Whitman College Pioneer - Issue 9 Fall 2009

FE ATURE , page 10

Preview:

DIA DE LOS MUERTOS CELEBRATION

AT&T BUILDS NEW CELL TOWER

A&E , page 4

NEWS page 2

ELECTION 2009 “ELECTION RESULTS ENERGIZE REPUBLICANS” by Alex Potter

“VOTERS PASS R-71, SHOOT DOWN I-1033”

by Rachel Alexander

OPINION, page 8

NEWS, page 3

WHITMAN COLLEGE Walla Walla, WA Volume CXXV / Issue 9 whitmanpioneer.com N , 

Faculty vote approves 3-2 course schedule

by GILLIAN FREW Editor-in-Chief The faculty voted yesterday overwhelmingly in favor of allowing individual academic departments to offer a 3-2 course schedule, following an extended campaign by the Feasibility Study Committee to reduce professor course loads from three classes each semester to three one semester and two the next, or from six courses per year to five. Proposed schedules will still have to pass through additional faculty vote.

According to Andrea Dobson, associate professor of astronomy and chair of the faculty, the transition, which was about three years in the making, will also be implemented over a number of years.

“Departments have already put forth ways in which their course loads might be reconfigured to make this work,” she said. “They’ll now be invited to update those. It won’t be an automatic that each department will then go to a five-course

load next year. One of the things we’ll look at is [whether we will] be able to meet all the requirements that are necessary for the current students.”

Proponents of the shift argue that with their current workloads, professors are unable to devote enough time to advising and research. The role of professors has also become more demanding both inside and outside the classroom, said Bob Withycombe, professor of rhetoric and film studies.

“When I started here in 1980, I taught six classes the same way I do now, but I suspect no one ever imagined that there would be a course like Semester in the West or that the geology department would do four-day weekends out in the country every semester,” he said.

In an open letter to the faculty sent Tuesday, Nov. 3, and signed by members of the Executive Council, ASWC outlined concerns that moving forward FACULTY, page 2

Server crash forces Penrose Library back to pen and paper

by LEA NEGRIN Staff Reporter Early Saturday, Oct. 31, the server for the Penrose Library crashed, disabling the library’s catalog as well as other vital tools that the library uses. By Wednesday morning the server had been repaired and was back on-line.

As Dalia Corkrum, director of Penrose Library, told the Whitman community via e-mail, it wasn’t a Halloween prank. While new hardware repaired the server for now, the library will permanently switch to a new server during Thanksgiving break.

“We [had] just decided it was time to get a new server when the Reid

controller apparently decided it was its time,” said Laura Krier, the metadata librarian for Penrose Library.

The crash forced a brief return to manual paper systems of old “We were doing everything by hand—writing down people’s names, the book’s bar code number, the bar codes on the back of students’ ID cards,” said junior Chris d’Autremont, who works at the library’s circulation desk.

By Monday morning, though, Krier had set up a data program to store the recorded information until the server could be repaired, which allowed the circulation desk to use the scanners CR A SH, page 2

H1N1 Sick with the swine?

FLU HITS CAMPUS HARD, VACCINE NEAR

by LEA NEGRIN Staff Reporter The Health Center saw 68 students with influenza-like symptoms last week, the peak weekly number since the beginning of the semester. As of 4:00 p.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 4th, 27 total cases had come to the Health Center this week, including the weekend.

The decrease in students with the flu this week has brought relief to the Health Center, as has the anticipation of a shipment of the H1N1 vaccine. The vaccine will FLU, page 3 QUIS DOBULLION

by KIM SOMMERS Editor-in-Chief

A participant in Humanists for Equality’s open poetry reading presents at Coffee Perk. The group also distributes hot meals twice monthly in Heritage Square Park. Both events give interested community members a space to gather.

Humanist group offers social aid sans religion

by RACHEL ALEXANDER Staff Reporter It’s Wednesday night, and a woman is standing in a dark coffee shop receiving a revelation from God. Her eyes are closed and the words coming out of her mouth are full of fire as she describes her spiritual conviction. Her name is Lijuana Freeman, and she has come to an open poetry reading at Coffee Perk in downtown Walla Walla to share a piece of herself with a crowd of strangers.

“I like these kinds of venues,” she said. “Everyone can come as they are and share in their own way.”

This philosophy of inclusion has drawn a diverse crowd of people to the weekly poetry readings, which are put on by Humanists for Equality.

H4E is a nonprofit founded by Walla Walla residents Jade Fenton and Clinton Sweeney to address a wide variety of social issues.

“It started with the idea that Walla Walla needs a music venue,” said Fenton. “We just ended up coupling that with other things that we cared about.”

Along with the weekly readings at Coffee Perk, H4E has been providing free hot meals to the public every other Wednesday at 4 p.m. in Heritage HUMANISTS, page 3

ISOLATION POLICY UNHEALTHY COMMENTARY

by GALEN BERNARD News Editor Whitman, we are taking the wrong approach to the flu.

Students being isolated to the degree that one friend of mine recently went three days without physical contact with another person is not healthy. A brief onearm hug should not trigger tears of thanks because the recipient has so missed human touch.

ISOL ATION, page 9

Brace for it: Debaters to swarm campus

Students not using P-D-F to explore

by LEA NEGRIN

by LIZ FORSYTH

Staff Reporter

Staff Reporter

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hitman’s 37th annual High School Speech Tournament begins today, Nov. 5, and continues through Saturday, Nov. 7. While the tournament is a big source of funding for the debate team, the influx of high school students puts a strain on the campus.

“It’s great for the debate team but it’s unfortunate for the rest of the campus because of how hard it is to handle that many people,” said sophomore Geni Venable, who helped keep tournament events running smoothly as a first-year member of the debate team last year.

Around 500 to 700 students attend each year, a number equivalent to approximately 40 percent of the Whitman student body.

“It’s like having a mass group of prospies,” said senior debate team member Ali Edwards.

The student influx puts a particular burden on Reid staff for those three days. Each year, Barbara Maxwell, associate dean of students and student programs, hires extra staff members to manage the influx of students in Reid.

“It does have value for the college in many ways; it’s just rough,” said Maxwell. To prepare for the tournament, Maxwell spends the afternoon prior to students’ arrival “sanitizing” Reid by locking away many of the chairs, rugs and other furniture that may otherwise be susceptible to abuse by the mass amounts of people.

“It would be ideal if Whitman students could DEBATE , page 2

egistering for a P-D-F class grade, possible this week until Friday at 4 p.m., is not a popular option for most students.

Whitman’s student handbook cautions against its overuse, saying, “although the P-D-F option can be very useful in certain circumstances, there are complications with its use.”

The primary complication for students, especially among the roughly 60% who go on to graduate school, is whether a grade of “P” for passing will blemish their academic record.

“People tell me it looks bad on a transcript,” said junior Emily Jackson. “I mean, if I saw a P-D-F on a transcript I would assume they got a C or a C minus.”

Whether a “P” on a transcript will hurt a student’s application to graduate school is debatable, as it depends on the school.

“I think every [graduate] school is going to be different. For med school or clinical psychology or any competitive program it probably won’t look that good,” said Susan Buchanan, director of the Student Engagement Center. The 2009-10 Whitman Catalog advises students not to “overuse” the P-D-F option, noting that some graduate schools may discount a transcript of which “substantial parts” are P-D-F grades.

Some students, like senior Steve Shoemaker, see the negative perception of the “P” grade as a lost opportunity.

P-D-F, page 3

NEWS

2

November 5, 2009N

Faculty: ASWC sends open letter about 3-2 ď?Śď?˛ď?Żď?­ page 1 with a 3-2 schedule will negatively impact students. “We came into this conversation late, admittedly, but in many respects it’s because we didn’t have access to that conversation beforehand,â€? said senior ASWC President Nadim Damluji. “So we did something that looks a lot more drastic than it is by stuffing faculty mailboxes with a letter on the day of a vote.â€?

Senior Jordan Clark, ASWC vice president and student affairs chair, said the letter was motivated by ASWC’s desire to join the discussion, not because of wholesale opposition to the transition. “We weren’t condemning the 3-2 move; we were just saying, ‘Look, we’d like to be a part of this discussion and we know you’re having the vote today, but here is our concern,’� he said.

Citing an interim report released by the Feasibility Study Committee in May, the letter states that transitioning to a 3-2 schedule will lead to a 17 percent reduction in the number of courses Whitman offers, with an equivalent increase in class sizes. “As students, we feel an increase in class sizes would negatively impact the dynamic and quality of in-class discussions—the current strength of which separates Whitman College from many of its peer institutions,� the letter argues.

Dobson said the figure of 17 percent was taken out of context, and that attempts will be made to ease the transition. “We’re not simply going to cut 17 percent of the classes,� she said. “That’s not going to happen. There are ways to make this work without making it harder for students to get into classes.�

Among these ways is offering less popular courses in alternate years, Dobson said.

She added that increasing some classes by a few students would not seriously alter the learning experience. “There are some departments where if you increase the class sizes a little bit, it won’t be a big deal,� she said. “If your class went from 15 to 17 people, it’s not going to be fatal. There are some departments that would actually drop things, rearrange them and make them more efficient.�

Withycombe thinks the transition is in Whitman’s long-term best interest, but worries that smaller departments like rhetoric and film studies will be unable to incorporate the reduction in faculty course loads. “I work in one of those departments that cannot make the move to a five-course load given our current staff, so I am one of the minority departments. My anxiety has always been, how do we deal with an issue with the kinds of constraints that have been put on it?� he said, referring in part to the

need for curricular changes to remain as budget-neutral as possible.

With the vote passed, the Board of Trustees is meeting this week to discuss implications for next year. “I know that there’s some disagreement even amongst the trustees, as there is amongst the students, about whether this was a good idea,� said Michelle Janning, associate professor of sociology. “I think we’ll see there are going to be a lot of conversations that need to happen between faculty and students.�

An advantage of the transition is that departments that didn’t previously map out course offerings more than a year in advance will now be asked to do so, Dobson said, which should help counteract some students’ frustration when planning their programs or preparing for study abroad.

Janning predicted that as the transition takes place, students and faculty will be able to reach a successful compromise. “There are ways to accommodate students without sacrificing the things that came out in the letter from ASWC,� she said.

Andy Jobanek and Kim Sommers contributed reporting.

Spanish to separate from foreign languages and literatures department In addition to their vote on course loads, faculty also approved a proposal for Spanish to become its own department, separate from Foreign Languages and Literatures, which currently comprises Chinese, Japanese, French, German and Spanish. “We have been in conversation with the PROVOSTĂ’ OFĂ’ THEĂ’ FACULTYĂ’ ANDĂ’ THEIRĂ’ OFÂľCEĂ’ FORĂ’ over two years about this, so this was not a big surprise,â€? said Nohemy SolorzanoThompson, associate professor of foreign languages and literatures—Spanish and

HONG

chair of the Spanish section of the department. “Everyone was very supportive.�

Spanish is the largest section of Foreign ,ANGUAGESĂ’ ANDĂ’ ,ITERATURES Ă’ WITHĂ’ ÂľVEĂ’ FULL time professors. Solorzano-Thompson said

A child carries his spoils from Downtown Trick-or-Treat 2009 in Walla Walla on Halloween. The Downtown Walla Walla Foundation, which organized the event, estimates that at least 3,000 people participated. Touted as a safe and “spooktacular� trick-or-treating option, local businesses offered goodies to children from 3-5 p.m. Saturday.

the change, effective next year, serves administrative purposes and will not effect students’ major or minor requirements.

Akira Takemoto, professor of foreign languages and literatures—Japanese and department chair, agreed. “It shouldn’t affect students at all in terms of requirements, because most of the languages are in many ways already their own separate programs.�

According to Takemoto, the whole department endorsed the change, but it is unlikely any other language sections will choose a similar route in the future. “The other languages still feel that it’s BENEÂľCIALĂ’TOĂ’STAYĂ’TOGETHER iĂ’HEĂ’SAID - Gillian Frew with Kim Sommers

Crash: New server expected soon ď?Śď?˛ď?Żď?­ page 1 once again. “People have been coping fairly well, although it is much easier [for me] to check books out by hand than [for someone] to tell people exactly where a book can be found,â€? said d’Autremont.

For seniors writing theses and other students who have become adjusted to typing in a key word and finding a

plethora of accessible information, the catalog crash made finding resources “cumbersome,� in Corkrum’s words, but nonetheless doable. “[The reference librarians have been] helping students use other resources to identify items in our collection,� said Corkrum. “We appreciate everyone’s patience.�

The server crash did not impair the databases, e-reserves or the digital

collection. Summit also remained accessible.

The library had planned to migrate to a new server over winter break, but the crash has moved up the switch to Thanksgiving break. The exact age of the server that crashed is unknown. “I’m not sure if this is the original server or not; we’ll just say it was time for it to be replaced,� said Corkrum.

Debate: Tournament supports team ���� page 1 not be on campus,� Maxwell said.

Maxwell said she understands that there are time constraints due to the debate season. She suggested that having the tournament over the four day weekend or during Whitman’s Thanksgiving break would make the tournament less stressful for the campus.

As of Wednesday, Oct. 29, Whitman students began to notice the fluorescent pink posters taped outside classrooms, and even dorm section study lounges, where debates are scheduled to be held. In past years debaters could even be found in the library

ALDEN

IN THIS ISSUE: News . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-3 A&E . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-5 Humor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 Opinion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-9 Feature

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Sports . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11-12

CORRECTIONS TO ISSUE 8: The Mr. Whitman photo on page 1 should be credited to Linnea Bullion, not Marie von Hafften.

The illustration accompanying “Trustees: Students gain voice� on page 3 should be credited to Binta LoosDiallo, not Carrie Sloane.

“Costumes: Students opt for ‘goofy,’ not ‘slutty’� on page 9 identified Ben Gourlay as a first-year. He is a sophomore.

study rooms but that was ended due to the distraction it caused.

While catering to hundreds of high school students can be difficult for the campus, members of the debate team and Walla Walla community reap the benefits. “It allows us to compete at regional and national tournaments because it provides funding,� said Jim Hanson, professor of forensics and debate team coach via e-mail. “At the past two tournaments, we have been in finals in every debate division we have entered [and won three of the four finals rounds].�

Also, according to Hanson, the tournament generates approximately $120,000 for the local economy.

Whitman debaters also benefit from judging the tournament. “The students learn to be better educators and to give constructive criticism,�

Hanson said.

The tournament helps the college debate team recruit new members. Senior Nathan Cohn, part of a debate partnership ranked in the top ten nationally, is one of three senior Whitman debaters who participated in the tournament while in high school.

Whitman’s tournament is significant because it is one of two held annually in the Pacific Northwest that qualifies competing students for the Tournament of Champions.

