Fall 2013 Issue 8

The

PIONEER

by HANNAH BARTMAN Staff Reporter

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Photos by Clay

Athletics website features new look

by COLE ANDERSON Staff Reporter

I

f you’ve been to the Whitman Athletics webpage within the last few weeks, you will have noticed that they have made some changes.

In fact, you will probably have noticed that pretty much every aspect of the site has been either improved or changed to something better.

“The new website has a completely different look. The visual presentation is very solid and gives a better representation of Whitman athletics to the outside world. Functionally, the new website is better organized and much easier to navigate. It also gives us a true mobile web presence, which was much needed,” said Brian Griffith, WCTS representative and assistant women’s basketball coach.

A whole team comprised of a wide range of talents worked to put this new site together.

“It was very much a team effort. A group of six of us from athletics, WCTS and communications made content and design decisions as a group. We were in agreement on just about every aspect of the site. It was a very collaborative process,” said Griffith.

In comparison to the previous site, the new and improved one is more user-friendly, with tabs to direct users from their current page to any other page on the site.

“For the fans, it’s a lot easier to access the information you’re looking for. Things like records, scores, updates and things like that. It’s a lot more dynamic,” said Andrew Holt, the project manager for the redesign.

On the original site, navigation was centered around the home page and the home page only. To go to a team page from some other page, users had to go all the way back to

Photo by McCormick

the home page. Now, the drop-down menu bar at the top of the page provides easy access to most pages.

“My personal favorite part of the website is the drop-down screens. That may seem simple, but it allows you to get to different pages from any page on the site,” said Holt.

Coaches will also benefit from the new website as it is now much easier to update a page as new information arrives.

Beyond functionality, the overall appearance of the site has improved. In general, each page looks more professional and well-done.

“Visually, I think for the generation of visitors we are trying to cater to, it looks more like an official athletics website opposed to just an extension of the school’s website,” said Assistant Sports Director Jordan Paden, a key contributor in putting together the interview component.

The addition of a more involved video section was an important goal for the project. The team got together with the film department and its students to add a video interview section to the front page, where patrons can see players interviewed following a weekend of competition.

“We had it [video content] before, but just not the way that it’s integrated now. Being able to do video interviews and being able to have individual sports having their own pages with video, we were way behind compared to what other schools were doing,” said Paden.

The team also had to think about how the site’s audience would be influenced by the changes. There was a wide audience range that the project team was looking at. For example, for a recruit unsure about whether or not to join a program, a well-done athletics site is pivotal. Being able to easily access highlights, interviews, team and player stats, pictures and other information about a sports program can mean the difference between winning over a recruit and losing them to a better-presented program.

That said, the usual visitors to the site, namely current and previous athletes as well as parents and alumni, were kept in mind just as much if not more, as this is the consistent audience of the site.

“We definitely had recruits in mind while finalizing the site design, but we also wanted to properly showcase the accomplishments of current and former student athletes. Bottom line, the site needed to be improved, and every visitor to the site will benefit from the redesign,” said Griffith.

Check out the revamped Whitman athletics website at athletics. whitman.edu.

their curriculum at the start of the 2011–2012 school year. The new graduation requirements are more lenient, leaving only three required classes for the biology major. This change helped distribute students among classes, making the class sizes manageable for professors and making other academic opportunities, like studying abroad, more available to students. “[The biology department change] was really nice for me because it allowed me to go abroad, and it makes it easier for biology majors to take classes and graduate on time,” said senior Cindy Chang.

The Office of the Dean has created a group called the Science Exploratory Committee, made up of faculty and staff, in order to manage the extra faculty work that accompanies an increase in students.

“How do we get these kids to retain the ability to major in what they want to major in and get through in a timely manner without having massive classes?” said Hutchison.

“That’s a complicated problem.”

The committee has looked for short-term and long-term solutions to decrease large class sizes and accommodate for the statistical increase in biology majors. Some short-term solutions have been introduced, including hiring two extra faculty members next year to teach lower-level and higher-level classes. Long-term goals to come within the next five or six years include bringing in professors for tenure and then, if needed, expanding facilities.

All of these plans are tentative, though, because they depend upon the trend of student interest.

The faculty and staff are attempting to find ways to solve the dilemmas that a large class can bring, but they are still puzzled as to why this sudden shift in student interest towards the life sciences has occurred.

“I’ve talked to colleagues of mine from other colleges and they’re saying the same things [about the increase in biology majors],” said Carl E. Peterson Endowed Chair of Sciences Paul Yancey. “No one seems to know why exactly, but there’s not much we can do if it’s a national trend.”

According to CollegeStats. com, biology is the most popular major in the United States. Why is the biology major suddenly a national trend? Yancey and Hutchison believe that one explanation for this trend is the large number of job prospects that come with a biology degree. The increase in biology majors at Whitman coincided with lags

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TH E R E LY 4 H T , N O O G A S R A E Y 4

ISSUE 8 | October 31, 2013 | Whitman news since 1896 | Vol. CXXXI

he graduating class of 2014 has 97 Biology majors, the highest number of graduates in one discipline ever to graduate from Whitman College.

The current surge has left the life science department scrambling for ways to accommodate these students, both in providing enough faculty for classes and providing adequate facilities.

“We’ve been treading water and doing the best we could for a number of years, but now we’re at the breaking point,” said department chair and Associate Professor of Biology Delbert Hutchison. “We’re working on it; it’s just not happening as fast as some of us would like.”

There are four possible majors in the general biology track: biology (55 majors in the class of 2014), biology-environmental studies (12), biology-geology (2), and biochemistry, biophysics and molecular biology (BBMB) (28), making up roughly 23 percent of the graduating class. The increase in life science majors is a gradual national trend that has been particularly prevalent at Whitman over the past three years, with 64 biology majors in the class of 2012 and 74 biology majors in the class of 2013.

Anticipating this surge in enthusiasm about life sciences, the biology department restructured

see BIOLOGY, page 3

Caution urged in light of recent bike thefts

by DYLAN TULL News Editor

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here have been five bike thefts reported on the Whitman campus in the past week, a large enough number to warrant a timely warning from Dean of Students Chuck Cleveland and the Whitman Security Office.

According to Walla Walla Police Public Information Officer Tim Bennett, stolen bikes often go unrecovered. To counter this, the police department advises Whitman students and community members to license their bikes with the police department and receive a unique serial number for their bike.

“Students are strongly encouraged to buy the city of Walla Walla bicycle licenses for five dollars. We can get them back to the rightful owner by tracking them,” said Bennett.

The police department will record the make, model, color and other essential information. They also place a marker on the bike that will alert the police if the bike is recovered anywhere in the country.

“With the serial number, if we discover the bike with the license on it, it’s an easy fix to get it back to the owner,” said Bennett.

Whitman College Security Officer Gabe Kiefel also stated that registering a bike with the police department is the best way to recover it if it is stolen.

“The biggest issue with bike thefts that makes it difficult to recover the stolen bike is very few people register their bikes,” said Kiefel. “The likelihood of recovering a bike that is registered is much higher than those that are stolen that have not been registered. In terms of responsibility of the general Whitman community, that’s something to do to safeguard themselves from their bike being taken.”

While there have been an unusually high number of bike thefts recently, Kiefel noted that this is a common issue for Whitman.

