April 1, 2012 by The Scripps Voice

Volume XV, Issue Nien

April 1, 2012

the student portside forum Extra! Extra!

She’s a Rockstar, Literally

Scripps No Longer Accepting Only Women

By Earnest Eleanor

Staff Writer

President Lori BettisonVarga shares her extensive (and secret) geologic collection, legitimizing the right to geek out over rocks.

We Can No Longer Drink Illegally The California government last night defied Federal Law by changing the drinking age to 18. Now, college students across the state rejoice and set the precedent for other states’ students to rally for the change.

The Squirrels Win

In a startling turn of events, President of Scripps College Lori Bettison-Varga recently announced that Scripps will begin to transition to a co-educational institution. The shift to allow women and men into the college has been a long time coming, notes one faculty member who preferred not to be named. “The fact of the matter is that Scripps can’t afford to keep membership banned from men,” the faculty member explained. Due to the extreme economic recession that the country has undergone in the past few years, the college can no longer afford to keep its enrollment so low. By offering a place for men on campus, Scripps can double enrollment. However, the transition will be taken slowly, with only 100 slots for men in academic year 2013-14. With such a high selectivity rate, administrators also hope to improve score averages by only taking the most elite men in the country. Acceptance of men to Scripps will also come with larger changes. Wilbur Hall will officially house all male students until an equal number

of male and female students are admitted to the college, in which case the residence halls will become gender neutral. In addition, both men and women wishing to apply to the college will have to write a supplementary essay about the accomplishments of women to show their dedication to the college’s mission. Classes offered at Scripps will also be tailored to fit the incoming male first-years, with a focus on the accomplishment of men throughout the centuries (a subject hopelessly ignored) in their first three semesters, following along a similar Core-humanities track. Men who previously have been left searching in the dark for history classes about male accomplishments will now have a safe haven at Scripps. Although some welcome the change to the student body, not all Scripps women are pleased with the transformation of Claremont’s women’s institution. “If we protested over some olive trees getting ripped out,” one student said, “Why do they think we won’t protest this?”

bama to Speak at Commencement Scripps officials, ceding to a squirrel takeover, have decided to change our school’s mascot to Suzie Q. Squirrel. Now, instead of the Goddess of War, we’ll have food-stealing rodents on our T-shirts.

Motley, Starbucks, Some Crust In a devastating turn of events, the Motley management has been bought out by Starbucks. No more shall college students be running our beloved coffeehouse. However, in a bizarre twist, Starbucks was yesterday bought out by Some Crust Bakery. So get ready for egg sliders on campus and on every metropolitan street corner.

By Artist formerly known as

This Sunday, Scripps College President Lori Bettison-Varga has confirmed that. President of the United States Barack Obama will be replacing Zainab Salbi as commencement speaker. Based on a decision reached collaboratively between Presidents Bettison-Varga and Obama, and agreed upon as “the best possible decision for all concerned” by Salbi. According to the White House press release on the matter, Obama has decided that he can “only grace the best of women’s colleges [with his presence]” and as a result has decided to revoke his original decision to speak at Barnard College, instead speaking at the best women’s college in the nation: Scripps. Salbi, though extremely qualified as a commencement speaker for a women’s college due to her active involvement in women’s issues, was ousted from her position as speaker with a terse and excited e-mail from the College, reading “Got Obama to replace you as speaker. Were really excited for you to come and everything, but OBAMA, man! Obama. Thanks anyway!” Salbi graciously conceded to be replaced by a more publicitygarnering, though less qualified speaker. Obama’s lack of an extensive background in women’s issues will make his speech much less inspiring, and much less relevant. Obama is known to be a horrible public speaker, and his strange cadences and lackluster rhetoric will likely put the entire graduating class of 2012 (and their families) to sleep. This change in speaker is clearly a ploy for publicity, a fact that Scripps College and the White House have both conceded. Said Obama, “Of course they only want me because I’m the President of these United States of America. But I am honored and humbled just

for the magnificent opportunity to visit Scripps. Yes, I do feel guilty about replacing Salbi, and about backing out of my agreement with Barnard. But SCRIPPS, man! Scripps.” “I apologize on behalf of Scripps College for this devastating change of events,” said a representative from the Scripps College Public Relations department. “Obama just really wanted to get some national recognition by coming to Scripps, and it’s not like you can just say no to a president. We’ll try to get him to keep it short.” In spite of these words of comfort, Scripps seniors are in an uproar in the wake of Sunday’s announcement. “I’m extremely upset,” said one Scripps senior, who tearily declined to be identified by name. “Obama doesn’t even have a vagina, so it’s not appropriate for him to be speaking at a women’s college.” “Really, if you don’t have a vagina you shouldn’t be allowed on campus,” added The Scripps Voice Sex Columnist, SHE. “I would like to see that birth certificate again. Does it say ‘vagina-possessor’ anywhere on it?” Though many anticipate that Obama’s arrival on campus will overshadow the seniors’ exit, President Bettison-Varga assures students that this will not be the case. Nothing could possibly overshadow a Scripps College Graduation. Ever. Though many might say that a public figure as eminent as the President of the United States might garner some positive publicity for the institution, Obama will in fact be bringing shame to Scripps College and to feminism in general. The theme for President Obama’s commencement speech will be “You Girls Look So Pretty in Sea-Foam Green, Good Luck Finding Jobs! Eff Yeah, America!”

1030 Columbia Avenue | Claremont CA 91711 | Box 892 email: scrippsvoice@gmail.com | website: voice.scrippscollege.edu

2 •The Student Portside Forum the student portside forum Editors-in-Chief Princess Boss Artist formerly known as

Scripps Hot to Trot to Tiernan Field House for Hot Tub By Snape Qua Snape On March 19, the Scripps Committee for Acceptable Life Enjoyment (SCALE) had its first public meeting and revealed its plans to bring some of the luxury alpine lifestyle to the Sallie Tiernan Field House (TFH). Their first major plan is to purchase a hot tub, to be installed over the summer and be ready for use in Fall 2012. With the hot tub, TFH will be able to welcome more

anonymous, suggested that accommodations be made for a Turkish-style bath in part of the locker room complex. SCALE support was evenly split between the Turkish baths and a Swiss-style hot tub; though the Turkish bath would certainly increase the field house’s healthful, and what some students describe as their “spa-like” atmosphere, the hot tub’s installation is much more feasible and will address the most urgent of students’ needs.

Adviser Sam Haynes Design Editors Taniqua hellokittyrockr72 Snape Qua Snape

Senoir Copy Editor Jafar L. “Snakes On A Plane” Troopy Coppy Editors Tinkerbell Uncouth Section Heads Taylor Healy Michelle Nagler Web Assistant I dude cray Business Manager Ina Herlihy Printer Gardena Valley Press Comments and letters can be sent to Scripps College The Scripps Voice, 1030 Columbia Ave, Box 892, Claremont, CA, 91711. You can also email The Scripps Voice at scrippsvoice@gmail. com or visit our website at voice.scrippscollege. edu. If you want to contribute to The Scripps Voice send your articles or photos to editor. scrippsvoice@gmail. com. The Scripps Voice is a student forum and is not responsible for the opinions expressed in it.

