10/25/2012 Phoenix

The Official Campus Newspaper of Swarthmore College Since 1881 VOL. 136, ISSUE 8

The Phoenix THURSDAY, OCTOBER 25, 2012

Merrily, Merrily, Merrily: Play Promises Entertainment

TODAY: Mainly cloudy skies. High 67, Low 57.

TOMORROW: Lots of clouds. High 70, Low 54.

SWARTHMOREPHOENIX.COM

Twitter Feeds Poke Fun at Swat Culture

By DANIEL BLOCK News Writer

MARTIN FROGER-SILVA/PHOENIX STAFF

Anna Ramos strikes a pose against the piano during Wednesday evening’s rehearsal of “Merrily We Roll Along.” Directed by Jonghee Quispe, Drama Board’s mainstage musical features a cast of experience actors and will be performed Saturday at 2 p.m. and 8 p.m. and Sunday at 7 p.m. Page 8.

Sometimes-Swatties:

An In-Depth Look at How Overcommitted Students Affect Campus Clubs

As a school filled with quirks and idiosyncrasies, Swarthmore has always found its culture teased and satirized. Facebook pages like “Swatmemes” and Tumblr accounts like “Sleeping Swatties” show students have often been the first to poke fun at the college’s offbeat culture and heavy workload.

Lately, however, two Twitter feeds have taken such online lampooning beyond just memes about Sharples and images of overworked students falling asleep on their books. “Swarthmore Girl” and “Swattie Hotties” make posts critiquing Swarthmore culture and targeting specific students. Swarthmore Girl focuses on aspects of student culture, often from a female perspective, with tweets like “No, it’s not an all-girls school. No, it never was. But with the looks of the guys, it might as well be one.” Swattie Hotties, on the other hand, posts photos, often of individuals, usually with the tagline “Spotted.”

It uses an eye as its twitter photo. Both Twitter accounts are anonymous.

But in spite of the targeting and mocking of student culture, what remains surprising about the reaction is not the controversy the feeds have caused, but the lack of it. “Swarthmore Girl” follows 210 Swarthmore students and has 87 followers; it was created on May 18 of this year and since then has totaled 95 tweets. “Swattie Hotties,” on the other hand, first tweeted a little over a month ago on September 12, and already has 64 tweets. Although it does not follow anyone, it already has 42 followers.

“Swarthmore Girl seems to tweet really random, funny things,” said Sean Bryant ’13, who frequently tweets about student life. Bryant said he felt similarly about “Swattie Hotties.”

He did not have very strong opinions about the feeds.

“In my opinion it’s kind of funny,” said Elle Larsen ’15 on Swarthmore Girl, who, like Bryant, frequently tweets about student life, and is frequently re-tweeted by Swarthmore Girl.

Larsen said she treated the Twitter account as an over-exaggeration of what was happening on campus. “It’s kind of like ‘first world problems’ for Swarthmore,” she said, referring to the popular meme.

Continued on Page 5

By ALLI SHULTES Living and Arts Assistant Editor

and gets pushed to later on the theoretical schedule. With increased workload or personal stress also comes a need to chop from packed schedules — and the first ball to drop (after sleep) tends to be extracurricular commitThe Swarthmore College Student Life Team’s Well- ments.

Dean of Student Life Myrt Westphal describes the ness Packet places a heavy emphasis on taking a few moments out of every day for basic de-stressing activi- Swarthmore experience as a “giant candy store,” and ties. Wes Willison ’12 advises students to “take a Sab- Swatties typically want one of every flavor. Much like bath. Don’t do any work for a day, either for school or psychology professor Barry Schwartz’s paradox of choice — the idea that after a anything else.” Wellness Coorcertain point, too many options dinator Satya Nelms reminds actually decrease personal hapSwatties that “there is a joy to piness as people regret the opbe found in doing nothing.”

Dean of Student Life Myrt portunities they didn’t sample Patricia Fischette, LSW Post — the myriad of groups on Graudate Clinical Fellow CAPS, Westphal describes the campus can sometimes prove suggests “try[ing] to carve out Swarthmore experience as fatally tempting to students a few minutes to do something who haven’t yet learned how you enjoy for yourself.” a “giant candy store,” and much is too much to heap onto Deep breathing, reinvigoratSwatties typically want one their plates. ing yoga practices and scenic Gaps between professor and walks through the Crum are easof every flavor. student expectations can adier erased from a hectic schedule ditionally cause for an ill-manthan penciled in. Many alumni aged time budget, according to quoted in the Wellness Packet, Westphal. Overhearing senior as well as the living, breathing students on campus, have found that living a healthy colleagues discussing the overemphasis students place lifestyle often comes at the expense of some other area of on extracurriculars — and the corresponding lack of their academic experience. When a paper deadline, an preparation for class — suggested to Wesphal that stuorchestra rehearsal and a lab assignment all fall within dents don’t agree with the professor’s assumption that 8 the same calendar block, finding a moment for personal to 10 hours of their week should be devoted to a single relaxation often falls to the bottom of the priority list — course’s work.

Continued on Page 9

COURTESY OF TWITTER.COM/DUMBKIDZATSWAT

Swattie Hotties, a Twitter feed with the username @dumbkidzatswat that spots seemingly random Swatties, captured a photo of a couple entering McCabe Library.

INSIDE THIS ISSUE

NEWS FRATS AIM TO DISPEL STEREOTYPES

LIVING & ARTS YOU HEARD THAT, BUT LISTEN TO THIS

OPINIONS MOBILE INNOVATION: PERHAPS TOO MUCH?

SPORTS LATE FLURRY OF GOALS BURIES HOPKINS

Amid continuing controversy surrounding fraternities and their pledging processes across the nation, Swarthmore’s two fraternities aim to prove that this school does things differently. Page 4

Music columnist Akure Imes reviews OrchestRAP and J.Dilla’s “Donuts,” which re-invents and reimagines the intersection between hip-hop and classical genres.

Page 7

Harshil Sahai nostalgically chronicles the evolution of the mobile technology business, noting that it started with great innovation but now opens few new frontiers.

Page 12

Thanks to senior leadership, the Garnet men’s soccer team won out in a Centennial Conference match against Johns Hopkins, scoring three times in the final 15 minutes of the game. Page 14

PAGE 2

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 25, 2012

The Phoenix MARCUS MELLO, Editor in Chief MENGHAN JIN, Managing Editor The News Section KOBY LEVIN, Editor AMANDA EPSTEIN, Assistant Editor News Writers CHARLES HEPPER NEHMAT KAUR CHI ZHANG

DANIEL BLOCK SARAH COE-ODESS ANNA GONZALES PATRICK HAN The Living & Arts Section

STEVEN HAZEL, Editor ALLI SHULTES, Assistant Editor GABRIELA CAMPOVERDE, Columnist AKURE IMES, Columnist DEBORAH KRIEGER, Columnist BRAD LENOX, Columnist VIANCA MASUCCI, Columnist KIERAN REICHERT, Columnist LANIE SCHLESSINGER, Columnist DAVID TOLAND, Columnist ZOE WRAY, Columnist SAM ZHANG, Columnist ELIZABETH KRAMER, Artist RENU NADKARNI, Artist PRESTON COOPER, Puzzlemaster Living & Arts Writers TAYLOR HODGES AXEL KODAT

JEANNETTE LEOPOLD MAYRA TENORIO

ZHENGLONG ZHOU/PHOENIX STAFF

The Opinions Section PRESTON COOPER, Editor PATRICK AMMERMAN, Columnist TYLER BECKER, Columnist SEAN BRYANT, Columnist DANIELLE CHARETTE, Columnist AARON KROEBER, Columnist HARSHIL SAHAI, Columnist The Sports Section DANIEL DUNCAN, Editor ROY GREIM, Writer JENNI LU, Writer SCOOP RUXIN, Columniar JAMES IVEY, Columnist

Business Management ALLISON McKINNON, Circulation Manager AXEL KODAT, Social Media Coordinator CAMILA RYDER, Publicity Coordinator HARSHIL SAHAI, Business Manager Copy JOYCE WU, Chief Copy Editor Copy Editors ALEX BLOCKER SARAH COE-ODESS SOPHIE DIAMOND ALICE KIM

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For Fall Break, Garnet Hit the Road | Page 15

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News

In Support of Affirmative Action: Swarthmore Filed An Amicus Brief in Fisher v. University of Texas

Swarthmore has filed an amicus brief in the Supreme Court case Fisher v. University of Texas in favor of affirmative action. The case could potentially reverse the 2003 decision that made it constitutional. PAGE 3

Myrt Westphal: Associate Dean of Student Life to Retire At End of Year

Myrt Westphal, the loved Associate Dean of Student Life will be retiring at the end of the academic year to spend more time with her family in Montana.

PAGE 3

New SAT and College Prep Program in Upper Darby: Swarthmore Joins NGO Let’s Get Ready and Helps Local High School Students

Swarthmore has now joined the “Let’s Get Ready” nonprofit organization and created a tutoring site in Upper Darby’s public high school to help students with SAT and college applications. PAGE 5

Living & Arts

Missing Parts: Come With Questions, Leave With Answers

Missing Parts answers reader submitted questions relating to orgasms, anal fetishes, and much more. To submit your own questions, email vmasuccl1. PAGE 6

“Split Britches” Brings Down the House

Queer performance company “Split Britches” staged “One Night Stand”, a play that adeptly blends relationships, adultery and pie-related humor. PAGE 7

Hot Diggity Dog - Steve Levin with Allie and George Everything you’ve ever wanted to know about the bookstore dogs, Allie and George. PAGE 8

Can You Dig It?: Our Flag Still Stands for Freedom David Toland reflects on his experience with the 9/11 attacks and his personal connection with the American flag. PAGE 10

Opinons

Staff Editorial

The Phoenix argues that a rising tide of moderate Senate candidates, fueled a mass break with party among voters, could reverse the polarization stran-

gling Congress nowadays. PAGE 11

American Imperialism

Aaron reflects on the final presidential debate, arguing that it is symptomatic of a too-interventionist foreign policy advocated by both political parties.

PAGE 11

Romney Offers Presidential Demeanor

Tyler depicts Governor Romney’s debate strategy — come on strong in the first debate, look presidential in the last two — and says that it’s working. PAGE 12

A Story About Work

New columnist Andy Lee writes about work experiences in a new column, entirely in Chinese! PAGE 13

Sports

MLS Can’t Control Clubs’ Finances

While other American sports leagues can control club finances and player wages, Jamie think soccer is too global a sport for the MLS to do this successfully.

PAGE 15

Volleyball Rolls Through Fall Break Play

With three conference wins and strong tournament play, the Garnet are battle-tested going into the Centennial Conference tournament. PAGE 16

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 25, 2012

News

PAGE 3

The Phoenix

In Support of Affirmative Action Swarthmore Files Amicus Brief in Supreme Court case

By SARAH COE-ODESS News Writer

think that Swarthmore College is a highly regarded institution, and when they choose their voice to advocate for someAlong with 36 other highly selective, thing that makes sense, it helps open the private liberal arts colleges and universi- eyes of those who are misguided.”

In deciding Fisher, the Supreme Court ties, Swarthmore College filed an amicus brief with the United States Supreme could potentially overturn its own 2003 Court in the Fisher v. University of Texas Grutter v. Bollinger ruling that upheld case. The case, in which caucasian student the constitutionality of affirmative action.

“The Grutter decision created some Abigail Fisher claims that the University of Texas denied her admission because clarity in a lot of ways, because it valiof race, examines the constitutionality of dated that schools can determine how to schools’ admission consideration of race. make up their class and that diversity is a “One files an amicus brief in order to value,” LaMar said. “It’s beyond a value; ensure the Supreme Court is aware of the it’s a core.”

Bock agrees that the case deals with isbroad-reaching impact of the decision,” Assistant Vice President for Risk Man- sues that are particularly relevant to acaagement and Legal Services, Director of demic institutions such as Swarthmore.

Equal Opportunity and Title IX Coordi- He, along with LaMar and members of nator Sharmaine LaMar said. “Generally, Swarthmore’s student body, fears the I think it is a case of great importance and possible consequences that Fisher v. Unisignificance. The decision of the court versity of Texas could bring to admission is going to have broad-reaching impact of domestic students of color at Swarthacross colleges and universities all over more and across the country.

“If the ruling is in [Fisher’s] favor, it has the country, including ours.”

The brief, which is 43 pages, provides the potential to reverse the hard-earned three main arguments. The first concerns gains of our campaigns and struggles towards education,” educational instiMercedes said. “I tutions’ interest in believe that the a diverse student number of minoribody and their subThe decision of the ty applicants might sequent need to stay the same, but take diversity into court is going to have the number that account in admisadmitted will sions. The next arbroad-reaching impact get drop because only gument claims that an outstanding few schools benefit in across colleges and will get in.” many ways by havalso woring a diverse stuuniversities all over the riesLaMar about how a dent body and that that conthe Supreme Court country, including ours decision siders race in adshould recognize missions unconand protect these Sharmaine LaMar stitutional would benefits. Lastly, the Title IX Coordinator affect the idea of brief discusses that a diverse student a ruling that debody. In the event clared affirmative that the Supreme action unconstitutional would deprive academic institu- Court rules affirmative action unconstitions of necessary academic freedom and tutional, she believes schools will have to seek new ways to achieve the necessary autonomy.

“The educational benefits of a diverse diversity, which LaMar thinks will be a and inclusive educational community challenge.

Paul Cato ’14, Co-Advocate of Achievcan and may include enhanced pedagogy, new curricular advancements and a bet- ing Black & Latino Leaders of Excellence ter learning environment for students be- (ABLLE) is also happy at Swarthmore’s cause they are able to interact with those involvement in the case.

“Our country seems to be moving different than themselves in intellectual, cultural, religious and social ways,” Vice closer and closer towards adopting a President and Dean of Admissions Jim post-racial view of the world, in which the Bock said. “These benefits prepare gradu- impact and importance of race is not unates to become more productive leaders derstood, acknowledged or appreciated,” in a complex and ever-changing society.” Cato said. “Cases like this run the risk of LaMar argues that diversity is not only pushing us down this path all the more as essential to classroom learning, but is also our government will have frowned upon prominent in other atmospheres on cam- the consideration of race when making decisions.” pus.