“Part of [the issue] is the false see BIKE THEFTS, page 3

Jake Lindsay ‘14 (above) plays the title role of Tartuffe in Harper Joy Theater’s interpretation of “Tartuffe.” The costumes worn

by Lindsay, Zoe Randol ‘14 (below) and Jack Eiford ‘17 (below) brought the 17th-century play to new heights. Photos by Felt

Harper Joy sews play together

by ADAM HEYMANN Staff Reporter

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ovin’ on up. That’s what Robin Smasne, senior lecturer of theatre and head of the Harper Joy Theatre costume department has been doing. Three years ago Smasne and her department moved from the dark, cold basement of Harper Joy up to the second floor.

“I was thrilled,” said Smasne about the call she got informing her that her department would be relocated to the second floor of Harper Joy. “I never expected it. It was not part of the original renovation plan.”

That isn’t just hyperbole either. Smasne and her crew used to occupy a dungeon in the bottom of the theatre. The demand-

see TINY MONKEYS, page 4

ing, time-consuming work of creating the costumes for several plays a year in such a dreary space was the bane of Smasne’s first seven years at Whitman.

It’s now been three years working with her department in a room on par with professional costume studios, where she has wonderful views of the campus.

see TARTUFFE, page 4

NEWS

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OCT

31 2013

CCC returns from Power Shift energized

by Lorah Steichen Staff Reporter

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hile many Whitman students spent the third weekend of October consumed in midterm studies, members of Campus Climate Challenge were off campus engaging in a weekend of activism. Eight students traveled to Pittsburgh, Penn. to attend Power Shift, a biannual national environmental youth activism conference organized by the Energy Action Coalition.

Thousands of youth leaders from across the United States convened at the Pittsburgh Convention Center to focus on a range of environmental and social justice issues. They attended panels, partook in workshops, participated in trainings and listened to keynote lectures.

“One of the cool things I thought was that it almost didn’t feel like just an environmental conference. It felt like a conference on injustices in the world. There were panels on everything from the school to prison pipeline, on coal exports, on immigration,” said participant junior Audrey Vaughan.

Although Power Shift’s main focus is environmental, the conference highlights the intersections of social and environmental justice. Students returned from the conference with ideas on how this concept might help to improve their own activist efforts on campus.

“We wanted to stress the alliances that need to be made on campus between all of the groups,” said sophomore participant Taylor Cook. “I think one of our struggles with divestment is [that it is] seen as a more radical, just an environmental, movement, but actually it is a social justice movement as well. I think it would be really empowering for our campaign and other campaigns to work together because this is a small school — there are not that many of us, but if you put events together and show solidarity, that will ensure a sense of community. I think people really respond to that as opposed to just labeling one group into a certain role.”

Students who attended Power Shift explain that the opportunity to interact with those who are most directly affected by the various environmental and social injustices as particularly impactful.

“It’s really hard to give a sense of what you learn actually interacting with people on the front lines of these struggles,” said junior participant Collin Smith. “At Power Shift, every minute you’re confronted with the privilege that you have and the power that you’re wielding over people ... And so it’s really difficult to bring a true sense of what Power Shift was to campus because we do have so much privilege and we speak from a place of so much power that we already have.”

The other Power Shift participants, including Vaughan, echoed Smith’s sentiments.

“I think one of the biggest things I learned is that any strides in environmental justice have to be accompanied by strides to regain economic justice and that it can’t just be greening the middle class or greening our community. It has to be greening front-line communities and making sure that they are involved in the conversation and they’re involved in moving forward,” said Vaughan.

The weekend’s events culminated in a march of over 1,000 people who took to the streets of Pittsburgh to rally against the various injustices explored throughout the conference.

“It was really inspiring to be among young activists. You know, kids of 10 and 12 and 13 standing up and doing something about it. And it makes me think, ‘It doesn’t have to be people in power who are running this; it is shifting the power onto the younger generation,’” said Cook.

Although the conference presented many complex challenges, many students who attended emerged with a sense of empowerment.

“We have to take it upon ourselves to let people know that there is a movement out there — it is happening. That’s what it was for me at Power Shift: seeing all those people and especially all those people coming together. There is a movement happening every single day in the U.S., in the world. There is a movement and you can join it. It’s happening, don’t despair — and we’re working forward too. It’s kind of abstract, but it’s out there and its happening and we’re in it,” said participant junior Sierra Dickey.

“Every year, ASWC has us jump through different hoops ... the turnaround [of senators] is so quick.”

Hannah Palkowitz ‘14

Fate of WDA in question ASWC budget turmoil results in funding cuts

by Lachlan Johnson Staff Reporter

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very summer Whitman Direct Action (WDA) travels to Guatemala to research economic development and humanitarian aid, but this tradition may soon come to an end. Ambivalence from members of the ASWC Finance Committee left WDA questioning whether they can count on any support and wondering how to fund this year’s trip to Guatemala without it.

Due to a major budget shortfall last spring, the ASWC Finance Committee had to look more critically at funding requests submitted at the end of the year, including WDA’s annual request to fund their trip to Guatemala to research issues of water scarcity in Willywood, Suchitpequez, a small agricultural community where they have worked for three years trying to access clean water. This summer, ASWC funded the trip in part rather than in full, as it had in previous years.

“We were forced to make really tough decisions, and we were forced to cut many requests down significantly, which in a way was a very good process for us, [as it made] us realize that there are ways that every request could be cut down to make it more ef-

ficient to fund,” said ASWC Finance Chair junior Tatiana Kaehler.

Uncertainty about ASWC funding is nothing new for WDA veterans, who regularly question the amount of funds they get for a relatively small group of students, the ethics of development and international aid, and how much is actually done on campus to educate and involve the student body.

“I’ve been on WDA for several years now, and every year ASWC has us jump through different hoops or has a new system and we’re never really sure how ASWC is [feeling] because the turnaround [of senators] is so quick,” said senior Hannah Palkowitz.

Quick turnover has been a challenge this year too. Last year, WDA members left their meeting with then-ASWC Finance Chair Sam Sadhegi under the impression that any requests for funding this year would be strongly rebuffed and they may as well not apply. However, Kaehler is open to hearing from WDA and at least partially funding their request.

“I would love to see a request from WDA this year. I can’t say how my committee will vote on it or how the senate will vote on it, but WDA definitely has the right to request money from ASWC,” said Kaehler.

