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(02/28/07 12:00am)
Author: Sage Biester Last week was my 22nd birthday and my friends, perhaps taking a cue from a previous column about masturbation, chipped in to buy me the gift that keeps on giving - a vibrator. I have never used a vibrator before, and at first I didn't know how to react as I opened the box from Trusted Pleasures Inc.Getting that first vibrator is a big step for any girl and it can be a hard one to make. There is still a certain stigma attached to it. Just look at how people buy them: you can either stroll into a "sex shop" or other store that specializes in erotic wares, or shop hush-hush online. Either way, the experience promises to be unsettling. I did some vibrator "research" on the Internet. Nothing - apparently Google Safe Search thinks vibrators are corrupting the youth.So I tried again, this time searching for "The Rabbit vibrator." The Rabbit rose to fame after an episode of "Sex and the City" and earned its name from the little pink hare attached to it. I was confident that if anything would yield results it would be the bunny, but my search results mostly had to do with breeding long-haired angoras and Chinese astrology. Buried in the results was one link where I found what I was looking for. The headline read: the Rabbit "massager." A massager? Like for back pain and tension? I clicked on the link and a plethora of innocuous names popped up: "Relaxing handheld massager," "magic massager," "Flexible Jelly Soft Waterproof Stick Battery Back, Scalp and Body Massager" - the euphemisms seemed endless. They were wolves in sheep's clothing, lying about their true purposes to seem more benign. I suppose that in some sense vibrators do perform a kind of massage, but they certainly aren't getting anywhere near your shoulders. So what's the fuss? If everyone knows what a "massager" really is, and if many women own one, why is it necessary to hide it in inoffensive vocabulary? Perhaps it's because women themselves have a hard time accepting the idea of a vibrator. Just like men, we spend years developing intimate relationships with our hands. Who needs some rubbery inanimate object when you know exactly what to do and how to do it? I know that I have been hesitant to buy one for myself because it seemed so extraneous. There is also hostility towards vibrators in general because the mere presence of one implies that a partner is not necessary to have an orgasm equal to or better than what you get from sex. Of course this statement is ridiculous considering the fact that most men and women have sex not for the orgasm but for the overall experience. No vibrator, not even "The Rabbit," can replace all of the sensory pleasures humans receive from sex. Still, a vibrator makes it easier for women to get those orgasms that are often missing from their sex lives, which explains why so many will own one at some point in their lives.So do you have one or don't you? Will you try it or won't you? The experience is out there if you are willing to accept the fact that vibrators are for vaginas, not your lumbar, and if you'll admit that orgasms are both enjoyable and necessary (with or without a significant other).
(02/28/07 12:00am)
Author: [no author name found] To the Editor:Middlebury's very own sex columnist may be lapsing into the grasp of underground femi-nazism. In the interest of preserving sexual truths, it is every man's solemn obligation to debunk her repugnant slander of man's dearest companion, the penis, in last week's edition of The Middlebury Campus. From high atop her pedestal of arrogant feminism, this columnist slings claim after claim of steaming abuse at the tower of manhood, nay, civilization. However, in so doing, this columnist merely inadvertently reveals her virginal ignorance regarding the nature of a man's relationship with his "yardstick of affection." In defense of her tenuous argument that a man sees his phallus as an unwanted "roommate" of sorts, this columnist enlisted the support of a man whose skewed view of the penis clearly stemmed from his own sexual confusion and impotence. 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."Furthermore, it is almost criminal to infer that our "brother in arms" will ever let us down, unless we are intoxicated to the max. If this columnist has experienced such inopportune flaccidity, on behalf of the male community we recommend that she must select her sexual partners based on their compatibility as opposed to their degree of drunken vulnerability. To add insult to injury, this columnist then proceeds to sully the kinship between a man and his penis with the inference that our "hungry, hungry hippo" has a mind of its own. Any woman who subscribes to this misconception has simply fallen victim to the false belief, proliferated by those perverted males seeking self-vindication, that a man cannot control his sexual whims. To blame one's sexual urges on one's penis is equivalent to blaming the pornography on one's computer on one's mouse. In actual fact, the actions of a man's penis represent his mind's most honest sexual thoughts and intentions. The mind and the penis act in concert. Sincerely, Alexander L. Kent '10Larchmont, NYNicholas D. Alexander '10Jakarta, Indonesia
(02/21/07 12:00am)
Author: Derek Schlickeisen [CORRECTED FEB. 21] Two men are alleged to have assaulted a female student late Friday night at Brackett, the home of Tavern social house, according to a campus-wide crime alert sent by the Department of Public Safety on Monday evening.The assault, described as a sex offense in the alert, took place after the victim asked one of the men standing in the hallway outside of a dorm room for assistance, according to Director of Public Safety Lisa Boudah. The man in question and a "more muscular" companion then led the victim into a room and assaulted her before fleeing the scene.The assault occurred after a party at Tavern's Brackett house, but no members of the social house have been publicly identified in connection with the incident and Tavern members said Wednesday that no one from their organization was involved.The crime alert sent by Public Safety included few details and described the assailants only as white males with brown hair. Boudah explained that her office hoped it would lead to more facts in the case."We are hoping that in revealing this information, even though it now seems limited or unhelpful, either members from the community or members of Tavern who have information will come forward," she said.Other details were intentionally left out of the alert, according to Boudah, as a result of the investigation's sensitive and ongoing nature."It's a continuing investigation," she said. "We have a responsibility to notify the community when a serious crime occurs. We can't reveal all the details because it could affect the outcome of the investigation, and we need to maintain privacy."The assault is the second alleged sexual assault at Middlebury in less than a year.An incident last April at Prescott, the former home of Delta House, involved an assault on one female student and an attempted assault on another. Formal charges against a former Middlebury student were filed late last month in connection with that incident, and Delta House suffered a one-year suspension penalty after violations of the College's alcohol policy were identified in the investigation.Now, Boudah stressed, the College will make an increased effort to educate students about protecting themselves at parties and other events."We are planning to send out more information about things to be mindful of when going out at night," she said, "like setting limits, drinking responsibly, and letting friends know where you are and who you'll be with during the night. Students need to understand that even with the best planning and safety strategies, there are always people who will create problems."[CORRECTED FEB. 21: An earlier version of this article implied a connection between Tavern social house and the alleged assault. No connection has been reported by the College. The Campus regrets this error.]
