NEWS SCIENCE COMDEB ACTIVE LIFESTYLE Swastikas found carved on Photographic memory: fact The Iran crisis and the fail- Nation’s best gather at Mathias doors or fi ction? ure of political discourse local climbing competition

Owen Anderson Jesse Paul 2 Claire McNellan 5 Joe Jammal 6 & Eli Michaels 10

Volume 41 No 17

Love, art, and THE INDEPENDENT STUDENT NEWSPAPER OF COLORADO COLLEGE the White Stripes

Page 11

Responsible endowment revolution: uniting our investments with our ideals >

March 2, 2012 catalystnewspaper.com

Award shows misrepresentative and out of touch Robby Caseria Staff Writer ward show season has come and gone, leav- Aing us, the consumers of popular culture, with a number of questions: is Billy Crystal re- ally going with a blackface routine in 2012? Why couldn’t Michel Hazanavicius shoot “The Artist” in HD? Who or what is Bon Iver? Though these are all valid inquiries that deserve answers, one Illustrated by Erick Nelson looms large over the rest: should we even care Alex Kronman sues and processes; as the end users of products reflect our community’s core values. about award shows anymore? Former Editor-in-Chief flowing through global commodity chains Beyond our individual roles as consumers, Though the Emmys, Grammys, Oscars, connecting distant peoples and places across the the endowment question brings to light an even and Golden Globes have served as valuable his editorial is different from the countless world, we are all constantly involved, conscious- more significant manner in which our lifestyle barometers of culture in the past, cataloging TCatalyst articles you’ve read lamenting injus- ly or not, in the global economic processes gen- is connected to and implicated in the creation what achievements mattered most in a given tice and indifference. This is a call to action. erating sickening profits for a few and grotesque and reproduction of so many troubling aspects year, these accolades have failed to keep up with It is a simple demand that Colorado College poverty and destitution for so many. of our global economic system. Our collective entertainment’s changing role in the 21st century. change its investment policy to comply to the The endowment can no longer be CC’s dirty community and institution is investing in and Over the past few decades, television outlets fullest extent possible with our College’s “core little secret; we must take responsibility for it profiting from a set of industries and corpora- have proliferated at a rate truly unprecedented, values,” including our “ethic of environmental and its consequences. tions that operate with blatant disregard of the creating more ways for more people to receive sustainability” and our commitment to “social We reject the notion that the management of human and environmental consequences of more content. Netflix, Hulu, DVRs, foreign responsibility at local, national, and global levels.” our endowment must be driven by a singular their practices and moneymaking operations. In cable, video-on-demand services, network- As Wyatt Miller put it in the February issue of focus on “return on investment” and ignore the essence, the comfortable conditions in which sponsored episode streaming sites, Apple TV The Cipher, “[the] fantasy is over… the bubble social and environmental consequences of the we live and work on this campus are being paid (and competitors), and an explosion of domestic is burst.” The release of information about the corporations and investment funds where we for through social injustice and environmental cable channels have all contributed to the array types of industries and corporations that the place the institution’s money. We reject the idea degradation. of available programming growing larger than Colorado College endowment is invested in has that CC must conform to a vile status quo that The question becomes: are we, as a com- it has ever been. Twenty years ago, people ev- a certain shock value, triggering the proverbial puts our comfort above the lives of those less munity and an institution, comfortable with erywhere basically watched the same TV shows “WTF?!” moment in many of us. fortunate. this situation? Are we willing to continue with and saw the same movies. Yet thanks to a surge Such reactions, these immediate sensations It is high time that our community engages in the fiction that our investment decisions can of in-home viewing technologies starting with of anger and frustration, all too often lead to an open and honest discussion of our endow- be guided solely by a single-minded pursuit Betamax and now taking the form of Blu-ray or nothing more than individualized discontent and ment’s impact on the wider world; it is time that of profit maximization, without any concern the iPad 2, people have much greater freedom resignation. If we are lucky, we engage in some we take action to divest from interests that we as for the social and environmental practices and in how they entertain themselves. More choices heated, if fleeting, conversations about the issue a community abhor. consequences of the businesses we invest in? means a more divided audience, and a more in our classrooms and amongst our friends. Our shared revulsion must be channeled into We hope not. And we dare to imagine that divided audience means, in the case of television, However, it has always been an illusion that something more sustained and intentional: a things could be different. major network shows that cater to the broad- our conversations, interactions, and educational collective conversation amongst all of us who est market spectrum possible are struggling to trajectories could in any way be disconnected make up Colorado College (students, staff, Next week in The Catalyst we’ll be taking a look at grab hold of ratings while more nuanced cable from the broader social problems plaguing our faculty, administrators, and trustees) to identify what responsible investing looks like across the country shows aimed at more selective demographics are world – from poverty and inequality to injustice our values and our expectations regarding the and how CC fits into that larger context. On Monday, flourishing. and exploitation, human and environmental. investments made in our name, to make explicit CCSGA is holding a forum on the endowment at 5 The same can be said for music. As recently as The relatively comfortable lifestyle so many of our demands for the “responsible investment” p.m. in Perkins Lounge in Worner. us live implicates us in these broader social is- of the College’s endowment funds in ways that continued on page 12 2 March 2, 2012 News CC joins Arizona book ban protests