Kaehler also hopes WDA will take the initiative to raise money and cover part of their trip themselves, and she plans to reach out to help them begin this process. WDA has been looking into fundraising themselves, but has not begun the process yet, as some debate remains over wheth-

PRODUCTION

writing

BUSINESS

Editor-in-Chief Shelly Le

Production Manager Sean McNulty

NEWS

Managing Editor Pam London

Production Associates Maddison Coons, Jess Faunt, Molly Johanson, Marianne Kellogg, Jesse Moneyhun

Business & Circulation Manager Skye Vander Laan

PIONEER

editorial

News Editors Sarah Cornett Dylan Tull A&E Editor Aleida Fernandez Sports Editor Quin Nelson Feature Editor Karah Kemmerly Opinion Editor Kyle Seasly Humor Editor Molly Johanson Photography Editor Catie Bergman Videography Editor Skye Vander Laan Illustration Editor Luke Hampton

Chief Copy Editor Matthew Nelson Copy Editors Natalie Berg, Lauren Sewell, Flora Sheppard

ILLUSTRATION MaryAnne Bowen, Sophia Cooper-Ellis, Lya Hernandez, Kelsey Lund, Asa Mease, Emma Rust, Tyler Schuh, Eduardo Vazquez

PHOTOGRAPHY & VIDEOGRAPHY Rachael Barton, Jade Blake-Whitney, Tanner Bowersox, Marra Clay, Devika Doowa, Allie Felt, Chaoyu Li, Halley McCormick, Marlena Sloss, Anna von Clemm

Hannah Bartman, Samantha Grainger-Shuba, Lachlan Johnson, Lorah Steichen, River Sterne

A&E

Emma Dahl, Nathan Fisher, Adam Heymann, James Kennedy

FEATURE

Isabel Mills, Serena Runyan

SPORTS

Marah Alindogan, Cole Anderson, Chris Calamita, Kelsey Peck, Mitchell Smith, Dylan Snyder

OPINION

Tobby Alden, Dani Hupper, Bill Landefeld, Andy Monserud

BACKPAGE

Elena Aragon, Rosemary Hanson, Melina Hughes, Evelyn Levine

WEB TEAM Webmaster Nick Budak

Web Editor Ben Schaefer Web Content Editor Tristan Gavin

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Advertising Manager Cali Goldberg Advertising Associates Maya Booth-Balk, Taylor Thomas For information about advertising in The Pioneer or to purchase a subscription please contact business@ whitmanpioneer.com.

er it is a path they want to pursue.

“I feel one of the reasons we come to a small liberal arts college like Whitman is so that we don’t have to spend our time fundraising, so we can spend our time learning and working on projects. I think that’s why we pay the [ASWC] student fee, so we don’t have to spend all of our time fundraising,” said junior Audrey Vaughan, who is the ASWC Oversight Committee chair and a member of WDA. After spending the last three years investigating contamination of drinking water in Willywood, WDA now understands the patchwork of problems that lead to contamination, which range from the presence of human and animal waste, to the runoff of pesticides and fertilizer from plantations, to the complicated history of genocide and civil war that led to the current situation. However, solutions to these problems remain elusive, and time may be running short.

“It’s hard when we are working with a community, and we’re trying to come back summer after summer and build a relationship with them and make strides in our project when we’re not sure every time whether we’ll be able to come back.” said Vaughan.

Illustration Credits Pg 2: MaryAnne Bowen Pg 4: Emma Rust Pg 5: Sophia CooperEllis Pg 7: Asa Mease,

MaryAnne Bowen Pg 8: Kelsey Lund, Lya Hernandez

Corrections to Issue 7 On page 8, the bottom photo of Rimmy Doowa should have been credited as being contributed by Geni Venable.

On page 9 in “Sam Alden finds success in comic world,” the term “Ignatz Awards” was misspelled.

EDITORIAL POLICY

The Whitman College Pioneer is a weekly student-run newspaper published under the auspices of the Associated Students of Whitman College. The purpose of The Pioneer is to provide pertinent, timely news and commentary for Whitman students, alumni, faculty, staff and parents, as well as the Walla Walla community. The Pioneer is dedicated to expanding open discussion on campus about the issues with which students are most concerned. We provide coverage of Whitman-related news as well as featured local and regional events, and strive to maintain a standard of utmost fairness, quality and journalistic integrity while promoting freedom of the press. In addition, The Pioneer strives to be a learning tool for students who are interested in journalism. The Pioneer welcomes all feedback and publishes letters to the editor in print and online.

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The code of ethics is reviewed at least once per semester.

To access the complete code of ethics for The Pioneer, visit whitmanpioneer.com/about.

The

NEWS

oct

31 2013 Faculty adjust to swell in number of biology majors from BIOLOGY, page 1

in the economy, such as the one in 2011, and one theory is that a biology major is correlated with desire for a job. According to Yancey, a biology major can be a bridge to a large job market, such as positions involved in the emerging fields of healthcare, genetic engineering and environmental restoration.

Another theory that Yancey suggests is that the life sciences are increasingly widespread in the media.

“Biology itself is in the news all the time, whether it’s climate change or other environmental problems, health care, genetics or genetic engineering,” said Yancey. “It’s in the news at every level, from the molecular up to the ecological, and it could just be that interest is growing from that.”

Whatever the reason, Whitman faculty and staff are attempting to find ways to accommodate the emerging interest. Among the staff, problems arise from the larger number of students in each class.

“When you come to Whitman and you pay 40 grand a year, you have certain expecta-

tions in terms of quality of instruction, which you’ve got because we have great professors,” said Hutchison. “However, when a professor has a big number of students in classes, it puts pressure on everybody, and that’s what we’re trying to get down.”

Unlike its effect on staff and faculty, the major size is mostly imperceptible to the students, who have become used to large science lecture classes in their four years at Whitman.

“Even though the class is relatively large, you see each other all the time in lab, and you also work on projects together, so there’s definitely a strong sense of biology community despite its large size,” said senior biology major Livingston Martin.

The reason for the increase in biology majors remains uncertain, but its impacts are nonetheless felt by the faculty and, in smaller ways, the students. The major appears to continue to draw interest, and Whitman faculty and staff will continue to address and control this interest to the best of their abilities.

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Mr. Whitman contestants get creative

by Sam Grainger-Shuba Staff Reporter

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t’s that time of the year again: The boys are back in town, and eight contestants are eager to take the stage to become the one, the only, Mr. Whitman.

Nov. 1 marks the annual Mr. Whitman Pageant, hosted by the Kappa Kappa Gamma women’s fraternity. For the past nine years, Kappa has organized the male beauty pageant, featuring eight male Whitman seniors, as a fundraiser for a selected local charity. This year, Kappa has chosen to support the local nonprofit organization Trilogy Recovery Community.

Trilogy Recovery Community is a youth support group for adolescents struggling with addiction. It is a local nonprofit that has served the Walla Walla community for 10 years.

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Consult with recent alumni from a wide range of professional fields!

Thursday November 7 4 PM Reid 207 Kirsten Adams Gable ‘01 Vice President of the Alumni Board Major: Biology

Kirsten has worked as a Management Consultant at Sapere Consulting for the past ten years. Their areas of expertise include business process improvement, organizational strategy, project planning and management, product strategy and development, and regulatory and policy analysis. Her work supports clients in the energy and natural resources sector. Clients range from large government entities to smaller local utilities. In addition, she heads Sapere’s Recruiting Committee.

Erich Wolfe ‘02 Major: Economics Erich Wolfe is a Senior Consultant with over 10 years of professional experience in risk management, baseline development, strategic planning, and decision analysis. He has led and contributed to engagements with governmental, private and energy clients. Mr. Wolf’s work has included planning, development and management of project baselines, risk management and strategic planning for multimillion dollar projects. His diverse experience has included work on construction projects, facility disposition, fish propagation programs and LEED-certified buildings.

“In my personal experience, with a support group like this, people who are struggling with addiction or find themselves in a hole can find a way out,” said Rina Wulfing, the philanthropy chair of Kappa Kappa Gamma.

There are eight contestants: four independent men and one from each of the four fraternities on campus. Leading up to the pageant, the role of the contestants is to organize fundraisers in support of Trilogy. Each contestant has a “posse” composed of four or five Kappa members to help them raise money, brainstorm ideas and run events raising awareness of Trilogy.

