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(10/10/07 12:00am)
Author: Patrick Jobson Memphis football star gunned down at nightUniversity of Memphis junior Taylor Bradford was shot to death on Sept. 30 on university grounds, prompting the university locked down all residence halls and canceled Monday classes as an "early precaution" in case that there was still an armed perpetrator on campus, University President Shirley Raines said.Police stated that Bradford, originally from Nashville, Tenn., and a defensive lineman on the football team, was apparently shot around 9:45 p.m. Presumably, he then got into his car and drove for a short distance before crashing into a tree close to the campus residence hall.Due to the rarity of such cases, Memphis Director of Police Services Larry Godwin said that the attack "may very well have been targeted." Since the shooting, three men have been arrested and charged with attempted aggravated robbery.Tommy West, the University of Memphis head football coach, said that Bradford was "very popular within our team, very popular on our campus. Very upbeat, very up-tempo personality. Always smiling, always talking. Very well-liked on this campus."- CNN.comWesleyan plans launch of new sex magazine Students at Wesleyan University plan to launch a new sex magazine named "Unlocked." The magazine aims to be a 60-page biannual publication in which students can submit photographs and written pieces related to sex. "I don't know if Wesleyan needs a sex magazine, but I think Wesleyan wants one," Ben Kuller '10, one of the two editors-in-chief and co-founder of Wesleyan's upcoming sex magazine, said in an interview with The Wesleyan Argus.Both creators of "Unlocked," Kuller and Yannick Bindert '10, affirm that they are attempting to create a publication that conveys progressive and positive ideas about sex, including a possible section on sexual health. If they receive sufficient participation from students and funding from the Wesleyan Student Assembly, they expect to publish the first issue of "Unlocked" this semester.- The Wesleyan ArgusSenate endowment plan brings Harvard ireThe U.S. Senate is contemplating ways of regulating universities' endowments, possibly by keeping tuition steady and taking funds from current endowments. One of the main targets of this proposal is Harvard University, with its $35 billion endowment and a tuition rise of 3.9 percent this academic year. Harvard claims that Congress should not control the university's funds and how they are spent. "The most highly endowed colleges are in fact the ones doing the most to support affordability among the individuals that go there," said senior director of Federal and State Relations for Harvard Kevin Casey in an interview with The Harvard Crimson. "Harvard, Yale, and Princeton have been using significant methods to bring down tuition. They already are the most generous."Advocates of regulating universities' endowments argue that the students are not seeing the benefits of the universities' rising wealth. Jane G. Gravelle, an economic policy specialist for the Congressional Research Service, said in a report that the "small additions from the endowment distribution could mitigate or eliminate tuition growth and substantially expand student aid." According to the College Board, the average tuition for four-year colleges in America has risen 35 percent since 2002.- The Harvard Crimson
(10/04/07 12:00am)
Author: Sage Bierster I'd like to ask my readers a question - if we didn't live in Middlebury, in our infamous bubble where we feel safe and protected, if we weren't surrounded by well-educated and (let's face it) a bunch of mostly white, middle-and upper-class people, would you even consider having sex without a condom? If it's just once, twice or every time, what's the harm? Obviously in a place like Middlebury College, from students like these, you will never catch a disease. WRONG! It is this erroneous perception that we have that makes us more susceptible to catch Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIS) such as gonorrhea and HPV. We are not immune, and neither is that person you took home from Modapolooza last weekend. According to the Center for Disease Control (CDC), by the age of 24 one in every three sexually active people will have contracted some kind of STI. This means during our four years here anywhere from 650-780 students will have or had a disease they caught from sexual activity, and you can bet that it was unprotected. Of course we might be more willing to use condoms if they weren't seen as taking away from the pleasure of sex (the difference in sensation is minor), and if they weren't, admit it, just a little less awkward. We are so focused on our own pleasure that we forget how risky sex is nowadays. Who hasn't been in the heat of the moment, went to put the condom on and suddenly found that the magic (and erection) were gone? These are the moments, which, instead of making us reach for the Trojans, make us reconsider using one. Luckily, I have some advice for you. The next time you have sex, try putting the condom on as soon as you or your partner gets hard. I'm not saying jump immediately to the sex - I recommend the opposite. Once the condom is on, go ahead with foreplay and really draw it out. Tease the hell out of each other. Don't have sex until you can't stand it anymore and then it is simply an act of insertion. There is no longer that awkward moment because the condom is already on! This method has a great side benefit too - extra STI protection. Even if there is no insertion (such as when giving a blow job or just being naked while fooling around), penile, anal and vaginal secretions can transmit diseases, so you and/or your partner are wrapped up and can still have fun. Indeed, the whole point of this exercise and sex in general is to have a good time. At least this way you stay safe, take stress out of the equation and enjoy yourselves. Male condoms aren't the only way to protect against the transmission of STDs. Female condoms and dental dams should also be used during anal, vaginal and oral sex, and always change condoms or dams when you switch from one type of sex to the other to prevent fluid transmission. These are all readily available for free at the Parton Health Center, so take advantage. I hope you take my advice and tune in next week for more. And, as always, remember that the only sex worth having is good and safe sex.