books back to students and setting up under- Erica Plumlee ground libraries,” said Lee. The underground li- News Editor braries will be located in Houston, San Antonio, Albuquerque, and Tucson. The Librotraficante Caravan intends to collect a complete set of all This past January, the Tucson Unified School the banned books for each one of these under- District published a list of banned books as ground libraries, and it is relying on the dona- part of the suspension of the Ethnic Stud- tions and support of groups like CC’s to make ies/Mexican-American Studies program. The that happen. majority of the banned books have Mexican- In fact, Tony Diaz, the founder of Nuestra American authors, but even books like Shake- Palabra: Latino Writers Having Their Say and speare’s “The Tempest” have been called into the charge behind Librotraficante, cited CC as question. As the movement continues to draw the first student group in the country, outside national criticism, CC’s own protest against the of students in Tucson, to actively protest the racially charged book ban has begun to take movement. However, the Arizona-based stu- shape. dent group U.N.I.D.O.S. reached out to several The Tucson Unified School District super- colleges and universities right after the ban was intendent says he banned the books in accor- announced, and found tremendous support. dance with Arizona State Law HB 2282, which “I’ve talked to lots of people here who don’t declares that public school students should even know what’s going on,” said Lee, citing yet “not be taught to resent or hate other races or another reason she joined the protest. “We want classes of people.” This entails terminating to inspire other schools, but we need to do it any program causing ethnic tension; the elimi- A row of books on Mexican-American history sits on a shelf in Tutt Library. The question of here first.” nation of Mexican-American history educa- whether books that may cause “ethnic tension” should be available to students is a large The next few weeks leading up to the Libro- tion just happens to be a consequence of that. aspect of the protest. Photo by Carrie White. traficante Caravan will be crucial, as the CC “I thought it would be good to get involved protestors work to educate and engage the com- since we are a college community, and this is munity. very significantly an issue of academic free- any campus group, but is comprised of a small hoping that this activity on YouTube can spread “As peoples living on the same land, we have dom,” said CC sophomore Guojun Lee, who group of passionate students who want to reach across the campus and across the country.” not only the right but also the pressing need prompted CC’s involvement in the protest. out. They spent much of block break visiting The group is also planning to design posters to share our perspectives, cultural knowledge Lee took Student Activism in the Civil with faculty to get their support and suggestions. to put around campus, and bookmarks to hand and memories,” concluded Lee. “Those who Rights Movement last block with visiting pro- “Right now we are recording statements from out to people, as well as planning a day called support the banning fear that allowing our full fessor Maria Valera, where she first had the students and professors to get a video compila- “Putting the Banned Books on the Shelf,” in story to be told will cause tensions to their dis- chance to discuss the book ban: “We started tion to say to Tucson students, ‘We encourage which people will gather all the banned books advantage. I think that it will be the only way for exchanging ideas in class and our professor your resistance.’ They’re in middle school and that can be found in Tutt Library and put them us to make sense of our shared residence, and, gave us suggestions. Over block break we laid high school, so I think it will encourage them to all on display. The biggest show of support, collectively, to birth from it something beautiful foundations, like making the Facebook page,” hear from college kids,” explained Lee. “Anoth- however, will come in the form of fundraising beyond what we can imagine now.” said Lee. er thing is reading inspirational passages from for a caravan of writers and activists, called the The CC protest support group, called the banned books. We want people of all cultures to Librotraficante, which will be smuggling banned Colorado College Community for Educational record themselves reading passages that have in- books into Arizona in mid-March. Email [email protected] for more in- Justice in AZ, is not officially sponsored by spired them, and post those recordings. We are “Librotraficante is going to be hauling banned formation or to get involved. Swastikas found carved in Mathias doors with this possible hate crime. Jesse Paul “Any time a bias incident takes place our pri- Staff Writer mary concern is going to be those most directly affected by the incident,” said York. “We want On two separate occasions this academic year, to ensure that students feel safe and secure in swastikas have been found carved into the door their living and learning environments. When of a residence inhabited by two freshmen on events like this happen, there is always a group the east hallway of the second floor of Mathias. of student life professionals who communicate The first swastika was found during third and work together to address the concern and block by the residents, who wished to remain provide for necessary communication.” anonymous. It was faintly cut into the door in Nevertheless, the carvings in Mathias not an area described by a resident as a two-inch only violate CC policies, but also Colorado state square. law. At the end of fifth block, a similar carving “In this case, carving a swastika on a door was found on the door of the same room, ac- does not fall under the First Amendment (free- companied by a much larger swastika carved on dom of speech),” said Jason Newton, Campus the inside of the single bathroom door directly Resource Officer to CC. “Once that person across from the room. The carving on the bath- damaged property by carving the swastikas, they room door was so large that it covered the entire stepped past free speech and committed an act width of the surface. of criminal mischief.” Neither of the freshmen living in the dorm Since the carvings were swastikas, they could room are Jewish, nor are they of any direct Ger- also be considered a “bias-motivated crime” man descent. also known as a “hate crime.” “We honestly just think it was some drunk In Colorado, that law states that “a person idiot,” said one of the residents. “It was weird... A new tolerance bulletin board erected following the incidents in the second floor central commits a bias-motivated crime if, with the in- We both didn’t really see it as a personal attack wing of Mathias. The board details the difference between a Nazi swastika and a similar tent to intimidate or harass another person be- on us. I don’t even know what message that re- symbol. Photo by Stanley Sigalov. cause of that person’s actual or perceived race, ally sends.” color, religion, ancestry, national origin, physical Both Katie Smith, the Residential Advi- or mental disability, or sexual orientation, he or sor (RA) for the hall where the swastikas were mandatory meeting to discuss the events. These thought it was someone who was pretty messed she [causes them injury or fear or property dam- found, and the residents of the damaged door sessions were held by Fagundo and Office for up or drunk, or maybe a combination of the age].” believe that the vandalism took place late at Minority and International Students (OMIS) two. I really didn’t think anything of it.” Crimes that fall under this category can be night after RAs had finished rounds. representatives. “At a lot of the conversations we have been prosecuted as a Class 1 misdemeanor or a Class The resident also reported that he did not The Catalyst was able to attend the final ses- having with other halls, people have been say- 5 felony, both of which can result in substantial feel unsafe as a result of the incident and didn’t sion, during which OMIS was not present due ing, ‘Well, they were probably just drunk’,” Fa- jail time and fines. think it was someone who lived on his hall, add- to another issue on campus. gundo said at the meeting. “They say, ‘They “This type of incident is taken very seriously,” ing that his “hall is overall pretty awesome.” Fagundo first asked the Mathias residents if didn’t mean to target anyone because these stu- said Newton. “We just don’t really know what to think of it,” they felt the meeting they were attending was a dents weren’t Jewish.’ Does that really matter?” When asked what he would do if he caught the resident said. “There are actually a couple waste of time, to which one person responded, The residents at the meeting responded the vandal carving a swastika on his door again, of Jewish people on the hall, and I hope this “kind of.” Nonetheless, many students did ex- unanimously: “No.” the resident said, “I would absolutely stop them. wasn’t directed at them and they just got the press outrage and disgust at the carvings, calling “If we are able to find the person who is re- I am getting sick and tired of this. It is com- wrong door.” them “hateful” and “wrong.” sponsible for the vandalism, and any act of van- pletely disrespectful and inappropriate to carve In response to the carvings, an e-mail was The RLC then stressed the topics of intent dalism in general, they’ll be charged with violat- it anywhere.” sent out to the entire dorm by Mathias Resi- versus impact, discussing how whoever did the ing Colorado College’s value of ‘community’ as “Though the person or people who com- dential Life Coordinator (RLC), Nikki Fagundo. carvings did not necessarily mean to offend any- outlined in the Pathfinder,” said Paul York, Stu- mitted the vandalism may not have intended However, when asked, many students were still one, but regardless, could have. dent Life Specialist, in an e-mail to The Catalyst. to cause harm, the harm has been done,” said unaware that the event even took place. One student at the meeting said that when he “Additionally, they’ll be charged with the specific York. “Hurtful actions dilute trust, respect, and After the second set of carvings were found, saw the e-mail sent out by the RLC he thought violation of ‘vandalism.’” a sense of community required for learning and every hall in Mathias was required to attend a the vandalism was “pretty messed up. I just However, CC also has other plans to deal exchanging ideas.” March 2, 2012 News 3 “Substance neutral” events Work on Bill of Rights continues demic integrity, but what about everything else? Knecht is not the only enthusiastic candidate; increase That’s something that will need to be resolved Brooks Fleet, a candidate for Vice President of Katie Dougherty before ratification.” Student Concerns, also voiced his interest. “I Rosie Curts Guest Writer The problems with implementation, how- think it’s a really good idea,” he said. “I’m run- ever, may be eased by the new appointment ning because I feel like some of my friends’ Staff Writer of a voting student member to the Board of rights have been violated by the administration As the CCSGA officer election heats up and Trustees. “This is something not a lot of other and the punishment process, and I want to help The implementation of “substance neutral” our campus is papered with witty campaign schools have,” said Regenbogen. This elected reform the system so students don’t feel they events, an idea that was considered at the Town posters, current Executive Vice President Jack position, currently selecting applicants, will are at a disadvantage.” Hall meeting with President Tiefenthaler on Feb. Regenbogen has continued to push ongoing give students strong representation in Board The drafting of the student Bill of Rights, 6, is already being put into action. projects. The latest project, the Feb. 1 CCSGA decisions. This will be key, says Regenbogen, however, is only the beginning. “There are “We’ve actually been organizing it since half- Constitutional Convention, was the newest in the student body’s ability to “go beyond the parts of the student Bill of Rights that will be block,” said Alli Weibel, Campus Activities In- initiative in a series of moves toward greater administration.” It will allow both individuals really easy to ratify – i.e. requiring CCSGA to tern. Although “it hasn’t had a very formalized student involvement in CC’s student adminis- and student groups greater voice in how labor post for students where their money is going,” start…it’s definitely a work in progress.” tration. Based on the discussion generated in contracts are awarded and maintained and, im- said Mamet. “Other parts – like due process in At the Town Hall meeting, one of the main the convention, Regenbogen has drafted a stu- portantly, how the school’s endowment is man- residence life issues – will be harder to ratify topics was substance use on campus and the dent Bill of Rights. “I’ve devoted a lot of time aged. “The student member of the board will immediately because they involve more than creation of events that are more welcoming to to this,” said Regenbogen. “I’ve drafted a list be able to work much more on transparency,” just CCSGA.” With regard to the immediate sub-free students. The possibility of “substance of about 30 [amendments] so far.” said Mamet. future, CCSGA officers Ben Quam and Jack neutral” events was raised, although the term The diverse issues raised in the convention However, the other issues - dealing with Regenbogen have made vast strides in the last “substance neutral” was not clearly defined. ranged from problems with housing to due housing, financial aid, CCSGA policy and de- week. “There will be a feedback survey on the Weibel explained that “substance neutral” is process and contractual standards. The full cision-making, alcohol and drug amnesty, and first draft later this week,” said Quam. “Students now considered to mean that alcohol is neither minutes are available at http://sites.colorado- the distribution of CCSGA funds – may not be will be able to vote to prioritize issues. Some will served nor allowed, and is not encouraged in college.edu/ccsga/2012/02/01/the-con-con- affected by the student trustee. “I see them as be old, some new. We’ll put that into a final copy any way at the event. Although this may not a-recap/#more-377. “We ran the full gamut separate issues,” said Mamet. “The ratification and put that to the students to vote up or down.” seem like a big change from former CC events, of issues,” said Ben Quam, CCSGA Student will deal mainly with working with residential Quam said the CCSGA would have “some- Weibel said that it “seemed like a general con- Body President. Upwards of 60 people at- life, conduct staff, and the formal administra- thing solid” by the end of the year, with an sensus that creating ‘sub-free’ events would turn tended the convention to discuss CC’s Con- tion.” anticipated roundtable discussion between Re- away those who aren’t sub-free, but not labeling stitution and proposed amendments. “What The drafting of Regenbogen’s Bill of Rights, genbogen and staff to determine what policy evens at all turns away sub-free students.” I’m most excited about is the level of interest however, is the first step in this process, com- changes can be made. “If there are impossible By officially naming events “substance neu- this convention fueled in people who don’t plicated by upcoming officer elections. Several or politically infeasible issues, we’ll still push,” tral”, “sub-free students will be aware of the fact normally get involved in CCSGA,” reflected of this year’s candidates have chosen to include he explained. Keeping in mind the close of that their needs are also being catered towards,” Elliot Mamet, a candidate for Constitutional ratification in their campaign platforms. Pat the year, Quam said he was confident progress said Weibel. All students will know that they are Vice President. Knecht, candidate for CCSGA’s Executive Vice would be forthcoming. being noticed and their concerns are being ad- The Bill of Rights drafted by Regenbo- President, is emphasizing the increased student The student Bill of Rights and Constitutional dressed. No one should have to feel excluded. gen would address presented concerns, such participation in policy-making heralded by the Convention have so far allowed students to vent The Town Hall meeting also addressed the as students’ right to a jury of their peers in student Bill of Rights. “CC students made their constructively, the pending ratification notwith- idea of “Worner Weekends,” which means that disciplinary matters. “The problem is with voices heard at the CCSGA Constitutional standing. “This is a matter of defining issues,” a “substance neutral” event could be held every implementation,” he remarked. “The Honor Convention,” his poster reads. “Let’s make sure explained Regenbogen. “It will be the basis for Friday and Saturday night in Worner (or pos- Council investigates issues with respect to aca- these ideas don’t get swept away by the wind!” struggles to come.” sibly elsewhere) to provide students with fun alternatives to going to parties. This plan is already being put into action as well. On the last weekend of fifth block, there Elections include new trustee position was a speed-dating event on Friday night and tion, Quam and the CCSGA wrote that they free ice-skating on Saturday. Last weekend, the hoped the student board member will increase Retro Prom was held in Worner on Friday night the dialogue between students and Board mem- and a screening of the first Lord of the Rings bers, give an institutionalized student perspec- movie was played on Saturday night. This week- tive on the Board, and create a new leadership end, Harry Potter Trivia is on Friday and the role for CC. In October, Quam and CCSGA second Lord of the Rings movie will be shown proposed this idea to the Board of Trustees, on Saturday. which countered with a few questions before “It’s not about Campus Activities cranking out formally approving it. Quam spent time com- events,” explained Weibel. “It’s about student paring and contrasting the Student Trustee posi- organizations getting to be more active partici- tions at other institutions to come up with the pants” in events. For example, the Harry Potter proposal for a student trustee at CC. Trivia night is being put on by the members of Written in the proposal are the responsibili- “A Very Potter Musical” as part of their publicity ties of the student trustee, as follows: for the upcoming show. a.) The Student Trustee will have voting Right now, Weibel says that not as many stu- member status on the Colorado College Board dent groups are participating as Campus Ac- of Trustees tivities would like, but that “it’s a new initia- b.) The Student Trustee is held to all the tive” so there is still plenty of time and room same standards as other voting members. This for improvement. “We’d like student groups to includes but is not limited to: be more proactive than they are at this point,” -Attending all Board of Trustee meet- Weibel said. ings and necessary committee meetings. Weibel explained that the recent Retro Prom -Upholding all confidentiality and dis- was slightly different from dances in the past closure standards with respect to information that were not labeled “substance neutral” in privy to the Board of Trustees. several ways. The DJ played more oldie classic c.) The Student Trustee will sit on Board songs and less rave-like or house music. Weibel Committees as determined between the Student explained that it is required that every event Trustee and his or her fellow Board members. serving alcohol also serves food, and this time, d.) The Student Trustee is subject to the same there was food with no alcohol served. She also internal evaluation and potential dismissal by said that although there were, of course, stu- the Board as any other voting member. In the dents there who were intoxicated, “a different event of the dismissal of the Student Trustee, type of student would’ve felt more comfortable the Governance Committee will inform the CC- in that type of setting.” SGA of the trustee’s dismissal. The CCSGA The next night’s screening of Lord of the president will nominate a new Student Trustee Rings was more of a success, bringing out even for approval by the Governance Committee. more people who don’t tend to like the Worner The newly nominated trustee cannot be the dis- parties. “I saw people that I’ve seen out at off- missed trustee. campus things and some people who I’ve never Once a student nominates him or herself, the seen before,” said Weibel. Just getting together campus body will vote. Then, the governance and watching a movie seemed like a fun event committee on the Board will pick the represen- that nearly everyone was happy to do sober. The board in Worner which displays the candidates for the new student trustee position. tative from the top three finalists. Quam origi- For future substance-neutral events, it is ex- The new position has proven popular in the recent elections, with many people running nally wanted it to be a completely student-decid- pected that food will be a central point. Weibel for the new position. Whoever wins the race will work to give a student perspective to ed position, but this was part of the agreement said that some ideas they’re considering are a the board of trustees. Photo by Carrie White. with the Board. marshmallow roast, more movie screenings, and The chosen student will serve as a student an arts-and-crafts night. Quam, current CCSGA President, said that hav- member from graduation day of one year to the The substance-neutral weekend events may Ellie Cole ing a student on the Board was one of his big- following graduation day. end slightly early for the year, because during Staff Writer gest priorities. He said he felt like there was no Quam said he hopes to find bold students eighth block, there are several staple events at dialogue between students and the board, which who want to be active in helping to make chang- CC, such as Llamapalooza, which will never be should be of the utmost importance at a school es and decisions for the school. He also said that “substance neutral.” Weibel explained, “We aren’t On Feb. 25, the Colorado College Board of like CC. President Jill Tiefenthaler has been very sup- going to try to compete with those, because no Trustees formally approved the decision to add “Any good college should be about the stu- portive of the change. one would come to our events.” However, so far a student member to the Board. The official dents,” Quam said. The student that is chosen “I think it will help students understand how this year and in the weeks to come, Weibel said, decision marks the beginning of student cam- to be a member of the Board will be a voting decisions are made and they can have a say in “We’re doing the best we can and I think we’re paigning for the position. participant and will have a voice in decisions. those decisions,” Quam said. “I hope it be- creating events that students want to go to.” During last year’s CCSGA election, Ben In the proposal for a Student Trustee posi- comes a huge part of what students here want.” 4 Paid Advertisement March 2, 2012 March 2, 2012 5 Science! Big business fracks the Earth once again Jesse Paul report also revealed. story. These fluids are left in open pits near the According to an interview with former Staff Writer The natural gas and oil industries have fracking sites, where they can leak into the soil, Mitchell Energy Vice President, Dan Steward, claimed that fracking is environmentally safe, drinking water, and surrounding air. hydraulic fracking began in the United States Margo Simon particularly because burning natural gas releases While the number and concentration of in 1998. It was then that Mitchell Energy less carbon dioxide (a compound that contrib- Chief Copy Editor chemicals used in fracking varies from well to began utilizing a technique named slick-water utes to the greenhouse effect) than burning well, estimates from FracFocus.org and various fracturing to create the first profitable well for coal. However critics have claimed otherwise. Congressional hearings state that some 750 extracting natural gas. Hydraulic fracturing, also known as “fracking,” Fracking has been linked to the contamination different chemicals can be used in the process. Since then, fracking has become more and wells have begun to pop up all over Colorado’s of drinking water, soil, eco-systems, and even These additives range from benzene (a chemical more widespread as wells began popping up in Front Range region, posing major questions in some cases, earthquakes. that can induce vomiting, convulsions, tissue various states throughout the country, including about the safety and impacts of these opera- Last May, Duke University published a decay, and even death within minutes) to mil- Pennsylvania and Wyoming, where fierce de- tions. study that sheds light on the reality of water lions of gallons of diesel (a petroleum product bate occurs surrounding the legality of natural Some of the cities that now have fracking in- contamination near fracking areas. They tested that can cause cancer, kidney failure, cell death, gas wells and their impact. clude but are not limited to Greeley, Longmont, methane levels in dozens of drinking-water and blindness). The Environmental Protection Agency Fort Lupton, Loveland, Frederick, Firestone, wells within about 3,000 feet of new fracking Fracking has been associated with various put out a report in 2011 titled “Regulation of South Adams County, Walsenberg and Com- sites, and found that these levels were 17 times earthquakes in the United States, Japan, United Hydraulic Fracturing by the Office of Water” merce City. Most of these cities are within a higher than in wells that were further from the Kingdom, and Canada. A 2011 earthquake in in which they detailed how fracking for the one hour drive of Colorado Springs. site. Although the methane in the water isn’t Youngstown, Ohio was linked to the fracking purpose of harvesting oil, natural gas, and Among those locations where fracking wells toxic in itself, it spreads into the surrounding process by seismologists at Columbia University. geothermal production is not breaking the now exist, Commerce City has been making air, where it can become dangerous. Methane is The United States Department of Energy laws covered in the Safe Drinking Water Act. waves in the news. highly flammable and can react with molecules has estimated that around 1.8 trillion barrels of Because of the Safe Drinking Water Act, com- On Jan. 24, the Denver Post published an in the air, causing an explosion. It is also incred- natural shale gas are retrievable in the US. Most panies do not have to disclose the chemicals article outlining how the city council of Com- ibly harmful to breathe and can function as an of that gas can only be collected through frack- they use in fracking. merce City, located just outside of Denver, had asphyxiant in high concentrations by displac- ing due to its location deep in the earth’s core. This loophole, known as the “Haliburton unanimously voted to continue a temporary ing the oxygen in the air and causing oxygen Supporters explain how harvesting the Loophole” due to former Vice President and band on hydraulic fracturing and drilling within deprivation. This past October, a coalition of natural gas could relieve our dependence on Haliburton CEO Dick Cheney’s involvement, the city until Feb. 27. doctors and environmentalists wrote a letter to foreign oil as well as provide a cleaner form of came as a result of the Energy Policy Act of Fracking is a process by which huge New York Governer Andrew Cuomo, detailing energy to power things such as our homes and 2005. amounts of water, sand, and other liquids, are the risks associated with fracking. The letter cars. According to an article published last Nov. However, the U.S. Environmental Protection injected deep into rock formations in order also included a list of documented health in Scientific American, US dependence on shale Agency is currently undertaking comprehensive to fracture the rocks and obtain the methane cases of people who live or work near the as a source of natural gas has increased from 1 field research in order to determine the realistic gas that is trapped inside. According to a U.S. gas wells and waste pits who are experiencing percent in 2001 to 30 percent in 2011. Fracking consequences associated with increased frack- House, Energy, and Commerce Committee “deteriorating health, breathing difficulties, and has also created thousands of jobs and has con- ing, and they expect to release their preliminary report from 2011, there are over 2,500 fluids increased cases of asthma.” tributed to a multi-billion dollar gas industry. findings later in the year. that are frequently used in the fracking process. The release of methane gas into the sur- Nevertheless, in an interview with the Huff- While fracking has yet to reach Colorado These fluids can contain any of the 750 re- rounding areas is bad enough, but the noxious ington Post, Cornell Professor Robert Howarth Springs, the rest of the state is currently en- corded hazardous chemicals such as hydro- fluids that are left behind after they are used to said that, “compared to coal, the footprint of gulfed in debate over whether to shut down or chloric acid and inorganic compounds that the actually fracture the rock structures are another shale gas is at least 20 percent greater.” increase natural gas wells. Photographic memory: Fact or fiction?