(02/21/07 12:00am)
Author: Grace Duggan Once a year, the word "vagina" is used repeatedly by a group of Middlebury women in the McCullough Social Space. Taboos are challenged and confronted as women talk openly about their vaginas. They fake orgasms, elaborate on their sex lives, marvel at the process of giving birth, criticize spouses who do not like pubic hair and share intimate, often painful moments from their past. They perform "The Vagina Monologues." Written by Eve Ensler '75 in 1996 (and directed this year by Myra Palmero, Leah Day, Meg Young and Sally Swallow, all Class of 2007), "The Vagina Monologues" grew out of more than 200 interviews Ensler conducted with women of all ages, ethnicities and sexual orientations. The play would go on to win an Obie Award, a prestigious award given to Off- and Off-Off-Broadway works. The overall tone of "The Vagina Monologues" this year was noticeably more lighthearted, as the cast had audience members laughing frequently during almost every monologue. Concerning the tone and direction of the show this year, co-director Day said they wanted "to make it more approachable for everyone in the community." "Also, there was a better mix of actors and non-actors than there's ever been," noted Laura Harris '07. Claire Graves '09.5 and Emily Kron '09.5 performed the controversial "The Little Coochie Snorcher That Could," a monologue that has been criticized for its alleged distinction between "good" and "bad" rape. Harris brought the house down with her strong and hysterical portrayal of a sex-worker with an all-female clientele in the monologue "The Woman Who Loved to Make Vaginas Happy." While she was not the only member of the cast to fake an orgasm, she stood out as she imitated all of the different moans she had come across in her line of work, including a humorous "Middlebury Moan."Saila Huusko's '10 performance of "My Vagina Was My Village," a monologue that focuses on the violent and horrifying rape of a Bosnian woman by soldiers, stood out not only because of the depth and pain Huusko brought to the monologue, but also because it was the only monologue that did not rely on humor to connect with the audience. Jackie Antonson's '10 turn as an elderly woman telling her therapist about an embarrassing incident involving sexual arousal in "The Flood" was well-received. She brought a sharp wit and strong comic timing to the monologue, but as in other parts of "The Vagina Monologues," the emphasis on a more humorous interpretation of the lines was noticeably stronger this year. Another difference this year was the inclusion of a new monologue written by Liz Lyon '07. Lyon performed the monologue with Associate Dean of Affiars Karen Guttentag, Chrissy Etienne '07 and Kerren McKeeman '07.5. Lyon's motivation to write her own monologue sprang from her desire to "feel that I was representing something that I felt a personal connection to." Her monologue looked at the complicated question of what defines rape and sexual assault."What I wanted to reflect in my monologue was the complexity and normalcy and ambiguity of sexual violence in day-to-day lifeÖ focusing on the extreme [violent] cases can be a way of ignoring the sexual violence and vagina disrespect we go through every day in our life," Lyon said. Her monologue's inclusion of a lesbian pressured into having sex with another woman without violence (Etienne) and of a woman who ignores the extreme pain she feels while having sex with her boyfriend (McKeeman) distorted the typical and prevalent perception of rape.All of the proceeds from "The Vagina Monologues" will be donated to WomenSafe." WomenSafe is an independent organization whose mission it is to work "towards the elimination of physical, sexual and emotional violence against women and their children through direct service, education and social change." Also on hand outside of the McCullough Social Space were representatives of Planned Parenthood of Northern New England, Middlebury Men Advancing Change (a group that grew out of the recent White Ribbon Campaign) and Vermont Access to Reproductive Freedom. This year's performance of "The Vagina Monologues" found particular poignancy in light of charges filed late last month against a former Middlebury student who sexually assaulted a female student and tried to assault another. In fact, just one day following the performance of "The Vagina Monologues," the student body received an e-mail regarding a reported sex offense in Brackett House late Friday night. After Guttentag read statistics on kidnapping, rape and other forms of sexual assault that occurred in Vermont in 2005, she paused to remind the audience that Middlebury students and members of the wider Middlebury community are included in these statistics and that violence against women is, unfortunately, an on-campus issue.
(02/21/07 12:00am)
Author: Ben Salkowe University of Wisconsin to require drug testingThe University of Wisconsin-Stout will require all 100 of its Division III football players to undergo drug testing this spring for commonly abused drugs, and will randomly test 25 players for steroid use, the Associated Press (AP) reported last week. "The point is to make sure that when athletes step on the field from here on in they will be drug free and everybody can be assured of that," University Spokesman Doug Mell told the AP.The new policy came from a committee formed in December after police seized three bottles of liquid steroids and other drugs from the off-campus home of the football team's senior linebacker, according to the AP. The police later found more steroids and marijuana at the home of the team's junior linebacker. Another player who had left the team was arrested for selling cocaine.All three students charged with drug abuse have pled not guilty, but the controversy has led to the resignation of the school's football coach and two of his assistants.-The Associated PressShower sex at Yale raises voices and eyebrows"Well THIS is the most awkward college-wide e-mail I've ever had to send," started a recent announcement sent to Yale students and obtained by IvyGate, an Ivy League news blog. "Several times since the start of the spring term [students] have come across a couple having the time of their lives in a shower stall," wrote Jonathan Holloway, a Yale College master, after shower fun led to flooding in the dorm. "To the as yet unidentified couple, this may be pleasureable and exciting for you but it is a violation of community standards. Please stop."Whether or not Yale was their inspiration, there were reports last week that Ivy League sex had entered a new dorm space: an e-mail published by IvyGate on Thursday chastised Brown freshmen for reports of kitchen sex."I have been made aware that there has been some activity taking place in Perkins' kitchens that is inappropriate for public spaces," wrote an unnamed graduate student to Brown's Perkins dormitory. "An appropriate place for certain activities would be your room with the door shut, at the discretion of your roommate." -IvyGate.comPomona's growth plans spark heated controversyPlans to expand Pomona College's student body have ignited a campus-wide debate, according to The Pomona Student Life. The proposal under discussion, which would require the construction of two new dorms and the hiring of new faculty, would expand Pomona by 10 percent to 1,650 students over the next four years.Yet students who chose the Southern California college for its tight-knit campus community worry Pomona could be risking its distinctive feel."The small size of Pomona is part of its draw," Pomona senior Ben White told The Student Life. "The larger it gets, the more impersonal it gets."A survey of 181 faculty members conducted by the student newspaper found only 29.3 percent of faculty "agreed" with the proposal, while 43.2 percent "disagreed."The Pomona College Board of Trustees will continue to discuss the proposal. A decision is not expected before fall 2007.-The Pomona Student Life
(02/21/07 12:00am)
Author: Sage Biester This past Sunday saw Middlebury's annual production of "The Vagina Monologues." Every woman that saw the show left feeling high on vagina pride, and every man that saw it left feeling slightly uneasy and a bit jealous. Why do women get to have these complicated but ultimately wonderful relationships with their vaginas, and men just get a penis? As my friend Stuart put it, the penis is like a man's roommate - you just have to deal with him. Ultimately, he is his own entity with his own mind, and he does what he wants, sometimes in complete disregard to what you want. You want to go somewhere, but he's not in the mood. You want to bring a girl back to your place, but he's too drunk and you end up hanging out with him instead. He's your buddy, and sometimes he's a lot of fun, but other times he's just a dick. According to "The Vagina Monologues," and just about every woman I asked, the vagina is too integral a part of who you are as a woman to be thought of as separate from your being. But if I was forced to make an analogy, I would say that a woman's vagina is akin to her best friend - they are so much a part of us that you could hardly talk about one without mentioning the other. She is there for you when you really need her, and if she was sick or in trouble, you would do anything to help her. But she can also betray you, and you even hate her sometimes. Ultimately, you love her more than you can express, and you know that she will always be a part of your life. Maybe I'm oversimplifying, but we - men and women - could all understand each other if we remembered these analogies the next time we went on a date or went to bed with someone. Women have to remember that a guy's penis might do something - like lose its erection - and that has nothing to do with her. Trust me, he still likes you, but his roommate just knocked on the door and wants to watch a movie and it threw him off his game. Anytime that has ever happened to me, I got upset, thinking I had done or said something to turn him off. My partner had always assured me it wasn't, but who is going to believe a guy with his pants down? Now after hearing Stuart's brilliant analogy, it all makes sense. And guys have to remember to treat a woman's vagina like you would treat her best friend - with the utmost dignity and respect. Don't say a word to upset her. I know that I would never get with a guy, much less date him, if my best friend didn't approve. Same goes for my vagina. They are both looking out for your best interest, so always listen to what they have to say. So what does this mean for sex and dating at Middlebury? I have no idea, but I hope that you have a really great roommate, and that my best friend likes you.