“We’re really, really lucky to have this tournament in our own backyard. It’s such a beautiful campus and we’re very thankful that you’re willing to have us,� said Sarah Sherry, debate coach for Puyallup High School.

As a judge, Edwards has had a positive impression of the high school students. “Generally speaking [the high school students] are willing to do anything to look impressive in the eyes of college students,� she said.

Although tough to manage at times, the tournament continues thanks to the efforts of the debate team and the Reid staff. “I make it work,� said Maxwell.

AT&T comes calling with local cell towers, downtown store

by MAGGIE ALLEN Reporter AT&T cell phone users can hope for fewer dropped calls in December as the wireless company turns on several cell towers in the Walla Walla area. A new AT&T store will open at the same time.

The store, located on E. Alder Street between 2nd and 3rd Avenue—AT&T’s first in Walla Walla—will be helpful for students that need new phones or devices. “I am on a bad phone right now,� sophomore Claire Snyder said. “It will be nice to have the AT&T store as a resource that I can go to and check out new phones in person before I make the decision of which one to buy.�

Snyder is also eager for the increased reception. “When I lived in Jewett last year, my service would cut out really randomly,�

she said. “It will be nice to not have that happen to me anymore.�

According to AT&T regional manager Joe Padilla, Walla Walla has been supportive of this endeavor. “They are very inviting to new businesses,� he said. “Walla Walla has been very excited to see this.�

Padilla’s main challenge to date is that some locals do not see what he considers to be the benefits of the store. “I’m sure that will change as soon as the towers are turned on and people realize that there is a need for this system,� he said.

Padilla and others behind the project are greatly anticipating what the store will bring to the community. “The improvements the users will see are tenfold,� Padilla said. “We would like to make as big of an impact as any new store likes to make, and we want to make sure that everyone knows we

are in town, so we are going to do everything to make that possible.�

Store Manager Osric Flores is also eager for the store’s opening. “I am excited to get everything start-

ed,� he said.

The store is currently hiring for sales representatives, management and other positions and welcomes student applications.

CORNELIUS

9November 5, 2009

P-D-F: Original intent neglected ď?Śď?˛ď?Żď?­ page 1 “It discourages students from taking classes outside what they’re comfortable in,â€? he said. “They don’t want to get a bad grade but now they can’t even take the chance.â€?

Shoemaker’s opinion captures the original intent of the P-D-F option, which was to allow students to get the full benefit of a liberal arts education. “It used to be meant so that students would be comfortable taking classes in areas they might not feel as comfortable in. For example a humanities person could take a calculus class and not have it ruin their academic record,� said Associate Registrar Stacey Giusti. These days, Giusti said, it’s pretty rare for students to actually use the option as it was designed.

Instead, students use P-D-F to cover a poor class performance or fill the 124 credits required to graduate. “First-years and sophomores, they usually do it to protect their academic record. With seniors it’s usually because they need the credit,� Giusti said.

Though P-D-F cannot be applied to distribution or Encounters, and many majors prohibit using it for major cre dit, stu-

Washington voters pass R-71, shoot down I-1033 in election

by RACHEL ALEXANDER Staff Reporter Tuesday, Nov. 3’s elections mean more rights for same sex couples, no cap on state spending and a republican, Terry Nealey, in Walla Walla’s state senate seat.

Currently, about one million ballots have been counted, with about 330,000 remaining to be counted statewide.

Given these numbers, the results for Referendum 71 and Initiative Measure 1033 are not final. Within Walla Walla County, only about 100 ballots remain to be counted, so local results are final.

R-71, which legalizes ‘everythingbut-marriage’ domestic partnerships for same sex couples, is passing with 52 percent voting for and 48 percent against the measure. However, Walla Walla County voted against R-71, with only 39 percent of voters supporting it.

I-1033, which would place a cap on the state budget, is failing with 44 percent of voters for and 56 percent against the measure. Within Walla Walla County, the vote was 48 percent for and 52 percent against.

Terry Nealey, the Republican candidate for 16th District State Representative, defeated Democratic incumbent Laura Grant. Nealey received 58 percent of the vote compared to Grant’s 42 percent.

Ronald Dunning won the race for Port Comissioner District 3 with 60 percent of the vote. Challenger Clarence Anderson received 40 percent of the vote.

For updated election results, visit the Secretary of State’s results page or the Walla Walla County Elections Page.

NEWS

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dents can take a “P� grade on up to 40 credits. “It’s an outlandish number,� said Giusti.

Distribution requirements now serve the initial purpose of the P-D-F option. “We still have distribution requirements, which are going to force people into areas they feel uncomfortable in,� said Giusti. “People can try something new and maybe end up majoring in it.

That’s the idea of a liberal arts education.�

The P-D-F option is available for students until Nov. 6, as is the deadline to withdraw with a “W� on your transcript.

Unlike other options, students must submit a physical form signed by their adviser to elect a P-D-F grade.

BULLION %MMYÒ#OLEMANÒf ÒWEARSÒAÒRESPIRATORYÒMASKÒTOÒPREVENTÒSPREADÒOFÒHERÒINšUENZA LIKEÒILLNESS

Flu: Absences pose dilemma for faculty ���� page 1 first be available to students who are considered High Risk in accordance with the standards set by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention. Students who meet those qualifications will be notified via e-mail when they can receive the vaccine.

Although the Health Center was very busy, they have not yet had to call upon the Student Health Advisory Council to aid them. “Just knowing that they are there is helpful,� Interim Director of the Health Center Claudia Ness said.

The large number of students with flulike symptoms resulted in reduced class sizes this week, but not every ill student stayed home. “I think a lot of people feel pressured to go to class even though they’re sick,� said senior Daniel Grant, who found himself ill for a full six days, three of which were class days.

Chuck Cleveland, dean of students,

SONG

sent an e-mail to the student listserv urging sick students to isolate themselves according to Health Center instructions.

Cleveland also assured students that they would not be penalized for their absence. “It has come to my attention that some students are reluctant to self-isolate and miss class for fear of academic repercussions. This is unfortunate as the ILI can easily spread to others in the class. I want to remind you that the faculty will provide academic accommodations to students who miss class due to illness. If you become ill go to the Health Center, follow their instructions but please do not go to class with ILI,� said Cleveland in the email.

Visiting Assistant History Professor Gustavo Licon, who has been battling off a cold himself, is one of the professors who provided academic accommodations. “Being sick really slows you down,� Licon said. For students who miss class he has granted extensions needed to complete work or given alternative assing-

ments so that students can maintain participation points. Licon saw an average of about three students missing from each of his classes last week. “Professors were more than accommodating,� attested Grant. “The hardest part was overcoming the fevers, chills and aches.�

Students who have fallen ill have received the support of section mates through their isolation. First-year student Diana Wu of Prentiss Hall was grateful for the help she received from Dox section, which took turns picking up her meals from the dining hall for her as well as checking in from time to time.

With the flu firmly established on campus, attention has turned to stopping its spread. In an e-mail to his Argument in Law and Politics class, Professor of Forensics Jim Hanson captured the focus on keeping other students from getting ill. “If you are sick please just e-mail me and don’t come to class. Let’s put a halt to this flu thing,� Hanson said in the e-mail.

Humanists: Community center planned ď?Śď?˛ď?Żď?­ page 1 Square Park. Fenton says the purpose of these events is both to provide a community gathering space as well as meals for those who might not otherwise be able to eat. “We really believe that people should have access to food without strings attached,â€? she said. “They shouldn’t have to listen to prayers or a particular speech just to get a meal.â€?

Ultimately H4E aims to get a community center started in Walla Walla, to provide a place for youth to hang out and hold events, without any political or religious agenda. “People are a little blown away at first that we don’t have ulterior motives,� said Fenton. “They’re like, ‘What church are you from?’�

Whitman senior Josi Kerr is H4E’s treasurer. She heard about the organization from Fenton, who works with her at the Safeway on Rose Street. “It seemed like a really good idea,�

Kerr said.

Kerr lives in an off-campus apartment with her husband and works up to twenty-five hours a week in addition to a full class schedule, facts which set her apart from most Whitman students. She feels that many Whitman students are disconnected from the realities of life in Walla Walla. “I think the Whitman bubble is about being oblivious to what’s going on outside,� she said. “It’s great that Whitman students have such a sense of community, but it’s not the real world.�

Kerr hopes to play a mentoring role in H4E’s future community center. Coming from a lower-income background, she wants to show local students that college is a possibility. “I think it’s important for kids to know their opportunities,� she said. “College isn’t for everybody, but there’s something better than what these kids are given.�

H4E’s Youth Committee leader, Sandra Marim, agreed that Walla Walla’s youth often face a lack of options.

Ryan Crocker Ryan Crocker ’71, a five-time U.S. ambassador and recipient of the U.S. Medal of Freedom, retired from the Foreign Service in early 2009 from a storied diplomatic career that included Iraq as his final post.

MONDAY, NOV. 9

‡ 7:30 P.M. ‡ PUBLIC LECTURE

“From Iraq to Afghanistan: Engagement and Confrontation in the Broader Middle East.� Maxey Auditorium

TUESDAY, NOV. 10

‡

7 P.M.

‡ STUDENT WORKSHOP

Public service versus personal conviction: What to do when they collide? Reid Campus Center G02

THURSDAY, NOV. 11 ‡

7 P.M.

‡ FACULTY & STAFF SEMINAR

Ways in which the U.S. might employ the various instruments of power in dealing with challenges in the Middle East. Maxey Hall 142 Sponsored by the President's Office and the O'Donnell Visiting Educators Program

“There’s a lot of teens that I know who are sleeping on park benches,� she said.

Marim attends Walla Walla High School, but focuses her outreach efforts on Lincoln High School, which is an alternative high school program. She believes H4E is able to provide resources for young people in a way that the city can’t. “I’ve been out on the streets,� she said. “I don’t want to get caught by the police, taken to juvie and have my mom blamed for it.�

While they work on getting a location for a community center, H4E will continue to hold events for anyone in-

terested in making a connection with other people. “This is a forum where anybody can spit who they are and what makes the world go ‘round,� said Sweeney at the poetry reading last Wednesday. True to this mission, the poems shared ranged from homemade elegies to pieces by Pablo Neruda, and everything in between.

Kerr believes this type of connection is important. “Get to know the people you’re living with for four years,� she said. “A lot of Whitman students don’t.�

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A&E

The Pioneer ISSUE 9 NOV. 5, 2009 Page 4

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Visiting writer Davis XX lives up to dishes on short stories MUSIC REVIEW

hype with ‘xx’

by ANDREW HALL Music Reviewer If there’s one thing that Britain likes, it’s over-hyping their bands to the point of nausea. The XX, a four-piece consisting of 20-year-olds from London, is no exception, and they’ve received enthusiastic reviews from just about everyone who can give one. There are only two details that make this particularly strange: One is the fact that the XX is not a guitar band, the other is that they’re actually good. Over the course of its debut record, xx, the band uses skeletal production and arrangements, as well as fascinating vocal interplay, to explore negative space and texture.

Without the group’s singers—bassist Oliver Sim and guitarist Romy Madley Croft—this record would be nowhere near as good as it is. The two sport almost identical ranges yet have distinctly different voices, and the effects of hearing the two weave in and out, then overlap each other, is revelatory.

There are almost no harmonies; the two only sing in unison when together and it’s fascinating amongst the album’s ice. “Crystalized� and “Islands� take almost all of their power from the effects of their vocal arrangements, and the chorus of “Islands,� where Croft sings “I am yours now / so I don’t ever have to leave� becomes something unstoppable when Sim joins her.

Just as unique as its singers are the album’s songs and their arrangements.

The band cites their biggest influences as modern R&B records, Aaliyah and the Cure, but it’s the most minimal pop to make a splash in years. The silence between notes gets heavier and heavier

as the album progresses, and songs are rarely made out of more than a few sampled drums, skeletal guitar and bass lines and those vocal lines, which are given tons of room of stretch and expand. “Heart Skipped a Beat� comes in as soon as “Islands� ends, almost as if continuing the same set of ideas, running on a call and response between guitar, bass and a single pulsing kick.

The middle of “Fantasy� gives way to a moment in which chest cavity-readjusting bass bursts forth, swallowing the song, and it doesn’t matter, because it works so well. When real, percussive grooves emerge, like on “Basic Space,� where one shows up a minute in, they stand out around so much emptiness that it’s hard not to be taken with it.

It’s hard to figure out how, exactly, a record like xx could come from such a young band. Despite the fact that their school’s alumni include Burial, members of Hot Chip and several others who’ve gone on to make waves in British electronic music this decade, there’s something unbelievable about the XX’s embrace of minimalism, love of musical conversation and ability to craft something truly unique out of the elements that make bedroom R&B. Whereas Junior Boys’ Last Exit was memorable because it married aggressive, difficult percussion to Jeremy Greenspan’s aching songwriting, the XX play up strange, sexualized conversation atop almost nothing at all, and to hear it at all, much less from four 20-year-olds with no public histories in music between them, is nothing short of astounding. Unlike the majority of British media hype, the XX absolutely deserves the attention.

by CAITLIN HARDEE Staff Reporter As the Visiting Writers series began its second event this year, English department students and faculty alike awaited the arrival of literary figure Lydia Davis.

Renowned for her short stories, the influential author and professor read excerpts from her work in Kimball Auditorium on Monday, Nov. 2.

Assistant Professor of English Scott Elliott first encountered the work of Lydia Davis as a graduate student and has been a fan of her work ever since, appreciating her as a fellow writer and instructor. “It’s difficult to categorize what she’s up to in the fiction she writes,� Elliott said. “Are they prose poems? Are they works of fiction? Are they essays? It’s in this inbetween space, and that’s one of the things that’s really fascinating about her work.�

Junior Graham Toben is currently studying Davis’s work in Elliott’s intermediate fiction course, and anticipated gaining a more complete understanding of her stories and creative process. “Many of Lydia Davis’s works are defined by her brevity, and that every word is specifically placed to achieve the desired effect,� Toben said several days before the lecture. “I’m really excited to hear those words come to life—I’m hoping that her reading [them] aloud will bring out the nuances of the stories and also their humor. I’m also really looking forward to hearing her perspective on the process of writing the short story.�

Davis’s presence afforded students and professors the opportunity to inquire deeper into the person behind the fictions and the nature of her connection to her stories. Elliott discussed a few of his own questions for the author. “I’m curious about the connection between her translation and her writing of original fiction and what kinds of links she makes between those two activities,�

Elliot said. “I also have some questions

BULLION Visiting writer Lydia Davis spoke and read from her short stories in Kimball Theater Monday, .OV Ò Ò"EFOREÒHERÒLECTURE ÒSHEÒREFUSEDÒTOÒSHAKEÒANYONEgSÒHANDÒFORÒFEARÒOFÒSWINEҚU Ò

about how close her work is to her own experience, but the pieces are satisfying enough by themselves that I won’t press those concerns too far. Many of the pieces, while seemingly very personal, whether to the author or to her narrator, achieve a kind of universal significance.�

Davis herself provided a sampling of insight into her inspiration and creative process. Speaking through e-mail, she addressed the question of what compels her to write. “I am inspired to start a piece of writing because of an emotional connection with the subject,� Davis said. “I may be moved by the charm and patience of the cows across the road here where I live, or angered and amused by a form letter I get in the mail, or I may miss one of my parents or my dog and see them in a new light and want to convey that. So it starts with an emotional connection, and then there is the absolute pleasure of writing—the game of putting a feeling or thought into words and rearranging them till I get it right.�

As she travels between cities and uni-

versities sharing her stories, Davis tries to keep a tranquil perspective and to carry herself evenly through these changing environments. “I spend a lot of time waiting in airports and train stations—getting to know trainspotters—but I don’t mind that,� she said. “Hotels are sometimes strange—I might get treated to a nosy bed-and-breakfast landlady or smoke-impregnated carpets and furniture. Once, in Erie, Pa., my hotel was the accommodation for families visiting the adjoining indoor water-park and all day long there were kids in wet bathing suits running up and down the hallways. I was in my room trying to listen to a CD of medieval French songs. But as I say, things are usually pretty calm.�

Calm for her, perhaps. Lecture attendees were helpless against her understated, deadpan humor and her shocking, quirky, animated words. Laughter, gasps and rapt silence formed the soundtrack to her reading.

