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“Rolling Stone” Columnist Matt Taibbi Visits for Finance Café Career Day

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THE NATION'S OLDEST ON THE WEB: COUNTRY DAY SCHOOL www.pingry.org/stu- NEWSPAPER VOLUME CXXXIV, NUMBER 3 dents/therecord.html VOLUME CXXX, SPEciAL EDI- VOLUME CXXXVIII, NUMBER 3 The Pingry School, Martinsville, New Jersey FEBRUARY 24, 2012 “Rolling Stone” Columnist Matt Taibbi Visits for Finance Café By ALYSSA BAUM (IV) journalist, he had to become an Mr. Taibbi also explained that Mikaela Lewis (IV) agreed that expert in the fields on which he “human beings have a tremen- “Mr. Taibbi made a difficult topic On February 3rd, Matt Taibbi was reporting. Since then, he has dous urge to take short cuts” and easier to understand” adding that spoke to the Upper School as part extensively covered the 2008 and described the “fairy tale mental- she “liked the interactive portions of this year’s Finance Café. Mr. 2012 elections, the international ity” that makes people think they of the assembly.” Taibbi is a political, financial, financial crisis, and what he sees can transform something worth- Miss Leslie Wolfson, Eco- and sports reporter for “Rolling as corruption on Wall Street. less into something valuable by nomics teacher and Financial Stone” magazine and “Men’s These endeavors, among others, simply snapping their fingers. Literacy coordinator, thought Journal,” a New York Times led him to be named one of the According to Mr. Taibbi, this Mr. Taibbi connected with the bestselling author, and a regular 35 Most Influential New Yorkers mentality allowed people who students well during his presen- on radio and television talk shows under 35. were unqualified to receive bank tation. She said, “I think he did like “Real Time with Bill Maher,” Mr. Taibbi spoke to the student loans to obtain them anyway be- a very good job and fulfilled the “The Rachel Maddow Show,” body about the mortgage crisis of cause the loaners were too relaxed mission of the Finance Café very and “Imus in the Morning.” 2008 in a way that most teenagers about who was allowed to receive well.” According to Miss Wolf- As he opened his talk, he could understand. He explained money for mortgages. son, the goal of the program is to explained how he developed an collateralized debt obligations Spanish teacher Dr. Frances educate students about personal interest in investigative journal- through an interactive demon- Mecartty-Dunlap enjoyed Mr. finance and the financial world, ism During the 2008 presidential stration with students acting as Taibbi’s speech. She said, “It and since the end of the financial race, Mr. Taibbi was covering bank loaners and homeowners, was the first time that I was able crisis is near, she thought, “it John McCain’s speech about and compared investing in the to understand what happened would be a good idea to give drilling in the Gulf of Mexico housing market to horse racing, with the subprime mortgages and students some knowledge about in Louisiana when he had an claiming that investing in CDOs how it affected different people what caused the financial crisis epiphany; he realized he knew with AAA ratings is like betting in different ways. I didn’t know because they are all at the age nothing about the topics he was on a horse favored to win the race, anything about the situation and where they are entering the world covering. After that, he decided while investing in riskier “junk” is Matt Taibbi spoke to the Upper School on February 3rd. the way he used visuals to ex- where they need to deal with that in order to be a reputable like betting on a long shot. Courtesy of Pingry Communications plain AAA made it very clear.” finances.” Career Day for Juniors and Seniors a Success Students Enjoy Snow- who discussed his career trajec- students, as his favorite panel. By NICOLE BLUM (V) shown detailing the Creative Arts tory, culminating with his current Agency. “The presenter made it really fun job as a Hollywood talent agent and it seemed like he enjoyed his ball Dance at Dolce Career Day, which took place “I thought Mr. Berger was Other aspects of the night, on January 27th, featured a slew at the Creative Arts Agency. work,” Flannery said. By DEREK HSUE (IV) more captivating than the speak- like drinks, food, and music, of Pingry alumni offering career Unlike last year, this year’s er last year. It seemed like his Applied Science and Finance On Saturday, January 28, were also well received by the advice and food for thought for keynote presentation was more profession was more inclusive were also widely attended. Syd- juniors and seniors. informal. The Headmaster con- of many different types of areas,” ney Li (V) said of the two fields, students gathered for an eve- students. Julian Rajan (IV) The morning began with