research has been done on a phenomenon called but nearly no developmentally normal adults are ible memory abilities can be explained by the Claire McNellan “eidetic imagery.” Those who possess this abil- shown to possess the ability. use of memory tools. In one study, Erics- Guest Writer ity are often called ‘eidtikers,’ and are able to Currently, however, two inexplicable cases son compared the brain scans of world-class examine a picture on an easel and continue to are being studied at the University of California. memory performers to individuals with average We’ve all heard of savants like Stephen Wiltshire see the image after the physical picture has been Brad Williams, known as the Human Google, memories. This examination of brain anatomy who took a 45-minute helicopter ride over removed. Unlike an extended afterimage, the and “A.J.” claim to remember every day of their and patterns showed no significant difference Rome and was able to accurately and beautifully image retains the original color and shape. When lives. A.J. says her memory is a burden: “Like, between the brains of individuals like Daniel draw the streets he had witnessed from Tammet, who has memorized above. There is also Leslie Lemke who 22,514 digits of pi, and the aver- played Tchaikovsky’s First Piano Con- age individual who knows the certo after listening to the piece only once. minimum 3.14. Ericsson stated Then there’s Kim Peek, the inspiration that his work “demonstrated that for Dustin Hoffman’s character in “Rain regular college students can attain Man,” who has memorized over 9,000 world-class memory performance books and reads two pages at a time, one after extensive practice.” Ac- eye on each page, in eight to 12 seconds. cording to Ericsson, this practice The memorization talents of these sa- should include use of associa- vants are incredibly narrow, and the abili- tions, such as remembering the ties do not correlate with everyday intel- number 759 as running a mile ligence. About half of those considered in “7 minutes, 59 seconds ” for to be savants are autistic, while the indi- example. The idea of memoriza- viduals of other half have a psychological tion tools such as these may not disorder or other mental illness. Although be new, but very few individuals the chances of personally knowing a take the time to practice them in savant are slim, most people can identify the way Ericsson deems necessary if they have a friend, or friend of a friend, for attaining an excellent memory. with so-called “photographic memory.” His research shows evidence The term is used regularly and sparks that college students with several envy in those with average memorization hundred hours of practice were abilities. Here’s the catch: it turns out that able to memorize an exceptional non-savant photographic memory likely number of digits. does not actually exist. In contrast to Ericsson’s Only one piece of literature shows research, A.J. and Williams claim positive implications for a photographic they do not use any memorization memory. In 1970, Charles Stromeyer III tools, nor have they consciously of Harvard University published research practiced memorization in the in Nature that reported one of his stu- past. It is new cases such as these dents, Elizabeth, was able to memorize a that make memory one of the random pattern of 10,000 dots that was single most intriguing topics shown to her right eye, and recall and Photo by Stanley Sigalov in neuroscience. While most combine this image the following day with people are fighting to improve their a pattern shown to her left eye. The combina- asked to describe the image, eidtikers speak of we’re sitting here talking, and I’m talking to you, memory, Alzheimer’s patients are struggling tion of the two random dot patterns created a the image in the present tense with extraordinary and in my head I’m thinking about some- simply to keep it, and a few rare individuals are picture. Unfortunately—or some argue, con- detail. Eidtikers can choose to destroy the image, thing that happened to me in December 1982, wishing to lose it. Nevertheless, it is certain that veniently—no further tests were ever done on and have no ability to recall it after they have December 17 1982, it was a Friday, I started to we can alter our own memories, and Ericcson’s Elizabeth and she went on to marry Stromeyer. done so. The recollections eidtikers describe are work at Gs [a store].” Since A.J. and Williams research is promising for college students and Many have attempted to replicate Stromeyer’s far from perfect, although the individual will do not fit the profile for savants or eidtikers, the general population alike. Practice and use of experiment without success. discuss the image with great certainty. Eidetic their existence has prompted controversy in the memorization tools may not lead to a photo- While scientific literature does not seem to imagery, however, is a phenomenon that occurs scientific community. graphic memory, but it may help in remember- favor the possibility of a photographic memory, only in children. Approximately two to 10 per- Memory expert K. Anders Ericsson of ing day-to-day lists and memorizing important there is one term that comes close. Much cent of preadolescents are identified as eidtikers, Florida State University believes that all incred- numbers and names. 6 March 2, 2012 Comment & Debate