(09/26/07 12:00am)
Author: H. Kay Merriman On Monday, students and faculty filled the seats and lined the walls of McCardell Bicentennial Hall 216 to hear the " 'Consensual' Relations in the Academy: Gender, Power, and Sexuality" lecture by University of Virginia professor and author Ann J. Lane. In her introduction of the speaker, Assistant Professor of History Amy Morsman revealed why the College determined that it was necessary to host a speaker about sexual relationships between students and professors at this time."Faculty Council has been crafting a policy which would prohibit professors from having amorous relationships with students," Morsman said.Lane reiterated the Council's belief that the College needs to establish a policy regarding this topic. In the late nineties, she and three other members of the faculty at the University of Virginia were approached by the President of the college to review and update UVA's sexual harassment policy. She and her colleagues determined that the policy was accurate, but was missing a component about sexual relations between faculty and students. This was the beginning of Lane's interest in the controversial topic.Lane repeatedly used a medical analogy when talking about the continually redefined term "consent." She said that the medical world requires "informed consent" in order to perform a surgery on a patient. Her concern was that students' situation of lesser power when in a relationship with a professor or other faculty member would not allow them to give "informed consent.""You have to know enough about what you are consenting to in order for it to be legitimate," Lane said. "But what does it mean when you are having a relationship with someone who has great power over you?"She also reiterated that students are "not fully adult" and "can be manipulated.""The responsible person is not the student. The student is the victim," she said.In her opinion, forming a relationship with a student is a way in which a professor neglects his or her duty to prepare students for life after college."A professor - student relationship can either be a safety net or a place in which the sexual objectification of women is reinforced," Lane said. When questioned about the existence of positive faculty-student consensual sexual relationships, Lane stated that if the couple was willing to be open about it and alert the dean and the community, she did not see a problem with the relationship. She divided relationships into two categories: "the genuine relationships" and "the others who just have sex with students all the time.""A policy stops the predators," she said, "and there are more of those than I thought there were."Lane acknowledged the problem of tenure and the fact that it would be nearly impossible to fire a tenured faculty member should he or she be caught having sex with students. However, she is confident that if the College were to start forcing new hires to sign a binding statement and to agree to not partake in sexual relationships with students that the issue would subside."Start now and in twenty years it will be a different school," Lane said.Lane was appalled by the lack of this type of law in academia because she sees it in other institutions."So many other professions have it and we don't," she said, citing the corporate world and the military as examples.The College's Faculty Council will continue work on Middlebury's potential policy during the upcoming weeks. A few of the faculty spoke up near the end of the lecture to say that Middlebury values the students' opinions on this issue.
(09/26/07 12:00am)
Author: Aviva Shen Two critically wounded in Delaware State shootingTwo students were wounded in a shooting at Delaware State University's Dover campus on Sept. 21. Classes were canceled for the day and the campus was locked down while police searched for the gunman. Authorities later arrested Loyer D. Braden, a student at the university, in connection with the shooting. The incident took place at approximately 12:54 a.m. near the Memorial Hall gymnasium. One student said he heard five gunshots and looked out the window to see people scattering.The two victims, a 17-year-old man and 17-year-old woman, both from the Washington area, were taken to the Bayhealth Medical Center in Dover. The woman suffered "potentially life threatening" injuries, according to the hospital. The man is in stable condition and is refusing to answer questions, suggesting he knew his attacker."We are very troubled and saddened by this event," Delaware State spokesman Carlos Holmes said. "This is nothing that any administrator wants to happen on their university campus."- Bloomberg PressPolice subdue defiant student with taser gunAndrew Meyer, a senior at the University of Florida, was tasered and arrested during Senator John Kerry's speech on campus on Sept. 17. Police claim that Meyer was trying to start a riot and charged him with third-degree felony.During the question-and-answer session, Meyer asked Kerry about his involvement in Skull and Bones, a secret society at Yale University. When his microphone was cut off suddenly, Meyer started to scream in protest. According to Steve Blank, chairman of the Student Government's speakers bureau that sponsored the event, the organization cut the microphone because Meyer used profanity.Police officers attempted to pull Meyer away from the microphone, but he resisted.Several students recorded the entire struggle on video. One such student, Matthew Howland, said that police held the Taser gun on Meyer for about seven seconds.Meyer was released after one night in jail. A protest march was held the following day, attracting about 300 students.- The Independent Florida AlligatorHampshire President weds same-sex partnerRalph J. Hexter, president of Hampshire College, married his partner of 27 years, Manfred Kollmeier, over Labor Day weekend, marking the first same-sex marriage by a college president in the United States. The couple announced their marriage officially to the college on Sept. 18 and held a campus reception the following day.Hexter has been president since 2005 and is one of only eleven openly gay college presidents. Kollmeier, who is retired, repairs and restores violins and cellos. He is also on the governing board of the Commonwealth Opera of Western Massachusetts.The decision to wed was partly triggered by the Massachusetts legislature's recent rejection of a proposed constitutional amendment banning same-sex unions."It's here to stay," Hexter said. "This is a really special state. We wanted to stand up and be part of it."- The Chronicle of Higher Education
(09/12/07 12:00am)
Author: [no author name found] First-year students enjoy a tour of Middlebury's organic garden, one of many activities enjoyed during the past week's orientation. Other activities included a square dance, a performance by Larson, Middlebury Outdoor Orientation, Sex Signals and Convocation. This year marks the arrival of the largest Middlebury class yet, resulting in considerable housing issues, not to mention possible problems in rising class sizes and overcrowding in dining halls. However, overall, the first-years were greeted with open arms.