Proposed blueprint for the hot tub. students during the winter months when it’s rainy and the atmospheric temperature is too chilly to tempt students into the pool. Much like a ritual soak after a day of skiing in Alpine or Park City, the hot tub will be a place for students to relax and congregate. Studying all day indoors can be quite taxing, especially in contrast to the common practice of studying on the lawn in the sun, as many Scripps students are accustomed to do. Said SCALE Vice President Chelsea Thompson (’14), “It’s in no way a replacement for laying out on the lawn on an 85-degree day, but we think it will help Scripps students get through the tough Claremont winter months.” The decision has not been an easy one, as some students expressed skepticism if a hot tub would adequately meet student needs. One Scripps junior, who wished to remain

Cartoons By Caroline Novit

The Committee has not yet decided which model of hot tub to purchase; the Hot Tub Subcommittee has narrowed it down to models made by Chancellor and Belize. The Chancellor, a twelve-person hot tub, is a viable choice because of its 43 adjustable jets and aquamarine stereo. There is also an option to get LED mood lighting. The contender for the position of TFH hot tub is the Belize eight-person spa. It may be smaller in size, but it has more jets per person—a total of 44—as well as a waterfall feature which, according to spa-depot.com, “creates the ambience of a tranquil private oasis.” These are compelling choices, but the Subcommittee is still looking for student input, and perhaps a few Scripps students who would want to design and build their own hot tub.

To cast your vote on which tub you think should be installed at TFH, head to voice.scrippscollege.edu.

We did it! Gender Equality Achieved By Tinkerbell Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton announced Tuesday night in a prime-time, televised address that feminism is over due to the acheivement of gender equality. “The day we’ve been awaiting for over 100 years has finally arrived,” said Clinton. “Gender equality has finally been achieved in America.” President Barack Obama later added that he is glad feminism has finally won its battle. “It has long been said that many other social problems are also embedded in sexism. This is, therefore, a great leap toward equality in general.” A White House aide, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, said that the CIA had brought the information to the President’s attention earlier this week. The White House was informed that there had been no reports of sexism, harassment, enforcement of gender norms, or “general patriarchal bullshit” for about a month, meaning that the feminist movement, which has long pushed for the end of these practices, has achieved its goals. Clinton also said a grand ceremony officially marking the closing of the movement and honoring its accomplishments would be held on the National Mall next week and televised internationally. A list of speakers will soon be released. Congress reconvened Wednesday, following the announcement with hugging and tears of joy. News stations took a day off from reporting on the war in Afghanistan and other foreign policy matters to give the announcement the attention and discussion it deserved. “Today is a great day for the American people,” said Bill O’Reilly, host of Fox News’ The O’Reilly Factor. “I’m so glad that I lived to see it.” Fox, MSNBC and CNN also announced a merger of the three stations. The CEO of Turner Broadcasting System, the

owner of CNN, Phillip I. Kent said yesterday, “We decided to do this because we felt that America is all on the same page. We think that combining our resources now, without having to worry about varia- photo courtesy of lusakatimes.com tions in opinion, is the best way to bring the most accurate news to our viewers. “I feel like a huge weight has been lifted off of my shoulders,” radio show host Rush Limbaugh said on his show Tuesday. “I was really beginning to hate myself.” The world congratulated America on its success. The United Nations released a statement saying “the world would do well to follow in America’s footsteps,” and passed a resolution that any sexist persons shall now be sent to America to learn how to treat people equally. North Korean state television reported supreme leader Kim Jong-un as saying, “We want to be just like you, America! Way to go!” Scripps College President Lori Bettison-Varga announced yesterday that “given current developments, there is no need for women’s colleges anymore. Though it is too late to do so for the Fall 2012 semester, Scripps will accept transfers students from any gender for Spring 2013, and in the fall of 2013, we will admit our first fully co-educational class.” Scripps has already taken the phrase “The Women’s College” off of its logo, and made all of its pronouns genderneutral. Other changes necessary for the switch will happen over the summer.

April 10, 1912 • The Titanic •Volume XV• Issue Iceberg

The Student Portside Forum 3 •

October, 5 2011 • Y2K • Volume XV •Issue Error

4 • News Keep it SASsy, Scripps! By Francesca Simmons ‘14 SAS Media Realtions Chair

Rodents 101 By Lauren Prince ‘14

Editor-in-Chief

PHOTO COURTESY OF MICHELLE NAGLERN

New chalkboard walls adorn the Student Union as part of its Spring Break redesign. Hey Scripps! It’s the last SAS update from the 2011-2012 session of SAS! Positions on SAS will be transitioning out following this Spring’s elections, and hopefully some of you will be joining us in this transition! Speaking of elections, you can still vote online until tonight at 11:59 p.m. To vote, opt in by logging on to the academic portal, clicking the “student” tab, and then selecting the “Opt-In Control” link on the left side of the screen. Winners will be announced on March 30th at noon! Make sure to stop by the Student Union to check out the renovation in progress! We got the place painted over Spring Break with

lots of bright, inviting colors. We also have some chalk-board walls to write announcements, draw art or make silly (but appropriate!) notes. The painting of the Student Union was the initial action in its renovation, and one that we felt would be certainly most noticeable. SAS is continuing the progress of the renovation with looking into new furniture, student artwork, activities and supplies. If you have any ideas, suggestions or questions regarding the renovation of the Student Union, please contact the Student Union Chair at studentunionchair@gmail.com. In regard to the Student Union, SAS wants to help develop it into a welcoming and comforting space for all Scripps students. We want it

to be a resource for club meetings, school events, study time and just a central location for the Scripps student community to connect and gather in a fun and inviting way. We hope to do this with comfortable and modern furniture, art supplies and anything that students feel they need and cannot get from their dorms. We have great hopes for the Student Union and can’t wait to see how SAS works with you to help it develop into a great resource. Thanks so much for hanging with me this year, Scripps! I’ve loved being able to inform you of all of SAS’s shenanigans this past year. Keep it SASsy, Scripps; it’s been a pleasure.

PHOTO COURTESY OF NANCY HERRERA

The Student Union is commonly used by students both to study and to attend club meetings.

Correction: The article, “Birth Control: A Solution for Secular and Religious Parties Alike,” printed in our previous issue, was attributed to Taylor Healy ‘15 when in reality, it was written by Peri Tenenbaum ‘13. We regret our error.

I’m sure most Scripps students have noticed the little animals running around campus. Some of our campus critters we have adopted as the unofficial mascot (squirrels), but there are also the cute little scaly things that scamper away (lizards), small plant like ones that sit on top of our bikes (grasshoppers)… and then the others, those which end up unwarranted and unwanted in kitchens and bedrooms (rodents). Though we usually welcome all creatures with kindness and care, there are a few we dislike and do not want cohabitating with us. Some might think the rodents are a very large problem at Scripps and the 5Cs as a whole, but as students, we need to keep in mind that it could be a whole lot worse. Our geographical location in a valley means that we receive the runoff from Mt. Baldy—not just the runoff water, but the fleeing critters as well. Similarly, the construction at Harvey Mudd College has caused an exodus of creatures fleeing toward our campus. The Scripps Maintenance office does a great job of preemptive planning so that Scripps students do not get nearly as many rodents running around the hallways as we could. Maintenance sets roughly 50 traps around all the buildings on campus. This usually does a great job of catching the little critters before they start finding food in the dorm rooms. Maintenance workers also keep their eyes out for holes that rodents might use to get around the College’s buildings. However, rodents can get inside from a gap as small as three-quarters of an inch. Because rodents are so adept at getting into spaces, it’s important to keep food sealed and keep doors and screens closed. In spite of maintenance’s best efforts, there have been a few isolated incidents recently at Scripps. Hall Director Julianna Sabral’s room, and a first year triple in Kimberly have recently seen unwelcome rodent visitors. Maintenance staff has the interests of the students as a first priority. “We treat the problems at Scripps as if they were the problems of our own daughters,” said Director of Facilities Neil Errickson. Scripps maintenance takes the problems at Scripps very seriously, and do their best to resolve them quickly and quietly. We don’t need AllState; we are in good hands with Maintenance.

