the Bennington Free Press

T H E B E N N I N G T O N C O L L E G E S T U D E N T N E W S P A P E R
Volume 18 Issue 1 | Friday, September 28th, 2012

Local Election Season in Full Swing-Where are the Students?
On Wednesday, September
19
th
, Bennington College
President Elizabeth Coleman
announced her decision to step
down from her position at the end
of the 2012-2013 academic year.
President Colemans stepping
down coincides with her 25
th

year at Bennington, thus making
her by far the longest serving
president to reside over the
college in its eighty-year history.
Many students and faculty
were surprised by the news and
struck by the pivotal question:
Why now? The Bennington
Free Press put this question to Liz
during her frst post-announce-
ment interview: Its not like
Im tired or bored. I did have to
fnally come to grips with this
cant go on forever and to try
to confront that as gracefully as
I knew how...I think at 25 years
is probably a moment that makes
sense. But there is not some thing
that was this yes, now,` it was
just thinking this is the proper
and graceful and good thing to
do for the College and for me.
Lizs time at Bennington was
marked by a multitude of changes
and additions to the school, from
the Symposium in 1994 to the
construction of CAPA (the Center
for the Advancement of Public
Action) in 2011. Since Coleman
was selected as President, the
school has raised more than
$175 million, and the college
is at an historical high in terms
of enrollment (currently 690
undergraduates). These are just
two in a host of achievements,
including the college no longer
being the most expensive in the
country, and conversion from
an oil-based heating system to a
sustainable wood one. Dean of
the College, Isabel Roche, who
has worked closely with Coleman
over the last two years in her
current position, as well as eight
years prior as a member of the
foreign language faculty, spoke
fondly of the time that she has
spent with Liz. I think that the
length of time shes been here
has allowed her to internalize
this sense of the institution...She
cares about this place deeply and
she cares about people deeply and
those are pretty special qualities.
While members of the
Bennington community react
to the news, students turn their
attention to the selection of
the next leader of Bennington
College. The administration has
made it clear that it is interested in
as much involvement from current
students and faculty as possible in
the near future. For the time being,
the Board of Trustees is leading
the search while developing
ways in which to engage
the Bennington community.
When asked if she had any
advice for a successor, who has
a big act to follow, Liz naturally
had an opinion. I think getting to
know [the college] is a challenge-
not a bad challenge, its a
wonderful challenge- I actually
think most of the challenges
are wonderful. They do have
to do with falling in love with
Bennington. I dont think thats
very hard to do, but I think its
important. Really, the issue of
love is very important here- that
is, Bennington being something
that you deeply, deeply care
about. Not so that you become
blind or cheerleading so much as
having a commitment that keeps
you going. Equally fundamental
is appreciating how important
this institution is in the landscape
of American education.
While President Coleman
will be leaving her position this
spring, she will not be leaving
the Bennington community quite
yet, and will be taking on the
position of Director of the Center
for the Advancement of Public
Action for the next two years.
See our next issue for the hrst
in a three-part retrospective
on President Colemans
time at Bennington.
President Coleman to Step Down After 25
th
Year

Come November 6
th
, Barack
Obama and Mitt Romney wont
be the only names Bennington
residents will be considering
in the voting booth. This is the
hrst of two articles the BFP
will be publishing on local
elections leading up to election
day. Look to our next issue for
more in-depth prohles of the
candidates and their positions.
Bennington College students
represent a potentially powerful
but historically under-engaged
constituency in Vermont House
District 2-1 (which comprises
the village of North Bennington,
old Bennington, the west end
and many neighborhoods
downtown up to East Road).
With a district population of just
under 7,800, the 700 students
at Bennington College would
potentially make up 9% of the
voting population- a hugely
signifcant number mitigated by
the fact that many Bennington
students remain registered in their
home states and vote by absentee
ballot, or never register at all. In
2010 fewer than 75 Bennington
students voted in local elections;
a surprisingly low turnout even
in a non-presidential race.
Bennington Free Press writer
Brendan McPherson spoke with
community leaders about the
possibilities of getting students
more involved in Bennington
proper and engaging more
actively with local politics.
Representative Campion (who
is also an employee of the
College) appealed to the activist
spirit of Bennington students in
noting Vermonts consistently
progressive record as a state that
oIten fnds itselI ahead oI the curve
legislating on national political
issues. This is a really interesting
state [...] The marriage equality
bill was huge- led by Vermont.
Healthcare- led by Vermont. We
just passed a law last year that
will prohibit fracking in this state.
This is a state that students are
living in that has led on a lot of
important issues. Campion also
expressed hope that students will
recognize the unique opportunity
Vermont affords voters to become
meaningfully involved in the
political and legislative process.
[...] in Vermont theres 600,000
people. You can really get
involved. Youre not at school
in New York state where you
would probably have to make an
appointment months in advance
to meet with a legislator. I mean
literally, somebody could text me
and say Hey, this is my issue`
and we could meet for coffee.
Long-time town clerk Tim
Corcoran noted that while he has
observed local college students
tending to be more informed
about nuanced issues than many
voters, their actual participation in
elections seems to wax and wane
with the presidential election
cycle. While this is a national
trend that cuts across many
demographics, one might think
that a school so bound up in the
gospel of Public Action would see
its students more involved with
local issues. John Shannahan,
director of the Better Bennington
Corporation, is working to get
college students more involved
in the community, and notes
that many students choose to
become residents after they
Top to Bottom: Representative Brian
Campion, Representative Tim Corcoran II,
and candidate Warren Roaf, all of whom are
running for the Vermont House of Repre-
sentatives in VT House District 2-1.
BY RACHEL JACKSON
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF OF CONTENT
WITH REPORTING BY AKHURAPA
AMBAK
INSIDE
graduate. Youth is good for our
community, especially in the state
of Vermont which is one of the
highest aging populations in the
country. Its nice to have young
people [and] once they come to
school here, a number of them
make it home and they invest their
whole future in the community-
and it lifts the community up.
Bennington select board
member and local businessman
Jim Carroll observed that
Bennington College students
by and large- and I would say
the SVC students as well- stay
below the radar [...] Theres
an age old problem that has
existed between all the colleges
here in town. Theres a certain
remoteness to both of the larger
colleges. From his hot dog
cart in front of Greenbergs,
Carroll interacts daily with a
cross-section of locals, tourists
and other travelers, making
him a good point from which to
take the pulse of local opinion.
He also offered the following
advice to Bennington students:
Dont be afraid of the townies!
Were not gonna hurt you.
Y NIKE GCIDIN 'T4
MANAGING EDITOR-IN- CHIEF
WITH REPORTING BY BRENDEN
NCPHEk5CN 'T
>>Skinny
Non-Fat Swirl in a Cake
Cone
Liz Colemans last Dairy Bar
order.
We dont understand the
living room installation.
But we like napping.
Kissing: Out
Ying: In
What the fuck is an
iPhone?
No, seriously.
Missing the Garlic Festival
Making us more vulner-
able to vampires, depres-
sion
Student Gender Ratio
Now 6:4
Bennington sure to remain
romantic bizarro world
Sexiest Freshman:
Joe Greco
Too Erect To Get Dressed
To Get Laid
Put your sad in my sad.
Whats Obamas Last
Name?
No, really?
Which words in end of
the world are capital-
ized?
Were all wondering.
