
College bans suspect in anti-Semitic poster campaign Noah Purdy
CONTRIBUTING EDITOR
[TW: This article discusses an anti-Semitic bias incident and mentions sexual assault.] n Sunday, Oct. 7, Safety and Security identified and removed numerous posters containing anti-Semitic imagery and text from several buildings on campus. The posters—which claim their source as “your local Stormer book club,” a reference to the neo-Nazi website The Daily Stormer—blame Jews for sexual assault allegations against Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh, who was sworn in the day before the posters were found. The Bias Incident Response Team (BIRT) was alerted the same day. Included on the flyers are drawings of Kavanaugh and of opponents of his nomination, including Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), with Stars of David drawn on their foreheads. The posters also label figures such as Dr. Christine Blasey Ford, who brought the initial allegations against Kavanaugh, with the words “GOOD GOY.” The
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written message makes the intentions behind the posters clear: “Every time some anti-white, anti-American, anti-freedom event takes place, you look at it, and it’s Jews behind it” (BIRT, Bias Incident Reports, “October 7, 2018”). The same posters appeared on three other college campuses across the country—the Universities of California at Berkeley and Davis, as well as Marist College in Poughkeepsie (Jewish Telegraphic Agency, “Fliers on 4 college campuses blame Jews for Kavanaugh assault allegations,” 10.09.2018). Numerous messages went out in response to this incident. On Oct. 7, President of the College Elizabeth Bradley wrote to Vassar community members to inform them of the incident and to affirm the College’s stance against such speech. Bradley stated, “I condemn everything about these posters...This is not who Vassar is, and we will not fall prey to the hateful messages of these posters. Vassar is a community that embraces diversity and inclusion of all kinds.”
The next day, both Rachlin Director for Jewish Student Life Elizabeth Aeschlimann and Professor of Religion and Director of Jewish Studies Marc Michael Epstein (on behalf of the Jewish Studies Steering Committee) wrote to the Vassar community to condemn the posters and to stand in solidarity with individuals affected by their messages. Aeschlimann called the images and messages “abhorrent” and encouraged community care. Epstein stated in his email, “We, the members of the Jewish Studies Steering Committee, condemn in categorical and clear-cut terms the vile and scurrilous anti-Semitic posters that littered the campus today. They were offensive to Jews as well as to victims of sexual assault, and repugnant to all who oppose prejudice in all forms ... As faculty, we will not be silent in the face of anti-Semitism, neo-Nazism, and white nationalism...[you] are not alone and you don’t need to be afraid.” On Tuesday, Oct. 9, Bradley updated the
MISCELLANY NEWS | VASSAR COLLEGE
campus via email on the investigation of the incident, announcing that Safety and Security, the BIRT team and the Poughkeepsie Police Department apprehended the male individual who they believe is responsible for hanging the posters. The suspect is not connected to Vassar, and the police are neither treating the case as a hate crime nor pursuing criminal charges. An investigation is ongoing to confirm that the suspect is the same one who admitted to posting flyers at Marist College and Dutchess Community College. These two institutions, along with Vassar, have banned the individual from their campuses (The Poughkeepsie Journal, “Dutchess local who posted anti-Semitic flyers at colleges banned,” 10.09.2018). As Bradley expressed in her follow-up email, “I am proud of how we came together as a community … We at Vassar stand with our Jewish students, students of color, survivors of sexual assault, and all members of our community whom this group would seek to target.”
October 11, 2018
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VSA Updates Consensus Agenda – Passed
Chair of Residential Affairs The first meeting of the Dining Committee, which is concerned with all on-campus dining options, will be held on Wednesday, Oct. 10, from noon until 1 p.m. on the second floor of the Deece.
Forum with President Bradley and Dean Begemann President Bradley and Dean Begemann attended the last Senate meeting to discuss the Priorities and Planning Committee’s present review and five-year plan for the College. Begemann stated, “When I think about a vision, I think about something aspirational and inspiration. Even if it’s impossible, you have a point out there that you’re hoping to reach. Hopefully this vision will inspire us on a day-to-day basis.” This is the very beginning of a longer process that will seek input from all members of the campus community.
Charlotte Varcoe-Wolfson/The Miscellany News
Finance allocations • $1,135/$1,135 to VCTV from Capital Fund – Equipment to enhance shoots (tripod, cables, clips, etc.), with expectation of collaboration in future • $19.57/$19.57 to the Middle Eastern and North African Students Alliance (MENASA) from Discretionary Fund – Food for a GB meeting • $1,530/$1,530 to VSA Programming from Discretionary Fund – Keep the Saturday shuttle running during fall break and Thanksgiving break
At the VSA Senate meeting on Oct. 7, President Elizabeth Bradley and Dean of Strategic Planning Marianne Begemann hosted a forum on the College’s five-year plan. The Planning Committee is looking into ways to increase the transparency of the VSA to the student body and to encourage more students to get involved. The Campus Master Planning Committee (a joint committee with the Board of Trustees) recently met and discussed its plans for the year.
Committee Chair Updates Chair of VSA Planning
Chair of Programming The Programming Committee has con-
firmed plans for a bus to New Paltz and a movie night event to be held during October break.
Chair of Equity and Inclusion Chair of Equity and Inclusion Eloudia Odamy ’21 met with Associate Dean of the College for Student Growth and Engagement Wendy Maragh Taylor of the ALANA Center and others to discuss the first-year experience. Odamy will be meeting with the Engaged Pluralism Initiative (EPI) working group, the Bias Incident Response Team (BIRT) and the Women’s Center this week. President President Tamar Ballard ’19 discussed Bon Appétit’s planned replacement of plastic straws with paper straws with Dean of the College Carlos Alamo-Pastrana, who said he would continue to look into more durable options with Campus Dining. The Dean of the College search committee met for the first time to discuss its process and committee operations.
Executive Board Updates Chair of Academics On Oct. 28, the Academics Committee will be holding a forum to discuss the upcoming curricular changes.
The Priorities and Planning Committee met, discussing their objectives and the relationship between the Committee and the EPI. —Julian Corbett ’19, VSA General Intern
News Briefs U.S. and Canada negotiate USMCA Negotiations between the United States and Canada to restructure the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) finished just hours before the self-imposed deadline of midnight on Sunday, Sept. 30. Officials in Washington and Ottawa reached a deal now called the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) (The Hill, “US, Canada strike NAFTA deal, Trump takes victory lap, but Congress must weigh in,” 10.01.2018). Since 2017, the Trump administration has worked to modify the 1994 agreement, levying tariffs against Canada to increase pressure on removing trade barriers. President Trump himself made the repeal of NAFTA a campaign promise during the 2016 election (NPR, “What Comes Afta NAFTA,” 10.04.2018). Less than a week before the deadline, U.S. officials were considering leaving Canada out of the deal after 13 months of negotiation. On Sept. 25, U.S. Trade Representative Robert E. Lighthizer said that the administration would ask Congress to approve a deal with only Mexico, given a failure to reach a decision over the weekend (The Washington Post, “U.S. all but certain to miss weekend deadline to include Canada in threeway NAFTA deal,” 09.25.2018). Beyond his openness to excluding Canada, Trump also threatened a 25 percent auto exports tariff. Canadian Minister of Foreign Affairs Chrystia Freeland traveled between Ottawa and Washington throughout September to discuss trade, but Trump’s previous tariffs remain in place (The Hill, “Five things to know about the new NAFTA,” 10.01.2018). The dairy industry has shaped much of the debate between the United States and Canada. The latter’s system of regulations that prevent dairy surplus and maintain sustainable prices limited U.S. access to the Canadian market (CNBC, “New NAFTA falls short of ‘more ambitious goals’ for
agribusiness, says CoBank report,” 10.05.2018). Canada succeeded in retaining Chapter 19, a concession from U.S. officials. The provision grants Canada access to a process to resolve trade disputes instead of taking cases to U.S. courts (The Washington Post, “U.S., Canada and Mexico just reached a sweeping new NAFTA deal. Here’s what’s in it,” 10.01.2018). While Canada has responded to the United States by taxing products such as beef, thus limiting exportation, the Trump administration’s slew of tariffs against Canada and China continue to affect the domestic market of multiple industries (CNBC, “New NAFTA falls short”) (Politico, “Trump tariffs sting farmers, businesses from sea to shining sea,” 08.01.2018). The largest changes that USMCA brings target the auto industry. In practice, the USMCA benefits for agriculture in the U.S. “will continue to be overshadowed by the remaining retaliatory tariffs imposed by Mexico and Canada” (CNBC, “New NAFTA falls short”). The gains in the auto industry came from the United States’ bargaining for a $16 per hour minimum for auto industry workers. The move was intended to offset Mexico’s lower wages and drive markets into the United States. The deal also requires that 75 percent of the parts making up cars and trucks come from U.S., Canadian or Mexican manufacturers for the vehicles to qualify for exception from tariffs. Auto industry shares such as Ford and General Motors rose on Monday following the agreement (Reuters, “NAFTA replacement deal lifts Dow, S&P; Nasdaq negative,” 10.01.2018). Congress and agencies in both Canada and Mexico still need to sign off on USMCA (The Washington Post, “U.S. all but certain to miss”). With the possibility of Democrats gaining seats in November and prominent Republicans such as Senator Bob Corker (R-TN) remaining critical of Trump’s broader economic policies, USMCA still
is not a done deal (The Hill, “Corker says he has concerns with new NAFTA deal,” 10.03.2018). Chicago jury convicts Van Dyke [TW: This article discusses police violence and death.] On Oct. 20, 2014, six seconds after leaving his patrol car, Chicago Police Officer Jason Van Dyke fired 16 shots into 17-year-old Laquan McDonald. Thirty seconds later, another patrol car arrived with officers equipped with tasers. McDonald’s death has been a topic in Chicago politics and debates over police violence against Black communities ever since. Last Friday, Oct. 5, after less than eight hours of deliberation, a jury found Van Dyke guilty of second-degree murder and 16 counts of aggravated battery (The New York Times, “‘Justice for Laquan!’ Demonstrators chant, as Chicago officer is convicted of murder,” 10.05.2018) (MSNBC, “Chicago police officer Jason Van Dyke found guilty of second-degree murder in fatal shooting of black teen Laquan McDonald,” 10.05.2018). A dashcam in one of the patrol cars captured each of the shots, footage on which the jury relied in their deliberations. Some jurors believed that Van Dyke was guilty based on the way he continued to walk toward and fire at McDonald’s body even after the teenager had gone limp and was lying curled in the street. For the jurors, the footage did not support Van Dyke’s depiction of Laquan as threatening (The New York Times, “‘We just didn’t buy it’: Jury was unswayed by officer’s story in Laquan McDonald case,” 10.06.2018). This same footage also drew national attention to the case 13 months after McDonald’s death. A judge ordered the release of the footage, and three Chicago police officers were indicted in 2017 on charges of conspiracy to cover up Van Dyke’s actions (The Washington Post, “Chicago police officer Jason Van Dyke convicted of second-degree murder,” 10.05.2018).
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The case has drawn criticism from police unions that claim officers have to be prepared to use deadly force. As President of the Illinois Fraternal Order of Police Chris Southwood said, “This sham trial and shameful verdict is a message...that it’s not the perpetrator in front of you that you need to worry about, it’s the political operatives stabbing you in the back” (The New York Times, “‘Justice for Laquan!’”). For the hundreds of people marching outside the court on Friday, that widespread message is a necessary corrective. Aislinn Pulley, an organizer and founder of Black Lives Matter in Chicago, called the conviction a historic moment: “[It is rare that an officer is] held accountable for murdering a black person in this city.” Van Dyke is the first Chicago police officer convicted of murder while on duty in nearly 50 years (The Washington Post, “Chicago police officer convicted”). Joseph McMahon, the prosecutor appointed to McDonald’s case, was aware of the tense situation of the trial and its place in the national spotlight, but stated, “If we allowed those other issues to kind of creep into the case, it would dilute what Jason Van Dyke did that night.” Still, the jury was divided over the murder charge. While Van Dyke’s shots constituted aggravated battery, which holds a stricter sentence than does second-degree murder, McMahon admitted that he was aware of protesters threatening large-scale protests if the verdict did not include the word “murder” (Chicago Tribune, “Under intense pressure, special prosecutor McMahon scores career-defining win with Van Dyke’s conviction,” 10.07.2018). Van Dyke could face a maximum of 20 years in prison for the murder charge; each battery charge calls for between six and 30 years. He is scheduled to receive sentencing on Oct. 31 (The Washington Post, “Chicago police officer convicted”). —Chris Dillon, Guest Reporter
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Movie screening tackles complexities of African migration Holly Shulman
Badgley, the film’s writer, director and co-producer, and Badgley’s co-producer Erica Marcus. The duo had been invited to screen their film at Vassar by political science major Ruoyu Li ’19, who, like many students at the event, is herself from China. Li stated via email that she was inspired to hold the event after attending the International Studies Association Annual Conference last March, where the film was screened in conjunction with a discussion between Badgley, Marcus and the audience. Li described the audience as small, but continued, “[E]veryone there [was] thoughtful and critical, so the discussions were very illuminating and productive. People [hung] out afterwards, and we got to connect with Erica and Christiane.” When Li found out that the filmmakers would be on the East Coast this fall, she invited them to Vassar. She commented, “[I] hoped that we could facilitate similar conversational learning on campus, [about a film which] touches upon interesting issues that [are] worth attention—Africa, China, globalization, international migration, forms of capitalism, state control, daily resistance, etc.” All of these themes and more were, indeed, notable throughout the documentary. According to the film’s website, the movie critiques global capitalism by exploring stories of Africans chasing “made in China” dreams. The story arc of “Guangzhou Dream Factory” takes the viewer from the beaches and markets of Ghana to the streets and shops of Guangzhou, China, before finally ending back in Africa. The plot was designed to reveal the movie’s underlying theme of African globality. Although the majority of the film takes place in China, Badgley explained during the question and answer session after the screening that she sees the piece as primarily a means to “show a story of African
Dream Factory” aims to find an answer to the multi-faceted central question posed by Badgley’s voiceover at the film’s beginning: “Could China hold the key to African prosperity?” As the voiceover goes on to explain, this seems like a familiar question: “Where the West once stood as a beacon of opportunity, today China, the world’s factory, beckons.” Badgley continued this comparison in person at the screening, commenting, “[The story] started out as something really positive and dynamic.” African merchants touted Chinese production as a means to exponentially enhance their businesses, the way immigrants once felt the United States could. However, as the filmmakers’ research went deeper, they uncovered truths about African immigration to China that changed the conversation completely—the way buried truths about life in the United States often do too. African women told the filmmakers stories about friends who had been lured to China under false pretenses of job opportunity, only to find out when they arrived that the promised job was prostitution. With no way to get back to Africa, many women in positions like this are forced to take up sex work. African men described trouble renewing the month-long visas they had been issued, as well as difficulty navigating the Chinese law dictating that any business must have at least one Chinese partner. (Many married Chinese women and worked with them.) Badgley and Marcus were exposed to all this and more in what they describe as the hub of African life in Guangzhou: the markets. These multi-story buildings are packed with both African and Chinese merchants. In the Q&A after the screening, Marcus characterized the markets as unsafe in many ways. Not only do they
O
Courtesy of Wikimedia Commons
n Oct. 4, students and faculty gathered in Rockefeller Hall for a screening and discussion of “Guangzhou Dream Factory,” a 2018 documentary about African migration to China. Among those in attendance were Christiane
entrepreneurship and dynamism.” In pursuit of this aim, the movie features interviews with African immigrants from Cameroon, Kenya, Nigeria and Uganda, which are juxtaposed with scenes of Chinese merchants competing with African newcomers for business. By exploring this conflict, “Guangzhou
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Produced and written by Christine Badgley, “Guangzhou Dream Factory” explores the economics of African migration to China. Badgley and co-producer Erica Marcus visited Vassar on Oct. 4. have exposed wiring, but on a legal level, the markets are riddled with laws prohibiting anyone who is not Chinese from renting shop space. She recalled two instances in which police raids surprised the filmmakers during filming, commenting, “[Before I knew anything was happening] the gates on all the shops went down, and all the people disappeared.” Toward the end of the movie, disappearing people becomes a theme. As more and more Africans immigrate to China, Chinese migration laws continue to grow stricter, forcing many African merchants to leave the country. One shopkeeper spoke about how, even though he still had time left on his visa, he and his wife were considering moving on to Vietnam due to lack of business resulting from the large-scale deportation of African immigrants. This statement prompts reflection upon Badgley and Marcus’ main research question regarding China as the “key to African prosperity.” If China is not, in fact, the key, could Vietnam be? Could the
answer to this question be found in a different country? One African man living in Guangzhou spoke indirectly to this question at the end of the film. His answer? Absolutely not. According to him, the key is electricity. Without electricity, he reasoned, industrialization is all but impossible. He continued, “Sometimes I imagine if African leaders could put what they have together … We shouldn’t be here.” The film expresses this sentiment—that Africa should be a place for African success—by returning to the continent for its final scenes, which feature images of growing factories. There is hope for the future in this ending, as well as echoes of the past. As Marcus said in the Q&A, “People saw this and were like ‘Oh, my God, this is the story of my family.’” Summing up this emotional and relatable last note, Badgley added, “It’s a migration story and a globalization story. In many ways, this is a universal story.”