Next up in the Visiting Writers series is Jeff Encke, who will speak in Kimball Auditorium on Dec. 3.

Student theater moves forward with new ‘Macbeth’ production

by C.J. WISLER Staff Reporter

VON HAFFTEN Kyla Flaten ‘12 and Griselda Guevara ‘11 make corn tortillas in the Interest House Community’s multicultural house, the MECCA. This was one of several events that Club Latino planned to celebrate Dia de los Muertos.

Club Latino celebrates Dia de los Muertos

by MERRETT KRAHN Staff Reporter From a mural in Reid to a dance at La Casa HispaĂąa, Club Latino is shaking up Dia de los Muertos this year, emphasizing less formal and more unstructured ways of involving the Whitman community. “We’ve always had a lot of fun putting together Dia de los Muertos activities,â€? said junior Taneeka Hansen, a member of Club Latino. “The events have normally come off the way we’ve wanted them to, but we haven’t had as many people as we’ve wanted, so that’s why we’re changing course this year.â€?

Hansen described Dia de los Muertos as a time for families in Latin American communities to unite and celebrate their relatives and friends who have died. “It’s not a day for fright; there will be skeletons in parades and stuff but they’re always the happier ones because it’s a tradition of being with your loved ones that have passed on,� said Hansen.

Traditions associated with the holiday include building an altar in the home dedicated to deceased family members and picnicking at their grave sites.

Club Latino planned a variety of other activities to introduce and involve the Whitman community in the celebration of the holiday. “Our aim with these events is partly

to create awareness of Latin American culture, while at the same time drawing in the greater Whitman community,� said sophomore co-President of Club Latino Aaron Aguilar. “This year we have organized several smaller projects around a larger dance with these goals in mind.�

The dance will take place on Friday, Nov. 6, from 9 p.m. to midnight at La Casa HispaĂąa.

Their smaller projects include posters around campus that encourage students to remember the dead. “Around campus right now we have posters set up for people to share thoughts, prayers, wishes, whatever.

It’s a way to let the deceased know that you’re thinking of them,� said Hansen.

On Wednesday, Nov. 4, Club Latino took the posters down and assembled them into a mural. “We are constructing a mural with comments, art, poetry and thoughts from the Whitman community and we will be putting it up for display in Reid,� said Aguilar. It should be on display for about a week.

Club Latino’s expectations for their events and activities are simple. “We’re hoping to get some really interesting responses on the mural. We’re hoping for the dance that people will come and have fun. The holiday is about celebration. We’re just hoping that people will come and have fun, which is in the spirit of the holiday,� said Hansen.

A new student production of Shakespeare’s “Macbeth,� tentatively set to perform Nov. 18 and 19, highlights an exponential growth in interest in extracurricular student theater shows this year. “People are taking student theater way more seriously this semester,� said director and ‘09 alumnus Bryce McKay. “It’s a great way for students to learn about theater outside of class because not everyone has the opportunity to [participate] in a season show.�

Student shows, which are rarely included in the Harper Joy season, are put on by the drama community. Before this year, student shows such as Lunch Box productions (which take place during the lunch hour in Harper Joy’s Freimann stage) were usually small, simple shows that only occurred a few times a semester. This year has seen a dramatic change in the way student productions are approached as well as a growing interest in student theater itself. “Last year’s ‘Francis’ [an interactive zombie musical] was a big change for the student show format,� said McKay. “There was also a technically complex production of ‘The Oresteia’ earlier this semester, so there is definitely a growing interest in working outside of Harper Joy.�

“I think student theater is really important to a lot of people,� said sophomore “Macbeth� stage manager Sarah Wright. “For a lot of us, it just needs to happen.�

The student production of “Macbeth� involves a series of fresh new twists to the old tale, as well as a new place to stage it—the show will take place outside of Harper Joy Theater’s walls and instead will use the foyer of Kimball Hall as an interactive stage and audience space. “We’re going to have fun playing with the levels and being close to the audience,� said McKay. “Also, this version of ‘Macbeth’ is very modern. It takes place in a kind of Wall Streetstyle setting.�

McKay and his crew will also work to ensure that the upcoming production is a more all-inclusive show. “Everyone who wants to be involved can be involved,� he said. “We’re trying not to restrict anyone from participating because it’s an opportunity to learn.�

Although the show has high ambitions and wants to include as many people as possible, McKay and Wright noted some of the difficulties in being so flexible. “We try to work around students who are in Harper Joy productions, but it’s tough,� said McKay. “Harper Joy has a monopoly on the 7 to 10 p.m. time slot, which is the prime rehearsal

time for students.� “It’s really difficult because Whitman students are involved in about a billion things,� said Wright.

This year’s movement towards student theater, according to McKay, is partly due to Harper Joy Theater’s more difficult and competitive season shows. “’Romeo and Juliet’ had more auditions than any of [Professor Chris Petit’s] shows, and the upcoming ‘Frenzy’ show has only about eight actors in it,� said McKay. “The musical was cast way in advance, so there was a more limited participation outlet this semester . . . and more competitive casting for shows.�

For Wright, the opportunities for student theater greatly outweigh the difficulties in rehearsing and putting on shows. “Students have so many opportunities, and have their own vision without having to work around faculty,� said Wright. “People get really excited about it because student theater is so fresh and new and people support it, which is good.�

With creative new ideas and a broadened perspective of performance space, student theater at Whitman College doesn’t look like its going away any time soon. If anything, the growing complexity and drive of these new shows has only just begun.

PIO PICKS Each Thursday, The Pioneer highlights three events happening on campus or in Walla Walla over the weekend. Here are this week’s picks: Art Walk Walla Walla The first Friday of every month, Walla Walla’s art businesses extend their hours until 8 p.m., allowing art students and enthusiasts alike to hop from gallery to gallery in an extended tour. Special this month is an exhitbit called “Windows on the past at Heritage Park (Colville and Main). At noon, speakers will share their family histories through

collections of photographs. More information is available at www. artwalkwallawalla.com and maps are availble at all art walk locations, as well as a number of downtown businesses. The event is always free and open to the public.

Whitman Jazz Ensemble I Fall Concert Whitman’s top jazz group plays its annual fall concert, showcasing charts that they’ve honed since their first performance of the year, at the music department’s sampler concert, as well as a few surpris-

es. Thursday, Nov. 5, at 7:30 p.m.

Chism Recital Hall. Free and open to the public.

Bluegrass Jam at the Patisserie The Colville Street Patisserie, a regular haunt for Whitties craving its gelato and other sweets, hosts a casual evening of Bluegrass music.

Anyone can play. For more information call 509-337-8789. Friday, Nov. 6, from 7-10 p.m. 40 S Colville St. No cover.

compiled by CONNOR GUY

A&E

November 5, 2009

5

‘Paranormal Activity,’ ‘This Is It’ make amateur mistakes ‘First days’ draws MUSIC REVIEW

by BECQUER MEDAK-SEGUIN Movie Reviewer “Paranormal Activity” The once palpable hype surrounding Oren Peli’s $15,000-budget market-genius thriller may have dissipated by now, but it’s cinematic influence (unfortunately) may last well into the next decade. In less than a month it’s become somewhat of a pop-culture sensation, making sparse appearances in college towns before Paramount let the cat out of the bag earlier this month.

While it seems as though Peli took a cue from “The Blair Witch Project,” a film whose unmemorable bereavement called for parodies galore, “Paranormal Activity” utilizes less noxious documentary style.

You’re overwhelmed by long still shots instead of wobbly running scenes (though, it has its fair share). This style of cinematography (if it can be called one) can only lead to a few jolts and jumps; don’t be fooled by the overwrought ads that don’t even show you the actual footage, this film won’t even come close to chilling your spine.

The film is patient to a fault: the build up—some fifty minutes or so until you get anything remotely “scary”—is as annoying as it is unremarkably unbelievable.

It is annoying because of the tediously disjointed relationship that almost seems forced between the protagonists, Katie (Katie Featherston) and Micah (Micah Sloat). The dialogue is accurately quotidian (though there is no way Katie is a Span-

ish major; I would know!), but it offers no redeeming value and, instead, cultivates a perhaps unwarranted abhorrence of Micha. As my two (lady) friends sitting next to me noted, “Could he be any more of a jerk? Why won’t he really listen to her?”

Unremarkable because it lacks any sort of dramatic force and injects superfluous characters, such as the psychic Dr. Fredrichs (Mark Fredrichs), that attenuates any sort of psychological quivers you may have had. Moreover, the movie is fraught with amateur incongruities. There are several contradictory camera sequences and ridiculous premises, including the couple’s living situation and the camera Micah’s decided to buy, which make the story incipiently unbelievable.

If there are any positives to this philistine, cheap non-thrill, it is the film’s brutally cold ending that seasonably lacks the assumed Hollywood-contrived plot twist.

But, then again, this film doesn’t really have much plot to twist.

“Paranormal Activity” purports an experience rather than a movie. At least the latter is correct. But, if we take them at their word, I’m puzzled as to why this 96-minute feature film wasn’t kept as a sixminute YouTube masterpiece.

“Michael Jackson’s This Is It” A documentary in the crudest sense of the word, “This Is It” presents a montage of sequences that claim to offer a “rare glimpse into the creative psyche that defined pop music’s shape and trajectory.”

NETFLIX IT: ‘FALLEN’

by C.J. WISLER Staff Reporter Tired of watching “The Ring” or “28 Days Later”? Want a new kind of monstrous antagonist and a plot that looks more like “The Exorcist” and “Se7en” than “Cloverfield?” Don’t mind a few plodding plot holes or a little predictability? Then “Fallen” is probably right for you.

I must confess, one of the main reasons I was excited about this movie was the fact that Denzel Washington plays the lead. Not only is he beautiful, but most of his movies are very high-quality. In some respects, the movie followed through with its promises. Washington has a very good role, the film is scary and it has a relatively interesting plot and bad guy. Yet

somehow, it goes a little awry, particularly with its predictable plot and a few lackluster characters.

The movie is set up well: a spiritually confused yet morally righteous homicide detective Hobbes, played by Washington, begins investigating a series of brutal homicides and mysterious clues that lead him back to a policeman’s suicide, years previously linked to legends of the demonic world. Eventually, most of the tide turns against him and thus begins a psychological and spiritual chase to defeat a supernatural force: the demon Azazel, who can travel between bodies through a simple touch. The only person that it cannot possess is Washington’s character.

Complete with decent acting, beautiful cinematography and one of the scariest

Alternatively, this film offers something of another kind: A lengthy rehearsal film with no narrative coherence that remains eye candy for those who can’t get enough Michael Jackson footage.

Admittedly, Jackson will be remembered as one of the most choreographically sound pop-stars of all time. Luckily, there is enough in this film to appreciate the difficulty of achieving perfection, an objective Jackson prioritized his whole career.

But the pile of unedited, unstitched and uncouth clips (or, what director Kenny Ortega likes to call “Michael Jackson’s This Is It”) never really comes together and, in the end, you invest your empathy not in Jackson, but in his poor dancers who idolize him so much yet receive so little: Only a hand-holding circle scene when Jackson decides to give some providential advice about all things platonic do the dancers get to spend off-stage time with the King of Pop. Sometimes I wonder whether Ortega would’ve considered tossing Jackson into one of his “High School Musical” ventures, a hypothetical situation that, in itself, yields more food for thought than this entire “movie.”

A disclaimer at the beginning of the movie reads, “for the fans.” But, if the above review is any indication, only diehard, obsessionados will begin to appreciate the content of this stylistically bare, behind-the-scenes footage that’s been advertised as a film.

chase scenes ever, “Fallen” works as both a psychological and spiritual thriller, as well as a (relatively polite) social commentary on how one fights for what is right when all odds are stacked against him.

However, the film has serious flaws.

For example, it was pretty easy to solve the mystery by about the halfway mark.

Obviously, the cop’s suicide was more than it appears: why else would the film give it so much attention? Furthermore, the supporting character Gretta Milano, played by Embeth Davidtz, exists for an entirely informational purpose. However, she does get chased by the demon Azazel in, as mentioned previously, one of the most frightening chase scenes ever.

As Davidtz’s character makes her way along a crowded street, she begins to realize she is being followed by the demon, who begins traveling rapidly towards her through a long line of people abruptly reaching and touching one another.

Despite these flaws, the movie is enjoyable, humorous and interesting to watch, and I was willing to forgive many of the plot’s flaws because of it. Most of the characters are very compelling. Plus, Washington is always a sight worth seeing—his acting (and his body) improve just about everything. Netflix It.

art from grief

by CAITLIN HARDEE Staff Reporter

Noah and the Whale’s new album, The First Days of Spring, has an attractive cover photograph.

If it didn’t, I would strongly advise plastering a giant “Do not try this at home” sticker across the front of it. The concept behind this album is just dangerous. Dude is in a band with a hot chick. Chick breaks up with him and leaves the band. Dude writes eleven songs about his post-breakup feelings.

This could go wrong in so many ways.

But the unexpected rightness of the album hits the listener like a bus full of tranquilizers. From the very beginning of the opening title track, we are seized and quieted by the huge, diverse instrumentation. The blend of drums, orchestral layers and guitars at times overpowers frontman Charlie Fink’s vocals. His sparse, reductionist voice— reminiscent of Snow Patrol frontman Gary Lightbody—is the kind of voice that would be better paired with a single acoustic guitar.