(05/09/07 12:00am)
Author: Sage Bierster Dear Reader,First of all, let me start off by saying that I care about you. We've been through so much together this semester. Things started off well in January - I made a New Year's Resolution to ask you out on a date (I thought you were so cute), and when you said yes, well, I knew we had something special.Our date went well and we decided to take it to the next level, but before that could happen I had to have a talk about the HPV vaccine with you, because protection is really important to me.After that, things really got intimate; I felt like I could talk to you about anything, like masturbation, and that vibrator I got for my birthday. Remember that? You seemed to really like me, and I felt like I could do no wrong. I know I screwed up when I made that comment about the penis-as-roommate metaphor, and you called me on it. I was surprised you got so upset about that, but I respected your feelings and I apologized. We got through it together, and I felt like we grew even closer. Towards the middle of the semester our relationship developed this great intimacy. We discussed the ups and downs of ass-slapping and anal sex and our sex life became very experimental. Then Spring Break came along, but we hadn't really said whether we were just dating or if our relationship was getting serious. We talked it over, and we decided that whatever happens in Cancun stays there. When we came back to school things got a little crazy - there was that incident in Ross with the homophobic graffiti, and I didn't think that was cool at all. We talked it over because I was really upset, and you listened to me. Thank you for that, I knew I could show you my more serious side and that you would appreciate it. Even when I talked to you that one time about porn and whether we should watch it, you stuck around.Thank goodness I lightened up as soon as the sun returned, and my libido came back when Spring finally arrived. Aren't you glad you stuck around? It really helped me get through these last two weeks of school and I'm still looking forward to Senior Week. And last week we went on a sexploration of the entire campus, trying out new places we had never been before. Unfortunately we couldn't go everywhere we wanted to, but we only had so much time. Still, it was a pretty crazy run.Now to the point of my letter to you: I can't see you anymore. I know there are still two weeks to go, but let's face it, nothing crushes libido like finals week. Then it will be the summer, and we'll be in different placesÖ It's just not going to work. I'm really sorry, but I want you to know that I will be thinking about you the whole time I am in Rio de Janeiro, where I will spend my days researching. Don't worry, the scantily clad Rio boys are no match for you. These past few months have been really special for me, and I think we learned from each other. I'll be back in September for my last semester, so perhaps we can see each other again - that is, if you want to. Take care, beijos, Sage
(05/02/07 12:00am)
Author: Sage Bierster As Middlebury's resident "sex sage," I am always open to all kinds of questions and am happy to impart my (real or imagined) expertise in all matters sexual. One such question I recently encountered was where the best places are on campus to, ahem, practice what I preach. Of course, a bed is usually the preferred location, but things can get complicated when you have a roommate or your suitemates complain about the noise. And, let's face it, the risk of being found out can be a huge turn-on and is what drives most people out of the conventional bedroom setting. Still, you don't want to have sex in the middle of the Grille on a Friday night (unless getting arrested for public indecency is your thing) and you really don't want to get caught in flagrante delicto by anyone. So, without further ado, here are the best (or at least most interesting) places on campus to get it on without getting caught (hopefully):1. The Library: A risky move, especially as exam period closes in and every imaginable workspace is occupied, but potentially rewarding. All that studying can wear you out and a quick tryst is the perfect pick-me-up. Try an abandoned thesis carrel room on the third-floor mezzanine or the bathrooms on the bottom floor. Watch out if you make a lot of noise - the entire building will pick up the echo. 2. McCardell Bicentennial Hall: Let's face it, that place is huge! There are so many rooms and stairwells that you can easily find a place to sneak away, especially late at night. Perfect for those of you living on that side of campus when things get dull in your dorm room. 3. Outside: As my last article proclaimed, spring is here, which means outside sex is once again possible without risking frostbite of your "extremities." The natural amphitheater past the cemetery is beautiful and isolated but does get its fair share of visitors. Areas near the sports fields come highly recommended from a source who shall remain anonymous. The lawn area behind the Catholic School is a nighttime option, though you might feel like you're going to hell right afterwards. And if you really want to get crazy, try the swings in front of Twilight while its still dark out - maybe you'll find out what Samantha on "Sex and the City" was raving about. 4. Second-floor lounge, Johnson Memorial Building: It's a cool building, always open and relatively deserted at night. The lounge that looks out towards Battell is spacious and comfortable, and there is a big table in the middle of the room (use your imagination). 5. Munroe Building: I've had my fair share of classes in Munroe and I use the computer lab quite a bit. After some exploring I found out that the building is usually open late and most of the classrooms remain unlocked.6. Ross: I encourage all those same-sex couples out there to utilize Ross - fight negative slurs with something positive like an orgasm!Now that you have a short list, get out there and do some exploring on your own! I just hope for your sake Public Safety doesn't read this column.
(04/25/07 12:00am)
Author: Sage Bierster The sun is shining, birds are singing and plants are finally showing signs of life - that's right, Spring has arrived. And with only weeks left in the semester, one's thoughts naturally turn to exams, final papers and unrequited love. Well, more like unrequited sex. Everyone begins to think about all those men and women on campus that they've always had their eye on, that they've never gotten with and might never see again. Seniors are the most prone to spring sex fever. With graduation looming at the end of May, they realize that the amount of time they have left to engage in college sex is dwindling. College is different than every other time in our lives because of the social environment we live in. Never again will we be in a situation where we live in such close proximity to 2,000 other 20-somethings who are just as horny and uncommitted as we are. We don't have jobs, apartments, dogs - we don't have real adult lives yet and the sex we have reflects our lack of responsibilities and is relatively free of consequences. Time is running out for the Class of 2007. Senior Week is the quintessential manifestation of last-ditch lust on this campus. Now, I've never been here to see the debauchery take place, but my sources have referred to it as a "hormonal free-for-all," and, I don't know about you, but that definitely piques my interest. All of those deep-seated attractions that have gone unspoken for years are acted upon in a week-long orgiastic party. Basically, anything goes.Seniors also have the added bonus of the "senior crush list." There is no better place to spill the contents of your unrequited heart than on a white 8.5 X 11 sheet of printer paper on a dining hall billboard. In the spirit of Spring sex, tell the world of your love! Maybe that cute artsy guy has always had a crush on you, too. What if you have some unfinished sexual business but you are in a relationship? While you should always be honest with your partner, talk to him or her, and try and work through your other urges. But don't be surprised if you can't have your cake and eat it too.For all the single underclassmen, be grateful that the people-watching is definitely better this time of year, and with everyone looking happier and healthier, it's much easier to spot someone you might not have noticed the rest of the year. The Library Lawn, Battell Beach and Proctor Terrace are prime daytime flirtation and ogling zones. The Last Chance Dance is legendary for obvious reasons, but it is mostly underwhelming.So what should your plan of action be? Well, first of all you should try to stick around for Senior Week. But it also means you should be on the lookout for that guy or girl you've always found appealing and go for it. Don't hold back when you are filling out your senior crush list. Strike up a conversation, ask your crush out for coffee, or make your way over to them on the dance floor, but do something because otherwise you will regret it.