President Colemans Last
Dressed to Get Laid
Drizz to get Liz
We Hate Airplane Win-
dows, Too.
It gets stuy in there
The New Toasters Already
Broken
And it was so easy to use!
The New Kanye is Hot Fire
He should really be a
senator
Andrew Wu for President
Rap Game 2012
LMFAO Broke Up
Fingers crossed for Yeesh
GLOVE FUCK 2012
Even my dreams smell like
latex
2
The BenningTon Free Press / September 28th, 2012 > Vol. 18 N E W S
For Benningtons Class of 2016,
arrival on campus meant arrival at a
new life. On August 31st, the freshman
class was greeted by their classmates
and mentors, and with a gentle nudge
from President Liz Coleman, left their
parents and families behind. Events
and opportunities to learn more about the
school and each other lay ahead of them.
Prior to the arrival of the entire Class
of 2016, however, about 70 freshman
participated in the Pre-Orientation
Trips. Led by returning students, groups
Orientation 2012
With the fall term getting into full swing
and midterms approaching (really, theyre
closer than you think), its important to re-
member: youre not alone! Aside from the
seven hundred-odd other students on this
campus, if you make your way to Barn 120
youll meet Kate Child, Assistant Direc-
tor for Academic Services. Much like last
years First Year Advisors, Child is here
to work with students on managing their
classes, communicating with faculty advi-
sors, and to act as a resource for students,
though she is focused primarily on frst-
years. The college is also in the process
of hiring a second Assistant Director, who
will join her in the offce. They will also
take charge of the Study Abroad program.
Child is enthusiastic about the new term
and incoming class, saying that the begin-
ning of the year was an exciting time to
start, and that she felt a lot of energy
from the school and its students. Her open
hours are Monday through Thursday 12:30
2:00. Stop by and say hello!
Bennington Welcomes New
Assistant Director for
Academic Services, Kate
Child
Y 5AN UkHCE AND I5ADCkA kC5ENICCN 'T
Y NAkEN 1CHN5CN'T5
Ken Himmelman Resigns After Eight Years
Himmelman and President Coleman teaching their
Fundamentals of Public Action class together in 2011.
PHOTO CREDIT: BENNINGTON COLLEGE FLICKR
Y KkI5TA THCkPE 'T5
NEWS EDITOR
At the end of this summer, Dean of
Admissions Ken Himmelman announced
his departure from Bennington Col-
lege after eight years of working here.
Himmelman will be leaving to work
at Partners in Health, a global health or-
ganization that focuses on providing al-
ready existing cures and remedies to
places that they are not yet available.
There, he will be flling a newly made
position, Chief Partnerships Offcer:
a strategic position meant to lead co-
operative plans with other companies.
When Himmelman arrived at Benning-
ton, he had no experience with college
admissions. The interim Deans of Admis-
sions at the time, Janet Marsden and David
Rees, got him up to speed on the col-
lege, but it was a new experience for ev-
eryone: I would say we were all learning
admissions on the job, said Marsden in an
email interview. Himmelman cites Rees
and Marsden as his mentors at the school.
Despite his lack of experience with
Admissions, Himmelman had a sig-
nifcant impact on the school, in Com-
munications, Admissions, and the cur-
riculum. When he arrived in 2004,
750 people applied to the college. This
past year, there were 1236 applicants.
In addition to being Dean of Admis-
sions, he was an instrumental part of found-
ing the CAPA program with Liz Coleman,
which started four years ago. Hes taught
CAPA classes, including a program on
education reform that ended in a student-
run forum as well as various tutorials, and
the Fundamentals of Advancing Public
Action course with President Coleman.
Another program that Himmelman
worked hard to build is the Admissions
intern program. If I could have any
legacy, it would be that every student
who comes here wants to work in admis-
sions, he says. He strongly believes that
the college admissions process should
involve the Bennington community, so
it can best embody and communicate the
schools philosophy. Himmelman was al-
ways aware that the college admissions
process can be monstrous, and he didnt
want Bennington to be that way. Himmel-
man has worked with the Board of Trust-
ees and President Coleman, in an atmo-
sphere of increased technology use and
pressure in college admissions, to ensure
that the Bennnington admissions process
works to fnd out who a student really is.
The college is currently searching for
a new Dean of Admissions. In the mean-
time, Marsden, who now serves as Di-
rector of Communications, will hold the
position. Serving as both Director of
Communications and acting Dean of Ad-
missions in this moment feels so natu-
ral--its an extension of the work I have
been doing for years, Marsden said.
Though the school will certainly change
without Himmelman, he believes it to be
a good thing. People, and organizations,
need change, Himmelman says, express-
ing his belief that a new Dean of Admis-
sions will bring new ideas to the college,
the same way he is bringing something
new to Partners in Health. As Ken leaves
Vermont, moves to Boston, and begins
using the world as his offce, he had one
parting sentiment to share not about the
impact he had on our school, but about
the impact that our school had on him:
I will never be able to leave this place.
participated in various outdoor
activities, including backpacking,
canoeing, and biking. Backpacker Eri
Stern found that the trip exceeded her
expectations. I went into the trip not too
excited about it, she says. I just didnt
know what to expect. But I think it was
really useful because of the friendships I
formed and, it was just a good way to get
my frst taste of the community here.
International students from the
freshman class also arrived early.
For Fatima Zaidi, it was helpful
to be surrounded by others going
through the same experience. It was
easier for us to settle in with [so] few
people on campus and it was good
that all the international students got
to know each other frst, she said.
On Friday night, speeches from
Isabel Roche, Dean of the College,
Duncan Dobbelmann, Associate
Dean of the College, and Eva Chatterjee-
Sutton, Dean of Students, welcomed the
whole class. Activities within orientation
groups and house communities followed
and continued throughout the weekend.
One of the new additions to the
Orientation schedule was a faculty panel,
including Marguerite Feitlowitz, Karen
Gover, Nick Brooke, and Robert Ransick,
discussing the question, What is Original
Work? Each faculty member spoke
on their interpretation of the question,
with responses varying from personal
narratives to sound clips of Girl Talk.

Zaidi remembers
her frst moments on
campus fondly: It
was just like a dream
because Vermont is
so beautiful seeing
mountains was just
amazing and surreal.
It was so much
better than any of
the photos. It is an
exciting time for new
students, who are fresh
to the landscape and
energy of the campus.
3
The BenningTon Free Press / September 28th, 2012 > Vol. 18 F E A T U R E S
Ah. Hello there! Welcome to my offce.
Why do I have scented candles and a fowing
canopy hanging over my exam table,
you ask? For the same reason that I have
Barry White playing at an uncomfortable
volume. It`s because I am no
ordinary doctor. Actually,
I`m not any kind of doctor.
I`m just a person, like you,
who happens to call myself a
doctor, and who also happens
to have acquired a wealth
of information regarding
the social and reproductive
practice otherwise known
as sexual intercourse. This
is a non-judgmental space
where you can feel free to
anonymously ask me all
those questions you have
burning through your loins.
Since this is my BFP debut,
I`ll be addressing some
questions that always come
up at the start of a new year.