(02/14/07 12:00am)
Author: Sage Biester Masturbation. That's right, I said it. M-A-S-T-U-R-B-A-T-I-O-N. Let's be honest: we all do it. Especially here at Midd, where we are infamously celibate, masturbation becomes a key part of your routine to stay sane. Who's never gone back to their room just to masturbate? Had a bad day? Solution: masturbate! It's a cure-all along with Vitamin C and a good night's sleep. What does surprise me is when I meet someone who never masturbates. No offense to those of you who are reading this column, but what gives? If you have a good reason; religious, cultural or otherwise, that's one thing, but there are those out there who simply don't masturbate. It doesn't cross their mind, or they've never tried it. I have even met some people who say they don't because it would take the fun out of sex. If anything, masturbation is the key to good sex. You have to know how to please yourself before anyone else can do it for you. As Woody Allen famously quipped in his movie Annie Hall, "Don't knock masturbation - it's sex with someone I really love." Truly, it is the only form of safe-sex out there. It also never ceases to amaze me how much women masturbate. Maybe its because I'm from the Deep South, where women pleasure themselves by baking pies and good girls don't discuss such things, that I'm still surprised when women talk about it. But when you think about it, it makes a lot of sense. Generally speaking, men orgasm or (to use a more Campus-appropriate term) ejaculate the majority of the times they have sex, whereas most women have the opposite experience. It is an ordeal for most women to reach orgasm, and can be very frustrating for those of us who simply don't have them during sex. But we still want those orgasms we miss out on, so where do we get them? You guessed it. Speaking of sex, masturbation is not a singles-only club. Just because you're getting some on a regular basis doesn't mean that you should abstain from pleasuring yourself, or that you have to do it alone. Use your imagination and don't be shy! The key here is communication and being open to both your partner's and your own desires. Of course, you should never do anything you aren't comfortable with, but there is something to be said for trying new things, so know your limits and discuss them with your partner. Valentine's Day is on Wednesday, and that means that if you have a significant other on campus, you should be taken care of, and if you're single, then you probably will not be getting anything. But for both groups, it is the perfect day to masturbate. Couples can try something new, and singles can spend some quality time remembering how you don't need anyone else to make you feel good. And, if you have never tried it before, give it a go. Trust me, you'll enjoy it.
(01/10/07 12:00am)
Author: Sage Bierster I've made a New Year's resolution: Before the end of J-term, I will ask someone on this campus out on a date. It's not exactly a classic resolution, like "stop smoking" or "Go to the gym more often", and you might ask why this would be at the top of my New Year's list. To be honest, it's because in all my years at Middlebury I've never been on a date, and I feel that maybe I'm missing out on some important life experience. Maybe dating seems insignificant to us Midd kids, but to the world outside of our infamous bubble, the non-existence of dating is downright bizarre. I have to wonder how we accomplish such mythic rates of inter-Midd marriages if we can't muster up the courage to ask each other out for coffee, a drink or, God forbid, dinner. How is it that I, your average Middlebury student, have never been on a date?Perhaps this topic has been on my mind lately because I've come down with, as one male friend of mine put it, the "I just got back from abroad" syndrome. Seniors and juniors returning from far away lands are stricken with a feeling that everything seems worse here than in whatever fabulous place they were not so long ago. I have bemoaned more than once this past semester the differences between Middlebury and my year abroad, especially in terms of my experience with the opposite sex, I have realized that the problem is not the quality of men here vs. those abroad but rather the lack of quantity. Our campus is much smaller than any city and it's easier to meet people and casually date when there are millions, not a couple thousand, to choose from. What's more, I have a small thing called "a fear of rejection" that gets in the way sometimes. Instead of risking a brutal rebuke, I find myself slowly turning into a stalker, silently obsessing about cute boys I never talk to but whom I know everything about. I also psych myself out thinking about what might happen if I went out on a date: Everyone will find out about it, assume I'm in a steady relationship, tell me even more dirt about the guy and then the mystery is essentially stripped from getting to know each other. Despite the challenges, I'm determined to keep my New Year's resolution, and I remain hopeful that dating (or its non-existence) doesn't have to be this way at Middlebury, for me or for anyone else. How many crushes have we all had that never went anywhere? Instead of wondering if that guy and I might have hit it off, I want to find out for myself. If you've already stopped going to the gym and bought a pack of cigs, I encourage you to adopt this resolution, instead; ask someone on a date this J-Term, who knows what you're missing.
(01/10/07 12:00am)
Author: Daniel Roberts Over the break, I hopped a Greyhound (metal, not fur) and made my way to New York City for a weekend. I got into town around 10 pm, and took a cab to my buddy's apartment on 79th and Lex. I was wearing my beloved, ratty Midd sweatshirt, and I ducked out from the cab to hear, "Hey, Middlebury!" It was Ron Liebowitz.What are the chances I would run into the president of my college on a random New York street corner late at night? The brief chat itself was not newsworthy (sorry, Liebs). The story took flight when I told my mom what happened, and she asked me if I knew about "six degrees of separation."The theory is that any two humans are connected to each other through a chain of, at most, six individuals. One author, Frigyes Karinthy, has claimed that he feels like due to this increasing sense of connectedness, the world is "shrinking." Certainly we have all experienced this phenomenon. You meet a girl from Philly one night at a UVM party. Only later do you find out your older brother (1) had a girlfriend at Tufts (2) who ended up marrying a Harvard guy (3) and this girl you just met is his younger sister. Small world, right?When I heard this idea I thought of my friend who likes to joke that if we all really come from Adam and Eve then technically, every person on Earth is related by blood. Thus, no matter whom you have sex with, it is incest. Sweet theory, I know. And by sweet I mean terrifying. Ignoring that mess, I like the six degree idea. I like the thought that I am connected to strangers on the street. For whatever reason, I thought next about "The Catcher in the Rye," when Holden finds swear words on a bathroom wall. He laments that if you had a million years, you still could not erase half the graffiti in the world. I realized, if everyone is really connected, why ever be needlessly cruel at all?I know I sound like Mister Rogers, but stay with me here. All I am thinking is, really, wouldn't the "six degrees" theory be a great argument against all forms of meanness? Racism, sexism, plain old rudeness - why act cruelly toward anyone if that person could be connected to you by only a few precious strands of human relationships?I agree with those smart dead dudes: the world is shrinking. Through various connections, I hypothetically have acquaintances all over the country; more friends than K-Fed has enemies. Plus, with facebook, you can see precisely how you are linked to someone. My friend Nick says that at Middlebury, forget six degrees; any two students are probably linked through one single person. Say in Proctor, some Frisbee kid is wearing a dress, and you point and laugh. Then you learn he lives in a suite with the shy girl you crush from Philosophy. Awkward. Now you will have to see him if you ever manage to find yourself in this girl's room. Don't you feel stupid?So don't be mean to people for no reason. Don't flip off the guy who ran that red light: he is probably late for work, where the bad mood you put him in will cause him to mistreat his secretary, who happens to be the daughter of your dad's golf buddy. Six degrees, baby! I love it. I just hope my friend's incest theory is way off, or we are all going to Hell. Flaming hot Hell.