Guest lecturer discusses activism through photography Meghan Hayfield GUEST COLUMNIST
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n Thursday, Oct. 4, at 8 p.m., Phocus, Vassar’s student photography organization, welcomed a guest lecture by Marlboro College Photography Professor John Willis. The lecture focused on Willis’ recent project detailing the resistance movement in North Dakota against the Dakota Access Pipeline (DAPL). Willis drew upon his past work to incite conversations about the United States’ treatment of Native Americans and the question of whether or not photography can spark change. Willis showcased photography from different points of his life in order to offer background on his development and history as an artist. After watching his grandfather be largely ignored after his move to a nursing home, Willis began to take portraits of residents in nursing homes. Eventually, to deal with the weight of society’s tendency to forget about the elderly, Willis decided to teach photography at nursing homes. Throughout the presentation, personal photographs such as those of his parents in their final days drew an emotional connection between his social justice–focused photography and his personal life. Following his work teaching at a nursing home, Willis continued to instruct in non-traditional settings for the rest of his career—including the In-Sight Photography Project, a program he co-founded, which connects students from New York and Vermont and brings them to visit Native American tribes in North Dakota. Willis commented on the nature of his work
and its intentions, stating, “We bring youth together from diverse backgrounds, we live together, travel together and have classes together. It’s all about not only tolerating diversity but truly learning to appreciate diversity.” Yet in discussing his most recent work—“Mni Wiconi, Honoring the Water Protectors,” which documents the resistance movement at Oceti Sakowi Camp in North Dakota—Willis successfully highlighted how art and social justice complement one another. Through his photographs, Willis captures the culture of the camp as well as the unrest and protests sparked by the Dakota Access Pipeline. The Dakota Access Pipeline is an underground oil pipeline that travels from Illinois to North Dakota. When the energy company Dakota Access, LLC, proposed DAPL, the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe—whose reservation sits less than a mile from the pipeline—objected that if any oil were to spill, it would contaminate drinking water used by tribes in the area. For months, Native American tribes protested the pipeline, and while plans for its implementation were halted briefly, less than one month after President Trump’s inauguration, construction continued. Considering the problem of oil spills, Willis said, “There are thousands of pipeline leaks in this country every year. Within the first month of the approval of the Dakota Access Pipeline, there was 200 thousand barrel oil pipeline leaks in the Dakotas.” At the Ocetu Sakowi Camp, Willis spent months documenting the protests and lives of
residents as they fought the U.S. government yet again. Through his photographs, Willis depicts the tensions between the two sides in action. He highlights hypocrisies—such as the fact that Native Americans join the military at the highest per-capita rate—while also including other symbols of Native American life like intricate beadwork and handmade moccasins. One of Willis’ dozens of photographs, documenting an upside-down American flag outside of a teepee, was taken on a trip to North Dakota. Photographing and talking to the flag’s owner, Willis learned that he was protesting America’s treatment of minorities after Sept. 11. He argued that the United States used the events of Sept. 11 as a platform to take advantage of marginalized people. Most striking were the highlights of humanity that emerged from the DAPL protests, such as a group of young Native women who put on a daily water ceremony. As hundreds of people celebrated and marched, police in riot gear met with the women, calling for everyone to go home. The women refused to leave until the police drank water and said a prayer, and when the officers eventually obliged, everyone was “shaking hands and smiling,” Willis related. In addition to organizing visits from professional photographers such as Willis, Phocus offers biweekly photo critiques and darkroom programs that allow students to experiment with different types of film photography. Phocus also highlights student work through Fix, the annual or semi-annual magazine. Advisor to Phocus and The Baldeck Photo-
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graphic Center and Associate Director of the James W. Palmer ’90 Gallery Monica Church commented on the importance of outside lecturers, stating, “Phocus exists for everyone on campus, not just [studio art] majors, so I think that for those students who are not in those classes, having these outside speakers come in is invaluable because you’re getting access to other teachers, seeing bodies of work, talking to people who have made their way in photography.” Campus liaison and organizational staffer Cassie Jain ’20 said of the lecture, “I think it’s important personally to hear from other photographers and get different perspectives on different kinds of photography because there are so many different kinds. To get professional feedback from people is great because we have such a limited photo class set here, so it’s nice to expand that and offer opportunities outside of class.” Willis’ lecture fostered conversations about the possible connection between photography and change. While Willis devoted his life to using photography to document people in places on the periphery of society, he often doubts that his photos can change—or have changed—anything. On a final note, Willis said, “Sometimes, I don’t know if my photography does make an impact. But it helps me understand the world and it helps me understand how I fit into the world.” Still, Willis urged students not to be discouraged: While change may be desperately needed in some cases, anyone can—and should—find some way to engage with the world through communication and creativity.
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Events in the Hudson Valley over October break October 15: Swing by the “Elemental Forces” exhibit, a display comprised of sculptures that make statements on the topic of renewable energy sources. Time: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily Location: The Rockland Center for the Arts, 27 South Greenbush Road, West Nyack, NY
October 16: Attend the “Bejeweled: A Group Abstract Exhibit,” which features jeweled works created collaboratively by five artists. Time: 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily Location: Carrie Haddad Gallery, 622 Warren Street, Hudson, NY October 17: Catch a glimpse of the art exhibit titled “BRICK BY BRICK: THE ERIE CANAL & THE BUILDING BOOM,” which discusses the story of the Erie Canal, the Hudson Valley brickyards the and people who ran these projects. Time: Tuesday to Saturday from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. Location: ArtsWestchester, 31 Mamaroneck Avenue, White Plains, NY
October 18: Visit an exhibit on painter Peter Max that displays his psychedelic works of the 1960s. Time: 11 a.m. daily Location: Bethel Woods Center for the Arts, 200 Hurd Rd, Bethel, NY October 19: Stop by the “Copper, Clay, and Steel” exhibit featuring artists Adam Colangelo, Lisa Battle, and Richardo Arango and their respective works in the mediums of copper, stoneware and steel. Time: Friday and Saturday from 12 p.m. to 7 p.m. and Sunday 12 p.m. to 4 p.m. Location: Windham Fine Arts, 5380 Main Street, Windham, NY October 20: Attend a Life Drawing session to work under controlled lighting with skilled models. The $25 fee can be paid at the door with cash or check. Time: 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday Location: Unison Arts Center, 68 Mountain Rest Road, New Paltz, NY October 21: Visit the “Between I & Thou” installation, which features works from artists from all over the world and explores personal, cultural and religious interpersonal connections. Time: Saturday to Sunday 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. Location: HVCCA, 1701 Main Street, Peekskill, NY
Campus visit by Varone and Dancers delights, inspires DANCE continued from page 1
of expands and enhances the information [the students] are getting about dance by having the chance to see a professional company, especially at the level of Doug Varone.” Ashworth is also a student of Rooks, and she found the performance to be immensely inspiring and beneficial to her development as a dancer. She stated, “It’s really important, especially when you’re in a beginner dance class, to actually see people doing the things that you’re doing on an elevated level … so you can see, if you are someone who wants to pursue dance,
that if you put in enough consecrated effort that you could reach such an accomplished level. Also, the movements of their bodies were so beautiful, and to see that as an example is really helpful when you’re learning.” Although this was Doug Varone and Dancers’ first full performance at Vassar, the company previously interacted with the Dance Department in other ways. Years ago, the group conducted a master class with Vassar students featuring excerpts from their pieces. Rooks commented on this experience, stating, “[It was
Courtesy of Erin Baiano
performed in more than 125 cities in 45 states across the United States and in Europe, Asia, Canada and South America. The company is also revered across various stages, including opera, theater and concert arenas. Varone’s works are admired by audiences for their electrifying energy and breathtaking complexity. Vassar Professor and Chair of Dance Stephen Rooks introduced the show. Rooks described what makes Doug Varone’s choreography so compelling, explaining, “His works for me are not only technically proficient, but they also have a great subtext and story lines. There’s a lot of humanity in his works…you’re able to relate on many different levels to the human experience…that’s, for me, very satisfying.” The show featured four of Varone’s works, including “The Possession Quartet” (1994), “Epilogue” (World Premiere, 2018), “Strict Love” (1994) and “Lux” (2006). The pieces varied in terms of style and tone, but all shared Varone’s trademark ferocity. Alexandra Ashworth ’22 found the structure of the show to be effective, explaining, “I really enjoyed how the four pieces were all different, but intertwined.” The favorite piece among viewers seemed to be “Strict Love,” which sharply contrasted with the wordless instrumentation of the other numbers by featuring a radio-broadcasted medley of pop songs by Diana Ross and The Jackson Five. Tomás Meade ’22 identified the number as the standout piece, stating, “The radio part…I thought that was really interesting. It caught me off-guard—at first, I thought they played the wrong music. It definitely mixed it up.” Meade attended the performance as part of his Beginning Modern Dance class. Rooks explained why he requires his students to attend, commenting, “We’re in a unique place in that we have close proximity to New York, and any time we have a company come up, it kind
The Dance Department has endeavored to expose students to contemporary dance performances outside of the classroom. Doug Varone and Dancers was a highlight of this semester’s lineup.
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a class that] sparked interest in...doing a more formal presentation.” He elaborated on the personal significance of the class by stating that, “To date, [this is] one of the most satisfying experiences that I’ve had as a teacher here with a professional group, in the sense that Doug Varone is by nature very generous, and his classes have that kind of atmosphere, too…that always stuck with me.” The Vassar Repertory Dance Theater also has a history with Varone’s work. In the past, VRDT adapted Varone’s piece “Chapters from a Broken Novel.” Rooks described the work as brilliant and commented on how it approaches complex topics such as isolation and bullying. Rooks conveyed that the great successes of both the workshop and the repertory work prompted his desire to culminate the experiences in the form of a full performance. Vassar’s Dance Department aims to bring at least one professional company to campus per year. Past guests include Ballet X, Daniil Simkin from American Ballet Theatre and Alvin Ailey II. These visits take place both in the form of full performances and master class workshops, the latter of which are open to intermediate dancers. The 2018-19 workshops include a class by Doug Varone, as well as a ballet class with Martine van Hamel, a flamenco class with Rebecca Tomas and a Gaga workshop with Amy Morrow. These spaces provide students with additional opportunities to engage with the world of professional dance. Viewing the work of Doug Varone and Dancers at Vassar proved to be a valuable experience for dancers and non-dancers alike, as all can be moved by witnessing the prowess and artistry of such dedicated performers. Rose Zhang ’19 described the show as an immersive, thrilling experience: “It’s so impressive how they control their bodies, and their freedom and flexibility … I could feel the energy, like I was a part of it.”
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Halloween enthusiast recommends spooky, scary albums Jimmy Christon
that isn’t something I can or should break down. I will say this, however: Read the lyrics to this album before you listen to it. This album is about suicide and mental illness, but the specific messages you pull from it will be your own. This note brings me to my last album on the list. Swans’ monumental “Soundtracks for the Blind”
and through. It’s about tones, sounds and duration more than anything else. It’s an album, and it’s also an experience. “Soundtracks for the Blind” is two-and-a-half hours of cavernous drones filled with ghostly voices. Tracks like “The Beautiful Days,” “Her Mouth is Filled with Honey” and “I was a Prisoner in Your
that the power of tragedy was in the cathartic release it delivers to the audience. I think that, for those of us in this modern moment, fear is the only emotion that can deliver this sort of catharsis. I could go more into my thoughts on the sublime and how it affects our life, but I’ve already brought up one philosopher, and that is way too many for this article. But the point still stands. Fear isn’t just something that’s kitschy or cool because it’s different from what everyone else enjoys—you never really enjoy being scared. Rather, it’s worth experiencing because the feelings you take from it are unlike anything else. The messages fear delivers to us aren’t something that can be replicated with any other emotion. And fear comes in all shapes and sizes as well; It is its own language. This is why I think that Halloween can be such an important time, more than just an excuse to get absolutely zoinked while wearing a costume one weekend. I always feel much better about myself after Oct. 31 because I feel like I’ve gotten something off of my chest. So, in the spirit of universal companionship with the readers of this article, I want to recommend albums that are perfect for this Halloween season to help you understand what I am talking about. I’ll start from least terrifying and go to most terrifying. Björk’s “Homogenic” is an unsettling album, and it identifies exactly the feeling I am talking about. This album is the musical equivalent of those old computer-generated movies that came
to create a unique tone. “Homogenic” is this interesting tone in album form, if you are looking for it. This record is a masterpiece on so many levels, but I think the use of fearful feelings is one of its least talked-about aspects. I’ll keep my example short and let the music speak for itself: Go to this album on YouTube and listen to the last two songs, “Pluto” and “All is Full of Love.” “Pluto” is a song about Ragnarök, the battle at the end of the world in Norse Mythology, and it feels earth-shattering. Björk’s howls over a glitchy, sputtering rave beat are sublime in every sense of the word. This is exactly the song that would play if the very world began to shatter and nature descended into a storm. Then comes “All is Full of Love.” If you listen to these songs one after the other (or just the album as a whole), you will feel the catharsis I am talking about. Your headspace will be thrown off by what has come before, you will be reeling from the outof-sorts music that came before and you will be comforted by one of the most beautiful songs ever made. This track will hold your soul and cherish it—using the same style of electronic music that came before—but only if you’ve been broken down by the preceding fear that the album provokes. MGMT’s “Little Dark Age” appearing on this list might surprise you if you have listened to this album before, but do not be mistaken by the pop-music coating of this album. This record is one of desperate fear that soaks every note. I won’t discuss it too much, as it involves talk of suicide, and I think
is one of the most frightening and unsettling albums I’ve ever heard. It is also the perfect October album. There is screaming, babies crying, creepy people telling creepy stories and a viscerally dark cadence to everything. Everything about this album is aimed towards that feeling of catharsis I mentioned earlier, and this album will try to slough off your personality through terror to deliver its messages. “Soundtracks for the Blind” is also the most experimental album as it is a drone record through
Skull” are all drenched in a weighty, oppressive mood. “The Beautiful Days” is wildingly unsettling in its decaying guitar strumming, backed only by the vocals of a child singing an inscrutable song. I especially recommend the track, “Helpless Child.” This 15-minute masterpiece is a journey through the darkest corners of our emotions. It is brooding with passion for its first half, a passion that gets unleashed in an alluring way at the end. Again the catharsis, and again the fear that came before.
H
Courtesy of Wikipedia
[CW: This article discusses suicide and selfharm.] alloween is not just an event that happens for one night; it is a lifestyle in which I partake for one whole month. Aristotle thought
out in the early 2000s. The movies were great, but there was something about the artificiality of them that always threw me off. If you’ve seen the movie “Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within,” you know the animation quality that I am talking about. There’s something about the presence of technology that blends with the more normal aspects of the movie
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“Homogenic,” by Björk (pictured above), is one of three stand-out albums that provoke feelings of horror and fear, along with MGMT’s “Little Dark Age” and Swans’ “Soundtracks for the Blind.”