March 29, 2012 • The Scripps Voice • Volume XV • Issue Nine

News • 5 Writing Program Changes Will be Implemented for Fall By Liz Lyon ‘12 Design Editor

Adjustments are coming to the Writing 50 program, with more projected changes in the planning stages. Director of the Scripps Writing Program Professor Kimberly Drake is implementing changes to the Writing Requirement to make it even more effective. Drake and the faculty Writing Advisory Committee are charged with piloting, assessing and implementing changes to the Writing Requirement. These changes were originally approved by the full faculty in Spring 2010. In an email to The Scripps Voice Drake she wrote, “One of these changes would be to allow some students to defer taking Writing 50 to the spring semester.” Offering Writing 50 fall and spring would provides flexibility in student schedules and gives part-time writing professors (who are typically only at Scripps during the Fall) more of a consistent presence on campus. Student evaluations of Writing 50 typically indicate that students are highly satisfied by Writing 50, and quantifiable assessments show marked improvement in students’ writing by the end of the course. But Drake, speaking on behalf of the Writing Program, believes that writing—and

how writing is taught—can always improve. In fact, writing experts from schools across the country have been on campus this spring giving writing pedagogy workshops to faculty for this purpose. More changes to the College’s writing program are in the brainstorming and planning stages. As last Fall’s reaccreditation review of the college noted, a single writing course between a student’s first year and senior thesis is insufficient. To find a satisfactory solution, the Writing Advisory Committee is looking into developing writingintensive courses in the disciplines. Drake is not yet sure what format these writing courses will take, but the reasoning behind such a move is clear. Students who already have ideas of what they would like to major in can pursue writing-intensive courses in their desired areas. Ideally, the course would also fulfill a major requirement. Such discipline-specific courses would train students in writing as well as critical thinking and problem-solving skills. If a student decides to change majors, analytical skills gained in one area are transferrable. “We’re interested in argumentation no matter what field the student is in, and the ability to identify

complex problems and work through them.” Said Visiting Assistant Professor of Writing Glenn Simshaw. “If students think about it, they should be able to transfer those skills to other classes.” With the College’s senior thesis requirement, writing is clearly an important component of the Scripps experience. Because of this, it seems likely that Scripps students will soon have the opportunity to take more Writing classes. Optimally, changes to the Writing Program will facilitate the development of an official writing minor and writing major, but that is a long-term goal. The more immediate changes will happen on the level of Writing 50 classes. “As the growing number of self-designed Scripps Writing majors and minors can testify, a Writing major would satisfy students’ needs,” wrote Drake. “There are undergraduate Writing majors at other colleges across the country, but few in our region; I believe that the college would benefit from such a relatively unique program.” For now, though, the effectiveness of these changes in Writing 50 will be determined at the end of next year.

Bio 44 Students Conduct Research on the Bernard Field Station By Nancy Herrera ‘15 Design Editor

PHOTOS COURTESY OF NANCY HERRERA

Top Left: Vivian Pham (‘15) surveying the area around pHake Lake. Top Center: Samples of different baits are being examined to see which ones are the most appealing to ants. Right: Alex Sheridan (‘14) and Jenna Koblentz (‘14) wait for the Argentine ants to pick a bait. Bottom: Ed Pearson’s Bio 44 class walks towards the main area of the Bernard Field Station. The Bernard Field Station, now in its 36th year, continues to provide students the opportunity to conduct field research as part of their introductory biology classes. Located north of Harvey Mudd College, the Bernard Field Station is a natural wildlife preserve, which is home to several endangered species, including Nevin’s Barberry and the coastal sage scrub, a native species. Said Biology Lab Instructor Ed Pearson, “This place looks mostly how California would have looked like if it hadn’t been developed.” In July 2011, Claremont approved the division of the Bernard Field Station into four pieces bought by

CGU, HMC, Pitzer and Scripps. Pitzer has promised to use its share of land to build a learning institute and to preserve the rest of its land. However, the remaining three quarters of the land are not secure. The field station’s newsletter, The BFS: Frequently asked Questions states: “HMC and CGU plan to build on the western part, and there are plans to divide and sell (to whom it is not clear) the eastern part.” As a result of a 2001 lawsuit, about 40 out of the current 85 acres of the field station are protected from development. As of now, though, the entire field station remains open for student use. Biology 44 students have researched

ant behavior and aquatic organisms; they will complete original projects relating to pollination by the end of the semester. Biology 44 student Jennifer Arias (’15) said, “I have enjoyed going to the [Bernard Field Station] because it is a chance to get out of the Claremont Colleges bubble and into a natural habitat that is peaceful and beautiful.” Pearson voiced agreement with Arias, saying that the field station provides “a unique educational opportunity for students to be able to find a place that is preserved and yet so close to a semiurban area.” For many students, their favorite place in the Bernard Field Station

is the artificial lake, named “pHake Lake.” Students are able to row out in a boat and gather water samples to measure photosynthesis rates. Said Arias, “It was great to look at the environment in and around the lake.” Angie Aguilar (’15) said that beyond the scientific purposes of the Bernard Field Station, she has “gained a greater appreciation for plant life.” Aguilar called her overall experience at the Bernard Field Station “amazing.” If you want to visit the Bernard Field Station, you don’t have to be part of a class. Group tours can be arranged by contacting Interim Director Jennifer Gee at bfsfriends@earthlink.net.

March 29, 2012 • The Scripps Voice • Volume XV • Issue Nine

6 • Features

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What has your experience been like baking for the Motley? Carrie Latimer: It is awesome! The best part is always walking across campus Saturday morning with my baked goods and everyone asking if they can have some as I make my way to the Motley. If you had unlimited time, ingredients and kitchen gadgets, what would you cook? CL: Definitely bread. French, sourdough, whole wheat. Lots of delicious, homemade, gourmet bread. What are your academic interests? CL: I am a Humanities major (with a focus in Urban Studies) and an Art minor. I’m also currently in a Political Economy of Food class, which a passion of mine. I think a continuing discussion of food politics is essential for the well-being of our world. Is baking (or cooking) a professional interest of yours beyond what you do now? Have you/do you plan to work in restaurants or bakeries? CL: Working in a bakery after college is definitely a wish of mine. I just have to see where the future takes me!

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What has your experience been like baking for the Motley? Hannah Long: I have really enjoyed baking for the Motley. I bake in the Toll kitchen and people often ask me about my brownies while I’m baking, which is fun. One girl had bought my brownies and said that she felt like she was talking to a celebrity chef, which was so flattering because I idolize the chefs on Food Network! If you had unlimited time, ingredients and kitchen gadgets, what would you cook? HL: I would explore with different flavored cakes and elaborate decorations. I love to combine interesting flavors of cake and frosting (my absolute favorite that I’ve made is a Chocolate-Pumpkin Cake with Cinnamon Cocoa Frosting and Chocolate Ganache). I also love to incorporate fresh fruit such as berries and lemon. What are your academic interests? HL: I’m a [first-year], so I’m not sure what my major is, but I have many academic interests, including French, Math, Media Studies and History. Is baking (or cooking) a professional interest of yours beyond what you do now? HL: I would definitely like to have a profession related to the food industry. I would love to eventually work as a food journalist for a magazine or write my own cookbooks.