“Some fundraisers raise more awareness than money, which I think is great,” said Wulfing. “Some of them walk away raising $20, but those represent 20 more people who are aware of Mr. Whitman and aware of Trilogy.”

Independent senior Ethan Parrish has raised money by donating 100 percent of the profits from his photography business to Trilogy. In addition, he auctioned off the right to shave his beard and head. During Family Weekend, Parrish organized a 5K run, with the participants dressing in costume.

“I’ve chosen these methods for a variety of reasons.

The photography lends itself to a strength of mine, and as for the on-campus events, I tried to pick events that were inclusive,” said Parrish. “My hope is that people don’t look at it as much a competitive Mr. Whitman event, [but] as a means of raising money for Trilogy as well as a fun charity event.”

Senior Casey Minnick of Sigma Chi began fundraising over the summer, selling ice cream sandwiches that he made in his sister’s restaurant. He has arranged deals at local restaurants such as Maple Counter and Sweet Basil, where a percentage of their profits go to Trilogy, in an effort to draw people from the community. However, Minnick is not driven by the desire to hold the title of Mr. Whitman.

“I’m less concerned with

the title of Mr. Whitman itself and more concerned with raising money and supporting a great cause,” said Minnick.

“Once I met with Trilogy, I realized that I had a huge opportunity in front of me to help the Walla Walla community. It’s important to me that I can give back to a place that has supported me for the last three years.”

Senior Tristan Gavin, representing Tau Kappa Epsilon, organized the Date-A-TKE auction, in which participants could bid on certain TKEs to take out on a date. He also released a solo ukulele album of cover songs called Bad Music, Good Cause: Live from the Romper that he has been selling for Trilogy.

“Tristan is extremely passionate about the great work that Trilogy does and is especially excited that it is a local charity. Winning Mr. Whitman would probably be the capstone of his senior year,” said senior Cristela Delgado-Daniel, one of Gavin’s posse leaders. “Regardless of the outcome, he is incredibly appreciative of everyone’s generosity and excited to be supporting such a great cause.”

Gavin has been selling quesadillas at campus parties and has been fundraising by letter as well. He has also established a website where donors can directly pledge money.

Beta Theta Pi senior Zach Johnston has organized two events: an all-campus dodgeball tournament and a trivia night titled “Are You Smarter Than a Beta?” He also created a website to kick start funds. Johnston stated that the key to raising money is reaching out to both the Whitman community and the broader Walla Walla community. He believes that everyone is a winner in this competition.

“All the Mr. Whitman candidates are deserving of being Mr. Whitman. Anyone willing to sacrifice for a cause greater than themselves automatically qualifies as Mr. Whitman material,” said Johnston. “As Whitman students, we spend four years in this gorgeous town, and it’s great to be able to give back.”

Students encouraged to register bikes with city from BIKE THEFTS, page 1

locked with the assumption that nobody will take it,” said Kiefel.

Junior Courtney Lawless had her bike stolen on Tuesday, Oct. 22.

She left her bike unlocked outside of the Baker Ferguson Fitness Center for 90 minutes and found it had been stolen while she was inside.

“I left it outside of the gym,” said Lawless, “but I put it with maybe 10 other bikes, right in front of the giant glass windows with a bunch of Whitman students coming in and out. I just figure out of all the places on campus that hopefully it wouldn’t get stolen there, and of course that was dumb thinking because it got stolen maybe an hour and a half later.”

Bikes have been stolen from multiple locations around campus, including Maxey Hall, the Fitness Center, Jewett Hall and Olin Hall. At least one bike was noted to have had its lock cut for the theft.

Officer Rudy Ortega re-

sponded to a call reporting a suspicious person lurking around the Anderson bike racks around 12:30 a.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 23. The person was identified by his baggy pants and thought to be linked with the thefts. “[Ortega] responded immediately, but that person was gone,” said Kiefel. “And then, later on that night, he did see somebody with baggy pants, and he followed the individual off campus.

He also called the Walla Walla Police Department to contact the subject, but he was not contacted.”

Kiefel reminds students to stay aware, and not be lulled into a false sense of security.

“Whitman College is subject to the same types of crimes that happen everywhere else, and for people to behave in a way that will pre-

vent their own property from being harmed or taken,” he said.

Students interested in obtaining a bike license can go to the Walla Walla Police Department during their regular hours.

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the SEC presents

Accelerate your career Don’t miss the opportunity to learn about an exciting new program designed to help you develop the skills, confidence and connections to launch meaningful careers right out of Whitman.

Mark you calendars for a panel discussion with program founders and Whitman alumni who have participated in pilot events.

Monday November 11th at 4:00 and 7:30 Stay tuned for more details from the Student Engagement Center www.whitman.edu/content/studentengagement

A&E Costumes elevate storytelling

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from “TARTUFFE”, page 1

This new second-floor space has made all the difference for the costume crew. Assembling the wardrobe for a theatre production takes months of painstaking labor. Workdays can go for hours, especially closer to the premiere. Even with so much time, work can still come down to the last minute, adding extra stress. For Smasne’s cohort, the new headquarters has made a long, painstaking process infinitely more enjoyable, and it shows.

The new costumes for “Tartuffe” were especially masterful. These lively, unique and functional getups were difficult for the costume department because “Tartuffe” is a comical, energetic play. Actors needed to look both historically accurate in 17th-century garb and still have a full range of bodily motion.

“Not many theater companies design and create their costumes from scratch,” said Costume Assistant and first-year Rebecca Gordon. “This program gives Whit-

31 2013 PIO PICKS Each Thursday, The Pioneer highlights events happening on campus or in Walla Walla.

Here are this week’s picks:

man shows a truly professional aspect to the theater department.”

To create such intricate costumes, the workroom can often be filled with pressure and stress.

Fun, however, is still of the utmost importance to the costume department. Junior Natalie Shaw, one of the crew’s most senior members, described the atmosphere.

“We listen to music, and we can talk. Robin doesn’t mind if we chat as long as it doesn’t impact our productivity,” she said.

While Smasne and her assistants thoroughly enjoy the costume process, the real reward is seeing their hard work in motion. A play like “Tartuffe” is heavily dependent on its costumes and their aesthetics in order to make the proper mood for a play. Gordon was confident that her coworkers and Smasne accomplished their goal.

“The costumes were extremely detailed, elegant and elaborate,” she said. “They look stunning on stage and were a lot of fun to create.”

Kitten and Shy Girls Get your dance on as indie rock band Kitten performs ‘80sinspired pop anthems while Shy Girls performs neo-soul music. Be sure to be someone who can say, “I saw them before they were famous.” Tickets and Whitman ID needed to enter.

Sponsored by WEB. Thursday, Oct. 31 at 8 p.m. in Reid Ballroom

Haunted Hospital Prepare to get scared at North Hall’s annual Haunted Hospital.

Watch out for all those ghastly ghouls and tricky zombies. Donation of $3 or one can of food is required at the door.

Saturday, Nov. 2 at 7 p.m. at North Hall

Harper Joy Theatre’s costume department has been responsible for a number of intricate costumes. Most recently is for “Tartuffe” (pictured above and left). Photos by Felt ADVERTISEMENTS

Blitzen Trapper: musical nostalgia

by Emma Dahl Staff Reporter

O

ne of the best things about music is how, after listening to a particular song or album for a while, it can become emblazoned with the way your life was at that point in time; you forever associate that locality or time period with that music.