(01/10/07 12:00am)
Author: Tom Newton You're in the Grille, it is 1 a.m. and your stomach is begging you to eat. The cashier impatiently and not so subtly taps her pencil. All the while you ponder: chips or fries with the Love Me Tender Wrap? Oh the pressure. Spend the extra 75 cents on fries or settle for the chips?Dealing with these small economic decisions, it's hard for most of us Midd Kids to relate to the enormity of corporate investments. Sure, we throw down $45,000 a year to come and chill in the good old 802, but while on campus our economic decisions are limited to mostly small purchases. As such, when we hear that Google spent $1.65 billion to purchase YouTube, it is difficult to comprehend. After all, Google spent the equivalent of 330 million Love Me Tender wraps with fries. Now ≠that's a lot of cheddar. We all know that YouTube is a website popular for its content of user-created music videos, movie trailers, TV shows and awesomely random videos ("Shoes", anyone?) but would you really trade 330 million Love Me Tenders just for the ownership of a company? You would have to be fairly sure that the company would give you an incredible return on your investment. So was Google wise in purchasing YouTube? Many say no, mainly due to pending copyright infringement litigations. YouTube users are forbidden to upload videos that they do not have the rights to on the video upload screen, but as is apparent with the number of the site's pirated videos, not all abide. Google becomes liable for these violations, and as Google has a much bigger bank account than YouTube had by itself, the new YouTube will be a much larger target. It is even rumored that several hundred million dollars of the purchase price was set aside to cover lawsuits, of which several have cropped up since the purchase. One example in particular illustrates just how much trouble Google could be in with YouTube. The case involved Daniela Cicarelli, a Brazilian model and the ex-wife of soccer star Ronaldo, who sued YouTube for a video posted on the site of her and her boyfriend having sex on a beach. The suit demanded $116,000 for every day that the video remained online. The case culminated with a court order that YouTube be shut down as long as the video was available to users. As it was a Brazilian court, however, the ruling did not have any standing in the US. Google's investment in YouTube could be seen as a serious blunder, due to the legal issues of copyright infringement. But, in fact, their purchase of YouTube was a very savvy move on the part of their CEO, Dr. Eric Schmidt, as user created and supported sites are the current "in" model. Yes, Google will have to deal with more lawsuits, but the depth of their pockets should render those issues insubstantial. The revenues from advertising alone on YouTube will be more than enough to cover any damages incurred, and Google is sure to find new ways to squeeze profit out of the site. It's only a matter of time before Google will be willing to give up even more Love Me Tenders for the rights to Facebook.com.
(12/07/06 12:00am)
Author: Emily Temple By now, it's a rather stale story: the indie artist vaulted to stardom via intense internet popularity, but for Lily Allen it was truly a self-motivated, unprecedentedly fast rags-to-riches story. After signing with Regal/Polygram in the UK, Allen set up her own MySpace account without any industry suggestion or approval. People took immediate notice, and within a couple months, Regal's head of press was soon getting phone calls about this girl, Lily Allen, whom he had never heard of. She just wasn't big enough at the label - also home to Coldplay, Kylie Minogue and Gorillaz - but the excitement surrounding Allen forced him to pick his head up and have a look at what he had: at that point, a MySpace star who had organized her publicity completely independently and to great effect. Crass, honest, quick-witted and supremely self-confident, 21-year-old Allen is the girl we all kind of wish we had the balls to be. The UK tabloids have tagged her a "potty-mouthed, pint-sized pop diva," but even that sounds a bit too demure for Lily Allen. She is not an out-of-control brat; she is an assertive, opinionated woman, whose piss-off pop lyrics slam sleazy guys, catty girls and loser ex-boyfriends. She has gotten in trouble in the press for talking about sex, drugs and other celebrities, but she refuses to censor herself. She repeatedly expresses her confusion that anyone could fault her for speaking the truth, especially when it comes to admitting that she likes to have a drink now and again. She has also spoken out against the industry standards for women. In an interview with Pitchfork, she commented that female artists are expected "to sit and look pretty and do what they're told." Similarly, she complained that her insults towards other artists are only seen as bitchy and catty because she's a woman. But Allen is going to break down those stereotypes. Allen is the daughter of comedian Keith Allen and the woman who produced "Shaun of the Dead," Alison Owen. But her rise to stardom was not connected to them, nor did she grow up as a limelight child. Her father left when she was four and was not a part of her life again until she was fifteen. What her parents did offer her, though, was a superb record collection. She grew up listening to Blondie, the Specials, T.Rex and De La Soul, and you can hear it in her work.Her first album, Alright, Still, was released in the UK on Parlophone/EMI in July 2006, and her first single, "Smile," hit the top of the charts soon after. Apparently, in teenage UK slang, "alright, still" means "cool." As in, "Yeah, she's alright, still." In interviews, Lily has said that her favorite quote - from Einstein no less - is "Nothing changes until something moves," so things are all right, if they're still. The album itself is chock full of unquestionable hits, the only real flop being "Take What You Take," an overzealous pop anthem. However, Lily has said, "I [expletive] hate that song more than anything in the world," so we can forgive her. The rest of the tracks pulse with R&B rhythms and reggae influences, backing good stories and witty, sassy lyrics. It's a breakup album, but without the weepy guitars and self-pity. Rather, it seems to be in the guise of a happy-go-lucky summer album. "Smile," reports a girl's attitude after a boyfriend has broken her heart: "At first when I see you cry/It makes me smile/At worst, I feel bad for a while/But then I just smile." "Knock 'Em Out," my personal favorite, is a fed-up girl anthem against the unwanted advances of random dudes in bars. And "Not Big?" Well, in the context of a breakup album, I think you can guess. Allen is signed to Capitol in the U.S., and the rumor is that they will release Alright, Still in the states early next year. But let's not lie, for those in the know, "release dates" don't matter anyway - at the very least, it's available on Amazon. As an added bonus, her new single, "Littlest Things," a sweet retrospective ballad on a failed relationship, is due out on December 11. America, get ready.