A Week’s Worth of Great Goods Get to Know Your Motley Student Bakers

By The Playful Plateful’s Kate Pluth

What has your experience been like baking for the Motley? Catherine Schetina: It’s been such a great experience, and I love getting to share my baking adventures with the Scripps community! My favorite thing is when people I don’t really know come up to me and ask if I made a certain good, then tell me how much they loved it! It’s so rewarding. If you had unlimited time, ingredients and kitchen gadgets, what would you cook? CS: I’ve always wanted to make baguettes, but it’s incredibly time intensive. If I was really going crazy, I would probably make the world’s biggest dark chocolate toasted hazelnut lavender scone and then eat it for the rest of my life! What is your favorite food? CS: Bread and Cheese. What are your academic interests? CS: I am an American Literature major and a Gender in Religion minor. I am studying at the University of Edinburgh next semester! Is baking (or cooking) a professional interest of yours beyond what you do now? Have you/do you plan to work in restaurants or bakeries? CS: I am actually applying to work in a few bakeries this summer, but I have never worked professionally before. My dream is to open my own bakery one day.

What has your experience been like baking for the Motley? Jennifer Tavé: I’ve always enjoyed baking, and I was excited by the idea that I might be able to do something I enjoy for others to eat and enjoy too! My sophomore year, I was frustrated by the lack of baked goods at the Motley, and there never seemed to be anything somewhat healthy for a snack. I had the idea of trying to make granola and started my “Vita Nova Granola” ‘business’ and got my friend Marnie Hogue (‘13) on board. She created cute labels for the granola bags and became quite the granola chef and flavor advisor with me. I try to make a different flavor combination each week, to keep it interesting. Some of my favorites are chaichocolate and peanut butter chocolate. And I also really like the classic, cranberry-almond. In addition to making something healthy, I wanted to do something that gives back to the world beyond Scripps. At the end of the semester, I donate 50% of my profits to an NGO called ‘Valid Nutrition’ which provides food aid to countries in need. If you had unlimited time, ingredients and kitchen gadgets, what would you cook? JT: I love my Microplane for grating ginger and making lemon zest. I think my next project will be getting into making various sorts of nut butters. What is your favorite food? JT: Anything Speculoos. Particularly speculoos paste (biscoff spread). But also speculoos ice cream, cookies, chocolate... I also love crepes and enjoy making them! A really good almond croissant is what I look forward to when I go home to France. Really light, crispy and flaky on the outside with the rich, smooth almond paste on the inside. Cherries and raspberries are my favorite fruits! What are your academic interests? JT: I’m majoring in biology and wrote my thesis on Child Malnutrition in India, using a GIS analysis of risk factors. I am now working on my Master’s in Public Health at CGU in the 4+1 program.

What has your experience been like baking for the Motley? Isabel Neal: I play around in the kitchen and get paid for the results, which is nice. It’s hard to screw up with muffins, especially considering how much batter I eat in the process, so no kitchen disasters thus far. I also baked at a café during a semester off last year and made three or four batches of muffin batter a day, so I stick to those ratios and the muscle memory and things seem to turn out well. If you had unlimited time, ingredients and kitchen gadgets, what would you cook? IN: Breads and fruit tarts for days, and this thing that my childhood best friend’s dad would make for dinner when we were little, which involved magical seasonings and carrots cut into small sticks and cooked so they just started to singe. What is your favorite food? IN: Fresh figs. What are your academic interests? IN: I major in English (Creative Writing) and Community Design.

March 29, 2012 • The Scripps Voice • Volume XV • Issue Nine

What has your experience been like baking for the Motley? Kathleen Shea: This opportunity is awesome because it means that I get to have a time each week already set aside to do something I love, and I can help give people quality home-baked treats. The most memorable [kitchen disaster] was when I added WAY too much cinnamon to a batch of oatmeal chocolate chip cookies. One would assume that a plethora of cinnamon would be spicy or hot, right? Wrong. The cookies had this cold, dry metallic taste that had no right being in a sweet treat! If you had unlimited time, ingredients and kitchen gadgets, what would you cook? KS: I would probably go wild with some fancy desserts. I would love to experiment with different flavors and textures to make candies, great sauces, and perhaps even some whacky flavored ganache to bring it all together in a beautifully powerful little punch of sweet surprise. What is your favorite food? KS: My favorite food is currently Thai curries with a close second of sushi. And sweets. I probably could live on sweets if it didn’t make me into such a hyper toddler. What are your academic interests? KS: I’m a Philosophy major, I love dance and art, and pondering life in general.

What has your experience been like baking for the Motley? Oriana LaVilla: Baking has been a hobby of mine for a long time and I feel so lucky to get paid to do what I love. As a notable story, earlier in the semester I made my weekly batch of cookies and left them in a Tupperware container for a few hours in the living room of my suite. Needless to say, I returned a few hours later to an empty container and a room full of my suite mates smiling mischievously at me. Now I always make sure to bake six extra cookies for my suite mates. If you had unlimited time, ingredients and kitchen gadgets, what would you cook? OL: I would probably bake some type of tiered chocolate cake with alternating layers of filling and decadent frosting. I would use real cacao beans to make the frosting and fresh fruit to make raspberry, orange and pomegranate fillings for the layers of cake. Or on a saltier note, I would make a salted caramel cake with browned butter frosting. What is your favorite food? OL: Aside from the obvious peanut butter and chocolate, I am a huge fan of traditional Italian cooking. In particular, my grandmother’s famous spaghetti and biscotti cookies. What are your academic interests? OL: I am a Politics/International Relations major with a concentration in conflict resolution and peace building. I am also minoring in Italian. Next fall I will be studying conflict resolution in Belgrade, Serbia and in the spring of 2013 I will be studying Italian in Siena, Italy.

What has your experience been like baking for the Motley? Peyton Beatrice Scott: I love baking for the Motley. Each semester is a bit different; last year I baked a menagerie of spicy cheddar cornbreads, apple cakes, and vegan cupcakes. This year I’ve been sticking to the ‘cakes and playing around with flavor and presentation. With such a high number of alternative-choice consumers on Scripps and the 5Cs, I receive a lot of positive feedback for creativity. If you had unlimited time, ingredients and kitchen gadgets, what would you cook? PS: My thesis! No, really. If I had the time and tools, I would create a masterpiece displaying the linguistic and food cultures of the French and the Italians. I love to play with language, but sometimes I feel like I can say so much more with flavors and smells! What awre your academic interests? PS: I am a junior aiming at a French Studies and Linguistics Major, though I also dabble in Italian and foreign language teaching. Is baking (or cooking) a professional interest of yours beyond what you do now? Have you/do you plan to work in restaurants or bakeries? PS: Maybe later in life I will consider opening my own shop, but for now baking is a hobby that I enjoy sharing with friends and family. It’s a tasty way for me to show my love and appreciation. Feeding people makes me happy.

March 29, 2012 • The Scripps Voice • Volume XV • Issue Nine

Student Baker Lauren Shaffer was unavailable to comment.

