IN THIS ISSUE
Rocky Horror Picture Show
Soccer season comes to a close
Thanksgiving challenges our assumptions
Student fans of the cult classic will perform at the film’s annual showing this weekend. page 4
Men’s soccer finishes the season with a second place showing, and seniors say so long. page 6
Columnist Lauren McCullough argues that Americans let their values slip during Thanksgiving. page 7
WHITMAN COLLEGE Walla Walla, WA Volume CXXVII Issue 9 whitmanpioneer.com November 11, 2010
Harry Potter-themed event series anticipates final film by NATE LESSLER Staff Reporter
Students should not be surprised if Whitman starts to take on qualities of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry over the upcoming week. WEB and KWCW’s “The Witching Hour” are cooperating to produce a series of Harry Potter-themed events. The series started on Nov. 7th and will continue until the release of the first part of the seventh Harry Potter film. The events, which WEB expects to be popular, will include everything from a Quidditch match to a scavenger hunt for horcruxes to a Harry Potter-themed feast in Jewett Dining Hall. The idea for the event series originated during a brainstorm amongst WEB members at the start of the year. “[We realized] that there is this whole month leading up to the seventh movie coming out and that we should do [some activities] . . . and it sort of grew from there to three weeks of activities,” said WEB special events coordinator sophomore Kelley Hall. “It’s a little nerve-wracking just thinking about how many events are happening in such a short amount of time,” said Hall. Sara Rasmussen and Mehera Nori, the hosts of KWCW’s The Witching Hour also had the idea to host Harry Potter related activities before the movie’s opening and joined Hall to coordinate the event when they heard of WEB’s plan. “The challenging part [has been] having to condense our love for Harry Potter and all the events we wanted to do,” said Nori “When we first started planning we were just like spitballing outrageous [ideas for events] that we wanted to do, which ultimately were not feasible.”
ASWC attendance at Board of Trustees meeting sets precedent by SHELLY LE Staff Reporter
KLAG Seeker Taylor Chock ‘12 catches “snitch” Lillian Bailey ‘13 at the WEB and KWCW-sponsored Quidditch match on Sunday, Nov 7.
“We wanted the Pio to print as the Daily Prophet!” said Rasmussen jokingly. Luckily, the event coordinators were able successfully condense their creative ideas down into a series of six events and two radio broadcasts by The Witching Hour. Coordinating the Great Hall Feast, which will occur in Jewett Dining Hall
on Nov. 17, was easier than the team had originally expected. Most of the Jewett chefs had read the Harry Potter series and were very willing to cook English food and Harry Potter themed deserts. But many of the events have provided large challenges for the coordinators. Quidditch, which occurred on Nov. 7th and involved students running around on broomsticks, throwing balls and
chasing after runners wearing gold, was particularly difficult to organize. “Its hard to be out [in November]. We are at the mercy of the weather,” said Hall prior to the event. “We are going to have four games going at once . . . we are going to need 16 hula hoops, and a bunch of brooms . . . It’s just a lot of equipment.” HARRY POT TER , page 4
Last week, ASWC-appointed student representatives presented for the first time in front of Whitman’s trustees at the fall Board of Trustees meetings, held from Thursday, Nov. 4 to Friday, Nov. 5. Senior ASWC senator Gary Wang and juniors Hannah Moskat and ASWC Finance Chair Matt Dittrich were nominated by ASWC President senior Carson Burns to represent the student body to the trustees. The Board of Trustees meets three times per year, in November, February and May, and the meetings are a time for the both the trustees and overseers to come together and discuss matters ranging from the college’s budget to the faculty plan to shift to a 5-course teaching load to overall student life on campus. Faculty and student appointees are invited to sit on various committees to offer their insights on Board agenda items. While ASWC appointees have been allowed to sit in on past committee meetings, this year’s meeting marked the first time that ASWC representatives were given time to present on issues concerning the Whitman student body. Senior John Loranger, chair of the ASWC Student Affairs Committee, along with Burns and Dittrich presented in front of the Board during a Friday luncheon. According to Loranger, they BOARD OF TRUSTEES, page 2
Four Loko too ‘loco’ for Washington state, drink’s ban forthcoming by HADLEY JOLLEY Stsff Reporter
Washington state will ban the sale of Four Loko and other alcoholic energy drinks containing caffeine beginning Thursday, Nov. 18. The ban, which was announced on Wednesday, Nov. 10, follows bans in Michigan, Utah and Oklahoma within the past week. These bans were sparked in part by an incident at Central Washington University in early October where multiple students lost consciousness and were rushed to the
hospital after consuming numerous Four Lokos in combination with other alcoholic beverages. CWU’s Department of Physical Education, School and Public Health said Four Loko contains as much alcohol as a six pack of beer and as much caffeine as five cups of coffee. Test results from the students hospitalized at CWU showed no traces of any date rape drug, but all nine had blood alcohol levels ranging from .12 to .35. Authorities say this upper level is equivalent to being under surgical anesthesia, and four times the legal limit for adults.
blue moon’s Big Art showcases previous volume in new venue by NATE LESSLER Stsff Reporter
Whitman College’s annual literary arts magazine blue moon will be having its largest annual publicity event this Friday, Nov. 12. The event, known as Big Art, will occur at a new venue and involve live music, refreshments and a gallery of student artwork. “It’s basically a publicity event; at the same time it’s to showcase the previous year’s magazine,” said blue moon editor-in-chief senior Lara Mehling. “It comes out so late in the school year that there’s not really a chance have any activities except for the release party . . . we kind of try to almost get more mileage out of [the previous edition of] the magazine and use [the event] as publicity so people know about submissions and what the magazine is about.” This is the first year the event will take place at The Underground, a nearby venue which rents itself out for concerts and other events. Big Art will not only consist of live readings by writers previously published in blue moon, but will also involve a silent auction of large prints of artwork published in blue moon. Postcards of these art pieces will also be available
for 50 cents. The event will also feature live music by the student bands The Bachmann Sextet and Chastity Belt, as well as free treats and coffee from the Patisserie, which is located adjacent to The Underground. Although the venue of Big Art has changed most years, the change this year was due to a switch in ownership of Merchants (now known as Olive), where the event was held last year. “With the renovations at Olive, I thought the space wasn’t as convenient anymore,” said Mehling. “I went to Olive initially and expected they would be okay with doing it again but the new owner wasn’t interested so I had to find a new place . . . Whenever there are cafes opening and closing in Walla Walla and the ownership changes, the location of the event changes. It hasn’t really been one regular location.” The new location will furnish the event with more of a gallery-like style. And even though the event is no longer taking place in a public space, Mehling hopes the public will still attend. “I’m not sure what [the turnout] will be,” said Mehling. “The room is not huge but it’s a three hour event and it’s on a Friday night, and it’s open to BIG ART, page 4
Four Loko retains its popularity in part because it is inexpensive, which suggests that students become intoxicated for less money. “It’s very cheap. It’s $2.59 [per can], and supposedly it’s like five beers,” said one student, “Joe”, who spoke on the condition of anonymity. While Four Loko is fairly popular at Whitman, neither Health Center Director Claudia Ness nor Assistant Dean of Students Clare Carson could name a specific Whitman incident related to Four Loko or similar drinks. Both, however, caution
that drinks that combine both alcohol and caffeine share risks beyond those of other alcoholic beverages. “When you’re going to mix anything with alcohol, that can lead into alcohol poisoning. When you put the stress of caffeination on top of that, it’s going to doubly stress the cardiovascular system,” said Ness. Beyond the implicit health risks, Ness and Carson said that the caffeine in Four Loko and similar drinks can mask the effects of intoxication, which can lead to increased drinking, an increased risk of
alcohol poisoning and an increased chance of doing something dangerous, like driving drunk. “So if you drink a whole drink, you’re consuming a lot of alcohol, which is a depressant, and you’re also getting a stimulant. Generally, some who people drink alcohol, get signals that say when they’ve gotten too depressed with the alcohol. Well, this counteracts those signals, so somebody could be highly intoxicated by not getting those signals,” said Carson. For students who drink Four Loko, FOUR LOKO, page 3
Deadline for Sustainability Revolving Loan Fund applications looms by ALYSSA GOARD Staff Reporter
Following several other environmentally conscious colleges and universities such as U.C. Berkeley, Harvard and William and Mary, Whitman’s Sustainability Advisory Committee initiated the Sustainability Revolving Loan Fund (SRLF) in the spring of 2009. According to Whitman Campus Sustainability, the SRLF is a 50,000 dollar line of credit designated for campus improvements that will significantly benefit Whitman’s sustainability efforts by conserving resources and improving efficiency. Last year the program offered loans of up to 25,000 dollars. The projects funded by the loans are expected to replenish the fund so that future generations of Whitman students can afford to sponsor new projects without having to rely on endowment. The loans are intended to be payed back through the proposed projects within five years. Students, faculty, staff and departments are invited to submit applications for funds from the SRLF up until 5 p.m. on Monday, Nov. 15. Applications include an in-depth plan and schedule for the project’s financial and sustainability progress. Senior Nat Clarke, who serves as one of Whitman’s campus sustainability coordinators, constructed a model
HONG Zoe Pehrson ‘13 and Nat Clarke ‘11 show the fruits of their labor, a model farm located on the Hall of Science’s rooftop greenhouse, which was funded through the Sustainability Revolving Loan Fund.