The Iran crisis and the failure of American political discourse

Joe Jammal Comment and Debate Editor

To those who have been following the cur- rent Republican primary, it should be obvious that one of the recent major issues has been Iran’s nuclear program. The trend within the Republican Party has been, with the excep- tion of Ron Paul, to promise a variety of increasingly harsh and interventionist tactics. Additionally, President Obama has main- tained a similarly harsh stance towards Iran’s nuclear program. The consensus, according to both parties, would appear to be that Iran is a problem for American interests in the Middle East and its attempt to gain nuclear weapons does not bode well for neither America nor its allies in the region. Currently, neither side is pragmatically considering the Iranian issue. In other words, the necessity of quotable political sound bites has increasingly become prioritized over an open discourse with the American people. This sacrifice of discourse functions to directly undermine our ability as citizens to vote. This lack of honest, realistic discourse therefore can be viewed as a direct threat to the effective functioning of our democracy. I realize that this is a grandiose assertion Illustration by Erick Nelson and possibly sounds a bit overly alarmist. But, hopefully through outlining the positions numbers do not suggest that he will win the Therefore, unless China and Russia change strategies are the only types of action be- of the major presidential candidates on the nomination or that most Americans are tak- their treatment of Iran, it is unlikely that the ing proposed by our public figures. If The Iranian nuclear program, my frustration ing him seriously. Therefore, while one could sanction will succeed. It is also worth noting Economist is correct that the United States will become increasingly widespread. For applaud Paul for thinking differently, he is that India is considering stopping its support can only stop Iran from gaining nuclear convenience, I will begin with the position not going to be the Republican representative of the sanction, which would make three out weapons for about five to ten years, then we of the current Republican front-runner, Rick in the general election and is therefore fairly of four B.R.I.C.s against the sanction. Santorum. Santorum has stated that he would irrelevant to our discussion. Covert operations are also a far cry from My question is: are impose on Iran “the toughest sanctions to Regarding the Democrats, President a guaranteed success. One should consider Obama’s rhetoric has followed a similar vein. America’s covert operational history regarding we viewing the Iranian He has already imposed the harshest sanc- Iran. Our major foray into Iran was TPAJAX, “nuclear issue from the We need to use covert tions on Iran to date, and these sanctions will a joint covert operation headed by the CIA become harsher until reaching full effect in proper vantage point? activities. And we need and MI6 in 1953. America and Britain’s com- July. Furthermore, Obama has stated, “We bined efforts resulted in the removal of the Is the proposed course “to plan a strike against are not taking any options off the table. Iran democratically elected Mohammad Mosad- of action realistic or their facilities and say to with nuclear weapons would pose a threat degh and replacing him with M. Reza Pahlavi. not only to the region but also to the United Pahlavi held a military dictatorship over the are we losing track of them that if you do not States.” We can see the apparent similarities Iranian people until 1979 when the Iranian reality and lapsing into open up those facilities between both parties on the Iranian issue. revolution successfully overthrew Pahlavi, a Both sides are interested in harsh economic development that led to the anti-American, a dangerous form of and close them down, sanctions, and if these fail to make the Irani- Islamic Iran that we now know. Before triumphalism? we will close them down ans desist, then logically we will pursue covert renewing policies of covert interventionism, I and eventually overt action. While there are would simply remind our current politicians for you. slight differences, like Obama’s reluctance to of our past failures. Whether it is regime must also consider the possibility that we -Rick Santorum directly propose regime change or Santorum’s change or assassinations, covert operations have to find ways to control an Iran that pos- belief that it’s okay to kill scientists, generally sesses nuclear weapons rather then focusing” date.” He followed up this statement by say- as a rule do not garner public support, and ing, “We need to use covert activities. And the rhetoric is surprisingly similar. the results tend to help new extremists gain on an expensive and eventually futile war. For we need to plan a strike against their facilities My question is: are we viewing the Iranian power rather than individuals who fit into the the American people to be able to vote effec- ” American vision. tively, they need candidates who are propos- and say to them that if you do not open up those facilities and close them down, we will Furthermore, this week’s issue of The ing solutions that fit into their current reality. close them down for you.” Finally, Santorum We are not taking Economist points out that the Iranian reac- Unfortunately, our potential candidates, on has candidly stated that the death of Iranian any options off the tor sites have been built with an air strike both sides of the aisle, do not live in this real- scientists is “a wonderful thing”, and that he in mind. The reactors are spread out across ity. Until we accept the limits of American “table. Iran with nuclear military dominance, we cannot form effective hopes America was involved in their deaths. the country, and at least a few are built Santorum’s views may appear slightly weapons would pose a underneath mountains. Thus, the level of foreign policy. Romney’s statement that he extreme but Mitt Romney, the current second destruction necessary to eliminate these will guarantee a world where Iran does not place candidate, articulates many of the same threat not only to the reactors would be quite large. Also, even have nuclear missiles sounds great. But it is, points. Regarding sanctions, Romney has region but also to the with a successful missile bombardment, we at best, a sound bite, and at worst, an actual stated that he would impose “a new round United States. would be unable to get rid of the scientists proposal of policy. For the sake of this argu- of far tougher economic sanctions on Iran.” who possess the knowledge for nuclear ment, I will assume that American presi- Considering military action, Romney, like -President Barack Obama enrichment. One could contend that we will dential candidates understand the real limits Santorum, also supports the use of overt and accompany our missile bombardment with of American military power. But this means nuclear issue from the proper vantage point? covert action and has concluded, “Ultimately, a tactical deployment of ground troops. But, that they are unwilling to inform the voting Is the proposed course of action realistic or regime change is what’s going to be neces- one must consider that these troops would public about our current position within are we losing track of reality and lapsing into sary.” Romney’s position simplified goes ” primarily be targeting civilian scientists. If the world. I cannot believe that Americans a dangerous form of triumphalism? I would something like this: If you re-elect Barack the Iraq War has taught American politicians are so disinterested in our foreign affairs to contend that unfortunately, both parties Obama, Iran will have a nuclear weapon. And anything, it is that the rest of the world does be satiated by this level of discourse. I am are guilty of triumphalism and dangerously if you elect Mitt Romney, Iran will not have a not necessarily view American intervention- issuing a challenge to our current candidates misguided. nuclear weapon. ism positively. The Iraq War was immensely and president. Expose us to the complexities Regarding sanctions, the consensus is that The one Republican candidate interested unpopular internationally, and we conducted and challenge us to consider the difficulties they are only effective when all great powers in political action other than interventionism it against a dictator who had committed mul- of the real world. For the American people are in agreement. However, both China and in Iran is Ron Paul. He opposes sanctioning tiple severe human rights violations. To attack to vote effectively they need to know what Russia have recently begun to defy American Iran and has stated, “If we lived through civilian scientists would sacrifice America’s their real choices are. The current level of will and are buying Iranian oil at a discount the Cold War, which we did, with 30,000 international legitimacy in the pursuit of a discourse is failing to meet this basic require- price. These purchases mean that two of missiles pointed at us, we ought to really sit largely futile enterprise. ment, and until this sad state changes, the the four B.R.I.C. countries, which are four back and think and not jump the gun.” The Sanctions, convert military action, and voting public will continue to be uninformed of the most rapidly growing states in terms trouble with Paul is that he has consistently overt interventionism are strategies with and therefore unable to adequately perform of G.D.P., are not supporting the sanction. been polling around 12 to 15 percent. These significant flaws. Yet strangely, these three its most fundamental duty. March 2, 2012 Comment & Debate 7 Linsanity: Breaking borders and building new fan base

Samuel Smith road jersey comes in a close second. The list Both his parents were born in Taiwan. With The racism brought to light by Lin’s success Staff Writer of indicators proving the immensity of his jumbo-TVs and mega-screens set up in major pinpoints a historical issue in the NBA. For By this point, it’s hard to imagine you’ve fame could fill a book. population centers throughout Taiwan and years, only whites were allowed to play. When missed it. After breaking several point-scoring What’s clear now that he Lin is the real deal. China, millions of people, many disappointed blacks were finally allowed to play professional records in his first seven games with the New The sustainability of his sensational statistics by Yao Ming’s short tenure in the NBA and American sports like baseball and basketball, York Knicks, Jeremy Lin, the first Taiwan- as the Knicks point guard are worth question- many more never before invested in American they faced racism incomparable to what Lin ese-American NBA player, has risen to an ing. In his most recent game he got his first basketball, were all of a sudden plugged in. has faced – from death threats to boycotts to unprecedented and undeniably legendary level bad performance out of the way, proving Newspapers throughout China and Taiwan claims from fellow players that they would not of fame. He’s not only been on back-to-back he’s no superman by going just one for 11 in have featured Jeremy Lin on their covers day play if blacks were allowed to play. Still, Lin’s Sports Illustrated covers, but been featured on the Knicks’ loss to Miami. Still, Lin’s legend- after day after day. In America’s Chinatowns, emergence into a sport now dominated by the cover of two consecutive issues of TIME ary point-scoring statistics have permanently New York City’s in particular, restaurants have African-Americans proves that racial bigotry magazine and two consecutive front-page ar- marked him in the record books. In an inter- been transformed into bars and huge groups and intolerance knows no limits. No matter ticles in The New York Times. He has become national ESPN poll of over 50,000 sports fans of Chinese- and Taiwanese-Americans have the time period, when a member of a minority the number one trending topic on Twitter for in every country and every American state, come together to root for Lin. At Knicks ethnic group enters an unfamiliar spotlight, the month of February, the most talked about respondents were nearly five times more likely games, a suddenly huge Asian-American fan the scumbags of society are going to be heard person on ESPN, and, despite the fact that to claim Jeremy Lin’s recent emergence as base is evident. Adults and kids of all races whether we like it or not. half of New York can’t watch Knicks games more impressive than Tim Tebow’s. Nearly 83 bring creative homemade signs to games and If there is any upside to the stereotyping due to a dispute with Time Warner Cable, the percent chose Lin over Tim Tebow, with all 50 ESPN created special programs that break and prejudice-pushing, it’s that it will only games with Lin starting have nearly doubled states in agreement (even Colorado picked Lin down the best nicknames and slogans. embolden and impassion the Asian and Time Warner’s highest ratings since they over Tebow.) Unfortunately, with every social break- Asian-American communities rallying behind started covering the Knicks in 1989 (keep in The biggest story within the story has been through, a dark side of stereotyping and rac- Lin. Much like the way that the bigotry aimed mind that the Knicks have had many legend- Jeremy Lin’s fame in Chinese and Taiwanese ism is exposed. Jason Whitlock, a Fox Sports at Jackie Robinson gave African Americans ary teams and dominant seasons between 1989 communities worldwide. Lin was born in columnist, was guilty of the worst of it. While in Brooklyn and nationwide greater reason and 2012.) Moreover, Lin’s jersey has become Los Angeles and is the first Harvard gradu- he wrote a lengthy apology after the backlash, to root for him, fans of Jeremy Lin will feel the best-selling jersey in the NBA, and his ate to play in the NBA in over half a century. his tweet was beyond insensitive. After Lin that there is something to prove by having a scored 38 points, out-dueling Kobe Bryant in Taiwanese-American in the NBA. front of a sell-out crowd at Madison Square As a Chinatown native wrote on a sign he Garden, Whitlock tweeted, “Some lucky lady brought to a Knicks game in New York last in NYC is gonna feel a couple inches of pain week, Lin is proving “Asians can drive” with tonight.” Other offensive remarks came from his brilliant moves to the basket. Even if names as big as boxer Floyd Mayweather, Jr., Asian-American communities are not empow- who wrote on his Twitter page, “Jeremy Lin ered by the racism Lin’s stardom exposes, they is a good player but all the hype is because can at least fight bad humor with good humor he’s Asian. Black players do what he does and work to bust stereotypes with clever signs every night and don’t get the same praise.” like that. Of course, nobody of any skin color in the While the racially insensitivity in the media history of basketball has done in their seven and blogosphere will continue to rear its ugly starts what Lin pulled off for the Knicks. On head as Lin plays on, the hysteria inside and Feb. 17, ESPN used a racial slur on its mobile outside Asian and Asian-American communi- website in the headline “Chink in the Armor” ties will ride on one thing only: how well Lin after Lin had 9 turnovers in New York’s loss plays from here on out. In Miami, he was to the Hornets. The headline writer was fired double-teamed, prevented from driving to the but the damage was done. While the vast ma- basket and forced to turn the ball over again jority of the media and the public have dealt and again. Other teams will take the Heat’s with Lin’s rise to stardom responsibly and approach. The question will be whether or respectfully, many have taken the low road. not Lin is ready. Can he handle the pressure? After Lin’s buzzer-beating victory in Toronto, Will his legend grow? He’s good. He’s damn the New York Post, for instance, printed on good for that matter. But the most important the cover of their back-page sports section the question soon to be answered as opponents word “AMASIAN.” While this might not be start to figure out his game is: how good is he considered racist, it sure is distasteful. really?