(04/18/07 12:00am)
Author: Sage Bierster No sex column would be complete without an article on pornography. It is in-your-face sexuality taken to extremes. It has infiltrated every media available, and everywhere it appears it generates controversy. It is a $10 billion industry that is forever caught between our most lascivious desires and the "moral high ground" (read Eric Schlosser's Reefer Madness for a more in-depth look). Some people absolutely hate it, yet it seems that the majority find pornography - be it films, magazines, books or internet websites - titillating.But what is it exactly about porn that turns us on? I mean, the attraction is obvious for, say, 40-year-old virgins who still live with their mothers. But what about the rest of us with active sex lives who actually get to touch a real live naked person, yet still seek out porn? Why does it make us all hot and bothered?Last week the Science section of The New York Times ran a series of articles on sexuality, including a particularly fascinating article by Natalie Angier entitled "Birds Do It. Bees Do It. People Seek the Keys to It." The article reviewed scientific research on how and why humans experience sexual desire and excitement. Researchers found that humans are easily aroused by sexual stimuli of a physical and/or visual nature, which activates the body's sexual response mechanisms and primes us to experience desire. This goes a long way towards explaining the popularity of pornography, not just with men but with women and couples as well. Images of sex or sexually provocative nudity stimulate our bodies and turn us on, thus prompting us to become what us college kids might call "really horny." Porn therefore offers a steady flow of diverse material to get us in the mood and spurs a natural healthy craving that we all experience. In spite of its good aspects, it is necessary to point out the darker side of the porn industry that raises qualms among even the most sexually liberated. Groups such as the Anti-Pornography League highlight the reinforcement of male-domination over women and violence against them that is represented in films and other media. They also say that the porn industry, with its capacity to churn out hundreds of movies a week and maintain millions of websites, is responsible for the exploitation of men and women and for putting them at risk. If you have seen a pornographic film chances are it was condom-free, which is dangerous not only for those individuals participating (I hate to say acting, though I doubt that most of those orgasms are real) in the film but for those watching it. It sends the message that good sex - "porno sex" - is only possible when you don't use protection, and that it's OK to get it on with that random cable guy or sexy librarian - or why not both at the same time? - without a condom. So how do we reconcile the enjoyment and pleasure we get from porn with its more deplorable aspects? There is no one answer and in the end you have to do what feels right for you. But it is wise to remember that you shouldn't compare porn to real life sex, because it will never measure up. Real breasts don't look like that, most penises aren't that big and unsafe sex is never cool.
(04/18/07 12:00am)
Author: Claire & Lisie Beyond the Bubbling is no walk in the park - it takes a lot of forethought and creativity, as evidenced by the four years worth of highly innovative outings on which we have reported. Highlights, of course, include our visits to several county and antique stores. But, Claire and Lisie are determined to go out with a bang, and therefore felt no shame in consulting a trusty (albeit stolen from the glorious, gothic-style Highland Park Public Library on Laurel Avenue - we have a penchant for stealing from libraries, as the Ilsley Library's season five, disc two of "Sex and the City" that we rented whilst Battell residents is still in our communal possession) "Exploring Vermont" guidebook. Claire feels it is imperative that we let readers know that Lisie just happens to keep this guidebook in her car at all times. We are aware that we are verbose. Just go with it.Our in-depth analysis of the guidebook led us to the small town of Brandon, Vt., which coincidentally happens to be the nearest quaint little town that we have yet to explore. Founded in 1761, Brandon has garnered international acclaim for its status as the hometown of Abe Lincoln rhetorical foe Stephen Douglas. Thus, we had to see it. Lesson for the day: visiting the hometowns of C-list historical figures is overrated. Especially when there's a power outage. That's right, we drove thirteen miles to explore a dark, deserted hamlet devoid of our main interest on any outing: food. Speaking of historical figures - we did venture to the not quite internationally acclaimed Kennedy Park that lies in the heart of Brandon. A mini Niagara Falls twas not (Claire wants no credit for this line. Good work, Mehlman.). But there was a lot of mist. This proved prohibitive of our fully enjoying nature's wonder. Eh, screw nature. All we really wanted to do was get back in bed and watch some more ABC.com. We fervently believe that launching its new flash player was the website's gift to humanity. Watching Rob Lowe in full-screen, without living in the constant fear that it might freeze at an inopportune time (read: when Rob Lowe is not semi-nude on camera), has rendered our lives infinitely more enjoyable.The serendipitous power outage was by no means the fault of Exploring Vermont, and although we hadn't used it much over the past four years, it just might serve us well as our Beyond the Bubbling days wind down.
(04/11/07 12:00am)
Author: Aylie Baker, Features Editor "I've been hearing about Midd forever," said Dave Eggers upon ascending the podium to read an excerpt from his new novel, "What is the What," this past Monday night. "Good Lord," he said. It's no wonder. Eggers met his wife Vendela Vida '93 through a mutual friend who also attended the College. Vida, an English major graduating Phi Beta Kappa, dabbled in several disciplines, including theatre and Italian. She received scholarships to attend the Breadloaf Writer's Conference for two summers and had the opportunity to work closely with Rob Pack, Dave Price, David Bane and Julia Alvarez.On Monday April 9, Eggers and Vida read excerpts from their new novels, "What is the What" and "Let the Northern Lights Erase Your Name," to an animated audience in Mead Chapel. While their recent works were the main focus of the event, they also framed a subsidiary moral initiative - their unconventional non-profit tutoring centers which are popping up across the nation. In her reading, Vida openly decided to "skip an embarrassing sex scene," while in the presence of her former professors. Setting the context for her novel, "Let the Northern Lights Erase Your Name," Vida described how she had been "inspired [both] by her heritage" in Lapland of Northern Sweden and "her love for fairytales." The excerpt, brimming with colorful images and an honest sincerity, captured the main character, Clarissa, at the beginning of her quest to Lapland to unearth her true identity. Eggers' "What is the What" broached a very different topic. The book highlights the life story of Valentino Achak Deng, who was dispossessed from his village during the 1980s as a refugee of the Sudanese civil war. One of some 20,000 "lost boys," Deng eventually made his way to the United States, where Mary Williams met him and first wrote to Eggers regarding his story. Since he first met him in 2001, Eggers unraveled Deng's history through a series of interviews.Shifting to a lighter subject, Eggers and Vida led the audience through a slideshow that charted the evolution of their non-profit tutoring centers. Eggers began by recounting the startup of his independent press, McSweeney's, in Park Slope, Brooklyn. McSweeney's began in the backdrop of a store devoted to both amateur taxidermy and show-animal grooming supplies. Despite its shortcomings financially, Eggers described how the store became a conduit for middle school students.This breakthrough became instrumental in the founding of 826 Valencia Street, the couple's first tutoring center in San Francisco. The building the couple purchased to house the center, while inexpensive, was zoned for retail. They decided to open a "Pirate supply store - for the traveling buccaneer." The store supplies an array of accessories including peg legs, hook protectors ("for nighttime"), and replaceable eyes. It even includes its own fish theatre that according to Vida, "was voted the most popular place in San Francisco for breastfeeding."Moving beyond the multicolored eye patches, one stumbles upon a very different venue - 826's tutoring center. Eggers and Vida attribute much of the tutoring center's success to its offbeat faÁade. Kids are "more likely to stop at it," explained Eggers. "It's not a sterile atmosphere."Originally starting with 20 volunteers the program now has 1400 tutors on its roster and has expanded to include "in school" tutoring in addition to its after school sessions and evening workshops. 826 Valencia Street's successes have led to the opening of more tutoring centers across the nation such as The Boring Store in Chicago, The Space Travel Supply Company in Greenwood and The Superhero Supply Company in Brooklyn, which all provide community services in addition to their wacky commodities.It's not everyday that one gets the chance to hear two of the nation's most celebrated contemporary writers read from their novels in such an intimate setting as Mead Chapel. Yet, as evidenced by Vida and Eggers' closing slideshow, it's equally rare that one gets to venture into a "Capery" equipped with industrial fans en route to a tutoring session.