ducted a sit-down interview Ryan Campbell (VI) said. “I really admired what the alumni ning of dancing and dining at said, “I was impressed with keynote speaker Alan Berger ’68, with Mr. Berger, and a video was Following this introduction, there did. They gave pretty good the Dolce Hotel & Resort in the drink selection and the the students went to different advice on how to transition from locations around the school to high school into college, and attend three different lectures even from college into a job.” Inside The Record on professions of their choos- For next year, many students ing. Students’ selections ranged agreed that they would prefer to from Psychological Services to attend more than three sessions. Finance to Visual Arts, among Flannery said that he wished to many others. The speakers were see a greater “variety of topics,” Pingry graduates of all ages, as well as “more networking from Mr. Gordon Sulcer ’61, opportunities to help us get jobs who is the head of a sports and internships.” marketing agency, to Mr. Grant As in past years, some seniors Palmer ’09, who is an indepen- complained that attending Career dent hip-hop artist. Day both senior and junior year Seniors were glad to find that is repetitive. Jamie Ogden (VI) the Career Day coordinators had said, “The three sessions I was taken “our advice on some of the assigned this year were exactly presenters last year and gotten the same as last year, so I ditched unique people,” Campbell added. my schedule and went to the ones Naturally, most students I was most interested in learning found that their favorite pan- about.” Betty Li (VI) summed her Seniors R. Wynne, L. Barker, M. Higgins, and H. Skinner els were those that lay within before the dance. Courtesy of M. Higgins (VI) Basking Ridge for Snowball speed and quality of the bar 2012. service.” Connie Wang (VI) Courtesy of Mrs. Asch As always, the event was agreed, adding “everything On February 23, 24, and 25, the Drama and Music Depart- highly anticipated among Pin- tasted great, especially the ment performed “Little Shop of Horrors.” gry students. The hype for the pasta and ice cream.” annual semi-formal began just Sam Ricciardi (V) added Entrepreneur Extraordinaire Starlet on the Scene before winter break, when stu- that while “the sliders were dent government announced White Castle quality, the ice Alumnus Seth Flowerman ‘04 has Halley Wegryn Gross ‘04 is carv- been spinning ideas into gold as a highly ing out her place in Hollywood as an that this year’s event would be cream sundae bar stole the successful entrepreneur. P4. actress. P4. held at a brand new location, show.” He also remarked that the Dolce Hotel. Previously, the DJ played “mostly top 40 the dance was held at the Mar- pop music with a little Dub- The Verdict Is In Blueprints for a New Era tinsville Inn in Bridgewater. step and house music infused The results from the Honor Board fictional case exercise are relayed and “The Dolce was much nic- in.” Because of the highly en- Planning for a new athletic center er and more luxurious,” Louie ergizing and exciting music, analyzed. P5. and field house is underway. P6. Monteagudo (IV), sophomore many students, particularly class president, explained. the very enthusiastic and ani- Taibbi-Gate Lapping the Competition “The higher ceiling made the mated upperclassmen, stayed The Varsity boys’ Swimming team space feel not as tight, espe- on the dance floor all night. Kasia Axtell (V) gives her take on storms into the Meet of Champions Juniors H. Eicher, J. Shahar, and C. Rotatori participate in a presentation on Career Day. cially on the dance floor.” Overall it was an enjoy- the Matt Taibbi “controversy.” P2. with a perfect 11-0 record. P8. Courtesy of Pingry The overall reaction from able night that both students Sections their personal areas of interest. experienced up by saying, “Ca- the students about the location and the organizing student Andrew Zola (V) explained reer Day is about trying some- change was pretty positive. government were happy Roll Out the Red Carpet School News.........................1, 4-5 that Medicine was his favorite thing new, even if it’s something “There was a lot more space about. Student Body Presi- Ellen Cahill (V) gives the run- Commentary..........................2-3 because he is “thinking about go- you’re not sure about. All the so it was more convenient dent Marisa Werner (VI) said, down on the favorites to take home an Career Day Profiles....................3 ing into the field, and the doctors speakers are really passionate to get around,” Natalie Gil- “This was my last Snowball, Oscar at this year’s Academy Awards. who were there were hilarious.” about their professions, and it’s P4. Arts..........................................7 bert (IV) said.
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