8 • Opinions & Editorials

ME, ME, ME:

Tori’s Favorite Words By Tori Mirsadjadi ’12 Senior Copy Editor

ACROSS 13 1. letter-based 10. misogynistic Shakespearean epithet 17 13. gone off-track, as a train 14. be sick 22 16. a good response to most questions? 17. a soggy tea leaf 18. suffix for top, fixed or head 20. unappealing thing to do to meat or 28 words 22. Stephen King book 23. one who plays FarmVille? 40 25. Ella Minnow ___ 27. type of trouble, or thing to roll in? 44 28. how affairs are presented? 33. German one 50 35. Yevgeny Zamyatin’s dystopic novel 36. said by certain knights 37. comes in olive, coconut, vegetable, peanut, crude 39. with 9-down, a splendid two-man 63 band from Pomona 41. another f-word for fertility 68 44. our great state 46. penultimate word in many stories 73 that begin “Once upon a time…” 47. ancient Chinese board game 48. a Massachusetts school that seems to scorn you with its abbreviation 50. more before, an ironic spelling mistake, or what you might call yourself if you’re an uncertain British speaker? 51. postmodernists are full of it 53. singer James 55. opposite of flow 57. ask for a snack? 62. __ chupacabra 63. news network that might get all tearyeyed (with love, of course) over this issue of The Scripps Voice? 65. same as 27-across 66. etymological proof that birds are disgusting? 68. day preceding the ides of March 69. ___ Quixote 71. giving drugs to an addict, or a diction-

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40. ___-nine, found in Vonnegut’s Cat’s Cradle 41. portend, ominously 42. what the awkward and uncertain say when called upon to speak in class? 43. my name! (minus the penultimate letter) 45. _______ and Old Lace 48. nipped at 49. Regina Spektor song, and conclusion of (500) Days of Summer greeting card “I Love __” 52. speak ill of 54. “Spring ___ All,” by William Carlos Williams 56. The Scripps Voice is a __-weekly publication 58. prepared for a swing on the green (with “up”) 59. tear 60. what you’re left with if you remove the “r”s from a six-letter word meaning “fix” 61. cock (to the side) 62. response to “do you want to try this disgusting food?” 63. Greek exclamation 64. is your answer to this clue going to be wrong? 67. precedes IV 70. pay attention to this bit of information (abbrev.) 72. westernmost Canadian province (abbrev.)

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ary to a word-nerd 73. can afflict the heart, head or tooth 74. what you have if you say “bubbles bring buoyancy bouncingly Billy-ward” DOWN 1. swirls together Murphy and Izzard? 2. rhyming synonym for alert 3. anger 4. a wise plant? 5. __-86 (calculator) 6. evil stepmother in Ella Enchanted, Dame ____ 7. what a lecherous king might do? 8. not Eve 9. see 39-across, dude 10. a type of slope, frequently evoked in fallacious moral arguments 11. creepy, eerie, unnatural, strangely fa-

miliar 12. foot digit 15. two letters that ought to be separated by an apostrophe in the following parenthetical aside (imjustsayin) 19. a lovely color 21. its capital is Lincoln (abbrev.) 24. rhyming thing to do to your spine, if you have a back injury 26. before 29. pain-based ejaculation 30. suffix for lup- and alp31. command 32. titular character of Marie de France’s lai, in which a woman bears the child of a magical hawk-man 34. San Diego’s is really famous 38. rounds out a Freudian psychic apparatus, along with ego and super-ego

Answers to Last Week’s Puzzle

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I Didn’t Vote for Obama, and not ‘Cause I Wasn’t 18 Yet: A Story of Self-Censorship By Leah Rosenbaum ‘12 Contributing Writer

Yes, the first part of that title is true. When people learn this fact about me, and they seldom do (until now), they are usually taken aback, laugh nervously and question, “Really? Why?” The short answer is that I made a considered decision, but this article isn’t about politics. It’s about the shock and skepticism that that decision encounters. It’s about the environment of self-censorship and non-exchange of ideas that makes my decision seem unusual. On campus, there is a silent consensus about what people believe. I don’t mean that everyone thinks in lock step, but unless students clearly belong to a certain group (often a religious or major affiliation), it is assumed that everyone agrees on some underlying principles. By making its presence known—professors making Bush jokes, the fact that most of the Elizabeth Hubert Malott Public Affairs Program speakers are conservative—this assumption about what the College community believes sends the message that certain other ideas are out of line and not what most people supposedly believe.

(I don’t mention the Public Affairs Speakers to take issue with the program. I truly appreciate their work in bringing different opinions to campus. But the fact that these opinions fall so neatly into one category attests to the pervasive assumption that this category is “different” or otherwise exceptional.) I’m fairly non-confrontational (a fact which my previous paragraph probably made abundantly clear), and if I think that sharing an idea will draw the shock and skepticism associated with breaking that assumption, I won’t speak up. Call it intellectual laziness, but sometimes I don’t want to spend the rest of class defending my beliefs. I suspect that other people might feel the same way. Those who perceive that the majority agrees with them continue to share their ideas. Those who perceive that the majority disagrees with them keep quiet. And what we end up with is a non-exchange of ideas that not only leaves some feeling isolated, but also leaves “the majority” unaware of differing opinions, much less the fact that their neighbors might hold them. I think this is the source of

people’s surprise when they learn that I did not vote for Obama. I have heard people say, well, if you want that opinion, go somewhere and find likeminded people. Discuss with them, always with the assumption that “they” are not among “us.” But an intellectual community is not about talking with likeminded people so we can all agree with each other. It’s about creating an environment in which different ideas are not so foreign, one in which I can propose ideas honestly without fear of being written off as one of “them.” I know there are ideas that I would have loved to discuss openly, calmly in class, and I would have loved to hear what truly different ideas other people might have. As one of the goals of the liberal arts college is to teach it students to be open-minded, to think critically and non-judgmentally, I was saddened and frustrated to find an environment that, whether it intends to or not, effectively silences certain ideas. With this article, I hope I’ve started a journey away from self-censorship and toward a more open environment.

March 29, 2012 •The Scripps Voice •Volume XV• Issue Nine

Opinions & Editorials • 9

Let’s Get Naked: All Your Base Are Belong To SHE When it comes to hooking up, some terms are intentionally vague. Like “hooking up.” For some, the phrase means kissing. For others, engaging in full-on coitus. The level of physical contact is not clear. A knowing gaze and a “we hooked up” could mean anything from “We had wild, passionate sex. Twice.” to “He fell asleep on me.” Which is why the base system exists, right? Wrong. I personally hate baseball, but I understand the concept behind the game. There are these bases, and this ball. You hit the ball, you run around the bases. The bases are numbered: first base, second base, third base. And then there’s a home run. So, this concept also applies to sexual experiences, right? I’ll overlook the way that this metaphorical, sexual baseball game starts and ends at the same spot (if you get a home run, you end up right back on home base…masturbating?). The point is that you enter a field of play, you hit certain points along the way to…scoring. It’s a kind of nice metaphor, for the way that you can allude to someone stealing second, or to getting a home run, or to striking out. So I will swallow my dislike for the great American sport because it seems like it works as a useful sexual metaphor. But if you’re anything like me, you’re probably wondering: WHAT ARE THE FUCKING BASES?! Glad you asked, past self! (That was some clever use of profanity, by the way. We should get together some time…What are you doing Tuesday? No longer existing, because you only exist in the past, you say? Intriguing…) Sorry, got a little distracted flirting with myself