Poet explores depth of relationships, creative endeavors MOTEN continued from page 1 by their radical vision. Fred Moten, poet, scholar of black studies and renowned cultural critic, came to Sanders Classroom on Oct. 3, to deliver the annual Elizabeth Bishop lecture, hosted by Vassar’s English Department. Over the course of his career, Moten has written extensively about Blackness, aesthetics, poetry and continental philosophy. The definition of a protean academic, Moten has collaborated with a diverse suite of artists, including video artist Arthur Jafa, DJ and writer Julianna Huxtable, writer Maggie Nelson and filmmaker Wu Tsang. He currently teaches in the Department of Performance Studies at New York University, and he has formerly held academic posts at Harvard University, the University of California, Irvine, Duke University and Brown University. Over the course of an hour, Moten read several poems as well as shared anecdotes and reflections. The poems came from two of Moten’s collections, “B. Jenkins,” published by Duke in 2010, and “The Little Edges,” published by Wesleyan in 2015. His poems move between fragmentary utterances, colloquialisms and detailed, descriptive prose-like writing, leaving plenty of space for him to expand upon and explore the ideas and experiences within the poems. The talk embraced these blurred lines between music, poetry and philosophy; however, in characterizing his style, it is hard to call it interdisciplinary. Nor would is it necessarily a global or universal style. His frequent allusions to collaborators and friends, to their many stories and experiences, makes me think that the best descriptor for his itinerant traversing of discourses may be social. His poetry and writing do their best to speak and listen. Nevertheless, Moten is unabashedly conceptual. He stated, “A lot of what I put in my books of poetry is criticism.” The first of his poems was titled “hard enough to enjoy,” from “The Little Edges,” written about
the choreographer Ralph Lemon. Moten read, “Feel me? That’s why I always ask you if you feel me. Because I know you feel me. I ask you if you feel me because I know you feel me” (Fred Moten, “The Little Edges,” 2015). The physicality of words and speech weaves through all of Moten’s poems, as if to emphasize that––though the subjects of his work are mobile and fleeting––their interactions, the aesthetics of those interactions and their resultant meanings, are relentlessly physical. Moten then moved onto another poem, “eve is a texture, dave is centering,” from the same collection, in which he imagines the acclaimed gender studies scholar Eve Sedgwick eating salad from a bowl made by Dave the Potter. He digresses, speaking about Sedgwick’s beautiful hands, recounting his experience meeting her at a concert by free jazz pianist Cecil Taylor and then discussing Taylor’s funeral. He brings up the work of fiction writer Samuel Delany, who had what Moten calls “intense erotic fixation with hands” before returning to Taylor and the stolid beauty of Taylor’s face in the casket, juxtaposing it to his weathered hands, like “hammers for playing on the piano” (Fred Moten, “The Little Edges,” 2015). Taylor, incidentally, was an admirer of Sedgwick, and Moten encourages us to hear her through Taylor’s music. He ends this thought by saying that, like poet Amiri Baraka who wrote about racism and the American Civil Rights Movement, he separates ghosts and spirits and finds it unproductive to live with the dead. The multiple layers of Moten’s musing flesh out the valences of influence, interaction, spontaneity and fixation, which prove common to all creative and intellectual practice. Before introducing his poems “frank ramsey nancy wilson” (from “B. Jenkins”) and “nancy wilson saves frank ramsey” (from “The Little Edges”), Moten asked the audience if he could play a song. After a few murmurs of assent, he began another anecdote: “I am a product of my mother’s
house, and in my mother’s house, there was music all the time.” He quickly pivoted from an everyday reminiscence back to his natural tone of sophistication, quoting the recently deceased American philosopher Stanley Cavell: “Am I ready to avow that my mother’s mother tongue, which is music, is my own.” He then played two versions of the same song, “Save your Love for Me” by Nancy Wilson and Cannonball Adderley—the first a studio recording, the second a live version which his mother had kept on vinyl and which he had recently digitized. The music was a formidable and haunting modern jazz trot, with Wilson’s vocals serving as a perfect counterpoint to Adderley’s alto sax. Next, Moten remarked on Frank Ramsay who was an analytic philosopher at Cambridge before the war. He was the only one there, Moten laughed, who wasn’t afraid to confront the Austrian-British philosopher Ludwig Wittgenstein. The opening line of Moten’s next poem was one of Ramsay’s famous quips, a response to Wittgenstein’s pronouncement “Whereof one cannot speak, thereof one must be silent”: Ramsay replies, “what can’t be said, can’t be said, and it can’t be whistled neither” (Fred Moten, “The Little Edges,” 2015). Of all the different components of speech, voice is one of Moten’s particular fixations. In his essay “Black Mon’in’” he writes of a moan at a funeral expressing the wordless anguish beyond language. Yet perhaps there can be a positive wordlessness as well: “frank ramsey nancy wilson” ends with the line, “But the unutterable will be––unutterably––enjoyed in what has been enjoyed.” Moten read the audience another poem on the same theme, this one titled “sweet nancy wilson saved frank ramsey.” The final lines loop back on themselves to create an echoing clarity: “though it can’t be said, said in leaving / singing, said in leaving / it unsung, song of desire, safe from desire, saved in desire” (Fred Moten, “The Little Edges,” 2015).
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In the question and answer session following the lecture, Professor of Philosophy Osman Nemli asked Moten about another one of Nancy Wilson’s songs “Never Will I Marry,” connecting it to the paradox of showing and saying in Wittgenstein’s work and, by extension, in Moten’s poems about Frank Ramsey. Can these two concepts, showing and saying, ever be married? Moten answered carefully, taking several moments to collect his thoughts. Though the two need each other, Moten eventually answered, their marriage would be a promiscuous one. They need to roam free. Yet this does not mean that they don’t feel each other, only that it is difficult to ensure that the “moans, creaks and pops” don’t get left out. One student in attendance asked about Moten’s experiences as an artist and a person of color. Moten immediately apologized for his oblique answer, but he clearly had a different tack in mind: “I totally understand what you mean when you say what you say, but I don’t want to say it that way. I wouldn’t call myself a creative. I want to be a part of something creative.” It is difficult for non-normative people to exist in these spaces, Moten continued, because of this paradoxical ideology of individualism, which poses the fulfillment of individual freedoms as the foundation for all of those freedoms. “I am interested in what we do together,” he said in sum. He brought up an anecdote about a student who came to office hours, relating, “He said, ‘do Black people really have to save the world?’ Yes, yes we do. Mostly because we can; it has nothing to do with fairness.” Moten ended with a wily optimism, saying, “The oppressor is not that deep and not that interesting. We have to pay a whole lot more attention to what we do.” This is an invitation, to talk more, to listen more, to take study beyond the classroom and to live with it, as one does with a friend, among friends.
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October 11, 2018
Campus Canvas
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Excuse me, How do you sleep at night knowing that you eat eight spiders per year?
“I sleep with a mouthful of spiders. So, very soundly.” — Jackson Hardin ’19
“According to CGPGrey, eight is far too low of an estimation. Also I never think about it as I stay up until 3 a.m.” — Chloe Catoya ’20
“Full.” — Shannon Tilley ’21
“I’ve eaten worse things consciously.” — Eric Lin ’21
Cassie Jain Class of 2020 Art History Major French & Urban Studies Minors
When not doing schoolwork, Cassie can almost always be
“I’m vegetarian.” — Arianna Brown ’22
found in the darkroom. She is particularly fond of photographing on cameras older than herself, most of the time with black & white film. In photographing her family, friends and places closest to her, she hopes to create photographs that appear both strange and intimate.
“It doesn’t happen to me. I’m the exception.” — Alisa Vithoontien ’19
Hannah Gaven, Humor & Satire Hannah Benton, Photography
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October 11, 2018
Dairy diaries: PAWS connects cows, cats, college students Duncan Aronson/The Miscellany News
Located in nearby Millbrook, the Shunpike Dairy Farm is a 20-minute drive from Vassar. Visitors have the opportunity to be in close contact with various adorable ranch animals. Duncan Aronson REPORTER
O
delightful animals were a clear highlight of the event, but Costello was most touched by what the animals brought out in his fellow students: “My favorite part was meeting and seeing animal people getting really excited and passionate about animals. It’s some of the happiest you’ll ever see your peers.”
These practices seemed connected to a high level of personal investment and care, evident through the smallest details. All of the cows had names and plenty of room to roam. My interviewees also remarked on the farm’s bull and horse sharing the same space and being friends. This is unusual, Demree explained: “Farms only
on the opposite side. One by one, they noticed us and trotted over to say hello. They greatly impressed with their adorableness and demeanor. PAWS member Sam Dorf ’22 commented, “I thought it was really cute how the cows bit on to clothing and to shoes.” Demree added, “I really liked the cows—all the cows seemed very happy, sociable and gentle.” Shortly after, the niece of the current owner greeted us and took us to the barn. On the way there, we met two of the many farm cats. Aside from capturing many hearts with their charm, they sparked conversation about how cats behave on a farm instead of in a house. Dorf noted, “It’s nice to see cats living in a farm environment … The farm seems to be exactly where they belong because they’re just so happy.” Once we moved on from the cats and into the barn, we were able to get up close and personal with a black calf and a brown calf. The black calf still hadn’t gotten over its suckling stage and was prone to suckle anything it could. This led to a minor incident, which org member Tieren Costello ’19 described: “When we got into the barn, that guy who had his shirt halfway in the calf’s mouth was quite a spectacle. It was precious.” We were told that the brown calf, on the other hand, was much calmer and had a soft spot for neck scratches. This was immediately put to the test. From the pleasure-filled tilt of the calf’s head, we confirmed this hypothesis. The
While lovely animals are a key component of Shunpike, the farm, passed down for four generations, is also an exemplar of well-thought-out and sustainable practices. Demree, with her academic focus on animal science and her years of farm experience as a volunteer and a field work intern, provided expert insight: “They are using rotational grazing, which maintains the grass, prevents parasites and maintains the soil quality. All the pastures looked healthy and the animals looked healthy.”
need one bull to have calves, and the bull is kept separate from the female cows. Instead of letting him be all lonely and sad [as per usual], they found him a friend.” PAWS plans to arrange another trip to the farm in the near future, which will include providing attendees the opportunity to milk the cows by hand. They will be going out on more animal-related excursions, including a trip to the Trevor Zoo, in the interim. Dedicated veterinarian or animal enthusiast, you’re welcomed.
Duncan Aronson/The Miscellany News
n a sunny Sunday, Oct. 7, the Pre-Veterinary and Animal Science Club (PAWS) made its first trip to Shunpike Dairy Farm. A cohort of PAWS and non-PAWS students petted adult cows, cats and calves, and left the farm satisfied—and with plenty of fresh cheese and raw milk in tow. On the drive back, participants reflected on their enjoyment and observations of their farm experiences. You may be wondering how petting animals directly relates to being a veterinarian and, by extension, how the farm trip aligned with PAWS’ goals. The answer: The mission of the org is much broader than veterinarian preparation alone. Treasurer Ruth Demree ’19 shared, “We want to be a resource for veterinarian-track people—we are having a veterinarian alum come and talk in a few weeks. There is always
that educational aspect. We also want to help people who think to themselves, ‘I don’t know what to do but I want to work with animals.’” So the farm trip is an essential experience for people who love to interact with animals. When everyone initially congregated around the fenced-off pasture, the cows were standing idly
Pictured here is the hapless “guy who had his shirt halfway in the calf’s mouth,” Matt Usui ’22. The good news is that he ended up making friends with the cow through a gentle pat on its forehead.
Alum Spotlight: Lief reflects on media industry, Vassar ability to do your job well. If you love journalism, writing, reporting, just be committed to it, and go in full steam. Showing your determination and motivation for employers is extremely important. While I don’t think you should be discouraged, I think you should have your eyes open, more than ever. What I loved about reporting is it brought me to places I’d never otherwise go. I’m curious, I like to ask questions and find out what’s going on. The opportunities that journalism offers are incredibly eye-opening. They help change your perspective on the world. It’s not the most high-paid profession, so, more so, you need to know that this is what you want because it’s going to ask a lot from you. Make sure your commitment is there, and it’s rewarding. The Misc: What is your favorite memory from your time at Vassar? Lief: If you and I were talking 20 years ago I’d have a completely different answer. I would have pointed to a specific event I enjoyed, or a social event. I was working as a photographer for the Communications Department, and I was able to cover a lot of concerts. The Clash were there, and they were really big, and they had just come to the U.S. I got to cover Squeeze at the Chapel—we had a lot of concerts at the Chapel. I was given front row and a press pass, which I thought was an amazing opportunity. Today my answer is that the benefit of hindsight brought me to the conclusion that where I was at Vassar was the most important—not what I was doing or who I was doing it with, but why I was doing it. One moment came at the library. I was sitting there, late in my sophomore year. It may seem cliche, but the beauty inspires you; stained glass all around you, vaulted ceilings, panels of books everywhere. I realized how lucky I was to be at Vassar, to have the freedom of thought that I never knew existed. I always knew what the concept of education was, but it was a dawn-
ing moment, and I went, “My goodness, what a great opportunity, what a great place to be.” The Misc: Any words of wisdom for current students? Lief: In the world we’re living in right now—a very divisive climate, as you can tell from all the politics, and certainly yesterday’s Kavanaugh hearings … The most important [thing] students can do with and amongst each other is to listen—we are too quick to criticize … Provide that space for someone to speak so you can hear fully, and then react to that. Give them the opportunity to say what they have to say, and then before trying to find a way to pick it apart, look for common ground. Don’t start with disagreements because that’s what’s driving us apart, outside of college, as well as inside, where it’s making it harder for college students to learn from each other and interact. So if anything, that’s the thing that comes back to me. We have to start listening to each other and we have to try to find a common ground so we can find a place to build a dialogue.
The Misc: Anything you would like to add? Lief: I would say take opportunities as they come. Before I started college, it was typical for people to stay at one job for 30 years. That’s certainly not the case in today’s world. I had the opportunity to work for lots of places; sometimes it was my choice to move on and sometimes it wasn’t. I worked at NBC Sports, CBS Sports, ESPN, CNBC, the Associated Press. I got to do many different things, and the opportunities I was presented with were eye-opening. I would say if you see something that excites you, you should go for it. Once you’ve absorbed a fair amount of experience, don’t be afraid to move on to the next thing. Always be good to your boss and loyal to your organization, but keep your eyes open about what is going to advance your career and move you forward. Sometimes I wish I had stayed longer at certain places, but overall I’m glad I moved around different organizations because it gave me a range of experiences I wouldn’t have had otherwise.
Courtesy of Erik Lief
ALUM continued from page 1 and work until the morning—the overnight shift. I’d never done anything like that, and I thought, who would want to subject themselves to that? But then I realized, well, this is my opportunity. It’s a major media outlet, and someone’s saying, here it is, take a chance, go for it. And I did, and that basically opened up every door for everything I’ve done, for the rest of my life in journalism. I’m glad I did it. It was a risk I had to take, even if it meant living on the other side of the clock for awhile. The Misc: What do you think about the current media landscape? How has this changed throughout your career? Lief: Media, in the last 25 years, since I started, has changed dramatically. Certainly the Internet has changed dozens of industries, and it certainly has upended the media landscape. What you have is immediacy and a sense that everything must be done right away. You used to have defined news cycles, but now everything is 24 hours a day, which places the burden on people producing the news, who then have to be on call. Constantly. What I learned from that is you have to add skills along the way. If you are going to survive in the business and thrive, print reporting required one set of changes, television reporting another, and you had to learn how to edit and write, shoot video if you needed to. You were not only competing against young people who were hungrier, but you had to add skills to make sure you [were] a valuable asset to your company. You have to love it. You have to be able to accept those challenges. The Misc: What would you tell students looking to pursue journalism or any branch of communications? Lief: I would say, more than ever, you need to be committed to this. If you have any ambivalence toward it, it’s going to undermine your
Erik Lief ’85 (left) at a Vassar reunion with David Plotkin ’82, Steve Cash ’84 and David Raizman ’83. Some of Lief’s fondest memories at Vassar involve the friendships that he developed there.