Let`s begin with a perennial
classic with every incoming
class, the virgin. The virgin
may be itching to lose that
v-card in any possible way,
and you may see him or her
getting down and dirty on
the dance foor (and perhaps
passed out on commons lawn soon
afterwards). On the other hand, the virgin
may be waiting for the perfect soul mate
to fnally ease off that chastity belt with
his or her delicate tongue, and make love
together in a meadow at dawn. Either
way, my advice to the virgin is not to
overthink it. Bennington is a place where
people tend to over-share when it comes
to sex stories, and I can tell you with
confdence that not all of them are true, and
few of them were as great as they sound.
And guess what else! Sex is not even a
necessary human function! I was utterly
shocked to learn on the Internet that you
will not (I repeat, NOT) die if you don`t
get enough sex. It should also be said that
several students, virgins or otherwise,
choose not to have sex on this campus if they
can help it. A 'Bennington relationship
is often not a relationship by 'real world
terms, and it`s sure to get weird, so it
may just be your choice to abstain from
being sex-connected by two degrees to
every one of your friends and classmates.
It could also be benefcial to educate
yourself with some safe sex information
or some erotic fction in the meantime,
sextec.com is a site full of sex education
for teens, by teens. Sex shouldn`t be
scary, and it`s totally overrated anyway.
But maybe it`s not. You`ll decide
for yourself when the time cums.
Given tomorrow night`s festivities,
perhaps it would be appropriate to discuss
that time-honored ritual of sweating and
rubbing up against strangers, Kilpat`s
Dress to Get Laid soiree. The only
night that rivals it in unrealistically
heightened sexual expectations is
the night before graduation. For the
freshmen who have never experienced
this party before, here are a few pointers.
Meet Dr. von DoinIt, Your New Sex Guru
When I realized that I couldn`t eat gluten,
I experienced a moment of vertigo. I had
a vision of myself in a room full of cake
and fabulous cake-eating people, standing
glumly in the corner like a Dickens orphan
while they popped spongy morsels of pas-
try into their smug, pursed little mouths
and shrieked 'OH HOW DIVINE. Sud-
denly an outsider, I journeyed through a
forbidden Elysian paradise of pizza, bur-
bling streams of beer and rolling hills of
turkey sandwiches. The feelings I had
about pancakes, in that moment, were pas-
sionate enough to be classifed as sexual. I
thought that I would spend the rest of my
life eating dry rice in misery and solitude.
Fortunately for me, and for all you oth-
er delicate gluten-sensitive fowers, the
whole gluten free lifestyle has become
so popular that it`s already reached the
proportions of a food fad. Research has
suggested that up to 15% of people in the
US have some variety of gluten sensitivity
and intolerance, but it`s a diffcult condi-
tion to quantify because it takes so many
forms. The most serious is Celiac disease,
which is actually an autoimmune disorder
triggered by gluten proteins. Then there`s
a range of gluten sensitivity that covers
a spectrum of symptoms, from digestive
problems to chronic lethargy and mi-
graines. The WebMD symptom checklist
for gluten intolerance could be condensed
to 'feeling shitty all the time. Essential-
ly, if you`ve felt generally unhealthy for
a while but can`t fgure out why, it might
be a good idea to try laying off the wheat.
And that`s not too diffcult to do these
days, especially here on campus. The din-
ing hall has made signifcant changes to its
menu over the past few years, and has re-
cently started labeling every prepared food
dish that is gluten-free. There is always
gluten-free bread in the refrigerator by
the wok station, and on pasta night those
in the know can ask the cooks for gluten-
free pasta. I talked to Bill Scully and new
executive chef Joe Greco about what Ben-
nington is doing to accommodate this
growing trend. 'I`ll always look at recipes
and if I can omit something with four, if
there`s like one ingredient that has four,
says Greco, 'I`ll just fnd a way to change
it. I think with things like that we`re con-
stantly evolving. An essential part of their
decision-making process when it comes to
providing for special diets is the dialogue
between students and the cooks and dining
hall staff. Our cooks make a real effort to
track who is avoiding the buns on hot dog
day, or constantly raiding the Udi`s. 'If
you`re gluten free, says Scully, 'and there`s
something that you`re looking for that you
Requiem for a Cake: Being Gluten-Free at Bennington
ENNA DEI VAIIE 'T3
don`t see, talk to the cooks about it. Maybe
we already have it, maybe we should get
it. It`s really just communicating with us.
While I may not feel completely normal
until Joe Greco gives us some wheatless
desserts (something that might be in the
works already), there`s no denying that at
Bennington, meals are rarely a challenge
for the gluten-free. I still have dreams
where I`m French kissing an Olive Gar-
den breadstick in a bathtub full of spa-
ghetti, but at this point I think that may
be more of a psychological issue than a
yearning for dough. Goodbye, cake: I
like you, but it just wasn`t meant to be.
Disclaimer: Dr. von DoinIt is NOT an
accredited doctor of any kind.
1. You do not need to dress to get
laid, but be prepared to see some breasts
(nipple tape optional) and a few male
bulges hugged severely by tighty-whities.
2. Not everybody gets laid. You would
be surprised by how few people actually get
laid. Less surprising is how many people
wake up next to somebody they wish they
didn`t. Waking up alone? An
infnitely better alternative.
3. It`s incredibly fun to
wear little or no clothing
and dance until you can`t tell
your thigh from his asscheek
from her ponytail, but there
are people who might also
call it a spectacle. Expect to
see some Williams College
students peering in through
the moist common room
windows as if we were
beluga whales wearing
thongs at the aquarium.
I urge everyone attending
to be safe and to have fun,
and push sex out of your
head for the night, despite the
name of the party. If youre
just focused on having a good
time than going home alone
youll have at least already
enjoyed yourself, and going
home with someone will be a
pleasant and blissful surprise.
Yours in the Biblical sense,
Dr. von Doin`It
Have any questions for the Doctor?
Send them to drvondoinit@gmail.com.
4 The BenningTon Free Press / September 28th, 2012 > Vol. 18
F E A T U R E S
Is there another individual on campus
that we trust more than Joe Greco,
our new Executive Chef? Indeed, he
could kill us all pretty easily. But so
far he has not, and after sitting down
with the attractive, animated Saratoga
native I think we have nothing to worry
about - just dont diss the Filet-O-Fish.
Tell me a little about yourself
and how you came to Bennington.
Well I grew up in up-state New York -
Saratoga County - and went to college at
the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde
Park, New York. Ive been cooking for
ffteen years, since I was ffteen years old,
and Im thirty now. I learned about the job
opening at Bennington from monster.com
actually, and then interviewed for it. I then
participated in a cook off, where I made a
vegan tofu dish with coconut curry broth,
seared scallops, and a salad. And I got the job!
Whats the craziest story you
have so far from the Dining Hall?
We were loading up an event for the
President`s offce - a buffet - and the
entire rack of hot entrees fell on the
foor ten minutes before we served it.
Luckily, for some reason that day we
had overproduced what we were serving
- crab cakes - and we had enough to
get through the day. It was crazy. We
were making crab cakes on the fy and
driving them back and forth in a golf cart.
If you could cook dinner for
one person, whom would it be?
I would have to say my grandfather
because he died just as I was entering
my career. He was a hardcore Italian-
Sicilian. I think I would like to cook for
him so he could see what I can do now.
Favorite fast food restaurant?
Im gonna have to tell ya something.
My guilty pleasure is a McDonalds
Filet-O-Fish. I know the fsh is frozen at
sea - so they say, at least - so thats good.
But the combination of the soft bun,
the good cheese, and, well, too much
tartar sauce... thats my guilty pleasure.