there…Where was I? Oh, yes, explaining the base system. I prefer to think of the bases in terms of contact: eye contact, mouth contact, genital contact, emotional contact, and so on. Should the bases go in that order? Probably not. Eye contact can be really violating, and isn’t really necessary. (Some people are blind, you know. Most people close their eyes for the actual act of kissing.) Not everyone makes mouth contact before genital contact. Some people combine mouth and genital contact. (As third base, I believe. Or maybe it’s second…French, finger, fellate, fuck? Is that not the order? That seems like a heteronormative way to remember the bases, even if it is all nice and alliterative…) It’s all a bit unclear. Shall I draw a diagram? No, straight lines are too hard. The base system need not have anything to do with straightness, but diagrams are generally easier to understand when they don’t resemble the unstable scribbles of a maniac. (The type of maniac who probably shouts about bases and flirts awkwardly with her past self…) I’m probably frustrating you here with my refusal to just give you a straightforward description of the bases. But that’s the point, you see! Slutty Health Expert lesson imparted! You’re welcome! I object to the idea of a base system. Yes, I hate baseball. But my disdain extends to the metaphorical associations of the base system, as well. I object to the quantification of sexual experiences, the reduction of the experience to certain hurdles (hurdle-jumping is another silly sport) that need be passed. It’s reductive to assume that everyone

will experience sexual interactions in a certain order. It’s silly for anyone to consider the order in which one sexual relationship develops to be relevant to any other sexual relationships. There is no standard sexual progression. Balls don’t even have to enter the equation. Just have fun, be safe, be honest…and forget about the fucking metaphors, just be explicit. SEE WHAT I DID THERE? -SHE

If you have any questions, write SHE: Scripps Box #797 (no stamp required for intercampus mail!) E-mail SHE : editor.scrippsvoice@gmail.com or scrippsvoice@gmail.com (Make the subject “SEXXX” or something. SHE promises to ignore the email address from which your sexy emails are sent and assume everyone’s writing on behalf of sexually-awkward friends.)

GOP: Hurry Up and Pick a Candidate Already! By Nikki Broderick ‘14

Staff Writer With the Republican National Convention only five months away, the GOP constitutional amendment recognizing marriage as only between a man and a has yet to choose a presidential nominee. The four candidates still in the run- woman. Romney and Santorum have also both stated that they would repeal ning have shown no sign of giving up yet—Newt Gingrich, with only 135 del- Obamacare as one of their first presidential acts. Both of these frontrunner egates as of March 23, has even pledged to stay in the race until the convention GOP candidates believe in a free market and would repeal the regulations on on Aug. 27. But who are the real contenders? business that they believe have hindered economic growth. Neither has ruled Ron Paul, who has been ignored nearly the entire election and in elections out military action against Iran, and they are both in favor of a fence along the past, has not been able to garner much support from Republicans. Although U.S.-Mexican border. he is one of the only candidates to stay consistent on the issues, Paul has won However, there are differences: Romney believes in active government in50 delegates in the primary so far. This low volvement in reducing carbon emissions amount of delegates, compared to the 1,444 while Santorum wants to let the free market needed to win the nomination, make Paul reign. Santorum believes that U.S. troops unlikely to stay in the race much longer. Unshould stay in Afghanistan until the threat less, like Gingrich, Paul plans on sticking in is “neutralized” (though how one calculates until the convention. whether underground terrorist organizaRegardless, this leaves the GOP only two tions are “neutralized is not clear…). Romoptions: Mitt Romney and Rick Santorum. ney has not been explicit on the subject, but Mitt Romney has been long considered the did not object to President Obama’s removal inevitable GOP nominee: he’s more modof troops from Afghanistan. Romney superate than Santorum (although that’s not ported the government bailout but took istoo hard, as Santorum has committed to sue with some of the government’s handling prosecuting doctors who perform abortions of the bailout, while Santorum has critias criminals), has an executive background cized that type of government involvement as former Governor of Massachusetts and in general. seems to be more electable in the general So, as a registered Democrat that is alelection than most other GOP candidates. ready exacerbated by current RepubliEven though Romney has shown himself can leadership in the Senate (particularly PHOTOS COURTESY OF csmoniter.com and independentagenda.com Boehner’s spray tan), who would I vote for to be quite susceptible to changing his mind (one of his top campaign advisers recently Rick Santorum (left) and Mitt Romney (right) are fiercely campaigning to win the if forced by some outlandish hypothetical Republican presidential candidacy. situation? Mr. Willard Mitt Romney. likened Romney to an Etch-a-Sketch), he is the only candidate that has shown his modWhy Romney? Because if he’s as easily erate side on social and economic issues. However, Romney is very similar redrawn as an Etch-a-Sketch and changed his mind once before (twice? thrice?), to Santorum in certain respects. Both oppose abortion, and they also agree we may be seeing a whole new candidate by November. In the meantime, I’ll sit on the issue of same-sex marriage: both Romney and Santorum would sign a and hope that Obama doesn’t let this election slip through his fingers.

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March 29, 2012 •The Scripps Voice •Volume XV •Issue Nine

10 • Arts & Entertainment

Standup for Peace Comes to the Claremont Colleges By Megan Petersen ‘15 Copy Editor

StandUp for Peace: The Two Comedian Solution to Middle East Peace, a comedy show whose purpose is to encourage dialogue about peace and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict through coexistence and humor, came to Claremont McKenna’s McKenna Auditorium on March 22. StandUp for Peace is a two-man show, featuring Scott Blakeman, a Jewish comedian and news pundit, and Aron Kater, a Palestinian American comedian whose best-known work is performing as one of the Middle Eastern comedic threesome Axis of Evil. Blakeman and Kater start the show together, perform separately, and reunite at the end to talk more seriously about the conflict and solutions to it. The Standup for Peace event, sponsored by the Muslim Students Association (MSA) and Hillel, the 5C Jewish organization, has been in the works since the beginning of the semester. “MSA initiated the event, and then asked us for [co-sponsorship]. Said president of Hillel Ariel Katz (CMC ’13), “I know we, Hillel, have been trying to bring in StandUp for Peace for the past few years, so it was great that MSA contacted us,” Katz was also pleased with the attendance, with students from UC Riverside and UC San Bernardino turning out along with students from Claremont. “Both Aron [Kater] and Scott [Blakeman], the comedians, are incredibly nice and easygoing,” Katz added. “The fact that they dedicate a large part of their career to promoting peace and dialogue is really admirable.” “We were inspired by the multi-faiths that we have in the Claremont Colleges, and humor is a great way to bring everyone together especially with such an intense topic like the PalestinianIsraeli conflict,” said Elham “Ellie” Yusuf-Ali of

MSA. Aside from some issues with the microphones, the event ran fairly smoothly. Kater read some prewritten jokes from a little notebook, plus performed some dialogues with Middle Eastern relatives. “So we’ve got the Sunnis, and the Shi’as,” said Kater. “We’re gonna put them together, and make sushi.” Kater also poked fun at a conversation with his extremely anti-Israel cousin: “So I asked him, ‘Man, what would you do if peace just suddenly happened?’ ‘What?’ ‘Like if the conflict was just…over. What would you do with your time if there was just no more conflict?’ ‘…We will resist!’” Blakeman mostly monologued, with the peanut gallery occasionally breaking in. When Blakeman asked (rhetorically, of course) what the difference between an Arab and Hebrew wedding was, a member of the audience piped up, “Circumcision?” After each of their acts, Blakeman and Kater came together on stage for closing thoughts and a Q&A. “You keep bringing up that there are simple solutions to the Israel-Palestine conflict, but what are they, and why haven’t they been suggested?” asked one audience member. “They have been [suggested],” said Kater, asserting that peace talks haven’t been taken seriously enough and that both sides have broken promises. Kater also responded to a question about his experiences performing comedy in the Middle East with Axis of Evil, saying that aside from avoiding jokes about Islam or local government,