(04/11/07 12:00am)
Author: Sage Bierster "Fag, slut, dyke, prude." Why is it that insulting someone's sex life is an acceptable form of discrimination? Whether it's who you like, who you sleep with, how often and with how many people, if you're gay, straight or somewhere in between, many of us use these and other derogatory insults because sexuality is seen as one part of human behavior that it is ok to judge someone for. The homophobic graffiti that was found written in Ross a few weeks ago has prompted a campus-wide debate regarding undercurrents of discrimination and hate that have often gone unnoticed by most of the College community. The Middlebury Open Queer Alliance (MOQA), for one, has done an excellent job of opening the discussion up to larger questions of sexuality. This isn't just about homophobia, but is about a larger trend in American society that wants to restrict and control you based on sexuality. And we participate in it every day. For example: Think of all the times you have ever described any girl as a "slut"? Maybe you weren't even referencing her sexual activities but expressing a negative feeling towards her, yet you still used that word. "Slut" still carries the meaning of being promiscuous, but it is used in everyday speech to mean a woman who isn't liked, who offends or is unacceptable in some way. When it is used it not only reaffirms the negative connotation of that word but also of female sexuality in general. Why is it a bad thing when a woman has numerous sexual partners? Why do we pick her sex life (real or imagined) to use against her?Now think about the word "gay". How often do you say, "That party was gay," or "Stop being gay," or "What a gay thing to say"? My own brother uses it and it angers me to no end. He claims that it is just something people say, that he doesn't "mean it like that." Yet when anyone, including my open-minded brother, uses "gay" to deride even inanimate objects, something is amiss. His response shows how na've we all are when it comes to the power of words. As my friend Kelsey said to me when reflecting upon the responses she has heard from people about the incident in Ross, the majority of us might not realize the meaning of these words. If you have never experienced the pain of being called a "faggot" when someone really meant it, the shock to find that any homophobic word written on the walls of this campus might not reach you. So I ask you to think about a time when you or a close friend was judged because of sexual behavior or merely called a name that carried that kind of connotation. Think about everything you felt. Imagine if it had been written on a wall in your dorm. Now think about a time you did the same thing to someone else. I have never claimed to achieve lofty ideological goals with this column, but my one hope is that I can provoke discussion on campus related to sexual issues. The incident in Ross and others like it only go to show the extent to which an open dialogue on sexuality is needed here. We should all take this opportunity to engage in honest debate and reflection not only about the actions of others, but our own actions as well.
(03/21/07 12:00am)
Author: Michelle Constant The introduction this past fall of a newly developed vaccine that prevents the contraction of human papillomavirus (HPV) has been met with success, according to Parton Health Center staff, with approxiamately 25 female students receiving the vaccine per week since September. Gardasil, which first entered the market in the summer of 2006, requires patients to receive three doses to guarantee seroconversion, or the development of specific antibodies to the virus. According to Terry Jenny, associate director at the health center, many students who received their first dose of the vaccine "have the misconception that they have to return to their doctors at home for all three doses." But with proof of the date of previous doses of the vaccine, students can receive their second or third doses at the College, she said.The College charges $139 per dose, but does not charge administrative doctor's fees, as with any vaccine offered. Jenny said that most insurance companies cover at least a large portion of the cost of the vaccine. HPV includes over 100 different strains of one virus, more than 30 of which are sexually transmitted. It affects more than 50 percent of sexually active people over the course of their lifetime, and 80 percent of women by age 50. Most people who become infected with HPV will not show any symptoms, and the virus will eventually disappear on its own. However, some strains of the virus can lead to cancer of the cervix, vulva, vagina, anus or penis, while other lower-risk strains can lead to genital warts.According to the Department of Health Services Web site, the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) approved the use of Gardasil to prevent HPV in June of 2006. The vaccine protects against four HPV types that are known to cause 70 percent of cases of cervical cancer and 90 percent of cases of genital warts."The vaccine is so new that people are still developing procedures for administering it," said Jenny. The administration at the College is discussing how to best offer the vaccine. It is not currently stocked on campus because it is very expensive and expires quickly. Students requesting the vaccine must call in a prescription to the pharmacy. The vaccine can then be delivered to the College, to be administered by nurses at the Health Center.According to Jenny, there are no restrictions on female students who can receive the vaccine. Females aged 12 to 26 are covered under most insurance companies. "We'll do anything here at the Health Center that is appropriate and reasonable," Jenny said. "It's part of our general policy and protocol for general College healthcare." Gardasil is offered at the College in the same way that available vaccines against all STDs are offered."The new HPV vaccine seems to be a great idea," said Director of the Health Center Dr. Mark Peluso. He hopes that the federal Food and Drug Administration will consider approving it for men in the near future as well. According to Peluso, genital warts affect both sexes and homosexual men can also contract anal condyloma through anal sex, which can lead to invasive anal cancer. Condoms and abstinence are currently the only preventative measures available for these men.Peluso said that the vaccine has not been available long enough to gauge long-term effects, but that the pre-market data seem to indicate it is a safe method of prevention. However, Jenny emphasized that, even with the introduction of this new vaccine, women should continue to regularly get Pap smears to get screened for cervical cancer. She said that the vaccine only prevents four strains of HPV, and other strains can still be contracted through unprotected sex."The biggest controversy surrounding Gardasil is that it is currently the most expensive vaccine on the market," said Elizabeth Lyon '07, one of two co-presidents of Feminist Action at Middlebury (FAM). "If my insurance doesn't cover Gardasil, I'm basically deciding between buying books for a semester or protecting myself against cancer." Lyon believes that this is not a decision students should have to make and that, although availability of the vaccine is crucial, it also needs to be made more affordable. Despite student complaints of the vaccine's cost, the College has no plans to offer completely free vaccinations in the near future. Meanwhile, some states are considering passing legislation that would make the HPV vaccine a school requirement, much like the measles vaccine. On February 5, Texas Governor Rick Perry issued an executive order requiring all schoolgirls to receive the HPV vaccine before entering the sixth grade.