(12/07/06 12:00am)
Author: Kevin Moss, Professor of Russian I find it profoundly ironic that those of us who object to the Rehnquist chair are painted as intolerant of diversity. One alum wrote and suggested that while he might disapprove, he would not protest should I name a chair to honor an equivalent liberal (he suggested Martin Luther King or Ted Kennedy). My response is that I would accept the challenge if he could find a liberal figure who ruled that being conservative should be a felony, whose rulings were used to deny conservatives custody of their children or deny them jobs or the right to sleep with their wives.But to charge us with silencing our opposition is absurd on its face. For one thing, not one of my colleagues has suggested that conservative faculty, students or alumni should have no right to speak. Feel free to support honoring Rehnquist! After all, it is you who have the full support of the administration, which orchestrated a widely-reported visit to roll out the chair. Parents and alums have applauded the chair. This hardly constitutes a silencing of conservative voices. I realize that my own opinions and values are not those of the whole Middlebury community. As a community, though, we did adopt a nondiscrimination clause that includes sexual orientation. Rehnquist's opinion in Bowers v. Hardwick and his dissent in Lawrence v. Texas directly contradict those values. He joined an opinion in Romer v. Evans that endorsed singling out homosexuals and denying them protection as a class.Students cite the ostensibly apolitical opinion in Bowers, which indeed holds (with a gratuitous condescending sneer) that to claim a right to sodomy "'implicit in the concept of ordered liberty' is, at best, facetious." But in 2003 a majority of justices (but not Rehnquist) found precisely that right: "individual decisions concerning the intimacies of physical relationships, even when not intended to produce offspring, are a form of 'liberty' protected by due process." If there are any lingering doubts about Rehnquist's motivations in denying gay rights, while his equally learned colleagues found constitutional grounds to grant them, I would point to Ratchford v. Gay Lib, in which Rehnquist's dissent justifies a university's right to ban a gay group from campus, drawing an analogy to quarantining students with measles: meetings of homosexuals at the university may be dangerous, he writes, and "this danger may be particularly acute in the university setting where many students are still coping with the sexual problems which accompany late adolescence and early adulthood…" "Measles," "danger" - Rehnquist's words. Are these the views that are shared by our conservative students?I am not intolerant of these opinions: these opinions are intolerant of me. The clash of views is all very good and well, and certainly academic discussion of all kinds of views, hateful or benign, belongs in a college community. But when those opinions impinge on my liberty in even such a trivial matter as, say, having sex with my partner or my right to marry, then, yes, I may react. The repercussions of the Bowers decision before it was rightly overturned were far-reaching: not only were homosexuals made felons, but homosexuals were denied jobs for being potential felons. Children were taken away from lesbian mothers and gay student organizations were denied.I defend the right of supporters of such injustices to speak, but I object to Middlebury honoring Rehnquist with a chair and associating his name with the college to which I have devoted over 20 years. I object because I want Middlebury to be a better place.
(12/07/06 12:00am)
Author: Astri von Arbin Ahlander Exams are rapidly approaching, meaning so are all-nighters at the library and, invariably, unflattering sweatsuits. Is it too much to ask to stay hot during the peak of stress? I think not. But just like you can't expect to take two-hour lunch breaks come mid-December, you also can't be expected to maintain your former style. As you begin scheduling in five-minute coffee breaks to see your friends - and reclaim your sanity - you also change your fashion habits to match the hype of the times. And so I offer up some high-stress, low-maintenance tips to keep it hot this exam season.After three straight all-nighters, sweats are understandably a must. But, unless you have a matching velour track-suit (if you do, by all means, wear it!) the key to making comfort clothes work is the jigsaw puzzle approach. That is, fit the right pieces together to make a pleasing whole. If you wear sweatpants, make sure you wear something fitted up top. If you can't possibly make it through the 10-page paper without the comfort of your boyfriends sweatshirt, choose skinny jeans on the bottom. These are often made in super-stretchy materials, so there's no excuse for slipping on that oversized pair instead. Just make sure you're never caught in sweatpants and a sweatshirt at the same time. If you do encounter a fellow student outfitted in such a way, the only remedy is to discretely look away.The second key to a successful comfort outfit is to accessorize. What was it Jackie O said? "It's all in the details." A hot pair of earrings doesn't take time to put on and, unless you choose from the Beyonce-sized variety, they're not uncomfortable. Stuff your books in a chic shoulder bag. Forego the flip-flops and sneakers in favor of a hot pair of boots. Who says sweatpants can't be tucked into furry-lined suedes? They'll keep your toes cozy, too. But perhaps the most important accessory for this chilly and stressful time is the hat. Whether knitted, fur-lined, cotton, wool or luxury cashmere, worn tucked over the ears, nonchalantly tweaked to the side or pulled down low over the eyes, well-chosen head gear not only hides your greasy, no-time-for-a-shower hair and stress-induced acne-ridden forehead - it also invariably adds a cute-and-cuddly look to any exam-taker. Which leads me to my next point: library love.At first glance, it may seem as though there is no worse time to cultivate romance on campus than during exams. Think again. Exam period is the one time when you can be sure of where to find your crush: the library. And, just like winter darkness and seasonal depression bring people seeking warmth together, stress can also act as an erotic agent. Sex is a common physical response to emotional instability. I'm not saying it's a good thing, I'm just saying that's the way it is. Exams are an excellent time to meet new people to crush on. There's nothing like bonding over a broken printer, an empty stapler cartridge or shared wrath brought on by a loud cell-phone talker. Middlebury may be a haven of health, but come exams the percentage of smokers - beyond the staple internationals - skyrockets. And so, the smoking scene directly outside the library doors becomes a breeding ground for close encounters. The exam period is also a funny time because it is so un-synched. Some are swamped until the last day while others are finished almost before the panic has begun. Hence, no matter the threatening reminders from Public Safety to leave 24 hours after your last exam, there is always a slew of stragglers hanging around, ever-ready to party and relieve your stress with a comforting embrace.To conclude, my sage advice for the upcoming exam period is to gear up with hot comfort clothes and brave the library with an open mind and an open heart.