Yet sometimes I think music can come with an association before one even ge t s a

chance to play it enough times to engrave it with a time and place.

Sometimes an album can come out, and it already feels like it speaks of old friends, or of last Thanksgiving break or of what it felt like to be a sophomore. The music itself has a distinct characteristic that can remind you of whenever or wherever. It’s not the individual songs that do it, it’s the way the artist forms them and their particular sound.

For me, Blitzen Trapper is one of these bands that intrinsically reminds me of summertime at home in rural Oregon. The past few summers, I would just loop their albums and soak it in.

Consequently, whenever I hear any songs by BT, I get catapulted right back to those days; I’m driving my pickup truck to my job at a local fruit farm on a hot and sunny day, or I’m spending the afternoon floating along the Clackamas River with close friends.

Blitzen Trapper just released their seventh album, the aptly named VII, and I was very excited to get my hands on it and find out what new direction the band was taking with their sound. But as soon as I started listening, I experienced that familiar wave of nostalgia for gravel driveways and strawberry season, even though I had never listened to the album in Oregon or in the summer time.

P e r h a p s having

such a clear nostalgia associated with the rest of the band’s music has made it so anything that sounds Blitzen Trapper-y feels the same as the rest of their older music, and so I automatically associate memories with their music. But maybe it’s some intrinsic characteristic of their sound that just speaks to the Oregonian in me, the part of me that can be a little homesick sometimes. I think it is — I think it’s something about the frequent melodica solos, or Eric Earley’s twangy vocals or maybe the lyrics that tell of the simple joy of returning to your hometown.

I think it’s possible for music to speak to you of a certain time or place, despite having never listened to it at that time or place.

There’s something beyond that surface association that we can make after just playing a song on loop for a while — it’s the very characteristics of the music itself that can transport us to the past. It’s like the time or place has its own music; we don’t always imprint it with our own.

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SPORTS From Boyer to Bennington: running trails in, around Walla Walla oct

PAGE

5

31 2013

Here are some key routes for Whitman runners, from novices to cross country studs.

by Mitchell Smith Staff Reporter

Route One: Mill Creek (King fisher) Trail Distance: From corner of Boyer Avenue and Stanton Street, approximately 7.6 miles round-trip. From Eastgate Lions Park (head of the trail), five miles round-trip One of the most scenic runs around Walla Walla, make the choice to leave from school or from the head of the trail 1.3 miles away. The Mill Creek Trail borders Mill Creek, a U.S. Army Corps of Engineers project originally built in 1948. There are trails on both sides of the creek — one side is paved for biking while the other side is hard gravel for walking or running. The trail loops around Rooks Park, making the distance perfect for a moderately experienced runner. Be careful though, as this reporter has been attacked by a dog and gotten a flat tire on the trail.

SCOREBOARD Soccer

Men’s v. George Fox University Oct. 26: W 2–1 v. Pacific University Oct. 27: W 1–0 Women’s v. Linfield College Oct. 26: L 1-0 v. Pacific University Oct. 27: L 4-0

Volleyball

v. Pacific University Oct. 25: L 3–2 v. George Fox Oct. 26: L 3–1

Golf

Men’s NWC Fall Classic Oct. 27: 8th Place Women’s NWC Fall Classic Oct. 27: 1st Place

upcoming soccer

Men’s v. Linfield College Nov. 2, 1:30 p.m.: HOME v. Wilamette Nov. 3, 1:30 p.m.: HOME Women’s v. Lewis & Clark Nov. 2, 11:00 a.m.: HOME v. Willamete Nov. 3, 11:00 a.m.: HOME

Volleyball

v. Pacific Lutheran University Nov.1: AWAY v. University of Puget Sound Nov. 2: AWAY

Cross country Route Two: Wheat fields Distance: From corner of Isaacs Avenue and Penrose Avenue, 3.75 miles round-trip (part A) or runner’s discretion (part B).

A staple of the Whitman runner’s diet has always been a healthy dose of running through the wheat fields.

There are two ways to get there, but the safer and more recommended one is by running through the underpass next to Borleske Stadium. From there, take a sharp right and head up the hill next to Highway 12, then after a little over half a mile turn left onto Lower Waitsburg Road. The road winds its way through the fields for 15 miles before running into Highway 124, allowing runners to turn back whenever they want. If running on the road does not suit you, turn left about 500 yards down the road and run around Veterans Memorial Golf Course. Again, while this is up to the runner’s discretion, the route around the perimeter of the golf course is just under four miles total.

Men’s NWC Championships Nov. 2: AWAY Women’s NWC Championships Nov. 2: AWAY

Swimming

Route Three: Tietan Park Distance: From corner of Boyer Avenue and Stanton Street, approximately 3.75 miles round-trip.

For another short run to a park, head south to Tietan Park. This is a good place to stretch or run sprints in, as it has fewer trees and is flatter than Pioneer Park. Tietan Park has less to offer than Pioneer, but is further away and still provides a nice landmark for turning around.

Route Four: Pioneer Park Distance: From corner of Boyer Avenue and Stanton Street, approximately two miles round-trip (including one lap around the park) The relaxed runner’s dream, this route has the appeal of being both short and interesting. Easy to find, Pioneer Park is a beautifully maintained park less than a mile away from campus. In addition to rolling hills and enormous trees, the park sports a gazebo, a pond and an aviary with birds ranging from colorful peacocks to majestic swans. This run is what you make of it. It is easy to do a quick two-miler or get lost watching the birds.

Route Five: Bennington Lake Distance: From corner of Boyer Avenue and Stanton Street, approximately 10.5 miles round-trip.

For those looking to add distance to the Mill Creek Trail, cross the creek just after passing Walla Walla Community College and head towards Bennington Lake. This is the most rural and scenic set of trails around Walla Walla. There are many trails around the lake, so it is easy to shorten or lengthen runs when necessary.

Make sure to look to the north for a nice view of the Blue Mountains, and on a hot day there is always the possibility of giving your body a rest with a swim in the only public lake within 45 minutes of Walla Walla.

Men’s NWC Relays Nov. 1: AWAY NWC Sprint Nov. 2: AWAY Women’s NWC Relays Nov. 1: AWAY NWC Sprint Nov. 2: AWAY

Sports Fact of the Week: Senior men’s soccer player Junpei Tsuji has scored two game-winning goals in overtime this season, the most recent being last Sunday, Oct. 27 against Pacific University in a 1-0 victory.

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PAGE

6

October Creations

FEATURE

OCT

31 2013

Whitman art students worked together to make relief prints using a steamroller at the first annual community festival for Día de los Muertos, a Mexican holiday that honors the dead. Photos by Volpert

Students celebrate with giant prints

by Isabel Mills Staff Reporter

T

his Halloween season, Walla Walla is filled with events, including a festival, a fundraiser and a family tradition.

One of the events is the very first Day of the Dead Festival, which was held at the Gesa Power House Theatre on Friday, Oct. 25 and Saturday, Oct. 26. It featured a Latino concert, an altar display, food trucks and a collaborative art project created by Whitman faculty and students.

Día de los Muertos, the Day of the Dead, is a Mexican holiday that celebrates the lives of those who have passed.

Assistant Professor of Art Nicole Pietrantoni, who teaches a variety of classes, including printmaking and book arts, instigated the Day of the Dead printmaking project.