Getting to Know Executive Chef Joe Greco
2012 is a year of change. After 244
years the Encyclopedia Britannica stopped
its print edition, the frst man to ever set
foot on the moon died, apparently the
apocalypse is near, and most of all, the
Student Center has a new menu! Say
whaaaaat! I can adapt to a lot of things:
different cultures, different people, yadda
yadda, but I must say that as a 3-year
regular at the Snack Bar, I found myself
quite befuddled standing in front of the
new menu for the frst time. The category
End of the World in particular does
not really make sense to me. I dont see
chicken tenders, nor french fries (now
in 3 different styles) as my last meal on
earth. Some good old friends of mine did
not make the cut, like the Ceasar Salad,
or (and the student body agrees in unison
with me) WAFFLE FRIES! Fortunately I
have already found new companionship
in the fancy Asian salad topped with
curried chicken. The only issue with that
salad though, and pretty much everything
at the snack bar, is the PRICE. The
aforementioned salad costs me $8.85,
which leaves me thirsty with worthless
40 cents down the drain. While our dinner
allowance was increased by a negligible
3%, some items on the menu, like the
Capital B, now cost up to 27% more than
last term, and following the development
over the last 3 years, the infation of our
money is inclined to continue. Cody
Sullivan 13 , star of the upcoming
production School of Lies, says: One
problem is the lack of communication
between the Snack Bar and the student
body. In the Dining Hall we have the
napkin notes providing us with a voice that
is heard to a greater or lesser extent. I think
the Snack Bar would beneft from a similar
kind of forum where students can post their
suggestions, feedback, support etc. But I
do not want to be too negative. Overall,
I actually like the new menu. The food
on this campus has gotten so much better
over the last year, including at the Snack
Bar, which will still have me as a regular
as long as I can afford it. Bon Apptit!
Snack Bar Offers New Menu To Students
Returning students this term may
have noticed that not only are there new
members among their own ranks, but that
there are several new faces among the
schools faculty as well. The Anthropology
department has welcomed Noah Coburn
into their midst, who is teaching Politics
and Culture: From Big Men to Big
Brother, as well as The Anthropology of
International Intervention for this fall term.
The Literature buffs have a new name to
remember too: Michael Dumanis, who you
will fnd teaching Schools and Movements
in American Poetry, and Reading and
Writing Poetry. In the Neurosciences we
have David Edelman teaching Reimagining
Memory in Biology and Beyond and
the intriguing A Neurological Almanac
of Animal Vision. The new Computing
teacher is Andrew Cencini, who is teaching
both Computing Ecology, and Big Data.
Finally, the Jennings Mansion has two
new music faculty: Michael Wimberly
teaching the discipline-crossing Music
Compositions for Dance, and Drumming:
an Extension of Language; and Susie Ibarra
MICHAEL WIMBERLY
teaching the Bennington World Percussion
Ensemble and the APA Workshop:Focus:
Human Rights Women and Girls.
Now, as you all know, our school has
a rather unique educational philosophy
that affects the types of people hired and
the way they teach. One of the long-
standing Bennington ideals right from
the inception of the school has been that
of the teacher-practitioner, and this years
new Iaculty defnitely ft that description.
Andrew Cencini, for one, has not done all
of his learning in a textbook environment.
After school, he says: I went to work for
MicrosoIt Ior fve years. Most notably what
I was in charge of was [developing] the
core index for Bing. Michael Wimberly
also has a wealth of real world experience
to bring into the classroom. Although he
has been teaching music since he was an
undergrad, he spent many years in New
York City keeping one eye open for any
opportunities. All of the sudden Im
playing in Martha Grahams School of
Dance, he says, and Im playing for the
Joffrey Ballet, because I had a roommate
who was in the Joffrey. [Then] Im working
with the Alvin Ailey Company Im with
Alvin Ailey himself. Mr. Wimberly talks
about how his past work can beneft his
students: I can bring all of my experiences,
and my stories, and the little knowledge
that I have, and share it with the students
that are here. Andrew Cencini also
speaks to the importance of not learning
in a vacuum. The way that I like doing
things is to take a big project that really
unifes everything and make something,
he says, describing a methodology that
emulates the real world cooperation of
the computing world. He hopes to leave
his students with more than just theories;
they will have something at the end of their
course that they can actually use. Both
teachers are very excited about the way
that Benningtons teaching philosophy
works with their own. Mr. Wimberly noted
Im learning so much here, and went on
to add that he appreciates the schools
philosophy of creating an environment that
is expansive, an environment that wants to
try a different approach to learning, because
we all learn differently. Mr. Cencini
shared a similar sentiment: Whats so
amazing about this place is the intellectual
generosity, the fact that people from all
PETE FEY 'T3
DCNINIK EI5EN5CHNIDT 'T3
Bennington Welcomes New Social Science, Computer Science, and Music Faculty
TkEVCk 5TANNU5 'T5
different disciplines want to work together
on things. All in all, these new additions
to the Bennington faculty are sure to
impress many new and exciting things on
the students here for many terms to come.
Coburn, Cencini, Wimberly, and Ibarra Join Faculty
5 THE BENNINGTON FREE PRESS / September 28th,2012> Vol. 18 No.1
V O I C E S
Where Does the Path to Prosperity End?
Y EkIC NC5HEk 'T3
In 2011, Rep. Paul Ryan proposed a 2012
budget called the Path to Prosperity. All
but four Republicans in the House voted
for it. Paul Ryan is the Chairman of the
House Budget Committeea man with
strong beliefs adopted from Ayn Rands
philosophy of objectivism. He is also the
Republican vice presidential nominee,
poised to have a huge infuence on American
public policy. Ryans Path would cut taxes
on our highest earners and on all foreign
profts, protecting 'job creators. All of
these cuts aim to lower our budget defcit,
but Ryans plan would do so at the expense
of our middle and lower classes, cutting
spending on health care, food stamps,
higher education and public employment.
Gov. Romney, the Republican nominee
for the upcoming presidential election, does
not have a strong ideology. His positions on
issues from abortion to marriage equality to
climate change have all changed completely
since his 1994 Senate race against Ted
Kennedy. Mitt Romney is saying what he
needs to say to win the conservative vote
and become president; he is not saying
what he (according to his record) believes.
The statements on personal responsibility
he made in May are perhaps the frst glimpse
into Mitt Romneys true convictions.
Paul Ryan has a vision; he has ideals. It is
a vision that rewards public employees with
layoffs, and rewards humble beginnings
with two jobs and no health insurance. His
vision scares me. Paul Ryans vision leads
only to more inequality, and inequality does
not lead to general prosperityit leads to
prosperity for a few Americans. I fear that
Paul Ryans ideological agenda will win out
over Mitt Romneys passive pragmatism
if they took power, and would plunge
even more Americans into destitution and
disadvantage. Under no circumstances can
we cannot allow the #RomneyRyan2012
ticket to make its way to the White House.
Obama Speaks to Constituents
After a week of Republican attacks,
including Clint Eastwoods chair-fuelled
diatribe, President Obama responded with
a strongly worded nomination-acceptance
speech. In his speech, Obama made clear
the difference between himself and Mitt
Romney, emphasizing the progress his
administration had made, p articularly in
the economic sector, an area where Mr.
Romney had incessantly attacked in the
weeks leading up to each partys convention.