Swarthmore’s admission process, Bock “When you achieve [a diverse community], the diversity can be experienced by explained, is holistic and considers mulstudents in the classroom, in the relation- tiple factors when considering a student’s ships they build, in the experiences they application. While race can be a factor have while here at the college, whether in the decision to admit an applicant, it it’s service related, inside the classroom, is never the sole determinant; neither are test scores or grades. or outside the classroom,” she said.

“We are committed to a comprehenEnlace Co-President Dilcia Mercedes ’15, who thinks that Swarthmore’s efforts sive review of each individual file, and to achieve student diversity are effective in fact, Justice [Sandra Day] O’Connor to an extent, is pleased that the college referenced the liberal arts approach to was among the schools that participated admissions in the majority opinion in the in the amicus brief. Enlace is an organiza- most recent Grutter case,” Bock said.

The case was presented in front of the tion for Latino and Hispanic students.

“It’s nice to see that Swarthmore backs Supreme Court on October 12. A deciup what they say, at least when it comes to sion is expected sometime before the end something big like this case,” she said. “I of term in June.

KATY MONTOYA/PHOENIX STAFF

Myrt Westphal will be retiring this summer after working at Swarthmore for 25 years.

Myrt Westphal to Retire at End of Academic Year

By NEHMAT KAUR News Writer

As seniors on campus go through the bittersweet experience of completing their last year at Swarthmore, there’s another member of Swarthmore’s community who is also getting ready to leave. On October 10, Dean of Students Liz Braun announced in an email that Myrt Westphal, Associate Dean of Student Life, will retire in July 2013 after 25 years of working at the college.

On being asked what brought about her decision to retire now, Dean Westphal, who joined the college in 1987, said, “It was a combination of things. I spent the summer traveling and spent time with my grandsons who are six and eight. It made me realize that if I want to know them better I need to spend more time with them. I also realized that the very first number on my car’s odometer has changed to a seven, which means it’s probably time to retire.”

Dean Westphal, who sold her house in Swarthmore two years ago in anticipation of her retirement, now plans to move to Missoula, Montana, to be closer to her family, especially her grandsons.

While she expressed excitement about the move, describing a leisurely fall break as a preview of life to come, she added, “I love this job and I’m aware that this may be the end of my career in higher education. It took a while to be okay with this decision since an important part of my life is coming to an end.”

In her email to the student body, Dean Braun stated that Dean Westphal “is always the first person to step forward to pitch in and help out wherever she is needed. For these and so many reasons

Dean Westphal will be deeply missed, but I am confident that her legacy of leadership will live on here at Swarthmore.”

In her time here, Dean Westphal has collected an array of experiences and relationships. She recalled her role in a Vertigo-go show about mice as a particularly memorable one and also recounted an embarrassing incident from her time as Housing Dean. She said, “There was one year that the housing department decided to create more blocks for the lottery but we forgot to specify that some were only for juniors and seniors. As a result, rising sophomores ended up with all the singles. Eventually, we had to redo the lottery.”

Speaking of her time at Swarthmore, she said, “I love the Swarthmore way.

We’re a place that lives our values, so it was easy to work here. I never had to go against my values or the college’s during my time here. I love the students; it’s a population that keeps growing and getting better.”

As Associate Dean of Student Life, Dean Westphal is close to the resident assistants on campus. Seth Udelson ’13, an RA in Wharton, spoke of her retirement: “Myrt has worked closely with the RAs, providing invaluable advice and perspective. I think I speak for the entire group when I say that Myrt is one of the most caring people at Swarthmore and we are incredibly sad to see her go. Her steady compassion and understanding will not easily be replaced.”

On a closing note, Dean Westphal stated, “Being a trusted advisor to the Dean’s office was a very fulfilling job; it helped me give back and help others with their careers just the way I was mentored when I first joined. I’m now looking forward to a good, new life ahead of me.”

News

PAGE 4

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 25, 2012

The Phoenix

Phi Psi and DU Aim To Dispel Fraternity Stereotypes Online Petition Calls For a School-Wide Referendum

ZHENGLONG ZHOU/THE PHOENIX

By ANNA GONZALES News Writer Amid charges of discrimination and recurring hazing allegations, schools such as the University of Alabama, where almost 40 percent of students belong to Greek organizations, have canceled pledging activities this fall. At Princeton University, in an effort to curb excessive and underage drinking, freshmen have been banned from pledging fraternities or sororities and from attending Greek social events.

Opponents of Greek organizations at Swarthmore recently voiced their opinions on fraternities in the comments section of an online petition, circulated through Facebook, which called for a school-wide referendum on the establishment of a sorority on campus. Students cited exclusivity and dangerous pledging activities as major components of the negative influence of fraternities and sororities on campus.

As about 50 Swarthmore students begin to join fraternities this fall, leadership of both Delta Upsilon and Phi Psi maintain that their pledge processes and their fraternities as a whole differ completely from the typical national fraternity and are free of traditional elements of exclusivity and hazing.

Those opposed to Greek life on campus and concerned with the influence of fraternity culture on social life at Swarthmore remain convinced of its exclusivity. In the comments section of the sorority referendum petition, Hope Brinn ‘15 wrote, “Quaker colleges have a history of disallowing Greek life on campus because of their exclusionary (racist, sexist, homophobic, transphobic, classist) histories.”

Anonymous commentators, meanwhile, repeatedly mentioned “the exclusionary nature of the Greek system in general” and “the clique-ish nature of Greek life.”

But members of both Phi Psi and Delta Upsilon said that a mentality of inclusivity — in terms of race, sexual orientation, socioeconomic backgrounds, and extracurricular interests — differentiates the pledging process and the fraternity experience at Swarthmore from that of other schools.

Phi Psi President Mike Girardi ‘13 explained that the fraternity does not issue bids to students — offering membership if they go through the pledging process — by any exclusionary criteria. “When we’re talking about who we want to be in our fraternity, we don’t talk about the color of their skin, how much money they make, what sports they play, or how they orient sexually,” he said. Girardi remarked that Phi Psi has included gay and bi-

sexual members and that none of these factors affect the fraternity’s decisions. Instead, the brothers look at the character and demonstrated interest of potential brothers. He said that any student who demonstrated any interest over the rushing period in being part of the fraternity would undoubtedly receive a bid.

“We’re not an exclusive, closed-door society,” Girardi said.

Phi Psi Social Chair Eddie Montenegro ‘13 feels that fellow students tend to gather misconceptions about fraternity brothers which do not apply to the Swarthmore organization.

He mentioned that he was disturbed by an article in a student publication that deemed Phi Psi “a homogenous group of white boys.”

Montenegro recounted that after the article, “One of our members laid out the makeup of the fraternity — socioeconomic, racial, campus activities — and if you really look at it on paper, we are one of the most diverse groups on campus.”

Delta Upsilon is similarly inclusive of a wide variety of Swarthmore students, according to Pledge Master Aaron Moser ‘13. He mentioned that the fraternity rarely seeks out or recruits its members, and instead issues bids to those who attend rush events and demonstrate interest. Moser feels that the exclusionary nature of fraternities does not pertain to Swarthmore organizations, and noted that, as in Phi Psi, the only criteria for joining is a genuine interest in being part of the brotherhood.

Isaac Epstein ‘14, another Delta Upsilon officer, added depth to this inclusivity of diverse individuals. “There’s no category in which someone would tick a box that would not allow them to be a brother,” he said, noting that any student who identifies as male can join the fraternity. “We never want anyone to be in a position where they feel like something is stopping them from pledging, something about themselves, anything,” Epstein said.

Delta Upsilon also recognizes that the financial costs of membership, in the form of monthly dues to finance social events and upkeep of the fraternity house, can be draining for some students. Epstein said that the organization does not want financial concerns to ever preclude joining the fraternity. To combat this, Delta Upsilon President Sean Mangus ‘13 explained that a national Delta Upsilon organization and alumni support enable the Swarthmore chapter to provide scholarships for dues and flexible payment options.

In addition to inclusivity, the officers of both Greek organizations said that their pledging processes, integral to the fraternity experience, are fundamentally different from those of national fraternities due to a lack of hazing.

Girardi was initially apprehensive about

the pledging process and believed he would that they were conscious as a brotherhood not join a Swarthmore fraternity, as his broth- of the fact that students can feel vulnerable er pledged at Vanderbilt University and re- or pressured in a pledging situation, and that counted numerous horror stories. “The stories they are careful to talk to and restrain pledges about pledging were nightmarish, things that I individually from exceeding their limits, to would never even consider doing, things like make sure they are going through the process paddling, crawling on broken glass, getting in a healthy fashion, especially with alcohol burnt with cigarette butts, things that I would consumption. “No matter what we do, we alwant nothing to do with,” Girardi said, adding ways have many sober brothers watching evthat his brother’s pledge masters modeled the erything,” Mangus said. As in Phi Psi, several process upon the Chinese Red Army manual Delta Upsilon brothers are members of DART. for psychological torture.

The pledge masters supervise each event while After speaking to older members of Phi sober, and a Party Associate is on hand as Psi, Girardi was convinced that pledging at well.

Swarthmore would be an entirely different Some students feel that there is still reason experience, which he found to be true. “Even to be concerned about the pledging process, in the broadest sense of the word, I wouldn’t even if Swarthmore’s fraternities do not condescribe any event we duct traditional hazing do as hazing,” he said. activities.

Girardi explained that While Maya Marto prevent any miszouk ‘13 acknowledged Even in the broadtreatment of pledges, that she does not think Phi Psi creates brotherSwarthmore fraterniest sense of the word, I rush pairs for its pledgties’ pledging processes ing events, matching a are as physically dangerwouldn’t describe any current brother and a ous and psychologically pledge. He also said that demanding as those at event we do as hazing. brothers who are memschools with a large embers of the Drug and There’s never anything phasis on Greek life, she Alcohol Response Team has significant reservadangerous about it.

(DART) are always tions about several eleon hand during rush. ments of pledging. MarMike Girardi ’13 “There’s never anything zouk expressed concern dangerous about it,” Giwith lax administrative Phi Psi President rardi concluded. oversight of the pledgSimilarly, Moser asing process. serted that Delta UpsiWhile she apprecilon does not participate ates that Swarthmore is in hazing. “From my understanding of hazing, largely tolerant of underage drinking, she is it’s very psychological, and it’s threatening, de- concerned that if the amounts of alcohol conmeaning, and demoralizing. We don’t do any sumption, already a major factor of pledging, of that,” Moser said. escalate to a dangerous level, there are no auEpstein elaborated on the psychological thority figures in place to step in. power dynamic characteristic of pledging a Marzouk also believes that current fraternifraternity. “In other fraternities, the pledge ty brothers are somewhat at fault for endangerprocess is about creating an environment in ing the welfare of pledges, who she said were which the existing brothers are dominant and mostly freshmen. “I don’t think freshmen are in a position of power, and the pledges are in a familiar with alcohol when they get to Swarthposition of submission and are supposed to be more, and I think it’s really irresponsible for a afraid,” Epstein said. bunch of older guys to tell freshmen to drink He feels that this is antithetical to the pur- a lot of alcohol … We don’t need an alcoholpose of being in a fraternity, and explained related death or injury,” Marzouk said. that while older Delta Upsilon brothers like As the pledging process continues throughto be respected by pledges, they are extremely out the fall and winter, it remains to be seen cautious to avoid creating an environment in if fraternity members can dispel widely-held which pledges fear the process or their broth- conceptions of exclusivity and disassociate ers. Mangus added that the Delta Upsilon their organizations from typical notions of pledge process is free of traditional hazing- hazing. Additionally, the introduction of a sorelated ultimatums in the form of coercion or rority on campus this spring will provide new threats of bodily harm. opportunities to examine and perhaps redefine The leadership of Delta Upsilon also said traditional notions of Greek life.

News

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 25, 2012

PAGE 5

The Phoenix

‘Twitter’, continued from page 1 Indeed, Swattie Hotties’s most frequent subject, Gregory Nisbet, was also one of its strongest defenders. Nisbet, referred to as “Haverboy” on the site, is a junior from Haverford spending the year at Swarthmore.

Nisbet is frequently pictured in his rugby shorts, a robe, and in one recent photo, shirtless. But while the photos may be conventionally unflattering, Nisbet does not care.

“I don’t mind having my picture taken,” he said, adding that it “doesn’t impact my life in any material way.” In fact, Nisbet seems to enjoy being featured. “It’s kind of nice,” he said. “Sometimes, I will pose for them if I see the person taking the picture.”

But while there may not be current controversy or problems stemming from the feeds, not everyone agrees that they are benign and that the community should not be concerned.

“I think they’re both crossing a line,” said Miriam Goldstein, ’13, the head of Speak 2 Swatties, the school’s peer-counseling and mentoring program.

“I think that if I saw a picture of me up there, and I hadn’t known it was being taken, I would have been upset,” she added. “So I do think it’s ridiculous. I don’t think it’s all in fun.”

“I don’t get it. I just didn’t find it that funny,” said Mia Ferguson ’15, another member of Speak 2 Swatties. “People are being ridiculed in a way that I don’t think we would find acceptable in a day-to-day physical interaction.”

Larsen, too, did not find Swattie Hotties amusing, even if she likes Swarthmore Girl. “The eye on Swat I think is little creepy, considering it comes with pictures. I feel like that’s kind of an invasion of privacy,” she said.

Goldstein and Ferguson emphasized the fact that they saw potential risk in the Twitter feeds, despite Nisbet’s lack of qualms with his role, and despite the fact that they currently are not causing trouble.

Ferguson argued that if the community decides to accept the Twitter account because the account’s primary target does not have an issue with it, it sets a dangerous precedent. “It’s an attitude that we’re condoning,” she said. “That means that someone who perhaps isn’t okay with that will have a negative repercussion.”

Furthermore, as Ferguson pointed out, it is not readily clear to onlookers that Nisbet effectively consented. “As an individual observing it, I wasn’t able to see that yes, he’s

okay with this,” she said.

But some feel that bullying is something that has to be considered in context. “Bullying typically is considered to be an act of intimidation,” said David Ramirez, a psychologist and the Director of Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS), who added that whether or not people were being bullied in this case “would have to be decided by the objects.”

In Ramirez’s opinion, Nisbet’s experience is far from bullying. “Not only is this guy not bullied, he doesn’t care. In fact, it’s the opposite. He’s posing. So he’s definitely not being bullied,” he said.