“It remembers those who have passed. It’s a celebration; it’s not morbid. Because a lot of the imagery in Day of the Dead is skulls and skeletons, it seems like

a huge Halloween party, but it actually has very rich religious and spiritual roots,” said Pietrantoni.

Whitman students in Pietrantoni’s classes have contributed huge pieces of art to be made into giant prints using a steamroller. Members of the community were able to make their own smaller prints at the festival and then transfer them onto T-shirts.

“We are making giant relief prints ... We run ink across the raised surface and can print this image that the students have carved. My students will be making their prints in the street using a steamroller as the printing press,” said Pietrantoni.

The students creating the prints for this project tried to interpret Day of the Dead imagery and aspects of Mexican culture into their artwork. Senior Catherine Hannan has spent around 25 hours on this project.

“There are flowers, which are often placed on the altars. It’s sort of based on the idea that the dead come back to visit their relatives.

So their relatives put out these al-

tars with food and water because they’re hungry and thirsty after their journey. So I just took all of the ideas from the altar and tried to interpret them in more of an abstract way,” said Catherine.

First-year Gillian Gray attended the festival and had a great time.

“There were beautiful and colorful alters to celebrate the dead, as well as fascinating steamrolled prints made by Whitman students. Kids could have their faces painted, decorate sugar skulls and masks and even make their own prints. Everyone seemed to be smiling and having fun,” she said.

Another community event, which takes place from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 31, is the D.A.R.E (Drug Abuse Resistance Education) fundraiser. D.A.R.E. is an international education program in which a uniformed officer visits elementary schools to educate the children on avoiding drugs, gangs and violence.

Vicki Ruley, a crime prevention coordinator and crime victim advocate for the Walla Walla Police Department, has been

able to help out with the fundraiser through her department.

“We’re going to have a parade of costumes for the kids and an opportunity to sell pictures.

We have a little staging area to get your picture taken. We’re encouraging people who like kids, and who may not see a lot of costumes, to just sit, have dinner and watch what’s going on. It’s a great place to do that,” she said.

Anyone from the community is welcome to come enjoy a $5 spaghetti dinner, which will include scary marinara sauce and spooky salad. All proceeds raised at this Halloween event will go directly to D.A.R.E. Another event this year, a favorite among Whitman students, is the haunted corn maze. The maze has been operating for 14 years thanks to a group of loyal volunteers, particularly the Filan family.

“My husband recreates the maze every year. It could take him a day or all winter depending on what he wants to do with it. It’s a new design every year,” said Katy Filan, whose husband

and father-in-law own the land.

You enter the maze in the pitch dark. In some places, the ground may suddenly drop as if you are on a trampoline. Around most corners, there are people dressed up in a variety of scary costumes, waiting to jump out, scream and possibly follow you.

Fortunately, the costumed volunteers are not allowed to actually touch the maze-goers, and they must tell those in the maze the way out if asked.

First-year Eva Geisse went to the corn maze for the first time this year with other brave students from her floor in Anderson Hall.

“The corn maze was terrifying, to say the least. At one point I was chased by a bloody clown. It was worth it, though, despite the mini heart attacks waiting around every corner. Make sure you take a friend who doesn’t mind you latching on to them the entire time!” said Geisse.

From artwork to spaghetti to clowns, Walla Walla is bringing all the aspects of a wonderful fall season to the community.

Alumnus writes psychological thriller novel based on experiences in local cemetery

by SERENA runyan Staff Reporter

A

n abandoned road not far from Whitman leads to an old graveyard with chipping headstones and weeds as old as the bodies they grow over. At night the moon barely illuminates the grass where Whitman alumnus Stanley Wilson ‘66 sat with his date on the night they saw a drunken Walla Walla citizen get pushed into an empty grave.

Stubblefield Cemetery isn’t just where Wilson saw an unfortunate incident — Walla Walla legend says that the graveyard is haunted. According to anonymous post on si-web.com, Walla Wallans in the 1800s killed accused witches in the cemetery, which has been haunted since.

This local lore inspired the setting for Wilson’s psychological thriller, “Stubblefield,” in which Walla Wallans say that multiple gravediggers were mysteriously buried alive years ago.

The story describes two young adults’ run-in with a predatory police officer at Stubblefield Cemetery. Wilson’s experiences at Whitman, including his memory from Stubblefield as a first-

year, are incorporated into his novel to create an engrossing tale of two lovers in Walla Walla trying to escape their law-breaking past.

The book begins with a chessprodigy Whitman student Bryan and his Walla Wallan girlfriend Lydia who decide to drive out to the abandoned Stubblefield Cemetery amidst stretches of wheat fields. Here they encounter a dangerously corrupt police officer and make a decision that launches them into a daring game with the law.

Wilson’s time as a Whitman student wasn’t the only experience he drew on for his book. His own disconcerting experience with three police officers who threatened to kill him was the real inspiration for the plot of “Stubblefield.”

Wilson preceded his account with his sincere respect for law enforcement, but he believes that corruption is possible everywhere.

“Three police officers had threatened to kill me for no good reason other than the fact that I [was] a ‘60s hippie with long hair.

They took us out to the woods ... I felt terrified and helpless,” he said.

But despite the heavy, suspenseful nature of his book, Wilson says it’s really a love story.

“My favorite part [of writ-

ing the book] was the development of the love relationship between these two,” said Wilson.

Because they were both abandoned by their mothers in childhood, Bryan and Lydia simultaneously fear and long for intimacy.

“So they fall very much in love,” said Wilson.

Their incident with the officer in the graveyard pits these two insecure teenagers into a troublesome future that tests their relationship.

“It’s not a ‘who done it,’” said Wilson. “They have to kill him [the officer]. The question is: Are they and should they get caught and how is it going to affect their relationship?”

Although Wilson was a psychology major, he credits his time at Whitman for his ability to write.

His background and experience as a psychologist also helped him develop the format for “Stubblefield.”

“Being a psychologist, I’m used to listening to people,” said Wilson.

Thus, the story within “Stubblefield” is told entirely as a flashback from Bryan’s point of view, and he regales his experiences to his friends many years later. Wilson wrote from the first person to connect the reader with

Bryan’s emotional development.

“By writing in the first person, I think that it’s easier for the reader to identify with Bryan’s desperation and insecurities,” said Wilson.

Consequentially, Wilson said readers tell him they enjoy the story line and character development so much so that “Stubblefield” actually has a five-star rating on Amazon.com. And what’s more, Wil-

son is in the process of developing “Stubblefield” into a screenplay, something he hasn’t done before.

“Someone said to me, ‘Stan, this would make a great movie.’ So I said, ‘You know, this really would,’” said Wilson.

Whether or not it becomes a film, Wilson’s successful Walla Walla-based thriller gives life to the cemetery amongst the wheat fields.

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OPINION

OCT

31 2013

PAGE

7

Nuclear power offers different solution DANI HUPPER First-year

A

fter Fukushima, Chernobyl and Three Mile Island (nuclear power plants that unintentionally exposed thousands to radioactivity), it has been taboo for an environmentalist to be pro-nuclear. While I don’t mean to be unsympathetic to the victims of radioactivity-caused cancers, we should not forget nuclear’s enormous benefits. The hysteria these disasters have caused (and maybe America’s phobia for just the word “nuclear”) may be blinding us from a readily available and relatively less pollutant-intensive energy source.