Obamas speech included references to
topics considered most important by middle-
class votersthe economy and healthcare.
He criticized Romneys campaign strategy,
saying that [Republicans] were more than
happy to talk about everything they think is
wrong with America, but they didnt have
much to say about how theyd make it right.
The speech offered a clear path for
the next four years; he laid out a plan
that focused on continuing the rebirth
of manufacturing, especially in the auto
industry. This was a subject he repeatedly
remarked onnotably, it is an issue that
has tested Romney after the Republican
nominee favored letting the automobile
companies become bankrupt in 2009.
Obama talked about how America had
continued producing goods again, and
linked the increase in manufacturing with
improving standards in education. He also
called for colleges and universities to cut
tuition in the wake of college debt becoming
bigger than credit card debt, an issue close
to the hearts of many middle-class voters.
Mr. Obama also heavily criticized his
opponents. He described the Republicans
as having a strategy that would reverse
[manufacturing] progress, saying that a
Republican run country would give more
tax breaks to corporations that ship jobs
overseas. The President also discussed
the weakness of Mr. Romneys foreign
policy expertise, citing Mr. Romneys
disparaging remarks about Londons
preparation for the Olympics and his
description of Russia as the United States
number one enemy. Finally, Mr. Obama
pointed to his own success overseas,
taking particular care to mention the
successful killing of Osama Bin Laden.
Mr. Obamas speech seems to have
had a positive impact among voters; in
the most recent New York Times-CBS
Poll, Obama erased the lead Romney
previously held on the economy. Obama
also still holds a strong lead among
middle-class voters. However, Obama still
trails among Independent voters, a group
he succeeded in winning last election.
Is the Real Paul Ryan for Real Right Now?
Dont Believe the Ryan Hype
Y kENDAN NCPHEk5CN 'T
Much hoopla has been made over
Mitt Romneys selection of Wisconsin
congressman Paul Ryan as his vice
presidential running mate. Many have
hailed him as a choice that will fnally
get us back to talking about real i ssues.
Now, Im not going to comment on the
fact that the media has been celebrating
a return to real issues (while bearing a
large amount of responsibility for the
substance-lacking, headline-driven manner
this presidential campaign has been
conducted in). However, if this is what
it fnally takes to look at candidates for
public offce more seriously, then I`ll bite.
Lets look at Mr. Ryans proposals and
his voting record. According to Project
Vote Smart, a non-partisan organization
that tracks voting records, Ryan voted in
support of a constitutional amendment
banning equality for same sex couples,
voted to ban all abortions unless in the case
of rape, incest, or the life of the mother.
And while his budget plan claims to hold all
federal spending to 4% of GDP in 2050, Mitt
Romney himself has promised to increase
the defense budget alone by 100 billion,
putting it at 4% of GDP, according to CNN.
Essentially, Mr. Ryan is a wolf in
sheeps clothing. He has found a way
of masquerading himself as a serious
man about serious issues, particularly
with the budget, but his record reveals
him to be another dyed-in-the-wool red
meat conservative out to advance his
personal ideology. Mr. Ryan doesnt seem
to want realistic budget constraints, he
wants the same trickle-down economic
policies of Republicans past, all while
social programs for the poor, elderly, and
middle class are eliminated. Lets not get
ahead of ourselves about Mr. Ryan: As
the song goes, dont believe the hype.
Drone Voice is Loud, Steady
Y EN1ANIN NAkGETIC 'T5
Prior to September 11th, 2012, you
could ask any voter in this country what
the most important issue of this election
is and they would reply, the economy.
However, since the killing of US ambas-
sador to Libya Christopher Stephens and
three of his support staff, foreign policy
has made its way into the spotlight. Mitt
Romney blasted Barack Obamas response
to the killings, saying, Its disgraceful that
the Obama Administration`s frst response
was not to condemn attacks on our dip-
lomatic missions, but to sympathize with
those who waged the attacks.
Mr. Obamas campaign responded by
criticizing Romney for politicizing the at-
tacks, and rightly so. It is absolutely de-
plorable that Mr. Romney would choose a
moment of crisis to score political points,
but it does raise an important question:
How have Mr. Obamas policies affected
the Middle East? When he was sworn in,
Mr. Obama was hailed as the savior of
American diplomacy. Rhetorically, Mr.
Obamas foreign policy is levelheaded and
reasonable. When put into practice, how-
ever, it certainly loses its shine. Mr. Obama
has dramatically increased the usage of un-
manned drone strikes, personally choosing
those to be assassinated. He has even ap-
pointed a Drone-Czar named John Bren-
nan. Under Mr. Brennan, the administra-
tion has deemed all military-aged males
as combatants. Any man who happens to
be within the range of a drone strike, and is
of the proper age, is automatically assumed
to be an enemy combatant and is not count-
ed as a civilian death.
Needless to say, this has caused some
animosity between the US and Middle
Eastern nations. Mr. Brennan also asserts
that the Yemenis love drone strikes,
which makes total sense. Drone strikes are
in fact so unpopular in Yemen that they
are causing an increase in al-Qaida re-
cruitment. After a particularly devastating
drone attack in which 13 Yemeni civilians
were killed, Nasr Abdullah, a noted activ-
ist, said, I would not be surprised if a hun-
dred tribesmen joined the lines of al-Qaida
as a result of the latest drone mistake.
While they have been successful in
killing many high-ranking al-Qaida of-
fcers, the cost to diplomatic relations is
too high. The United States is already
disliked enough in the Middle East
its hard to imagine that dropping bombs
on civilians is doing us any favors.

LEFT: PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA SPEAKING AT
THE DEMOCRATIC NATIONAL CONVENTION IN
CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA. RIGHT: COUNTER-
TERRORISM CHIEF JOHN O. BRENNAN.
E l e c t i o n 2 0 1 2
November 6th, 2012!
Y AIDAN GI5CN 'T
PHOTO CREDIT: BARACK OBAMA FLICKR PHOTO CREDIT: BARACK OBAMA FLICKR
Dont Forget to Vote!
6
The BenningTon Free Press / September 28, 2012 > Vol. 18 No.1 V O I C E S
THE BFP STAFF
EDITORS IN CHIEF
NIKE GCIDIN 'T4
kACHEI 1ACK5CN 'T4
NEWS EDITOR
KkI5TA THCkP 'T5
VOICES EDITOR
CEIENE AkkEkA 'T5
FEATURES EDITOR
ENNA DEI VAIIE 'T3
ARTS EDITOR
1EVA IANGE 'T5
PRODUCTION MANAGER
ETHAN CLARK-MOSCHELLA
'T4
COPY EDITORS
NAkEN 1CHN5CN 'T5
CCDY WAIKEk 'T
ANNA kCGCVCY 'T3
AIAINA GEkCAK 'T5
KIIIIAN WAI5H 'T4
FCkE5T PUkNEII 'T3
Walsh: Think Locally, Act Selfshly- A Look Inside 05201
BY KILLIAN WALSH 'T4
Think back to the beginning of term,
around two weeks or so ago (if you arent
a freshman). You received a large-sized
post card in your mailbox with our local
area code stamped rather attractively on
the front of it. Ring any bells? If youre
unfamiliar, there are about six letters from
your family waiting in the post offce, but
there was also a fairly grand service project
held on campus called 05201, geared at
establishing a stronger relationship between
Bennington Town and Bennington College.