Board of Directors Arts & Entertainment Distribution Editor • Giulio Brandi Ali Epstein Editor-in-Chief • Hannah Wellman Layout Editor • Sarah Lebovitz Managing Editor • Kieffer Katz Chief Copy Editor • Margo Simon COO • Kyleen Breslin Presentation Director • Danny Castillo Active Lifestyle Copy Editors Chief Photo Editor • Stanley Sigalov Becca Spiegel The Catalyst is a weekly newspaper produced and managed exclusively by Marketing Director • Ali Epstein Editor • Aaron Patterson Katie Post students of The Colorado College. Published for the benefit of the college Advertising Manager • Lela Wulsin Editor • Claire Mann Molly Moffet community and the surrounding local area, the Catalyst aims to bring gen- Controller • Karen West Layout Editor • Claire Mann eral interest and academic-oriented news, ideas, and opinions into greater Legal Consultation provided by Sophie Goodman collective view—to act as a catalyst for informed debate. The newspaper is The Student Press Law Center published under the auspices of Cutler Publications, a 501(c)(3) not-for- profit independent of The Colorado College. Comment & Debate science Photographers Editor • Amy Lin Sam Landsman Contact Editor •Joe Jammal Layout Editor • Sarah Lebovitz Layout Editor • Joe Jammal Monica Mueller Letters and inquiries: [email protected] Illustrator •Allison Strauss Advertising: [email protected] Illustrator • Erick Nelson Subscriptions: [email protected]

The Catalyst News Advertising Reps 1028 Weber St. Editor • Erica Plumlee Zach Smith The Catalyst is a member of Colorado Springs, CO 80946 the Associated Collegiate Press Layout Editor • Alison Speissegger Leona Waller Phone: 719.389.6675 Radhika Singh Printed on 100% recycled paper with soy-based inks Fax: 719.389.6962 8 March 2, 2012 Active Lifestyle A plus for CC gym climbs to new heights A-Basin Jesse Paul Staff Writer

If you are looking to ski great terrain, a moun- tain with a local feel and prices that won’t have you drinking Taka or Skol for the rest of your life, look no further. Just two hours and change from CC is Arapahoe Basin, a small independent resort that prides itself on the homegrown attitude that its larger Vail Resorts neighbors lack. I will divulge that I am an A-Basin lover. I am a firm believer in skipping the tourist driv- en towns of Keystone and Breckenridge and opting for the locally visited and run resort, even if it adds an extra half-hour to my drive every weekend. First off, getting to A-Basin is easy. Take US-24 or I-70 to US-6 and park in one of A-Bay’s many *free* parking lots located just a short walk from the mountain. On any day, you will find people drinking PBR, dressed in neon, and listening to Creedence Clearwater Revival outside their cars. A-Basin has Summit County’s only party-fu- eled parking lot called, “The Beach.” Located at the parking lot adjacent to the base area, The plans for the new climb- The Beach is both a college and middle-aged ing gym will create a space skier’s paradise. While you probably won’t be three times its current size. able to park at The Beach unless you get to The new gym hopes to cre- the mountain by 9:30 a.m., people are gener- ate an atmosphere open to ally willing to share their booze and spots all levels, and will include with you après or during a ski day. lead climbing, bouldering, In terms of skiing, A-Bay has some pretty classes, and a training area. incredible terrain. Compared to Breckenridge, the mountain is much steeper and offers nated areas, including lead climbing, bouldering, can come across as a very exclusive commu- better steep, tree, and cliff skiing. That being Margaret McKeon Staff Writer classes, and a recipient and training area. nity,” said Hardin. “We are trying to open it up said, there are only a handful of groomers at “A new gym would allow for more people to to people at different levels.” A-Basin, so the beginner to intermediate skier climb at once and participate in different styles,” This year, many steps have been taken to One of the many fitness and sports renova- might not be as pleased. explains Hardin. “Only bouldering is available reach this goal. Some of these include “begin- tions taking place this year is the Ritt Kellogg On the front side of the mountain, lapping due to the small space. People are usually un- ner’s Tuesdays,” “women’s Wednesdays,” and Climbing Gym. The gym will be closed both the old classic Pallavicini lift will keep you able to top rope.” lead-climbing classes. Movies have also been seventh and eighth block for construction. occupied all day. My favorite runs are Pali While increasing the size of the gym is a presented in the gym, such as Masters of Stone Currently, the gym is crammed in a converted Main Street, The Spine, and 3rd Alley. If you big step towards improvement, the climbing during this past block. According to Trim, the squash court. On entering, a climber squeezes are looking for something especially difficult, gym renovations represent more than just student climbing committee would like to get behind a desk in the hallway to sign in. On a Gauthier offers chute skiing with sizable cliffs physical change. The climbing program at CC people excited to share their own slideshows busy day, backpacks pile up along the walls pre- on both sides. has changed a lot in the last year. According as well. senting a different kind of climbing obstacle. The Lewanee lift also offers some good to Trim, the gym has been very separate from For the first time, school-sponsored outdoor Colorado College’s website itself describes terrain off of Falcon run. When open, the the ORC and other outdoor organizations at climbing trips will be going out seventh block. the climbing gym as “a cozy place to work on chutes visible on the left as you ride up the CC. After the Outdoor Recreation director left Trim said that there will be three trips strictly your climbing skills. Our small gym is most lift can be incredible, but access necessitates a last year, she said, the climbing gym committee for beginners. Hopefully, she said, this will en- frequently used for bouldering, because it can lengthy, completely uphill hike. has had to scramble to stay organized enough courage people who have never climbed to get accommodate the most people in this way.” The backside of the mountain offers even to keep the gym going. In addition, the safety involved. According to Trim, there is potential The small size and limited type of climbing are more terrain in an area called the Montezuma review over the summer found a few minor for a greater variety of levels in school-spon- the main reasons for renovation. Bowl. All of the terrain is serviced by one problems, said Hardin. In response, the climb- sored trips next year. The trips are a radical “CC has some of the strongest climbers of fixed-grip quad that runs up the middle of ing committee and Outdoor Education depart- feat because the school has refused to directly any college in the U.S.,” said Hannah Trim, one the bowl. ment created a new safety policy and installed sponsor student-led excursions in the past. of two head monitors at the climbing gym. Intermediate skiers/riders will be happy a new floor. “The climbing scene is high risk, but low “Even though we have a really strong popula- with Columbine and Larkspur, both of which As these obstacles were overcome, the climb- probability,” explained Hardin. “This creates a tion, we have a tiny gym compared to other are long, groomed runs with some steep sec- ing gym began to work more closely with the perception that it’s a really dangerous sport.” schools.” tions and rolling hills. Outdoor Education Department. Like many As a result, Outdoor Education director To improve the issue of space, the wall and The double black diamond terrain in Mon- outdoor oriented clubs at CC, a prioritized goal James Hancock will be helping supervise the the squash court next door will be knocked tezuma is excellent, offering long steep runs is to create an atmosphere open to all levels. organization of the climbing trips. Hardin said down to create an area three times larger than with great features, including lots of cliffs of “The goal for us and the Outdoor Education that there is a rigorous leader selection process it is now. According to head monitor Sally different sizes and fun tree runs. The Zuma department is to expand climbing because it through an application. Despite the loopholes, Hardin ‘12, the plan involves a variety of desig- Cornice requires a short hike from the top of the new involvement will prove to be beneficial. the Zuma Lift, but it is short enough that you “The classes and school supported climbing can lap it all day. trips will help create a smoother transition with Finally, Placer Junction offers good, steep the new Outdoor Education director and the tree skiing right under the lift so you can new space,” said Hardin. show off your skills to the ski bunnies. According to Hardin, Outdoor Education During lunch, I usually buy a bowl of chili feels that students should still have access to a at the Black Mountain Lodge on the front climbing gym while El Pomar is being renovat- side because the base area can be busy at ed. The department recently negotiated a deal times. The chili runs about seven bucks, but with City Rock for free student passes. With a is a good alternative to more expensive hot gold card, students will be admitted and given foods. access to gear for free at City Rock down- If you are looking to splurge, the pulled town while the CC gym is under construction. pork sandwich is the best thing since… well, Women’s Wednesdays and Beginner’s Tuesdays since pulled pork sandwiches. will continue to take place at City Rock. While A-Basin’s motto isn’t “Not Exactly “We are trying really hard to get people to Roughing It” like Beaver Creek’s, the small re- try climbing,” said Trim. “We want the gym sort has friendly staff who care about skiing, to be open and welcoming to anyone with an not the quality of the ropes in the lift lines interest.” (which are scarce at A-Bay). Like many of the specialized activities on the A-Basin is known as the local’s mountain, Colorado College campus, the rock climbing geared towards the day-trip skier who wants gym world can seem intimidating. With begin- to ski hard and play hard after. Yes, it might ner classes, more space, and a welcoming envi- be a bit further than Breck or Keystone, but I ronment, the gym will become an outstanding guarantee you’ll never have to ride a T-Bar or facility for experts and beginners alike. hear someone on the lift complain about the weather, the food, or the skiing. March 2, 2012 Active Lifestyle 9 CC athletes smell like school spirit Boys’ basketball rekindles student support for sports