farm on the Hall of Science’s rooftop greenhouse through the SRLF fund. Clarke calls SRLF a “tremendous” opportunity and commented that even the application process can teach skills such as “grant-writing, budgeting, project management, and, most importantly, creative thinking.” Submitted proposals will be reviewed by a committee of staff, faculty, alumni and student members. They will announce their decisions to the applicants the week after Thanksgiving break. The proposed ideas faculty and students have suggested for individual projects include reducing energy use through residence hall energy moni-
tors, creating biodiesel from Bon Appétit vegetable oil and reducing energy use in academic buildings. In the past, projects funded by the SRLF have included the chemical recycler requested by the Chemistry Department, which greatly reduced the amount of hazardous waste shipped for disposal, as well as the “Paper Phoenix” project which turned old letterhead into notebooks to be sold in the bookstore. As William and Mary’s wesbite espouses: “It is good to think of ourselves as a helpful and contributing part in the plan of a cosmos, and as participators in some far reaching destiny.”
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News
November 11, 2010
Yearbook may make a comeback F by JOE VOLPERT Staff Reporter
BOWMAN Students make a purchase at the Whitman College Bookstore. The college is exploring the possibility of putting out a bid to privatize the store, though plans are tenuous.
Nearly two decades following its discontinuation, there is a group of Whitman students who want to bring back the school’s yearbook. The original yearbook, entitled “Waiilatpu,” ceased production in the 1990s due to the misuse of funds and deposits. Senior Gary Wang, an ASWC senator, is one of the students who spearheaded the project to create a yearbook. He believes that Whitman is uniquely qualified to have a yearbook because of the small community of students and faculty. “I think it would be great if Whitman had one because it is a small campus and it would be a lot more personal,” Wang said. The yearbook would potentially include photos of seniors, academic departments, sporting events and other memorable campus events. “We want to have a document or keepsake for everyone,” said sophomore Ben Lerchin, another student involved in the process. Wang and Lerchin, who are also employed by The Pioneer as opinion editor and production manager, respectively, think that a yearbook would sell well at Whitman. “I think it will sell really well if it wasn’t like the standard high school
Administration explores Board privatizing bookstore
yearbook,” Wang said. With this in mind, Wang hopes to include lots of photos and not too much text in the yearbook. One idea that he is considering for the yearbook is having students submit their own photos or
candid shots. The group of students would prefer to make the yearbook in a physical, book form, rather than an electronic version. They think that a digital version would not be very permanent, due to changing data forms. “We think that compared to anything digital, the yearbook will sell because that is something that you have on your bookshelf,” Lerchin said. Wang also wants to make the yearbook affordable for students. The aim to have it cost less than 30 dollars. “Our goal is to make the yearbook as cheap as possible this first year because it is just coming back again,” Wang said. “Alumni at Whitman feel really connected to their alma mater,” Lerchin added. Various offices on campus support the idea of creating a Whitman yearbook. The Development Office believes a yearbook will help build class unity and solicit donations from alumni. Jed Schwendiman, associate to the president, also showed his support of the idea of having a yearbook. “It would be great to have a yearbook again. It could be a fun and important record of the year,” Schwendiman said. With momentum building, the students are now working to find a publisher and get funding. “We are in the process of contacting publishers and working through the ASWC process,” Wang said.
LOOS-DIALLO
Financial difficulties mean that a lease to a store such as Barnes and Noble may be practical and profitable
Trustees: Economy, size of incoming class on agenda ‘
by KARAH KEMMERLY
from page 1
Staff Reporter
The Whitman College bookstore has been experiencing financial difficulties within the past few years. In an attempt to better this financial situation, the administration is discussing the option putting out a bid on the store in order to privatize it. Douglas Carlsen, director of the bookstore, said that keeping such an option open is logical for the administration. “It is the duty of the administration to ensure the financial health of the college. In doing so, they explore options to determine what is best for the college as a whole,” he said. However, he does not think that talking about leasing the bookstore—for instance, to a company such as Barnes and Noble, which operates over 600 college bookstores—means anything certain. “It’s these bigger companies’ job to talk with colleges and universities, but not every institution that speaks with them ends up being leased,” he said. “This dialogue happens on some college or university campus, somewhere in the country, nearly every week. When each can meet the needs of the other, the bookstore is taken over. Until then, it is all talk.” Though Carlsen sees the purpose in keeping the option of privatization, he says that he would be “disappointed” if the bookstore were to get leased. “After getting leased, the driving force behind the bookstore would be profit. That’s not to say that such an business would not serve the needs of the college, simply that it would strive to make profit first.” He believes that the current bookstore has a different motivation. “An institutionally-owned bookstore is concerned with profit, but also concerned equally with service to the college,” he said. John Loranger, vice president of ASWC and chair of the student affairs committee, agrees that privatization is not ideal.
“Everyone involved would prefer an in-house solution to the financial problem,” Loranger said. He is unsure that privatization is actually a solution. “It is too early to tell whether outsourcing would improve the bookstore’s financial situation, but it’s hard to imagine it without the deficit it’s currently running,” he said. Douglas was not immediately able to provide a statistic on the current deficit. Loranger brings up another question about privatization.
That’s not to say that such a business would not serve the needs of the college, simply that it would strive to make profit first.
-Douglas Carlsen Director of the Bookstore
“One of the most important questions is whether or not this will make textbooks cost more for students,” he said. “I don’t necessarily think they will, but this is something we absolutely need to find out first.” Loranger assures that students will be able to participate in discussion if it does come down to placing a bid on the store. “If a decision is made during the budgeting process in February to put out a bid, students will be sitting on the committee that chooses the company,” he said. Though both Carlsen and Loranger stress the importance of considering options, neither is convinced that privatization will be pursued. And even if the administration were to put a bid on the bookstore, there is no guarantee that any company would accept it. Something I’ve learned about this job is that there are no definitives, just many variables,” said Carlsen.
the Pioneer
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presented the three main student concerns: the need for more tenure-track faculty, more solid pre-professional and graduate school advising and a resolution to the present ban on unaccompanied international student travel. They also emphasized the need for continued student participation on the Board. “Students need to be seen as collaborators, it needs to be a part of what it means to be a Whittie, and it needs to be incorporated into what it means to go to Whitman so we can have a smoothly functioning community,” Loranger said. ASWC’s presentation marks a major step for student participation in future Board of Trustees meetings. Loranger expects presentations similar to Friday’s to become a norm at future meetings. “It’s a huge victory for student representation and a step for a student [on the] Trustee Board and getting them to vote,” he said. Whitman President George Bridges is similarly in favor of ASWC’s presentation. “One of the highlights of the meeting for me, and many of the trustees, was having the students present and having their contributions to the conversations,” Bridges said. According to Bridges, the meeting was similar to most past November meetings in terms of discussing the school’s budget. Trustees and overseers at the meeting also focused on projects for the year and discussed the outline of next school year’s budget. “It wasn’t any different over the last couple of years because the economy remains a subject of concern, and many more students require greater amounts of financial aid,” Bridges said. “The Board and administration are concerned about how much financial aid support Whitman will have in the years ahead.” The trustees also addressed student health, diversity and enrollment. The Board kept in mind this year’s larger-
than-average first-year class when discussing the budget and admissions processes for the Class of 2015. Whitman alumna Megan Medica, a trustee and member of both the Enrollment and Student Life committees, said that although the student body is larger than average this year, Board members
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November 11, 2010
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Four Loko: Ban doesn’t prevent mix of caffeine and alcohol from page 1 the fact that the caffeine cancels out the alcohol is part of the appeal. “It’s really not all that different. There is a big [kind] of an buzz, which can be really helpful in our stressful environment, if say, you don’t want to fall asleep after drinking,” said Joe. Joe adds that Four Loko has some safety benefits--it’s one large can, which means that people are not sharing cups or infecting each other. However, Carson also says that she is not sure that banning the drink is the answer. “Personally, I think that prohibitiontype things create an underground network of things that become highly desirable,” said Carson. She believes it would be better to allow people to come to the conclusion that drinking Four Loko and similar drinks is a bad idea on their own. Carson also said that she has heard concerns about students mixing alcohol with caffeine on their own, for instance, Coke and rum. The upcoming state ban does not affect people’s ability to personally mix alcoholic and caffeinated beverages. “If we banned it, or prohibited it, I don’t think that we would get that result in the terms of personal accountability,” Carson said, prior to the ban being announced. “What we’d like is for students to be able to say, ‘That’s bad stuff. That’s not what I want.”