Nisbet admits that he is particularly difficult to upset, and does not speak for everyone. But he does not think the photos in and of themselves constitute a problem. If people are offended by their inclusion, he says, then there is reason to take action and remove the posts. But otherwise, Nisbet sees no reason.

“If you don’t like seeing the content, then feel free to look away,” he said.

All of this raises the question, should the Swarthmore community be concerned?

For some, the answer is yes. “Normally, here, we kind of embrace the weird. But this doesn’t seem to be embracing that,” said Ferguson. “We have a responsibility to our peers to protect them,” she added. And some tweets from both accounts do attack or mock the school and its culture.

But for others, the answer is no. “I don’t really take Twitter very seriously,” said Larsen, who said she herself likes to use sarcasm and inside jokes in her tweets. While she concedes “it is pretty difficult to be sarcastic on the Internet,” leaving room for interpretation, she does not think that the intent of these accounts is malicious. “I take it more as a lighthearted release.”

Some, including Ramirez, even saw positive in the tweets. “It’s funny,” he said, reacting to one tweet from Swarthmore Girl that says, “Hey I just met you. And this is crazy.

You’re not attractive. But I’m desperate and lazy.”

Sometimes, he added, “It seems like it’s a way of poking fun at themselves.”

“Swarthmore is an odd community. But that’s what makes it so great at the same time,” said Bryant, who concluded that the ability to joke about the school’s odd aspects is important to what the college is. “It doesn’t make Swarthmore a bad place. It doesn’t make it really weird or off-putting.

It’s just what makes Swarthmore, well, Swarthmore.”

New SAT and College Prep Program in Upper Darby Launches

By CHI ZHANG News Writer Every Monday and Wednesday afternoon at 5:30 p.m., as many people are eating dinner, classes are starting for six Swarthmore students. At that time, they are in Upper Darby’s public high school, a 20 minute car ride away from Swarthmore, tutoring SAT math, reading and writing, and helping seniors with college applications.

This semester marks the start of Swarthmore students joining Let’s Get Ready, a nonprofit organization started by Harvard University students in 1994. Upper Darby is one of the many sites at which the organization chose to provide free tutoring services.

“We specifically target students in underserved areas, like students from low-income families,” said Daniel Moon ’15, one of the co-directors of the program at Upper Darby High School.

Tierra Fowler ’15, the other co-director, believes everyone should have a chance to go to college. As someone raised in Chichester, a town near Upper Darby, Fowler said, “I understand the area and the kind of students who go there. I just really want to help out because a lot of these students do not know about the college application process and most things we all know about.”

Tutoring 35 Upper Darby High School seniors, 12 Swarthmore volunteer coaches are divided into two groups, one for the reading and writing sections, and one for the math section. Each section meets three hours once a week, from 5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.

“This teaching experience is much different from what I have done in the past, which consisted of one to one sessions,” said Angela Oh ’15, the head math coach of the Upper Darby program. “I have learned how important a positive attitude is to the classroom and how ... prepared a teacher should be.”

Now with a class of six, Oh teaches the students SAT math topics like algebra and

geometry. When teaching, Oh emphasizes the importance of doing practice problems and sometimes asks students to come up to the board and teach the class.

The biggest challenge for Oh at the beginning was understanding her students’ responses. “I want to move on to the next topic only if 100 percent of the students understand everything, but sometimes, the students will say they understand when they really don’t,” she said. “I had to learn how to ask the right type of questions to see if they understand.”

Oh hopes to see more participants in the program as “I feel we are really able to make a difference in our students’ lives as teachers as well as friendly mentors,” she said.

Each three-hour tutoring session contains three parts: an hour and fifteen minutes of SAT prep, a short snack time and a college prep session which includes guidance on topics ranging from choosing colleges to writing essays, according to Moon.

Currently, the group is trying to bring a financial aid information session to the students and to organize a college campus tour.

“There are different types of students within a single school environment,” said Moon. To help the students to their maximum level, Moon believes it’s important to “keep your mind open; you need to have different strategies to help them.” The 35 students took a diagnostic test before class started and students with similar level were put into the same class.

“It’s awesome to see that the students are very dedicated. They are all very intelligent in a lot of different ways,” said Fowler.

Moon shares Fowler’s sentiment. “It really doesn’t matter what social class you come from. Every single student is willing to learn. It’s just some students don’t have the means to get help. It’s really important that you reach out as much as possible to help them.”

“Students walk out of the classroom and say ‘thank you’ to you. That feels great. It feels like you are making a difference,” Moon said.

If it was easy, you wouldn’t be interested.

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Visit our website for a list of open house and on-line information sessions education.jhu.edu/counseling-fellows soe.counseling@jhu.edu 1-877-JHU-SOE1

Living & Arts

PAGE 6

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 25, 2012

The Phoenix

Sex Ed 101: Swatties Seek Sex Solutions Vianca Imparts Knowledge of Orgasms, Anal Physiology

This week is dedicated to reader questions. Feel free to send along any of your questions about sex, relationships, sexuality, or sexual health. The nastier, the better.

The tamer, the better. Anything you got, I’ll answer. You can submit questions anonymously by sending me an email directly or by just asking me in person. You’re promised my strictest confidentiality.

Question: I’m 21 and I’ve never had an orgasm!!! I know that it’s harder for women to orgasm, but all my friends constantly talk about how great the sex is that their having and about the all the orgasms they have. It makes me feel incompatible and like something is wrong with me! All my boyfriends have tried to find my g spot and perform oral but nothing works! The most recent guy I’ve been sleeping with can last a long time in bed but even the extended sex sessions don’t bring about orgasm. Is my vagina broken!?!? I don’t know how to fix it!

Any advice?

Your vagina is not a tinker toy — if it doesn’t shake when it’s wound up, that doesn’t mean that it’s broken. Vaginas are as individualistic as the people they belong to. So, just because your friends overflow their pink pipes regularly doesn’t mean that you should perceive your inability to do so abnormal. In fact, a large chunk of women in America have never had any kind of orgasm, fewer women have experienced orgasm through penetration only, and far fewer women have experienced female ejaculation. The statistics are all over, but one study estimated as many as 36 percent of women in America have never reached orgasm. You are not alone.

I know that it can be frustrating when your slobbering bulldog won’t behave. But you can’t expect to give your pink puppy unprecedented commands and receive obedience. The key to taming it is training it. I always say that sex with a partner is more pleasurable when you’re well practiced in auto-sex. The reason for this is because you’re able to discover what you find pleasurable, practice those things on yourself, and train your body to respond to those actions. It seems as though you’ve been depending on your lovers to make you come, but you’ve never spent some time in the hole yourself. What you need is some good ol’ fashioned masturbation.

It can be a bit difficult to come under the gaze or expectation of a lover. Especially if you’ve never had an orgasm and you’re working yourself into a frenzy over it , which, judging by your excessive use of exclamation points, you are. Just calm down and take some stress-free touchy time for yourself.

Because of the difficulties you’ve been having, I suggest focusing primarily on the clitoris, at least in the beginning. Many women who have trouble with climaxing find that focused stimulation helps them get over the hump (and onto another).

Exclusively stimulate your clitoris -- feel around to see what feels nice. Once you find a particular spot, focus your physical stimulation there. You may opt to use a vibrator or some textured materials to aid on your solo excursion to the slushy South Pole. That’s fine. In fact, women who are usually harder to get off cannot come without some more intensive stimulation.

I suggest buying a small bullet vibrator — you can find one on Amazon for less than ten bucks — or covering your hand with a textured cloth. You can also try changing positions. As you’ll see, a change in position can greatly alter the experience of a sensation. Another thing that will help you tremendously is some smutty material or thoughts. The more turned on you are, the easier you’ll get off.

Only trial and errection will allow you to discover what works for you. Once you have your first orgasm, note the conditions of this orgasm and try to replicate them

another day. Try to discover what exactly is doing it for you — is it the position, the vibration, the fantasy — and make some clit-cliff-notes for your future or current partner(s). For further advice on masturbation, see my column on self-love on the Phoenix website.

Lastly, don’t worry so much about it.

Your professor isn’t going to judge your kitty petting abilities (unless you stumble into my wildest fantasies). There are no consequences for taking some time to figure out your body, only benefits.

Think of this as a fun and sexy task that will ultimately lead to something wonderful. You’ll know just how wonderful soon enough.

Question: How many penises fit into a butt?

Is this a riddle? A math problem? Well, butt sex isn’t Jenga and it sure as hell isn’t calculus. There is no calculation that I can give you that will provide the ratio of penises in anus by square ass.

If you’re asking because you’re serious about having multiple penises in your ass, all I can say is that you need to discover your own threshold. My suggestion is to work on your (or whose ever’s) butt skills.

You should be in good practice for basic anal sex before you start trying more extreme things. It is possible, with lots of practice, to get your anus to stretch to amazing girths during sexual intercourse.

But, you’re definitely not gonna want to try this casually or without working up to this moment of multiple cocks in the pit. It’s difficult enough to get one penis up there, nevermind multiple penises.

So, just work on that for a while. Start by regularly inserting an average sized dildo into the ass. You may also want to use a butt plug for a few hours a day to acclimate your sphincter to this type of workout. Increase size as the weeks go on. Have lots of patience and lots of lube. On that magical day when your fantasy comes true, it will be important to start slowly, relax, and ease into the process, inch by inch, dick by dick. For finer details on anal sex, refer to my column on penetrative sex on the Phoenix website.

Believe it or not, taking time to get your ass in shape may not be the hardest thing with a fetish like this. The trickier part will be finding a group of guys that are willing to allow their wangs to be painfully smushed together by your anal sphincter.

You may opt to use multiple dildos instead — possibly operated by many people. I don’t know if that will have the same effect on your sexual psyche, but it may be worth a try as this is a harder to realize fantasy.

If this alternative doesn’t please you, you should seek advice from others who share your fantasy and have been able to satisfactorily realized it. A community of people with this exact fetish does exists (as does porn, I’m sure) somewhere on the internet. Get your hands a little dirty and do some research. Google: ‘anal gangbang’, ‘brutal anal’, or ‘extreme deep ass stretching’ and see where the these sites take you. You can find instruction guides, appreciation blogs, or, really, anything else you would (and even something that you would not) want to find concerning this fetish through message boards. You might also find willing participants/contemporaries/like-minded friends/generally interested parties in communities that fetishize humiliation, pain, and deification.

Set a wide net.

Having said all that, if you just wrote in for my estimate on the average butt and not an answer concerning kink, I would say no more than two penises of average girth.

Question: If you could sleep with anyone on campus, who would it be?

Any of my professors — I like my partners sadistic.

OUTSIDE the BUBBLE

By CAMI RYDER

Terror Behind the Walls at Eastern State Penitentiary Now—November 11 Eastern State Penitentiary

Looking for the ultimate haunted house?

How about one in a prison? The Eastern State Penitentiary is hosting its world famous Halloween fright fest, “Terror Behind the Walls,” which features special effects and lighting straight out of Hollywood, scary sounds and lots of freaky props. The event also includes six different attractions, featuring over 200 actors who will surely give you the chills as you roam through the haunted grounds of the former prison. Running until Nov. 10, this is one Halloween event you don’t want to miss.

Ticket prices start at $20 and depend on the date you attend, but this Sunday there is a student special of $16. Tickets are also cheaper if purchased online. Visit their website for more information on tickets, a preview of the attraction and even video clips of “Ghost Hunters” featuring the Penitentiary: www.easternstate.org/halloween.

COURTESY OF CHERRYHILL.INJERSEY.COM

Vampires, Sex, Ghosts and More: A Spooky Twilight Tour of Philly’s Dark Past Independence Hall Visitor Center

If you’re into the gritty, sordid and spooky side of Philadelphia, then check out the Grim Philly Twilight tour that takes you on a journey through over two dozen historical sites. Voted as the best tour of the city and led by Rider University professor Joe Wojie, the tour highlights “seedy scenes of former gallows, the red light district, the slave auction blocks” as well as pirate ghost ships and mass unmarked graves. This is an Rrated event, so definitely leave the kids at home. The tour begins at the Independence Hall Visitor Center and runs for 90 minutes. Tickets are $20, but GoldStar Events is offering a 50% discount this week. Visit www.grimphilly. com and www.goldstar. com/events/philadelphia-pa COURTESY OF HOWSTUFFWORKS.COM to learn more.

Autumn and Halloween Treats at Franklin Fountain & Shane Confectionery Second & Market Streets

For those of you craving the sweeter side to Halloween, celebrate the flavors of fall at Franklin Fountain with delicious pumpkin ice cream and their Great Pumpkin Sundae, or try their homemade spiced apple cider. The old-fashioned ice cream parlor is also offering up many other sweet fall treats, on top of their regular menu.

The Shane Confectionery — the Fountain’s candy store sibling located right next door — has a bevy of Halloween treats, inCOURTESY OF PHILADELPHIA.FOOBOOZ.COM cluding jelly pumpkins, pumpkin spice caramels, pumpkin spice buttercream and sugar skulls for Dia de Los Muertos (Day of the Dead). Stop by their location at Second and Market Streets.

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 25, 2012

Living & Arts

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The Phoenix

You Heard That, But Listen to This

J. Dilla’s ‘Donuts’ Blends Hip-Hop and Orchestra To Create Genre-Less Sound The world of music moves so fast that just to keep up with new artists albums, producers and their various projects is a full time job in itself. As a music columnist, I am moved to jump on the bandwagon and give my expert opinion on the buzziest most anticipated album release since September, when ‘Lupe Fiasco’s Food and Liquor 2: The AKURE Great American Rap Album Pt. 1’ hit ears and minds. On October 23, IMES Kendrick Lamar of Compton Cali Music Munchies finally presented to the world his first full-length album ‘good kid, m.A.A.d City’. In the haste to answer the question of whether or not the album will take a spot as a classic in months and years to come, music critics and loyal fans have already scored it and appropriated his most witty, thought-provoking lyrics –“Money trees is the perfect place for shade and, that’s just how I feel”. In the coming weeks, listeners will be considering a new question: Did he retain the richness of his originality and, at the same time, deliver material appealing enough to attract the masses, bring in dollars, numbers, and fulfill chart forecasts? You know how it goes. Yes! Thankfully for Lamar, all of buzz has been positive, folks seem pleased, and it is well-deserved. But y’all out there will come across reviews and be the purveyors of his best songs. I wanna kill the trend of how certain new music drives people to a frenzy, too often trampling over equally timeless projects and quieting them. I call this, Review Of A Worthy Sound Guaranteed: Now That’s A Five Star Hit. Last week, I shared the overwhelming sentiment of gratitude most Swatties expressed. Fall break is the lovely reunification of self and free time! Hours to devote to drowning in good tunes and finally embarking on the long-neglected project of importing CDs. An interview with Tom Ashbrook of NPR program On Point, Los Angeles DJ and Electric Composer Flying Lotus led me to stumble, again, upon the documented musical genius of Mr. James Dewitt Yancey, better known as J. Dilla. Here’s a lil context: J. Dilla, or Jay Dee, is respected as one of hip-hop’s most renownedly talented music producers.