Hannah Varnell commitment to creating an exceptionally rowdy Staff Writer fan section to cheer on their peers. “We wanted to change the culture of athletics at CC,” said basketball senior Jeremiah Waters, an invaluable The choice to pursue a career in Division III contributor to the revitalization of school spirit athletics requires that an athlete weighs several this year. “Whether you’re part of a male or considerations. First, you must accept that female program, you deserve to have fans sup- after a lifetime of chasing the highest level of porting you.” The men’s basketball team was competition possible, you are selecting a pro- relentless in its support for this year’s volleyball gram that is, by definition, separate from the program, making rambunctious appearances rigors of Division I and Division II programs. at every home tournament. “Even when we In addition, you have to come to terms with had games that stated at 11 a.m. on Saturday some internal guilt that all those expensive club morning, the basketball boys showed up with teams and six-hour car rides to tournaments posters and cheers,” reported senior volleyball won’t pay off financially for your parents player Amy Schornack. The boys were also a because there’s no scholarship money available. huge presence at home soccer games, earning Lastly, the decision to play DIII requires you the respect and gratitude of the players on the resign to the fact that you are entering a realm team. of athletics at a school that, frankly, could take As the emotional basketball season came to a or leave its athletic department. close this past weekend, it was evident that the efforts of the men’s team to revitalize school The decision to play spirit did not go unnoticed by their fellow DIII requires that you athletes and classmates. Leaders from multiple sports departments took initiative to rally “resign to the fact that their teammates to make appearances at home you are entering a realm basketball games, eager to carry on a culture of athlete-to-athlete support. Senior socialites such of athletics at a school as the boys from party house 927 Weber also that, frankly, could took it upon themselves to become die-hard fans, bringing competitive trash talking to a take or leave its athletic shockingly new level. Consequently, home bas- department. ketball games drew impressive crowds of both athletes and non-athletes, turning El Pomar into a full-blown pregame social event before Upon arrival into CC athletics, the last the festivities of Friday and Saturday nights. consideration materialized into a fairly disap-” As exciting as it has been to witness a pointing aspect of my DIII athletic career. I resurgence of school pride in athletics, the still come across people on a regular basis who process has not happened without controversy. have no idea that CC has a volleyball team, The small size of El Pomar makes for a more nor do they care. I have also heard more than exciting and intimate fan-to-athlete relationship, one comment that the “sports kids” at CC but it also means that the offensive remarks contradict the prevailing culture of the college, from the fan section are fully audible to the and that athletes occupy a clique separate from entire gym. In October, the Colorado Springs and unrelated to the rest of the school. Con- Gazette published an editorial questioning the Katherine Baehr ‘12 and Emma Mitchell ‘12 show support for CC athletics with their sequently, the scattered crowds that show up appropriateness of offensive fan cheering at a cleverly designed “defense” signs. Way to go, Tigers! Photo by Stanley Sigalov at DIII events have typically consisted of the home volleyball game due to complaints from occasional dedicated friend, significant other, community members with young children. Dur- made a point to be on the sidelines to keep the dents from numerous grades and social circles. or local middle school team. ing another home tournament, a member of an dynamics of the cheers limited to harmless and The publicity created through the renovations This year, it’s safe to say the reality of a opposing volleyball team allegedly left the gym hilarious banter. of El Pomar will certainly piggyback on this fanless gym at a DIII sporting event has been in tears after some impressive Facebook stalk- So while the debate still rages about whether resurgence of athletic school spirit, and hope- shaken up. Thanks to the mobilization of this ing gave the fans ammunition to take blows at or not CC really undervalues their athletic de- fully further integrate varsity athletes, nonvar- year’s men’s basketball team during the fall the player’s failed relationship. No matter how partment, it’s refreshing to see that the athletic sity athletes, and CC kids looking to get rowdy sports season, school pride for athletics has shocking some of these remarks have been, the teams at least value each other. There is also on the sidelines, ensuring an animated student experienced a much-needed revival. Starting debatably insulting fan banter doesn’t seem to something to be said for the spirited student cheering section becomes another good ol’ CC with the volleyball and soccer seasons, the have calmed down much. However, faculty rep- section culture that has developed and thrived pastime. men from the basketball team demonstrated a resentatives from the athletic department have this year, and how it has drawn together stu- Hitting the market: The business of NFL free agency

Henry McKenna Vikings will ever pay him, and the predicament could encourage him to attain anything from a players get paid so much? The American Staff Writer of long negotiation for multiple weeks, includ- certain number of tackles to a trip to the Pro nation demands that football be played at its ing a meeting at the NFL combine, leaves it Bowl every year. The rest of his money is his highest level, and this small pool of athletes When free agency rolls in with the cool breezes with two decisions. The team can let player X yearly salary, but the Browns are free to cut is the only source that can supply that talent. of spring and the NFL offseason, the media hit the open market, or it can put the franchise him at any point. He has a five-year deal, and They have a specialized skill that few other gives us headlines with terminology and mon- tag on him. Let’s say that player X is not worth lets say that he gets paid $3 million for each people in the country can provide. What is etary totals that most readers rarely understand. the franchise tag, and the Vikings need to use of his first three years. Suddenly, he makes also important to consider is that football We see the millions of dollars that these players the franchise tag on their star Defensive End, six million in his fourth, and eight and a half players have short careers; most players are get paid and think, “Hot damn. I want that such as Jason Allen. million in his fifth. Great deal, right? Not if only in the league for less than five years (The kind of money.” I know that until I enrolled in The next step for that player is the open he gets cut after his third season, or even his National Football Players Association), and a sports economics class, I had no idea what market: unrestricted free agency. This is the fourth. The player and his agent, who usually they need to maximize their income for their “guaranteed money” was, or even what a fran- most exciting and nerve-racking time for a gets 3 percent of a player’s earnings, are po- short careers. Furthermore, these players chise tag was. So, I will walk through the pro- player. Player X will allow teams to communi- tentially missing out on millions of dollars. On permanently damage their brains and bodies cess of free agency. I will create a hypothetical cate with his agent and bid for him. It’s got to the other hand, if Jackson plays like the next during the course of their careers. Players journey, where player X starts on one team and be like being at an auction, and realizing that Mike Singletary, and becomes a fan favorite, who choose to use performance-enhancing signs with another, all in a matter of months. your talent is the thing being auctioned. The he could get paid those high numbers at the drugs like HGH, which is not tested for in Let’s say that player X’s contract expires idea is both frightening and electrifying. So, at back-end of his contract. Such a predicament the League’s drug policy, can shorten their at the end of the 2010-2011 season, and he some point before training camp, anywhere is called “back loading.” lives immensely. According to The New York wants a raise, as all players do. The team has between one and 32 teams will tell the agent Back loading is not uncommon when teams Times, “A 2000 study surveyed 1,090 former started contract negotiations, but in the case how much they think the player is worth. The resign their players before they hit the open NFL players and found more than 60 percent of a franchise like the New England Patriots, truth is that all it takes is one, and the player market, and less common when a player hits had suffered at least one concussion in their who were just at a super bowl, players like Wes has his new team typically sometime before the open market. The reason is competition, careers and 26 percent had had three or more. Welker will have to wait until the super bowl late April. If player X is truly as good as he as any team can give player X a contract offer. Those who had had concussions reported ends. If a team wants to franchise tag player thinks, and he is one of the top players at his Some contracts for unrestricted free agents are more problems with memory, concentration, X, then they can start on Tuesday, Feb. 21. position, the bidding war will be brutal. His front-loaded, meaning that the big millions are speech impediments, headaches and other However, each team only gets one franchise agent should be working vigorously to extract in the first few years of their contract. This neurological problems than those who had tag, and that franchise tag requires the team to the top dollar out of every NFL franchise. sort of contract incentivizes the player X to not, the survey found.” These factors are pay the player a one-year contract. The salary While the press often releases these enor- come to the next franchise, and was the rea- often used as leverage by the NFL Players As- must equal the average of the highest-paid mous numbers, like the Cleveland Brown’s son player X hit the open market in the first sociation to heighten salaries, when the group players at their position over the last five years. recent signing of D’Qwell Jackson, players place. This sort of contract changes the life of negotiates how players and owners share the If player X’s team, let’s say the Minnesota do not always get the big numbers in their a young man and likely his entire family. league’s revenue. While I have a hard time Vikings, thinks that it can sign player X for a contracts. Jackson will have a contract of So, despite understanding how they get arguing that the best football players are more lower sum, then it will forget the franchise tag $42.5 million with $19 million in “guaranteed paid, the issue remains as to why they get paid important to America than teachers, I do for the time being, and begin contract negotia- money” and bonuses. In most cases, he gets so much. Football players toss around a ball, believe that the best football players are more tion with player X’s agent. Player X, how- guaranteed money for signing the contract, or while teachers sit in classrooms and prepare important to the American fans than their ever, believes that he is worth more than the his “signing bonus.” The additional bonuses the minds of the future. Why should football teachers. 10 Active Lifestyle March 2, 2012 Nation’s best gather at local climbing competition