APPLETON
‘Thinging’ attempts to define ‘in-between’ relationships Students increasingly find themselves in romantic situations that are neither a hook up nor a relationship, a result of ‘emerging adulthood,’ technological changes and changing dating norms.
by WILL WITWER
Staff Reporter
There is a fuzzy area in between a one-night stand and a committed, long-term relationship. No one agrees exactly on what to call it, what the rules are and exactly what each person wants. There are different words for this kind of sexual non-relationship: thinging, hooking up, whatevering, a “casual” relationship, keeping your options open. The terminology is as murky as the concept; thinging (the most common term) is a nebulous, gray area in the fabric of sexual relationships, and its relatively common occurrence at Whitman represents a national trend. The New York Times Magazine published a recent cover story about a new phenomenon called “emerging adulthood,” which explained young adults are taking longer than ever before to demonstrate the traditional qualities of adulthood, particularly with long-term romantic partners. It’s a reversal of traditional dating norms, and many students here are unhappy with it. One of those students is sophomore Katie Haaheim, who is in a long distance relationship with someone from her hometown Minneapolis. “Thinging is an idea that I think really fundamentally doesn’t work,” said Haaheim. “I feel like the typical scenario is that the guy wants the freedom to hook up with whoever and not feel tied down to any specific
person. The girl is typically the one who actually kind of wants more, but is afraid of sounding needy and being clingy, so she settles for thinging.” Though Haaheim did acknowledge that the gender roles could be reversed, she feels that thinging is unfair to both parties. She explained that thinging fits in with the college trend of brief sexual encounters over ‘real’ relationships. Sophomore Clare Sobetski, who has been on both sides of the spectrum of wanting more and wanting less, offered another perspective. “I think that thinging c a n
be a good thing, because it’s hard, in a college environment, to know exactly if you want to be exclusive, so it’s sort of a trial period,” said Sobetski. “But I think the main problem with thinging is that people never really communicate what’s on their mind. When people ask what you are with someone, and you can’t really say exactly, that’s a really big symptom of the problem.” Sobetski further explained that miscommunication is common for both parties,
and that the reluctance to share contributes to the ambiguity. Sophomore Trevor Miller agrees. “The lack of communication is awkward,” said Miller. “Communicating what you really want makes you vulnerable, saying what you want and not knowing if the other person wants the same thing, so people avoid doing it.” Miller is openly gay, but in his experience, gay and straight
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people have similar experiences with thinging--similar levels of heartbreak, emotional involvement and miscommunications. Nevertheless, thinging is not a total breakdown of dating. In many cases, thinging can transform into committed partnership. Visiting Assistant Professor of Sociology & General Studies Noah Leavitt, on the other hand, was more concerned with the long-term impacts of thinging. He suggested in an e-mail that though conventional wisdom might claim that it represents a breakdown of modern relationships, it might actually be a more natural outcome of recently ubiquitous technology, like texting and social media. “Rather than simply thinking about ‘thinging’ as being correlated to delayed adulthood . . . maybe it has to do with a different mental time horizon in which young Americans live,” said Leavitt. “Maybe as technology accelerates our online ability to communicate, interact and create and recreate our identities and relationships, ‘thinging’ is a logical and consistent offline outcome.” Ultimately, of the students interviewed (indiscriminate of gender), including those who professed enjoying random hook ups, many expressed a desire for the emotional intimacy of a ‘real relationship.’ Despite the lack implicit in the label of “emerging adults,” certain perspectives suggest an eventual emergence. “I don’t like just hooking up, it’s not who I am,” said Sobetski. “I like to know the people I’m involved with romantically. There’s a certain emptiness to just hooking up.”
A&E
The Pioneer Issue 9 Nov 11, 2010 Page 4
Student-produced ‘Rocky Horror Picture Show’ engages audience participation by NATE LESSLER Staff Reporter
PARRISH Gabby Wescott ‘12 vamps as “Rocky Horror” villian, Dr. Frank-N-Furter. The annual event celebrates the cult classic with a free film screening and student performance.
On the evening of Saturday, Nov. 13, a number of Whitman students will dress in scant and sexual costumes for Whitman’s annual showing of the raunchy cult classic musical “The Rocky Horror Picture Show”. The event, which will occur in Kimball Auditorium, is entirely organized by students and will mimic the style of midnight showings of the cult film. The movie will be screened behind actors who mimic the characters of the film frame by frame. Meanwhile, audience members (who are strongly encouraged to dress in costume) participate in the event by using scripted “callbacks” to respond to on-screen dialogue with witty phrases, as well as sing along with the musical numbers. “It’s not as scary as people think it’s going to be, but [it is] a little intimidating when you go for the first time,” said sophomore cast member Beth Daviess. Whitman’s Rocky Horror production is a tradition which has existed long before senior director Devin Petersen has been at Whitman. The show won’t be significantly different
than it was last year, but Petersen, who organized the event last year as well, expressed that students should attend the tradition due to the uniqueness of the event. “It seems to awaken people’s sexuality as well as their excitement for the unusual, but it does something different for everybody,” said Petersen. “It’s a chance to see people doing things they would not usually do on stage [and] the audience participation is something that doesn’t exist in most other formats at Whitman.” The idiosyncrasy of the event is also what made the production possible. Even though the event is free, the rights to show the film are very expensive. Nevertheless, WEB paid for the rights due to its popularity. “WEB was really amazing in pulling together the funds for it,” said Petersen. “WEB recognized what I feel, which is that [the event] involves a lot of people and a lot of people on campus come to it and it’s a really unique event.” Although he is technically in charge, Petersen doesn’t like to be labeled as a director due to the free form nature of the event. “I see myself more as the organizer
of it. People are very self motivated in this process . . . all of them spent a lot of time watching the movie over and over to get their parts right and to get the movements.” However, this communal process requires a large amount of commitment and effort from the actors. “It’s been more work than I expected, it takes a lot of time,” said Daviess. “Some [cast members] know the movie . . . word for word and step for step, and I wasn’t quite at that point when I tried out, but after this I will [be].” Although the show has many fans, not everyone chooses to wear a sexually promiscuous costume. “I find [the show] very entertaining,” said sophomore Ben Skotheim enthusiastically. “[But] I don’t dress up because I’m uncomfortable with my sexuality.” Even though Petersen will be graduating this year, it is unlikely the Rocky Horror tradition will end anytime soon. “We’ve got somebody prepped to direct it next year, so [the tradition] should continue on,” said Petersen. “The Rocky Horror Picture Show” will occur on Saturday, Nov. 13 at 10:30 p.m.
Walla Walla art galleries stay local, nurture expansive mediums
by MCCAULAY SINGER-MILNES
Staff Reporter
Walla Walla contains a strong arts community, expanding in tandem alongside the ever-growing wine industry. Here are a few galleries to consider visiting when getting your “art fix” downtown. Fenton/Stahl Gallery, 11 S. Spokane Street: This small gallery occupies the front space of a frame shop of the same name, both of which are owned and run by painter Mollie Fenton. The works featured in this gallery range from photographs and paintings to glasswork and jewelry. Though not tied together by a chosen aesthetic style, the featured pieces change seasonally. When viewing the works, one can sense an overarching theme relating to nature. The gallery prides itself on maintaining a “certain quality of work” according to Shannah Johnson, a Walla Walla native and employee at Fenton/Stahl. The gallery features the work of artists living in Walla Walla as well as artists from Idaho, Oregon and other parts of Washington. The gallery’s solid connection with the community allows local artists to bring their work to sell in the shop. “We try to be supportive of the local art scene. We put notices of different classes people can take and different cards and brochures for artists,” said Johnson. The frame shop is Fenton/Stahl’s greater focus, however, and generally they frame works for businesses and private owners. “People bring in work and we look at matte and frame combos,” said Johnson.
PARRISH Skylite Gallery features the work of both local and international artists, including pieces from Egypt, Asia and Africa. In addition to offering a unique artistic experience, Walla Walla’s gallaries provide students with the chance to work, intern and showcase their artwork.