He has shaped the projects of artists including De La Soul, Busta Rhymes, Common, The Roots and Erykah Badu. But his influences are immeasurably vast. Artists from Immortal Technique and Ladybug Mecca of Digable Planets, to those in the G.O.O.D. Music camp have made notable musical tributes to the record producer, his work, and even his family. Kanye West (often compared to Dilla) is quoted in the Donuts insert: “Dilla is a drum god. His drums can’t ever be topped.” Rapper, DJ and producer Pete Rock also gave props in an April 2011 interview with Grind Music Radio. He ranked Dilla as one of the top five producers of all time, alongside DJ Premiere.

After the interview, the only move to make was cop Donuts. The 31-track EP was released in 2006 on his 32nd birthday and three days before his death from lupus. He created much of the work while in the hospital.

It is all purely instrumentals and J. Dilla. The shortness of each track–only a few make it over two minutes – evoke the feeling of being in play-mode when the screen suddenly goes fuzzy. With the start of each track the feeling is renewed, and evokes images of Dilla in the hospital bed with turntables and records creating music until his last moments. The minute and change tracks are an indication of Dilla’s dedication to his craft.

The album is characterized by his use of samples from the 60s to the 90s. In “Two Can Win”, Dilla uses the vocals of a young MJ, returning us to the soulful and angelically pure voice that led the Jackson 5, “Only one can win, only one can wiiin...o-o-o-O-Only”. He lets your ears marinate on the best sounds in tracks like ‘One for Ghost’. “Take me across her lap, she used to used to whip me with strap when I was baaaad..baa..aaadd.” Again and again he teases your ears with the unusual, yet insatiable sound of a woman’s voice reminiscent of a sheep. The third song you must put on repeat is “Walkinonit.” Dilla uses a broken beat of the song, “Walk On By” recorded in 1973 by The Undisputed Truth of Motown Records.

The original cut, recorded in 1963 by Dionne Warwick, lacks the slow melancholy feel achieved through what sounds like violin vibrato in The Undisputed Truth version.

Track 11, “Gobstopper,” is memorable as well if you are up on Dilla’s prior discography. An orchestral interpretation of the song is featured on a tribute to Dilla released in November 2010. It brought me back to when I first fell in love with the Dilla sound.

It was time to browse for a new joint that was able to wear out my speakers, but good enough for a mind feeding on biscuits of infinite buttery strata. Moods Music is one of the most modern and chic, yet down-to-earth indie record stores in Atlanta. As I reached for a CD another caught my attention and later proved to disprove a particular cliche. The white case, built like a hardback book, signaled the immaculate goodness inside. Mochilla Presents Timeless: Suite For Ma Dukes is a chamber music style remake of .

The Suite for Ma Dukes project began in 2007 and was headed by Carlos Niño and Miguel Atwood-Ferguson. The two gathered brass, wind and string musicians from all over the country. On Februrary 22, 2009, the full suite was performed at CalState in front of a live audience and the EP is a live recording of that night. Proceeds from the album went to Dilla’s mother, affectionately referred to as Ma Dukes.

When you go to the symphony, the music hall is overwhelmed with Bach, Beethoven and Mozart. I found that something in this experience was missing. Though I enjoyed the variety of instruments and ingenious composition that create harmonious, robust tones, there was no backbone to attach myself to. Thankfully, Untitled/ Fantastic brought it all together. It wasn’t classical and it wasn’t hip-hop, but somewhere caught in between the two. Artists today often use bands during live shows, but record laying has given wayto a lot of digitized musicianship.

From blends of everyday sounds, oldies samples, a range of undigitized instruments and vocals, grows numerous branches of genre-less music. I never cease to be amazed by the way in which my roots in Black music of the Diaspora – jazz, reggae, salsa, funk and hip-hop – have allowed me to appreciate generally unrelated genres like rock and classical. And with that I say, “thanks for the donuts Dilla!” Now go indulge in yours.

Tuesday’s ‘One Night Stand’

Split Britches Engages Audience, Subverts Gender Norms

By JEANETTE LEOPOLD Living & Arts Writer

What’s a performance without crossdressing, photographing each member of the audience, and eating an entire raw lemon?

Straight theater.

And theater that has all of these things? Well, it must be “One Night Stand” by the lesbian performance company Split Britches.

Split Britches performs ‘One Night Stand.’

Split Britches, a troupe comprised of Peggy Shaw, Lois Weaver and Deb Margolin, came to the Frear in LPAC on Tuesday evening to give Swatties a taste of queer performance and an evening free of political correctness.

Shaw and Weaver were the actresses of the show; Margolin was not here this evening, though she did come last year to give a staged reading of her play “Imagining Madoff.”

“One Night Stand” started with Shaw, dressed in a suit and of indeterminate

COURTESY OF SWARTHMORE.EDU

gender, sitting in the audience, while Weaver, dressed in a skirt and clearly female, walking through the audience, taking a picture of and making a proclamation to each audience member.

Weaver then started singing a crude song that was full of allusions to lesbian sex, and asked the audience to sing with her by supplying the obvious word that finished each couplet. The audience did begin to sing along, if somewhat nervously. The entire show was geared towards audience engagement; the lights were up on the audience as well as the stage, and the actresses addressed the audience regularly. Later in the show, Weaver came onstage as another character and told the audience that she wanted to know something.

“Can’t you tell me anything that I need to know right now?” she asked the audience again and again. No one spoke. She started addressing individuals, asking them the same question. The invariable answer was, “No.” “You go to this fancy school!” she told the audience. “Don’t you know anything?”

Though Weaver was funny, Shaw was the superior actress in this production.

From the moment she started to speak, she was captivating. Her voice teetered on the wall separating male from female, and at times she sounded like a man and a woman at the same time.

Her gestures were sharp, her mannerisms endearing in their slowness and carefulness.

“One Night Stand” did not have a defined plot; rather, as the actresses themselves said, it was a collection of some of their favorite bits from various shows. The title derives from a scene in the middle of the show, in which the actresses show what adultery looks like in America, England, and France.

“I feel so guilty that I’d say we

shouldn’t do it, but I’ve already bought the hotel room,” Shaw says in the American version. In their English version they are very polite and uptight, and at the end Shaw says, “Shall we go, then?”

In the French version they moan about not having Margaret, Weaver’s girlfriend, with them, and say that they will have to do it without her but it just “won’t be the same.”

Following these three scenes, in which it is again (seemingly purposefully) unclear whether Shaw is playing a woman or a man, the two sit next to each other and Weaver suggests to Shaw that they sleep with other people as a way to “Spice things up.” After much convincing, Shaw says, “Fine.”

“I’m already having an affair,” Weaver tells her.

There follows a bit of clowning, in which Shaw tells Weaver that Weaver doesn’t know what funny is, and Weaver tries to show that she does know by pulling pranks on Shaw; she pulls off Shaw’s shirtsleeves, she squirts Shaw with water, and she attempts to throw a shaving cream pie in Shaw’s face.

Each time Weaver pulled a prank the audience sat uncomfortably until Shaw said “That wasn’t funny,” at which point the audience would roar with laughter.

The pranks culminated with the shaving cream pie, which Shaw shoved in Weaver’s face and which resulted in gales of laughter from the audience.

The hilarity of the end of the piece made up for its meager beginnings. The first half of the show was interesting in its innovation but lacked in movement.

The bits and pieces that are the actresses’ favorites might work better in their fuller form, but did not have momentum in this piece and fell flat.

The excellent clowning at the show’s close, however, was fantastic enough to leave me wanting more.

Living & Arts

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THURSDAY, OCTOBER 25, 2012

The Phoenix

Hot Diggity Dog: Steve Levin, Ali and George

JULIA CARLETON/PHOENIX STAFF

By GABRIELA CAMPOVERDE Living & Arts Writer

Meet Steve Levin, the friendly man you see on your trips to the bookstore and the textbook and tradebook manager, and his two black Labrador Retrievers, Ali and George.

BACK TO THE BEGINNING: Steve met Ali and George at different shelters. Ali, who is 12 years old, was rescued from a shelter in Southern Maryland when she was two. George, soon to be five on Halloween, came from a small animal group in Ridgely, Maryland. Steve has been in the company of dogs since he was a young boy; his family owned Miniature Schnauzers, and his grandfather had owned Beagles.

A FEW HOBBIES: George is a big fan of Swarthmore’s campus. Among his favorite things to do are running in Crum Woods and swimming in the creek. While young, Ali loved to play fetch and would not stop until Steve and his family were tired.

FRIENDS TO ALL: For all you dog fanatics, visiting Ali and George is a whole lot easier than it seems. Both these loving labs are conveniently waiting for you in the bookstore just asking to be pet-

ted. Previously, when the College allowed the labs to roam freely around the bookstore, students would stroll down to the bookstore to lie down on the carpet with Ali and George.

THE ACT THIS LAB CAN PUT ON: Ali is known by the bookstore family for having a unique bark. It might not be like that of the average dog. It is actually similar to a call made by a sea lion! Steve noted that she often does this for attention. She even lifts her front legs when she gets too into it. I got to hear a small glimpse of what her bark sounds like, and it really does resemble a sea lion’s call.

FAMILY MATTERS: Having practically grown up together, Ali and George are pretty much inseparable. At times, they push each other to get the other’s attention. Since George is still young and loves to play, he often nudge Allies to get her up so they can play. However, Ali is often hesitant, mostly due to her arthritis.

You can also friend George and Ali on Facebook.

‘Merrily’: Drama Board To Deliver a Sondheim Favorite

By JEANETTE LEOPOLD Living & Arts Writer

It starts on Saturday.

New York sophisticates; the height of physical comedy; singing, dancing, acting; yes, the team that brought Swarthmore “Company” last year is back. Only this time they’re bigger, badder and better.

“Merrily We Roll Along,” with music

by Stephen Sondheim and book by George Furth, is directed and music directed at Swarthmore by Jonghee Quispe ’14 and stage managed by Marta Roncada ’14. With a cast of 17 talented actors and a full ensemble orchestra, it is not a show to miss.

“Merrily carries a wonderful message about the power of choice without merely serving as a warning,” said Quispe. “There are no villains in this show, only people who are striving towards happiness and fulfillment in the best way they see fit.”

The play moves backwards in time, allowing the audience to see how the charac-

ters end up in the opening scene. This allows the audience to focus on the process of how the characters got to that stage, instead of focusing on what’s going to happen next.

“The characters have a commitment to becoming themselves and reaching a sense of individuality that they have longed for for so long,” said Quispe. She believes the show is very relevant to Swarthmore students: “We are all wondering what we are.

We wonder what will happen. We wonder how this will progress.”

“Merrily” features 11 actors who appeared in musicals last year — “Company” and “The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee.” When asked how the show compared to “Company,” Roncada said, “There is a lot of the same cast, but in the end it’s a different show because of the story. ‘Company’ was all about Bobby, but in ‘Merrily’ we have a lot of main characters.” “‘Merrily We Roll Along’ tells the story of Franklin Shepard [Daniel Cho ‘15], a successful movie producer in his forties who

has abandoned his friends and his compos- ture of youth will shine through.”

There was worry in the cast and crew ing career for the glamour of Hollywood.

The action moves backwards in time from earlier in the semester at how quickly the 1976 to 1957, allowing us a glimpse into the show would need to be produced. Quispe and Roncada held aumost important asditions in the first few pects of Frank’s life — days of classes, and especially his relaMerrily carries a rehearsals started later tionships with his best that week. The intenfriends, Mary Flynn wonderful message of the rehearsal [Allison Hrabar ‘16] about the power of choice sity schedule has led to and Charley Kringas [Paolo Debeque ‘15], without merely serving as several actors needing to leave the cast. his songwriting cola warning.

Roncada said she laborator, and his two is sure that the show wives, Beth [Kimaya Jonghee Quispe ’14 will be ready by SatDiggs ‘15] and Gussie Director urday, however. “I’m [Anna Ramos ‘13],” a little worried about Quispe said. the technical aspects, She added, “This show is a testament to the idea that our lives like lighting and sound,” she said. “But the could be paved with laughter and love as acting has come a long way. I’m proud of easily as pain and tears. I believe it is espe- that.”

The show will be performed Saturday, cially effective for college actors to take on this show; as the characters slowly regress October 27 at 2 and 8 p.m. and Sunday, Octo our own age, the naturally expectant na- tober 28 at 7 p.m. on LPAC Mainstage.

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 25, 2012

Living & Arts

PAGE 9

The Phoenix

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Sometimes-Swatties

PARKER MURRAY / THE PHOENIX

Overcommitted Students Affect Clubs on Campus

Continued from Front Page “I think there’s a mismatch between what faculty expects and what students do,” she said. “I think students quickly learn here how much to do and when to stop, and if you can’t figure out when to stop, that’s when you get into stress mode.

If you’re a real perfectionist, or run into a subject that stumps you and you need to put extra time into it, that’s a hard thing to accommodate.”

Director of Counseling and Psychology Services (CAPS) David Ramirez defines this problem as one of “wiggle room” — not leaving enough time to accommodate the unexpected. “You might take five credits and your clubs and your commitments [and put them on a schedule] and say okay, I can do all this, which is fine — as long as you don’t get a cold, and your best friend doesn’t break up with her boyfriend and spend the night crying in your room,” he said. “I think it’s the most problematic and challenging [part] for Swarthmore students — they don’t give wiggle room, and because of that, things can go haywire pretty quickly.”