Owen Anderson & to attempt each climb, trying to get as high as Eli Michaels possible. They can try the climb as many times Guest Writers as they want during the five minutes, and each climber’s highest point will be recorded. After “Let’s welcome our finalists to the stage,” the their five minutes are up, the climber sits down commentator bellows over the microphone. and the next competitor attempts the climb. The Colorado Springs City Auditorium is The competitors are not permitted to watch packed with hundreds of spectators to witness each other so as to avoid any unfair advantages the finals of the 2012 American Bouldering from the running-order. After each climber Series National Championships. The crowd takes his or her five-minute turn on a climb, roars as six men and seven women walk out the entire group moves onto the next problem. from behind a curtain and step into the spot- Whoever gets the highest on each climb will light for all to see. For a moment, it feels like receive the most points for that climb, and a beauty pageant rather than a rock climbing whoever has the most points after attempting competition. One at a time, each competitor all four climbs wins. is introduced to the crowd. Big names include The spectators look down to see the cluster Alex Puccio, Daniel Woods, Sasha Digulian, of athletes carefully studying the problems Angie Payne, and Colorado Springs local that they will soon attempt. By this point, Austin Geiman. these competitors are fairly familiar with the After the introductions and enthusiastic wall they stand below. Yesterday evening, they cheering from the already rowdy crowd, the climbed on these walls to beat out dozens of competitors walk as a group across the padded other talented athletes to earn their places in floor to the base of the artificially constructed this morning’s semi-finals. And just hours ago, wall to preview the climbs for the evening. during semi-finals, the climbers were on these During the next few minutes, the climbers are walls, fighting for this very moment—the op- competing together in the youth circuit, have some serious torsional forces going down in permitted to look at each of the four increas- portunity to compete in the final round of the traveled around and crushed the country’s an extremely elegant and controlled manner. ingly difficult boulder problems that they competition. At stake are a cash prize and the most famous crags together, and now see each He sticks the next edge, and throws big for the must attempt. When it is his or her turn to opportunity to represent the United States as other regularly at competitions. These climbers finish, but falls just short of the good part of climb, each competitor will have five minutes a member of the U.S. team at the Bouldering frequently shuffle around in rankings, so that the hold. World Cup. As the competitors whoever won last year may end up in second My favorite climb of the night is the travel in a group around the base or third this year, and vice versa. In this way, women’s third problem. It mostly consists of of the wall, the room buzzes with the community that characterizes this sport is two giant scoops protruding from the wall a excitement. While the walls are intimate, friendly, and supportive – not a com- good 3 feet, high up and separated by 4 feet familiar, the actual boulder prob- mon sight in competitive athletics. laterally. Each competitor does the move dif- lems are brand-new, set earlier this The preview time runs out and the climbers ferently. Angie Payne, a beastly rock crusher afternoon. make their way to a row of chairs facing the famous for being one of the only girls to The route setters for this com- audience. From here, they will be called one at have climbed V13, definitely has my favorite petition are nationally trained and a time to attempt the first climb. The scream- sequence, despite its lack of delicacy. The first certified to set for competitions ing crowd includes a wide variety of specta- time she gets on the wall, she scopes out the of this caliber. They have flown tors: coaches, family, friends, local climbing move and flirts a little bit with a straight jump. into Colorado Springs from all enthusiasts, Colorado College students, com- I am sitting comfortably in my seat, thinking, across the country to conceptual- petitors who were eliminated in the previous “Is it about to go down right now?” Yep. Next ize and execute the setting. These rounds, and ex-competitors like myself. It is attempt, she sets up, and double dominates a problems are designed to be also exciting to see a handful of non-climbers six-foot, double-hand throw. She hits the hold immensely challenging and unique. who are merely watching a new and exhilarat- and her body immediately tightens up—her They need to test the competitors’ ing show. While everyone is here with a dif- hands don’t move an inch. The crowd roars as physical and mental abilities by ferent affiliation to the sport, and a different she retains complete control of her move- incorporating all of the elements perspective, one thing is for sure: we are all in ments in less than a second. of climbing—intricate sequencing, for an action-packed evening. The lights dim, The grand finale is equally incredible. Route dynamic and powerful movement, the music bumps, and the crowd roars. I clink number four for the men’s category starts out core strength, and the ability to beers with my neighbor and the games begin. with a huge double move jump, a good seven crank off microscopic holds. The first girl gets out of the chair and feet to the right to a massive handhold. Next Most importantly, however, these scopes out the strangely-shaped holds as they are some incredibly tough moves up a corner climbs need to test the competi- take a winding path up the wall. She begins that require the competitors to squeeze with tors’ mental game and their ability by pressing up on a half sphere big enough all of their strength. A few competitors try it to decode difficult sequences. It to hold a small bush. With locked elbows, she and fall just before reaching a powerful and is up to the competitors to study completely suspends herself, and, getting her technical move out to the left. Then Michael the climbs during the preview and foot up to her hands with core intensity, she Bautista arrives on the scene. This animal of figure out how they will go down. stands up to the next protruding ball. She a man is built like an 18-wheeler, with rippling The elongated shadows of readjusts and makes a flying sideways leap to muscles in places that you did not know could outstretched hands color the walls yet another similar ball and one hand clutches be exercised. He gets on the route and makes as the athletes plan their strate- a pinch. Her body violently swings on the it to the difficult section, but instead of ballet gies. The competitors whisper to wall like a door swinging open. There is just dancing his way out right, he puts his feet high, one another as they act out the a moment when I think she will lose her vice pumps and throws huge, straight up to the fin- movements of the climbs from grip and fall awkwardly on the mats before she ish hold. The crowd does not even know what the ground. These are 13 of the reels in the tension with brutal strength. Fin- it just saw. Michael Bautista is trying to out- most talented rock climbers in the ishing the problem, she drops to the mat and smart the routesetters by skipping holds. He country, competing against one walks confidently back to her rest chair. comes plummeting down and is reinvigorated another to represent the U.S. at Another favorite is the men’s second with the hope of success. He gets up, tears the Bouldering World Cup. They problem. It has a move that looks completely his shirt from his rippling body and throws could easily be glaring at one impossible to a spectator and is conquered in himself back at the route. He misses again, another from across the room or at least four different ways. The business con- but just slightly, the crowd is roaring for him. stealthily smearing butter on each sists of two big triangular blocks, one slightly With determination in his eyes, he gets on the other’s climbing shoes. Instead, higher than the other one and about four feet route for a third time. He pumps, once, twice, these athletes are chatting and to the right. After that, a 5-foot completely and throws, huge, and sticks the hold with one figuring out the sequences of the blank section leads to a tiny edge. Jumping is hand. His body swinging wildly on one limb, climbs together as if they were out of the question because of body posi- he raises his other fist in the air and yells in spending a casual afternoon at tioning and other factors. Carlo Traversi, a triumph. Now that’s what I call a show. the crag. While this is one of the short and stocky professional climber from In the end, Daniel Woods and Alex Puccio biggest competitions of the year, Boulder, does it in a particularly entertain- get first place and bring home a $10,000 prize, these athletes demonstrate a sense ing way. He starts by throwing his left foot with Ethan Pringle and Angie Payne in second of comradery and support rarely onto the smaller triangle to the left, and then and Micheal Bautista and Shauna Coxsey in seen in professional athletics. matches it with his left hand. Then, he pulls third. This was the best sporting event I have This energy is largely due to the his body from a horizontal position all of the seen since Tigers hockey won in overtime fact that many of these climbers way up to standing by rotating off of just his with a penalty shoot-out. With events like have known each other for years. left hand and his left foot, which are about 6 these, I would not be surprised to see climbing Many of these athletes grew up inches away from each other. Speaking as a blossom as the spectator sport that I know it physics major, I can guarantee that there were could be.

Clockwise from top:

Daniel Woods and Alex Puccio, men’s and women’s sec- ond problem. Sasha Digullian, women’s third problem. Sierra Blaire-Coyle, women’s first problem. 1. 2. 3. Photos by Luke Rasumussen. March 2, 2012 11 Arts & Entertainment The White Stripes and I

Left: Jack White performs live. Photo courtesy of Creative Commons. Right: White Stripes memorabilia. Photo by Giulio Brandi