The lyrics emerge more strongly further into the album, as the background instrumentation quiets. Fink sings of lost love, alienation and hope. He is unsparing with both us and himself, dragging us against the raw edges of his loss.

Deep piano work and background strings give the album a strong emo-

tional grounding of melancholy, but it’s impossible to be bored—no two tracks are alike. “My Broken Heart” begins with flavors of blues and jazz, then twists into contorted rock riffs. The first brief instrumental piece blends from classical strings into racing chorals on “Love of an Orchestra.” The second instrumental transitions from medieval bells into something reminiscent of the Into the Wild soundtrack—sparse, moving, powerful guitars and soft water sounds.

The album hovers on the short side, clocking in around 43 minutes—long enough to keep Fink’s emotional journey interesting, without miring us in his pain. The songs acknowledge sadness but build to a hopeful place with later tracks like “Blue Skies,” reminiscent of Coldplay’s “Glass of Water.”

With such diverse sounds and influences ranging from indie punk to folk, it’s hard to classify Noah and the Whale’s sophomore album. What remains important is that they achieve a seamless melding of these potentially clashing styles into an aesthetically unified whole. Such genre-defying acrobatics are coming to be expected from pop alternative label Cherrytree, which consistently abandons rigidly defined musical paradigms to sign edgy world-class acts from Tokio Hotel to Lady Gaga.

It remains to be seen whether Noah and the Whale will achieve similar success. The departure of Fink’s brother from the band will undoubtedly change the dynamic as they tour throughout North America and Europe. The recent theft of their prized instruments and musical equipment also posed an emotional blow to the band. If there’s a question of where to send your musical budget this month, direct it away from the millionaire rockstars and towards this brave, idealistic band. A trailer full of guitars doesn’t come cheap. Like their eponym, Noah and the Whale are on a journey through the unknown.

COMIC ALDEN

BULLION

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by KARL WALLULIS Puzzlemaster

ACROSS 1. 21-Across paper 8. They have tines 13. Pyramid scheme, e.g.

14. Speak in a monotone 15. Bird of paradise genus 16. Once more 17. Utter 18. Romanian coin 20. See 51-Across 21. With 36-Across, school founded in Walla Walla in 1859 24. Evergreen genus 27. Ancient Syrian city 31. Apparel 32. More mature 33. Dred and Sir Walter 35. In psychoanalysis, a predisposition to a given personality characteristic or a trait 36. See 21-Across 38. “Git!” 41. Yang’s complement

42. Monosodium glutamate, familiarly 45. Nation north of Saudi Arabia 47. It begins a point in tennis 50. Like Joyce or Yeats 51. With 20-Across, type of education 52. Birds’ abodes 53. Newspaper bigwigs DOWN 1. Angel dust, chemically 2. Tiny particle 3. Sole 4. Legal designation for charity and grassroots orgs.

5. Musical ability 6. Role in “Othello” 7. Button on most game systems 8. Public health agcy.

9. Specialized cell structure 10. More than a meow 11. Make a sweater 12. D.C. elite 19. Actress Thurman

21. 21-Across’s region 22. Prefix meaning “tissue” 23. Sing-___ 24. PSP rival 25. Parabola shape 26. __ Metro (hippie car) 28. Blackberry, e.g.

29. Wooden pin 30. Wash. neighbor 34. Crafty 35. Epic poem by Virgil 37. Fine thread for hosiery 38. Area meas.

39. Tortoise’s opponent 40. Milo’s canine pal 42. Catalan surrealist famous for declaring his “assassination of painting” 43. “The Lion King” villain 44. Gooey substances 48. Baseball datum 49. No rookie For answers to last week’s crossword, see whitmanpioneer.com

Humor

The Pioneer ISSUE 9 NOV. 5, 2009 Page 6

Dear Moms “Lately, I find it hard to get my work done. I haven’t picked up my Intro to Psych book in a week, and I don’t even know why I bother going to the library anymore. All I do there is use up flex and talk to my friends who are seated by the windows. I know I’m getting behind in my classes, but I can’t get myself to care. I have two big papers due this week and I’m not sure what I’m going to do.�

- Bright but burnt-out

Due to the economic recession, George Bridges’ newly unemployed step-

We all know that mothers know best, so The Pio has recently started a new “Dear Moms� column, in which students are able to ask real Whitman moms for advice on any of their college-related problems.

nephew has been given a “newly-created� position on the otherwise credible Whitman Security Blog. Pete Smith, security blog supervisor and senior security officer at Whitman for the past 12 years, has been forced to cope.

FUCKYEAHWOLVES

“Something is seriously wrong with me. First of all, I think I’m feverish because my roommates have started using me as a space-heater. Second of all, I’ve slept a total of 42 hours in the past 48 hours. Third of all, the cough I have sounds like Binky, my first cat, when she choked on Gramma’s ball of yarn. I don’t know what to do.�

WHITMAN SECURITY BLOG

by Rad Tripman-Bridges and Pete Smith

home

- Someone who is incredibly nasty-feeling and exhausted

Joan: News flash, honey: School is hard. It sounds like someone needs to pull themselves up by the bootstraps and get down to work. Maybe you’ll have to go without sleep for a week, and maybe your boyfriend will dump you because you aren’t giving him enough attention and your exhaustion is causing your personality to deteriorate, but you’re here to learn, so do what it takes.

Joan: Oh, you kids these days are so dramatic. Tough it out. Go to class. Exercise. When I was in college, I went to class with a 110 degree fever. Yes, that’s right—110 degrees. So it sounds like someone needs to do a little less complaining and a little more studying!

Sandy: Don’t let your mind be distracted by the façade of an outside world. Look inside yourself and connect with the present moment, and then your ego will be quieted and your curious being will be able to embrace the spirit of knowledge. You might also try pleasuring yourself.

Sandy: The health of the body reflects the health of the soul. My child, you are spiritually imbalanced. When was the last time you sat in silence by yourself and reflected?

This is my advice to you. The cure lies within yourself.

Monica: Hey, college isn’t just about books and classrooms and pens and stuff! You’ve got to have fun, too!

Maybe you should throw a party, invite some of those handsome Phis we met during Parents’ Weekend. They certainly seemed pretty cool and hip. Am I right?

Monica: It sounds like someone’s been hitting the party scene pretty hard! Way to go—do it while you’re young, right? Just keep resting like you have been. You want to be up for everything this weekend, I’m sure. Don’t overdo it!

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â&#x20AC;&#x153;Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m worried my roommate doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t like me. Every time I walk into our room and sheâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s there with her friends, the conversation suddenly stops and her friends shoot me death glares. We havenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t spoken in three days, and Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m worried sheâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s the one who poisoned my cereal. Should I be concerned? Or am I just being irrational?â&#x20AC;?

- Insecure in the IHC

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READ NEXT WEEK TO SEE HOW THE MOMS TACKLE THIS QUESTION!

&EATURINGÂŹTHISÂŹWEEK

Girls who like Girls

Since the disaster that is â&#x20AC;&#x153;Womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Libâ&#x20AC;? and the subsequent irresponsibility of Title IX, girls the world over have been foolishly engaging in sports. While KATE POTTER & CARLY SPIERING not altogether a bad idea (keep those figures trim, ladies!), confusion can occur when these Sporty Spices begin to wonder, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Why donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t I have a boyfriend?â&#x20AC;? The answer is simple; either you are, in fact, a raging homo, or men perceive you as a raging homo. To help the 3/##%2 future Olympiadettes and sports medicine professionelles bag the man of their KICKING BALLS? Come on. dreams, we have compiled a guide to the gayest sports.

What dude wouldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t want to get

3/&4"!,,

Obviously. You knew it was gay when you tried out for the team. This isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t even patriarchy talking.

You know it, men know it, your mom knows it. Gay, gay, gay.

Verdict: Extra Super Gay

"/8).'

You know how in â&#x20AC;&#x153;Million Dollar Baby,â&#x20AC;? Hilary Swank never had a love interest? Thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s because Clint Eastwood [insert Clint Eastwood is a stodgy homophobe comment].

Verdict: If you are Catholic, prepare to be â&#x20AC;&#x153;Unforgivenâ&#x20AC;? (1992)

involved with that? The answer: Every non-eunuch on the planet.

Verdict: Let your parents know not to expect grandchildren

Walla Walla hotels see unexpected boost in sales over Oct. 24-25

Damnit!

Parents show up on the wrong weekend

â&#x20AC;&#x153;We havenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t seen numbers like these since a weekend in October last year,â&#x20AC;? said confused but happy hotel manager.

page 39

page 2

FROM THE HUMOR EDITORS: Hey readers! Each week, we feature guest writers from a different club or theme! Interested? Email backpagepio@ gmail.com.

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Plus, the high level of strategic â&#x20AC;&#x153;attack and defendâ&#x20AC;? is much more suited to lesbian relationships; chess essentially teaches girls how to be romantically involved with other girls.

Verdict: So gay it hurts to look at you given the rainbow beams shooting out of every orifice

Diving into liquid? Reminds us of another wet activity.

Verdict: Rent yourself some â&#x20AC;&#x153;L-Wordâ&#x20AC;? and get on with your life

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Opinion

The Pioneer ISSUE 9 NOV. 5, 2009 Page 7

Time to make Internet access a legal right

RUSS CADITZ-PECK Columnist

Take a moment to flip open your pocket Constitution. Freedom of speech?

Check.

Right to a fair trial? Check. Right to high-speed Internet access? Nowhere to be found, of course.

Internet access is no longer a luxury—it is a neces-

sity.

The Internet has emerged at the center of our national economy, democracy and culture. Imagine applying for a job, starting a small business, deciding how to vote or creating a brilliant feline cultural meme (LOL!) without it. That would be hard. Super hard.

The nation of Finland agrees.

Recently, the government of Finland became the first in the world to declare broadband Internet access a legal right. This means Finnish telecom companies will now provide all 5.3 million citizens— even those in the backwoods—a guaranteed, reasonably-priced one-megabit connection by next July.

By 2015, this is set to increase to 100 megabits per citizen.

It’s time for the U.S. to do the same. Americans . are ready; in a poll earlier this year conducted by Zogby International, nearly half of all Americans agreed that broadband must be available to all.

The U.S. remains the only industrialized nation without a national broadband plan to increase Internet access and performance.

A study released last month by Harvard University examined broadband systems throughout the world and found that the United States is just “a middleof-the-pack performer.”

The U.S. is falling drastically behind the developed world in broadband performance. Despite being the birthplace of the Internet, the U.S. has fallen to 19th place worldwide in average Internet speed, 15th in nationwide distribution and 18th in price for a middle speed connection.

In 2007, approximately 40 percent of all U.S. homes did not have Internet access, or were on low-speed “dial-up.”

Washington state is no exception: only 58 percent of households in the state had broadband in 2007, which leaves nearly three million Washingtonians without broadband Internet.

These embarrassing statistics are the direct result of government failures to create consumer-friendly broadband

policy. In addition to Finland, nations such as South Korea, Japan and Denmark have pursued national plans that have allowed them to greatly outpace the United States.

Now is the time to ensure affordable, high-speed Internet access for all Americans. Improving our nation’s Internet policy should be a central aspect of our economic recovery.

In the past, public investment in electricity, water access, railroads, highways, etc., was necessary to keep our economy growing. If we want to ensure that all Americans are connected to the Internet, our government must step in now. And while industry myths about deregulation abound, the facts are indeed on our side.

The Internet offers new and vast opportunities for entrepreneurship, free speech, democratic participation and artistic expression. A study has shown that the Internet economy has created 1.2 million jobs over the past decade or so and that Americans with Internet now make roughly 10 percent of retail purchases online.

Furthermore, from the grassroots e-support for Barack Obama, to the vibrant politics and art of the blogosphere, to the smaller victories like “Lolcats,” the Internet has added tremendous value to our society.

The “digital divide” between those with highspeed Internet and the tools to use it and those without disproportionately affects the working class, racial minorities and the geographically isolated.

The Internet should help us overcome, not exacerbate, existing inequalities. No home, business or civic institution should be left out. All Americans, not just the wealthy and well-situated, should have access to broadband.

President Obama is on the right path. He has set aside $7.2 billion in the economic stimulus package to connect unserved and underserved areas to broadband, and has voiced his support for the important issue of Net Neutrality. The Federal Communications Commission is also currently making national improvements a priority.

But they face incredible pressure from powerful telecom lobbies to protect their nationwide duopolies and fat profits.

They’ll need a little backbone, some luck and our support to put the U.S. back on the right path.

The Internet should help us overcome, not exacerbate, existing inequalities. No home, business or civic institution should be left out. All Americans, not just the wealthy, and well-situated should have access to broadband

Russ Caditz-Peck is a senior politics major. Last summer, he interned at Free Press, a public interest non-profit dedicated to media reform issues.

SONG

Chinese education instills ‘professor phobia’ in students I have been considered a “good” student since kindergarten. I’m active in class, conscientious after class.

I excel in quizzes and exams; I stand out in activities RENSI KI and contests. But I Columnist get nervous every time I run into my teachers, and find it impossible to totally open up in dialogues with them. I have a teacher phobia.

A more specific definition of my phobia: I never want to be criticized by my teachers, because I saw how teachers punished my classmates in China. They made them stand outside the classroom, copy out textbooks over and over again, write down self-criticism reports and pass on a message to their parents: “The counselor wants to talk to you.”

The message tends to freak out every parent. It’s almost as scary as “you are fired”—for not being a qualified parent. Fortunately, my parents never got messages like that, but every year when they went to the parents meeting and routinely asked the counselor about my “performance,” they earnestly looked at the teacher as if they were waiting for an evaluation of their parenting “performance” of the year.

The word “teacher” in Chinese, Laoshi, is the combination of the characters “old” (lao) and “mentor” (shi). Thus, the image of a teacher is an old mentor.

My image of a “Laoshi” is always an old man wearing thick glasses and speaking in an authoritative voice of which I could never disprove.

An old mentor never makes mistakes or gives wrong suggestions. If I had different opinions than my teachers, I would almost never tell them. Instead I would put myself in their shoes.

Supposing that they assigned me too much homework, I would never complain like my American housemate, “Oh! It’s so awesome when professors think their course is the only course you are taking! Yay for 75 pages of boring articles!” Isn’t there a Chinese proverb saying that “A strict teacher produces outstanding students”?

Supposing that they said hurtful words to me, I would weep because those are the last things I want to hear from my teachers, but I would never refute their criticism because it would be considered arrogant.

Even if your teachers were wrong, a mature student would take it this way: “Correct mistakes if you have made any, guard against them if you have not.”

For me, getting recognition from teachers is the best part of studying. Getting a good grade is everything. A good

grade would make my day, my family’s day and the teacher’s day. In order to please them, I would even pretend to know what I didn’t know.