(03/21/07 12:00am)
Author: Sage Bierster Spring Break is coming and that can mean only one thing - spring break sex. Glorious, commitment-free, wild, spring break sex. Of course there are those who will go home and sit on the couch downing mom's cooking and won't see the light of day for a week, but for much of America's college population, Spring Break means Panama City, Galveston, Miami - you name it and if it has a beach and a wet t-shirt contest you'll find Spring Break. What is the attraction of spring break sex? Why does the combination of alcohol, sunshine and thousands of people we have never seen before send our hormones into overdrive? There are parties every weekend on campus where alcohol is readily available and occasionally we see the sun, so why are we getting all worked up over a bunch of scantily dressed strangers? I suppose there is something to that, because as we all know at Middlebury it can feel as if you know everyone. This can make it difficult to let loose and sow your wild oats when you see the same people all the time. Couple this with the well-known fact that we are all stressed out by the time the break rolls around and that sex on campus ranges from rare to non-existent for most students, and what you get is a bunch of horny, pent-up twenty-somethings who are itching for an excuse to get naked.So we drop a couple of hundred dollars on flights and hotels in some sandy or other warm-weather locale hoping to cash in on what MTV has turned spring break into: an orgiastic free-for-all of liquor, sunburns and sex. But what if the local population has a different plan. Yes, there are several beach communities that are adamant about stopping our mojo. This past October for example, Daytona Beach banned "tini bikinis" and levied a $500 fine for all violators. This is sacrilege! A spring break fling should be a way to broaden your sexual horizons, to explore a side of yourself that you don't feel comfortable showing when you are here, and it should be fun!Of course, Mexico can be a great alternative to our increasingly puritanical U.S. of A., luring around 170,000 Americans every year with cheaper trips and alcohol laden parties. The attitude in Mexico is also generally hospitable to American tourists - nobody's banning bikini's in Cancun.While Cancun can be exciting, don't forget how important it is to always protect yourself while in a party atmosphere. Sexual assualt can happen to anyone, anywhere, especially in an environment where the booze is flowing, there is little feeling of responsibility and no one really knows each other. The same factors that make spring break so much fun can also turn it into a nightmare if you aren't careful. So enjoy yourselves next week, wherever you go, and revel in the fact that whatever happens during spring break stays there. However, please remember to go easy on the drinks when you are looking to find some company for the night, and if you go with a group of friends look out for each other. That way you can have your spring break and get off too.
(03/14/07 12:00am)
Author: Colin Foss It's easy to imagine that mild-mannered Michael, the main character of "Sex Lives of Superheroes," is leading a double life. On the exterior, he is a bumbling nerd who can't seem to escape his teenage infatuation with comic books, but what about his true identity? More than any other innocent alter ego, Michael seems to revel in the pride of knowing that at any moment he could slough off the mundane costume of a twenty-something bachelor and transform into a debonair, self-assured superhero. In this unlikely first issue of a comic never written, Stephen Gregg lays down the tale of what happens when normal men and women take on the forces of evil. Through his confidant rendering of the role, Joe Barsalona '07 takes the torch of defending the meek Michael against his oppressive and tormenting ex-girlfriend Lisa, craftily interpreted by Cassidy Boyd '10. Her plot: to manipulate Michael into letting her run off with all of his possessions, including his self-esteem. His defense: a timid nature and a pathetically unrequited love. The current situation might seem grim, but things are looking up for our pathetic would-be hero. Who comes to his aide, but Elenor, an equally eccentric romance-story writer referred to Michael through a mutual psychiatrist, oddly enough.Elenor, played by Stephanie Spencer '09, finds herself sympathizing with the poor guy's plight, and brings the audience in with her. Although this is no storybook romance, the progression of Michael and Elenor's relationship through their dysfunction is oddly endearing. "Sex Lives of Superheroes" exposes in a na've and genuine tone the revelation phase of a budding romance, all the while conscious of the personal eccentricities each of us is hesitant to confess. Spencer wonderfully interprets Elenor's inner turmoil. What finally pushes her to see Michael as a harmless sweetie instead of an oddball case study is her avowal of a peculiar habit - re-writing romance novels to throw classic love stories into a morass of hate and fear. Charming, isn't it? But her opinion isn't swayed so easily. Spencer injects into the dialogue a certain ambiguity that captures the essence of Elenor's dilemma, but still keeps available the option of leaving Michael to his preteen daydreams. Her involvement in his problems slowly deepens, and the unlikely connection between the two becomes tangible.Still, Barsalona keeps Michael literally on his toes. His frantic attitude establishes itself from the minute he, clad only in his underwear, flutters onto the stage clutching an Incredible Hulk action figure. The play drifts in and out of Michael's imagination, and the audience plays a role within his fantasies of finally being recognized for his comic book trivia prowess. His neuroticism is at first disconcerting, but then becomes a part of our own identification with the loveable underdog. The role may have been cumbersome for Barsalona, but he manages to fit his body to the emotional demands of Michael."Michael is a very shy, nervous and awkward person," said Barsalona, commenting on his 700-level acting project, "something that I am not usually cast in due to my height. Since there was such a large challenge in developing a specific character into my every word and movement, every rehearsal was a learning process for my body and voice."The result, however, is something light and calming, but without too much fluff. While the characters may flirt with a humorous extended metaphor steeped in the pages of Marvel, the situations they find themselves in and the relationships they develop are serious and strike at sober realism. "I wanted to give the Middlebury Theatre audience something that they could gain simple enjoyment from without, to put it bluntly, doing any work," wrote Barsalona in his playbill note. Facile entertainment is what this one-act vignette does best, but the performance, topping off at around 35 minutes, could easily slip into flightiness due to its brevity. Details and their emphasis become extremely important to give the show depth. "My co-stars (Stephanie Spencer and Cassidy Boyd), along with our director Jordan Tirrell-Wysocki '08," said Barsalona, "spent an enormous amount of time finding places to speed up and slow down the pace in order to highlight specific moments while also making sure that we didn't cut the play too short."Tirrell-Wysocki gives the actors enough space to develop the relationships within the play, but manages to keep the comic book motif ever-present. The air of false heroism that surrounds the play's events culminates in a triumphant final scene, where the audience almost imagines Michael moving through the last frames of the story with the look of "stay tuned next week" superimposed over his grinning face. The black box of the Hepburn Zoo provided space for set designer Claire Groby '08 to do her magic, creating the austere living situation of our humble bachelor and a sense of intimacy with the characters, who are at eye-level with the audience. "Sex Lives of Superheroes" lightens the mood of the Middlebury Theatre program with its delicate rendering of serious issues. This lends itself well to the kind of gratuitous entertainment Barsalona meant to convey and Tirrell-Wysocki subtly details. Although a successful coup against the powers of evil does not come easily even to superheroes, this play manages to bring Marvel-proportioned hope to us little people unlucky enough to live ordinary lives.