“We try to make people feel relaxed and at ease.” Fenton/Stahl Gallery also has a connection to Whitman, as it has had three different students participate in work study programs that teach the framing trade. Johnson encourages any students interested in art and framing to consider applying for a work study program at Fenton/Stahl. Skylite Gallery, 7 North 2nd Avenue: The Skylite Gallery features various artistic works in a series of rooms upstairs and a wine tasting room downstairs. The gallery displays a wide range
of artistic mediums, including sculptures and paintings, with a unique and exotic aesthetic connecting the majority of the pieces. The gallery tries to exhibit the works of local artists, but it also displays a number of foreign pieces as well due to the gallery owner’s frequent travel to different parts of the world. Brian Mele, a Walla Walla native, is the current artist featured at the gallery. His photographs, capturing various aspects of skateboarding in what was the Blue Mountain Mall, have been on display since August. Mele graduated from
Washington State University with a degree in photography. Various pieces from Egypt, Africa and Asia contrast the local art. The gallery contains a room dedicated to Egyptian art with works ranging from sculptures of sphinxes and sarcophagi to paintings reminiscent of the days of Pharaohs. Due to the gallery’s tendency to feature a single artist for a period of time, Whitman artists are encouraged to submit the gallery owner can consider it for this period of public display. Willow, 2 East Rose Street: Perhaps
the most upscale gallery of the three, Willow’s loft gallery features specialized exhibitions and a first floor for more general works of art. This gallery has a modern edge to it, with a very clean-cut design throughout. Willow’s exhibition currently features works from artists Anne Bullock and Yuri Kinoshita. Bullock tends to favor art inspired by nature, and Kinoshita is known for her “woven lanterns” made with Japanese textiles and paper. Each showcase that appears in the loft lasts for approximately two months and features an opening night catered with cheese and wine. Often times the artists themselves come to the openings O in order to speak about their works. Willow also strives to display worksm from artists who live in the area. “Willow really focuses on local artists as well as artists from the upper northwest, but mostly right around Walla Walla,” said Willow employee Catherine Hysell. The same goes for customers, as Willow draws many people from Seattle and Portland, but a fair amount from Walla Walla as well. The downstairs area offers a variety of smaller pieces to buy, including woodwork, oil on copper products, knit work, jewelry and even decorative soaps. Visitors will also notice a bronze willow structure spanning from one of the beams in the room. A work of art in itself, local artist Douglas Gisi designed the piece specifically for the gallery, taking over 500 hours to complete it. Overall this gallery features an interesting variety of works in terms of price and type, and it is located in a space that is fittingly beautiful.
Big Art: blue Harry Potter: event series expected to be popular 1 moon’s event features new student works from page
FROM page 1 the public and it’s free, so I’m hoping it will be pretty full.” Blue Moon staff-member sophomore Sonya Fabricant, who has been working to advertise the event, displayed her confidence about the amount of people who would show up. “I think the turn out is going to be really good because it’s just such a unique event . . . in that it brings together the artistic and writing communities as well as a lot of outside students who otherwise may not be interested in blue moon . . . and I think it’s going to be just downright fun,” said Fabricant. “Big Art” will occur from 7-11 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 12. The event is free and open to the public.
Rasmussen noted that the part of the difficulty came from a turnout that was much larger than they had originally expected. “[Getting] equipment has been a challenge for the Quidditch tournament because we had way more interest than we thought we would,” said Rasmussen. “It’s actually really exciting that so many people are interested in it.” So far, the events have proved to be significantly more popular than many other WEB events - something that Hall was hoping for. “I’m hoping it will draw a lot more people – people who don’t typically come to WEB events, [so they can] see what we are all about, and maybe get excited about putting on events themselves and maybe working with us.” said Hall. “I think there are definitely a lot of very passionate Harry Potter fans on this campus, and. . . we are really lucky to be able to tap into that resource and that energy and excitement that comes with the nature of event and doesn’t require a lot of external hype from us.”
KLAG Quidditch players rally before last weekend’s World Cup Game. WEB and KWCW’s “The Witching Hour” created and sponsored Harry Potter Month events to give fans a chance to celebrate the upcoming release of the first part of the seventh Potter film.
A&E
November 11, 2010
5
T HRIF T Y WHI T T IES
Give your clothes tender loving care: touch ups to make them last longer Installment 2: Post-laundering techniques by OLIVIA JONES Columnist
If you want your clothes to look nice, there is one thing you absolutely must do: store them properly. That means hang anything dressy and fold the rest. The trick nof folding clothes is to fold them while tthey’re still warm from the dryer, before dany wrinkles set in. Most of us, myself intcluded, don’t have time to wait around for the dryer to finish, but if you are already shanging anything delicate, the rest of the -clothes in your dryer will probably not be too persnickety about wrinkling. Some -clothes are pressed to be wrinkle-free by .the manufacturer, but most dress clothes -are still prone to wrinkling. For this rea,son I recommend that every Thrifty IWhittie has access to an iron. Ironing can make a huge difference in ,the appearance of your clothes, and ulti-mately your personal appearance. If you don’t have an ironing board, iron over a -towel on your table or floor. Heat the iron monly to the heat level appropriate to that sfabric of your garment. Check the label if hyou are not sure what the fabric is and if you can’t find or read the label, choose a -lower heat than what you suspect is apypropriate, and only fill the water tank as ehigh as the fill line or it will leak water.
The other benefit of ironing is that it gives you an opportunity to inspect your clothes for wear and tear and snip loose threads. Finding a hole in your clothes while it is still small can mean saving that piece of clothing. So if in this process you do find a hole, please refer to my article on patching for woven fabrics, or darning for knit fabrics. You can always find them on The Pioneer website using the search box. If the problem is not a hole, but a seam or a hem that is coming apart, don’t fret! Find a color of thread that is similar to your fabric. Once again I recommend using a cotton or a cotton-covered polyester thread. Thread the needle with a length that is not longer than twice your arm length and tie the ends in a knot two or three times depending upon how loose the weave of your fabric is. Turn the garment inside out and start sewing along the seam at least half an inch above where the seam is beginning to come apart. For seams I use a backstitch—it is secure and it allows for a little stretch. If you are unfamiliar with the backstitch, there are instructional videos available via Google search. Because this is a seam, when the garment is reversed, any stitches that are out of line will be visible, so try to stitch in the line of where the seam was previ-
Hems on slacks and dresses
Hems on cotton clothing
CANEPA ously. Be sure to check the other side of the seam to be sure that the stitches are staying straight on both sides. Keep sewing past the point where the seam came undone for another half inch to reinforce it.
Hems on slacks and dresses are often tacked up with what is called a slip stitch. The benefit of the slip stitch is that if done well, it is hardly visible, the down side is that it comes apart more easily than other stitches. For this stitch, thread the needle
with an arm’s length of thread and instead of tying the threads together, tie a knot twice on one end only. This means that you will have to hold the thread in place at the base of the needle when you pull it taught to prevent it from un-threading, but it should mean that the stitches will be only one thread thick. For an invisible hem, the fabric is usually folded under twice. If your hem is coming undone, chances are the first hem or pressed fold of the garment is still in place. Start on the reverse side of your garment so that the knot is not visible and run your needle through the top of the fold for a length not longer than a centimeter. Pull it taught, careful to keep the needle threaded even with only one side of the thread knotted, and then bring the fabric of the hem to the fabric of the dress and very carefully hook with your needle only one or two threads of the fabric of the garment in the place where you want to tack the hem to the bottom of the garment. Pull the thread taught carefully again, and go back through the fabric of the hem. I understand that these instructions are not easy to comprehend if you are inexperienced at sewing, but I encourage you to study the illustrations, try a Google search, shoot me an e-mail or respond to this post online. Good luck!
o MOVIE REVIEW ]
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Guillermo Del Toro’s ‘The Devil’s Backbone’ combines horror, drama, heart
by SEAN MCNULTY Staff Reporter
Director Guillermo Del Toro is perhaps most famous for “Pan’s Labyrinth,” his alternatively charming and terrifying take on a young girl navigating her way through the horrors of the Spanish Civil War. The older brother to “Pan’s Labyrinth” is “The Devil’s Backbone”— Del Toro’s story of a young boy riding out the same war in a lonely and isolated orphanage. Slightly more terrifying than charming, “The Devil’s Backbone” is an intriguing look at limbo, a horrifying drama and a lightweight ghost story all in one. There’s storytelling and integrity here that modern horror
doesn’t have. “The Devil’s Backbone” opens with the image of a massive bomb falling into the courtyard of a lonely desert orphanage. This bomb, which fails to actually explode, is the central symbol of the film. It’s a visual anchor for the terrifying war against which the film is framed, an ominous portent that hangs over the plot and a visual ghost stopped just short of death. The bomb is also the first of many elements of the film stuck in limbo. The orphanage, stranded in a wasteland and a bloody ideological war, is similarly suspended in an inescapable space. The protagonist, a 12-year-old named Carlos, learns after he arrives that his
father and caretaker are gone, and that he has nowhere left to go. Jacinto, the haughty caretaker and stern disciplinarian, grew up at the orphanage but never really left. There’s also “the one who sighs,” an ephemeral presence who swoops through the halls. Part of this lies in Del Toro’s success in creating a setting that, like the underground cistern where the most gut-wrenching scenes take place, lies fallow and inert. The other tension lies in the terror of seeing such a calm place disturbed. This movie does not shield its young protagonists away from horrific violence. The trauma juxtaposed with innocence gives the film a terrible weight.