With the unexpected comes a need to shirk the responsibilities that tend to pile up unchecked. With over 100 student groups to choose from — not including varsity sports and musical ensembles — membership tends to already be spread thin, and no-shows can drastically affect what a group is able to accomplish. Danny Hirschel-Burns, the president of Swarthmore’s STAND chapter, noted that sporadic attendance often leads to less-than-ideal club functioning.

“Genocide is such a complicated issue that for people who are new to studying it and advocating against it, missing meetings really detracts from their effectiveness and understanding,” he said in an email.

“It’s hard if it’s a new group of people each week, because delegating tasks becomes impossible, and the few people who come every week end up doing all the work.”

Other campus groups thrive on irregular attendance, and see their accommodating nature as benefiting their general functioning. Atish Agarwala ’13, the head of the ice hockey club MotherPuckers, sees the show-when-you-can atmosphere as boosting overall membership and helping retain the more committed core members.

“[T]he casual commitment of MotherPuckers is really important to get the core members as well [as less regular attendees],” Agarwala said in an email. “Most of our members have never played hockey before, and some are nervous about trying something so new. The fact that they can come start whenever they want, with no time commitment, means that people are more likely to come in the first place. If they enjoy it, they’ll come back for more…

The flexibility helps people stay involved as much as they are able.”

The success of MotherPuckers’ attendance policy indicates that students are thinking about how much to take on before committing. For groups where attendance is crucial, such as the Dare2Soar tutoring program in Chester, defining the commitment from the get-go may additionally prompt students to consider how much they’re able to devote to another project. “[In Dare2Soar], you’re not just making a commitment or obligation to yourself, you’re making a commitment the students you’re tutoring,” former lead coordinator Lisa Sendrow ’13 said.

While a heavy workload will sometimes prompt cancellations, overall tutor attendance has seen great improvement over the past two years, according to Sendrow, perhaps in part due to new sign-up sheets that hold tutors accountable for their attendance. Swarthmore Feminists, a group Sendrow has also had an active leadership role in, doesn’t see such regular attendance from all its members at weekly dinners, but less regular attendance can actually contribute to discussion — core members often are familiar with one another’s views, whereas more irregular attendees can provide new perspectives.

Although some clubs can function with haphazard attendance, it’s unclear whether the benefits outweigh the costs, both on the individual and group level. Agarwala noted that less regular skaters tend to miss out on the camaraderie between consistent players, which he believes is a large part of why the regulars are so regular in their attendance. Sendrow stated that while less regular dinner diners offer unique perspectives, those perspectives can be pushed aside by regular members, who devalue opinions from students who “don’t know what’s going on” due to flaky

attendance.

Westphal doesn’t see the amalgam of different groups on campus as a negative development, but rather, as a reflection of the desire of Swatties to start something new and assume leadership roles. Starting a new club can often be more appealing than moving up the hierarchy of an older group, and can give leaders the opportunity to develop financing and marketing techniques, among other skills. She suggests considering the nature of a commitment before making it: programs like Dare2Soar, for example, require a greater commitment than interest groups where regular attendance doesn’t have a direct impact on another party.

The tendency to bite off more than one can reasonably chew is often the result of the transitional process between high school and college, as both Westphal and Ramirez noted. Moving from the relatively structured world of a six-hour school day and supplementary activities scheduled with the help of parents, the large blocks of time that college affords necessitates self-regulation on the part of students.

Oftentimes, this means recognizing time constraints that didn’t exist before Swarthmore.

“Swat students, by virtue of admittance, are demonstrably accomplished people,” Ramirez said. “A lot of them have never felt a limit. Other people had limits, but not them. Then they come here, and they have to come to terms with limitations of energy.”

Making regular, long-term commitments, to sports teams or musical ensembles, for example, can often help put those limits in sharper relief, and give students a more effective way to think about the reality of their time, according to Westphal.

Student athletes in-season often note how much more efficiently they manage time, and can more realistically manage smaller blocks versus bigger chunks. Additionally, pursuing passions through credit — dance, music, and creative writing courses, for example — and recognizing that the pursuit of passion doesn’t end in college can help students make more realistic time commitments while at school.

While many people associate the pass/ fail semester with the testing grounds for discovering collegiate limits, Westphal notes that the notorious sophomore slump

may also represent a period in which students are pushing the boundaries of what they’re realistically able to accomplish — hence, the slump.

“Sophomores tend to be leaders here,” she said. “They get involved and interested freshmen year, and take leadership roles as sophomores. Then junior year they go abroad, and senior year, they are deep in their majors and looking to the future... a large majority of events are planned by sophomores, and they do tend to get overwhelmed. [Time management] is something they learn from overload and stress.

They [have a moment when they] say, ‘this is not the way I want to live, I’ve got to reevaluate.’”

“You want to enjoy yourself,” Ramirez agrees. “You don’t want to just get to the finish line... ask yourself, what are my pleasures and what what room am I leaving for them? Will overcommitting strip away the potential pleasurable part [of my college experience]?”

Defining priorities is another crucial step to securing a more fulfilling schedule. For Hirschel-Burns, a big part of time management is scheduling out every hour of his week around mandatory eight-hour blocks of sleep. He has also recognized that academics sometimes need to take a back seat.

“I... have refused to always put academics first,” he said. “I realize that there are simply other things that are more important to me... as I get older, I’ve gotten less interested in doing academic work that I don’t find interesting (and I’ve also gotten a much clearer idea of my interests as I’ve gotten over). This has really helped me find a balance between school and everything else.”

Ramirez suggests thinking about Bubble-time like the cost of remodeling a kitchen: estimate how much it’s going to cost, then add an additional percentage.

“However busy you think you’re going to be... [add] at least 30 percent,” he said with a smile. “And factoring in that wiggle room, to make time for the unexpected, is a part [of that].”

“People live unexamined lives,” Westphal said. “They don’t sit down and think about what’s really important, including their time.”

Living & Arts

PAGE 10

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 25, 2012

The Phoenix

Students Respond to ‘Pariah’ Review Last issue, Living and Arts Writer Izzy Kornblatt’s review of “Pariah” drew a range of student responses. Here are a selection of reactions. Thank you to all who replied. For more, head to swarthmorephoenix.com.

From Henry Kietzman via Facebook: I disagree with you on most accounts here. I think that this review a) overgeneralizes many of the poignant moments of the film and b) considers the film only from a very microscopic viewpoint, struggling with details versus realizing the universality of the comments made by Rees.

I do agree that Pariah is dramatic, but I believe this easily corresponds to the drama involved with the coming out process.

Wandering the line between two communities is a theme that could apply to most people, not just the black or queer communities, and Pariah demonstrates the struggles of not knowing where the heck you belong with admirable tactfulness.

Yes, I’m biased in my perspective of the movie, but I must say that none of the moments felt contrived to me. Particularly Alike’s outburst. The outburst was initiated by the hardest rejection a person can feel - not just one of love, but a rejection of one’s entire being. When Alike opened herself up to her friend, she was looking for a confirmation of her identity. That night she finally made a physical decision of who she’s decided to be (and subsequently, be with). The denial of that identity - with a petty excuse of saying “I’m not GAY gay” rejects everything Alike has tried to establish. How can it be said that this is “just isn’t Alike” when Alike has yet to define who she is in the context of the constantly competing social communities she’s involved in?

Alike is continuously fighting with influences on all sides, and as she emotionally can’t break free from these influences she

ends up physically destroying her world as a final resort to the pain she feels at the rejection of her friend. I felt Alike’s character (and outburst) to be extremely relatable and a substantial reflection of the direness in which see views her circumstances.

As for the sex toy sequence, this scene easily fits into the theme of finding one’s place. At the beginning of the movie, Alike is trying to place herself within queer culture by adhering to what she considers to be the practices of that community. Her discomfort with the sex toy easily mirrors the discomfort she feels in the lesbian clubs.

The disposal of the sex toy is her rejection of that culture, as it doesn’t reflect who she wants herself to be. Why would Rees return Alike to the community she’s decided to reject after this disposal? The finality of that scene is Alike’s decision to tread her own path as opposed to following the path she believes has been decided for her.

Lastly, the claim that none of the characters are real is simply true. I talked to several friends after the movie about their views of Alike’s mother. One friend told me that Alike’s discussion with her mother across the table in the hospital - when the mother responded “I’ll pray for you” when Alike sputtered “I love you” - was an almost perfect reflection of her coming out experience. The dynamics of the family brought the story to greater levels than just a coming of age tale; it allowed for an exploration of why our world is so incredibly and stubbornly resistant to change. People are much too worried about their own self image to consider deconstructing their version of the ideal person/daughter/friend.

The mother just wants to be loved and needed, and the distances between herself and her family is driving her into severe depression and anxiety, which explains why she is so isolated at work. The father

Our Flag Still Stands for Freedom

David Toland is an EVS Technician whose new column, Can You Dig It?, details his experiences at Swarthmore, in the US Army, and with his three children: a daughter, Hunter, 11; and two sons, Noah, 13, and David, 12. Driven by an enjoyment of poetry and digital story-telling fostered in Learning for Life, David is writing to share his life experiences with the Swarthmore community.

Whether you call it Old Glory, Grand Old Flag, or the red, white, and blue, I want to begin this article by talking about the personal meaning that the American flag holds for me.

I take you back to September 11, 2001. At that time, I was still in the U.S. Army. I was a sniper in a high speed infantry unit, which is an elite unit that can be anywhere in the world within 18 hours. When the first plane hit the World Trade Center, I was watching a Sesame Street video with my kids.

Noah was two years DAVID old, David was one year old, and Hunter TOLAND (a.k.a. Baby Girl) was Can You Dig It? one month old, sleeping in my arms. When I heard what was going on, I turned off the video and witnessed the second plane crash into the other tower.

The reports came streaming in about another plane crashing into the Pentagon in Arlington County, Virginia. Finally, the fourth plane that was heading to hit the White House crashed just outside of Shanksville, Pennsylvania. I was torn in two. One half of me was standing there, holding my Baby Girl, watching my two sons playing innocently and thinking, “This is the world my children have to grow up in?”

The other half of me knew our country was at war.

Immediately, all military bases were put on lockdown and no military personnel could leave their bases. That night, President George W. Bush had a press conference and said, “If you are wearing a military uniform, you are going to war.” Thousands and thousands of men and women carried the American flag on the field of battle to fight the war on terror. As a result of 9/11, I have lost many close friends

is dealing with a woman who requires so much of him that it inevitably pushes him away, and although he loves her daughter - and knows that she is a lesbian - he can’t handle the social pressures that would initiate once the words are spoken aloud. The scenes where the father gets laughed at by his peers for his daughter’s actions is pivotal - how often do we get to see this type of bullying? Gay bullying has become quite topical, but the issues of family dynamics in context of queer culture are disparagingly absent in public consciousness, and I found Rees’ demonstrations to be realistically and gracefully projected on the screen.

All in all, I feel as if we were watching different movies. I never thought I could watch a movie and feel so intimately connected to a black lesbian inner-city poet. I feel that an audience member should not leave these movie patting themselves on the back for supporting the oppressed.

They should leave this movie wondering why we, as a society, draw these lines in the sand as to who be-longs where.

Better yet, they should leave wondering if they have inadvertently perpetuated any of these lines. And that, I feel, is where Pariah breaks out of the mold this review has so conveniently placed it in.

From Niama Baskerville’ 14: I absolutely loved the film Pariah. By now, I have seen it three times and each time I discover something new. The film details the coming of age of a black lesbian in Brooklyn. But I would argue that it does so without relegating itself to being just another “gay” movie. We see the film’s main character Alike struggle with piecing together her identity as she attempts to balance the expectations of her friends and friend members. I especially enjoyed that

I had served with in the army. During times of war, the U.S. Army uniform has an American flag patch worn on the right shoulder. These patches are worn to show that the American flag still stands for freedom.

Now this is where my article gets personal. Last week, I went into a building on our campus to do some work -- that building will remain nameless. As I went into the building, I noticed that there was an American flag in a trash can. Needless to say, I was extremely pissed off and angry. All I could think of were the men and women who fought and died defending our flag, the symbol of this great country. For me to see it thrown in a trash can was truly a slap in the face. The person working with me, who is also a veteran of the U.S. Army, was furious as well. Fellow Swatties, there is a proper way of disposing of an American flag. You can take it to any American Legion Post, or feel free to give it to me and I will take care of it. Please -- do not dishonor the flag by throwing it in the trash. Many people willingly gave their lives so that you can enjoy the freedoms that you exercise every day.

Dig this: there is bad news in the world.

Pick up the newspaper, bad news. Turn on the television, bad news. Turn on the radio, bad news. There are evil people in the world, there are terrorists who are intent on destroying the United States of America. We will not let them.

The United States of America is the greatest country on Earth and they hate us because they will never be like us. There is no place on Earth like the United States of America, and each one of us is proud to be an American. We live for it, we will fight for it and we will die for it. The way we will beat those evil people is to walk around with a smile on our faces because we can enjoy all the opportunities that we have in America. Live your lives in freedom, without fear, and we will see them destroyed and vanished from the face of the Earth. The men and women in uniform defending our country and our freedom and our flag are the heroes of this modern day. There is no excuse to ever throw an American flag in a trash can. Feel free to throw away this article, but hopefully after reading it you will think twice before throwing away Old Glory...

SAT IRE

the characters were not one-dimensional.

Movies often lead audiences into very narrow views of characters, but here, every character had their own story, which made it impossible to make the easy judgments audience members are often encouraged to make. Each character had depth. For instance, Alike’s mother was not just the monster we sometimes hated her for being, but rather we could identify with her longing for love and could see that her actions were motivated by her desperate attempt to become closer to her loved ones.

In addition to taking the time for character development, this film also took the time to allow Alike and Bina’s romance to develop. In many mainstream films, characters develop love interests and explore those seemingly overnight. Pariah adds the nuance that occurs in real romances by showing Alike and Bina’s affection grow and wane. And while I am critiquing mainstream films a lot, I would like to add that Pariah also upstaged many films of the independent genre with its cinematography a n d soundtrack. It was beautifully shot and didn’t include the same standard folk guitar music often found in indie films.

There are far too many reasons why this film was amazing for me to explain in the short space that I’ve been given. But I’d j u s t like to end saying that, by telling this coming of age story through this very refreshing lens, and doing it so tastefully, the makers of this film challenge the notion that in order for a film to be good and for it to carry universal themes, it must tell its story from a white and/or heterosexual viewpoint.