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October 11, 2018
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Office hours chat: Prof. Nemli philosophizes on liberal arts Frankie Knuckles
began his tale. His early childhood took place in two cities: Istanbul, where he was born, and New York City. He then commenced his undergrad career at Trinity College. Nemli recalled, “When I entered Trinity, I was thinking between English and math. Or biochemistry, econ … So really, much like a true liberal arts student, everywhere.” The relatability made me grin. “What happened?” I asked. “Yeah, what happened?” He briefly glanced around at his many piles of books in an otherwise sparse office. I followed his gaze and noticed a blank sticky note over his computer’s webcam among a truly impressive number of reminders stuck around the monitor. Then he explained how he got interested in philosophy. “Day one in a philosophy class, an instructor said, ‘Not all your friends are in school, some are working 40+ hours a week. For those of you who are full-time students, that’s what we expect of you.’” This wake-up call served as inspiration to get his collegiate act together, and the subject of that class played an important role in that. He elaborated, “Philosophy really granted me that: the venue to raise the bar on my actions and interactions with others, and to raise the bar fundamentally on what it meant to be a friend, a colleague, a loved one. It forced a reflection on the words one uses.” He considered for a moment, then added, “So basically, narcissism.” I chuckled, and he continued. “Philosophical language and discourse is in that regard kind of like being in a costume, or going to a drag ball or wearing a uniform. Just as you craft yourself in terms of the clothes you want to wear, as a form of self-expression, I think philosophy fundamentally attunes you toward those modes of self-expression.” From there, we segued into discussing his work before Vassar at Emory University (where he did his master’s and doctoral studies) and Dillard University (he completed his dissertation while teaching there). Of those institutions, he said, “[Each has] a very different student body and they have many different expectations, at least, from the type of student that is crafted at a liberal arts school.” “‘Crafted’ is a good word for it,” I remarked. “Yes, absolutely. I think schools cater to and craft different personalities based upon the expectations of the students, but also their own expectations.” He chose to teach at a liberal arts school because, as he told me, “I like the challenge of trying to bring philosophy to different student groups, because I think that everyone
one of his characteristic gestures: a circular hand-wave with a thoughtful nod. He elaborated, “I think that the liberal arts student body is a hyper-educated, hyper-aware, hyper-reflective, incredibly hard-working group of beings who write and read and approach so many different subjects … And so I already think you have just an incredible temperature of atoms bouncing and jumping around in terms of, like, the furnace of thought.” After a micro-pause, he added, “It is wildly mind-blowing.” “To be able to read a text together, to be able to approach contemporary issues with a text that is far removed from our everyday experience (seemingly removed), to approach a text with our expectations of today, or to be able to bracket, or stop, our expectations of today because of a question that occupied so much of the time and space of yesterday…” he trailed off momentarily. “I think all of that is extremely, just a nice concoction.” He then approached his explanation—as he often does in class—metaphorically. “It’s like a cooking show, where you’re given a space to cook,...you don’t choose any of the materials, you don’t get to choose your tools, you don’t get to choose your colleagues in this kitchen, and it’s like ‘make us something that’s delicious.’” The rhetorical device clearly worked, because we then went on a tangent about cooking competition shows. When we circled back to the upsides of a liberal arts education, he recounted a Vassar philosophy alum he encountered at Emory, who gave Vassar glowing reviews, encouraging him to come here. He commented, “That’s not to say it’s ‘follow the yellow brick road and here’s Emerald City where everything is great,’ because, after all, every city has its obscene undersides, as Plato showed in ‘The Republic.’” He raised one eyebrow, and I nodded, picturing the library turned to green crystal. Next, I asked him about the classes he’s teaching this semester. “I’m teaching three courses and two independent studies, and overseeing a thesis. The courses are 100, 200 and 300. One is a contemporary moral issues course addressing philosophies of violence and nonviolence: Why do we justify violence, how do we justify it, what are the arguments we can use against this justification and why is nonviolence a virtue. The 200-level course—disclosure: The interviewer is a student in it—is…um...” “Is a wild time,” I supplied. He nodded slowly with what I can best describe as a contemplative
T
Courtesy of Abigail Meert
his week, I had the privilege of talking with Visiting Assistant Professor of Philosophy Osman Nemli in his galley kitchen of an office, Rocky 206. When I asked him to share any pertinent or wacky autobiographical details, Nemli
can participate in whatever they do professionally, but also in the world, in a philosophical manner.” “Now, why Vassar, within that?” he began, a verbal wind-up to his pitch. “I really am very much a supplicant in the church of liberal arts, in terms of crafting individuals,” he said, with
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Nemli in his bureau, welcoming his students with a bright smile. His office hours always leave visitors with a profound impression of his knowledge of and insight into philosophical topics. frown. “Yeah. Wild times with phenomenology and existentialism. And it looks at two philosophical schools in the continental European tradition initially but not exclusively, and explores, for example, what consciousness is about, how we can comport ourselves ethically with other consciousnesses, what does it mean to be responsible, what are some fundamental moods that we have in relation to the world that we’re a part of.” I agreed with this assessment. “And then the 300-level course is a course called Philosophies of Difference. So, trying to parse out the different implications and ways of hearing the word ‘difference’ that neither reduce it to a sort of decaffeinated understanding of diversity, which would equal the rather problematic trend of tokenism, nor, on the other hand, dismiss difference as simply being a relativity, where everyone can be an island unto themself. Since we all know that underneath those waters, those lands are connected to one another.” I nodded, Simon & Garfunkel lyrics spontaneously swirling through my head. I moved on to my next question: “So, kind of relatedly, what are your specific philosophical interests?” “My interests philosophically are 19th- and 20th-century continental philosophy, with an emphasis on social and political issues, as well as ethics and moral theory,” he explained, with the air of someone who has said this sentence many times. “Very broadly, what is the good life, can we live the good life, and can we achieve the virtues or the conditions necessary for it, and what is justice, and what happens when you try to pursue the good life in an unjust city.” After a moment, he added, “And, besides that, any sort of like, movie people want to talk about. I just love movies ... But that’s just a hobby, unfortunately.” He said, feigning dejection at his plebeian desire for fun.
I chuckled, then moved on to the question I was most curious to have answered. “Here’s one that invites some reductive thinking,” I prefaced. “Why do you think studying philosophy is important or valuable? You kind of touched on this already, but what advantages does it give a student, even one who might not be considering a major or a correlate?” “In some regards,” he began, “I think philosophy is quite worthless.” He continued, picking up steam, “It’s useless because the usual way we expect to evaluate utility is according to end goals or points or achievements that philosophy is not really equipped to satisfy. Being able to read a text philosophically is not something that can be rendered tangible, except in certain lived situations and circumstances.” He pressed forward, talking with both hands and voice. “The apprenticeship in philosophy yields absolutely nothing, but it’s precisely in its nothing and its uselessness, I think, where its worth, or value, lies. [It is] a question that can completely change the parameters and conditions of how people approach a subject.” I started to understand what he meant: The important thing isn’t the philosophy itself, but the questions it allows one to ask and try to answer. He expanded, “This incessant raising of questions, I think, is a very powerful, skeptical, critical attitude. ‘Critique’ implies ‘crisis,’ a moment of decision, but also a judgement. And you can only make this critique by trying to establish some sort of difference, or distance, between you and the subject at hand. You and who you want to be and who you were. You and the text you’re reading.” Nemli concludes, “The mode of critical thinking, of critical reading, that philosophy provides is a space that honors the possibility that the world which we’re in is never enough, that it can change. And that it can change with something as quick and as short as a question.”
Insta Spotlight: Photographer showcases abstract art Andrea Yang
FEATURES EDITOR
ofortheabstract is a public Instagram art account with a distinctive style implicit in its name. Each post is an original photo or video matched with a word that somehow coincides with its mood or palette. This week, we invited the enigmatic artist to chat about the creation and management of the account. The Miscellany News: What inspired you to create gofortheabstract? gofortheabstract: From the beginning, I was inspired by the photography project Humans of New York, but I didn’t want any humans, any stories or any York, especially New York. The Misc: How long has this account been running? gofortheabstract: Unfortunately, I was late
The Misc: How do you come up with the word to match the picture? gofortheabstract: All are names—all our names—it’s fun to give the photos a character behind them. The Misc: Do you have a favorite post? gofortheabstract: Like some of the other posts, the third post I made, titled “gina,” speaks to the baroque sensibility of decay—let’s just say, she’s seen better days. The Misc: Are there any interesting stories happened because of the account? gofortheabstract: Lemme think… Once I accidentally posted a late-weekend-night selfie on this account instead of my personal. A few people saw it, but luckily my good friend was among the late-night instastory viewers and alerted me to my mistake early, so I could take it down and preserve my secret identity.
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Courtesy of gofortheabstract via Instagram
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to the Insta game, starting my account in late 2016. The Misc: Would you like to introduce yourself or provide some hints of your identity? gofortheabstract: Can’t say I haven’t been giving hints from the beginning, but, I’ll just say: He protecc, he attacc, but most of all he abstracc. The Misc: How would you describe the aesthetics of your account? gofortheabstract: Kind of like ASMR, but less autonomous and more anonymous. The Misc: What has been your process of selecting photos and posting them? gofortheabstract: Yike, what a question—I don’t have too much of a process—I kinda just go with the flow, and when I see something that grabs my attention, I take a picture and sometimes post it.
Above is a screenshot of the artist’s third post, which is one of their favorites. The student Instagram account features photos and videos that capture the surrealistic elements of real life.
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Misc Comics by Natalie Bober
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Beam Me Up
Ben Costa
ACROSS 1. What the Fountain of Youth prevents 6. Padlock clasp 10. Sweet stick 14. Even less hip than 15. Hydrox's cooler cousin 16. Herbal regrets 17. Assures 19. Cerb-, hum-, ut20. A warning tone 21. Double-dog challenge 22. Northernmost land, in the “Beam Me Up” Middle Ages by 23. Buffalo variant 44. Fragile and personalities ACROSS 24. Shocked 45. Leaves chewed as a stimulant 1. What the Fountain of Youth 28. Giants' Causeway material 48. Teeterer’s location prevents 51. Toss the die 6. Padlock clasp 30. Picks up on radar 52. More or less 10. Sweet stick 33. Small vehicle attachment 57. Never again 14. Even less hip than 37. The 8 down of Delphi 58. Pain reliever 15. Hydrox’s cooler cousin 59. Impecunious 16. Herbal regrets 38. Beamer-upper 60. Football faction 17. Assures 39. Exclamations 61. Goof off 19. Cerb-, hum-, ut62. Inhabits a chair 20. A warning tone 41. Paraphrase, that is to say, 63. Rocky peaks 21. Double-dog challenge rephrase 64. Wile E Coyote’s superstores 22. Northernmost land, in the 42. What the tractor beam does to Middle Ages DOWN 23. Buffalo variant cows1. Tiny water plant 24. Shocked and 44. Fragile 2. Flashypersonalities trinket 28. Giants’ Causeway material 3. Mosque prayer leader 30. Picks up on radar 45. Leaves chewed as a stimulant 4. Emperor of Rome, Agrippina’s son 33. Small vehicle attachment 48. Teeterer's and murdererlocation 37. The 8 down of Delphi 5. President Ulysses 51. Toss the die 38. Beamer-upper 6. Spa pools 39. Exclamations 52. More orbetween less a leaf’s veins 7. Space 41. Paraphrase, that is to say, 8. Female fortune-teller 57. Never again rephrase 9. Small bouquet 42. What the tractor beam does to 58. Pain reliever 10. Refund notice cows 11. Colored spirit lights 59. Impecunious 12. Brain-related Answers to last week’s puzzle 60. Football faction 13. Germany’s fourth-largest city Star Signs 18. US medical research funder L A S T 61. Goof off A L A E T C H 23. Voting groups O N T O M O R E B E A N 62. Inhabits a chair 24. “Up, I am being beamed.” P R O D I G I E S V E R S T 25. Part-time wolf E G O T I S T I C S I L T S 63. Rocky peaks 26. Etc, in citations H A Y R U B I N C I S E 64. Wile E Coyote's 27. Cleans up a spacesuperstores N O R S M I L E Y L A S T
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MISCELLANY NEWS | VASSAR COLLEGE
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2018
October 11, 2018
OPINIONS
Page 13
The Miscellany news Staff Editorial
Oft-overlooked issue of web safety deserves prioritization O
ctober is National Cybersecurity Awareness Month, meaning now is a fitting time to talk about cybersecurity. At the end of September, Facebook, the largest social media network in the world, announced a giant security breach that impacted roughly 50 million users, allowing for potential account takeovers. The threat of hacking is actually a more serious problem than the average tech user may perceive—or may be willing to admit. The Department of Homeland Security reported a 400 percent rise in cyber attacks to the nation’s critical infrastructure from 2013 to 2016, and as the world becomes increasingly digital, the threat will only grow more pervasive. According to StaySafeOnline.org, over half of the U.S. population experienced some form of cybercrime in 2017. This was more than just petty theft; hackers stole more than $172 billion dollars from 978 million consumers in 20 countries (staysafeonline.org, “National Cybersecurity Awareness Month Champions Backgrounder,” 2018). One of the most critical threats to personal cybersecurity is phishing, the fraudulent practice of sending emails purporting to be from reputable companies in order to persuade individuals to reveal personal information, such as passwords and credit card numbers. It goes something like this: A stranger sends you a fake but urgent email that appears to be from your bank. You click on a link in the email that takes you to a website that a hacker has set up to look exactly like your bank website, and you log in like you would normally. In just a few seconds, a hacker gains the username and password to your online banking account as well as access
to whatever information that account provides. There are ample threats to cybersecurity here at Vassar as well. With the College’s OneLogin system, access to your email password will afford a hacker entry to a myriad of services besides just your email, including Workday and Nelnet (Vassar’s student loan servicer). If you’re a Vassar student, you have most likely received numerous campus-wide emails about phishing attempts, only to quickly relegate them to the trash bin. These emails, which come from Vassar’s Computing and Information Services Department (CIS), remind students about any online scams that specifically target Vassar students. According to CIS Information Security Officer Emily Harris, who commented via email, these phishing attempts are as common as they dangerous: “A significant challenge [for CIS] is the threats that come in by email. These can come at any time from a variety of sources.” Harris explained that, due to the unpredictable nature of the attacks, CIS relies on Vassar community members to identify new potential threats and alert CIS to their existence. Beyond sending out emails warning students of possible scams, CIS takes a variety of other measures to ensure the safety and security of Vassar community members’ personal information. As Harris explained, “Computing and Information Services oversees all aspects of computing technology at the college including desktop computing, academic computing, administrative information services, telecommunications, networking, media resources and the campus Card Office.” One major resource CIS provides to students
is their “Catch of the Day” website, which includes regularly updated examples of different phishing or scam emails detected by Vassar community members. Harris stressed, “We really want your suspicious emails! If you get one and don’t see it on the site, make sure to send it to catchoftheday[at]vassar.edu.” Should your username or password be compromised, one way to mitigate the damage is to use multi-factor authentication for any account that has sensitive information. This protective measure can take the form of texting a code to users when they try to log in on a new device, or asking extra security questions when a suspicious login is attempted. Harris emphasized the importance of this measure, stating, “Our biggest recommendation is to use Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) wherever you can. Vassar College offers MFA using Duo Security and it is available for all students and employees.” If a user chooses to activate MFA, they must authorize any attempted account access with a cell phone, landline or tablet as well as a username and password. MFA users may also choose to be exempted from Vassar’s password expiration rules (Vassar Service Desk, “VassarOne: Setting up Multi-Factor Authentication with Duo”). Another potential threat to students’ online safety is the presence of viruses, malicious programs that, once downloaded onto a device, attempt to steal stored information. The most effective way to combat viruses is to avoid downloading anything to your digital device, such as illegal copies of movies or music, that does not come from a trustworthy source. Firewalls and antivirus programs can also protect
your computer, but it is crucial to keep these programs up to date and active at all times. Harris suggested antivirus tools for students: “For Mac users, we recommend Sophos Anti-Virus and Malwarebytes, both of which are free for personal use. For Windows users, the Microsoft Security Center has all the tools you need.” Microsoft offers 12 months of its Azure Security Center protection services free of charge, after which users are billed on a pay-as-you-go basis. While it may seem simple, the most surefire way to keep yourself safe in the cyber world is to be conscious of the activity in which you’re engaging online. Download and update anti-virus software. Pay attention to and read emails from CIS to ensure that you’re aware of the latest phishing attempt. Don’t click suspicious links or download anything from unknown sources. Adopting a laissez-faire attitude toward internet security is not only counterproductive in the short term but also becomes more and more dangerous as students graduate, become fully responsible for their own finances and handle increasingly sensitive information both in the personal and professional spheres. As the most tech-immersed generation yet, the onus falls on us to set the precedent for safe computing—not only for ourselves, but for everyone yet to be born into an ever more digitized society. For further information, CIS offers a guide to Secure Computing and Best Practices on Vassar’s Service Catalog website. —The Staff Editorial expresses the opinion of at least 2/3 of The Miscellany News Editorial Board.