Del Toro’s supernatural setting, one in which ghost stories and superstition are fundamental to the movie’s plot and central themes, adds a beautiful backdrop to the film. The doctor of the orphanage keeps a collection of jars with preserved infants dead from spina bifida—hence the “Devil’s Backbone” of the title. Each jar is full of a special rum, called “limbo water,” which preserves the baby inside. It’s also rumored to have healing property—and the superstitious villagers buy it by the bottle, which in turn supports the orphanage. The boys pray to a giant bomb fallen in the yard and listen, with ears to the metal, for the ticking of its explosive heart. Vagaries of belief such as
Chamber Orchestra Divertimento concert provides rare opportunity to hear ‘Jephte’ composition
Orchestra will open its fall concert with a performance of oratorio ‘Jephte’, a biblical story about war and human sacrifice. The rarely-seen but emotive baroque piece pushes the musical talents of the student performers. by SEAN MCNULTY Staff Reporter
In the 17th century, Italian composer Giacomo Carissimi adapted “Jephte”, the bloody story of human sacrifice taken from the biblical Book of Judges, into a baroque oratorio. On Tuesday, Nov. 16, Whitman College’s Divertimento Chamber Orchestra will perform “Jephte” as part of their fall concert. For many Whitman students and residents of Walla Walla, seeing this performance might be once-in-a-lifetime. “It is rarely performed, and it’s a real . . . treasure of the early baroque repertoire,” said senior Jackson Maberry, director and organizer of the production. “If we can give . . . people at Whitman and also in the larger community a chance to hear this music, it may be the only time they’d get to.” “Unless you’re really into the music community in whatever town you live in, these are pretty obscure events,” said senior McKenna Milici, the soprano who plays the daughter of Jephte. “For a lot of people here at Whitman, this might be their one chance to see this opera.” The biblical story of “Jephte” revolves around the title character’s war against the Ammonites. In return for
r
God’s help, he promises to sacrifice the first person that greets him when he returns home. Upon his return, his daughter greets him. She learns that she will be sacrificed and goes into the mountains to bewail her virginity and the sons she never had the chance to bear. “Jephte”, the musical arrangement, is a transitional piece, widely considered to be a watershed of baroque musical thought—one of the first true oratorios. “It’s the transitional pieces of music from any age that we find are the most revolutionary, the most gripping,” said Maberry. “That’s why [‘Jephte’ has] continued to be gripping and interesting to people who are . . . really serious students of music and also people who just listen to music casually. It’ll be something different, something that they’re not used to hearing, but . . . close enough to more mainstream classical music as to be accessible and interesting.” “Jephte” is often mistaken as an opera due to its musical similarities. “It’s easy to think of it as an opera because it shares so many of the same features, [with] soloists, chorus [and] instruments,” said Maberry. Instead, “Jephte” is an oratorio. Oratorios are not staged; in other words,
there’s no acting. They deal with biblical subjects, use a smaller “continua band” rather than a full orchestra for accompaniment, and highlight vocal parts almost exclusively. “Jephte” has two main soloists—Jephte and his daughter. The oratorio also contains a narrator and a chorus of 14 singers which function much like the chorus in Greek tragedy, providing repetitive reinforcement for what’s happening on stage. The music in the “Jephte” pushes musical limits as well. The score splits the vocal music into six distinct parts, whereas most modern choral music uses only four. To adjust for this, singers must have considerable talent and range. “It’s difficult music to do with fewer people,” said Maberry. “Jephte” is also sung in Latin. While audience is provided with a translation of the Latin words, singers must overcome a massive language barrier to inform their music emotionally. “It’s more difficult to put the meaning behind the words because it’s not a language that you know,” said senior Michelle Davenport, who sings soprano in the chorus. “If you’re singing in English a song about hating somebody you can bite the words and put the emotion into it.”
COMIC STRIP
Milici believes that the ornamental and dramatic flair of baroque music helps overcome this barrier. “Every style of music has . . . its own emotional color that comes along with it,” said Milici. “When [the audience] hears the very last chorus, which is a lament, they’re going to get it . . . the music gives you a lot of cues.” The members of the chorus can also take cues from each other to back up their music. “If you’re singing across the choir, you can take . . . emotional and musical cues from everybody,” said Davenport. “It makes the choir more of . . . one whole voice rather than each musician singing separately.” “The music is highly dynamic,” Maberry said. “Despite the fact that there’s no stage action . . . you’ll definitely be able to hear just in the way the lines flow, the melodic lines, and the way the accompaniment, you know, changes harmonically to increase stress underneath those lines . . . the drama that’s taking place between the characters.” “Jephte” will open the Divertimento Chamber Orchestra concert and will be performed at 7:30 pm in the Hall of Music. The orchestra will also play Mozart’s 41st symphony—his last— and an overture by Schumann to mark the 200th anniversary of his birth.
this are the “backbone” of the movie’s world. The ghostly elements of “The Devil’s Backbone,” however, are neither the source of the horror nor central to the film. The truly frightening elements of the film are the forces that precede and create those imprints: greed and avarice, “Lord of the Flies” brutality and the crippling toll of civil war. “The Devil’s Backbone” creates monsters more believable and enduring than any man in a rubber suit—cowards and murderers, the dramatic rather than the fantastic. This is horror filled with brains, teeth, heart and relevance. “The Devil’s Backbone” is available to rent at Penrose Library.
PIO PICKS
Each Thursday, The Pioneer highlights several events happening on campus or in Walla Walla over the weekend. Here are this week’s picks: Lights Out T-tones, Schwa and the Green Leaders will host a “lights out” study break in the Anderson/Prentiss courtyard on Thursday, Nov. 11 from 8:30-9:30 p.m. Take a break from homework and enjoy s’mores and music from two of Whitman’s premiere a capella ensembles. Iron Chef Competition Whitman students will compete for the title of “Iron Chef ” this Saturday, Nov. 13 from 4-5:30 p.m. at Tamarac House. Students will be provided a with camping store and food supplies; the only catch is that teams must find a way to include a secret ingredient (which is not revealed until the day of the event) into their dish. La Maison Francaise: Café Night The IHC’s French House, “La Maison”, presents “Café Night: Une Soiree Suisse” on Saturday, Nov. 13 from 7:30-9:30 p.m. In the proper Swiss tradition, the café night’s menu includes cheese, fresh bread, vegetables, fruit, and other foods to dip into a range of chocolate fondue samples. Hot chocolate and coffee will be offered as refreshments as well. Whitman College Orchestra Fall Concert The orchestra presents a semester’s worth of hard work and music at the fall concert on Sunday, Nov. 14. Professor of Music Jeremy Mims will conduct the concert, which features the works of Bach, Mozar, Elgar and Bartok. The concert will be held in Chism Recital Hall at 7:30 p.m. River House Sarah Lee Lawrence ‘04, a “new voice” from Seattle’s quarterly literary magazine Tin House, will read from and discuss her memoir “River House” on Friday, Nov. 12. Her novel discusses her passion and exploration of the world’s whitewater rivers as well as the tense relationship with her father. The reading will occur at 7 p.m. in Kimball Hall.
Sports
The Pioneer Issue 9 Nov 11, 2010 Page 6
Swimmers ‘leave it in the pool’ for charity by PAMELA LONDON Staff Reporter
ROSENBERG The first swimmers of each relay take their marks in preparation for the beginning of the Hour of Power. Over 6,300 athletes across the nation participated in the event.
On Tuesday, Nov. 9, the Whitman College varsity swimmers redefined the notion of “leave it on the field”, a phrase constantly invoked by coaches during game time, by expending every ounce of energy and effort possible in the name of philanthropy. Varsity swimmers joined over 100 teams and 6,000 athletes to “leave it in the pool”, participating in the annual Hour of Power in support of the Ted Mullin Fund for Pediatric Sarcoma Research at the University of Chicago. “It’s a great tribute to Ted Mullin and it’s really taken off in a profound way,” said Chad Trexler, senior swimmer and four-year Hour of Power participant. “Everyone really got into it this year. When we finished I was beat. It was tough.” The Hour of Power began in 2006 following the death of Carleton College varsity swimmer Ted Mullin to soft tissue cancer. When the event was first held, only 15 teams participated. These figures have risen rapidly—at the 2009 Hour of Power, 134 teams from four continents competed, including over 100 collegiate programs, and the event raised over 190,000 dollars. This year was no exception. 137 teams competed, with international teams coming from Denmark, Spain, the Fiji Islands and the Czech Republic, in addition to the collegiate, club and high school contingent in the US.