Now I know there are some hopeful
optimists among you who think that
the relationship between these two
communities is already fairly strong and,
frankly, doesnt need improving. But let
me say to you--and slip a wallet under your
tongues for this one--this is simply not the
case. For a number of factors, some beyond
control and others painfully avoidable, the
interaction between the town and college
has been tense since we frst cropped
up on this hill back in 1932. If youre
curious about it, ask somebody. Preferably
someone with a few years behind them
too. And not someone from New York.
North Bennington is closer to us. Its
been more accepting of our artsy ways and
as far as I know still stones their lottery
winners. Their population has a decidedly
different make up than our neighbors to
the South, too. Add to this the physical
distance Bennington proper is from our
sloping campus grounds, and theres little
natural chance for interaction between us.
Enter 05201: an iteration in a service
project... by a former graphic designer,
John Bielenberg, puts its focus on
Thinking Wrong. And oh boy, if that
isnt the best way to put it. Mr. Bielenberg
sets this method in the context of Steve
Jobs and his innovations at Apple, citing
the mans recently published biography
by Walter Isaacson. For those of you
familiar with the Cult of Jobs--or I
should say aware--its fairly obvious
that the innovation behind the mans
artfully designed consumer electronics
wasnt the product of some session in a
Hopi sweat lodge. It was nothing more
than cold, smart, capitalistic calculation.
This brings me to the gripes I have with
05201. Let me start by saying that I dont
mean to disrespect Mr. Bielenberg in the
slightest. The mans passion for his craft
and the multiplicity of awards he said that
hed won for it gives him a far more expert
perspective on these matters than me, a
college junior. Secondly, I want to state
that I mean no disrespect to the hours other
participants in 05201 spent working or the
projects they devised with their time. I wish
them the best of luck with what theyve
come up with. I just dont think it will work.
What instantly struck me as dissonant
with the idea of a service project was
Mr. Bielenbergs reminder that whatever
we came up with had to be capitalist in
nature. Im hard-pressed to think of any
successful service works that start their
development with the goal of making
some flthy lucre. You may bring up
Bonos Inspi(RED) campaign, but let me
remind you that 80% of those proceeds
went right back into the company.
I could needle over a number of points
where I saw 05201 going sour, either in
concept or execution. It brought me back
to countless memories of faith retreats
in Catholic school where you leave
feeling all great without actually having
accomplished anything. So the real test of
this project ought to be whether anything
comes of it. Im running out of space here,
but I need to beg the people involved
with CAPA discussions to please, please,
please pick a project concerned with
Public Action, and not Public Posturing.
BY PETE FEY 'T3
A Letter from the Midnight Oil
It is 4:11 A.M. -- and where is Campus
Safety? Where are Joe, Jimmy, Jeffrey
- whatever their names are - to write me
up for extortionate studying, to hand me a
violation for intemperate consumption of
coffee, to offcially reprimand me for packet-
reading under the infuence of weariness?
Where was Campus Safety ten hours ago,
when I passed through the Common Room
and found myself thrust into the middle
of an hour-long half-baked discourse
concerning the historical signifcance of
Yo Gabba Gabba? Will I fnd my ticket -
IMPRUDENT PROCRASTINATION:
$75.00 - in my mailbox Monday morning?
Is it true that if I receive three of these
in one semester I can be barred from
buying NOS at the Student Center?
And my meeting with Eva about chronic
mendaciousness - when is that? I know Im
lying. My alarm knows Im lying. Even the
Rice Krispies know Im lying. So when
will I be disciplined for continually telling
myself that Ill do that at breakfast?
Indeed, every morning is a unique yet similar
failure; different homework uncompleted,
the same sleepiness the reason for it.
O superior sages of Bennington, I need
you! Just as I beseech your guidance as
to when and where and with whom I can
drink alcohol, do drugs, and smoke my
cigarettes, I implore you to impart your
wisdom on my study habits, on my time
management, on my sleep schedule!
College is killing me, and the only way I
can see myself avoiding certain death by
Chekhov, Defoe, and van Loon is for you
to let me know what I am doing wrong at
the exact moment I am doing it. I learn
from punishment - not experience! I need
monetary values attached to time wasted,
reproves for detrimental eating habits, a
handbook outlining what I will suffer for
one more mindless minute on Buzzfeed!
I need Big Brother! I need Brigham Young
comes to Bennington! I need North Korea!
I need Ken Collamore tailing me day and
night, arthritic by the time I graduate due to
the incessant flling out of violation forms!
But alas - I actually just need to go to bed.
Variety: The Spice of Life, Not Dinner
BY TREVOR STANNUS 'T5

It is a common misconception held
by those less inclined toward the spicier
things in life: all hot sauces were created
equal. Yes, most of them may be red and
make you run for a glass of milk (bread
is not an effective cure), but the fact is
that many of us can taste the difference.
Many of you may not know this, but our
own Student Center and Dining Hall on
campus offer only one brand of hot sauce,
and that is Texas Pete. Now the label with
the little red cowboy on it has been around
since 1929, and I dont doubt that there is
some following; I, however, am not a fan.
Sure, Texas Pete is based on the classic
combination of red peppers and vinegar
which many of you will recognize from
other (in my opinion, superior) hot sauces
such as Cholula and Tabasco. What, then,
is the difference?
Well, it comes down to the hot in
hot sauce. The heat level of peppers and
hot sauces sometimes referred to as its
pungencyis measured on the Scoville
scale. Texas Pete averages at a mere
750 on the Scoville heat scale. To put
that in perspective, Cholula and Tabasco
both hover around a 3,500. I understand
that its a lowest common denominator
situation here, and that it makes sense that
a less spicy sauce will appeal to the most
people over all, but without that vital heat I
believe that Texas Pete appeals to only one
demographic: those who enjoy favored
vinegar. I am not asking for specialty
sauces to melt the faces of the uninitiated;
even Sriracha (at a less imposing 2,000) is
delicious in comparison to Texas Pete. Id
just like to spice things up.
LEFT: PETE FEY. RIGHT: SRIRACHA HOT
CHILI SAUCE, TEXAS PETE HOT SAUCE
PHOTO CREDIT: BFP ARCHIVES
PHOTO CREDIT: PETE FEY
7 THE BENNINGTON FREE PRESS / September 28th, 2012 > Vol. 18 No. 1 A R T S
Fall Arts Preview
Y NAkEN 1CHN5CN 'T5
Dead Mans Cell Phone, written by Sarah Ruhl and to be performed as this years fall
student production, is the comic love story of a woman named Jean and a mysterious,
handsome stranger in a coffee shop who will not answer his cell phonebecause he
happens to be dead. What follows is a fantasy exploration of contemporary life told with
Sarah Ruhls pithy yet whimsical style. It is a style not yet known to Bennington: as
director Ashley Connell said, We havent done a Sarah Ruhl play here, to my knowledge,
and shes a female playwright, shes a modern playwright, the play is a modern play but...
its in sort of a poetic style....I dont think its what [Bennington will] be expecting.
Additionally, the plays focus on female characters ensures that female actors star in
well-developed roles, something we sometimes lack in the department, Connell said.
Dead Mans Cell Phone runs October 13 and 14. It is stage managed by
Abby Beggs, assisted by Rebecca Warzer; with set by Bronwyn Maloney;
costumes by Krista Thorp; lighting by Bronwyn Maloney, assisted by Ranleigh
Starling; sound by Eva Bond. The cast includes: Meg Rumsey-Lasersohn, Rory
Cullen, Andrew Plimpton, Amanda Campbell, Emily Gaynor, and Lily Brown.