Very simply, nuclear energy is created when uranium atoms split in a process called fission. This creates energy and releases heat, producing steam.

This powers a turbine and creates electricity. The by-product of the split uranium atoms is radioactive and hazardous if exposed to people or the environment. The most responsible way to contain and manage this waste is under intense debate.

I’ll admit it: The colossal gray steam-producing nuclear reactors are not as pretty as their wind and solar competitors. Like any energy source on the market today, it has its flaws. If radioactivity escapes, it can increase locals’ chances of getting cancer.

Greenhouse gases are emitted mining and transporting the uranium. Opening a nuclear plant is a tremendous initial investment, especially because the nuclear industry is no longer receiving government subsidies (but the fossil fuels industry does).

So why in the world would someone be in support of nuclear power after all those drawbacks?

Here’s the kicker: The process of nuclear fission is pollutant free.

It emits no carbon, methane, nitrous oxide or any other greenhouse gas. Because the uranium must be mined and transported, nuclear energy unfortunately creates a footprint. But a simple comparison of emissions is convincing enough — according to the American Chemical Association, nuclear releases 65 tonnes of carbon dioxide-equivalent gases per GWh on average, while natural gas produces 602 and coal produces 1,045 tonnes per GWh. NASA believes that nuclear power has prevented 64 gigatonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent greenhouse gases that would have otherwise been emitted by fossil fuels.

Mortality rates are also relative.

The9billion.com believes that

nuclear energy accidents have “been a source of serious contention,” while the coal industry has done a top-notch job keeping coal-related deaths private.

They also claim that for each casualty due to nuclear energy, 4,000 die as a result of coal.

NASA also believes that nuclear power has prevented 1.84 million deaths that would have otherwise contaminated those affected by the fossil fuel industry.

While tremendously expensive initially, nuclear power plants pay themselves back with time. Edward L. Quinn wrote to the New York Times in a letter to the editor, “The upfront cost of nuclear is indeed daunting, but the reality is that those costs are spread over 60 or more years. That’s why today’s nuclear plants are such bargains, having been efficiently producing power for decades after the big initial investment.”

We can prevent malfunctions that leak radioactive material to the public.

Like the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission says, let’s make sure nuclear power plants are not vulnerable to natural disasters (especially earthquakes). It’s okay that generators are disposing of their radioactive waste on-site (there is no government issued disposal site) as

long as they make every effort to prevent exposure to the public or aquifers. We can impr ove s a f e ty regulations to prevent a possible terrorist attack. We should make our regulations stronger instead of sticking to the fossil

mands of its increasing population. Nuclear is not perfect either, but it’s

fuel status quo.

We cannot continue to use fossil fuels at the rate our average surface temperature is increasing. Natural gas does not reduce our emissions enough.

Renewables are not ready to support the world and the energy de-

r e liable and the least pollutant intensive source ready for our growing market. We should not let Fukushima, Chernobyl and Three Mile Island scare us from nuclear in general. Instead, we should modify our current system to prevent its risks until we have developed a reliable renewable energy resource.

Mease not Mooses by Asa Mease

Comedian Russell Brand raises important issues BILL view in an impressively articLANDEFELD ulate and quick-witted way.

Junior

D

o you ever think about what you would say if a BBC news anchor interviewed you? Would you take the opportunity to talk about why you never vote, the growing income gap around the world, your former drug addiction and how lovely your interviewer’s beard looks? Or would you simply answer the questions you were asked with full cooperation? I think I would choose the latter option.

Then again, I am not Russell Brand.

On Oct. 23, Russell Brand, an outlandish English comedian and actor, was interviewed by Jeremy Paxman on the BBC about his new job as the editor of a political magazine. Right off the bat, Paxman asked Brand what his credibility is for being a political editor.

Taken aback, Brand playfully asks Paxman who has the credibility to talk to a lovely woman, implying that anybody can do either. Paxman then asks him whether he votes or not, which Brand answers that he does not. In response, Paxman provoked Brand by asking him, “How do you have any authority to talk about politics, then?” This question instigated Brand into talking about his true opinions on the failure of the status quo, which he passionately discussed for the rest of the inter-

Brand calls for a political and philosophical revolution in order to change the current state of political affairs. He starts off broadly by outlining the current issues that we face: the ever-growing economic disparities, global climate disaster and the lack of common people’s political representation (are you getting governmental shutdown tingles?). In supporting his argument, Brand talks about how the state of the world politics and economy significantly favors a relatively small group of people. He points out that “300 Americans have the same amount of wealth as their 85 million poorest Americans” (a reasonable statistic). Brand connects this economic disparity to the “disenfranchised, disillusioned, despondent class that is not being represented by that political system,” which he uses to justify why he does not vote.

I am glad that Brand raises these important issues, but think that his view on not voting is dangerously reckless. By stating that he does not vote because he thinks the system is broken, Brand sets a precedent that people should not follow. If you want to change, say, climate change, it is imperative that you vote for an initiative that reduces carbon emissions. While I am not advocating for a system of governance like Australia’s that makes it mandatory for everybody to vote (every citizen should have the right to vote or not), I do, however, think that not voting is counter productive to creating immediate, realistic change. Rather than not voting at all, vote on the initiatives and the candidates that you

truly believe in, but realize that if you want to help change the larger problems, you must do more than vote, because the current system is not addressing many of these important issues of which Brand reminds us. Brand is not the first one to talk about these issues, but I applaud him for bringing them to the forefront of our thoughts.

While I do not agree with many of Brand’s recommended policies, I do think that he raises some valuable points that everybody should consider. While Brand might have been a drug addict in his early adulthood, he should not be condemned from being able to be a smart individual who can engage in politics. He is not embarrassed by his past, but rather uses himself as an example of an individual that defied the expectation. By using himself as an example, Brand calls for every citizen to become politically educated, which will allow for everybody to think critically about politics – empowering individuals.

This is where I believe that Brand is not just being eccentric for the publicity stunts and Facebook likes; he truly does care about this issue.

That is a cause I can get behind.

Brand does not claim to be a revolutionary leader; he does not even claim to have a lot of knowledge about politics – and he should not be viewed as such. He just knows that the current system does not address the major problems that our world faces and hopes that we can start to do something about it.

Rather than looking to Brand for the answers, think about the political realities that he reminds us of that need to be addressed.

Take Brand’s advice with a grain of salt, and dedicate yourself, like he has, to the change that you want to see in the world.

Voices from the Community

Lou Reed: personal hero KYLE SEASLY Junior

I

n my angsty teenage days I remember walking around my high school before class began and blasting “Sister Ray” by the Velvet Underground. I can also recall a band when I was in high school struggling to play “Rock and Roll” by the same New Yorkers.

It’s interesting how much one person’s music can have such a drastic effect on one’s life. This week I have felt like Jason Segel’s character in the “Freaks and Geeks” episode where he just repeats “John Bonham’s dead,” after I found out Lou Reed died on Sunday.

I’ve always viewed the Velvet Underground as the godfathers of the “underground” movement. Perhaps it was because underground was in their name, or just that I remember hearing that The Velvet Underground and Nico was one of the most influential albums of all time and decided I absolutely had to listen to it, or that everyone who ever listened to them always started a band — and I suppose that’s true in my case. I was looking for something different than what I heard on the “alternative” and “classic” rock stations.