Over 6,300 total athletes participated in event. This is the fourth year that Whitman has been a participant in the Hour of Power. It is the sole representative of the Northwest Conference in the event. Consisting of an hour-long, all-out relay race, swimmers can use any stroke they choose with the goal of keeping the relay in each lane swimming on the same 50-meter length. Five to six swimmers typically swim in each lane, and the team stays together for the entirety of the 60 minutes. “The actual hour of continuous sprinting together is great training and a wonderful team building experience,” Whitman swim coach Jenn Blomme said. “But it is also very powerful to feel connected to the greater swimming community. The fact that other teams all over the country are doing the exact same thing on the very same day makes what we’re doing feel even more important.” First-year swimmer Claire Collins echoed her coach’s sentiment, sharing how the team’s support helped her through the event. “I was so tired, but we were in it together, so I kept going,” she said. Trexler noted an “atmosphere of awareness” that accompanied this year’s Hour of Power. He attributed the new intensity to a growing consciousness about the purpose of the event. “Everyone is affected by cancer in some way,” Collins said, echoing Trexler’s sentiments. “[The Hour of Power]
SCOREBOARD Volleyball Lewis & Clark 11/5 L, 3-1 Willamette11/6 L, 3-2 Women’s soccer Lewis & Clark 11/5 T, 2-2 (2OT) Men’s soccer Whitworth 11/6 W, 2-1 Men’s basketball San Jose State 11/6 L, 109-92
UPCOMING EVENTS Women’s Basketball 11/14 Gonzaga (Away) Swimming 11/12 Lewis & Clark (Away) 11/13 Pacific (Away) Cross country 11/13 NCAA DIII West Regional (Salem)
made me think of all the people that I know who are battling cancer. I did it for them and Ted Mullin.” “One of the things that is so special to me about the Hour of Power is that as a team we really get to celebrate what a privilege it is, as college athletes, to be young and healthy,” Blomme added. “It is easy to take that for granted, but on this day in particular we have the opportunity to focus on how lucky we are.”
Senior women say goodbye by TYLER HURLBURT Staff Reporter
The Whitman College women’s soccer season came to a close on Friday, Nov. 5 with a 2-2 draw against Lewis and Clark College. The team went 4-10-2 against conference opponents, ending in seventh place. But for two players, the match meant not only the end of season, but the closing of their Whitman soccer careers. Seniors Kristen Innes and Kate Newman played their final game in their Missionary uniforms. For both women, their fellow teammates were more than just other players—they were also some of their best friends. “Each year has brought in new girls and a new team dynamic, and year after year they have been, and continue to be, some of my most cherished friendships,” Newman said. Innes shared Newman’s sentiment about the close-knit nature of the group. “The team is like a family,” Innes said. “It’s an extra area of support.” But Newman wasn’t always sure that the team was going to be as much of a family as it turned out to be. As a firstyear she was anxious and scared about joining. “I know that a lot of the returners
were nervous that I was not going to be a fun teammate; because I was so nervous, I came across as super serious and mean,” she said. However, once she got over the initial stress of joining the team, Newman quickly came to see that the team was a very welcoming and fun community.
Through the ups and downs, the victories and defeats, I would not give up the experience for anything in the world. -Kate Newman ‘11
“After the stress of tryouts passed I loosened up a lot, and all of that preliminary stress just melted away,” she said. Innes, who started playing soccer in her sophomore year after playing basketball as a first-year, didn’t have the same nerves as Newman, but was instead still learning how to balance sports and studies. “I fit in really well; the girls were really easy to get along with,” Innes said. “But I was still getting used to college
athletics.” While seniors are often the ones that underclassmen look up to, Newman and Innes share a different perspective from their experience. “There is a pretty universal and shared respect that we have going on,” Newman said. “I look up to a lot of the first-years and sophomores for a lot of reasons, not to mention the upperclassmen.” The closing of their soccer careers is bittersweet for the both of them. “[It is] bitter because it is hard not to play with not only my teammates, but my close friends,” Innes said. “But it’s nice because now I can focus on my studies and do what I came here to do.” For both women, playing soccer has been an invaluable aspect of their time spent at Whitman. “Through the ups and downs, the victories and defeats, I would not give up the experience for anything in the world,” Newman said. Innes echoed her sentiment and shared the impact that the team had on her life. “Not just being a part of the team, but playing soccer has played a major role in my life,” Innes said. Both women now look ahead to finishing their senior years and graduating, leaving behind the team that they have come to love.
JACOBSON
Men’s soccer sets record, finishes second Leland Matthaeus ‘13 battles for possesion during Whitman’s November 6 game against Whitworth. Whitman won the match 2-1, notching its sixth straight victory, a school record for most consecutive games won. With the win, the men moved up to second place in conference standings. Whitman was 9-3-2 for the season, just behind first-place Pacific University (10-2-2).
JACOBSON Returning athlete Brandon Shaw ‘12 helped the basketball team earn 5th place in the conference in 2010. The team hopes to surpass pre-season expectations.
Men’s basketball starts season with high hopes by TYLER HURLBURT Staff Reporter
On Saturday, Nov. 6, the men’s basketball team opened its season with a 109-92 loss to the NCAA Division I San Jose State Spartans. The Missionaries traveled to San Jose to take part in this exhibition game, which, according to sophomore Drew Raher, served as a great way for the team to see how they can perform together. “It was a good learning experience. They are bigger, stronger and faster and it tested us against adversity,” Raher said. In the loss, the team showed great potential, particularly with regards to threepoint shooting. Whitman was 18 of 35 from behind the three-point line, with sophomore Peter Clark draining seven of the three-pointers. This season the team looks to continue its climb up the rankings in the Northwest Conference. Over the last two seasons the Missionaries have moved up from finishing last in the conference with a 1-15 record in 2007-2008, to finishing tied in fifth place with a 6-10 record last season. And other teams are taking notice. Whitman has already been ranked fourth in the NWC Coaches Pre-Season Poll. Junior Brandon Shaw sees this ranking as a change in the way the team is viewed within the conference. “We are on the rise in the eyes of the other coaches,” said Shaw. To build on the team’s rising standing, the Missionaries look to their experience
this year as compared to recent seasons. The team returns seven players who saw time in games last year plus sophomore Ryan Gilkey, who sat out last season due to injuries. The team also welcomes the addition of five newcomers to Whitman. “The last two years we were young, [but] our experience this year is starting to show,” Shaw said. “We are a lot deeper than the last couple of seasons.” Not only is the team returning a strong group, but the first-year players are also showing a lot of talent and potential already. “They are going to have an immediate impact. We need everyone on the team contributing to be successful,” Raher said of the newcomers. The basketball team is not simply looking to move up in the conference; they want to battle for the top spots. Whitworth, Linfield and Lewis & Clark were voted first, second and third respectively in the pre-season poll. Whitman has failed to defeat all three teams in their meetings in the last few seasons. Despite a stacked history against the schools predicted to win the conference, Shaw feels that Whitman can compete with the best. “Our expectations are really high,” said Shaw. “Talent wise we are up there with the top.” Whitman sees its next action in Portland against Multnomah Bible College and Portland Bible College on November 19-20. The Missionaries open the NWC season in McMinville, Ore. on December 3 against Linfield.
Opinion
The Pioneer Issue 9 Nov 11, 2010 Page 7
Whitman registration fails to provide Thanksgiving excuses collective ethical amnesia adequate enrollment opportunities Grinnell, Colby and Carleton College provide examples of better registration methods to maximize students’ chances of enrolling in top-choice classes. November 5 marked the beginning of Whitman’s spring semester registration period, and with it the mad rush of students trying to ZACH get into their DUFFY most desired Columnist classes. I watched on helplessly this past Friday as seniors registered and my course options dwindled. I wanted to take Aaron Bobrow-Strain’s Genealogies of Political Economy, but that course closed within a day of its offering; all but five seats in Deb Simon’s Chemistry of Art were filled; just a few spots were left open in Don Snow’s course on the nature essay. The frustration of putting together a workable schedule left me wondering: Do other colleges use registration systems that better enable students to get into their topchoice classes? It turns out that several institutions do, and I think Whitman should consider adopting one of the registration systems next year. t Grinnell College, incoming students register for courses using a preference voting system. Students examine the course catalog and determine which classes they are interested in taking; then they rank all of those
classes in order of preference. Grinnell also asks its students to list acceptable alternative courses for each time slot. When registration rolls around, Grinnell’s registrar places every student in his or her top choice course according to a randomly selected order. This order is then reversed in second, third, and fourth rounds of course selection.