(12/07/06 12:00am)
Author: Scott Greene A&M students post slavery video onlineThree white students from Texas A&M University in College Station recently posted a homemade video on YouTube depicting a master and slave scene in which a man in blackface is beaten for not following orders.The video, titled "The Adventures of Jeraboem," is two minutes long and, as of Monday, Dec. 4, had already been removed from the video-sharing Web site. Texas A&M easily identified the three men who made the video, and Vice President of Student Affairs Dean Bresciani said that his staff has spoken with the offenders.In the video, a white master ridicules a white student covered in black shoe polish, calling the man "boy." The scene involves a beating and simulated sexual abuse with a banana. In "An Open Letter to the Aggie Family" on Nov. 7, University President Robert Gates wrote that the video "is not simply an example of poor judgement and insensitivity" but that "it appears to have been purposefully produced to insult and demean."Texas A&M has fewer than 800 black students in an undergraduate body of 33,400. -U-WireStudents discuss sex, drugs on UPenn siteThe University of Pennsylvania has joined a small group of Ivy League campuses in embracing a Web site which offers students an alternative to Facebook and the chance to anonymously discuss topics such as sex and drugs.Launched last month by Columbia University alumnus Jonathan Pappas, the site, named BoredatVanPelt.com after UPenn's library, only allows students who submit their e-mail addresses to register.The website functions as an anonymous message board and services all niches of a school's social spectrum. Posts range from solicitations for sex to questions on how to get marijuana on campus."I'm really sexually frustrated," claimed a Nov. 21 user of UPenn's website, while a Nov. 17 post called all a cappella groups "a waste of SAC funding."The original website, BoredatButler.com, debuted last February to immediate success. Pappas created similar websites at Stanford, New York University and all of the Ivy League schools except Brown University. BoredatVanPelt is one of nine "bored-at" sites, all of which feature their respective school's library in their URL address.-The Daily PennsylvanianDartmouth Review photo sparks outrageOver 500 students, faculty and administrators gathered at Dartmouth University on Wednesday, Nov. 29 to demonstrate after The Dartmouth Review, an independent conservative student newspaper, published a front page photo of an Indian warrior wielding a scalp with the headline, "The Natives are Getting Restless!" a day earlier. The publication intended to ridicule recent complaints by Native American students regarding a series of events seen as racist.In the fall term, American Indian students protested Homecoming t-shirts showing a knight performing a sex act on an American Indian caricature, and accused fraternity pledges of disrupting a Native American drumming circle on Columbus Day. "Like an open wound, Dartmouth is hurting - we have all been insulted," College President James Wright told the crowd gathered before Dartmouth Hall. Dartmouth was originally founded in 1769 as a school for American Indians, and a mission to recruit American Indian students over the past 30 years has resulted in Dartmouth having the largest indigenous student body in the Ivy League, at three percent. -CNN.com
(12/07/06 12:00am)
Author: Lizz Huntley After two months of living in Damascus, I don't think I can comfortably say that my study abroad experience is "awesome!" I had these crazy notions that living in a foreign country would be a mind-blowing experience in which I, through making many Arab friends and using my finely honed language skills, would carve a comfy niche into Syrian society and gain a profound understanding of the Middle East.Well, I've made a couple of really close buddies and my Arabic has definitely improved, but the rest of my checklist remains blank. Bizarrely enough, what I have gained is a deeper understanding of my own culture. Prior to leaving the United States, I was always convinced that we were a nation without real values and traditions tying us together. Given our current foreign policies, as a high school and college student I was even embarrassed to call myself an American.Being thrown into a new society, however, is like having a giant flashlight shined on your insides. Every interaction that I experience here elicits an immediate reassessment of my own background and what I consider to be "normal" or "right." What does it mean when a man declines to shake my hand because he considers it improper to touch women other than his wife? How can I explain to a Syrian that we don't really consider the phrase "that sucks" to be a swear word, in spite of its derogatory connotations? Why do I find it weird to stick a beef patty, French fries, cole slaw and a sunny-side-up egg in a bun and call it a "hamburger?" Why do they find it weird that I wanted to learn how Muslims pray without actually converting to Islam?Most of the people that I've met here are curious about the United States, but many have a hard time accepting that the "western" lifestyle provides any real benefit. Sometimes I find myself defending the craziest things, if only for the sake of showing people that there are many ways to live in this world. When Arabs here criticize the moral decay of American society, I throw on some words about cultural relativism and the right to live as you personally see fit, and end up arguing for pre-marital sex and abortion (these solutions don't usually fly in Syrian society). Another time my landlady helpfully explained to me that "Jews are the source of all wars in the world." I in return ended up defending America's support of Israel, a stance I had never adopted before. I was never a staunch supporter on either side of these issues back in the United States, but mostly because I never really had to think about them - they were just kind of always, well, there. Now that they're being called into question every day, I feel the need to embrace them simply because they make up my background. My heritage, my identity, my understanding of the world - these facets of Lizz-ness are constantly brought to mind when contrasted with what is in front of me. For the first time in my life, I'm actually pleased with what I see. I'll admit, the United States has some weird identity complexes (a secular country that recalls God on its currency? half-naked pop stars claiming to be the proprietors of virginity?), and without a doubt our foreign policy needs to be seriously reevaluated before we lose all credibility on the international level. Yet in spite of these drawbacks, I am finally proud to call myself "American." All it took was leaving the country for me to realize it.
(11/30/06 12:00am)
Author: Katie Hylas What ever happened to boy meets girl, boy asks girl on date or vice-versa? Very few young lovebirds here at Middlebury get to know each other by "dating." Why has this age-old tradition lost its appeal? Our culture at Middlebury tolerates two types of male-female relations: drunken hook-ups and long-term relationships. I discussed this topic with a residential life staffer who confirmed this. Dating, potentially a useful middle ground, is forgotten. Unless bumping into someone and dancing at SketchCullough can be considered a "date," it is not a prominent art form on campus. Apparently, this tragic phenomenon is something that Middlebury students lament. Nick Lefeber '08 said with wistfulness, "The world is changing. Why can't it just be like 'The Notebook?'" Women on campus share this sentiment. They long for romance, creativity and excitement. Instead, both sexes are met with beer-drenched cement floors, numb dance floor groping and germy Solo cups. So why is this our unsavory romantic fate? Generally, Middlebury students blame the dried-up dating scene on two things: the dearth of new faces and the general isolation of the campus. Chris Hansen '08 reasons, "Dating at Middlebury is hard because it's a small pool and it makes it hard to meet new people." Others complained about the lack of things to do. Sure, there are a few good restaurants and various mountains to climb, but Burlington is 40 minutes away. Strangely enough, schools that aren't restricted by small populations or distance from any city still don't have big dating scenes. Let's examine the University of Michigan, which has over 25,000 students. Ann Arbor is fraught with trendy eateries and movie theaters. Still, dating is limited. Zach Elyachar, a U of M sophmore student reflected, "When one of my buddies said he was going on a date it was kind of a shock." Students don't date, "unless you count going to a party, getting drunk and hooking up a date," he said. Students at peer schools noted similar trends. For instance, Lea Cali '09 at NYU noted that they, too, lack a prominent dating scene. "I think because of the city scene people are more up to hooking up. It's so fast-paced; you might not meet a person again." People in our generation shy away from traditional "dating" across the board. Explanations for the tendency, however, conflict. What is the real reason? Maybe we like the idea of dating but are lazy and broke. Maybe we're too busy. Maybe our generation is saving all of its collective "dating" stamina for an inevitable crunch in our late twenties, when we resign ourselves to getting serious about finding a suitable mate. So, we'll plaster our pictures on Match.com in a frenzied attempt to find love. Again, who knows? But for now, our generation is collectively locked at Middlebury and elsewhere in our "non-date" culture. I wonder where it will take us.