Dead Mans Cell Phone
Y PATkICK HAkNETTNAk5HAII 'T Y THAI5 GIAZNAN 'T
Y 1EVA IANGE 'T5
ARTS EDITOR
Y NAI TkAN 'T
On display in Usdan Gallery from
September 11 until October 18, Uniting
States of Americans: From I Am An
American to We are the 99% features
two collections of documentary work by
Cynthia Weber, printed material from
the Occupy Movement, and an event
series organized by Terry Orr 13 and
Forest Purnell 13. Text @unitingstates
to 23559 for live updates on the exhibit.
A few days after the beginning
of Occupy Wall Street last year, the
philosopher Slavoj Zizek appeared at
the movement`s frst encampment in
Lower Manhattan. There is a danger.
Dont fall in love with yourselves, he
said. We know that people often desire
something but do not really want it. Dont
be afraid to really want what you desire.
Behind the theatrics of the 2012 US
presidential election, does anyone know
how deep the crisis goes? On another
level, how is the American public
limited in what it can desire by the fact
of what it is? And how does that relate
to notion of the public as the 99%?
Cynthia Weber, a documentarian and
a Professor of International Relations at
Sussex University in the UK, recently
suggested that the phrase We are the
99%`, 'was more of a working fction - a
utopian prefguration of local, national and
global unities that are lived incompletely
in the present in the hope that they will
be lived more completely in the future
- than it was an accomplished fact.
Webers work, now on exhibit in
Usdan Gallery, addresses the themes of
difference, inclusion, and exclusion in
the fguring of publicsand particularly
the American public. In her collection I
Am An American, Weber makes public
service announcements out of interviews
with those considered to be unmeltable
Americans. Voices in the collection
include Ofelia Rivas, a Tohono Oodham
Native American whose peoples territory
which straddles the US-Mexico border
has been physically divided by a vehicle
border installed in 2006; and James Yee,
a former US army Muslim chaplain who
was detained for weeks under unsupported
claims of sedition, after returning from
service at Guantanamo Bay in 2003. Part
of the permanent collection at the National
September 11 Memorial Museum, I
Am An American speaks to the limits
of inclusion in liberal, tolerant society.
Webers recent collection, recorded
at Zucotti Park in New York and other
sites, brings similar concerns to bear on
the Occupy Movement and the phrase
We Are the 99%. In one of the videos,
performance artist Reverend Billy
Talen, dressed in a white televangelist
preachers` outft, sweeps his hands
over a crowd and yells enthusiastically,
exaggeratedly, The 99%my new god!
Weber writes, While OWS and
the 99% movements challenge what
democracy looks like, their initial
success was arguably down to the fact
that these movements appeared to leave
unchallenged the underlying ideology
upon which US democratic practice is
grounded - liberalism. Liberalism is a
political ideology that champions the
rights of individuals to organize governing
arrangements that protect their freedoms
in social conditions of their choosing.
When Zizek made the injunction to 'not
be afraid to want what we desire, he was
also saying to not be afraid of questioning
liberalism and its limits. Webers I
Am An American series illustrates
those limits through the examples of
unmeltable Americans. We Are the
99%, on the other hand, might show how
easily revolutionary intentions can melt.
Y FCkE5T PUkNEII 'T3
Review: Uniting States of Americans, From I Am An American to We Are the 99%
The Arts Section brings you the hottest hits, from Hollywood to 1st Street
On
Campus
After undertaking the colossus of
Angels in America a year ago as well as
Sam Hunters When Youre Here this
past spring, the Drama Department has
chosen to present School for Lies this
term, Henry Ives rambunctious adaptation
of Moliere`s 17th- century comic
masterpiece The Misanthrope. Under
the direction of drama faculty Kathleen
Dimmick, the cast members will learn the
ins and outs of speaking in verse in their
preparations over the next nine weeks.
Like the original, the play skewers
hypocrisy in the arenas of love, law, and
art, at the same time paying sly homage
to Richard Wilburs great English verse
translation from the 1950s, says Dimmick.
Student directors include assistant director
Elissa Daniels, stage manager Emily
Anzalone, lighting designer Ranleigh
School for Lies
Starling, and set designers Hye-Young
Choi and Tina Cooper. Cast members are
Cody Sullivan, Colin Hinckley, Olivia
Auerbach, Molly Kirschner, Catherine
Weingarten, Dylan Scott, Tenara Calem,
Andrew Elk, and Klemente Gilbert-Espada.
School for Lies will run November
16th, 17th, and 18th at 8pm.
Bond is back in his twenty-third flm in
fIty years. Played by Daniel Craig, Skyfall
sees Bond`s loyalty to M (Judi Dench)
again trialed. When his latest mission
in Istanbul goes gravely wrong, Bond
goes missing, presumed dead and M16s
agents around the world are exposed.
During the critical period, Bond, now
as Ms only ally, suddenly reappears. As
he follows her order to track down the
mysterious Raoul Silva, whose hidden
motives have yet to be revealed, Bond
soon fnds his loyalty to M challenged over
secrets Irom her past. Directed by Sam
Mendes of American Beauty notoriety,
Skyfall will premiere on October 23.
Author of the His Dark Materials trilogy, Pullman is the modern master of the dark
fairytale. Two centuries before him, however, that title belonged to Jacob and Wilhelm
Grimm. This November, Pullman does the brothers justice, retelling their classics ('Cin-
derella, 'Hansel and Gretal) and putting their lesser-known tales in the spotlight as well.
His personal comments follow each story. That, in itself, is a treasure. Out November 8.
Dreams, tragedy, solitude, and
resurrection. These are the words that
come to mind as Flying Lotus new
album, Until the Quiet Comes, fast
approaches. Unlike Steven Ellisons
previous albums (Flying Lotus is his
stage name), dreamy lyrics will be closely
integrated with old school hip-hop beats.
A short flm, about Iour minutes long
and sharing the same name as the album
is intended as a preview to the upcoming
album itselI. The flm is set in the projects
oI L.A. in a guerilla manner. Director
Kahlil Joseph uses amateur actors and
dancers of all ages and brings us into the
atmosphere and emotion of this musically
surreal world that Flying Lotus has created.
Also look forward to collaborations on
the album with the greats: Erykah Badu,
Schoolboy Q, and Beck. Until the Quiet
Comes drops on October 2 and from what
is on the radar at the moment, coupled with
his past three albums, it seems there is only
one direction Flying Lotus is headed. Up.
You can listen to Until the Quiet
Comes now on NPRs First Listen.
Until the Quiet Comes Skyfall
Fairy Tales from the Brothers Grimm:
A New English Version
Skyfall will premiere on October 23. Skyfall will premiere on October 23. Skyfall
Fairy Tales from the Brothers Grimm:
Off
Campus
PHCTC CkEDIT: FCkE5T PUkNEII 'T3
8
The BenningTon Free Press / September 28th, 2012 > Vol. 18 No. 1 A R T S
What can we say about Snow Beast?
If you want an hour and thirty-seven
minutes of pure cinematic genius
Don`t watch this flm. Snow Beast is
like your estranged stepchild trying to
do things to make you proud oI them
and while you really, really want to be
proud oI them.it`s just not working out.