(03/14/07 12:00am)
Author: Sage Bierster After a year in Brazil, a country where the cover of Playboy is rarely a shot of the woman's front, I realize that the ass is highly underappreciated in this country. I've never really had an ounce of cleavage, but when it comes to my backside, well, I've got plenty. My butt had never received as much attention as when it was abroad, and frankly, I miss it. And it's not just me: many women and men on campus feel they have a lot going on behind them and that no one is looking. How unfortunate, really, when the butt is such a beautiful thing. It should be celebrated not only in that great pair of jeans or dress that hugs your curves, but also in bed. There are all sorts of ways that the ass can be incorporated into your sex life. The problem is that you might be more or less comfortable with certain practices than your partner and these issues need to be addressed. But how do you bring up certain topics pertaining to the bottom and all its attributes without (a) making them uncomfortable and (b) ruining the idea by talking it to death? For example, how do you slap someone's ass for the first time? Do you just go for it, hoping not to get punched in the face in retaliation, or do you ask permission first, even when that certainly takes some of the spontaneity out of it? What about foreplay - are you O.K. with your mouth or fingers engaging someone's nether regions and vice versa, and if you are, do you just tell them that or do you wait for them to bring up the subject? Activities such as these are perfectly healthy and enjoyable, but they aren't everyone's cup of tea. Then, of course, there's anal sex. It can be a tricky subject to bring up because, whether gay or straight, you or your partner might have preconceived notions or hesitations about engaging in such an activity. Or perhaps one of you has tried it and not enjoyed it, while the other gets great pleasure from it. As with all sexual matters, there is a fine line you must tread between pleasing and respecting your partner and enjoying yourself. You should never engage in anything you don't feel comfortable doing, but at the same time there is a lot to be said for keeping an open mind and trying new things. Perhaps it is for these reasons that many men and women I know have engaged in anal activities with long-term partners with whom they feel very comfortable. But if you are simply interested in experimenting and not in a relationship, the key is to be very clear about what you want and what your boundaries are. The best thing to remember is that your desires are perfectly normal - unless they involve dead chickens or anything that is reminiscent of Pink Flamingos, in which case you might have a problem. The great thing about the butt is that it is a very democratic erogenous zone. We all have one, so we can't engage in that whole penis-vagina argument. There are men that enjoy getting spanked, and there are women who enjoy anal sex. So I suggest you look to the rear for inspiration during your next encounter of the sexual kind, and you might be surprised by what you find.
(03/14/07 12:00am)
Author: Ken Lazo The Student Global AIDS Campaign (SGAC) on campus recently began work on an initiative to provide free condom distribution in all dorms. As of now, free condoms are available at the Health Center and a few dorms. The new initiative would make condoms readily available in every bathroom of each dorm. The proposal is part of an effort to ensure that those who are sexually active will protect themselves. Additionally the SGAC is urging the College to assume a stronger position regarding safe-sex awareness on campus. The new proposal, however, raises several ethical and health concerns that warrant strong consideration by the student body and the administration.Recently, the SGAC conducted a student survey on condom accessibility on campus. The results from the survey confirmed the SGAC's impressions on condom accessibility. Most importantly, students favored the proposed condom accessibility in the bathrooms.The purpose of the survey was to evaluate the student body reaction to the proposed initiative. With the support of the student body, it seems that better condom accessibility would encourage a safer sexual environment within the student body and send a strong message that the college community is actively involved in promoting safe sex. However most of the concerns that arise with an endorsement of the college for better condom accessibility relate to ethics. Some might argue that the appearance of condoms in the bathroom would encourage more people to have sex. It is a reasonable argument. The college is already a sexually active community. The addition of condoms to our local bathrooms could be the right stimulus to encourage sexually-frustrated, overworked students who have been left behind. Nevertheless, it is just unreasonable to consider an increase in safer sex as a sexual pandemic. Practically speaking, I fail to see where the drawbacks outweigh the benefits. The issue is safe sex. Ken Lazo is a Feb in the Class of 2009. He hails from South Pasadena, California.