At some point, my teacher phobia is actually a phobia of seeing a teacher’s sulking face and also my family’s. I am not self-motivated; I am teacher- and family-motivated.

Now, I can’t help imagining how my teachers at home would comment on this column—I am just so good at guessing what’s on my teachers’ minds, a skill which is the key to my Chinese academic success.

They would be surprised that my twomonth experience of the teacher-student relationship has brought out something that I had never written about. I am surprised too, seeing words flowing out of my inner world, so stupid but so true.

“Is that really what’s on her mind?”

“She is not supposed to write about such things abroad.”

“The teacher-student relationship in China is not like that. She is wrong.”

I am confident about my speculations, and I would probably therefore never let my Chinese teachers know the Web links to my Whitman columns.

Rensi Ke is a senior English major. She is this year’s Whitman Sherwood Exchange Student from Shantou University in China.

Less is more: Professor-student dating policy A professor-student relationship, like any other relationship, is the source of endless gossip and rumor. Some stories prove more unusual than others, JOEY but all have the KERN allure of someColumnist thing seemingly forbidden.

Are there regulations for this kind of relationship, a close kin to employee-employer relationships? This was what I set out to learn.

My goal was purely academic. I had been curious about this subject and I demanded a solution. I was interested to learn what sort of policy Whitman has adopted in addressing the issue;

is it more open-minded or conservative?

While I expected to discover a liberal policy, one never can be sure about what archaic policy might exist within an institution as old as this college, especially when that which it addresses simply does not come up often.

Searching the Whitman Web site, e-mailing professors and deans and asking around, I tried to discover whether restrictions of any sort existed in regard to professor-student relationships.

Through all this extensive research, I came up with . . . nothing.

At first I was a little surprised that such a policy does not exist. What if somebody was in a relationship with a professor from whom they took a class?

Wouldn’t it pay to eliminate the po-

tential biases and awkward situations this could generate?

My first thought was that it is somewhat silly not to have a policy about professor-student relationships because these issues could raise problems in a classroom environment that could prove detrimental to student and professor alike.

What I came to realize, however, was that maybe the lack of a policy or the haziness surrounding the issue is a good thing after all.

The questions just raised need not be issues if people conduct themselves in a mature way. The lack of a policy comes across as recognition of the ability of college students and faculty to behave in a way both responsible and able to maintain the integrity of schoolwork.

Indeed, it became apparent to me in

the pursuit of this topic that an official policy could perhaps come across as somewhat insulting.

The notion that a professor would favor a student with whom he or she was involved is somewhat believable.

But at the same time, professors hopefully possess a level of integrity that would make this a moot point.

I feel now that, were a truly specific and demanding policy to exist, the entire notion of relationship would be sullied and cheapened; professors and students are both old enough and mature enough to make their own decisions regarding their personal lives and to restrict that would be an imposition.

An open-minded and responsible community has clearly exists, making this is a non-issue.

This kind of freedom—represented

by this lack of policy—demonstrates the kind of trust Whitman College has in its professors, the kind of respect it has in its students and the kind of overall respect for people’s personal lives that you would expect from a good employer.

For this I am glad that my search proved “fruitless” as it yielded a truth contingent with what I have witnessed in other aspects of policy and conduct at Whitman: A sense of open-mindedness and respect for individuals that is rare in an institution worth millions of dollars.

From what I gathered, in regards to this policy, or lack thereof, less is in fact more.

Joey Kern is a first-year English major.

OPINION

8

November 5, 2009N

‘Not in my backyard’ attitude dampens wind power prospects If nine out of 10 Americans support wind development, why does it take over a million dollars and seven to 10 years just to assess the LISA feasibility of a CURTIS wind project?

Wind developColumnist ers everywhere, from Nantucket, Mass. to our very own Walla Walla, Wash., are discovering that while the vast majority of Americans support the idea of wind development, there is no end to the litany of problems they come up with to stop wind projects proposed in their neighborhoods.

Currently wind energy is only three percent of the total electrical generation in the US. The Department of Energy predicts that we could reach 20 percent by 2030. If we’re ever going to reach that number, Americans need to start seeing wind turbines for what they are: signs of a cleaner and more equitable future. Now who wouldn’t want that in his or her backyard?

Right now, lots of people. Environmental lawyer Robert Kennedy Jr.’s opposition to the Cape Wind project near his family’s vacation home in Nantucket because it would “damage the view” is regarded by many as a classic case of NIMBYism.

This “Not In My Backyard” (NIMBY) syndrome is equally applicable to ranchers in Walla Walla who oppose the proposed wind project on Lincton mountain.

Although the project is still in the hypothetical phase, if sufficient wind is found, the Lincton mountain project

could put up to 133 turbines on Lincton Mountain in the Blue Mountains, a location in Umatilla county a quick drive away from Whitman’s campus.

Gaelectric Northwest, the company that is proposing the project, estimates that the project would power up to 50,000 homes.

According to Dr. Charles Shawley, Gaelectric’s research and development expert, most of the ranchers in the area support the project. The majority of opponents live within city limits of Milton-Freewater or Walla Walla and do not own land that would be used for the project.

Whitman biology professor and rancher Delbert Hutchison, a landowner near a protected salmon stream below Lincton mountain, is one of the most surprising opponents to the proposed project. His main problem with the project is that Gaelectric is an Irish company and will be likely selling the power to California. As he put it “the primary benefits (money and energy) are going outside the area while the risks (e.g. damage to streams, etc) will stay here.”

According to Dr. Shawley, most of the major wind developers in the United States are foreign. Although America has been called the “Saudi Arabia of Wind” due to our incredible wind potential, a series of policies have led to great stagnation in the renewable energy sector.

In 1990, the United States had 75 percent of wind power capacity worldwide. By 2003, the U.S. world share was reduced to 16 percent, as markets in Germany, Spain, Denmark, and even India surged due to active support by governments.

This dramatic reduction in the U.S. share comes from the combination of a repeal of government incentives for renewable energy with a plunge in gas prices, a $130 million decline in federal research spending on wind development and aging transmission lines. This deadly mix led to the bankruptcy of most of the American companies.

American wind energy is finally starting to get on its feet again, largely due to concern over climate change.

As this industry re-emerges, we’re going to need public support to catch up with the rest of the world.

Professor Hutchison and other opponents have also expressed concern over the ecological impacts of wind turbines, especially on the recently restored salmon streams.

While Hutchison agrees that h i s

stance against the wind turbines is a classic NIMBY case, as a conservation biologist he knows the importance of reducing the impacts of climate change for ecosystem preservation.

He is annoyed that instead of addressing consumption, our society is simply moving towards finding ways to increase our energy outputs. As he wrote in an e-mail, “Here we are asking to put turbines in a pristine area that truly might impact streams and wildlife. Is it worth it?”

Shawley assures that Gaelectric would complete a two-year ecosystem study before building the project, and then conduct ongoing environmental impact assessments once the project is built.

The economic facts are on wind energy’s side. Gaelectric developer Shawley said that although Gaelectric is an Irish company, all of the labor is sourced from the United States, including the 20 jobs that the Lincton

mountain project would create locally.

Another major economic boon to the area is the annual payment landowners would receive for letting Gaelectric put turbines on their land. Umatilla county is one of the poorest counties in Oregon and has one of the highest unemployment rates in the state.

Although there are some legitimate concerns with the project, staunch opponents need to think hard about the implications of opposing more renewable energy.

The alternative to meeting our growing energy demand—more coal and nuclear plants—will have to be sited in someone’s backyard too. Statistically, these mercury and radiation producing energy sources are far more likely to be placed in low-income communities where the locals’ protests are simply ignored.

Lisa Curtis is a senior environmentalpolitics major. She is Whitman’s Sustainability Coordinator.

JOHNS ON

Homeless remain invisible Election results When was the last time you saw a homeless person?

On TV? Do they even exist in this day and age? Not in America, the land of the free and soon-to-be-rich, GARY right?

I have seen WANG Columnist homeless people in two places this last year, in Washington D.C. over the summer and in Portland, Ore. this fall. Washington D.C., our nation’s capital, the site where corporate lobbyists and political idealists come together, is a fitting symbol for America.

On the west side, there’s the Georgetown neighborhood with its trust funds and yuppies. On the east side, there’s systemic poverty with neighborhoods full of the poor, downtrodden and the invisible.

You can guess which side of town is more “diverse.” Like America, the gap between the two sides of town persistently increases despite anti-poverty slogans to the contrary. The middle class becomes more and more of an empty fiction repeated ad nauseam.

Portland represents a liberal ideal. No urban sprawl, lots of trees, hippies and organic loving bicyclists, Portland is where most liberals my age dream of living.

Solidly democratic and significantly left of center, Portland’s homeless should be non-existent.

In Portland, I attended a concert with an assortment of goth rockers, kids my age, aging hippies and everyone in between. Occasionally, we’d go outside to take a break from the sweating bass and mesmerizing light shows. To my surprise, outside the venue doors awaited dozens of homeless people. Every one of them asked for money so they could stay in a hostel for the night. Polite, articulate and benign, they asked for money from lucky and surprised college kids.

What a jarring juxtaposition. Inside the doors: hot, ecstatic music with a guy in a giant mouse costume mixing beats and modulating bright lights.

Outside the doors: rain, wind and deprivation. Inside the doors: Young, hip, cool, c a re f re e

fun. Outside the doors: The line between cold and warmth. Did the men outside the doors exist at all? I don’t remember their names and they didn’t venture forward to tell me their past. That’s the scary thing: Being homeless doesn’t seem to be a mere fact of material deprivation but a sort of erasure from social life.

Even worse, aren’t the homeless stigmatized? They could be criminals, crazy people, and worst of all, a symbol for the dark underside of capitalism. If the rising tide is supposed to lift all boats, then are homeless people those who went overboard? Nobody bothered to throw them a life jacket.

In this me-centered culture where we’re all competing to get ahead and “make it,” there’s no room in our vision for the homeless. Many of them have mental illnesses or have substance abuse issues. And our response is disgust? Disdain? Or “thank god I’m not . . . ”?

The Congressional Research Service put the number of homeless in the U.S. between 600,000 and 2.5 million in 2005, although the number is probably higher since the homeless don’t exactly take the census that often.

Let’s take a ballpark figure of 3 million. That’s one in every 300 people we meet. Well not true because most of us in our everyday lives never see them. That’s the problem: How can homelessness be a problem if we never see them? Or if we are unwilling to see them? This isn’t even a problem of the Whitman bubble but of the American bubble. Our conception of America excludes those on the outskirts just as the Whitman bubble ignores Whitman’s surrounding community.

Gary Wang is a junior political philosophy major.

WOLF

energize Republicans

For weeks, New make it impossible to win in most arYork’s 23rd dis- eas of the country. trict was the cenA particularly insightful article by ter of national Nate Silver on www.CNN.com argues attention. Sarah that the defeat of Hoffman shows that, Palin, Rush Lim- indeed, all politics are local. Hoffbaugh and Joe man has few roots in the 23rd district Biden squared off and 95 percent of his campaign funds for the votes of came from organizations outside the ALEX this rural district district. He was more the candidate of POTTER bordering Can- the national conservative movement Columnist ada in a contest then of New York’s 23rd. Even though that was hailed to the 23rd has not elected a Democratic be a referendum on Obama’s policies congressman in 16 years, the fact that and on whether the Republican party Hoffman was an outsider may have should move to the center or Right. been his undoing.

In a circus of an election, the libYet, let’s look at the 23rd in the coneral Republican Scozzafava withdrew text of everything that happened on after a thorough haranguing in the Tuesday. national conserMaine’s samevative media for sex marriage law her pro-abortion, was repealed by p r o - s t i m u l u s We cannot underestimate popular referenpackage positions. the psychological effect dum, as reported Scozzafava backed by the New York the Democrat, Bill for the Republican party Times, “despite Owens, against more money, of an (almost) across-the- far the conservative ground troops party candidate board sweep of the elecand political supBill Hoffman. port” for the proHoffman en- tions on Tuesday. same-sex marergized the conriage side. servative base of This vote is the nation in a incredibly sigfight not only against the Democrats nificant, because in almost every state and Obama, but even more for power same-sex partnerships have been lewithin the Republican party. The mes- galized either by legislative or judicial sage conservatives wanted to send is means. Maine (and California’s Prop. clear: We don’t need the Republican 8) indicates that when this issue is put party; they need us. directly to voters, the trend is overThe results were in yesterday, whelmingly conservative. though as often seems to be the case Republicans won the gubernatorial in recent American politics this race races in both Virginia and New Jersey, could end up in the courts. Separated though national media has argued that by less then a thousand votes with 88 local issues heavily defined these races percent of precincts reporting and a and that both states show high levels flurry of absentee ballots on their way, of support for Obama. it could be a long wait to know the unHowever, we cannot underestimate disputed winner. the psychological effect for the ReThe spin-centers are already throw- publican party of an (almost) acrossing out their interpretations of the re- the-board sweep of the elections on sults. Some declare it a conservative Tuesday. victory even if Hoffman loses, since After yesterday’s successes and he stood toe-to-toe against Democrats continually dismal economic reports, and liberal Republicans and at least al- look forward to a revitalized conservamost won. tive movement and Republican party Others, however, are seeing it as a going into the midterm elections next dangerous sign that the Republican fall. party will become an unwelcome place for moderates and argue that this kind Alex Potter is a senior double-majorof ideological purity movement will ing in politics and Asian studies.

OPINION

9November 5, 2009

9

Walla Walla’s Christian Aid Center offers hope

The Christian Aid Center, serving food to low-income and homeless people in the Walla Walla area, is just like a school cafeteria—serving c ALETHEA the same plastic a BUCHAL trays with the little s Columnist squares for milk t boxes and the typical mashed potato eslop I had abandoned after middle school. h By the time Matt Manley—my cotcolumnist—and I arrived for dinner, they -were already clearing chairs away from the tables and families were packing up what rlittle belongings they owned to leave. l We tried to sit down by two men weareing oil-smeared workman’s clothes, but r ’

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as soon as they saw me, one immediately stood.

“She can’t sit here.”

“What?” I asked, surprised.

I hadn’t really considered the concept of gender separation, since, well, kindergarten.

The cafeteria was separated into females on one side and males on the other, but since most people ended up leaving anyway, including the two men who told us about the rule, we ended up sitting on the female side. Matt didn’t really seem to mind.

Men and women are separated due to religious concerns, but we were able to break the rule because we came in right as dinner was closing.

The Christian Aid Center offers bible studies, resource referrals, shelter for Walla Walla’s homeless and both breakfast at

7:30 a.m. and dinner at 5:30 p.m. daily.

When we asked the kitchen coordinator, Monika Dowing, why she works there, she explained the Center’s impact on her own life.

Growing up in West Germany as a refuge from East Germany, Monika moved to the United States after marrying an American soldier. She became an alcoholic and eventually homeless. One cold fall evening, she attended a church service at the Center and decided to stay.