Pervasive irony proves defining, detrimental to Generation Z Talya Phelps
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
“I
ronic might be the most important word in the universe,” declared my friend via text as we discussed the cruel ironies of my past romantic failures. “I’ve built my whole life and personal brand around the concept.” Of course, his very statement was itself steeped in irony on multiple levels—one of them being the irony of the fact that his own statement was ironic, and then the irony of that irony, and then the irony of that irony of that irony, all building on itself into a veritable Droste effect of self-reflexivity. The worst part of it all was that this irony was a relatable one. Before that moment, I had never fully examined or realized the extent to which irony pervades my daily life, from my social media presence to my fashion sense to the way I decorate my living space. My bathroom at my parents’ house is adorned with a framed printout of a bizarre tweet by the lead singer of Vampire Weekend (and my ultimate celebrity crush) reading, “u wake with a fresh feeling & think ‘why not put on last night’s clothes and bounce? I am clean in body and spirit’ DON’T DO IT. take the shower” (Twitter, @jarzE, 07.16.12). Not only is the tweet itself ironic in its strangeness, but so is my decision to classily mount and frame an artifact of communiqué that is so prototypically un-classy. My drawers are home to more than a few graphic tees that walk the fine line between ironically unstylish and simply unstylish—a trend embodied by the disturbing rise of “normcore.” And I could wax poetic (and ironic) for hours about the dichotomy between my “rinsta” (real Insta) and my “finsta” (fake Insta), the phenomenon of the latter perhaps epitomizing irony in 2018 through its ubiquitous presence and the fact that everyone
has one, but everyone is embarrassed to admit that they have one. But enough about me, for I am just another cog in the ever-turning wheels of the irony that has—for better or worse—come to define my generation. As a late-1997 baby, I rest uneasily on the cusp that divides millennials from Gen Z, both included and excluded from each group depending on which source I consult. In fact, it is only recently that the term “Gen Z” entered my field of consciousness; before then, I grouped myself, albeit with uncertainty, in the same cohort as my brother—now 29 and undeniably a millennial. Just recently, he forwarded me a briefing from the investment strategy firm Yardeni Research that codifies the traits inherent to the group now coming of age, graduating college and becoming socially and economically relevant. “Post-Millennials are not mini-Millennials,” the briefing is quick to specify; in fact, we are “more realistic, career-minded, and better prepared” than our much-maligned predecessors, not to mention “instinctively digital, while Millennials are merely tech savvy” (Yardeni Research, “Morning Briefing,” 09.26.2018). After years of almost-but-not-quite relating to BuzzFeed quizzes with titles like “10 Things Only Millennials Will Understand,” seeing some of my defining traits succinctly (and even ethnographically) described was more than a little validating. Yes, Yardeni Research, I do view my technology as an extension of myself! Yes, this does mean that I’m an excellent multi-tasker! Yes, I am motivated by a quest for financial security! Yes, I AM self-directed and resourceful! Yes, yes, yes! Unfortunately, what Yardeni failed to capture was the darker and more amorphous aspects that define Gen Z, many of which can be traced back to our twisted and nihilistic outlook on life. This
might sound odd in juxtaposition with our apparent upward mobility and go-getter attitude, but after all, none of us have even graduated yet. Our oldest members are still suffering through college, mired in the gratuitous angst, sex, drugs, memes and sleeplessness of school while simultaneously peering out, perplexed, into the impending (and terrifying) realm of adulthood. Case in point: the phenomenon of vaping. As Jia Tolentino explains in a piece for The New Yorker, e-cigarettes—or vapes—were conceived in the early 2000s as a way to reduce harm for nicotine addicts by replacing tar-laden “cancer sticks” with sleeker, arguably less toxic devices, most notably the Juul (The New Yorker, “The Promise of Vaping and the Rise of Juul,” 05.14.18). What Juul failed to anticipate was how well its product would mesh with the ethos of the younger generation. As Tolentino puts it, “Teen Juul iconography radiates a dirtbag silliness. Vapes are meme-ready, funny in a way that cigarettes never were: the black-and-white photograph of James Dean smoking in shirtsleeves has been replaced with paparazzi snaps of Ben Affleck ripping an e-cig in his car” (The New Yorker). Moreover, she points out, a Juul hit is as easy as an Instagram double-tap, fueling the ravenous hunger for instant gratification that is endemic to our generation. So how does ducking into the bathroom during class to suck down tropical-flavored vapor connect to Gen Z’s overwhelming sense of irony—and how is that irony ultimately detrimental? Katie, one of the teens Tolentino interviews, explains it best: “[E]verything we do is like Tide Pods. Everyone in this generation is semi-ironically, like, We’re ready to die” (The New Yorker). Of course, just like eating Tide Pods, we took Juuling too far. Just this week, NBC News reported that the Food and Drug Administration made
an unannounced visit to Juul’s headquarters to dig up evidence on the company’s marketing practices. Evidently, despite Juul’s reported efforts, the company just can’t seem to dissuade Gen Z from appropriating its innocent harm-reduction efforts and repackaging them as evidence of our incorrigible edginess (NBC News, “FDA made surprise visit to Juul as CDC finds vape maker dominates market,” 10.02.2018). This comes on the heels of the FDA’s declaration last month that teen vaping has officially reached epidemic levels (NBC News, “E-cigarette use is an ‘epidemic,’ FDA chief says,” 09.12.2018). All this shows that Gen Z’s culture is multiplying, amplifying and folding in on itself just as quickly as its members are growing up and preparing to enter society. Just look at the explosive evolution of memes, which have morphed from simple images of dogs and babies with corny jokes plastered on top in Impact font to multi-layered litanies of inside jokes so complex that a single tweet or copypasta takes an hour to explain. (See Gimlet Media’s genius “Reply All” podcast, which regularly features hosts Alex and PJ painstakingly explaining Twitter culture to their Internet-clueless boss.) I could devote another 1,000 words to meme milieu alone, but luckily UC Berkeley has the academic side of that topic covered with their introduction of a meme studies department (Teen Vogue, “UC Berkeley Announces Meme Studies Department,” 10.28.2017). Ultimately, it’s difficult to even conceive of a panacea for Gen Z’s not-soharmless irony, given that we’re just now being recognized as future contributing members of society. Like each preceding generation, it will be up to us to resolve the more unsavory aspects that tie together Z-ers across the nation. Until then, if you need me, just request to follow my finsta.
The Miscellany News is not responsible for the views presented within its Opinions pages. The weekly staff editorial is the only article which reflects the opinion of the Editorial Board.
MISCELLANY NEWS | VASSAR COLLEGE
OPINIONS
Page 14
October 11, 2018
Myth debunked by science: Vitamin C does not help with colds Isabella Boyne
GUEST COLUMNIST
A
s the weather in Poughkeepsie starts to get cooler and sniffles become the background noise of every classroom, students may find themselves drinking more orange juice and purchasing box upon box of vitamin supplements. It seems that an increase in vitamin C intake has become the go-to cure and preventative method for sicknesses like the common cold. However, the reality is that the benefits of such supplements have minimal scientific grounding; in fact, there is little to no evidence showing that vitamin C has the ability to prevent or cure the common cold. While there are many different brands of vitamin C supplements, Emergen-C is definitely one of the most popular, as it is currently the number one bestseller on Amazon for vitamin C supplements (Amazon, “Best Sellers in Vitamin C Supplements,” 10.07.2018). Much like other brands, Emergen-C contains misleading information on its label. The original formula contains 1,000 milligrams of vitamin C in each packet. However, the drug packaging recommends that users take up to twice that dose daily, amounting to a total of 2,000 milligrams each day. In contrast, the recommended daily amount of vitamin C is just 65 to 90 milligrams (Mayo Clinic, “Is it possible to take too much vitamin C?” 02.08.2018). In fact, your body only absorbs 70 to 90 percent even with a moderate intake. Therefore, when it consumes more than 1,000 milligrams of vitamin C, as in one “Emergen-C” package, absorption rate falls to 50 percent, and the body removes the excess through urine (National Institutes of Health, “Vitamin C,” 09.18.2018). Not only is the amount of vitamin C in Emergen-C ineffective, but the brand can also no longer make claims about its ability to prevent and treat the common cold. In December 2013, Alacer Corp, the product’s manufacturer, faced a $6.45 million settlement for a class-action lawsuit concerning deceptive marketing of Emergen-C. The complaint alleged that the company misleadingly represented the benefits of their supplement, claiming that it could prevent colds or flus without reliable scientific evidence. In June 2014, a superior court judge gave the final approval to
this settlement in favour of the complaint, and according to the settlement terms, class members could receive a refund of up to $36 with a proof of purchase (Truth In Advertising, “Emergen-C,” 09.16.2014). This example shows that even if vitamin C could help treat the common cold, the supplement dosage remains excessive, and the overall benefit would not exceed that of simply eating a piece of fruit. Despite the fact that Emergen-C packs their supplements with unnecessary amounts of vitamin C, one might argue that what the body does absorb can help treat the common cold. However, this does not appear to be the case either. The most convincing evidence for the supplements’ ability to fight the common cold comes from a 2013 study, wherein researchers conducted 29 randomized trial comparisons involving 11,306 participants and calculated the odds of a participant developing a cold while taking vitamin C tablets regularly. The researchers found that for people who were extremely active, such as marathon runners or soldiers exercising in subarctic conditions, taking at least 200 milligrams of vitamin C each day halved the risk of developing a cold. However, for the rest of the general population, taking vitamin C supplements did not reduce the risk of developing a cold nor did it have an effect on the duration or severity of the colds within the trials, demonstrating that it does not help treat colds either (Cochrane Library, “Vitamin C for preventing and treating the common cold,” 01.31.2013). The myth about vitamin C did not appear out nowhere. There is a reason why so many people believe that it has the ability to cure the common cold, and it has to do with the findings of one of the most famous scientists of the 20th century, Linus Pauling. Pauling first rose to fame in 1931 when he published a paper titled “The Nature of the Chemical Bond.” Previously, chemists were aware of only two types of chemical bonding: ionic and covalent. Pauling’s paper demonstrated that electron sharing was actually somewhere between a covalent and ionic bond. When the Journal of the American Chemical Society received the manuscript for review, the study report was so far ahead of its time that no one was qualified enough to read it. When asked for his thoughts on Pauling’s work, Albert Einstein himself sim-
ply said, “It was too complicated for me.” For this paper, Pauling received the Langmuir Prize as the most outstanding young chemist in America, earned the role of professor at Caltech, became the youngest person to be elected to the National Academy of Sciences and won the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 1954 (The Atlantic, “The Vitamin Myth: Why We Think We Need Supplements,” 07.19.2013).
“[T]here is little to no evidence showing that vitamin C has the ability to prevent or cure the common cold.” However, Pauling’s contributions to science did not end there. His findings on sickle hemoglobin gave birth to the field of molecular biology, he discovered the configuration of the alpha helix (later used to explain DNA structure) and he demonstrated that humans diverged from gorillas 11 million years ago, much earlier than scientists had previously suspected. Not only did Pauling contribute to the scientific community, but he was also an activist, winning the Nobel Peace Prize in 1962 after serving as a strong opponent of the Vietnam War, contributing to the development of the Nuclear Test Ban Treaty, speaking out against the internment of Japanese Americans during World War II and much more (The Atlantic). It only made sense that people would believe any and all results of Pauling’s following scientific endeavors given his shining reputation. After biologist Irwin Stone introduced Pauling to the idea of high-dose vitamin C helping the body, Pauling began taking three grams of vitamin C every day in order to prevent the common cold (Jack D. Dunitz, “Linus Carl Pauling,” 1997). Then in 1970, Pauling published “Vitamin C and the Common Cold,” which claimed that taking large amounts of vitamin C could reduce the severity and duration of the common cold. The following year, he engaged in a clinical collaboration with Ewan Cameron, a cancer surgeon, on its
use as cancer therapy for terminal patients (Medical Hypothesis, “Protocol for the use of vitamin C in the treatment of cancer,” 11.1991). The two wrote many papers on the topic, as well as a book titled “Cancer and Vitamin C.” With that, Pauling made vitamin C popular with the general public due to the sheer strength of his credibility. Eventually, Pauling conducted two studies on 100 patients with terminal cancer and published results that claimed vitamin C increased the chances of survival of up to four times in patients who received the treatment compared to those who did not (Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, “Supplemental ascorbate in the supportive treatment of cancer: Prolongation of survival times in terminal human cancer,” 10.1976). However, a later evaluation of such claims demonstrated that Pauling’s experiment was incredibly faulty, because the subjects who received the vitamin C treatment were less sick than those in the control group at the start of the trial (Your Patient and Cancer, “How to evaluate a new treatment for cancer,” 1982). Clinical trials conducted by Mayo Clinic in the late 1970s and early 1980s further showed that vitamin C was no better than a placebo when it came to oncological treatment, and such studies ultimately ended any scientific interest in vitamin C as a treatment for cancer, although Pauling did criticize the Mayo Clinic studies for not following his suggested methodology (Harry Collins, Trevor Pinch “Dr. Golem”, 04.2008). Despite a lack of general acceptance from the scientific community, Pauling continued to research and promote vitamin C as a cure for both the common cold and cancer, but was not met with a positive reception from the scientific community. Toward the end of his life, his claims were regarded as quackery by other scientists. He died of the very disease that he sought to treat: cancer (Jack D. Dunitz, “Linus Carl Pauling,” 1997). Overall, while there may not be any harm in taking vitamin C supplements, there is no justifiable reason to use them. Such myths surrounding vitamin C teach us an important lesson in being wary of flaws in methodologies of research and the significance of not accepting everything we hear as fact.
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The Miscellany News is not responsible for the views presented within its Opinions pages. The weekly staff editorial is the only article which reflects the opinion of the Editorial Board.
MISCELLANY NEWS | VASSAR COLLEGE
October 11, 2018
OPINIONS
U.S. ties with Saudi Arabia need reevaluation Sylvan Perlmutter COLUMNIST
O
n Oct. 2, exiled Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi entered the Saudi consulate in Istanbul, Turkey, to acquire divorce papers and was never seen again. Although his disappearance remains unsolved, Turkish intelligence believes that a hit squad who had flown in from Saudi Arabia a week before murdered and dismembered Khashoggi (NBC News, “Turkish authorities believe journalist Jamal Khashoggi was killed,” 10.06.2018). If Saudi Arabia did assassinate a dissident—a NATO member who resided in the United States—then the United States government needs to seriously reconsider its already deeply troubling relationship with the Saudi Kingdom. Since his departure from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in September 2017, Jamal Khashoggi had been one of the nation’s most effective critics. His columns for The Washington Post took Saudi Arabia and its brash young Crown Prince, Mohammad bin Salman, to task for punishing dissidents, the slow pace of social reforms and the brutal campaign Saudi Arabia is waging in Yemen with the backing of the United States (The Washington Post, “Read Jamal Khashoggi’s columns for The Washington Post,” 10.06.2018). He was especially insightful because he had spent many years working for the Saudi government as an editor for official media outlets and as an advisor to the head of intelligence. This extensive insider knowledge, the vast majority of which went unpublished, may explain why Saudi Arabia may have risked international backlash by possibly assassinating him on foreign territory. But why should the Saudi government expect to face significant consequences for such a heinous act? Formerly led by King Salman but de facto run
by his son Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Saudi Arabia has been sheltered from consequences so far by the Obama and Trump administrations (Politico, “Obama, in an awkward twist, becomes Saudi Arabia’s defender,” 09.22.2016). Both presidents were hesitant to seriously disturb their relationships with Saudi Arabia because of a shared interest in containing Iran’s growing influence in the Middle East, as well as Saudi Arabia’s billions of dollars in arms purchases from the United States. Jared Kushner, President Trump’s son-inlaw and Middle East peace envoy, views Mohammed bin Salman as an indispensable part of a vague yet grand plan to create peace between Israel, the Palestinians and the Sunni Arab states (Haaretz, “How Kushner Played Matchmaker Between Israel and Saudi Arabia, According to Woodward,” 09.13.2018). This has sheltered Mohammed bin Salman as he has led Saudi Arabia down a path of piecemeal reform coupled with brutal crackdowns on internal and external disagreement. For example, under his leadership, the Saudi state finally allowed Saudi women to drive but continues to arrest Saudi feminist activists, many of whom were involved in the grassroots campaign for driving rights. When the Canadian Foreign Ministry tweeted a criticism of Saudi Arabia’s treatment of activists, the Saudi government responded by withdrawing thousands of Saudi students from Canadian universities, canceling flights to Canada and freezing future investment (Business Insider, “The full timeline of Canada and Saudi Arabia’s feud over jailed human rights activists,” 08.24.2018). All of this pales before the tragedy of Yemen. With the arms and active cooperation of the United States, Saudi Arabia has led a long and bloody war in Yemen against the Iranian-backed Houthi rebels. Saudi and Emirati forces have routinely car-
ried out airstrikes on civilian targets. As a result, millions of Yemeni people are struggling against starvation and disease, and at least 16,700 casulaties have been reported due to the conflict (The New York Times, “War Crimes Report on Yemen Accuses Saudi Arabia and U.A.E.,” 08.24.2018). In one of his most eloquent and impassioned columns, Khashoggi called for the Saudi Crown Prince to restore his country’s honor by ending the war in Yemen, stating, “[F]urther continuation of the war in Yemen will validate voices saying that Saudi Arabia is doing in Yemen what Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, the Russians and Iranians are doing in Syria” (The Washington Post, “Trump chooses more of the same in Yemen’s war,” 09.13.2018). Without freedom of the press, the maintenance and spread of democracy becomes an impossibility. The disappearance of Jamal Khashoggi is the latest in a long list of reasons why the United States’ current relationship with Saudi Arabia is detrimental to the long-term interests of global democracy. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo stated on Oct. 8, “We call on the government of Saudi Arabia to support a thorough investigation of Khashoggi’s disappearance and to be transparent about the results of that investigation” (Time, Mike Pompeo Is Calling on Saudi Arabia to Investigate the Disappearance of Journalist Jamal Khashoggi,” 10.09.2018) On the same day, Trump told reporters as he returned to Washington from Florida, “I am concerned about it. I don’t like hearing about it. And hopefully that will sort itself out. Right now, nobody knows anything about it” (Time, “President Trump Says He’s ‘Concerned’ About Missing Saudi Journalist Jamal Khashoggi,” 10.07.2018). These statements are too tepid. It’s well past time for the United States to seriously reconsider its alliance with Saudi Arabia.