(11/16/06 12:00am)
Author: Daniel Roberts So election day has come and gone. Debate over "the issues" has subsided. But reflecting on today's political scene, there is no single campaign issue more befuddling to me than the matter of same sex marriage.I realize that at a liberal-minded Northeastern institution, where activism is pushed and MOQA is a prominent club, my support of gay marriage is far from unique. So why do I think this opinion is worthy of my weekly column?Here's the rub: I don't even think that gay marriage should be an issue. Don't get me wrong, this is not because I think it is unimportant. I say that gay marriage should not be an issue because it should be automatic."Grey's Anatomy" actor T.R. Knight recently announced he is gay. Shortly after this, Neil Patrick Harris, or as we know him, Dougie Houser, came out. Compare the appropriate, low-key reactions these two received to the tidal wave Ellen DeGeneres caused in 1997, and one can see that being gay in Hollywood has become a small detail. That makes sense, because why should a person's sexual orientation define them? Knight put it best when he declared, "I hope the fact that I'm gay isn't the most interesting part of me."Knight's statement conveys a "So what?" attitude that reminds us a star's sexual orientation should not be a big deal. The ranks of openly gay actors are growing rapidly, so instead of filing angry lawsuits - ahem, Tom Cruise - actors who may be gay should feel encouraged by quiet rumors to come out. Carrot Top, I mean you.The openness of gay celebrities adds to my shock that part of our country still revels in bigotry. One terrifying scene of the "Borat" movie happens at a rodeo in Salem, Virginia. Borat tries to thank his host by kissing him, but the man rears in horror and tells Borat he is acting gay. Borat hushes the accusation, "In my country we put them in jail," and the man agrees, "That's what we're trying to do here." Wow. Sacha Baron Cohen's satire shines at times like this, when he tricks people into revealing their prejudices.At Middlebury, where there is fortunately great tolerance of "alternative" lifestyles, it is easy to forget that parts of the United States have not yet caught up.Many who oppose gay rights find their basis in the Bible. Well, you'll have to excuse me if I don't see much legitimacy to an argument that draws its logic from "the good Book." In truth, there is no reasonable argument that can be made against gay marriage. Those who oppose it may hide behind theology, but their prejudice's clear for all to see.At least with the topic of abortion, in which I fully support a woman's right to choose, I can understand and acknowledge the other side's argument. I really can see why someone's morals might lead to being pro-life. With those who oppose gay marriage, however, I see no such reasonable basis.Let's say a group of people emerged who enjoy eating human flesh, and wanted to petition the government to allow cannibal marriage. In this case I would understand opposition.I just feel frustrated. I try to follow politics, but I am continually turned off when I hear candidates and elected officials bring up gay marriage, because all I can think is that the issue is a waste of time. There should be no question of whether or not homosexuals deserve the opportunity to marry.Remember how there was slavery in the U.S., and now we look back on that with shame? One day, people will recall a time when gay marriage was not yet legal, and cringe to think our country was ever so intolerant.I know this is naive of me, but I wish Congress would smarten up and pass a law that legalizes gay marriage in all 50 states. Then, politicians could deal with subjects of national importance, like the economy or healthcare. Yet gay marriage remains a hot topic, simply because there are still people prejudiced enough to oppose it. Honestly, there are bigger fish to fry.
(11/16/06 12:00am)
Author: Joseph Bergan Look around Middlebury's campus on a Friday night, and you will find a graveyard of old party locales. Fletcher House is quiet, only livened up from the little noise that spills over from the Mill. The mansion-like social houses of Ridgeline lie asleep like slumbering giants. Even on Rte. 30, Mumford and Meeker houses, filled with white paper, thumbtacks, ink cartridges and calendars, sleep in the chilly Vermont night.Middlebury was not always this way. There was once a time when the façades of Mumford and Meeker were adorned with Greek letters and their rooms were unfit for living. This was a time when fraternities ruled Middlebury. The Campus recently sat down with Dean of Advising Karl Lindholm '67 to try and understand what life was like in this now distant era."In 1967, we had 11 fraternities," he said, "and by responsible estimates I would say 90-95% of my graduating class was in a fraternity." Lindholm describes the frat scene at Middlebury during the 1960s as one of inclusion. "My roommate was not in the same frat, and we used to eat at each others' [fraternities]," he said. The pervasiveness of frat culture in the 1940s through the 1960s was quite different from the social scene today. Lindholm describes the frats as a simple way of life. "I went home after my sophomore year and told my father I had joined a fraternity. He asked me 'Why?' and I could not answer that question - it was just the culture," said Lindholm. About the sixties, he said,"All the freshmen lived in dorms and ate in Proctor," while all the members of the fraternities ate in their respective cafeterias. "There were very few constraints on underage drinking," he added. He describes the mood on the weekends where the houses on Rte. 30 would "roll back the furniture and have a party." Students would then hop from house to house looking for the best party. Some parties will forever live on in the College's memory. The annual demolition derby thrown by Sig Ep, (that was housed in present-day Meeker house) was one of these events. The demolition derby was not held in a vacant field but rather in a more central location - the Sig Ep property itself. "They would buy old cars, and then smash them up in their front yard," Lindholm recalls. Another wild adventure turned out to be the demise of SLUG, once housed at Fletcher House. In the early 1980s, the house members rented a bus and threw a party at Middlebury College's Breadloaf campus. In the aftermath, "the place was completely covered in cocaine powder," said Lindholm. The fraternity culture underwent many changes. "If you look at the yearbook in 1967, we're a bunch of straight-edge guys, and then you look at 1969 and everyone's got the long hair," said Lindholm. "It all had to do with Vietnam." An unpopular war, the women's movement and a lowered drinking age all caused students to migrate elsewhere for parties. By the time the 1980s rolled around, student participation in frat life had fallen to a mere 15 percent. The fraternity climate turned nasty. In one of the more colorful pranks in the school's history, two social houses on Rte. 30, displeased with the administration, created snow sculptures late one Saturday night. The sculptures were large and gave all church-going Vermonters a veritable sex-ed lesson. "I had to hire earthmovers to come in and knock those down," Lindholm said, "They were intricately constructed."In the early 1980s the Board of Trustees toured the remaining six fraternities on campus. An appraisal of damage found that four of the six houses required more money to repair them then they were worth. Fraternities did not hang on long after that and the College adopted the current co-ed social house structure which some would argue are now headed for the same fate as that of fraternities.
(11/09/06 12:00am)
Author: Zamir Ahmed A campus-wide survey looking at College facilities is now underway as part of a new effort to revise the Master Plan and better align handicap accessibility on campus with regulations outlined in the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). As part of the College's reform to the Master Plan, Massachusetts-based firm McGuinness Kessler Associates, a nationally recognized consultant for accessibility planning, is currently surveying all of the campus's major buildings. The company will then make recommendations about accessibility improvements to campus facilities once the survey is completed. After receiving the recommendations, the College will then plan what improvements should be made, and will then incorporate them into the Master Plan."Once [the] report is done, we will do a cost estimate for the work," said Susan Personette, assistant vice president for facilities, "and develop a long-range plan to implement the recommended improvements. This long-range plan will be incorporated into the overall Master Plan, which addresses all aspects of our physical facilities over the next 50 years."The ADA is a civil rights law passed in 1990, that gurantees equal opportunities for individuals with disabilities in areas such as public accommodations, employment and transportation. The law gives protections to individuals with disabilities similar to those provided to individuals on the basis of race, color, sex, nation origin, age and religion.Although some buildings on campus are either entirely handicap inaccessible or are only partially accessible, the College is still in compliance with the law because of the buildings' age and plans for improvements."ADA recognizes that it is not financially feasible to make everything fully accessible all at once, so it provides building owners with ways to increase accessibility steadily over time," said Personette. "ADA has provisions that the College has followed for many years that have gradually allowed the campus to become more accessible. I am committed to continuing this approach and would hope to even increase the funds dedicated to accessibility in the future."The College had previously dedicated itself to making accessibility improvements even before commissioning the McGuinness Kessler survey. Twenty percent of the cost of every renovation on campus currently goes towards making ADA compliance improvements."On a small project, that might pay for new lever-handle hardware and new ADA signage," said Personette. "On a larger renovation, it might include new ADA compliant restrooms and a lift or elevator. The bottom line is that the College moves ahead with accessibility in incremental steps every year with our renovations, and in much larger leaps when we build a new building or a major renovation."Recent construction projects on campus have followed ADA guidelines and created buildings that are fully handicap accessible. These construction projects include McCardell Bicentennial Hall and the New Library as well as current projects such as the Axinn Center at Starr Library. However, with recent construction on campus new issues have arisen in regard to handicap accessibility."We've recently been focusing on handicap parking spaces as the current construction on campus impacts parking issues for everyone," said Jodi Litchfield, the College's ADA coordinator. "I think that we'll continue to look at that issue as we continue our move toward a more pedestrian-based campus."As the College hopes to move towards a pedestrian-based campus, handicap accessibility is being factored into improvements to the infrastructure, as reflected in proposed revisions to the Master Plan."In addition to surveying our buildings, McGuinness Kessler is also surveying our exterior pathways and entrances," said Personette. "Making the campus more pedestrian-friendly is a major goal of the Master Plan, and that applies to everyone who walks or travels on our campus."