“It took me two weeks before I even came to the dining hall,” she confessed, pulling her blond curly locks away from her glasses.

Dowing said that if she could tell Whitman students anything about the Christian Aid Center, she would talk about homelessness.

“I believe in open restoration—whoev-

er comes here, this is what they get. Anyone can come here. When I came here the very, very first thing they treated me as a person . . . They didn’t care about my past they just accepted me as Monika. You know, you kind of create your own little world and you thinking people are judging you, but when I came here I no longer felt this.”

She felt accepted for who she was, regardless of being homeless and an alcoholic.

And that’s what the Christian Aid Center does. It accepts whoever comes to its doors and helps them begin a new life.

Dowing wasn’t the only one with whom Matt and I spoke. One of the residents came by as we were eating and talked about how much he loved music and how he had crowd-surfed at a Tom Petty concert.

“Tom Petty’s bomb!” he said, spinning his broom as he swept beneath the tables.

The Christian Aid Center has 28 regular groups that come in and volunteer every five weeks, including one from St. Paul’s Episcopal Church. Once a month, they have open spots for volunteers to come in and serve.

If you’ve got time at 5:30 p.m. one night and want to help serve food, hear some great life stories or just want to try a meal beyond the typical Jewett, Prentiss or Reid fare, check out the Christian Aid Center on 202 W. Birch St. And who knows? Maybe you’ll even end up jamming to some Tom Petty songs or speaking in German.

Alethea Buchal is a sophomore hoping to create a major joining music and human rights.

Isolation: Fear mars friendship  page 1

DOUGLAS

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In past years when people got the flu they felt bad and went about their business as energy permitted. Friends of the sick student GALEN washed their hands BERNARD more, the especially News Editor careful perhaps cleaned shared surfaces; but the idea of isolating someone from social and physical contact with others for days would have seemed preposterous. It is preposterous. The only reason we are abiding by it now is we are afraid of the terrible swine flu, and are probably a little confused about what it really is.

We are afraid because we’ve heard that swine flu hits people our age harder than most. But of all hospitalizations in 2009 due to H1N1, people 19 to 24 years old account for only nine percent, second lowest of six age categories. Yes, there is reason to take precautions. From accounts I’ve heard, the flu, whatever kind it may be, is hitting harder than usual this year. Most bouts include at least one day when the sick individual just wants to lie in bed and not move. And the H1N1 virus spreads more easily than seasonal influenza because fewer people have immunity. But allowing concern about getting sick to distance us from friends is the wrong approach to health.

I have seen a friend weep because after a few days in isolation turned feeling alone into feeling abandoned. When not afraid,

we see the value of caring and connection. We regularly prioritize friendships over health, staying awake far later than we should to hang out. Now we express surprise when we hear a sick student is going to dinner with some friends: “Do they know you have swine flu?” we ask, as if it is certain that knowing this would override the instinct to care for those close to us. As if the person with the flu might be guilty of deceiving others into interacting.

The individual responses echo campuswide instructions. “Don’t Be An Infector” read signs in big black letters in buildings around campus. In a normal flu season this would be a harmless label given to add some attention and even levity to the situation. But in the context of current alarm, infector has become an identity.

We have lost the sense that underneath the coughing and clammy skin, the sick are our friends and are currently at their most vulnerable. An infector? How about an ailing individual needing affection?

We should not be inflicting isolation on ourselves, nor should our friends and the medical professionals advising us about health. One reason we may be so afraid is that we don’t know what kind of sick we are. While the health center continues to label all serious symptoms influenza-like illnesses, students are calling any flu the swine flu. The ambiguity about who has what is creating a false certainty that all flu is swine flu, which in turns feeds irrational fear. We’ve heard swine flu is worse than season flu. It can kill! But, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 100,000 people are hospital-

ized each year by the seasonal flu and about 36,000 die. Perhaps this year sickness seems scarier than before because the sickness has a novel name; or perhaps because the health center is telling people to stay home no matter what. I am not saying the health center should test for swine flu.

I don’t know the financial costs of testing.

But I do know the emotional health cost that our doctrine of isolation is exacting.

I am saying we need to pause the panic for a moment and ask if avoiding the flu is really worth avoiding friends.

I would suggest an almost opposite approach. Take a hypothetical example of two friends. One guy gets sick; his friend brings chicken soup and company. Then, yes, the friend gets sick; but the guy who first succumbed to illness offers help and hugs. A few days of feeling bad for each produces a closer friendship. We have been neglecting this possibility. I realize protecting our health is a strong instinct.

When my housemate entered the apartment yesterday and announced his throat was sore, for a moment I was upset. I am at risk because he spent time with his sick girlfriend. How dare he! Then I recalled the sight of another friend earlier this week, the most desolate I have ever seen him, sick from flu but sicker still from the idea that he could not visit his girlfriend in Portland. How dare any of us not choose love and caring over risking a few days of the flu. If we would maintain our health by leaving friends literally isolated, alone and in tears, and in doing so disregard chances to bolster friendships, then we really are ill.

Windows 7’s claim to fame: Better than Vista With the end of October comes the beginning of holiday shopping season. What better way to kick that off than to introduce a new version of Windows? WinBLAIR dows 7 is the hotlyFRANK anticipated sequel Columnist to Windows Vista, which was a colossal flop in terms of performance and bugs. Thankfully, this latest revision has fixed many problems that Vista had.

Windows 7 is much less demanding of your computer’s resources, which makes it usable on netbooks—those tiny, low-power laptops that have been gaining popularity recently. It also means you’ll have a smoother computing experience than with Vista. You also won’t have all of the driver compatibility problems that plagued Vista’s launch.

The new XP Mode emulates a Windows XP environment for the purposes of running older applications that you might be holding on to. This is particularly useful for businesses who rely on antiquated software, but also for the average consumer, because it means that if your application ran well under XP, it’ll do just fine with

Windows 7.

Unfortunately, Windows 7 has lots of flaws. First and foremost in my mind are the different versions of the operating system. As a consumer, you need to choose the right flavor of the OS for you, and with such unhelpful names as Home Premium, Professional and Ultimate, it’s hard to tell what’s right for you. Students can get a special discount on Home Premium, but that doesn’t pack all of the features of the Professional or Ultimate versions. Of course, if you want to be able to do everything, you’ll need the Ultimate version, which retails for a whopping $220.

Demonstrating Microsoft’s usual gracelessness, they released an upgrade chart that demonstrates the sheer ridiculousness of the upgrade system. To summarize, if you’re using Windows XP or Windows Vista Starter, you have to erase all of your data and restore it after the Windows 7 install. The same goes if you’re switching between a 32- and 64-bit version of Windows, or from the various different flavors to one another. It’s very complicated. Far too complicated.

Then we come to the topics of the Control Panel and Windows Update. Compared to Mac OS X’s System Preferences App, the Control Panel is a clunky substitute, at best. It’s very difficult to figure out where the preference you want to find is, and even harder to parse through the lay-

ers upon layers of menus to get to whatever it is that you need. All of this adds up to a confusing, bewildering and generally annoying user experience, unless you have an extensive knowledge of exactly how to work the back-end of the OS. The bottom line is: Windows 7 is a much-needed upgrade. If Vista is sucking up your hard disk space and processor time, make a move for 7. Just don’t expect it to be a cure-all for each and every one of Windows’ ills.

Blair Frank is a first-year chemistry major. He was an editorial intern at Macworld during the past three summers.

Overview Rating: 3.5 Ducks Pros: Easy to install, easier to use; fixes a lot of problems; XP Mode is handy.

Cons: Preferences are still difficult to navigate; Windows Update is still annoying; versions still confusing. Upgrade process flawed, at best.

Want to comment on any of the articles printed in this issue?

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10

FEATURE

November 5, 20091

Whitman in the World

Getting hired

Q&A with the Student Engagement Center

by HANNA ORY Feature Editor Getting a job can be tough for anyone in this economy, and one important thing to remember, according to Susan Buchanan, director of the Student Engagement Center, is to not set unrealistic goals. In an interview with The Pioneer, Buchanan offered advice to students on navigating the current job search climate and gave tips to underclassmen on how to make themselves marketable while at Whitman.

Pio: Have Whitman students experienced added difficulty landing jobs in the current state of the economy?

Buchanan: Regardless of the economy, many times students set themselves up to think that they must have a job by graduation, but this is simply not realistic. It generally takes six months to land a job once you start looking, and considering the lags in job gains as a result of the recession, students should plan to give themselves even more time than that. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s also always hard if you donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have focus. If you have focus itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a place to startâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s an industry to research, employers to talk to and even alumni networking opportunities. The more focused people are always more successful.

Pio: What can students that are having difficulty finding this focus do?

Buchanan: I would recommend making an appointment. Let us help you recognize the skills that you have gained through classes, in summer jobs, leadership roles, clubs and athletics. Whatever it is you do, you have gained skills, and we can help you to discover and develop what it is that makes you marketable.

Pio: What advice do you have for underclassmen to make themselves more marketable in the workforce?

Buchanan: Be involved in the things that you like, whatever it is that you like. Take an active role and have a focus. There are many things that you can do while being a student that will put you ahead. People

SLOANE

donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t realize what they gain hereâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;listening skills, customer service skillsâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;all of those things are valid and important.

Pio: What are some common programs or fields that Whitman students typically go into immediately after graduating?

Buchanan: The culture at Whitman is to take a year off after graduation. But stu-

dents here donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t want to take a year off and sit at home in the gap year. They want to be involved and make a difference. Programs like AmeriCorps, Teach for America, teaching English in foreign countries, getting involved in a community or political campaigns, these are things that greatly appeal to our seniors. The unique thing about Whitman students is that they are idealistic, in a positive way. We have to have idealism to address problems that are inherent in our world right now, and this is something that our students often want to do.

POST-GRADUATION: Alums share their stories Megan Lillis

by HELEN JENNE Staff Reporter

COURTESY OF SOPHIE JOHNSON Sophie Johnson â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;08 teaches second grade in New Orleans through Teach for America.

Sophie Johnson Learning tough lessons while teaching for America

by HELEN JENNE Staff Reporter When Sophie Johnson â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;08 administered a standardized test in her first month of teaching, it did not go as planned.

During one of the breaks during the test, a fight broke out and Johnson didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t know what to do. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I stood in the middle,â&#x20AC;? she said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Never do that.â&#x20AC;?

Johnson ended up getting punched in the nose and blood got all over the tests she was holding.

Johnson, who majored in English with an emphasis in race and ethnic studies, was teaching over-age high school students with moderate to severe learning disabilities at Rabouin High School in New Orleans, a job that she got through Teach For America.

She said that over the course of that first year, some of her students were killed and guns came into her school rather often. At the Homecoming football game, there was a shooting.

â&#x20AC;&#x153;Do something, get out of Walla Walla... donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t be freaked out. Get outside of your comfort zone.â&#x20AC;?

Sophie Johnson â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;08

â&#x20AC;&#x153;It should have been a place where people felt safe,â&#x20AC;? she said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;That was really hard for me to deal with when I first got here.â&#x20AC;?

This year, in Johnsonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s second year of teaching, she teaches second graders with special needs at Langston Hughes Academy Charter School, also in New Orleans. In Louisiana, students with special needs are included in a general classroom but there are two teachers, so that the students with special needs can be given specific accommodations. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The idea is that everyone is really equal but some of us need different things,â&#x20AC;? she said.

Next year, Johnson plans to continue teaching at Langston Hughes. â&#x20AC;&#x153;You canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t be a good teacher in two

years,â&#x20AC;? she said.

Johnson said she was surprised at how many Teach For America teachers teach for fewer than five years, and doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t want to be part of that statistic.

Johnson, who was the editor-in-chief of The Pioneer for three years during her time at Whitman, wants to eventually continue on to journalism school or another graduate program. She intends to write about race in America, which is partly what led her to Teach for America in the first place.

While at Whitman, Johnson spent a semester off-campus in Chicago through the Associated Colleges of the Midwest Urban Studies Program.

She said that she learned a lot about race and discrimination that semester and when she came back she talked to Teach for America representatives. â&#x20AC;&#x153;They made a really convincing argument about the importance of education,â&#x20AC;? Johnson said.

And she knew she wanted to move to New Orleans. Johnson said she had worked during the summer at The Nation magazine, where people talked about things they had no experience doing. Instead she wanted to have more experience before she started writing. â&#x20AC;&#x153;No wonder people hate journalists,â&#x20AC;? Johnson said jokingly. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Teach for America gave me this perfect path.â&#x20AC;?

She was offered a job at The Nation after graduation, but turned it down.

Instead, Johnson says that Teach for America is the best thing she has ever done. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s really hard, almost too hard for me,â&#x20AC;? Johnson said. But she says sheâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s the happiest sheâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s ever been. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s really smart not to go to straight to grad school,â&#x20AC;? she said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;You realize how much you miss college when youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re not there.â&#x20AC;?

Johnson points out that the college years are often geared towards the individual. Her advice for after graduating is simple. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re sort of only responsible for yourself,â&#x20AC;? she said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Do something, get out of Walla Walla . . . donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t be freaked out. Get outside of your comfort zone.â&#x20AC;?

She emphasized that you donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have to have your life planned out when you graduate. â&#x20AC;&#x153;You donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have to know what you want to do with your life when you graduate college, you just have to know what you want to do next,â&#x20AC;? Johnson said.

On a Sunday in Februrary 2004, Whitman alumna Megan Lillis â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;02 arrived at a patientâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s home in College Place, knocked softly on the door, and walked in.

Lillis had never seen a baby being born before, but she was about to, as this was her first call after being trained as a birth assistant by a midwife in Walla Walla.

Lillis, who had been working full-time as an Admissions Officer since graduating, said that it was a little strange to be staring at a half-naked woman she had never seen before, and that she didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have nearly as much knowledge about the birthing process as she does now. But then, a baby boy was born. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I remember the most amazing thing to me was that there had been five people in the room and suddenly there were six,â&#x20AC;?

Lillis said.â&#x20AC;&#x153;I was just in awe.â&#x20AC;?

Lillis, who had designed her own religion major prior to the completion of the fully developed curriculum currently offered at Whitman, was considering graduate school and a Ph.D. in religious studies.

That day, she went home and threw her University of Chicago brochure in the recycling. She decided then that she wanted to become a midwife.

Lillis had been born in her home, and she had a lifelong interest in midwifery. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I grew up kind of steeped in this culture of birth and womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s health,â&#x20AC;? she said.

When Lillis came to Whitman as a first-

On a journey from religion to admissions WR PLGZLIHU\ Ă&#x20AC;QGLQJ KHU SDVVLRQ

year, the idea of becoming a midwife was in her mind until she took her first science class. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I took my first chemistry class and decided that I didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t want to spend four years in a lab,â&#x20AC;? Lillis said. So she studied what she was passionate about and fascinated byâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;religion.