Vassar should work to support Jewish community Jesser Horowitz COLUMNIST
[TW: This article discusses an anti-Semitic bias incident and mentions sexual assault.] uring the weekend of Oct. 7, neo-Nazis associated with the Daily Stormer, an infamous alt-right website founded in 2013 by white supremacist Andrew Anglin, put up posters around Vassar College, UC Davis, UC Berkeley and Marist College (JTA, “Fliers on 4 college campuses blame Jews for Kavanaugh assault allegations,” 10.09.2018). The posters featured pictures of various people who tried to stop Kavanaugh’s nomination to the Supreme Court with a Star of David over their face and a picture of the now–Supreme Court Justice himself at the center. The text caption read, “Every time some anti-white, anti-American, anti-freedom event takes place, you look at it, and it’s Jews behind it.” In short, the posters asserted that Jews were behind the sexual assault allegations against Justice Kavanaugh and the efforts to prevent his confirmation (Jewish Journal, “Flyers Blaming Jews for Kavanaugh Allegations Found on UC Davis,” 10.08.2018). As a Jew, I found this event deeply disturbing. The posters provoked feelings of anger, resentment and fear in myself and in the college community at large. For many Vassar students who have come to accept our environment as progressive and tolerant, this was a tremendous shock. While Vassar Security confirmed on Oct. 9 that no Vassar student was directly involved in the incident, the discovery of these posters reflects poorly on the College. This unfortunate and upsetting action, however, is neither as surprising nor as unique as I wish it was. According to the Anti-Defamation League (ADL), anti-Semitic incidents in the
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United States rose by 60 percent in 2017, the largest one-year increase in the history of the ADL (Time, “Anti-semitic attacks rose faster last year than any time in nearly 40 years, ADL says,” 02.27.2018). In the United States, anti-Jewish bias accounts for approximately 54 percent of religion-based hate crimes (Jewish Virtual Library, “Anti-Semitism in the United States: Statistics on Religious Hate Crimes”).
“For many Vassar students who have come to accept our environment as progressive and tolerant, this was a tremendous shock.” The situation for Jews is not much better outside of the United States. Anti-semitic assaults rose by 34 percent in the United Kingdom in 2017 (The Guardian, “Antisemitic incidents in UK at all-time high,” 10.31.2018). There was a 28 percent increase in France (The JC, “Anti Semitic attacks surge in France,” 02.09.2018), a 2.5 percent increase in Germany (Reuters, “Anti-Semitic crime, mostly with far-right motive, edges up in Germany,” 05.08.2018) and 24 percent in Canada, the most concerning being a 41 percent increase in anti-Semitic hate crimes in Ontario (B’nai Brith Canada, “Rise in Anti-Jewish Hate Crimes Confirmed by Statistics Canada,” 11.28.2017). As shocking as this particular incident at Vassar has been, it is only one in a long line of examples of how the world has become an increasingly unfriendly place for the Jewish people. It is important, if we are to combat this trend, to take
every threat, every anti-Semitic incident and every attack seriously. The anti-Semitic posters are not only an worrisome development for Jewish students and survivors of sexual violence but also a direct attack on our school’s values. Here is how we combat this threat: First, the administration needs to keep the campus more informed about what exactly is going on. There is safety in vigilance. The more we know about what the threat is and how it manifests itself, the more equipped we are to combat it. I commend President Elizabeth Bradley for condemning the posters and alerting everyone to the incident, but I also believe the administration needs to make an effort to convey as much information as possible to the student body, so that we can look out for those who may be at risk. Second, we as a student body then need to use that information to look out for each other. This is not just important for anti-Semitic incidents. It is up to all of us to preserve the integrity of our home and our values—this means sticking up for any person who belongs to a marginalized group when their identity is attacked. If you’re reading this, and if you haven’t already, reach out to someone you know who may have been affected by these posters and check to see if they’re okay. Make sure that they know that the student body stands behind them. To my fellow Jewish students, to survivors of sexual violence and to anyone else who has been targeted by this or any past or future bias incident at Vassar College or elsewhere, we stand with you. Vassar does not, and will not, tolerate bigotry in any form, and I will do everything in my power to support you. And to the cowards from the Daily Stormer, the insufferable children who trespassed on our grounds and threatened our students, your days are numbered. We will replace you.
Page 15
Word on the street What’s your strangest Deece hack? “Root beer floats are amazing.” — Cailley GeraldYamasaki ’21
“To use two bowls to toss your salad.” — Julien Peck ’22
“Every time I leave the Deece I take a little bit of cereal in the palm of my hand and eat as I go.” — Luke Haas ’21
“When they run out of bowls you take a mug and fill it with cereal and milk. When you finish the cereal you can drink the milk.” — Anthony Valentino ’21
“Bringing my own peanut butter. I had to buy my own jar.” — Eileanor LaRocco ’20
“Take the cups from the waffle station to fill up syrup for my French toast.” — Suhas Yernool ’21
Hannah Gaven, Humor & Satire Hannah Benton, Photography
The Miscellany News is not responsible for the views presented within its Opinions pages. The weekly staff editorial is the only article which reflects the opinion of the Editorial Board.
MISCELLANY NEWS | VASSAR COLLEGE
HUMOR & SATIRE
Page 16
October 11, 2018
Breaking News
From the desk of Hannah Gaven, Humor & Satire Editor
Intoxicated student mauled by deer while staggering home from naked debauchery at Town House party Beloved betta fish proves self as alpha thanks to doting mother Yesenia Garcia
NOT IN A FISHY RELATIONSHIP WITH OSCAR
M
Courtesy of Frank
y friends will tell you that I suffer from a severe case of fear of missing out, or FOMO. Last week, as my friends fell victim to the Vassar Plague, I begged them to cough on me, spit on me, inoculate me with their bacteria, anything to get me sick, because I resented the idea of my friends going through a common experience without me. Since three of my friends have a pet dog, cat and rabbit, and I had nothing, it only seemed right to get a fish in order to complete the pet food chain. My friends warned me against getting a pet and declared that I wasn’t “responsible” enough to begin a life as a fish owner. As someone who takes joy in proving people wrong, I did the appropriate research in order to acquiesce to my friends and make a “responsible” decision. However, I must admit, when I first got my pet fish, Oscar, I didn’t think he would be anything more than another one of my whimsical indulgences. He would merely exist as an amusing decoration in my room. I wasn’t expecting Oscar to dominate my life. Before you make any “The Shape of Water” jokes, let me stop you. There is nothing fishy about my relationship with Oscar. My feelings toward him can only be described as motherly. Something about his swishy tail and beady eyes has unleashed maternal instincts that I didn’t know I had, and boy, are they strong. In order to be the best mother I could be, I asked my friends to submit their favorite poems so that I could read one to him every night before bed. It’s a tradition we’ve both come to love—I can practically see his ear holes open up in anticipation of hearing the words of Sylvia Plath, or whichever poet we are reading. The poems encompass a wide range of themes, including diaspora, colonization and queer identity, which are important topics for any growing fish to learn about. My goal in doing this activity with him is to improve his memory and cognition. I haven’t found any research articles to back up my
hypothesis, but my training as a neuroscience major, as well as my gut instincts, tell me that I am on the verge of a huge scientific breakthrough. Oscar has encouraged me to adopt healthier habits. One night, I was contemplating pulling an all-nighter to study for an exam. Then I realized that if I stayed up all night, my light wouldn’t allow Oscar to sleep! Just because I was willing to deprive myself of sleep didn’t mean that Oscar should be subjected to that punishment too, so I decided to sleep instead. Some days I forget to eat dinner, but I never forget to feed Oscar dinner. While I’m sprinkling fish pellets into his tank, I think to myself, “Hmm...maybe I should eat some human pellets, too,” and off I go to the Deece. Although we would both agree that our relationship is symbiotic, sometimes I feel like I am benefiting more than Oscar is. Although betta fish have historically been bred for aggression, I firmly believe that Oscar has overcome his genes. He is a lover, not a fighter. I structure Oscar’s days in a way that allows him to lead a wholesome, fulfilling life. Sometimes I hold a mirror up to him so that he can see with his own eyes how beautiful he is, which probably boosts his self-esteem. Presumably, Oscar knows how to read, so sometimes I write motivational quotes on his tank with an Expo marker so that he remembers how much I appreciate his presence in my life. Recently, I celebrated my one-month anniversary with Oscar, so naturally, I threw a party. I honestly didn’t expect him to live longer than a week or so, but I have never been more happy to be mistaken. His party featured activities like “Pin the Fin on Oscar,” DIY fish art and goldfish crackers galore. The winner of the Pin the Fin game got to feed Oscar one bloodworm, a betta fish delicacy. Oscar is the last thing I think about before I go to sleep and the first thing I think about when I wake up. It pains me to think that he will one day end up in the Big Toilet Bowl in the Sky. But, when his time comes, I believe flags will be flown at half-mast, people will cry at candlelit vigils, statutes will be erected in his honor and his memory will live on in our hearts forever.
Yesenia is known to exclusively talk and tweet about her newborn child Oscar. To the lovely couple I offer my own haiku: fishy fishy glub, swim with me in the big tub, scrubby dubby dub.
Deprived of basic bread-warming skills, soon-to-be real adult gets burnt Confession “non-forcefully” probed out of Izzy Migani
I
have a confession to make. It’s really bad. I can’t tell my family, my friends or anyone else. It haunts me constantly, following me around like a ghost. I can’t sleep, I can’t think and I DEFINITELY can’t eat. This is a cry for help. For the sake of self-preservation, though, I will tell my story. Throughout my entire life, I literally never even learned to cook a damn pasta noodle. Nachos? Can’t do it. Spaghetti? I will burn the pasta water. Grilled cheese? Terrifying—the process of making it is unclear. Pancakes? That’s some level-100 garbage for this generation’s MasterChef. Toast and avocado? I’m intimidated by the fruit; I feel like an avocado could beat me up or write some really mean things about me in a shady subtweet. Oatmeal? Too much to ask from me at this point. This is a heavy secret I have to keep on a day-to-day basis. Even warming bread scares me. Those big things at the Deece that people shove their sandwiches inside and somehow
they come out warm? Terrifying. I don’t understand. I see these individuals stroll over to Your Kitchen (a section of the Deece I am not familiar with), pick up a pan and then start cooking like they’re a finalist on “Chopped,” and in the last minute they forgot to plate their sauce. Someone even FLIPPED something in a PAN once. I also saw someone rapidly chop an onion, which I thought was an urban myth or something only Gordon Ramsay could do. It’s all incredibly impressive to me. If anyone ever wants to wow me me, all they have to do is produce an edible thing from previously inedible goods, and I will think they are the coolest person to ever exist. You can crack an egg perfectly with one hand? Forget it. I’m in love. My horrible secret also affects my home life. The entirety of my family seem to be incredibly skilled, while I struggle to cut an apple into pieces even remotely close in size.
I am not even allowed in the kitchen during meal prep—I am considered one of the hazards. Kitchen hazards in our household include leaving the stovetop on, microwaving plastic, not chopping vegetables away from the fingers and me. I can’t be trusted after the Chocolate Chip Incident of ’16. Once college started, my condition worsened. Soup cartons were blown up. Spoons were microwaved. (Have you ever seen a microwave spark?) Flapjacks were cooked for 30 minutes before it was discovered that the oven hadn’t been on. (Raw flapjack batter is extremely not delicious.) Fingers were sliced open on cans. Butter spray was used mistakenly as air freshener. (Smells just as good, honestly.) Cookie sheets were used as laptop tables for studying. I can proudly say though that I have never once set off the fire alarm. However, since then, many have tried (and failed) to teach me the basics of how to not make my dorm smell like a grease fire and sadness. To this
MISCELLANY NEWS | VASSAR COLLEGE
day, someone has yet to inform me on what the broil setting on an oven actually does. Like a fool, I dismissed the cooking class offered at the beginning of last semester, thinking how easy it would be and how I would be able to teach myself eventually. Now that proficiency in cooking is becoming scarily important in order to function in the adult world following college, I turn my terrible secret into a cry for help. I see that I have two options: conquer my fear of Your Kitchen and teach myself how to use a pan and chop an onion, or pay a student from the Culinary Institute of America (CIA) to follow me around and cook me food. While the former is tempting and potentially the most economically feasible option, my instinct tells me to hire a CIA student. So, while you fools reenact Iron Chef at Your Kitchen, I will be enjoying a ham and truffle omelette with a bold dark roast and a piece of perfectly browned rye bread with sunbutter.
HUMOR & SATIRE
October 11, 2018
Page 17
Weary traveler faces security labyrinth of mythical proportions Blair Webber
SURVIVAL STRATEGIST
F
Courtesy of Wikimedia Commons and Pexels
or students from the greater New York metropolitan area, returning home for October break may mean a simple train or car ride. Same goes for students from Boston, Philadelphia, Newark and other large Northeastern cities; options exist. For students from farther-flung parts of the country, and the world, going home may not be an option. If it is, it means facing the gravest challenge known to modern humans: navigating an NYC airport. A feat of epic proportions by no stretch of the imagination, where countless Vassar souls have been mildly to exceptionally inconvenienced by ceaseless construction problems, eternal security lines and delayed or canceled flights. Sophomore Horace Amphitryon of Cookeville, TN, is one student braving the tangled mess of traveling out of LaGuardia Airport (LGA) this fall. “Getting an affordable ticket was nearly impossible. I found one that was pretty reasonable, but they wouldn’t let me put it on a credit card. I had to use the pelt of a lion, which like maybe that’s some new cryptocurrency and I just don’t get that technology, but it was fairly distressing to have to slay and skin a lion during midterms,” Amphitryon confessed to the Misc. Amphitryon also felt targeted by certain airline rules. He claimed corruption and sneaky business practices are abetted by the companies’ abilities to hide information in fine print, particularly the conditions determining who is assigned a seat for the flight. “I had to stand in the aisle because I wouldn’t
Here is an exclusive glimpse of the High Queen Womp Womp slaying a lion. She holds the highest kill-score, as she must frequently travel in order to oversee all of the different regions under her rule. clean the bathrooms. That was the worst. I kept getting bumped by the drink cart,” Amphitryon remembered. This year, Amphitryon feels more prepared to battle the airport. “I think I get what they’re doing. It kind of clicked for me when a gate agent told me I wouldn’t be allowed on the plane until I brought her the utility belt of a TSA security guard. The lion pelt, cleaning the bathrooms and the belt—it all came together for me. Thank god I’m a Greek and Roman studies major, otherwise I would never would’ve understood that each task mimicked the 12 Labors of Hercules,” said Am-
phitryon. “So I worked ahead a little bit. I still have some hydra heads from when I slayed one to fly to my uncle’s funeral last February. Maybe having those will qualify me for pre-check, and I’ll be able to keep my shoes on. Chasing down a deer is much harder if you’re carrying luggage and trying to lace your Vans again.” Amphitryon considered upgrading his ticket to the Premium package, which allows the passenger access to the Executive Lounge, free meals on all flights and a free pass through security. “An extra $6,000 and the blood of my unborn
HOROSCOPES
first son seemed a little steep. I guess I’ll just have to try my luck stealing all those little courtesy shuttle carts they drive around sometimes,” Amphitryon exclaimed. On the day of his flight, Amphitryon boarded the train and checked his phone to receive a slightly ominous email entitled “Policy Change Due to LGA Construction.” The lack of WiFi available on Metro-North trains prevented him from opening the email. “I’m sure it’ll be fine,” Amphitryon reassured himself. “I sent in the pelt, I have the hydra heads, I have a much bigger, stickier net for catching all the birds that flew inside the airport accidentally. How much more prepared can I be?” Upon arrival at LaGuardia, Amphitryon found himself horribly confused by the detours and alternate routes createwwd by the ongoing construction. “I don’t remember any of this. Where do I go? Why aren’t there any signs?” Hours later, Amphitryon seemed to have made no progress toward check-in or the security line. “I think I’ve been through here before, but I’m really not sure,” Amphitryon sighed, “the airport is a freaking labyrinth.” Not much is known about his whereabouts anymore. The last anyone heard of Amphitryon, he was still stuck in the convoluted twists and turns of LaGuardia Airport, and was attempting to stave off a very large, very angry fellow customer whose flight had been canceled and who had not been offered a hotel voucher for the evening. We all wish him the best in making his flight.