(11/09/06 12:00am)
Author: Derek Schlickeisen Democrat Peter Welch and left-leaning Independent Bernie Sanders won Vermont's open House and Senate seats Tuesday night, while Republican Governor Jim Douglas sailed past Democratic challenger Scudder Parker.Though Sanders and Douglas had long been predicted to win their respective contests, the race between Welch and Republican Martha Rainville had remained close until the last few days of the campaign, during which Welch opened up a lead of about 10 percent.Professor of Political Science Eric Davis, who predicted a Welch win last week, said that Democrats won what had been a competitive House race by successfully tying the relatively moderate Rainville to the more conservative national Republican Party."The message [from Vermont voters] is that this election is a referendum on the Bush administration and on the Republican Congress, and that we need a change in leadership," said Davis. "This campaign is being decided on national issues, not the personalities of the candidates. Neither Peter Welch nor Martha Rainville inspires either particularly enthusiastic or polarized response."Spending on the Welch-Rainville race topped $3 million, a high total compared to previous House races in Vermont. Davis also predicted that Sanders' win over Republican Rich Tarrant, who turned off many Vermonters with a barrage of negative advertising, would bring an interesting voice to the Senate. Sanders, an avowed Socialist, has been known for his outspoken support of what he calls "the little guy" in American politics."It will be very interesting to see over the next six to twelve months how Bernie Sanders and the Senate adapt to each other," Davis said. "He has strongly held views, and the Senate gives you more of a platform."Students and Democratic leaders on campus hailed Welch and Sanders' victories as good signs for the Democratic Party in Vermont."Peter Welch ran a great campaign," said Emily Theriault '07, a leader of the College Democrats. "His success is part of a nationwide vote for change. The 109th Congress failed to resonate with voters and we hope that with Democratic successes like Welch, the next Congress will address growing dissatisfaction with the Iraq war and U.S. energy policy."Republicans on campus, however, said that voters' rejection of the moderate Rainville based on her party identification was disappointing."A defeat of Martha Rainville by Peter Welch is another example of voters exchanging vision and leadership for empty promises," said Stefan Claypool '09, co-president of the College Republicans. "Rainville ran an excellent, positive campaign that stressed optimism, in sharp contrast to her opponent. I am very disappointed in this outcome."Celey Schumer '09 of St. Albans, Vermont, said she voted for Sanders because his message was compelling - and his opponent's message much less so."I've been following Bernie's race because I like him best," she said, "and Tarrant just seemed to be throwing his money around to make Bernie look bad." Tarrant, the former CEO of IDX Systems Corporation, spent a portion of his personal fortune to finance paid television ads against Sanders.Tarrant's barrage of attacks, however, stands in contrast with the "clean" House campaign run by Welch and Rainville. As studies by national news outlets like CNN have concluded, Vermont's House race may have been the only race in the nation this year that did not see a single negative advertisement run."Both Rainville and Welch made a commitment to a clean campaign long before Rich Tarrant went negative," said Davis. "But Tarrant's ads backfired so badly that it probably prevented the national parties from running any negative ads, either."Republicans retain governorshipThough analysts never predicted that Democrat Scudder Parker would unseat incumbent Governor and Middlebury graduate Jim Douglas '75, they had thought that Parker could make the race competitive in spite of Douglas' charisma and popularity."I don't think Scudder Parker has ever convincingly made the case for why voters should fire Jim Douglas," said Davis. "Douglas spends a lot of time getting to meet and greet people. He comes across as a friendly, open and accessible person. He's about as far away from a polarizing political figure as you can get."College Republicans hailed Douglas' re-election as a sign that moderate Republicans remain competitive in the state."The reelection of Jim Douglas is not unexpected, and represents a triumph for the party statewide," said Claypool. "Douglas has proven to be an excellent governor over the last several years, and brings a great balance to Vermont politics. He is a red fish in a blue sea, and will continue to pave the road to a better Vermont for us all."Democratic leaders on campus were less enthusiastic about the governorship."While Douglas has proven himself to be open to compromise, his strong support of President Bush, his tax-cap proposal and his obstruction of new wilderness makes him a threat to local values," said Theriault. "Vermont has the opportunity to be a leader on issues such as health care and global warming, but under Douglas' guidance it has made minimal gains. We supported Scudder Parker's campaign and are disappointed that the state missed a chance to become a national leader on these crucial issues."A national Democratic waveAt press time, the Democrats had picked up 26 House seats for certain, with nine more headed for recounts and another in Texas headed for a special runoff election. They had needed only 15 seats to gain control of that chamber. While multiple victories in Northeast states like Pennsylvania, New Hampshire and New York gave Democrats most of their gains, little-known candidates in conservative districts in states like Kentucky and Kansas - as well as a rural California district - also pulled out narrow wins.Democrats won big in several districts where scandals had played a prominent role in the race. Former Representative Nick Lampson (D), for example, defeated the Republican nominee in disgraced Representative Tom DeLay (R)'s district in Texas. In Florida, Democrat Tim Mahoney beat Republican Joe Negron in the district vacateed by Mark Foley, the Republican who admitted to soliciting sex from his former Congressional interns. While Negron had run a strong campaign, Foley withdrew from the race so late that his name - and not Negron's - appeared on the ballot, meaning that a vote for Foley represented a vote for Negron. Despite Negron's "Punch Mark Foley for Joe" slogan, many voters in this socially conservative district could not bring themselves to vote for Foley, even as a technicality.The balance of power in the Senate remained in doubt Wednesday morning as races in Virginia and Montana remained too close to call and were also headed for recounts. Democrats had confirmed victories in Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Ohio and Missouri, where their challengers unseated four sitting GOP Senators. With the FBI investigating charges of voter intimidation in some portions of Virginia, Democrat Jim Webb led incumbent Republican Senator George Allen by a mere 8,000 votes among more than two million cast. If Democrats were to win in both Virginia and Montana, they would gain control of the Senate as well.