However, when she was writing her senior thesis, she started to think that maybe she didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t want to go on to get a Ph.D. in religion. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t really like the research process,â&#x20AC;? she said.

Still, she continued to consider graduate school and the pursuit of a Ph.D. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t know exactly what I wanted to do,â&#x20AC;? she said.

After graduating from Whitman, Lillis focused on getting a job to start paying off her student loans. She found work as an Admissions Officer. In her second and third year with the college, she began looking at possible graduate programs for midwifery, figuring out specifically what she wanted to do and how she could get there.

â&#x20AC;&#x153;I was afraid of what that decision [to become a midwife] meant,â&#x20AC;? she said, â&#x20AC;&#x153;[But] I was really called to the profession.â&#x20AC;?

In her fourth year of working as an Admissions Officer, Lillis decided that midwifery was indeed for her. She worked part-time and was a full time student at Walla Walla Community College, taking the necessary prerequisites such as organic chemistry.

In June 2007, she arrived at the University of Washington to begin her graduate study. She will graduate this upcoming June.

Lillis said that taking classes with undergraduate nursing students at UW made her really appreciate the kind of education she received at Whitman. â&#x20AC;&#x153;My education really empowered me to know how to write and what questions to ask,â&#x20AC;? she said.

She also said it was great to have been part of the Whitman community because of its attitude. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Whitman students in general and faculty have an optimism and enthusiasm for changing the world in a positive way,â&#x20AC;? she said.

Lillis said that whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s important is to not get set on one specific career or route, because you might miss out on what could be a good match. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Realize that finding rewarding work is a lifelong pursuit for a lot of people . . . much of what happens is just by chance, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not because you laid out this perfect path and perfect plan,â&#x20AC;? Lillis said.

COURTESY OF JAMIE LILY

COURTESY OF MEGAN LILLIS

My education really empowered me to know how to write and what questions to ask.

Megan Lillis â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;02

,EFT Ă&#x2019;*AMIEĂ&#x2019;,ILLYĂ&#x2019;f Ă&#x2019;ISĂ&#x2019;MARKETINGĂ&#x2019;DIRECTORĂ&#x2019;ATĂ&#x2019;THEĂ&#x2019;6IALLAGEĂ&#x2019;4HEATER Ă&#x2019;2IGHT Ă&#x2019;-EGANĂ&#x2019;,ILLISĂ&#x2019;f Ă&#x2019;ISĂ&#x2019;INĂ&#x2019;HERĂ&#x2019;ÂľNALĂ&#x2019;YEARĂ&#x2019;OFĂ&#x2019;AĂ&#x2019;GRADUATEĂ&#x2019;MIDWIFERYĂ&#x2019;PROGRAM

Jamie Lilly

by HADLEY JOLLEY Staff Reporter When the Village Theater in Everett, Washington offered Jamie Lilly â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;04 a job, she initially turned them down. She had worked at the theater for two summers as an intern before graduating from Whitman.

Frank Stilwagner, the marketing adviser at the theater, thought that it was because she simply did not know what she wanted.

Now sheâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s the marketing manager for Village Theater, which specializes in new musical theater. She designs and manages the advertisements for the theater in all media, including print and radio.

Currently, her theater is putting on the play â&#x20AC;&#x153;Chasing Nicolette.â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x153;Musicals are seen as old-fashioned, but theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re a valid form of theater,â&#x20AC;? said Lilly.

The summer before her junior year at

Combining artistic enthusiasm with PDUNHWLQJ SUDFWLFDOLW\

Whitman, Lilly worked as a marketing intern at Village Theater, an internship she discovered through the Whitman Career Center. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We were so pleased and impressed with [Lilly], with the work that she did, that we invited her back,â&#x20AC;? said Stilwagner.

In her second year as an intern, Lilly focused more on developing plays. After graduating from Whitman, she eventually came on full-time in the marketing department. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s more long-term responsibility when you work full-time,â&#x20AC;? said Lilly.

Lilly earned her major at Whitman in music. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Music has always been a passion of mine.

So this has been a way of combining my passion with my graphic design,â&#x20AC;? said Lilly.

She likes the fact that she can combine her love of artâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;in theater, music and graphic designâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;with the more intellec-

tual aspects of marketing, like managing money and decided where to advertise.

Lilly said that Whitmanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s focus on the liberal arts curriculum gave her a wellrounded education that she can apply to everything. She is especially grateful for the writing skills she acquired. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Sheâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s my go-to gal for proofreading,â&#x20AC;? said Blythe Phillips, a producer at Village Theater.

However, Lillyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s favorite part of the job is the design work, because it is where she gets to be artistic, even if not in the same way she was at college. She believes that sheâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s lucky to have found a place where she can be both practical and involved in the arts.

Finally, Lilly offered a word of advice to current art majors. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Stay true to your passion. Often practicality doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t show itself in a way you recognize immediately.â&#x20AC;?

0

Sports

The Pioneer ISSUE 9 NOV. 5, 2009 Page 11

:HHNHQG ZDUULRUV WDNH WKH Ă&#x20AC;HOG As fall varsity teamsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; seasons start winding down, sports fans search for VRPHWKLQJ WR Ă&#x20AC;OO WKH WHPSRrary void until the winter season begins. Club sports are just the solution. The club system provides nonvarsity athletes with competitive athletic opportunities and entertaining games for fans. This week, The Pioneer evaluates the club sports that are currently in season.

by STATEN HUDSON Staff Reporter ULTIMATE FRISBEE For Ultimate players, the fall season is basically a tune-up for the spring.

Plays are drawn up, kinks are worked out and skills are refinedâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;all with an eye towards the next season.

The fall season also means that the team is made up of both men and women. When the more competitive spring season begins, the team splits into menâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s and womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s squads.

The Sweets have had an average season so far. The team has gone to a few meets around Washington, competing well against traditionally tough opponents. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Our record is around .500 this year,â&#x20AC;? said sophomore Stephen Stradley. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s kind of hard to tell what our record is because we play so many matches and we have two teams [X and Y] that we shuffle players in and out of.â&#x20AC;?

Over Halloween weekend, the team traveled to Hanford, Wash., to take on rival University of Puget Sound. The Sweets beat the UPS squad 13-8 in a greatly-contested, high-intensity game.

The Sweets are confident that they will be able to make a few deep runs in the tournaments they are scheduled to play. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re a young team and weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re really improving every game,â&#x20AC;? said Stradley. â&#x20AC;&#x153;A few freshman players have added a

VON HAFFTEN 2UGBYĂ&#x2019;PLAYERĂ&#x2019;:ACHĂ&#x2019;-ORRISSEYĂ&#x2019;f Ă&#x2019;OUTRUNSĂ&#x2019;.ANDAĂ&#x2019;,INĂ&#x2019;f Ă&#x2019;ATĂ&#x2019;AĂ&#x2019;RECENTĂ&#x2019;PRACTICEĂ&#x2019;ONĂ&#x2019;(ARPERĂ&#x2019;*OYĂ&#x2019;ÂľELD Ă&#x2019;4HEĂ&#x2019;2EAPERSĂ&#x2019; are enjoying one of their best seasons in recent memory, achieving a 2-2 record highlighted by a victory over PERENNIALĂ&#x2019;LEAGUEĂ&#x2019;POWERHOUSEĂ&#x2019;/REGONĂ&#x2019;)NSTITUTEĂ&#x2019;OFĂ&#x2019;4ECHNOLOGY Ă&#x2019;3ATURDAY Ă&#x2019;/CT Ă&#x2019; Ă&#x2019;ONĂ&#x2019;!NKENY lot of depth to our teams on both the girlsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; and guysâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; side, and we are definitely looking to get them some playing time.â&#x20AC;?

Catch Stradley and the rest of the Ultimate Frisbee team out on Ankeny any Monday, Wednesday or Friday from 4 to 6 p.m.

RUGBY The menâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s and womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s rugby teams are both grinding out solid seasons.

On the menâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s side, an infusion of new talent has revived the team, bringing a new level of excitement to the pitch.

Practices are loud, violent and fun; drills are crisp and tightly-run. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Commitment is very high this year,â&#x20AC;? said sophomore rugger Matt McMillan. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re doing very wellâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;our fundamentals are definitely coming along. The general attitude has changed such that the old way of thinkingâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;that rugby was just a fun diversionâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;has gone away and

Favre: NFLâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s golden god still shines

by GABE CAHN and DOYLE McCARTHY Staff Reporters

COMMENTARY Said to be of direct descent from Jesus and George Washington, Brett Favre is arguably one of the top three quarterbacks to ever play the game of football.

Like a good wine, he only seems to grow better with age. Over his 19 seasons playing in the NFL, he has acquired a fan base broader than Dwight Howardâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s shoulders, and letâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s face it: the dude can rock gray hair and Wrangler jeans like he was put on this planet to turn on middle-aged soccer moms.

His professional career has been marked by tremendous success and controversy. Favre played for the Green Bay Packers from 1992 until 2007, winning Super Bowl XXXI in 1997 and receiving the National Football Leagueâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Most Valuable Player award in three separate seasonsâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;supplying some of the most memorable moments in sports history.

He is the Chuck Norris of football.

However, for what Favre might be most remembered is not his reign in Green Bay, but his more recent actions.

In the last three years, Favre has retired and un-retired on two separate occasions. Holding tearful press conferences after leaving the Packers in 2007, he went on to join the New York Jets for a rocky 2008-2009 season. Then, Favre shocked fans everywhere this past off-season when he joined the Packersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; NFC North rivals, the Minnesota Vikings.

The media attention Favre has received since the end of his terrific 2007 season makes a person wonder why his story is so attractive. Is it because his record-setting career has been so long and prolific, despite all the underlying stories about his team-switching? Or is there some-

thing more specific about his personality that has kept football fans interested throughout his nearly 20-year career?

Senior Marshall Baker, a Favre enthusiast, described his love for and appreciation of the rustic quarterback. â&#x20AC;&#x153;[Favre] is the greatest athlete to ever walk this earth,â&#x20AC;? he said.

Baker organized a party on Whitmanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s campus in celebration of Favreâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 40th birthday. â&#x20AC;&#x153;A 40th birthday is a big step in the life of any individual, not to mention in the life of the biggest icon in professional sports history,â&#x20AC;? he said.

Baker was compelled to wear formal attire to the function, even thought there was no required dress code. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I wore a suit to show respect for the greatest athlete, check that . . . greatest person ever, on his special day,â&#x20AC;? he said.

Clearly, fans like Baker are not uniqueâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;you run into them almost anywhere in the United States and Favreâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s name will be mentioned approximately 65 times in any edition of a Sunday SportsCenter episode on ESPN. There is no one explanation for why Favre has become such an iconic figure, but one has to think his performance on the football field week in and week out is the most obvious answer. That, and maybe because no oneâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;we mean no oneâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;looks better in a pair of crisp Wranglerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s.

This season, Favreâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s playing football at the level of his final season in Green Bay, when he led the Packers to the NFC championship game, and his Vikings are off to a 7-1 start. Now we all must wait and see if Favreâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s golden arm will last the remainder of the regular season and deep into the playoffs, further solidifying his image in sports history.

For more commentary from Gabe and Doyle, tune into KWCW 90.5 FM Tuesdays at 8 p.m. for Whitman Sports Radio.

all the guys are committed to getting better.â&#x20AC;?

The men have a record of 2-2 with two games left in the season, one against the Spokane Outlaws, formerly of Gonzaga University, and another against Washington State Universityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s â&#x20AC;&#x153;Bâ&#x20AC;? squad.

Both are going to be big tests for the men, but scrapping together a win is not inconceivable. â&#x20AC;&#x153;If we play well, we definitely have a chance of upsetting one or both of these teams,â&#x20AC;? said McMillan. â&#x20AC;&#x153;WSU is such a young team that we might actually be fundamentally superior to them.â&#x20AC;?

For the women, the season has been an average one. The team has a record of 1-2 so far with two matches left to play.

One is a match-up against Gonzaga University at home. The other is an away game at Central Washington University.

The team has a high turnover rate from season to season, with many players deciding that one season of high-risk

rugby is more than enough for them.

As a result, the team is comprised of a core group of hardy veterans and a large rookie class made up mostly of first-years providing the team with some extra depth. â&#x20AC;&#x153;About half of our team are rookie players,â&#x20AC;? said junior captain Emily Lorente. â&#x20AC;&#x153;They are all really scrappy girls who go hard every play and they are picking up the game really fast.â&#x20AC;?

On Saturday, the women ruggers play away against Central Washington University.

TENNIS The Whitman club tennis team made a strong debut at the Northwest Sectionals tournament over Halloween weekend.

The team competed well, grinding out a win against a tough Western Washington University squad in its first-round match.

The teamâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s next match was against a very good University of Victoria squadâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;a team which placed second at the sectionals tournament last year. After a string of close individual matches, the Victoria squad edged out Whitmanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s score by just a few points.

The team did manage to advance to the main draw of the tournament as one of the top 14 teams. But, again, Whitman drew a tough opponent: a University of British Columbia team which won sectionals two years ago. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We lost overall, but played well against a tough team,â&#x20AC;? said sophomore Lizzy Schiller, club tennis president. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The whole squad was so big and intimidating, there were even some players who probably could have played for the Whitman varsity team.â&#x20AC;?

Despite an early exit, club tennis did earn a consolation victory. Because the tournament was held over Halloween weekend, the United States Tennis Association (USTA) sponsored a costume contest between all the participating teams. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Our team decided to be Snow White and the seven dwarfsâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;Seth [Dawson]â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s idea,â&#x20AC;? said Schiller. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I was Snow White and the other five players [sophomore Dawson, first-years Kasey Burden and Danielle Broida and juniors Matt Manley and David Mai] were the 7 dwarfsâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;each was 1.4 of a dwarf.â&#x20AC;?

After intense deliberation, the judges announced that Whitman had been chosen as the best-dressed team. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We won brand-new tennis gear worth over $600,â&#x20AC;? said Schiller. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We will be selling part of our winnings to fund this trip since we havenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t been given any ASWC funding as of right now.â&#x20AC;?

That being said, the club tennis team is happy with how its inaugural fall season has gone. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Overall, Whitman club tennis had a strong first year,â&#x20AC;? said Mai. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We played tough matches against great schools and produced some excellent tennis along the way. We got to meet a lot of teams and look forward to competing against several of the teams in the spring season.â&#x20AC;?