Whenever I was up late on a Saturday night, I would put on “Sunday Morning” and would laugh to myself. Even this summer I would put

on “Coney Island Baby” by Lou Reed and listen to it all the way through.

One of my favorite songs of Reed’s is where he talks about a girl, Jenny, whose life was saved by rock and roll. “Rock and Roll” in many ways saved my life, too, and Lou Reed was a big part of that — so I always can relate to that song. If I didn’t have rock and roll, I don’t know what I would do with my time. When I walk around campus, I’m listening to music; when I have free time, I try to listen or play music; and some of my best times have been playing concerts here at Whitman College.

It’s interesting how in this day and age one can get to know someone so well through their music without ever meeting them. The Velvet Underground and Nico, I feel, places me on the streets of New York in the 1960s, hanging outside Andy Warhol’s factory perhaps. White Light/White Heat takes me somewhere dark and mysterious, and their third LP makes me kind of contemplative and melancholy.

In many ways, it’s very strange that I feel sad about Lou’s death — I never knew him personally. But artists have this effect on many people, and we will always feel connected to their work in some way. It’s sad to see them pass away. Although I wasn’t a huge fan of his collaboration with Metallica, and have never listened to Metal Machine Music, I still consider myself a huge fan.

Until he died, it had probably been at least a year since I listened to the Velvet Underground. What’s even more odd about a famous person’s death is that it always causes a resurgence in popularity. For me, I’ve been blasting “Sister Ray” again and remembering one of my first influences.

What is your ideal date in Walla Walla?

Poll by JADE BLAKE-WHITNEY

YSA DIAZ

KYLE HOWE

BRENNA FEENEY

NELSON FALKENBURG

Senior

Junior

Sophomore

Senior

“I guess my ideal date in Walla Walla would be to just go on a walk, especially right now in the fall, and get onto a high perch and watch the sunset.”

“I would say that my ideal date in Walla Walla would probably be dinner at The Green Spoon followed by a movie.”

“With anything involving food you can’t go wrong. This is Walla Walla. The overpriced hipster sandwiches at Graze are usually my go-to, and I also love going on runs with people. That’s usually a good casual thing to do.”

“My ideal date would be going stargazing in the wheat fields. I’m really obsessed with the universe. Also since it’s a little colder now, it would involve a lot of snuggling, maybe a bottle of wine.”

For video responses visit: whitmanpioneer.com/category/opinion

BACKPAGE

PAGE

8

31 2013

DOTS: WHY?

The tale of

I

OCT

Wolfman College D

t started slowly, first a wolf was seen smoking behind Olin Hall, a second and third standing in the sandwich line at Prentiss Dining Hall, a fourth making a quick dash across Isaacs, running into the wilds of the TKE basement. But as the day grew late, and the sun dropped quickly down, the rest of the wolves came.

No one knows why the wolves came to campus, or just where it was they came from, but came they did. Enraged by our trespassing on their territory, the wolves prowled the campus: They chased and bit any first-year trying to make it on time to Encounters, they ate all the soft serve in Jewett Dining Hall, they all posed for their student IDs after paying their ASWC funds and gained swipe access to all the dorms.

Slowly, though, the wolves came not just to occupy and terrorize the campus, but run the very school itself. First they began filling out the Bon App request forms. Seeing how they were the only ones to do so, the dining halls soon began serving squirrel and raw rabbit meat. They petitioned the President’s Office for funds to run a series of lectures, films and discussions for Wolf Awareness Month, addressing all the issues that occur with being a wolf — like the tastiness of first-years, the BETAs encroaching on their squirrel hunting and the number of flying objects on Ankeny Field they wanted to chase: lacrosse balls, Frisbees, footballs, more first-years. They got a wolf senator elected to ASWC, and then successfully performed a coup, impeaching Rim Teed, ASWC president, for lack of fur and placing one of their own at the head of the Appetizing Students of Wolfman College. Unfortunately, they ate the remaining senators.

After taking charge of the student governing body, they set their wolfy eyes on the administration. Their only goal: win over Jorge Watercrossings. This was a task, however, easily accomplished by supplying him with a number of wolf-themed bow ties.

Having taken over, every night is a full moon under the glow of the Memorial clock tower. The wolves have successfully established a regime of fur and fear, ruling over the few remaining students at Wolfman College. But mostly, the wolves have come to Wolfman College to gain a strong, unpretentious liberal arts education.

BOO!

A Wordsearch pumpkin broomstick haunted witch phantom spooky eerie goblin ghost ghoul

ear Dots manufacturers, It’s Halloween time, and that means candy! Finally, an excuse to eat sweet, chocolatey, nougaty, fruity and chewy yum. The packages are exciting, the colors are exciting and the joy brought to the children’s faces (especially my face) is exciting. Finding new candy is great and so is finding old candy. But candy-making dudes, let’s be real. Dots are gross (seriously).

So I get home from trick-or-treating, and I have this huge-ass fucking pillowcase full of candy (if you’re wondering what I dressed up as, I was Professor Grubbly Plank from the fourth and fifth “Harry Potter” books, but you probably don’t know who she is — she wasn’t in the movies).

So I have this huge ass fucking pillowcase full of candy, and I pour it out on the living room floor (My mom is like “Don’t do that,” and I’m like “Whatever, Mom, go back to watching reruns of ‘Breaking Bad.’ You are so behind what is trendy.”). And the candy is all over the floor, and I start putting it in piles, cause that is what you do with Halloween candy (then you trick your younger brother into taking the Tootsie Rolls and chocolate covered raisins).

Then, I like find this little yellow box, and it’s not Nerds, which are pretty good.

And, it’s not like Swedish Fish, which my dad likes. It’s like Dots. I’m like “What are Dots?” so I like open the box (it’s like hard to open and I almost like cut under my nail with the stupid cardboard). Bad start, right?

Anyway, they are kinda pretty. They look kinda like Rolos but not chocolate and I’m like “Yeah, that is cool or whatever.” So I put a green one in my mouth, and let me break down four reasons why it was disgusting.

First, Dots have this nasty powdery tapioca starch covering. If I wanted my candy dusty, I would open it and leave it in my grandma’s house at Thanksgiving and come back and eat it at Christmas (even though I actually think Pickles her stupid one-eyed gassy chihuahua would probably eat it, and then die, and then they would totally blame me for killing him).

Secondly, they don’t taste fruity. Maybe it’s because they are from like the Depression, and they didn’t have enough flavoring or something. So, like green tastes like nothing.

Thirdly, has anyone ever sued you for not being able to get Dots off of their teeth?

It’s like I need to go to the dentist after two Dots (not that I am going to eat a second Dot), so they pry the candy out of my molars with sharp things.

Lastly, they aren’t good for anything else. At least you can like pretend candy corn is fangs and Mexican candy with bugs in it is fun because it’s freaky. So, Dots, nobody wants you. Just stop trying. It is not the Depression anymore. We can make better candy now.

Peace out, Lisa

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Interested in pursuing a career in journalism?

Leslie Helm Nov. 4 2014, 12 p.m.–1 p.m.

Reid 240 Helm will meet with students interested in journalism for a Q & A lunch session at this time on Monday, Nov. 4. For more information please contact Noah Leavitt, leavitns@whitman.edu Co-sponsored by the Student Engagement Center

Yokohama Yankee: Leslie Helm discusses family, race and conflict in modern Japanese history

7:30 p.m., Olin 130 Sponsored by the Asian Studies Department