(03/07/07 12:00am)
Author: Melissa Marshall It was a problem that I could no longer ignore: my hips did lie, and they were laying completely and utterly still. When I would go to parties, I would try to drop like it was hot, but the closest I could get was lukewarm. I did not have an answer for what I was going to do with all that junk, all that junk up in my trunk, and my humps were most certainly no competition for the excess of cheap beer in terms of intoxicating the masses. I had backed my thang up against a wall of boredom and musical apathy. Fortunately, the help I need seems to be on the horizon. In their infinite wisdom, the International Students Organization has planned a Global Underground Party, which is to take place this Saturday evening. With the promise of lucid techno rhythms and grammatically incorrect lyrics, I now harbor the dream of becoming an expatriate of Cristal-coated poetry and repetitive beats that short-wire the brain, causing the listener to simulate mating. With these artists, you too will be inspired to bust moves that shine brighter than P Diddy's neck at a Grammy after-party. Brazil has finally given America something joyful enough to neutralize the pain and suffering introduced by the Brazilian wax: Cansei de Ser Sexy. Their 2006 self-titled release has wormed its way into the head and hearts of ragers and indie-boppers alike - their single "Let's Make Love and Listen to Death from Above" solidifying itself as a mainstay on many self-proclaimed DJs' playlists. Although the band sings almost entirely in English, their often quirky and sometimes bizarre lyrics seem to mock the pompousness of the American music scene. All thirty-four minutes of the art rock act's virgin disc are rooted in danceablity. From "Music is my Hot Hot Sex" to "Off the Hook," Cansei de Ser Sexy will certainly exhaust your feet and hips, but don't worry, there will still be an excess of sexy. And if CSS doesn't convince the masses of the miracles that can occur when the genders unite, then Sweden's own, The Sounds, will easily convert the few disbelievers. Their 2003 release Living in the America plays like a collection of A-sides and their single "Dance with Me" even enjoyed a few seconds of fame as a float in the parade of omnipresent background music employed by VH1. Even though their sound swirls like a throwback to such 80's darlings as Blondie and the Cars, Maja Ivarsson's powerfully throaty vocals over multi-layered tracks more than compensate for the comparisons. Their 2006 sophomore effort, "Dying to Say this to you," manages to evoke the same feel good euphoria as their debut, however, it fails to capture the catchy cohesiveness cemented throughout Living in America. On one track, Ivarsson croons, "I've got a nasty habit called rock n'roll," and after a few spins on the dance floor, The Sounds will become your new favorite addiction. Now that you've wiggled and gyrated your way from the cusp of the Euro-trash to treasure genre, you're ready to cross the language barrier. Introduced to the states during the regrettable Latino invasion in the late 90's (my bon-bon was all shook out after three weeks of constant Catalan clones) Columbian-born Juanes produced music whose beats need no translation. Gaining critical acclaim, including five Grammy awards, for his 2002 release Un DÌa Normal, Juanes' music is slightly hackneyed yet heartfelt. While his third full-length album, Mi Sangre, lacks the same teeming tempo as Un DÌa Normal, tracks such as "La Camisa Negra" and "Amame" compete with such classics as "La Noche" and "Fotografia" in terms of arousing manic-maneuvers. So tell Justin Timberlake to concentrate on patching things up with Cameron, sexy has been brung, and inform Missy Eliot that the only "dutch" I'll be passing will be in the form of Doe Maar records. Thanks to ISO's dedication, overseas is no longer under-exposed, and neither will be your dance moves. I may have ninety-nine problems, but now rhythm ain't one.
(03/07/07 12:00am)
Author: Sage Biester I know nothing about men. I tried, but did not succeed, to understand that elusive bond between a man and his penis, and two first-years called me on it in a letter to the editor last week. So I went on a fact-finding mission to better understand men, or at least those populating the Middlebury Campus. First I met with a couple of guys whom I did not know very well but whom I hoped could shed some light on the average Midd male's thoughts about sex and dating. We chatted for an hour and a half on all sorts of subjects, from love and dating to casual sex and drunken hook-ups, and I was surprised by what I heard, especially this: All men are different. I pondered the significance of this statement for some time after our meeting. Could it be? I had to admit that I too had fallen into the trap of thinking that you can generalize someone's actions based on his or her gender. In the past, I caught myself repeating statements like "Guys don't like to cuddle" or "men will have sex with whomever they can" and "they don't cry." Of course there are men who "just want one thing from a girl" but that isn't to say that all men want it, or that that's the only thing they want. The trick is to remember that not all or even most men are like that. So guys, I'm sorry that I doubted you and that I have been led to believe that you are anything other than upstanding human beings. And for all the ways in which I have previously slandered you: Please forgive me.But my journey did not stop there. I pressed on, wanting to understand the elusive male gender. I learned yet another interesting and beneficial morsel of information about men: Yes, they are almost always horny, but that doesn't mean men will always act on their desires. Any guy who says that they had sex because his penis "told him to" or because he couldn't control himself is lying (unless he's a sex addict, which is a whole other article). He is just trying to justify his actions by blaming them on his penis. Remember, I was told this by actual men, it wasn't made up by some virginal femi-Nazi like me. I learned some very important things about the male gender this week. If he says he's really into you but can't stop sleeping with everything that moves, it's because he's a jerk and not because he's a man. Actually this makes him less of a man and more like a little boy, but that's neither here nor there. If he can't talk about his feelings or be vulnerable in a relationship, it's because he has issues, not because he's a man. And if he messes up and makes mistakes despite his best intentions, give him a break: he's a man.
(03/07/07 12:00am)
Author: [no author name found] To the EditorThis is in response to a letter printed on Feb. 28, which was in response to The Campus' sex column: "Sex Sage". Two freshmen males co-wrote the letter accusing Ms. Bierster of being a "femi-nazi" simply because she wrote an article promoting a relationship between women and their vagina: one free from shame and repulsion. What these gentlemen do not understand is the social construct that women live through, that the vagina is something dirty and unspoken. Males have had a historical privilege that the phallus should be praised, that it is the pillar of strength that cornerstones our patriarchal society. Ms. Bierster's article has been unfairly interpreted as man-bashing and anti-penis when it is, in fact, meant to be humorous. At the same time, she is refreshingly pro-woman and accounts for the fact that women are as much a sexual being as men. I applaud Ms. Bierster on her unwavering quest to write about sexuality. Most alarming to me, as a gay man, was this quote, "One would hardly have to undertake a modicum of journalistic investigation to come to the conclusion that the heterosexual male shares an indomitable and unsurpassed connection with his 'soldier of intercourse." The writers took the time to write the "heterosexual" male shares an unsurpassed connection with his penis, as if to infer that homosexual men do not have the same relation. It would be wishful thinking on my part that men who regard feminism as arrogance would not be heteronormative in their thinking as well. These wishes are no doubt in vain. The ironic thing is this: homosexual men most likely would have the better of the two relationships. After all, we are certainly more interested and involved with penises in general. I'd challenge these freshmen's knowledge on sexuality against any queer male on campus. I also hope that four years at Middlebury will instill better thinking on the young men of this campus as it has done for me. I hope that the men who leave here holding Gamaliel Painter's cane will also harbor thinking that does not defile women or non-heterosexuals. Sincerely,Ryan Tauriainen '08Grants Pass, Ore.