age of file-sharing. Napster may have died but songs but a copy of “Ain’t Superstitious” can imagine “Elephant” as the magnum opus of Kazaa was thriving and I was thrilled to pirate be found online and uncovers the signature the White Stripes. It was the peak of their Giulio Brandi the White Stripes. Not because I wanted to voice of Jack White. The White Stripes were initial fame, and though they have remained A&E Editor steal from them but because artists barely get said to have formed after Meg, with no prior a widespread and successful musical presence, anything in royalties, so in an attempt to bypass musical experience, sat down to play the drum they have yet to peak to quite the same degree I’ve yet to meet someone who has the same the greed of big studios, I did actually send kit they had in the garage. Jack enjoyed the raw as Elephant. passion for the White Stripes as I do. This may cash to an address that hopefully reached Jack and childlike energy of her playing and told her I don’t want to gloss over their two follow- have more to do with my social skills than the White. to “hit the cymbals a lot” while he played guitar. ing albums (“Get Behind Me Satan” and “Icky popularity of the White Stripes, but neverthe- The curse and gift of Kazaa was that you A band was born and one marriage and a di- Thump,”) both of which are actually pretty less I maintain that while the duo are known were never quite sure what you were download- vorce later saw the White Stripes in 2000 releas- good and were well received. But for me at to exist, I think most of the intricacies behind ing. You could only download individual files, ing their second album, “De Stijl,” after their least, the post-Elephant era was a move away the music are reserved for the die-hard fans, not whole albums, so my White Stripes col- self-titled debut was a local success. Despite from punk, blues, innocent love, and raw the candy cane children. I’ve wanted to write lection was for a long time an eclectic mix of the band’s constant insistence that they are energy. Of course, the White Stripes have kept this article for a long time because that Detroit their recordings. I inadvertently picked up rare brother and sister (which must be some sort these influences (see “Instinct Blues,” “Red duo has been one of my greatest influences in B-sides that have only become available online of inside joke,) a marriage certificate surfaced Rain,” “Bone Broke” and “I’m Slowly Turning music, love and life. It’s interesting to reflect on in later years, some of which still aren’t easily in Detroit newspapers and online early on in into You” if you don’t believe me,) it’s just that how much there is behind the scenes of their found. Ok, so I had some rare songs, I loved their career that proved the couple’s previously nothing after Elephant feels quite the same. The music (such as the red and the white, Jack’s the band to death and listened to it all, but I betrothed state. From their second album, the songs are raw but ever-so-slightly polished, as love and knowledge of Tesla coils and Nikola was still in the early days of my fandom. White Stripes rapidly grew to the status of if a little bit too much forethought and money Tesla, the band’s love of chocolate malts, Jack’s One day Ross comes around with his commercial success both at home in the U.S. went into it. I’m not judging the guy either, divorce party, the pair’s lifetime ban from the Fender Squire and $50 amp. He sets it up in and overseas in the United Kingdom. The 2001 kudos to him for having the luxury, time and Hotel Yorba in Detroit, Meg’s sex tape, the the kitchen and shows me how he can play “White Blood Cells,” an allusion to selling out in money to be a career musician with resound- band’s hard-ass and old-ass manager, the “Citi- some White Stripes songs. He plays “Alumi- that White (Stripes) Blood sells, had two top 40 ing success. The post-Elephant Era also saw zen Kane” references, Jack’s illegal presence on num,” an instrumental track designed to mimic hits, “Dead Leaves and the Dirty Ground” and the formation of the Raconteurs. It’s as if the an Electric Six track, and of course, Meg being the sounds of an aluminum factory. Ross was “Fell in Love with A Girl,” both of which have White Stripes turned art into creativity and it the most important member of the band.) getting distortion and feedback from that amp simply smashing music videos. All this and “7 was with Elephant where my relationship with Unfortunately, it’s not possible to describe all and I was simply amazed. There I was, being Nation Army” still hadn’t been written during a them perpetually begins and ends. They’ve these things. See, kids, people are too complex impressed by miraculous things that, to others, sound check in Australia. certainly been creative since then, drawing on to summarize, especially interesting people, so aren’t that miraculous. The next week I had a Not that their chronology mattered to me at Mexican, Scottish, and bluegrass influences. this article has a different spin. Yes, in a way similar set up and would sit down in my little the time. After “7 Nation Army” crashed into Jack, after starting the Raconteurs, co-wrote a it’s a review of the White Stripes, but I’m not room with a hi-fi to play along with the band. my life I was internalizing their songs without James Bond theme song with Alicia Keys, was here to tell you why to love them or what you I’m not afraid to admit that the White Stripes care to order because I had a mixed collection recently featured on a Deadmau5 compilation may have missed if you hate them. Review- are how I learned to play guitar. I never took organized by song instead of album. This was and recorded a song with ICP last year (ugh). writing is like travel-writing; it’s a subjective lessons and I can’t read music, I just sat the also where the duo had exclusive control over See, art into creativity. Chalk it up to the inevi- cross-section in time. The White Stripes have fuck down and made sounds that sounded like my late-teens love life. I would like to take the table fragmentation of an idea, like the falling been with me for a long time now and the time them. And through this practice I discovered time to explain that I do have some faith in pieces of a broken mirror. At least Jack and has come to put them on the mantel-piece for one of the tenets of their genius, a foundation serendipity and therefore the following attribu- Meg put it down through a microphone so that a while. Hence, here is my little old catharsis of for their success: Inspired by the de stijl move- tions occurred naturally and without fore- we have a timeless record of the idea, of their the White Stripes. ment – a furniture movement of all things - the thought. In hindsight, I was stuck in a pattern musical corner in time and space. As is proper, let’s start from the beginning. White Stripes reveal a certain inalienable truth of idealization-based crushes, each of which I had a dream once where I saw the White It’s 2003 and I’m in high school. MTV was – in art that less is more. (Minimalism applies found meaning in a song. In chronological or- Stripes as these minute little creatures, both good miraculously – still playing music. I remember agreeably to other art forms, too, such as writ- der, I had “You’ve Got Her in Your Pocket” for and evil and simultaneously gigantic (in that the first time I heard “7 Nation Army.” I didn’t ing (Charles Bukowski and Ernest Hemingway) the long-distance Anika, “There’s No Home they were all that I saw) and tiny with regards like it. In my experience, bands that you don’t and film (Jim Jarmusch and Wes Anderson.) For You Here,” for Danny, my neighbor who to what their “physical” size was. I guess like at first are ones you end up listening to for What is pop if not the commercialization of eventually moved to Angola, “Offend in Every that’s what they represent to me: ambiguity in the longest (attentive readers will be pleased simplicity?) Good taste doesn’t scream at you Way” for the out-of-my-league Margot (after complexity and the interplay between opposites. to note that I contradict this statement several and the truth doesn’t make a noise. which I found out I had tremendously misin- You can’t pin them down to one ideology, and sentences from now.) So “7 Nation Army” But where does this all come from? Who is terpreted events,) “When I Hear My Name” for you can’t label them to one genre. I haven’t plays on repeat on MTV, high school continues, the pair responsible for this red-and-white can- the indecisive and elusive Raisa, “The Same even begun to speak about Jack’s musical style, and the days roll by until I get accustomed dy-caned aural explosion into rock, art, and the Boy You’ve Always Known” for friend-turned- the influence of Son House, the hipster/indie to it and one day my friend and I decide to age of indie? Hailing out of southwest Detroit, benefit Tegan, and finally, “I’m Bound to Pack era that marked 2000-2010 or memorable live go to the mall to check out these people who the White Stripes officially formed in 1998. it Up” for Tegan’s best friend, Kate. There it is, performances. How is it possible that so much call themselves the White Stripes. I’d like to John Gillis, the man behind the persona of Jack folks, a history of high school love summarized complexity arose from their modus operandi interject here with something that always White, had been active on the local punk scene in a sentence. of simplicity? I don’t want to close this with my seems mystical to me: I had these stereotypi- in Detroit for several years prior to the forma- How apt then, that all these songs preceded own words. Let the man speak for himself: cally American experiences in the bottom of tion of the White Stripes. (Those interested in the 2003 release of “Elephant,” an album dedi- Don’t ya mind people grinning in your face? Africa. That’s a lot less ordinary than we think this unique musical corner in time and space cated to the death of the sweetheart. Recorded Don’cha mind it should be, or I’m easily impressed, whatever. may enjoy “The Detroit Cobras” and “The in the tiny Toe Rag studios in downtown Lon- people grinning Anyway, there we are, Ross Sylvester and myself, Soledad Brothers,” both of which have been don, the album cover of “Elephant,” of which in your face? in the record store in the mall (or in the Musica produced by Jack White. Also, see the 2001 there are three slightly different variations of in Cavendish, for Capetonian readers) with compilation entitled “The Sympathetic Sounds in terms of color and position, shows the pair Your mother will talk about you. store headphones on listening to the entirety of Detroit” for a snapshot of the scene and sitting on an amp with their back towards each Your brother and your sisters, too. of “Elephant” from start to finish for the first for a photo of Jack wearing a leather jacket and other. Meg is tied to the earth by an electrical No matter how you try to live, time. I make a note of telling him how much drinking a beer.) After leaving “The Go,” citing cord around her ankle, a skull symbolizing they gonna talk about you still. I like “Little Acorns” because it starts with a testosterone and egos as the reason for his death lies in the darkened background, Jack monologue about squirrels. I’m not sure if we departure, Jack then paired with his upholstery looks towards the light while Meg weeps and So don’t you mind listened to the full seven minutes of “Ball and mentor Brian Muldoon and formed “The Up- the acorns of their love lie scattered between people grinning Biscuit.” I loved it, every single song. And so holsters.” Yes, Jackie used to work in a furniture them. The cricket bat is the absurd and the in your face? did Ross. We were instant fans. Of course, we shop, so the aforementioned de stijl reference name, absent on the cover, is a reference to the Don’t ya mind didn’t buy the CD then; we didn’t have the was legitimate on his behalf. Unfortunately, the old adage that an elephant never forgets because people grinning money. And besides, it was 2003, the golden short-lived “Upholsters” didn’t record many you’ll never forget your first love. I like to in your face? 12 Arts & Entertainment March 2, 2012 Award shows misrepresentative, out of touch: new rules for the new entertainment game

Robby Caseria 2011 Grammys was perhaps the fi rst instance panel of often incongruous producers. have done for decades. Making these Staff Writer of this phenomenon, but it certainly will not What’s more, movie channels like HBO and distinctions and separating out the two camps would create a Continued from page 1 be the last. AMC are afforded more fl exibility with their With fi lm, television, and music audiences scheduling compared to the strict time-slot more equitable process ...as the 1990s, the so fragmented, major studios and labels can gridlock of major networks. While “CSI” has of consideration when Grammy for Best no longer expect 80 percent of the general to produce 22 hour-long episodes every year etching in stone the New Artist routinely public to like a particular release. As cable in order to fi ll the network’s primetime sched- contributions to our went to superstars networks continue to pump out critically ac- ule, cable channels typically have the luxury cultural dialogue that with the sound-du- claimed gems like “Downton Abbey,” “Board- of devoting more money per episode to a mattered most in a jour such as Toni walk Empire,” and “Homeland,” simple math season of about half as many installments. given year. Braxton, Sheryl Crow, dictates that a smaller and smaller segment of Twelve or 13 episodes shot on a larger budget Though renaming or Hootie & the Blow- society is going to watch “NCIS” or “Hawaii will usually cultivate a more ardent fan-base such long-standing fi sh. However, the two Five-0” on a major network. Likewise, despite than 22 or 23 episodes done hurriedly and categories may at fi rst most recent recipients producing six singles peaking in the top fi ve on the cheap. That ardent fan-base will then feel awkward to the of the honor, jazz singer of Billboard’s Hot 100, Katy Perry’s “Teen- translate to more awards, as evidenced by award show faithful, the Esperanza Spalding and age Dream” can never hope to approach the “Mad Men” and “Breaking Bad,” another shift would ultimately aforementioned folk ensem- volume of units sold by Michael Jackson’s AMC product, cleaning up at the past few prove for the best given that ble Bon Iver, have been relative “Thriller,” due in large part to the fact that Emmys. “Downton Abbey,” one of this cen- all productions from the given unknowns with respect to the more people in 2012 listen to groups like tury’s most critically adored series, only comes year were being judged with overall pop music conversation. Arcade Fire than listeners in 1982 listened to, out with an average of eight installments per more thorough criteria in mind. This is due almost exclusively say, Figures of Light. season, but because the show executes the New categories such as “Best to the fact that people are buy- As culture consumers become more hooked early 20th-century aesthetic so immaculately, Independent Label Album” ing physical copies of music into channels of content better tailored to fans do not seem to mind the low episode or “Outstanding Cable Drama less frequently. While even their specifi c tastes, productions coming out totals. Series” would be added to the just 10 years ago the average of major studios and networks will see an Changing rules in the media game should respective shows’ billings, but consumer went to a record increasingly narrow market share. Because therefore translate to a new way of award- awards such as “Outstanding shop to pick out the latest addi- cable channels and independent record labels ing excellence. While Vince Gilligan and his Lead Actor” or “Outstanding tion to their library, those same have smaller audiences to play to, they can crew have a reported $3 million to make each Supporting Actress” could be shoppers are no longer bound by create the type of art that resonates more episode of “Breaking Bad”, the pilot for left alone since they only judge restrictions in selection as decided profoundly with whoever is taking it in. The Damon Lindelof ’s “Lost,” one of the more the work of a single individual, an by major record distributers. more buzz a specifi c show or record or fi lm expensive network TV episodes ever made individual whose performance is Now, anyone with an internet drums up amongst its smaller but nonetheless (“Terra Nova” aside), only had $2 million to largely divorced from the budget- connection can search for new audible (thanks to social networking) fan-base, work with. It is therefore completely unfair ary concerns listed above. music amongst the web’s virtually the better the chance it has at a major award. to judge the two shows side-by-side, tan- Award shows have been a limitless catalogues and easily Is it, therefore, fair to expect CBS’ “CSI” to tamount to comparing essays penned by a great vehicle for the old guard share new fi nds with their peers. produce an hour of television artistically on high school senior and a fourth grader. One of popular culture, but it is time Before, we relied on Universal, par with AMC’s 1960s period drama “Mad simply has an unfair advantage given their for them to catch up with reality. Sony Music, EMI, and Warner Men”? The answer is obvious: of course not. superior resources and freedoms. Similarly, Consumer habits and technolo- Music Group to deliver us our In order for CBS to keep CSI on the air, a when Katy Perry needs her songs to be club- gies are changing daily, and as choices for listening. As the tools sizeable percentage of the national viewership friendly, radio-friendly, video-friendly, and such, the entertainment content we for music production and discov- must fi nd it appealing. In contrast, however, world tour-friendly, there is no way she can be care about is taking on new forms. ery are handed over to the masses, AMC requires a much smaller audience in expected to produce genuine artistic offerings If Hollywood is smart, the suits however, it becomes more likely that order to justify its airing of “Mad Men,” in the same way as Bon Iver front-man Justin at the various academies will learn an independently affi liated artist thanks to its leaner overhead costs. With Vernon. quickly to sort out different types of can make a splash big enough to diminished pressure to placate the lowest It then stands to reason that when doling products from different types of warrant a major common denominator week in and week out, out the bigger awards (Outstanding Drama studios, products award. Arcade “Mad Men” and its cable peers are able to take Series, Best Record, Best Album, Best New that are becom- Fire taking home more risks, be slower and more deliberate Artist, etc.), award shows should no longer ing more differ- Best Album in their storytelling, and satisfy the vision of lump together majors and indies, cable and ent than they honors at the one show-runner and creator as opposed to a network, Big 5 and art-house, the way they are alike.