Don’t just take my word for it though, you should see it for yourself-- it’ll be well worth your time. Don’t just take my word for it though, you should see it for yourself — it’ll be well worth your time.

Misery Poker Tournament

Last Sunday, a self-organized misery poker tournament swept through Swarthmore, leaving chaos and unfinished problem sets in its wake.

Witnesses report that the first signs of impending disaster came early Sunday morning, when Swatties in states from Virginia to California reportedly woke up to the nasty feeling that they had two weeks worth of reading, an assortment of papers and a long-forgotten midterm to attend to.

“Where did my October break go?” asked the classes of 2013, 2014, 2015 and 2016 to an assortment of uninterested listeners, ranging from parents to unopened psychology textbooks.

“It’s like we never even left campus,” added the entire class of 2016.

Spontaneous outbreaks of misery poker left their mark on an unprepared campus. In McCabe, the onrush of anxious students overSquashed Tomato turned shelves and carrels, filling all four floors and leaving Swarthmore’s largest library reeking with a combination of stress and half-digested pasta bar.

Speaking on condition of anonymity, a survivor noted that, “When I saw two grown men fighting over whether math or economics problem sets are harder, I knew that some people weren’t going to get out of there in one piece.”

“Let’s be honest, my grad school apps are a bigger deal,” noted the senior.

In Sharples, the situation deteriorated rapidly. By Sunday evening, 237 students had decided to skip dinner. According to a Phoenix tracking survey, 100% of those who did dine at Sharples spent their entire meal complaining either about their workload or Mitt Romney.

The tournament, which had not been announced by any campus group and did not receive any SBC funding, was the best-attended Swarthmore event in over a decade, with all 1,460 students making an appearance.

Meanwhile, professors and the administration alike struggled to come to terms with the crisis. In the aftermath of what witnesses have already begun calling “Black Sunday” in reference to the epidemic-like qualities of Misery Poker, the administration has created a committee led by Psychology Professor Barry Schwartz.

“Our best chance to prevent this epidemic is to apply my research on the paradox of choice,” said Schwartz at the first meeting of the Misery Poker Truth Committee. “If professors assign approximately twice as much work as they already do, then the plethora of choices will leave students paralyzed with indecision and no threat to anyone else’s sanity.”

The tournament ended just as swiftly as it began. At 3:15 a.m. on Monday, Admissions Dean Jim Bock was declared the winner.

“I have to spend every waking hour sorting through applications from obsessively over-extended high-schoolers,” said Bock.

“I knew I should have taken that job at Haverford,” he added.

At press time, the class of 2013 had decided to take a nap before heading back to McCabe.

STEVEN HAZEL

Opinions

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 25, 2012

PAGE 11

The Phoenix

2012 Races Field Many Centrist Candidates

Tight Races Emerge In Unlikely Places: Can Moderates Unpolarize Washington?

Staff Editorial Candidate Todd Akin of Missouri has drawn fire for his extreme views on social issues. In the Indiana primary, Tea Party insurgent Richard Mourdock felled a longtime incumbent famed for bipartisanship. Kirsten Gillibrand of New York, once a moderate Democrat in the House, has moved more and more to the left ever since her ascension to the Senate. Congress has become acutely polarized over the last several years, and many see this year’s crop of Senate candidates as representatives of the far-left and far-right philosophies whose inability to work together has stymied progress in the legislature.

But 2012 has also yielded a crop of moderate candidates who have sprung up in the most unlikely places, states that are usually hostile to their party identification. Polarization in Washington, though, seems to have driven many voters across party lines to vote for the moderate candidate on the other side rather than the very conservative or very liberal one fielded by their own party. A Republican businesswoman in deep-blue Connecticut is neck-and-neck with her Democratic opponent, while a Democratic incumbent has a fair chance of surviving a re-election battle in conservative Montana. Races like these are playing out across the country, and election night could spell either a victory or resounding defeat for these unlikely champions of centrism.

Scott Brown of liberal Massachusetts is a Republican incumbent who won the special election in 2010 to fill the late Ted Kennedy’s seat in the Senate. He is challenged by Elizabeth Warren, a progressive Democrat with a national profile. Brown was a key Republican vote in the passage of the Dodd-Frank financial reform law, and has repeatedly emphasized the need to break with party to pass necessary laws.

Republican Linda McMahon of Connecticut is also locked in an unexpectedly close race in a state usually unfriendly to Republican candidates. A moderate with a background in business, she too

champions working across the aisle.

Similarly, Heidi Heitkamp of North Dakota is a centrist Democrat running to fill a seat vacated by another Democrat in this usually deep-red state. She supports many Republican initiatives such as the Keystone XL pipeline and runs on a platform of bringing North Dakota’s economic success (the state has the lowest unemployment rate in the nation) to the entire country.

Jon Tester of Montana and Claire McCaskill of Missouri are two Democratic incumbents elected in the wave of 2006 who are now fighting to survive their reelection battles. McCaskill is running against extreme social conservative Todd Akin of “legitimate rape” infamy.

Both have broken with their party on numerous occasions to support initiatives they believed were in the public interest. And in Maine, Independent candidate Angus King has not declared which party he will caucus with if elected to the Senate, saying he prefers to leave the door open to working across both parties.

It is highly unlikely that in the upcoming election either party will gain the 60 Senate seats necessary for a filibuster-proof majority. Should this crop of moderate candidates, however, cross party lines to vote on certain initiatives, the votes would potentially be enough to pass legislation backed by a majority of only one party. In the current Congress, we have seen far too many party-line votes in a Senate divided almost down the middle.

It is important, therefore, for voters to take the first steps to cross the aisle by voting for a candidate in the opposite party. This cycle of Senate ballots has turned otherwise predictable elections into dead-heat battles. In fact, most of the aforementioned races are incredibly close. November 6 could bring a revived tide of moderates or another term of polarization. It will be up to Americans to evaluate whether voting with their party is voting in the best interests of the nation.

LINDA MCMAHON Connecticut

JON TESTER Montana

IMAGES COURTESY OF WIKIPEDIA.ORG

SCOTT BROWN Massachusetts

CLAIRE MCCASKILL Missouri

On American Imperialism I am rarely utterly without hope when it comes to the American government. There has hardly ever been a time when I couldn’t find a sensible position being espoused by a major candidate for office. While no candidate is ever perfect, somewhere in the union of their opinions and those of their opponents there lies a combination of opinions that I find, if not favorable, not entirely objectionAARON able. Monday’s debate marked an exception to this norm.

KROEBER Truly, I was appalled by the The Civil displays of bravado and impeLibertarian rialist posturing put on by both President Obama and Mitt Romney, neither of them taking truly different perspectives on any significant issue.

No matter who is elected, it is clear that our foreign policy will continue as it is: to further American interests in countries that are weaker than us by use of force. Drone strikes, check. Leaving the possibility of bombing Iran on the table, check. Defending Israel to the end, check. When did American policy become entirely about where we are prepared to use force? And, more importantly, why is the answer seemingly ‘anywhere’?

For a country based on republicanism and certain democratic principles, it is odd that we seem to ignore the fact that no one elected us as the world’s policeman. We carry out many of our operations under the auspices of NATO, or (though increasingly rarely) with the permission of the UN Security Council, but neither is a globally representative organization, neither is elected democratically. We have endowed ourselves with universal jurisdiction in ‘liberation’ where we see fit and to decide how other nations should be ruled. Democracy is important in Iraq, in Afghanistan, in Egypt, in Libya, and in Syria, but

only if they elect people we approve of, and it certainly these aren’t going away anytime soon. When do we cross isn’t important in Saudi Arabia. It isn’t our job to dictate the line from global policeman to global mobster, offerdemocracy to other countries, and it certainly shouldn’t ing protection to our friends and offing our enemies? If be our job to bomb. we’re not dangerously close to that line, it’s only because What troubles me most, though, is how our tactics we’ve crossed it already. have changed. We have been in the policeman business Our espoused motive is always peace, but what peace since the Second World War, but only recently have we has come from our ‘war on terror?’ We are preparing turned to assassination. The to leave Afghanistan, our aswar in Afghanistan was, in sassination being done, but political rhetoric at least, a the nation is still in turmoil.

Our espoused motive is always massive assassination plot.

Our drone strikes seem to not We went in to get bin Laden, have dissuaded the killing of peace, but what peace has come we went in to kill him, and we our ambassador to Libya, nor did. This is what we hear from have they persuaded anyone from our ‘war on terror?’

We are the President every time he to lay down arms. Our bombpreparing to leave Afghanistan, ings don’t actually create any touches on foreign policy.

Last year the President peace, they just slowly elimiordered the death of Anwar our assassination being done, but nate everyone who disagrees al-Aulaqi, an al-Qaeda comwith us. But boy, is that a long the nation is still in turmoil. mander and an American citilist. We can’t kill our way to zen. It is now our policy to use peace, so let’s get out of the drones to assassinate those business. Let’s work to fight who we have deemed to be terrorists worldwide without oppression as we did Apartheid, with sanctions and ditrial, without the rule of law, by order of the President plomacy. Overthrowing governments should not be our alone. privilege, let alone our job. Peace cannot come by force of America has carried out assassinations before, but we arms; a Pax Americana won’t be built by drones. have never reveled in them so. President Roosevelt didn’t Soon, I hope we will recognize that our own tactics run on his assassination of Isoroku Yamamoto, but Presi- are the tactics of terror: dropping bombs from above on dent Obama is running on his assassination of bin Laden. the unsuspecting, on those we hate, in the hopes that we We may have abandoned the rule of law in these instanc- scare them enough into surrendering. Soon, I hope we es long ago, but when did we start gloating in it? recognize that our rhetoric about liberty, freedom, and We have taken up the battle cry of national security, democracy is blunted with every bomb we drop, with evthat extraordinary measures can be taken in its name so ery leader we depose. Soon, I hope we remember the imlong as we are in a time of war. But when will we not be mortal words of George Carlin: “Fighting for peace is like at war? We have wars on terror, on drugs, on crime, and screwing for virginity.”

PAGE 12

Opinions

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 25, 2012

The Phoenix

Romney Offers Presidential Demeanor Republican Contrasts With a Divisive President Obama in Final Debate The first presidential debate produced a clear winner in Mitt Romney.

Obama’s campaign failed at trying to spin the debate any other way, and even the President admitted he “had a bad night.” Romney was clear and forceful, and most importantly, presidential.

The two other presidential debates, including the one on Monday night, are difficult to call for either candidate, in part because Governor Romney had a different goal from that early October night in Denver. Romney went to Denver down in numerous TYLER swing state polls after being deBECKER fined through an onslaught of The Swarthmore advertising by Conservative the Obama campaign throughout the summer.

Once Romney exceeded expectations far beyond what the mainstream media and conservative editorial writers envisioned, the polls shifted and the President’s campaign appeared to be in trouble. Millions of dollars in negative ads trying to paint Romney as out-oftouch were countered by a commanding debate performance that showcased Obama’s failed economic policies and Romney’s competence in explaining the problems and offering bold solutions.

Romney’s poll numbers improved dramatically, both nationally and in the swing states. There was no need in the second or third debate to score a knockout punch. Governor Romney had to act presidential, while President Obama, in need of a breakthrough, stayed on the attack. Romney accomplished this feat in both of the last debates, making Obama look like the petty challenger, going after Romney’s wealth and nitpicking each and every word of Romney’s answers.

Post-debate polls showed small wins for the President in the last two debates, with the second debate basically a tie and the third debate slightly more in the President’s favor.

These polls, however, measure the perception of viewers who have just seen the debate. Viewers are not thinking of the implications of each answer on the campaign narrative for the week, and are looking at the debate on a point-bypoint basis. What is more telling is the impression the voters get from the candidates, on both character and issues.

While a CBS poll of undecided voters had Obama edging Romney in the debate by seven points, 65 percent of polltakers went away with the impression that Romney would be better to handle the economy, compared with 34percent for Obama. As John King asserted that night on CNN, the President cannot win the election with numbers that bad on the most important issue in this election.

But something else about President Obama came out in all the debates, but particularly the last two, that has bothered me for a long time. Obama has come across as arrogant in how he responded to Romney and defended the last four years.

I enjoyed watching all of Obama’s attacks on Romney’s wealth cause the various networks’ instant reaction meters of undecided voters to flatline in every debate. I was certainly not surprised by those attacks, but I was surprised at the condescending, combative tone Obama decided to take in the final two debates.

In the first debate, Obama tried to look presidential and stay above the attacks. This strategy failed miserably, as

Romney seemed much more presidential, even in with his argumentative persona. Obama’s first debate strategy made it difficult for him to turn into the attack dog in the next debates, causing numerous awkward moments where Obama seemed to forget he was the President.

Obama responded to Romney’s claim that Navy ships had decreased under Obama’s leadership by saying, “Well, Governor, we also have fewer horses and bayonets because the nature of our military’s changed.” In an attempt to act as if Romney does not understand the Navy today, Obama came across as haughty and ready to declare victory based on that one line. Instead, Obama appeared less likeable, and certainly less presidential, even if the line “won” the exchange for the President.

Romney, on the other hand, stayed above the fray, and chose not to pick another battle with the President over the administration’s muddled response to the Benghazi, Libya terrorist attack that killed Ambassador Christopher Stevens and three other Americans. The contrast here is stark: Romney took the role of president, while Obama waged an attack below the office he holds.

(Not to get technical, but the attack was also factually wrong. The Telegraph’s Tim Stanley notes that the military used horses in Afghanistan.)

In the debate on Monday night, Romney only needed to look presidential to continue his meteoric rise with only two weeks until the election. Many commentators after the second debate came to a similar conclusion: Obama actually came to play, but Governor Romney still looked presidential. But the third debate was about foreign policy, which should have been an opportunity for Mr. Obama to project an image of a confident leader. Instead, he chose to attack.

People do not want to hear the tired political rhetoric Obama has provided thus far. They want to hear a plan for the next four years, a plan Obama does not have. In the foreign policy debate, he resorted to cheap shots at Governor Romney, failing to land any decisive blow to make Romney appear unfit to be president.

Less than two weeks from now, when all the ballots are counted, we will have a new President-elect Romney. President Obama’s divisive and odd reelection campaign will be over. Constant class warfare will subside, and Romney’s optimism about America will take its place.