All of these registration systems are geared towards maximizing the chance that studens are able to enroll in their most desired classes.
The result, according to the Grinnell registrar’s website, is that “nearly 90% of students receive their first-choice course in the first round and around 85% receive their first-choice course in the second round.” At Colby College, certain courses have no enrollment limits during the registration period. Instead, after all students have indicated the classes they wish to take, Colby’s registrar reviews the academic record of each of the students registered for over-en-
rolled classes and weeds out students who do not need the course to fulfill graduation or major requirements. The system seems harsh, but it also ensures that Colby’s students are never locked out of taking desired classes in their majors, and that few students need to scramble to take required classes in senior year. Registration at Carleton College is similar to Whitman, but the registrar gives freshmen and sophomores priority to register for introductory classes in over-enrolled departments so that students are able to sample classes in the most popular departments before choosing their majors. All of these registration systems are geared towards one goal: maximizing the chance that students are able to enroll in their most desired classes, given that course selection is inevitably limited. Tim Kaufman-Osborn, Whitman’s provost, spoke to this issue at last month’s ASWC Town Hall on enrollment pressure. Whitman, he said, will never be able to enroll every student in every class he or she wants to take; that is an expensive and impossible goal for a college to take on. But I think it might be a reasonable goal for Whitman to enroll every student here in his or her top-choice class. Adopting a new or modified registration system could be just the step we need to take in order to make that possible.
GUEST COLUMN
Students plan to bring rally experience to campus by AHREN STROMING, ANNA ROGERS, & ALAN PUGH Guest Columnists
Hello Whitman! We’re the “three Whitman students” who deviously ran off to D.C. and Jon Stewart’s Rally to Restore Sanity on your dime; freshmen thieves who fooled ASWC into funding a cross-country flight to a rally “supporting a comedian.” At least, that may be your impression after reading the editorial: “ASWC must always be mindful when allocating student dollars” (10/21/10). As the editorial stated, the Travel and Student Development Fund is supported by a percentage of “all 1,537 Whitman students’ annual Student Activity Fee.” According to the ASWC Finance Chair, solicitations for funding are evaluated partially based on whether the requesting amount exceeds that $320 fee. Since the three of us paid our ASWC fee at the beginning of the year, much of our request is essentially our money. We’d like to take this opportunity to express our gratitude that ASWC has determined our trip worthy spending beyond this amount per person, and explain how we plan to repay the Whitman community in the coming months. We reject the editorial’s attempt to label the rally as either a “serious attempt to revitalize American politics or mere satire.” Why can’t it be both?
While the editorial board may elect to discredit Jon Stewart’s significance as a political figure, we feel passionately that dismissing Stewart as merely a “comedian” betrays the importance of political satire in American history. Should we ignore the social critique of slavery made by Mark Twain in Huckleberry Finn because after his obituary was published prematurely he wrote “reports of my death have been greatly exaggerated?” The fact that Jon Stewart is a comedian takes nothing away from the fact that American politics has grown seriously polarized in recent years. Humor and political criticism are not nearly as independent as the editorial board claims. The Rally was –as Jon Stewart said in an interview on NPR– “a format” in which to call attention to an issue about which we feel strongly. By attending, we were part of a larger statement in defense of calm, thoughtful discussion, fair compromise, and understanding multiple sides of an issue. The individuals we met at the rally shared our frustrations with the partisan screaming that passes for leadership in Washington D.C. One couple stressed to us they hoped the Rally would be a call for “opening dialogue, where previously there has been only monologue.” Another man affirmed that he was at the Rally “to stand and be counted among the sane.” These
conversations – impossible without physical attendance –were the most powerful parts of our trip. We came away feeling rejuvenated, optimistic, and strangely patriotic. Those we met were representatives of the reasonable, open-minded people that make America what it is. Our sanity had been restored. The editorial board expressed its concern that paying our travel expenses fails to “benefit the larger Whitman community.” Despite this editorial board’s acrimonious skepticism, we are committed to sharing our experience in D.C. with the Whitman community. To this end, we would like to invite the Whitman community to attend a presentation on our trip. This will also serve as the first meeting of our new club: S.A.N.E. (Students Against Noisy Extremists). Each meeting will discuss one issue and thoughtfully examine the topic from multiple perspectives. Hopefully, this will help students – ourselves included – practice looking at issues in a nonpartisan manner. Stay tuned for time and place! The editorial board may doubt the “tangibility” of our goals, but the bottom line is we have not received funding yet and we never will unless we demonstrate that we have completely fulfilled all of ASWC’s contingencies. Stay sane, everyone!
POLI T IC AL C ARTOON
DOUGLAS
It’s almost Thanksgiving. I know it’s a holiday, but I’ll be honest: I hate Thanksgiving. Don’t get me wrong, having ten days to deLAUREN compress and MCCULLOUGH sleep is aweColumnist some. And reconnecting with family and friends is really great. But time with family and sleep aside, Thanksgiving is the time of year when it becomes acceptable to forget the things we normally care about and intentionally ignore a few undesirable aspects of American history. I first questioned Thanksgiving during high school, after reading the first chapter of Howard Zinn’s book “A People’s History of the United States”. Zinn points out the fact that Thanksgiving historically marks the genocide and massacre of thousands of native peoples of North America. Our country is theoretically founded upon the ideals of life, liberty and pursuit of happiness—but celebrates a national holiday founded on genocide. Juxtapose Zinn’s description with the happy illustrations of happy Native Americans and Pilgrims sharing turkey and corn we are presented with in elementary school. You’re probably thinking, “Well, no one is going to show Jimmy a cartoon of massacres and smallpox.” True. But if that’s where the critical thinking stops, we need to delve further. At 20 years old, I’m the youngest in my family, but my family is still not talking about the historical roots of Thanksgiving around the table. The next knee jerk response might be that we’re a long way past those bloody origins, so why bring them up? If this is true, it’s imperative to recognize the following idea. Our history is still relevant. So is the fact that we choose to selectively ignore and celebrate certain aspects of American history on Thanksgiving. I’m not saying we should cease celebration and wear black in commemoration, but we do need to recognize the fact that the division between values and behavior is alive and well and equally manifest in our
Thanksgiving traditions. Let’s consider the turkey. As a vegan for nearly four years, I’ll admit this fixation grosses me out. If it were my goal to persuade readers to opt for Tofurky, I’d list facts about the conditions turkeys are raised in and statistics on the number of turkeys slaughtered each year, but I have a different agenda. I’ve known several people, normally strict vegetarians, who choose to consume turkey on Thanksgiving. When I’ve asked them about it, all stated with a shrug, “It’s a special occasion.” This baffles me. How does a holiday make someone cease a commitment which stands for the other 364 days of the year? I see this occurring in other Thanksgiving behaviors too. While we normally care about moderation, during Thanksgiving we put on our saggy pants and dig in. It’d be easy to say this overeating is insignificant, but it’s actually an indication of a larger phenomenon. It seems to me that Thanksgiving has become some sort of problematic permission slip we can use to escape from our daily values, an opportunity to let our hidden vices out. Values control the spin of our moral compass; they keep us on track when we need to make choices. But what good are these values when it’s acceptable to ignore them so we can marginalize Native Americans, eat guilt-free turkey, or overindulge on pie? Further, when we can so easily suspend our values for Thanksgiving, what’s to prevent us from shelving our values for Halloween or every Wednesday? And if we shelve moderation and vegetarianism, what other values might we choose to suspend? I’m not saying we consciously suspend our values for selfish agendas; that’s far too bold and conspiratorial a claim. However, I want to point out the inherent danger in the phrase “It’s a special occasion.” This justification minimizes and disguises our real actions. That is to say, when we use these words, we willingly suspend the values we use to govern ourselves. After writing this column, I’ve realized I need to I recant my opening statement. I don’t hate Thanksgiving. Rather, I find our behavior on Thanksgiving kind of terrifying.