SCOREBOARD Menâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Cross Country

Womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Soccer

Willamette University vs. Whitman College on Sunday, Nov. 1

Willamette University (4-9 NWC) 0 1 0

Top 2 Whitman Finishers Time

Goals by period 1 2 OT 2OT Tot

Whitman College (3-8-2 NWC) 0 2 2

11. Cory Rand 25. Hugh Parker

Willamette University (7-6-1 NWC) 0 1 0 0 1

Volleyball

Northwest Conference Championships at McIver Park near Estacada, Ore. Men's 8K on Saturday, Oct. 31

26:03.20 27:07.11

Womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Cross Country

Whitman College (6-8-1 NWC) 1 0 0 0 1

University of Puget Sound vs. Whitman College on Saturday, Oct. 31 Game Scores 1 2 3

Northwest Conference Championships at McIver Park near Estacada, Ore. Women's 8K on Saturday, Oct. 31

Menâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Soccer

George Fox University vs. Whitman College on Sunday, Nov. 1

University of Puget Sound 25 25 25

4. Kristen Ballinger 7. Yasmin Colis

Goals by period 1 2 Tot

Whitman College 20 14 21

22:26.30 22:34.90

(3)

(0)

SCHEDULE Womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Soccer

After a disappointing road tie with Willamette University last weekend in a game which saw the Missionaries hold the lead until the 88th minute, the Whitman women need a win over Northwest Conference cellar dwellers Lewis and Clark College on Friday, Nov. 6, at home to keep their play-off hopes alive. The Missionaries are currently tied with Linfield College in the race for the forth and final play-off spot, however, the Wildcats hold the tie-breaker by virtue of their superior non-conference record. Whitman can still make the postseason with a victory over the Pioneers if Linfield fails to earn more than two points (three points awarded for a win, one for a tie) in their final two games this weekend against George Fox University and University of Puget Sound, respectively.

Menâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Soccer

The Missionariesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; disappointing season comes to an end Saturday as they travel to Spokane, Wash., to take on Northwest Conference champions Willamette University. Whitman played heavily-favored Whitworth close in their first match up, Oct. 11 in Walla Walla, holding the powerful Pirate offense scoreless for the first 77 minutes before falling 1-0 thanks to a late goal from Justin Meyer.

Men's Basketball

The Whitman men welcome the Northwest Elite All-Star team to the newly refurbished Sherwood Center this Saturday for their final tune up game before traveling to Cheney, Wash., on Nov. 17 to take on NCAA Division I Eastern Washington University, to open their season. The men look to improve upon

last yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 10-16 record in head coach Eric Bridgelandâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s second season.

Swimming

The Whitman swimmers begin their conference season this weekend with home meets against Linfield College Friday at 1 p.m. and Pacific University Saturday at 5 p.m. The menâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s and womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s teams look to build upon powerful performances in their opening meets when they dominated the College of Idaho 128-74 and 146-56 respectively.

Volleyball

The Missionariesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; season will come to a close Saturday night when they welcome the Pacific University Boxers to Sherwood. The 2009 season was a rebuilding year for the Whitman women as they featured eight first-years on a 13-women roster.

SPORTS

12

November 5, 2009

JACOBSON -ATTHEWĂ&#x2019;,IEDTKEĂ&#x2019;f Ă&#x2019;RACESĂ&#x2019;TOĂ&#x2019;VICTORYĂ&#x2019;INĂ&#x2019;THEĂ&#x2019; YARDĂ&#x2019;BUTTERšYĂ&#x2019; Ă&#x2019;INĂ&#x2019;THEĂ&#x2019;SWIMĂ&#x2019;TEAMgSĂ&#x2019;OPENINGĂ&#x2019;DUALĂ&#x2019;MEETĂ&#x2019;WITHĂ&#x2019;THEĂ&#x2019;#OLLEGEĂ&#x2019;OFĂ&#x2019;)DAHOĂ&#x2019;ONĂ&#x2019;3ATURDAY Ă&#x2019;/CT Ă&#x2019; Ă&#x2019;ATĂ&#x2019;(ARVEYĂ&#x2019;0OOL Ă&#x2019;4HEĂ&#x2019;-ISSIONARYĂ&#x2019; MENĂ&#x2019;LOOKĂ&#x2019;TOĂ&#x2019;CONTINUEĂ&#x2019;THEIRĂ&#x2019;SUCCESSĂ&#x2019;FROMĂ&#x2019;LASTĂ&#x2019;SEASONĂ&#x2019;ANDĂ&#x2019;CHALLENGEĂ&#x2019;CONFERENCEĂ&#x2019;TITANSĂ&#x2019;7HITWORTHĂ&#x2019;#OLLEGEĂ&#x2019;ANDĂ&#x2019;5NIVERSITYĂ&#x2019;OFĂ&#x2019;0UGETĂ&#x2019;3OUNDĂ&#x2019;FORĂ&#x2019;.ORTHWESTĂ&#x2019;#ONFERENCEĂ&#x2019;SUPREMACY

Swimmers dive into 2010 season Whitmanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s menâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s and womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s swim teams opened their seasons with a splash last weekend defeating their College of Idaho counterparts 12874 and 146-56, respectively. The Missionary swimmers look to build upon that success as they begin their Northwest Conference season this weekend.

by JAY GOLD Staff Reporter As the conference season steadily approaches, both the Whitman menâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s and womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s swimming teams look to build on their past successes. This upcoming weekend represents the first chance for each team to test itself against conference opponents as the Missionaries host Linfield College and Pacific University on Friday, Nov. 6,

BETTER

and Saturday, Nov. 7, respectively.

For the menâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s team, repeating last seasonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s success will be a difficult undertaking after losing two key members from last yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s team, which finished third in the Northwest Conference (NWC) Championshipsâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;its highest finish since 1987â&#x20AC;&#x201D;and obliterated numerous school records along the way. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We lost some really key players that had brought us to that level,â&#x20AC;? said Head Coach Jenn Blomme.

The void created by the departure of â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;09 swimming alumni Noel SollomBrotherton and Ysbrand Nusseâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;two valuable contributors to last seasonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s record setting teamâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;will not be easy to fill. However, Blommeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s expectations remain high.

Although the coach refrained from making any definite predictions on the grounds that many of the variables, such as conference strength, that will determine the teamâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s success remain unknown, she is very pleased with the personnel at her disposal. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve still got some real strong folks on the menâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s team,â&#x20AC;? said Blomme.

Senior Eric Molnar, junior Jamie Nusse (Ysbrandâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s brother) and sophomores Chris Bendix and Mitchell Lee highlight a talented group of returning swimmers while Kevin Dyer leads a strong group of first-year swimmers.

Molnar, Nusse, Bendix and Lee have each broken school records in the past and Blomme believes that Dyer has the potential to do the same, perhaps as early as this year. If Dyerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s performance in the teamâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s first meetâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;a nonconference affair versus the College of Idahoâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;is any indication of his future with the team, the menâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s team should be able to continue to build upon the winning tradition that it has established in recent years.

The womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s teamâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s conference campaign may very well result in a breakthrough seasonâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;much like the one the men enjoyed last year. Although the women managed a respectable fourth-place finish in last seasonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s NWC Championships, Blomme envisions much greater things for the women Missionaries this season. â&#x20AC;&#x153;This yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s team will probably be the strongest Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve seen at Whit-

TO BE LUCKY THAN GOOD ?

Roethlisberger presents quarterback conundrum

by MAX RAUSCH and DUJIE TAHAT Sports Editors

COMMENTARY Dear Readers, Max: The last time we left you, we came to the undeniable conclusion that John Madden is not only an integral part of the history of the formation of American football, but also a societal icon.

Dujie: Hold the phone, Maximus.

First of all, we left our readers last week convinced that Madden is a blithering buffoon. Secondly, this current pillowtalk topic bores me. I think we should refocus our energies elsewhere. Recent Super Bowl woes came to mind as I watched a microcosm of Good versus Evil as Brett Farve and Ben Roethlisberger battled head to head in Pittsburgh last week. Unfortunately for mankind, the White Knight stumbled late, handing a victory to the Man in Black and proving that good doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t always triumph over evil. What really gets my goat is that despite his sub-par efforts on the football field, the media, general public and the business that is the National Football League have all managed to fall in love with and fawn over one â&#x20AC;&#x153;Bigâ&#x20AC;? Ben Roethlisberger, deceiver and fraud.

Max: The only people Roethlisberger deceives are opposing defenses.

While he may not be the most grace-

ful of quarterbacks, he always seems to be able to avoid the rush and somehow get the ball to a receiver downfield. The man is a winner. In only five seasons in the NFL he has managed to win two Super Bowlsâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;something that Hall-of-Famers Dan Marino and Jim Kelly never accomplished.

Dujie: As far as his technical skills go, I didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t realize that a true measure of a quarterback is whether or not he can unload a two-handed chest pass to a stationary running back seven feet away. If you put together a career highlight reel for Roethlisberger, half of the clips would be of great catches by the likes of Hines Ward, Antwaan Randle El and Santonio Holmes, and the other half would be of him bouncing and stumbling around in the pocket without any semblance of balance. Also, it is important to note that Roethlisberger may be a winner, but only because he was fortunate enough to land on a great team. He has consistently had great defenses and a great running game to accompany the litany of receivers to throw to. This canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t be any more obvious than in his first Super Bowl victory, where he surreptitiously managed to win a game and still rock a less-than-impressive Quarterback Rating of 22.6 out of 158.3. Also, when it mattered, he was the beneficiary of horrible officiating in the 2006 Super Bowl against my Seattle Seahawks. I wouldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t be surprised to catch those guys driving around in yellow and black Lamborghinis.

Max: Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s clear to me that the tears of 2006 are still blinding you from the fact that Roethlisberger is really just that good. He has been consistently blessed, being on teams that feature staunch defenses. However, he has done whatever his team has asked him to do to win games. Playing quarterback is unlike any other position on the field; all that a quarterback needs to do to be successful is to produce victories and championships, which we have all seen Roethlisberger do.

What he lacks in conventional skills, he more than makes up for in intangibles such as clutch play, and my favorite category, shiftiness. Whether you want to believe it or not, all that stumbling and bouncing has a purpose.

Also, you can count on one hand the number of quarterbacks that have led a game-winning touchdown drive in the Super Bowl. Roethlisberger has consistently performed his best when the chips are down.

Dujie: Roethlisberger is a phony meat-head who has somehow received the keys to the Kingdom too early.

The corporate schemers have put all of their marketing eggs into Roethlisbergerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s proverbial basket. Of course, they would do everything they can to orchestrate his success while Roethlisberger undermines their efforts by continually showcasing hooligan antics off the field (see Reno Police Reports).

Max: Dujie, cry more. You should contact Kleenex and see if you score an endorsement deal.

man in a long time,â&#x20AC;? said Blomme.

Headliners for the womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s team include junior Lauren Flynn, an established school record holder and team

This yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s team will probably be the strongest Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve seen at Whitman in a long time.

Jenn Blomme, head swimming coach captain who will be joined by newcomer first-years Katie Chapman and Charlotte Graham, respective winners of the 100-yard butterfly and the 100yard freestyle in Whitmanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s opening dual meet with the College of Idaho.

However, the talent does not end there by any means and, consequently, this season holds immense promise.

Blomme assessed the tantalizing combination of youth, experience and depth of womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s team. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We should see some great per-

formances on the womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s side,â&#x20AC;? she said.

On both the menâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s and womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s sides, the tangible goal is to challenge Northwest Conference powerhouses Whitworth College and the University of Puget Sound (UPS) for conference supremacy.

Blomme discussed the conference pecking order and whether it will undergo transformation this season. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d like to knock on that door and I think weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve certainly got the talent to be at the top of the conference . . . thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s really exciting,â&#x20AC;? she said.

Despite the immense potential for improvement, the coach suggested that trying to project how the conference will play out at this early juncture is somewhat futile as it is difficult to interpret early results which may be affected by injuries and illness, which have plagued many Northwest Conference teams, including Whitman and UPS, already this season.

As a result, Blomme is not taking either of the Missionariesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; first two conference meets with conference underdogs Pacific and Linfield lightly.

BCS biased

by LINDSAY FAIRCHILD Staff Reporter

COMMENTARY The Bowl Championship System has been plagued with problems since its inception in 1998. There have always been arguments for different ways of ranking teams and for which teams should be included in the nationally-showcased bowl games. My main qualm with the system is that it only looks at the outcome and the point difference, not the location of the game, which can play a huge role in determining the gameâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s outcome.

As a University of Texas fan, I am very aware of how often this factor is ignored. Last year, the second-ranked Longhorns were surpassed by the Oklahoma Sooners after a loss by six points to forth-ranked Texas Tech, even though the Longhorns had previously beaten the rival Sooners 45-35 at a neutral siteâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;the Cotton Bowl.

This year it seems to be dĂŠjĂ vu all over again for. Alabama, the current number-two team in the nation, struggled to beat an unranked Tennessee team by two points at home, only because of a last minute field goal block.

Texas beat a then-ranked Oklahoma team by three points at a neutral site.

However, the rankings did not change.

This last example also highlights another issue with the system: preferential treatment of the Southeastern Conference. The conference is lauded as being the most competitive in the nation, so Florida and Alabamaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s wins are seen as more legitimate than Texasâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; in the Big 12. True, the Big 12 North (Kansas State, Kansas, Iowa State, Nebraska, Colorado and Missouri), is generally less stacked with talent than the Southeastern Conference, but the Big 12 South (Texas, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Texas Tech, Texas A&M and Baylor) is perennially a competitive division flush with

talent comparable to that of the mighty Southeastern Conference. If Texas has to play powerhouse teams like Oklahoma, Texas Tech and Oklahoma State, why then does the system seem to favor Alabama and Florida, who play bottomof-the-barrel teams such as Tennessee, Kentucky, Arkansas and Mississippi State?

This season also poses a new problem for the Bowl Championship System: The Texas Christian University Horned Frogs and the Boise State Broncos are unbeaten and are ranked in the top ten.

This guarantees them places in one of the five bowl gamesâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;a scenario which could leave qualified Bowl Championship System conference teams out in the cold come January.

The system guarantees a place in a bowl game to the conference champions of the six conferences (Pac-10, Big 12, Big 10, SEC, Big East and ACC) as well as champions from non-Bowl Championship System conferences who are ranked in the BCS top 10. However, since Texas Christian University and Boise State are unbeaten and ranked sixth and seventh in the Bowl Championship System standings, respectively, they are still considered contenders to play in the national championship.

Many people are questioning how competitive a bowl game would be if one of those teams were to get into the championship game against a major opponent like Florida, Alabama or Texas.

But judging from past games between non-Bowl Championship System conference teams and these conference teamsâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;like Boise Stateâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s win over Oklahoma in the 2007 Fiesta Bowl, which featured 21 points in the last two minutes of regulation and a successful statue of liberty play to end the gameâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;games have the potential to be competitive and exciting. Thus, games like this suggest that the Bowl Championship system is most effective when it fails.