much of his material remained the same from when he performed in the states. Blakeman also talked about the positive responses StandUp for Peace has received performing at different colleges around the country. At times, however, the jokes trickled into bordering-on-offensive territory, with the audience hesitating to laugh. Eva Valenti (’12), a member of 5C Stand-Up Comedy, asserted that caution need be exercised. Though Valenti didn’t attend the event, she still shared her comedic expertise with The Scripps Voice. “In general, I think comedy is a great medium for tackling serious issues because it’s disarming (and lord knows disarmament is pretty critical to Middle East peace)… The FUNNIEST topics are often FUNNY because they’re shocking,” Valenti said in an e-mail to the Scripps Voice. “That’s why racist, sexist, etc. jokes are so common—broaching non-PC topics shakes people up and makes them laugh.” It’s not so simple, though. “Comedy works best as a tool for social change when it’s subtle and tasteful. People remember jokes forever, so we want to be careful about what jokes we tell,” Valenti worte. “People repeat what they hear comedians say. … A racist person who hears a racist joke doesn’t hear a joke—they hear a fact. I cannot emphasize this enough.” It is important to note, however, that the existence of a group like StandUp for Peace and the collaboration of MSA and Hillel sponsoring the event are both steps in the right direction, toward creating more dialogue nationwide as well as at the 5Cs.

By Charlotte Rosenfield ’15 Design Editor

It seems that whenever I hear that a favorite novel of mine will get a movie adaptation, a small cringe of doubt sneaks in among even my most excited expectations. Our interpretation of these admired stories is the closest to a perfect visual experience we will ever get. There are only a handful of books that get a near perfect rendition of their source material, and even a smaller group of films that adapt an entire trilogy or saga of books, such as the Harry Potter franchise.  In my opinion, The Hunger Games, from the novel by Suzanne Collins of the same name, has earned its spot as one of the next best adapted book-to-film series. For those of you who are somehow unfamiliar with the recent YA phenomenon, I’ll humor you for a moment. In a dystopian future, the capital city of Panem and its outlying districts are held under the suppressive thumb of President Snow. Years ago, the districts rose up in revolution. Once the government calmed the worst of the rebellion, the Hunger Games were established: an annual arena battle to the death that requires the participation of two young representatives (or tributes) from each district—one male and one female. Katniss Everdeen (Jennifer Lawrence) finds herself as a tribute for District 12; Peeta Mellark (Josh Hutcherson), District 12’s male tribute, joins her, and they are sent to Panem to participate in a televised brawl against their District peers. From the start, Jennifer Lawrence has seemed like the perfect choice for Katniss. The lead character is incredibly complicated—she has to be likeable by the audience, but she has a hard time making people like her within the story. She isn’t a butch, powerhouse-type figure, but instead a young girl who has some survival skills and is overwhelmed by the severity of her situation. The novel includes a lot of her internal monologue and thought process, which is commonly lost when converting to film. Yet Lawrence manages to communicate all of it to the audience with subtle glances, uncomfortable body language, and a ferocious approach to some of the movie’s stunts. But she isn’t the only solid contributor to the film. Many of the fellow tributes, from District 2’s powerhouse Cato (Alexander Ludwig) to the petite Rue (Amandla Stenberg) from District 11, live up to their mentioned ferocity, ruthlessness, and cunning. Stanley Tucci is a treat as the Panem television celebrity Caesar Flickerman, Elizabeth Banks is a perfect fit as the superficial Effie Trinket, and Wes Bentley brings to life the game de-

signer Seneca Crane in a way the novel never expressed. Most local fans of the series agree that, while The Hunger Games’ allstar cast does not disappoint, a few key players could have been far more developed. Two fan favorites, mentor and former Hunger Games winner Haymitch Abbernathy (Woody Harrelson) and Katniss’ stylist and advisor Cinna (Lenny Kravitz), were given very little time in the limelight and, in my opinion, felt very flat and one dimensional. Many concur that the time constraints of the film explain this deficiency, but it was frustrating all the same. Director Gary Ross brings some interesting choices into play as both its writer and director. While the novel’s narrative is told from Katniss’ perspective, the film’s narrative spreads out to events beyond what’s going on in the arena. We see conversations between Game Designer Seneca Crane and President Snow (Donald Sutherland) and reactions to what’s going on in the games within the districts. We hear Caesar Flickerman reveal information about the contestants and obstacles within the arena. Most of these scenes provide a foundation for future chapters and necessary expository information, but it does alter the scope of the story. From a cinematographic view, Ross enhances Katniss’ situation with shaky, erratic camera movements and interesting sound design, filtering out sounds and blurring things during Katniss’s more stressful moments. It is a really effective approach to the story most of the time, although the camera work gets a little too frenetic during certain action sequences. I understand what Ross is trying to do with the shaky-cam work, and he does a better job with it than many other directors do, but it still ends up being too much in the end. It tends to be more effective during dramatic sequences. As a die-hard fan, I was extremely satisfied with The Hunger Games as a movie. I think it’s a great example of a book adaptation where it helps to have the book under your belt for context and background information, but it is certainly not required. There are some changes and deviations from the original story that I don’t agree with, and I could do without so much shaky-cam work, but for the most part the movie does a good job of bringing an exciting story to a new medium. I appreciate Ross and Lionsgate for not forcing it into a Twilight mold, rather letting it be the story it was meant to be: that of a fascinating heroine who still has a long journey ahead of her.

March 29, 2012 • The Scripps Voice • Volume XV • Issue Nine

Student Life •11

Scripps College Problem # 85 When I woke up to sunlight streaming through my window on that beautiful Tuesday morning, litStaff Satirist tle did I know the hardship that awaited me. I rolled out of bed and stood by my window, obliviously reveling in the warmth that Claremont had chosen to give me that morning. With my roommates asleep, I got dressed and headed out the door without bothering to turn on my computer and check the weather. My first of many mistakes that day. I stepped outside of my dorm only to feel a biting wind. The sun had deceptively betrayed me into believing that a skirt was a good idea. A glance down at my watch told me that I only had 4 minutes until class, so changing my outfit wasn’t an option. I crossed my arms, huddled into an ever so sophisticated hunched position, cursing my choice of a thin cardigan. I sat in class, trying not to focus on my extreme discomfort and dreaming of the moment I would power-walk back to my room and put on warmer clothes. After the seemingly never-ending class discussion, I raced back to my room and settled for capris and a short-sleeved shirt, since it had warmed up a bit. I went about the rest of my day, thinking that my toil would be over. But walking out from Malott after dinner, I realized that my capris wouldn’t

By Earnest Eleanor

Humans vs Zombies is Back, Scripps Finally a Playable Campus By Maxine Yakobi ‘14 Guest Writer