While the election appears close in many opinion polls, President Obama is in a terrible position as the incumbent.

The few undecided voters left will likely break for Romney, per usual in presidential races where the vast majority of undecided voters this close to the election end up supporting the challenger.

President Obama has failed to slow the tide of Governor Romney’s rise over the last month, which all began on a Wednesday night in Denver. Romney became the President at that debate, projecting a firm leadership we need in Washington.

We’ve reached the end of a drawn out campaign. Governor Romney has passed every test required to be president, and President Obama’s reelection team has failed to offer a coherent vision apart from its assaults on Romney.

Governor Romney has done precisely what he needed to do: come on strong in the first debate, and remain calm, cool, and collected in the last two.

Sometimes, level-headedness wins.

Courtesy of Associated Press.

Last Monday, President Obama and Governor Romney faced off in their final debate of this election cycle, moderated

by Bob Scheiffer. The topic was foreign policy.

The Age of Mobile Innovation Perhaps Too Much?

I remember when I was only 14 years old and had the privilege of using the original iPhone for the first time. Wow. I had always sat down on my blue revolving chair and used a rectangular computer, bulky monitor, squeaky mouse, and a dusty keyboard to go on YouTube or read the news. My iPod was handy, but it was solely a device for listening to music. The concept of portably viewing the web, watching movies, and making phone calls all with your very fingertips was absolutely fascinating.

Now, only five years later, I feel frustrated and ticked off when it takes my Facebook App more than four seconds to load the newsfeed on my iPhone 5. Yes this is a “first world problem”, but it is simply remarkable at the change our society has gone through since the days of powering on 50 pounds HARSHIL worth of electronics to check your email.

SAHAI The beauty of Conservatively business is its ability Liberal Economics to recognize demand and create a supply to meet it. As mobile computing took off, products like music players, smartphones, e-readers, tablets, and ultra-notebooks all swept in to get a piece of the pie.

It is especially interesting to examine the progression of these devices. Around 2007 was when full, touch screen smartphones were innovated by the original iPhone. In the same year, Amazon released their Kindle e-reader, which was a portable way for users to read books. This was distinct from the smart phone in terms of screen size and primary function. Also in 2007, Apple released the iPod touch, a non-cellular iPhone for simply viewing media and browsing the web. In 2008, we saw the first MacBook Air, which was separate from the typical heavyduty laptop, creating the market for thin, lightweight “ultra-notebooks.” Suddenly, as the smartphone market seemed to lose its “sex appeal,” Apple released the first iPad in 2010, creating a new fifth market for ultraportable devices.

In the last few years, there has been incredible innovation across many companies on all five fronts: thinner, quicker smartphones; better portable media players; cheaper, lighter e-readers; thinner, more powerful ultra-books; and smoother, sexier tablets. Although the demand of each cat-

egory is still relatively stable, it seems almost like a gimmick the types of products tech companies are starting to roll out these days.

What can a tablet accomplish that an ultrabook cannot? And what can an e-reader do that a tablet can’t? Nowadays, smartphones are getting to the 5- to 6-inch range (e.g.

Samsung Galaxy S3), dangerously approaching the latest “mini-tablets” like the 7-inch Google Nexus. And now that these smartphones have 64 gigabytes worth of disk space for music and movies, and a 8 megapixel picture- and video- taking lens, who needs an iPod or a digital camera?

It seems to me like Apple initiates much of the innovation, and companies like Microsoft, Google, Amazon, Samsung, et al. scramble to create similar products to steal some of the market share. In the midst of this sudden rush to go mobile, companies develop newer products that are negligibly different, and successfully market them to consumers, entranced by the latest innovation. Competition is so fierce that even Apple succumbs to compete with these new, quasi innovations as well, recently releasing the new “iPad mini”.

What a hoax.

Put yourself in the shoes of Apple CEO Tim Cook. “People are buying the Google Nexus. People are buying the Kindle Fire.

Let’s create exactly the same product, but with a different name, a higher price tag, and market the **** out of it. Hell, let’s just shrink the iPad!” This may seem foolish on the surface, but it is actually a beautiful business strategy: little innovation, little research & development, little cost, and a sure promise of decent profits. But that’s exactly what it is.

Not a scientific miracle. Not a life-changing innovation. Not even a time-saving one. It is nothing more than a business tactic.

At the end of the day, we as consumers should be asking ourselves, “do we really need a tablet (mini?)/iPod (touch? classic? nano? shuffle?)/smartphone/e-reader/ultrabook?” Sure, it’s a matter of convenience and portability, but the day will come when after five years of innovation, we will be carrying around five different devices, trying to figure out which one to use to check our email. If that day ever comes, I will gladly go to my room, sit on my blue revolving chair, turn on my rectangular computer, look at my bulky monitor, click my squeaky mouse, type on my dusty keyboard, and browse the web in peace.

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 25, 2012

Opinions

PAGE 13

The Phoenix

打工的故事 A Story About Work: Andy Lee Reflects on His Gap Year Experience, Using the Native Language of More Than One Billion People 很多人問過我，停學一年你後悔 嗎？ 回想那段時光，我會情不自禁地 想起第一次離開家去一個無親無友的 城市生活，想起第一次跳下澳門旅遊 塔。或許，最深刻的回憶是在奶奶的 生日宴會上，我上臺望著我奶奶與兩 百多位貴賓，用台語表達我寫給奶奶 的生日感言。甚至那些被蚊子騷擾而 無法熟睡的夜晚 也成為了美好的 回憶。 李芳謀 去年我決定 停學一年。原因 中文的故事 在於高中畢業的 我，突然感到失落，甚至開始懷疑自 己的人生，不斷地思考其究竟存在何 種意義，未來的日子該如何度過。我 猜想這些嚴肅的問題是每個青少年都 曾想過的。如此一來，我逐漸質疑大 學的重要性，最後心中十分明確，若 按照一般的做法而入學，我會很難投 入學習，這樣也不就是浪費時間與資 源嗎？於是我就做了此決定。 休學的一年內，我去了三個地方， 臺灣、廣州和香港，在各地方停留了 四個月。我決定不讀書只工作，目 標是認識來自不同文化背景的人，與 此同時也希望透過實際生活而獲得新 的感受，新的觀點，新的思想，並且 利用這些所得去尋找我的答案。講實 話，那時候，我不知道答案會在那裏 出現，我只不過是個傻傻的新鮮人， 唯一的想法則是答案最終必然出現。 臺灣是我去的第一站。我在一個奶 茶店負責煮茶。到了廣州，我在一間 高級餐廳做了點心部的廚師。最後去 了香港，我在一間藥房打雜辦貨。一 年來我學會了煮珍珠，做港式小吃， 以及整理貨箱。表面上，這些經驗確 實豐富，然而它們無法描述整個的故 事。 一開始我覺得打工挺輕鬆，一旦完 成工作就不必煩惱任何東西，諸如功 課和考試，總之剩下的時間可以任由 我安排，想玩就玩，想休息就休息， 好爽！但這樣經過了一段時間後，我 逐漸意識到打工的艱苦。我講的不是 身體上的疲倦而是這種生活體驗帶 來的心靈感受。打工不同於讀書。我 發覺讀書的時候，我能親自看見自己 的進步，能親自見識到累積知識的過 程，於是日日感到充實。但自從打工

後，我不再感到充 實，發現不管做什 麼工作，畢竟自己 只是個打工仔，唯 一能貢獻給社會的 就是勞工。於是， 我會問自己我沒有 潛能做更多、更有 意義的工作嗎？這 種覺悟，使我倍受 煎熬，因此我的價 值感受到了打擊。 突然之間，我會 聯想到同事們的情 況，尤其是廣州的 同事。我很好奇周 圍的同事都和我年 齡相當，為什麼他 們卻沒有在讀書？ 慢慢我知道了其 中的原由，也就開 始理解了。 那些同事很多 都來自農村，因此 家庭貧窮，甚至有 些人的爸媽還在養 病，必須應付藥費 的負擔。總之，由 於家庭所需要，他 們不得不很早就走 COURTESY OF PARADISEINTHEWORLD.COM 入社會賺錢。極多 都 沒 有 機 會 完 成 The skyline of Guangzhou, where Andy spent part of his gap year working as a dim sum chef in a fine dining restaurant. 高中，更何況大 學，導致職業生涯局限於底薪工作。 相差十分懸殊? （一旦）每每想起那 了社會，你會慢慢的變現實，你會失 後果就是陷入一個無法脫離的困境， 些同事，我就無法抵抗眼眶充斥的哭 去兒童與少年的幻想。一年來，我見 因為打工難於提高人的競爭力。可悲 泣。我想大吼！我想問，為什麼今日 識了不少，的確失去了一點希望，然 的是，這些同事不得不依靠打工來生 是我上大學，為什麼資源是如此地分 而我心中仍然保存著兒童的靈魂，這 配，人們不是應該有機會渴望、追求 靈魂不斷地勸告我，別失去良心，一 存。 我 天 天 和 這 些 同 事 一 起 做 事 ， 洗 夢想嗎？為什麼這不是每個人都能享 定要相信以後可以幫到別人。 我可以以這些經歷感到沮喪，也可 碗，端菜，泡茶，準備點心等等。最 受的權利？公道究竟何在？ 透過同事，我看清自己的幸運，此 以開始主張悲觀的觀點，但這也是逃 後領月底的薪水。對這些同事而言， 以 上 的 過 程 會 周 而 復 始 ， 一 年 又 一 時的我很感謝父母親給我機會讀書， 避責任的想法。我不願意當這種人， 年，更可怕的是，極多就會如此生活 意謂天天有機會為前途打拼。與此同 因爲我知道我的幸運蘊含著重大的責 時，一年的經歷也讓我認定我未來的 任，就是不斷地追求更平等的世界， 度過十年，二十年直至一生。 給需要的人機會獲得幸福，實現夢 我永遠不會忘記一位滿姓的師父對 方向，我不再感到失落。 很多人曾說，當你長大之後且接觸 想。 我說的那句話：我們只是在這裏混日 子，沒有希望了。可是你不一樣，你 可以成爲一個很了不起的人，一定要 守護你的前途。 原來這就是成人所說的社會現實， 所說的社會殘酷，所說的社會窘迫。 我常常會問自己，為什麼我可以不 像那些同事一樣，為什麼彼此之命運

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Sports

PAGE 14

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 25, 2012

The Phoenix

Late Flurry of Goals Buries Hopkins

Led By Pontillo and Co., Men’s Soccer Continues to Win Close Matches

AKSHAJ KUCHIBHOTLA/PHOENIX STAFF

Defender Michael Superdock prepares to throw to forward Michael Stewart on the Oct. 15 game at home against Neumann.

By SCOOP RUXIN Sports Writer The No. 11/12 Swarthmore men’s soccer team (11-1-2, 6-0-1 CC) remained undefeated in October, fighting its way to a come-from-behind victory against a Johns Hopkins squad that proved to be much stronger than its 5-7-2 record. The win extended the Garnet’s unbeaten streak to eight, dating back to a Sep. 19 loss to Stevens Institute of Technology. It also completed a perfect 3-0 fall break that included wins over Neumann and Centennial Conference rival Ursinus.

Though Swarthmore traveled to Baltimore boasting a significantly better record than the hosts, the Blue Jays proved to not be intimidated. Due in large part to strong plays from goalkeeper Peter Maxted ’14 (6 saves), Swarthmore managed to withstand a first half dominated by the Blue Jays, who launched eight shots in the half, compared to just three for the Garnet. Head Coach Eric Wagner acknowledged the effective game plan of the Blue Jays. “They were very physical and we

really struggled to deal with their pressure in the first half,” he said.

The Blue Jays’ pressure paid off when, just 37 seconds into the second half, Brandon Supino put Hopkins ahead with a breakaway goal. Although the score gave Hopkins the lead, Swarthmore appeared to be the team that benefited most from it, as the visitors dominated the rest of the game. “It was as if that goal turned a switch on, because we immediately started moving the ball a lot better and controlling the pace,” Wagner said. Swarthmore put near constant pressure on the Blue Jays defense for the remainder of the match, trying 10 shots, seven of which went on goal.

After being stymied for most of the half by Hopkins keeper Nick Cerrone, Swarthmore finally broke through in the 74th minute, with David Geschwind ’16 netting a header off of a Jake Weiner ’14 throw in. That goal set up the game winner, a cracking 87th minute shot by captain John Pontillo ’13 off a corner kick.

While the goal itself was crucial, it was Pontillo’s leadership

GARNET ATHLETE OF THE WEEK

PETER MAXTED JR., SOCCER, PORT WASHINGTON, N.Y.

What he’s done:

Ranks first in the Centennial Conference in save percentage (.854) and goals against average (.56), leading the Garnet to an undefeated record in conference play thus far.

Favorite career moment:

Our win against Hopkins last weekend. To be able to go on the road against one of our rivals and score 3 goals in the last 10 minutes was a great feeling. Hopkins has a tough crowd- they really heckled us and got into us, so a come from behind win was great.

End of season goals:

To beat Haverford and finish first place in the conference, win the conference tournament, and do well in the NCAA’s. We won a centennial conference my freshman year, but we got knocked out of the NCAA tournament early, so it would be great to get in and go deep in the tournament this year.

Favorite pro team: I’m a Chelsea fan. I went to England about 8 years ago and they were the team that my dad took me to see.

COURTESY OF CHRISTOPHER LYNN

Favorite Halloween candy: Twix

and quick thinking that made it especially impressive. One of the strongest players on the team at headers near the net, Pontillo customarily lines up around the goal for corner kicks.

However, Pontillo recognized that Hopkins had been positioning its players close to the goal on previous corners and adjusted accordingly. “I anticipated this happening again,” Pontillo said. “I knew that if I could lose my man, I would be wide open at the top of the box with a chance to shoot. Fortunately, the ball popped out to me and I put a good strike on goal.” Pontillo’s goal proved decisive, and a team-leading 10th goal by Michael Stewart ’15 on an 89th minute breakaway made the final tally 3-1.

That Pontillo had the confidence to reposition himself at such a critical juncture in the match was impressive, but also unsurprising, for Pontillo’s gutsy leadership has defined Swarthmore’s season. Coach Wagner heaped praise on the four-year starter and two-year captain after the game, calling Pontillo “a leader of team in spirit and performance,” adding, “He has been pillar around which everything else is centered.”