‘Jailbreaking’ costs outweigh benefits Before Apple allowed third party app development in iOS 2, jailbreaking was the only way to get apps developed by other BLAIR people onto your FRANK iPhone. It was Columnist also the only way to have copy and paste (rendered moot in iOS 3) and multitasking available. As of right now, however, jailbreaking your phone provides meager benefits at best, and the cost in time, effort and security is simply too great for most people. In order to jailbreak a device running iOS 4, you’ll need one of three programs: “Limera1n”, “Greenpois0n”, or “PwnageTool”. All three of these use the same technique (known in tech circles as an “exploit”) to break into your phone’s operating system and make it possible to use nonstandard applications. Depending on your computer, your device, and how the stars are aligned that particular day, it may take you multiple tries with one or more pieces of software before you meet with success. I spent easily two hours fighting with my iPhone, trying to get Limera1n or Greenpois0n to work. Neither of them did, but once I decided to take a crack at my phone with PwnageTool (which uses a slightly different process to jailbreak the phone), I finally met with success.* When it comes to security, there are a couple of important issues at hand regarding jailbreaking. The first is, in order to open up the operating
system to make using jailbreak-only apps possible requires the use of a security exploit. The exploit is called that because the makers of jailbreaking software have to use or exploit a security flaw inherent in the latest build of iOS. The other important security concern is that of fake jailbreaking software. Enterprising virus makers have released fake jailbreaking apps that instead of jailbreaking your phone, install a Trojan horse or other virus onto your computer.
Jailbreaking your phone provides meager benefits at best, and the cost... is simply too great for most people.
Finally, there’s the problem of usefulness. Now that iOS supports thirdparty app development, copy and paste and multitasking, jailbreaking can’t provide any brand-new functionality that is worth the time and potential security problems. My phone does everything I need it to right now, and while it’s possible that a few tweaks here and there might provide enough incentive for some people, I can’t see the major benefits of jailbreaking. *Important note: I will not be giving step-by-step instructions on how to use each of the different programs. If you’re interested, I’d recommend finding a nice tutorial on the internet.
The Pioneer Issue 9 Nov 11, 2010 Page 8
This page is full of jokes!
Backpage
Great, now my mom’s on Chatroulette
Reach for the Stars, Land Yourself Some UGGS Dear Mentees,
? Your dad and I have ie? How is school going eet sw , ing doing all do u yo e ar How t to make sure you’re jus y da ery ev k oo ceb ed been checking your Fa t thing that we learn u about a new Interne yo l tel nt to me ed seg nt a s wa wa I . right tte”. There it is called “Chatroule so many about the other day— wild!!! We have met t jus is it d an ” ow Sh y be we about it on “The Toda you ever use it! May we want to know if d An keen on le! o op to pe ’t ng en ar sti u intere use I know yo ca be r, he ot ch ea th works, too. can use it to chat wi for you about how it s ion est qu few a ve rning, but Skyping with us. I ha ed a username this mo at cre d ha I at th t gh me of them For example, I thou strangers there, and so of lot a ll sti e ar ere e Internet now when I go on th r. And very sexual. Th lga vu d an ssy bo t jus ul! Anyare so rude. They are e remember to be caref as ple so le, Ky ce, pla troulette” can be a very sexual to give us some “Cha d en ek we is th e tim ch!!! Make way, if you have some y! We miss you so mu ne ho it, e at eci pr ap ing tips, we would really re about your Fly Fish We want to hear mo ! on back! so go me ho uld ll co ca I to sh sure used to be! I wi it at wh ’t isn re su e you sweetie, class. Gosh, college om-ents” again! I lov “M my of e on g vin Sorry honey, I’m ha in a week!!! Xoxoxoxoxo be safe! We’ll see you
Kyle,
Love, Your Mom
I’m so honored to be here speaking for Career Day as a Whitman student. I guess that means I have succeeded in life. I have my high school degree; I am in college; I have these sweet UGG boots, and I am aspiring to be a biologist. The world is looking bright. As I look out on all your eager shining faces I remember what I thought of the world in second grade. It seemed so big and scary, but also exciting. Well I still see it the same way, but now I have more of an understanding of what success really is. Success is living the life that you want. That life may be a career in biology and a new pair of UGG boots, it may be motherhood, fatherhood or a public servant. Wherever life takes you, you have to hold your head high and say, “THIS IS WHO I AM, WORLD.” Because if you don’t make a statement, the world will pass you by. If you don’t make a statement, there is no way for others to see your success. I guess I can use myself as an example. I never really knew what success was until I woke up one morning, slipped on my new chestnut brown tall UGG boots and said, “I did it, I am living the dream, and it’s not over yet.” Because I am not even a biologist yet, and I don’t have the credentials or UGG boots to claim that title, but I know with time, perseverance and a pinch of hope, I can get there. That is the thing with success, you can always reach for it. While you may reach some point in your life where you think you are successful, like me right now, look at these boots, you can always be more successful. In conclusion, reach for the stars my children; you can attain some pretty amazing stuff. Just look at me and my education and UGG boots. Thank you.
SINGH AND KLAG
PARTY TRANSCRIPT
RAD TRIPMAN’S PUZZLE CORNER Oh what’s up BROS and also LADIEZ?! Rad Tripman here, and I’m about to hit you with the brand newest addition to the Rad Tripman media empire: RAD TRIPMAN’S PUZZLE CORNER! Yeah you heard right! When my dad said that I would never make anything out of myself in this world, and then my teachers all said the same thing, and so did people I worked for, and people I would randomly meet on the street, and people I would buy stuff from, I knew that someday I would prove all those people wrong by having my very own PUZZLE CORNER!!!!!!!
PUZZLE TWO : SCRAMBLE
It is my promise to you that these puzzles will be appropriately AWESOME. ‘Nuff said. Let’s GET TO PUZZLIN’.
PUZZLE ONE : WORDSEARCH See if you can find the TOTALLY SICK HIDDEN WORD out of all the other words! ROLLE
Transcript of a party as imagined by the kid whose mom wouldn’t let him go: Mark: Hey guys! Nick & Josh: Hey Mark! Mark: Hey, have you guys seen Peter? Nick: I haven’t seen him all night, Mark! Josh: Man, I hope he shows up in time for the making out that’s going to happen later! Mark: Oh man, that’s gonna be awesome! Jessica: Hey guys! Nick, Josh & Mark: Hey Jessica! Jessica: Have you seen Peter? I want to make out with him tonight. Nick: He hasn’t shown up yet, Jessica! Jessica: That’s too bad, Nick! I’ve always had a crush on him, but I’ve been too shy to say anything until this party! Josh: Yeah, and it’ll be way too late to tell him after the party! Jessica: Exactly! Mark: If only Peter was here, he could make out with you. Jessica: I guess I’ll have to make out with that jock who tripped Peter in the hall on Wednesday instead. Josh: Too bad, but you know how it works at parties . . . first come first served!
Trevor: Hey guys! Nick, Josh, Mark & Jessica: Hey Trevor! Jessica: How’s the coolest kid in our class doing? Trevor: Pretty good! Me and the other cool kids were going to go drink alcohol! Nick: Hey, can we come? Trevor: Nope, sorry! But Peter sure can! Hey, where is that kid? Mark: Oh, he’s not here, Trevor! Trevor: What?! Aw, man. I guess he’s not as cool as I thought he was. Oh well. See you guys! Nick, Josh, Mark & Jessica: Bye, Trevor! Mark: Man, this party is going to be crazy. Jessica: Tell me about it! This party is going to be so crazy! Nick: It’s going to be just like that episode of “Entourage” Peter saw! Josh: Just like it! Everyone: If only Peter had come. Jessica: Hey everyone, it’s time to make out now! Jock who tripped Peter on Wednesday: Saddle up, Jessica—it’s time to ride.
Now that my parents are dead I can stay up as late as I want! Most kids have to go to bed at 8 p.m. unless you’re Kevin because Kevin says his parents let him stay up ‘til 9 p.m. But now that my parents are both dead I can stay up super super late and no one can tell me to go to bed! Kevin’s going to be so jealous when I tell him tomorrow. I’m also going to be so much better at Pokémon Stadium 2 than everyone else because now dad isn’t going to come in and A Second Grader turn off the Nintendo even though I haven’t saved and say, “Time for bed, kiddo.” I can leave it on as long as I want, and I never have to stop playing because I’m the boss now. I can even eat ice cream for breakfast since my parents are dead. Everyone at school is going to be so impressed tomorrow!
S I C K S I C K S C S C S K K I W S I C S S C K O I C S K K C S L C I K C I S I F C S I S I C K K S S K C I S I I S I C K K S
K C I S S I C K C
PUZZLE THREE : REBUS
UNSCRAMBLE THE WORDS FOR AN AWESOME MESSAGE!
WLFO FOLW OLFW LOWF secret message: WOLVES ARE THE COOLEST!
Some people call this kind of puzzle a rebus. I like to call it a reAWESOME!!!
PUZZLE FOUR : OPTICAL ILLUSION How many wolves are pictured?
How many times do you cry when you read this?