The shortest and most accurate way to define Humans Versus Zombies (HvZ) is a weeklong simulated zombie apocalypse—except with Nerf blasters, and lots of them. Coming to the 5Cs four semesters ago, HvZ quickly grew to become one of the most popular 5C events, and was deemed last year to be the largest substance-free activity ever to have been run by a student organization at the 5Cs. To quote the founder of the game at Claremont, Steve Jaworski (PZ ’10), “We had the nerd blood in our community that would enjoy the game, and then we had the mainstream appeal of zombies, so it was perfect.” With a registration turnout of 640 players last semester, the team of moderators for HvZ expects future participation to grow in the upcoming semesters. I have seen this game build the most unlikely and enduring of friendships in the past; it brings together the Claremont Colleges in a way that no other event could. After all, how often can you chase your friends down north quad with a Nerf blaster? Students, regardless of school, year or major, willingly put themselves into situations where they need to cooperate and trust one another in order to survive the “zombie apocalypse.” Part of my decision to come to Scripps was based on the understanding that the consortium not only builds an incredibly diverse and rigorous academic system, but it also involves meeting people from different walks of life who came to these schools for different reasons. This very attitude should permeate all 5C interactions. When I became a part of the Moderator Team for HvZ, I thought this game in particular was one of the best ways to build up the consortium atmosphere. The Moderator Team worked extremely hard to include Scripps as a playable campus, but was met, for a long time, with stiff resistance from the administration. After making some modifications to the game in response to the concerns voiced by the faculty, the team found some common ground from which to operate. With specific rules and regulations, Scripps will now participate in the HvZ competition as a playable campus. Scripps is an integral part of the Claremont Consortium, and as such, an integral part of the HvZ game-play. Without it, players had always complained of a lack of continuity. Now all five colleges are in play, allowing for a complete and cohesive game experience for the entire community. In the last game, almost 80 Scripps students registered, regardless of the fact that their campus was completely out of play. This time around, we expect to see significantly more Scripps students running around, donning the iconic HvZ bandana and wielding vibrantly colored Nerf blasters on campus.

be the last outfit of the day. With the setting sun, the wind picked up, and I felt unpleasant shivers up my spine while I hurried back to my room to change into outfit number three of the day—jeans and a sweatshirt for my daily trek to the library. I snuggled into that warm jacket, thankful that I had taken the time to stop by my room so I wouldn’t be so cold in the library. When I put on my pajama shirt that night, I glanced over at my laundry basket and saw it overfilling, a few clothes spilled onto the floor. How had it gotten so full? I pulled through the clothes, seeing my various outfits for Claremont’s unpredictable weather these past few days. I could feel my arms getting sore from changing into so many different clothes. My legs ached from walking back and forth to my dorm and up and down so many stairs. A person only has so many adorable outfits, and only so much time to do laundry. I thought California was supposed to have a median temperature of 70 degrees. Year round. Is it really too much to ask that Claremont weather stay reasonably consistent so I don’t have to waste so many clothes? It’s a tough life at Scripps, it really is.

d e t i ne d

Uncensored opinions, straight from the Editors-in-Chief themselves.

Post-Spring Break, a.k.a. New levels of procrastination

Thank you to the relaxing Spring Break we all had, and screw coming back to school. I would like to hire someone to do all my homework; that way I can devote all of my time to the things that matter—like partying.

TEXTING SARCASM

There needs to be a specific sarcasm font so that your friends know you are saying something sarcastic over text. Otherwise I just look like a bitch, and I’m not...

Draw Something

The best game ever invented! It’s just extremely difficult when you have fat fingers on a small screen and you can’t figure out where you’re drawing. Come on Apple, I expected something magical from you.

How to Pronounce “Meme”

The best. Also, if you haven’t checked out “how to pronounce French words,” you should. It really makes me feel proud to be an American.

iPad

Really, Apple? You just love to go above and beyond the traditional retinal display, don’t you? Because with a screen so small, it’s really easy to tell the difference.

Cuties

You can eat eight in 15 minutes and still not throw up...we’ve tested. Nine? Still untested—a job for Adam and Jamie.

Humans vs. Zombies

I applaud you, Scripps, for finally giving the other 4Cs less of an excuse to call us pansies when it comes to killing off the human race on our beautiful green campus. However, as a human human—as opposed to an acopalypse era human—I’m not looking forward to being attacked by humans or zombies. Beware, players, I know self-defense and I’m not afraid to kick your ass.

The Hunger Games

Shrieking tweens and diehard Twilight fans make not good movie-watching buddies. Word of advice if you’re going to go see this long but admittedly welldone movie: don’t clap when the kids die. That’s just sad.

CINE

We know there are plans to phase CINE out of existence, but can we at least announce that? Scripps students are already a stressed-out bunch, and having our lifeline to the outside world (the internet) down for even a short period of time would be enough to send anyone into a panic attack. However, since I’ve been using the login-needed Claremont wireless connection, I’m more concerned with the fact that EVERY SINGLE TIME I have to log into the connection on my phone. Not very efficient, Claremont. Fix that! Please?

March 29, 2012 • The Scripps Voice• Volume XV• Issue Nine

12 •Student Life

HOLI: A FESTIVAL OF COLORS

By Megan Petersen ‘15 Copy Editor Holi, the Hindu spring festival of colors, was held last Friday and was a huge success, according to those involved with the event. The festival, which involves throwing fistfuls of colored powder at everyone and anyone and having a ton of fun making a very, very big mess. Celebrating the coming of spring, Holi is an annual tradition in India and in Indian communities around the world. The 5C Hindu Society, Etka (the South Asian Student Association), Scripps Associated Students and the McAlister Center’s Office of the Chaplains sponsored the event. “Holi is a festival of spring and rejuvenation,” said Sameera Mokkarala (PO ‘12), a co-president of Etka. “I think the celebration [Friday] really captured that spirit.” “No one’s polite, which is part of the fun,” said Nikita Gettu (‘14), another co-president of Etka, . “It’s very carefree.” The celebration stems from a number of legends (including one about a brother and sister named Prahlad and Holika, from whose name Holi derives), whose common theme is the triumph of

good over evil. Though co-sponsered by the Office of the Chaplains, Holi at the 5Cs is not associated with any religion, making the event open and welcoming to anyone who wants to join in. “I think it is a great event because it brings people from different backgrounds across the 5Cs together in an environment much different than the average Saturday night party,” said Tania Bhatia (‘13) of the Hindu Society. Poonam Daryani (‘13), also of the Hindu Society, shared a similar sentiment. “[T]he best part of Holi [is] that everyone and anyone comes together to share in such a colorful celebration.” Along with a record amount of loose colored powder, the sponsors also provided powder mixed with water, tarps and water for sliding, music and food. Traditionally, participants wear white to show off the colors, and the powder also sticks to skin and

Clockwise from top left: Students show off their colors; Megan Petersen (‘15) holds a palm full of chalk; Yasamin Soltanianzadeh (‘12), Abigail Jones (‘12), Jen Byrne (‘12), Emily O’Brien (‘12) and Camille Schmidt (‘12) take a break from the color-throwing madness.

The crowd throws chalk at the Holi festival

hair, sometimes even making it hard to identify people because they’re so colorful. Gettu said that at last year’s Holi festival, around 400 people from all five colleges turned out, and that a similar number turned out for this year’s event. “I couldn’t be happier with how it went, and I’m really grateful to all the members of the Claremont College community who came by to support us and join in the fun,” said Mokkarala. Many of those involved said that people have been asking about Holi since the beginning of the year, and that many people have come to look forward to it. “When I first came to Scripps, not many people knew what Holi was, and now numerous individuals approach me and say that it’s their favorite event of the year,” Daryani said. “The growth of the event is a huge indicator as to how much the South Asian community has unified to spread awareness of South Asian issues and encourage the participation of all individuals in Claremont. …We already look forward to going bigger next year!” If you missed Holi or want more opportunities to get your South Asian on, be sure to check out Sanskriti, a free culture show to be held in Garrison 6:30-8 p.m on Saturday, March 31, featuring Bollywood, classical dance, Bhangra, musical performances and more, plus a social with South Asian refreshments the hour before the performance.

PHOTOS BY TORI SEPAND ‘15

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March 29, 2012 •The Scripps Voice •Volume XV •Issue Nine

Belo (‘15 w: Jenn ) an d So y Thom phia so War n d (‘1 5)