Captain Jack Momeyer ‘14 echoed Wagner’s praises, calling him an “anchor” for his consistently effective defensive play.

Pontillo heads a senior class that has provided needed experience and leadership to a team filled with several younger players. As the group, which consists of Pontillo, Jake Tracy ’13, Brett McLarney ’13 and Thomas Drew ’13, heads into its final regular season home game on Saturday against archrival Haverford at 7 p.m., it hopes to put the finishing touches on a successful four years. The seniors currently have a 59-1010 career record, and their contributions have not been lost on their coach and teammates. Momeyer cited the attitude of the seniors as being essential to the team’s success. “They are encouraging, experienced, and most of all cool-headed,” he said. Each has made important individual contributions to the team’s impressive record.

Wagner called Tracy “a model member of our team,” adding, “I would want my sons to emulate him in a heartbeat.”

Momeyer praised Tracy both as a player and as a teammate, calling him “positive, stern, and reliable between the pipes, as well as the nicest person I have ever met.”

Though McLarney struggled with injuries during the past two seasons, Wagner recalled the contributions and lauded the toughness and resilience of a player described by Momeyer as “the most well-respected member of our team,” calling the team “fortunate to have him involved again this year,” McLarney was a member of the Garnet’s 2008 Conference champion squad and earned all-Centennial honors in 2009.

Drew has been one of the most versatile members of the Garnet. According to Wagner, “He has played just about every position besides keeper, and he settled in as winger this year.”

Drew’s work ethic left an impression on Momeyer, who called the senior “consistently one of the best players in training.”

The attitudes, contributions and leadership of all four seniors have been essential in creating the mentally tough team attitude that Wagner, Momeyer and Pontillo all described as team strengths. “We are always the toughest of the two teams — both physically and mentally,” Momeyer said. “Nothing shakes us and we refuse to get pushed around. Toughness, you can’t teach that.”

For the past three years, Pontillo has found a family within his team. “Being a member of a such a close-knit group has afforded me the opportunity to gain from unparalleled experiences,” he said.

Perhaps, if the team can turn its toughness and regular season domination into postseason success, Pontillo and the rest of seniors will make some new memories before they move on.

Sports

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 25, 2012

PAGE 15

The Phoenix

During Fall Break, Garnet Hit the Road Cross Country, Field Hockey Have Important Saturday

By DAN DUNCAN Sports Editor

The Garnet athletic teams didn’t take a break from competition last week, as every team had at least one major event. For the cross-country and field hockey teams, this sets up a thrilling finish to the regular season on Saturday.

Both the men’s and women’s crosscountry teams competed in the Princeton Invitational on Oct 13. The level of competition was much higher than usual at the meet, with a field that included several Division I schools.

That fact did not intimidate Jenna Cody ‘16, who led the way for the women with a stellar individual effort, finishing 20th with a time of 22:10. Her teammates crossed the finish line further back in the pack, with Rebecca Hammond ‘13 (82nd, 23:09) and Katie McMenamin ‘16 (151st, 24:07) finishing next. Overall, the team finished 20th in a crowded field.

As a team, the men placed similarly, coming in at 21st overall. A close-knit pack paced the Garnet, as Stuart Russell ‘14, Aidan Dumont-McCaffrey ‘13 and Jonas Oppenheimer ‘15 finished within two seconds of each other, placing 115th, 117th and 120th, respectively.

Because of the level of competition at the meet, the runners were pleased with their results. As Russell pointed out, “We ran in the same meet last year too, so it was exciting to see how much we had improved.

Last year, we had two runners under 27 minutes and six runners under 28 minutes.

This year, we had six runners under 27 minutes and ten under 28 minutes, and this year [Jacob Phillips ‘13], our fastest runner didn’t even compete in the meet because of an injury.”

He added, “Going into the meet, the game plan was to stick together, run as a pack, and push each other. I think we were definitely able to accomplish that.”

While cross-country was tearing up the course, the field hockey team spent fall break running around the Mid-Atlantic region on a two game road trip. Centennial Conference matches against Muhlenberg and McDaniel did not turn out well, unfortunately, dropping the Garnet to the brink of elimination from the conference playoff picture.

Against McDaniel, Swarthmore found itself in an early hole, giving up three first half goals and needing a frantic comeback.

Katie Teleky ‘13 scored in the 12th minute, but that was all the Garnet would be able to muster. That was not for lack of trying though, as the team dominated play and

threatened shot after shot. The Green Terror defense came up with 18 saves over the course of the game to preserve their 3-1 win.

It was more of the same when the Garnet traveled to Muhlenberg. Dominant in every aspect of the game but the final score, the Swarthmore offense attempted more than twice as many shots as the Mules’, but the goalkeeper parried each attack. A 22nd minute Muhlenberg goal was all the Mules needed to hang on for a 1-0 win.

The losses, despite dropping the Garnet to eighth place in the Centennial standings, surprisingly did not eliminate the team from playoff contention.

Going into the final two games of the season, the Garnet need wins and help to make the Conference playoffs.

With their backs to the wall, the Garnet stepped up on Wednesday, handling Bryn Mawr 5-1 to keep their hopes alive.

Nia Jones ‘14 led the offensive attack with a hat trick.

Heading into this weekend, then, field hockey and cross-country both have important competitions. Field hockey set itself up for a do-or-die match as they host #16 Haverford on Saturday. With the upset, Swarthmore stands a chance to make the playoffs for the first time in several years. With a loss, the Garnet still finish with a the most wins and a winning overall season for the first time in recent memory. The match starts at 12 p.m.

Cross-country, on the other hand, hops over to Haverford for the Centennial Conference Championships on Saturday. The meet looks to be promising for both sides. For the men’s team, Russell said he expects the team to run well.

“We have a really strong, promising pack and Jacob Phillips, our top finisher from last year, is coming back from [an] injury, so we think we can put together a good performance as a team.” He recognized, though, that it will not be an easy task, pointing out that Haverford is #1, Dickinson is #21, and Johns Hopkins is #27 in the latest USTFCCCA national rankings.

Russell still thinks the team has a chance, though. “Last year, we placed third in the Conference and that is something we definitely feel we can do again. The key will be to keep our second through seventh runners in a really tight pack.”

With Phillips and Cody leading the way, the Garnet have a strong chance at a promising finish. The men run at 11 a.m., and the women run at 12 p.m.

COURTESY OF SPORTS INFORMATION

Clockwise from top: Jacob Phillips and Jenna Cody power through the course, midfielder Sophia Agathis looks to pass.

MLS Can’t Control Clubs’ Finances

I had to spend a long time thinking about this article. I didn’t know what to write about at all. The thing about fall break is that once I come back I have to start all over again.

Usually I have a plan, I know it might not seem like it but I do. It may be the sort of plan that Dick Dastardly and Mutley used to come up with, i.e. they fall apart or backfire in my face; but I have a plan and that is what is most important.

I had someone on my hall complain a few weeks ago that I kept on referring to soccer as football so I thought that I would write a football article about the state of American soccer just to mix it up and make this a confusing experience for everyone except myself because I know what I’m trying to write. And to be really crazy I might use some turns of phrase or JAMES statistics. Ooooooooooohh! Crazy.

Usually when I write about IVEY a league other than the Premier Out of Left Field League it ends up being Italy, Germany or Spain. I ignore France mainly because it just isn’t as good a league and now PSG has so much money the only thing I look for in the results section of Ligue 1 is to see whether they lost. But since I currently reside within the US it has come to my attention that there is such a thing as the MLS. Major League Soccer is unlike every other league in the world due to the restrictions on wages, salary caps, trading of draft picks, and no youth systems. In other words, the MLS is an American attempt to make football like all its other sports. But you can’t do that when it isn’t your own sport.

The issue is that unlike in American Football, Basketball, Baseball and Ice Hockey Football isn’t a sport that can

be controlled by one country. Through a variety of leagues and organisational bodies American sports can be regulated. Football on the other hand is too big and has existed for too long for a national organisation to establish control over. However, the MLS has attempted to control the wage structures of the clubs that play within it. While this is an admirable attempt for establishing financial responsibility as the watchword of club management it is designed to limit the growth of promising franchises while enabling weaker franchises to remain competitive. This is great for the competition within the league but it isn’t good when you have to compete in international competitions against Brazilian teams that have both youth programs and money.

Monetary restrictions are cast aside for a couple of players on each team in an attempt to encourage players to come play in the US for wages that they could receive in Europe. Beckham came as part of this program, as did Henry and Keane. But is this really a good thing? If you are going to ignore the rules in a few cases then you are breaking the code of preventing one team from dominating. By having Keane, Beckham and Donovan the Galaxy are a much more competitive team than say Dallas or the Union. Some teams are able to attract big name players, match winners, or decrepit former stars that give them a greater advantage over their rivals just because they, due to greater revenue streams, can pay these players outside of the wage cap. Having a Donovan type of player

would make almost every team in the MLS better due to the amount of goals and assists he provides, it gives a team an unfair advantage when you are trying to prevent one team from dominating or getting into debt due to financial caps.

Youth football in the US needs to be reconsidered in the same way that financial restrictions should be. Clubs should become more responsible for themselves. This may lead to an imbalance and a lack of competition within the MLS there is a greater reason for this than money. The US national team could use players that have been raised on football and have been able to dedicate their careers to the game. It is admirable that players should get college educations because education is important for all of life even if you are an incredibly gifted footballer and make enough money to never need another job. But education is something that will always hold back the US national team because all other countries can give professional coaching and matches to much younger players. Players in the US generally start later than their compatriots in South America or Europe, first caps for the national teams are later and their first competitive match is always later. Until there is a balance the national team will continue to struggle despite the money that is invested and the amount of young players that pass through the system.

I’m not saying that education is bad. But if the US wants to become more competitive on the world stage then there will have to be a rethink of youth coaching strategy.

The MLS is an American attempt to make football like all its other sports.

Sports

PAGE 16

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 25, 2012

The Phoenix

Volleyball Rolls Through Fall Break Play Coleman, Montemurro Achieve Career Milestones

By JENNI LU Sports Writer While the majority of Swatties may have been relaxing over fall break, the Swarthmore women’s volleyball team kept themselves busy, racking up wins, hitting milestones and bringing themselves closer to the conference playoffs.

In the short span of a week, they pulled away with wins against McDaniel and Muhlenberg, along with wins against Smith and Colby in the Hall of Fame Tournament hosted by Mount Holyoke. In addition, the two senior captains wrote their names in Swarthmore volleyball history; Allison Coleman ’13, setter, recorded her 3,000th career assist in the McDaniel game, while Kat Montemurro ’13, outside hitter, clocked in her 1,000th career kill in the following game against Muhlenberg.

While a seemingly staggering number, 3,000 doesn’t mean much to Coleman. “Three thousand is just a number. To me, it’s about feeling like you contributed to the team, and feeling like the team is successful,” she said.

However, to her teammates and her coach, her accomplishment is no surprise. “Allie’s a competitor. Allie wants to win,” head coach Harleigh Chwastyk said. “Between the last couple classes that have graduated, [she’s] one of the players up there who’s really put in the time and the energy outside of team practice to better herself.”

Chwastyk isn’t the only one who has noticed Coleman’s work ethic; amongst her teammates, she is known for her commitment and dedication to the sport. Brone Lobichusky ’14, middle blocker, said, “[Allie’s] always the first one at practice, the last one to leave.”

Despite being only the second player in Swarthmore volleyball history to reach the 3,000 mark, Coleman, perhaps unsurprisingly, still isn’t 100 percent satisfied.” I’m going to get the numbers because the passing’s good and because the hitters are good, but that doesn’t really mean I can ever stop working on my setting,” she said. “You can never ever be complacent, no matter what your role is on the team.”

Just one game later, Montemurro joined her four-year teammate and fellow senior captain in the record books, becoming only the fourth player in program history to hit 1,000. Like Coleman, Montemurro shrugged

off the number, saying, “I wasn’t really paying playoffs begin, everyone is highly anticipat- to be a lot of fire on our end for sure,” she said, attention to it.” ing two tough match-ups ahead. “Both from hinting at the tough loss the team faced last However, considering her undeniable Bryn Mawr and Haverford, I’m expecting re- season when Haverford ousted them in the value to the team, it’s only expected that ally good defense,” Chwastyk said. Reluctant first round of conference playoffs.

Montemurro would accomplish a feat of such to get caught up with the too-distant future Lobichusky is focusing on the even more magnitude. “Kat’s definitely someone you can and determined to focus on the immediate immediate present. “I need to make it out rely on in any situation, in any kind of game,” present, Chwastyk plans on approaching the of practice first ... I try to take it one day at Lobichusky said. “[She’s] always the motiva- short remainder of the season “one match at a time.” tor on the team … she kind of has a knack of a time.”

Tuesday evening the Garnet matched up knowing what to say to get you out of your Montemurro has one goal for the team: against Bryn Mawr, taking the match 3-0 (25head.”

“We want to win out our season.” Sharing 5, 25-8, 25-22). They will face Haverford on It’s only fitting that Coleman and Mon- Montemurro’s wish, Coleman is looking for- Saturday, Oct. 27 at 1 p.m. With a win, they temurro reached their milestones only one ward in particular to the Haverford game. can clinch the number three seed in the congame apart. “They have really good chemistry “When we play them this year, there’s going ference playoffs. on the court ... they really know how to rely on each other,” Chwastyk said.

As the last two remaining seniors, they’ve had four years to work together — even when Montemurro played as a middle blocker — and their efforts have clearly paid off. “[Kat’s] a really versatile player, and we play well together,” Coleman said. “We find each other on the court, and we’re probably the two loudest people on the court — have been for a while.”

Montemurro summed up their similarities in one simple sentence: “On the court, we both want to win.”

Coming off two monumental games, the team entered the Hall of Fame tournament and put up an impressive performance, winning on the first day of the tournament in straight sets against Smith, and splitting the second day with a loss to Tufts and another straight set victory against Colby. “We had some great hustle plays,” Lobichusky recalled.

According to Chwastyk, the tournament was a sneak preview for what conference playoffs could look like for the Garnet.

“What we need to work on this week, to finish our season, is the element of finishing sets and matches, and not making our own errors,” she said.

YENNY CHEUNG/PHOENIX STAFF With only two regular season games left before conference The team celebrates a stellar effort against Bryn Mawr during Wednesday’s 3-0 win.

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