Hannah Gaven
AMATEUR ASTROLOGIST
ARIES
March 21 | April 19
TAURUS
April 20 | May 20
GEMINI
May 21 | June 20
CANCER
June 21 | July 22
LEO
July 23 | August 22
VIRGO
August 23 | September 22
Do you want to know the worst part of my life right now? When I cough, blood shoots out of my uterus. However, it is also a unique feeling that I wish everyone had the pleasurable opportunity to experience. If only there was a way to force everyone to have a period. Please invent this for me. Walking all the way to Central Receiving for one bottle of shampoo makes me want to stab my friends. So instead I devised a super smart plan: Call an Uber to pick you up from your dorm, drive you to Central Receiving, wait, and then drive you back. This way, all of your friends will be safe. It’s time to make a statement in a big way. I suggest you threaten others with nuclear war. It’s my favorite way of making friends, besides writing extremely desperate horoscopes. Speaking of which, if you are feeling melancholy, send me an email, and I’ll send you back a bad joke. In my hometown, a dog was stolen from its owners. The police posted about it on Facebook, and people commented if they saw the kidnapper and dog. I was so distraught I didn’t show up to one of my midterms. I hope this taught you that you shouldn’t steal people’s dogs because it negatively impacts me. While break be upon us, I be upon you and you be upon them and they be upon who? Let us not worry about riddling semantics, instead you should focus on sexual antics. I’d be down for an orgy, just don’t tell the clergy. Perhaps you’ll spend one more crazy night intoxicated before returning home for break. The stars suggest you go pee when you have to while intoxicated because it would be extremely unfortunate to wet yourself in the middle of an impromptu makeout session. I would understand; however, I suspect others may not be as forgiving.
LIBRA
September 23 | October 22
SCORPIO
October 23 | November 21
SAGITTARIUS
November 22 | December 21
CAPRICORN
December 22 | January 19
AQUARIUS
January 20 | February 18
PISCES
February 19 | March 20
MISCELLANY NEWS | VASSAR COLLEGE
Coughing through class can be embarrassing. Even if you just have the sniffles, I suggest skipping class and sleeping. Hopefully you can use it as an excuse to leave early for break. You have endless possibilities! I recommend “kidnapping” me and taking me on a spontaneous trip to Hawaii! Then I wouldn’t have to make up work like you would have to. I set my alarm for 8:15 p.m. last night, so that’s how my week is going. If you are prone to similar fails, I suggest you get a buddy who will make sure you’re awake every morning. You could ask the junior in the room next to you or you could attain a roommate who wakes up at sunrise to play the trombone. I have a lot of condoms and dental dams on my door, and nobody ever uses them. It makes me sad because it seems like nobody is living it up and having an orgy like my fellow group did. Just come take the condoms and dental dams so that I’m under the impression that safe sex is happening. My bladder cannot handle drinking coffee. When I do decide to keep myself awake with a beverage, I end up peeing every five minutes, missing probably more class than if I’d closed my eyes every couple minutes during the lecture. I assume you face similar problems, so here is my solution: adult diapers. My mattress pad keeps slipping off, and it’s annoying. This is a call for all Aquarians to sign up for shifts to fix my bed. While this might seem tedious, your reward will be cuddling me to sleep. I like to sleep against the wall, so you would fall off the bed. You might be injured. If not, we can arrange that so this horoscope applies to you. The stars predict that you will recover eventually. For some it might be hours, and for others it might be centuries. I know that I smacked my hand on the corner of my dresser, and I still can’t seem to take notes in class.
SPORTS
Page 18
October 11, 2018
With season tip-off days away, time for crazy hot NBA takes Emmett O’Malley
tions (e.g. Warriors over Celtics in the Finals, Anthony Davis wins the MVP, DeAndre Ayton wins ROY). Instead, I’m going to approach this column the same way Russell Westbrook approaches a pick-and-roll: with reckless abandon. If I have a dent in my cheek by the end of it, I’ll be proud (starting early with obscure references to under-the-radar NBA moments). If you’ve appreciated the almost nuanced discussions of the intersections of sports and politics in my previous columns, then this is probably not the article for you. If, instead, you’ve appreciated all of my bad jokes and obnoxious style of writing, welcome aboard the Take Train to Nowhere. Take Number One: The Golden State Warriors will not win the Western Conference. As the leaves turn a hue of yellowy-orange (I don’t notice these things, but it makes for “good” writing, I think) I am reminded that this is the fourth consecutive fall of a Warriors pseudo-dynasty. Every fall, I try to talk myself into the Warriors crashing and burning. The last three years, I’ve acquiesced to the darkness and picked the Warriors to win the West. Every spring (NBA Playoff time, baby!) hurts worse than the one before. Every spring, I look in the mirror and ask myself why I was born in Oregon, and why I couldn’t have hopped on the Warriors bandwagon back in the days of Andris Biedrins and Al Harrington. And then I catch myself. I say, “Why would I want to join sports’ version of Elon Musk’s Twitter account?” I think back to Lois Lowry’s “The Giver” (a true middle school classic), and force myself to revel in the pain of mediocrity that the Portland Trail Blazers bring me every year. In that moment, I pray that all of that pain will eventually lead to the purest form of sports-induced joy. I think about the sheer jubilation I felt when my favorite athlete, LeBron “Father” James, rejected Andre Iguodala with 1:51 to play in the 2016 NBA Finals. This fall is different. For the first time in four years, I don’t feel confident that the Warriors are going to win the Western Conference. Sure, in terms of talent, they appear insurmountable. But the team showed hints of an impending demise. Fans have begun to question the Warriors’ chemistry. A variety of Warriors (most explicitly Steph Curry and Andre Iguodala) have recently legitimized these previously mumbled concerns by emphasizing the importance of bringing in revivifying energy this offseason. The logical extension of this insinuation is simple: The Warriors must rekindle the fire beneath them that has fueled their dominance. The spark intended to reignite this fire is Demarcus Cousins. Without digging too deep, putting your faith in Demarcus Cousins to assuage simmering chemistry issues is like appointing Antoine Walker to be Secretary of the Treasury (don’t get any ideas, Donnie). The Warriors’ dynasty is approaching unprecedented territory. If NBA past is NBA prologue, each step they take will prove more precarious than the one before. Soon, they’ll be atop uneven ground with Rockets on one side and Lakes on the other. Perhaps there’ll even be a little Jazz playing in the background. Take Number Two: The Oklahoma City Thunder will miss the playoffs. It’s #FactsOnly time. Eight teams make the playoffs in each conference. Nine of the teams in the Western Conference are: the Warriors, the Rockets, the Lakers, the Jazz, the Spurs, the Pelicans, the Blazers, the Nuggets and the Thunder (some people include the Timberwolves, but giv-
lieve that the world is flat, that melted American cheese is bad and that boat shoes are simultaneously practical and stylish. I also feel quite confident saying that the Jazz, Pelicans and Spurs will make the playoffs. The Jazz could comfortably slot into the previous group. The Pelicans have a top-five player in the NBA (Anthony Davis, my safe pick for MVP) surrounded by a group of players good enough to make him stay in New Orleans for the rest of his career (this is a lie, I’m just making sure that you’re paying attention). Nonetheless, barring injury, I feel very good about the Pelicans making the playoffs. As for the Spurs, well, the last time they didn’t make the playoffs I was kickin’ it in my mom’s wob. [Author’s Note: I wrote this column before hearing of DeJounte Murray’s torn ACL. I still think the Spurs will make the playoffs, but Murray is a stud, and that’s a huge loss.] That leaves two playoff spots for the Blazers, Thunder and Nuggets. I’ll get the Blazers out of the way first: I will die before I pick the Blazers to miss the playoffs. (Also, I think Damian Lillard, C.J. McCollum and Terry Stotts get you to 47 wins almost automatically, and Jusuf Nurkic only loses you three games. Forty-four wins should be enough in the Western Conference.) That leaves one spot for either the Nuggets or the Thunder. You can flip a coin, but the combination of Andre Roberson’s recent setback, Russell Westbrook’s brand of basketball (I love him, I really love him, but I just don’t think that he can lead a team to real success), Paul George’s inconsistency and Billy Donovan’s hairline makes me weary. Knuck if you buck? More like Nugg or you’re not bugged. [Author’s Note: This joke is bad.] Thus, the Thunder—who famously turned Kevin Durant and James Harden into Paul George and Steven Adams—are in a “surprisingly” precarious position given the fact they have “won” the past two off-seasons, and have a guy who has averaged a triple-double in back-to-back seasons. That’s what you get for moving your team to Oklahoma City, you buffoons. Take Number Three: Kawhi Leonard will win MVP. I was talked into this take by two very goofy friends of mine. The logic is at least superficially sound, though, so why not throw it in this bold takes column. If it happens to be grossly wrong and Kawhi looks like a shell of his former self, I can say, “GUYS, I WAS JUST TRYING TO BE BOLD.” Let’s speak in hypotheticals for a little while. Let’s say that the Raptors have been one of the best teams in the Eastern Conference for five consecutive years. Let’s say that in those five seasons, their two best players were Kyle “My Favorite Restaurant Is Taco Bell” Lowry and DeMar “Do You Need A Heavily Contested 16-Footer With 14 Seconds On The Shot Clock?” DeRozan. Let’s say that, in addition to being led by two relative misfits who improbably gained star power, the Raptors were in the same conference as a toptwo player ever in his prime. I like this hypothetical thing. Let’s keep it going. Now let’s say that this top-two player ever left the Raptors’ conference so that he could produce 562 different TV shows. Let’s also say that the Raptors essentially flipped Derozan for a guy who was third in MVP voting two years ago, and second in MVP voting three years ago. Let’s surround that guy with a few young players ready to make the proverbial leap—O.G. Anunoby, Pascal Siakam and Fred Van Vleet. Let’s keep our AllStar point guard (Lowry), let’s keep Jonas “I Was Not In Game of Thrones” Valanciunas, and let’s keep Serge “Why Did I Peak When I Was 24?”
T
Courtesy of Keith Allison via Flickr
his is my last column before the NBA season starts. It is thus a moral imperative that I get off some takes. Brace yourself for a TakeQuake. Of course, it would be boring for me to rattle off my safe, statistically aware, logical predic-
en that Tom Thibodeau firmly believes it’s 2011, I’m leaving them out). One of these nine teams will not make the playoffs. Let’s run through them real quick: Barring catastrophe, the Warriors, Rockets and Lakers are going to make the playoffs. If you don’t think that this is true, then you also probably be-
GUEST COLUMNIST
The Philadelphia 76ers are our columnist’s pick to win the Eastern Conference this season. To make a playoff run, they’ll need young stars Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons (center) to get even better. Ibaka. Now, in this hypothetical, you’d have pretty high expectations for this Raptors team, correct? Well, I’m about to blow your mind. This was not a hypothetical exercise! All of these things are true! Given this, there’s reason to be optimistic about the Raptors’ chances of winning 60-ish games. Other than the Celtics and Sixers, there are no real challengers to the throne that My King left unoccupied in the Eastern Conference. The last time we saw Leonard play a full season, he averaged 26 points, five rebounds, four assists (and 28-8-5 in the playoffs) and was runner-up for Defensive Player of the Year. If he can replicate that kind of production on the Raptors, and the Raptors can win 60 games, then there’s reason to believe Leonard will win his first MVP. That’s a take. Take Number Four: The Philadelphia 76ers will win the Eastern Conference. All that stuff I said about the Raptors having the potential to win 60 games? I stand by it. But they’re still the Raptors, and until Drake is out of the first row (go get him, Khabib!), I simply won’t believe that they’re going to be effective in the playoffs. Why are the Sixers not getting more hype? They get another year of Ben “I Can Only Shoot From Down Under” Simmons (who looks ready to put up a ridiculous statline, say, 18-8-12). They get another year of Joel “Are You Forgetting That I Can’t Stay Healthy?” Embiid. And they surround two of the four best young players in the league with JJ Redick, Markelle Fultz (I am a Markelle believer!), Dario Saric and Robert “Don’t Include Me In This List” Covington. The Sixers did not seem ready to grab the reins of the Eastern Conference last season. But before the Celtics clowned them in the second round, they were every NBA hipster’s pick to come out of the East. Why, you ask? Because they’re the conference’s most talented team. There. I said it. While everyone everywhere salivates over the Celtics starting three small forwards, a power forward and a point guard who has been healthy for two of his past four playoff appearances and whose history of injuries is more exhaustive than a Vassar student’s make-believe extracurricular activities list, I’ll be thinking about the fact that the Sixers have the two best young players in the East not named Giannis. While the Sixers “Take Care,” the Celtics will be saying “I’m Upset,” and the Raptors will be saying “Hold On, We’re Going Home.” (I know you think that this joke is corny, but it’s not half of Drake’s lyrics.) Take Number Five: The Los Angeles Lakers Win The NBA Finals See this? This is called a take. I’m a take master. Give me a show on FS1, please. Anyway, hear me out. In 2015, LeBron James took the Golden State Warriors to six games in
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the NBA Finals. His most effective teammate in the 2015 Finals was, statistically speaking, Timofey Mozgov. Let me type that sentence again. His most effective teammate in the 2015 Finals was, statistically speaking, Timofey Mozgov. LeBron averaged 36 points, 13 rebounds and nine assists. In 2016, LeBron James beat the Golden State Warriors in seven games in the NBA Finals. His most effective teammate in the 2016 Finals was Kyrie Irving. Irving played a phenomenal series. He hit what may be the biggest game-seven shot ever. He averaged 27 points per game. Who was the Cavs’ third most effective player in that series? Tristan “Dating a Kardashian Is A Smart Thing To Do” Thompson. LeBron averaged 30 points, 11 rebounds and nine assists. The 2017 Playoffs and the 2018 Playoffs did not happen for some reason (maybe I’m just blacking out the memories, I’m not sure). Despite my inability to recall what transpired during these periods, I do know LeBron averaged 34 points, nine rebounds and nine assists in 40 playoff games. So that brings us to the 2018–2019 NBA season. LeBron is now flanked by one of the more comedically rich units in the history of the league. The most boring people on #NBATwitter (lookin’ at you, Wob) have coined his supporting cast “The Meme Team.” Good one. I would never make a joke that bad. However—and forgive me if you don’t like young, exciting basketball players—the core of the Lakers’ supporting cast is a legitimately talented bunch with a ton of upside. Brandon Ingram is undoubtedly one of the most gifted young players in the league. Despite the Lavar-induced vitriol, Lonzo Ball averaged 10-7-7 as a rookie, which hadn’t been accomplished prior to last season by anyone not named Magic or Oscar. People apparently think Kyle Kuzma is good (I’m not sold, but I’m not not sold either). And Rajon Rondo, whom people have somehow grouped in with “The Meme Team,” has averaged 11 points, eight rebounds and 12 assists in his past 11 playoff games. What I’m saying is quite simple: If you put a top-two player ever on a team that is half decent, they are Finals contenders. But it’s more than that. I am a true believer in the Baby Lakers and have been since before LeBron decided to go to Hollywood. I really do think that Brandon Ingram has a chance to be a top 10 guy in the league down the road. I really do think that Lonzo Ball has a generational court vision to go along with a 6’6” frame. I really do think that Luke Walton—who was the head coach during the Warriors’ historic win streak to start the 2016 season—is a good coach with a great father (Bill Walton is my role model). Call me crazy, but I’m picking LeBron to win the 2019 NBA Finals. Because he’s LeBron. Take that.