The movie centers around an egotistical
scientist Iather, his angsty bitch oI a
daughter, some random girl scientist, and
an overly-stereotyped Native American
who seamlessly drops in Iun Iacts like:
'Did you know that over 15 million people
ski every year in north America alone?
Thanks Native American Character,
where would we be without you?
The most important character oI all,
oI course, is the Snow Beast itselI. Clad
in a costume that could have only been
made in a basement, Snow Beast`s most
notable characteristic is his unparalleled
strength. This is the only explanation Ior
the instantaneous death that Iollows a
single limp, fsh-like punch/slap to the
head oI its victims. Many experience hand-
to-hand combat with Snow Beast. None
survive. You come in contact with Snow
Beast? Snow Beast kill you in an instant.
One treat in the movie is when you see
through Snow Beast`s eyes, revealed in a
red-tinted sepia tone that translates into
a halI-assed inIrared, only adding to the
cumulative halI-assed Ieel oI the flm.
Another not-Iully-developed aspect oI
the movie is the plot. Which is unIortunate,
because it`s the plot. The Iather character
drags the daughter to a cabin in the
Canadian wilderness so he and his scientist
Iriends can do another exciting yearly
study oI the lynxes which have been
disappearing. SPOILER ALERT! That`s
because Snow Beast ate them all. He also
ate some snowboarders, which piques the
interest oI the local mountie and his Iat
sidekick, Gibbons (oI course his name is
Gibbons). Gibbons suggests they give
up the search Ior any and all missing
people because 'they are gone but
Mountie doesn`t give up hope. He goes on
searching Ior the missing people. And then
Snow Beast eats him. Everyone is scared.
Except rando science girl who decides to
catch snow beast on flm because she`s
going to be rich. But surprise surprise,
Snow Beast kills her. Escape attempts and
more deaths Iollow, accumulating into
a lackluster ending that satisfes no one.
For the Iull eIIect, watch Snow Beast. It`s
a good time. We give Snow Beast 4 limp fsh-
like punch/slaps out oI 10. Xoxo Snow Beast
Stream Snow Beast on Netjlix lnstont.
Stream it Now:
Snow Beast (2011, Brian Brough)
Y IIIY kCWN AND GkEG NCI 'T5
BeIore us we have an ocean, verdant
mountains, and a spaceship. Not just any
spaceship, but a spaceship inspired by the
decade oI the 1990s. Through the lens oI
said spaceship we see the Hawaiian island
oI Kauai: bikini clad models, crashing
waterIalls, and tattooed Polynesian na-
tives. The spaceship then beams down the
most absurd oI aliens, clad in a rose bikini,
hair the color oI Vietnamese lime soda.
It is Nicki Minaj.
Beyond her attempts to portray herselI
as the queen oI Tolkein`s elves, we see a
woman who gyrates her hips in perhaps
the most obscene oI Iashions. Equating her
dance moves to those oI a thin Caucasian
male would be overly generous. Loin-
clothed men jump through paint as the hip
gyrations carry on. Nicki`s expressions are
not those oI joy, but rather like those oI acid
burnt Iaces, Iollowed by the expression
oI a millionaire reIusing to pay her rent.
Her next getup is seemingly an amalga-
mation oI duct tape and hosiery, quickly
cycling into the fnal outft, wherein the
designers threw in the towel and give up.
Previous gyrations turn into an epic strug-
gle between DDs, Iringe, and modesty.
All in all, the video Ior Starships, ehh.
Margetic on Music
A critical examination of the music video for
Starships by Nicki Minaj
Y EN1ANIN NAkGETIC 'T5
Welcome to the Jungle
With all the new bands on campus, things are going to
sound a little different around here
Brother Dane and the Zen Masters is a
quintessentially Bennington band. Born in
the Leigh common room, they are a selI-
proclaimed 'collective that emphasizes
collaboration. 'It was just a lot more Iun
to have everyone come in and experiment
with us, explained Jackson. The core
group oI the collective is composed oI
Dane Whitman (vocals, bass), Duncan
Bullen (guitar), Jackson Kovalchik
(percussion), Max Avery Epstein (bass,
guitar), Luca Hideki-Sato (piano), and
Jeremy Weizenbaum (banjo) although
they are willing to play with any musically
inclined person that comes by. Sitting in
during a jam session at the End oI the World
was a chance to see how the collective
works in practice; people continued to stop
by to listen, and oIten brought instruments
and joined in. Weizenbaum attributed
their ability to play with just about anyone
to the fact that they are using covers to
get cohesive as a band. They draw upon
60s and 70s classics, as well as blues and
Iolk infuences that are pretty universally
known in order to jam with near-strangers.
Back when the core group perIormed at
the Student Bands Showcase earlier this
month, they not only played two covers
('Twist and Shout, 'Psycho Killer), but
their opening song was an original. When
asked about any Ioreseeable challenges
in trying to play originals with such a
scattered group, Whitman answered that
'It`ll get interesting when we have to start
telling people that what they`re doing is
wrong |but| I Ieel like the longer we`re here
and the more music classes we`re taking,
it`s just going to get better and better.
Y EkI 5TEkN 'T
Brother Dane and the Zen Masters
As those who heard Jake Saunders play
at the Student Center probably know,
Saunders survived high school with music:
'Most oI my songs come Irom a very
angst-y period oI my liIe |when| I moved
Irom... New York to CaliIornia. I Iound an
opportunity to make music based on my
Ieelings. These songs, oIten involving
heartbreak and teachers, are relatable
because they bring back memories oI our
archetypical teenage experiences. The
Jake Saunders
stories, combined with Saunders` aIIable
stage presence, create a way Ior the audience
to remember the things we Ielt (and still
do to a degree). The nostalgic songs make
you remember not just the times you
went home and blasted Odd Future while
lamenting your parents and homework, but
also the times you wrote your crush`s name
in your diary while listening to Girls; the
bad and the good oI your teenage years.
Right Irom the start, Harlan Steed
and Sam Irwin seemed to have a sense
oI what kind oI music they wanted to
create. Drawing inspiration Irom artists
ranging Irom D`Angelo to The Avalanches
to Bill Evans, they began looping and
sampling to create intimate, atmospheric
music through the use of harmonies and
layers. Steed explains that their interest in
looping and sampling arose because he has
experience with instruments like the cello
and bass and they got into the idea of a
very simple beat, or a repetitive sound.
He bought a looper and 'started making
drones and some beats, and experimented
with creating different sorts of sounds than
he could make through the instruments
he previously played. Irwin got into the
idea oI sampling mainly through bands
like The Avalanches and The Books, and
Harlan and Sam
began doing vocals loops and layering
noise on his computer. His intent was to
'|alter| something so much to the point
that it |would be| unrecognizable. Their
song making process is also unique in that
it involves a great deal oI improvisation.
Irwin explained that they 'jam and go
back to the things that |they`ve| already
played, and build oII melodies over that.
When they add samples, the songs oIten
change entirely, and the result is diIIerent
than expected. While their ambient,
drone-y music might seem distant from
their jazz infuences, they are similar
in their ability to improvise during live
shows; according to Steed they 'rarely
play anything the same way again. This
Ireedom allows them to 'never lose sight
oI the original ideas |they| have but |to|
keep pushing the music in diIIerent ways.
PHCTC CkEDIT: EkI 5TEkN 'T