October 11, 2018
SPORTS
Page 19
MLB Division Series over, World Series race heats up Daniel Bonfiglio ctober is undoubtedly the best sports month. For only one month out of the year, all the major sports are forced to share a bit of the spotlight. Football season is nearing its halfway point, and the opening days of both the
well as Justin Turner and Cody Bellinger, the Dodgers had the personnel to match Houston. Going all seven games, the 2017 Series was one of the most exciting of all time. Games 2 and 5 in particular became instant classics. By Game 5, the two teams had already broken the record for home runs in a World Series, producing—if we
York Yankees also impressed this season. With the Yankees winning 100 games, this is the first time three teams in the same league have each won 100+ games in the same year. The Bronx Bombers did it by slugging 267 home runs, more than any team in the history of the game. The Yankees also became the first team ever to have
important. Many analysts considered the Cubs’ roster the most promising, but, after losing their tie-breaker, the Cubs promptly fell once again in the Wild Card game, this time to the Rockies. The Atlanta Braves won their division with a record of 90-72, identical to the American League East’s distant third-place team, the Tam-
NBA and NHL loom. Even NASCAR and Formula One approach the climax of their seasons (for those who care about such sports). On top of all that noise comes the MLB Playoffs, the only sporting event named after the month of October itself. In baseball, October is more than just a month. It is when history is made, and players are immortalized. It is when predictions and status quo mean nothing, and when even the sport that plays 162 games per season can come down to a single pitch. Last year, the Houston Astros won 101 games during the regular season to win their division, and as favorites in the American League, strolled to the World Series. Led by MVP second baseman Jose Altuve, shortstop Carlos Correa and newly acquired pitcher Justin Verlander, the team boasted an array of talent at every position. In the World Series, they met the Los Angeles Dodgers, who, after winning an MLBbest 104 games, were many fans’ pick to take the title. Led by all-time great Clayton Kershaw as
ignore rumors about altered baseballs—an awesome display of power and offense for a league craving excitement. This year, despite multiple injuries, the Houston Astros won 103 games, enough to easily repeat as Division Champions, and in the playoffs have already swept the American League Central champion Cleveland Indians to advance to the ALCS. However, the Astros are not the favorites to win the World Series. That honor goes to the Boston Red Sox, who, with 108 wins, blitzed all of baseball and established themselves as the team to beat. Newly acquired slugger J.D. Martinez has turned himself into one of the best players in baseball, and the likely MVP finished the year with an unbelievable 130 runs batted in and 43 homers to go along with a .330 batting average. Alongside his teammate Mookie Betts—the other candidate for MVP—and surrounded by a supporting cast of strong talent, Martinez makes the Red Sox the most feared lineup in baseball. Boston’s American League East rival New
25 or more home runs from every single spot in their lineup. Boston’s division dominance forced the Yankees to take the dangerous path into the playoffs through the Wild Card single elimination game, but Aaron Boone’s squad handled the red-hot Oakland A’s. While the American League has clear playoff favorites this year, the National League is a very different story. Last year’s World Series–losing Dodgers won only 92 games despite their acquisitions of star infielders Manny Machado and Brian Dozier and the emergence of Max Muncy. It was the Milwaukee Brewers and Chicago Cubs who ended the regular season tied with 96 wins, the most in the National League, after playing a rare tie-breaking game number 163 for the top seed in the National League. The Dodgers and Colorado Rockies also played a game 163, illustrating how close the top National League teams were heading into the playoffs. With no team over 100 wins, every National League team has their strengths and weaknesses, making each play all the more
pa Bay Rays, demonstrating the difference in quality between the two leagues this year. Many fans, including myself, predict that the winner of the American League will go on to win the World Series. The Dodgers have already beaten the Rockies, and the Brewers have dispatched the Braves. In the NLCS, while I like the Brewers’ lineup over that of Los Angeles, and the Brewer bullpen can be a dominating force, their lack of starting pitching worries me. So given their recent postseason experience, I’ll pick the Dodgers to win the National League. On the other side, the Astros have beaten the Indians in three games, and the Red Sox have beaten the Yankees in four. In beating a strong Yankees team, Boston showed off its offensive firepower and excellent starting pitching. Ultimately, however, with a group of players who all seem to step up and perform when it matters most, my pick for the World Series is a Houston Astros repeat. But after all, it’s October—and anything can happen in October.
GUEST COUMNIST
O
New coach Ryan Mee shares basketball journey, goals COACH continued from page 1
Courtesy of Ryan Mee
craziness of college athletics. The Misc: What led you to Vassar? Mee: The past six years being at Davidson College, I was exposed to the possibility of having both elite academics and competing at the national stage. When you’re looking at different schools—Division III is the largest division in all the NCAA—you have to have a niche...I love dealing with student-athletes who can have conversations outside of basketball. I think that really helps us build up the trust and shows that I care about them and am committed to being our best. But the opportunity here—the proximity to [New York City], the elite academic status, the beautiful campus, the league—there’s an opportunity where we’re recruiting against kids that aren’t looking at other schools in the league, so we can fish in different ponds. The name of the game is to of course graduate and have a great experience, but my goal is to get to the NCAA tournament with this team, and when you’re not recruiting against other teams in your league all the time there’s opportunity for that. So those were the biggest draws. The Misc: How familiar are you with the Liberty League, and how do you view the competition in it? Mee: It’s continuing to get stronger. Everyone in the league I either was recruited by, played against or coached against. So my familiarity with all the head coaches in the league, the schools, is very good. It’s been a few years since I’ve done that, but I coached at Skidmore, my assistant Dan Bozzelli has coached at RIT and Ithaca, I was teammates with the Hobart coach, and played against the Union coach. And they’re good friends of mine, but we all have those competitive juices. The Misc: How long have you been on campus, and how has this initial period been? What have been your initial impressions of the team and your general reaction so far? Mee: I moved up to campus on Aug. 3. So it was a tough commute from Charlotte to Vassar during the summer months, but ... we were able to get settled in the beginning of August, and the transition since we got here has been great. The faculty, the students, the community, it’s been really fun to just wander around Poughkeepsie. I didn’t know how nice the Hudson Valley area
After six years at Davidson College, Ryan Mee (right) takes over a Vassar men’s basketball team looking to right the ship after four straight losing seasons. The Brewers first tip off on Nov. 16. was prior; I’ve lived in different spots in New York...but the city of Poughkeepsie is a special place. Going over the walkway and seeing the Hudson river and the ships—it’s serene. So that’s been a great adjustment. I’m excited moving forward; when it’s as beautiful as you anticipated that’s usually a good sign. The Misc: This is a Vassar program that, after some success, has had four straight losing seasons. How do you see that turnaround happening? Do you view it as an opportunity to rebuild? What’s the timeline? Mee: Coach [B.J.] Dunne did a great job at getting guys here that are fighters. And if you look at last season, it tells me a lot about the character and makeup of this team...they played a brutal non-conference schedule, they only went into conference with one win. And then they finished the conference schedule 8-10 and were able to make the Liberty League tournament. So that says a lot about this team, dealing with adversity and fighting through. I think we have a good group of seniors that have been through the wringer, and they’re setting a good example for the younger guys as far as what needs to happen to make sure we can compete at a high level. So, the goal now is just to get everybody dancing to my music. So it’s gonna be a little bit different, but we have to do it together and we have some “Mee’s expectations” laid out there within our locker room, which give them a guiding light as to what we need to be do-
ing every day. The Misc: What do you see as the identity of the program going forward that you want to shape? Mee: The identity that we’ll have—I’ve shared it from Coach McKillop, with Lou Holtz—but [it’s about] this trust, commitment and care. You’ll see a lot of this “TCC” around our locker room, our jersey, our program, and our guys will be living this code. You have to just trust yourself, trust your teammates, your coaches, your professors, your family, you have to be committed to doing your best, in anything—it’s on the court [and] off the court. If you commit to that, and then you care about those that are around you, and you show you are, that’s when you can make amazing things happen. So that’s our foundation. Then we have to just worry about things that we can control, and something that I’ve told our guys: see if we can get a little bit better; make sure we can make every play count; if you have a paper, do the best at that paper, don’t take it off, don’t take that possession off because that might come back to haunt us later in the game. And we want to play to win. Our guys are investing a ton of time. You know, they’re lifting weights, they’re conditioning, they’re stretching, now we’re getting to practice. If we’re gonna invest that much time, you might as well be playing to win, and having our focus be that. And making sure we’re having fun doing it, and there’s no scholarships
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here. So if you don’t love it, there’s a lot of different opportunities Vassar can provide, but we want to find those guys where it means something, and they’re going to trust, commit to and care for this program as much as our staff will and this athletic department will. The Misc: In terms of X’s and O’s, what style of play do you hope to install? Mee: I would like to get up and down. As a person, as a player, when you’re at a high academic institution you have a lot of bright kids, and we want to use that IQ to use principles over plays. So we don’t want to run a ton of sets. I want to teach our guys how to play in the flow, because when you’re teaching the principles—the other coach—it’s very hard to scout, and they don’t know exactly what we’re gonna do. So teaching our guys the game, with four out and one in, and continuing to just have that motion offense is going to be great. If we can do it with a little bit of pace and get up and down the court, I think that’ll make us hard to defend. Defensively, we’re trying to get stops and play a little bit more of a packline defense, because we don’t have the greatest foot speed, but we need to be in good position. The Misc: What do you see as your team goals for the season? Mee: Those daily objectives that I referred to earlier, that’s what we need to focus on, because if you add a little to a little we’ll end up getting a lot, and the rest of it will take care of itself. So to have those smaller goals, we keep building on that, but the greater goal [is that] we need to make the NCAA tournament as a program and be able to compete on a national stage, because that’s how good of an institution this is; the facilities, the campus—those are our goals, and I’m finding guys on the recruiting trail that see that vision, and we’re going to strive for that. The Misc: The last coach used to play intramural basketball with us. Things used to get heated—I hit a three in his face after he was talking smack. Will you be playing intramurals with the coaches’ team? Mee: When possible I will, but I do have a couple of little kids. I have a six-month old girl and three-year old boy and a wife at home, so when I can—when they’re in bed I’m coming out to play, and I will talk a little smack, but I will pat you on the butt if you hit that shot in my face, and I’ll try to do it back to you.
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Page 20
Why
we
October 11, 2018
Charlotte Benoit
play
Charlotte Benoit GUEST COLUMNIST
I
Courtesy of Charlotte Benoit
did not grow up loving this sport. I did not grow up even knowing this sport existed. So why is it that I dedicate hours otherwise spent catching up on schoolwork (or sleep) to a game that involves repeatedly getting tackled to the ground? The answer has to do with who’s doing the tackling. For me, rugby is a family as much as it is a sport. As wonderful as scoring tries and winning games are, they’re not the reasons why I play. I don’t step onto the field in order to make tackles and score tries, I step onto the field to make tackles and score tries for my team. For my family. When the whistle blows for the start of games, I know that everyone else on the team is playing for the same reason: each other. Frankly, it’s the only reason I’m able to throw myself into a player who is much taller than I am and who is sprinting towards me at full speed. I know my teammates will be there to help me out, backing me up. It’s a huge part of what makes an otherwise daunting sport so enjoyable. Ten minutes into my first practice, I got a bloody nose. We had been doing a simple passing and catching drill, and all I had to do was run up and catch the ball. A three-season athlete in high school, I felt pretty confident in my abilities. I was also terribly eager to impress my newfound teammates. When my turn came, I ran up and prayed that I wouldn’t trip myself. Apparently I’d forgotten to pray for working hands, however, because the ball soared straight through my outstretched arms and into my face. At this point, I figured the only thing that could save me from looking like a complete fool was to pick the ball up off the ground and keep running as if nothing had happened. Which is what I did, even when I realized my nose was bleeding. Eventually, one of the captains pointed out the fact that I had blood running down my face. I pretended not to have noticed (impossible—
“Why We Play” is a weekly installment in which Vassar athletes write about what their sports and teams mean to them. This week, we feature junior women’s rugby player Charlotte Benoit, pictured on the left. there was a lot of blood) and was taken off the field to clean up. I don’t know why, but I decided in that moment that I was a rugger. Almost immediately, I realized that this group of people was something special. I had never before been on a team that was so welcoming and so supportive. It was clear that everyone genuinely cared about each other’s well-being, on and off the field. As a newly arrived first-year, it was very comforting to see so many familiar faces around campus. I could hardly ever go anywhere without saying hello to a fellow rugger. It is because of this amazing group that I fell in love with the sport so quickly.
Women’s Soccer
Women’s Volleyball
Vassar College 3, Bard College 0
Vassar College 3, Clarkson University 1
October 3, 2018
October 6, 2018
Vassar College #
I could go on and write more about how much I love this team and the sport of rugby. I could choose to only focus on the moments that have been 100 percent enjoyable. But that would not be telling the complete truth. As with anything, there have been times when rugby has not felt fun. Times when I have felt too overwhelmed by work, by life in general and/or by trying to figure out My Future™ to go to practice. There have been certain moments when I’ve felt unable to positively contribute to the team due to the state of my mental health. And in those moments, I find it necessary to remind myself why I play. Because inevitably, no
matter what kind of rut I am in, I remember just how much this team means to me. It doesn’t take long before my teammates pick me up and my passion for the sport is renewed. This process of re-falling in love with rugby can be sparked by something as simple as a practice. There’s something about the interdependence of the sport, the fact that everyone has to rely on each other and work for each other, that creates a sense of shared accomplishment, even during practice. It can be incredibly cathartic. The day after the 2016 presidential election, I felt as if I was just floating through the day, constantly suspended between a sense of shock and coming to terms with reality. It was cold and cloudy. I didn’t feel like doing much, let alone going to a tackling practice. Throughout the course of two hours spent at the Farm, though, something happened. Somehow, rolling around in the mud with my friends made the world seem a little less bleak, a little more hopeful. It was exactly what I needed then, and it proved to me that rugby could be remarkably healing. When someone asks me why I play rugby, or when I need to remind myself, I often think about that practice. Sure, the physicality of the sport probably lent itself to the sense of healing (yay endorphins!). But more than that, the restorative aspect of that practice, or any practice, came from being around teammates who care so much about one another and coaches who dedicate so much to the sport and to its players. Knowing that I am part of such an extraordinary group of people reassures me that no matter what is going on in my life, no matter what state the world is in, I have a family right here on campus, a family that looks out for one another and cares for each other unconditionally. I realize that sounds cheesy, but it’s cheesy because it’s true. That is why I play rugby—specifically why I am a part of Vassar Rugby. It’s family, and I could not imagine my life without it. I’m glad I don’t have to.
Player
Bard College
S H SOG G A
#
Player
Vassar College
S H SOG G A
#
Player
Clarkson University
K
A
DIG
#
Player
K
A
DIG
00
Walsh
0
0
0
0
1
Stanley
0
0
0
0
2
Ninkovich
2
0
4
5
Bredehoeft
10
0
22
3
Trasatti
1
0
0
0
5
Thomson
1
0
0
0
4
MacMillan
0
39
12
11
Cheval
5
0
8
7
DeBenedictis
0
0
0
0
9
Hopper
2
1
0
0
6
Ehnstrom
11
0
3
12
Reusch
16
0
6
9
Chroscinski
2
0
0
0
10
Ellin
0
0
0
0
7
Gallagher
16
1
19
14
Kurtic
7
0
2
13
Herrera-Ross
2
1
0
0
13
Gibson
0
0
0
0
15
McLeod
13
1
5
16
Peters
2
1
4
14
Seper
4
1
1
0
14
George
0
0
0
0
1
Schreeder
0
0
9
3
0
0
1 5
17
Lavelle
1
0
0
0
16
Scanni
2
1
0
0
10
Zucchero
0
2
Barrera -Lopez
26 Isaksen
0
2
34
Ferry
2
1
0
1
19
McDonald
0
0
0
0
11
Kerbs
5
0
17
19
4 Aud
1
34
5
Moss
0
0
0
0
22
Karlstrom
1
1
0
0
12
Bialek
0
0
4
21
2 9
Collins
0
7
4
23
Andrews
2
1
1
0
23
Nye
0
0
0
0 2
Edmund
5
0
2
29
Tanner
1
0
o
0
27
Flores
0
0
0
0
26
9
3
2
46
44
102
1
2
3
4
16
25
1 9
23
Totals.......
Goalie Walsh
Minutes 90:00
GA
Saves
0
3
7
Totals.......
Goalie Stanley
3
0
0
Minutes
GA
Saves
90:00
3
6
47
Totals.......
Set:
43
84
Totals.......
1
2
3
4
25
16
25
25
MISCELLANY NEWS | VASSAR COLLEGE
Set: