OCR::/Vol_114/WLURG39_RTP_20100913/WLURG39_RTP_20100913_001.2.txt "\ O . W&LXC races tovictory Women and men place first and second, respectively, on home turf WASHINGTOIVAND LEE UNIVERSI SPORTS / page 8 THE RING-TUM PHI. MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 13, 2010 Helping orphans find homes Senior Elizabeth Gorman 3* Summer in Ghana, By Lizz Dye STAFF w R ITER While most Washington and Lee students spent their summers slaving away in mundane internships and nine-to-fivejobs, senior Elizabeth Gorman spent her summer working at orphanages in Ghana. Gorman worked as a KaeMe Summer Intern. KaeMe, which means “remember me” in Twi, is a non-governmental organization whose mission is to give every orphan and vulnerable child in Ghana a loving and supportive family. Although many NGOs in Africa have a similar goal in mind, KaeMe realizes that the orphans in Ghana face a unique situation. While other NGOs focus on orphans who have lost parents to AIDs, sixty percent ofthe orphans KaeMe serves have liv- ing parents. _ - Many of these children’s parents left them in the hope that an orphanage education would ultimately be better for their child. Despite these hopes, empiri- cal research has shown that children have develop- mental delays when placed in orphanages. In order to address this problem, the Ghana De- partment ofSocial Welfare has replaced many ill-run children’s homes with a type of community center. where families have access to food, clothing and ed- ucation without giving up custody of their children. Gorman worked at KaeMe as the organization was first working in the field, so she spent most of heritime profiling children at the children’s homes. She and her fellow interns worked with three recent graduates of the social welfare program at the Uni- versity of Ghana, Legon. While the interns conducted an informal inter- view, which consisted mainly of playing with the younger children and asking about the likes, dislikes and ambitions ofthe older children, the social work- ers conducted formal interviews in the children’s na- “I gained a feeling of empower- ment... Everyone can make a difer— } ence they put the effort in. ’ Elizabeth Gorman, ‘11, KaeMe summer intern tive language to complete a comprehensive file on their past both at home and in orphanages. Gorrnan’s group also scanned their existing files, which ranged from a few scant pages to all-inclusive profiles with family pictures, medical records and school reports. < The ultimate goal of KaeMe within the next fou to five years is to ensure that each child has an ex- tensive file in order to assess all ofthe children with more accuracy. With these nevi/gand improved files, the Depart- ment of Social Welfare can work with adoption agencies domestically and internationally more ef- ficiently so that more children can be adopted or‘ placed with other family members. Gorman said that she gained “a feeling of em- powerment” from her experience. “Everyone can make a difference ifthey put the effort in.” BY Tl'lE STUDENTSIAND FOR THE STUDENTS SINCE 1897 V°LU|V|ECX||||,NUiMBER1 New Volunteer Venture trip explores healthcare in Ric/zmond By Eleanor Kennedy NEWS EDITOR On August 30th, ten first-years, three sophomores and onejunior set out for five days of service, learning and bonding in Richmond as part of the newest Volunteer Venture pre- orientation program. According to Volunteer Venture coordinator senior Kara Karcher, the Richmond trip focused on ‘‘ac- ‘ cess to healthcare in relation to pov- erty.” Karcher said that Richmond is known for its great healthcare sys- tem, and it made particular sense to create a trip with a medical focus in light of the recent debates about na- tional healthcare policy. According to one of the Rich- mond trip cooidinators, junior Shiri Yadlin, the medical focus was a major draw for incoming students. “We had a lot of bio majors,” said Yadlin. ‘ Students on the trip spent most of their time visiting free clinics, community centers and nonprofit organizations that aim to provide healthcare to the less fortunate, Yad- lin said. Students helped out these organizations by weeding, stuffing sex-ed packets and cleaning out a cluttered gym, a project which Yad- lin said produced “a very dramatic change.” First-year Nicole Gunawansa chose the Richmond trip because she knew she wanted a service-re- lated trip and she plans to pursue medicine. Gunawansa said one of her fa- vorite visits was to the International Children’s Hospital, where students got to meet children of immigrants from developing countries. She par- ticularly remembered a seven year- old who was about to undergo heart surgery. She said it was “really neat" to hear about the children’s experi- ences firsthand. Although Gunawansa and Yadlin both said the trip was a success, they admitted that there is room for im- provement. Because the clinics the students visited had limited work available for non-medical profes- sionals, many ofthe visits were more observational than participatory.“We couldn’t do as much hands-on as we wanted,” said Gunawansa. But Yadlin sees this lack of hands-on volunteering as a challenge that she is eager to meet. “That’s one thing I’m hoping for next year... to do more service work,” she said. Although this was the Richmond trip’s first year, the coordinators are confident that it will continue in the future. “The Richmond trip lead- ers laid the foundation for the trip to continue in future years,” said Karcher, “and next year we hope to increase the number of students that will be able to participate.” Karcher, who went on a.,Volun- teer Venture trip her first year at Washington and Lee, said she stayed involved in the program because of the great effect it had on her W&L career. . “I met and become friends with my leaders and fellow participants,” said Karcher, “but also found out about programs like the Shepherd Poverty and Bonnet Leader pro- grams that I am still involved with to this day.” ' Like Karcher, Yadlin says she likes that the program provides first- years with an introduction the Shep- herd Poverty program. “It was re- ally cool for me to see the first years grasp the concepts of poverty,” Yad- lin said. Of course, Volunteer Venture is also a great opportunity for incom- ing first-years to make new friends. Gunawansa appreciated the intro- duction to what the Shepherd pro- gram teaches, but she also said that \& it was great to meet people with similar interests. _ v“I made some really close friends,” Gunawansa said. “It really helped me coming in.” Students on the Richmond Volunteer Venture trip stuff sex-ed packets at a free clinic. OCR::/Vol_114/WLURG39_RTP_20100913/WLURG39_RTP_20100913_002.2.txt uurvensrrv LIBRARY WASHINGTON & use UNIVERSITY LEXINGTON, VA 24450 .1 5 201.9‘ 2 - THE RING-TUM PHI - "9W5 MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 13, 2010 Living and By Paige Gance . STAFF WRITER You would think that some- one who had been threatened ington and Lee, spent five weeks of his summer teaching kids in backpacks, books, and uniforms. In order to receive a scholar- summer, six of the thirty students received scholarships. 4.1? Scott Matarese poses in‘ front of the impressive Ecuadorian landscape. While in Ecuador, Matarese not only found time to work with impoverished students, but also explored all that the region had to offer. with a machete on the side of a Nicaraguan mountain would think twice before visiting an- other developing country. But this past summer, Scott Matarese did just that. Matarese, a senior at Wash- Otavalo, Ecuador, a rural vil- lage in the northern Andes. He worked with a program called the Village Education Project, which provides scholarships to students unable to afford nec- essary school supplies such as ship, or “becas,” students must participate in the summer school provided by VEP. At the end of the five weeks, they take a final assessment which, together with their grades, determines who re- ceives a scholarship. This past Matarese poses with a few of his Ecuadorian pupils. WELCOME BACK! join Career Services for: SENIOR MEETING Tuesday, September I4}- ’7':~1O=’0 p.m. Staekhouse Theater JUNIOR/SOPHOMORE ‘MEETING Thursday, September lb '7:~0~’Il p.rn. 'Staelrhouse Theater CUIEEEE, “COOKIES, CAREERS Third Thursday of Each Month Sept. I6, 8:00-9:00 pm. Leyburn Library WASHINGTON AND LEE UNIVERSITY CAREERSERVICES 4; " " — -, " ~ PHOTOS COURTESY OF SCOTT MATARESE Matarese taught three math classes, two filled with compet- ing students and one with stu- dents who had already received scholarships. Of course, all his teaching, quizzes and tests had to “Class would grind to a halt,” Matarese said, _ “whenever I messed up my pronunciation.” But you can’t blame a class of 11 to l5 year-olds for teasing their ‘ teacher about his accent. For some students, however, Spanish is not even their primary language. Because Otavalo has a largely indigenous population, many students speak Quechua at Learning in Ecuador Senior Scott Matarese is summer teaching impoverished students in South America finished. Three had to drop out because their families needed them to work on the farm or watch younger siblings. “I asked all the kids what they did in their free time,” Matarese said, “but they had to work before and after school. They had no free time.” Matarese said that the entire experience ‘moved him emotion- ally and made him realize how “I asked all the kids what they did in their free school. They had no free time. ’ ‘time, but they had to work before and after ) Scott Matarese, world traveller and educator home but Spanish at school. Matarese said his experi- ence was made even better by the cultural exposure he enjoyed through his host family. He lived in a hostel whose owner was also principal of the school where he taught. The two directors of education for the program were also Ecuadorean and were therefore more attuned to the exact needs of the com- munity. The rural nature of Otavalo impacts how students make it to school. Houses are spread across miles of farmland, so some stu- dents must walk up and down foothills and dirt roads for over an hour to make it to class. In addition, students usually have only one set of nice clothes to wear to school. Unfortunately, not all the students that started the class lucky he was in his own educa- tion. Most of his teaching in Ec- uador involved filling wide gaps - in knowledge that their previous education had left. He described the instruction the students were used to as rote memorization with little to no understanding to back it up. “I really want to make this program more well known,” he said, “I believe it could work well as a poverty internship.” Matarese is a Global Politics and History major with a minor in Latin American/Caribbean Stud- ies. He is particularly interested in issues related to development. He describes Ecuador as an up- per-level developing country. be in Spanish. ..—rv Matarese tries not to mess up his accent as he chats with his young students. O-week: more than just parties F rosh do community service around Rockbridge Co. in new orientation event By Eleanor Kennedy NEWS EDITOR On September 9, while most upperclassmen were tucked com- fortably in their beds, recovering from a little too much fun the night before, Washington and Lee’s newest students ventured out into the community for a day of service. ‘ Due to the timing of the Jewish new year, Rosh Hasha- nah, the first day of classes was pushed back from Thursday to Friday. This change left a day void of established Orientation Week activities. A new activity was created, one which would expose first-years to the needs of the community they have just entered. According to junior resident advisor Phil Jackson, 15 groups of first-year students spent three hours Thursday morning doing service everywhere from Lex- ington to Buena Vista to Natural Bridge. Jackson’s group painted walls at a nursing home, while some groups worked with Good- will, Habitat for Humanity 0 Project Horizon. ‘ Although Jackson admitted some students seemed unhappy with the early morning hours, he said that in the end “a lot of people really enjoyed it.” For first-year Ashley Bishop, the experience was “really cool.” Her group worked at Habitat for Humanity, painting and restock- ing a library. Bishop said she liked learning about Habitat for Humanity programs as well as having fun with her peers while serving others. Jackson said he saw the event as valuable for W&L’s image. “It is a good way to show that W&L- students aren’t here just to party,” he said. Bishop said she liked the op- portunity because it exposed her and her peers to the world around them. “A lot of people aren’t from here so it really helped them see what’s going on in the com- munity,” said Bishop. II /D’ OCR::/Vol_114/WLURG39_RTP_20100913/WLURG39_RTP_20100913_003.2.txt Ci MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 13, 2010 THE RING-TUM PHI '3 opinions Can Weezer find true redemption in Hurley? After a decade of selling out, Weezer is new album may be a step in the right direction By Jonathan Salm COLU M N IST For the greater part of the 21st century, Weezer has been utter shit. Pardon my language, but there is no better way to describe a band with a self-titled debut that redefined power pop and a follow-up record that has been labeled the “comerstone of the late-nineties emo movement.” While l994’s Weezer and l996’s Pinkerton will likely nev- er be matched, die-hard Weezer fans have been waiting for a re- turn to form as intently as Cubs fans have been praying for a World Series ring. With each post-Pinkerton al- bum came disappointment and frustration. (a close-up of actor Jorge Gar- , cia, who portrayed the charac- ter Hugo “Hurley” Reyes from Lost), Weezer’s newest album is anything but a gimmicky throw- away. First track and lead single “Memories” kicks off Hurley with a pounding bass line, sing- along choruses and lyrics that re- call Weezer’s mid-90’s heyday: “Pissing in plastic cups before we went on stage/ Playing hack- eysack back when Audioslave was still Rage.” “Ruling Me” and “Brave New World” are two power pop bamburners that are pure, vin- tage Weezer. Coming from a band that stead of popping bottles of Grey Goose and rolling with a posse in the VIP. , Hurley’s mid-tempo tracks manage to impress as well. In “Unspoken,” Cuomo croons, “I can feel those metal chains/ And they’re holding back the hope that keeps me sane/ I can fight back, yes I can” before the track explodes into an climactic, ca- thartic rush of guitar and drums that recall the conclusion of “Only in Dreams” off Weezer’s debut. On “Run Away,” a track co- written with Ryan Adams, Cuo- mo and company unleash their inner Americana. “Run Away” is complete with 200l’s driving guitar Weezer is Although the better tracks on the album recall riffs, plenty of at best a _ _ . harmonized soulless and possibly rival early Weezer, Hurley lacks “oohs” from rehash- _ _ guitarist Brian ing of the the cohesiveness and consistency of a truly Bell and 1y,_ group’s de- - ics that recall but and un- great album~ heartache and fortunately sadness: “Is it the only us making love Pinkerton in the Milky follow-up worth mentioning. However, Weezer’s newest al- bum, Hurley, shows flashes of brilliance not seen in almost a decade. Despite its name and cover Washington and Lee, drink responsibly just under a year ago released a pseudo rap song with Lil Wayne called “Can’t Stop Partying,” it is incredibly relieving to hear singer Rivers Cuomo fuss about lost love and insecurities in- Way/Long before we threw it all away?” While there may be more highlights on Hurley than on Weezer’s last two (or three) ef- forts combined, there do remain tracks such as “Wliere’s my Sex?” This track is so absurdly stupid that it makes the album’s cover look like avant-garde art. Spoiler: It’s a track about socks that replaces the word socks with sex. Seriously. Although the better tracks on the album recall and possibly ri- val early Weezer, Hurley lacks the cohesiveness and consisten- cy ofa truly great album. There are numerous flops on the album, including the closer “Time Flies,” a bland folk song with lyrics that could have been penned by a 13 year-old. Weezer’s musicianship has certainly deteriorated over the years, as well. Songs like “El Scorcho” off Pinkerton are no- where to be found on Hurley, as the group sacrifices interesting drum patterns and guitar riffs for Making small changes can prevent huge mistakes and improve terrible statistics By Diandra Spicak MANAGING EDITOR On behalf of the Phi, I’d like to welcome back the returning students and welcome the new students to the hallowed halls of Washington and Lee. After a year the rug in typical W&L fashion. What does this mean for us individually? This isn’t an at- tack on partying. Partying is, when done safely, enjoyable and Party hard, but not too hard. Take into con- sideration that you were once a freshman, and some of the mistakes you made could have been prevented... of collapsing porches, Traveller incidents and multiple snowpo- calypses, it is imperative that we, as a community, stick together and continue the efforts we start- ed to pursue last fall term. Let’s not beat around the bush. We all have heard of the alarmingly high sexual assault statistics on campus. Begrudg- ingly or‘ not, we have accepted this as part of life at W&L. But it shouldn’t end at acceptance. With one of the biggest party weeks behind us, we must stay constantly vigilant in our efforts to change these statistics in the coming year. I know we hear about sexual assault all the time, but we can’t just sweep it under a somewhat integral part of the W&L experience. Many of us like to let loose, throw back a few brews and dance the night away. It’s a nice break from all of the work we put in as students at one of the most prestigious schools in the nation. At the same time, we must know our limits and maintain some sort of control. Upperclassmen know much more than the frosh do about lim- its and our culture here. There- fore, while we all like to lose a bit of control, we must keep an eye out for potentially danger- ous situations. If we notice a girl or guy stumbling around, obvi- ously a little too intoxicated, we can spare a few moments to ask about her or his well-being. You could be their hero of the night— who knows if there’s a creeper trying to grind up on them on the dance floor? (Speaking from V experience, that’s a situation best avoided.) Or, ifyou notice some- one with whom you aren’t par- ticularly friends hunched over a toilet alone, would it take too much out of you to get them back to the Health Center? It is a safe haven, and you don’t have to spend the whole night watching over someone. These suggestions aren’t meant to chide anyone into be- ing a good Samaritan or to com- promise the party experience, but they are small steps toward preventing statistics. If some- one steps in before the frosh girl blacks out, perhaps we can prevent an incident of sexual as- sault. If someone takes the boy who’s projectile vomiting to the health center, perhaps a preda- tor’s plans could be foiled. Do you see where I’m going with this? So, go forth and be merry. V Party hard, but not too hard. Take into consideration that you were once a freshman, and some mis- takes that you made could have been prevented if only a guid- ing hand had pointed you in the right direction. Some mistakes are funny stories, but other mis- takes can significantly impact a person’s life in a negative way. We are a small school: what goes around comes around. Instead of spreading mono, let’s spread concern for one another’s well being. L. PHOTO COURTESY OF GOOGLE IMAGES a much blander sound. Hurley clearly has its short- comings. However, it is a partial return to form, and an unques- tionably welcome one at that. Hurley will never match mid- 90’s Weezer, but it seems to have already eclipsed most of Wee- zer’s 21st-century output. lt’s the best thing from Weezer in years, and that’s all fans could’ve asked for. Interests p inwriting for the Phi? E"mai usatph 1' @Wl U-ed“ OCR::/Vol_114/WLURG39_RTP_20100913/WLURG39_RTP_20100913_004.2.txt 4 ° THE RING-TUM PHI MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 13, 2010 opinions First Year advice that wasn’t quite covered during O-Week Stockton Bullitt outlines the true do 3 and don ’ts for the first year spent as an undergrad at Washington and Lee By Stockton Bullitt OPINIONS EDITOR Now that we’re all a year older, we’re going to have to get used to the fact that we’re all now in new grades. Seniors, you have to start coming to terms with the fact that you have nine months until your lives come down to 40lKs and youth soccer games. Juniors, you have to start coming to terms with the older version of bar mitzvah season: 21st birthdays. And sophomores, you have to start coming to terms with be- ing irrelevant because you matter about as much as Sasha Gray’s acting career. I Freshmen—oh sorry, first- years—you have quite a bit of issues with which you need to come to terms. You’re in college now. It’s not just any college, but a college with a dead president in its back- yard. Surviving this year will be ,an adventure, but it will be made much easier if you follow a cou- ple of guidelines. Older people, you can feel free to disagree with my advice to the new kids, but freshmen, trust me: I’m right. So, without further ado, here’s some advice for passing freshmen . year at Washington and Lee. 1. You are the Master of the Universe See, you spent your last four years in high school falsely as- suming that you were at the cen- ter of the universe. Luckily, now that you have entered your fresh- men year here, you’re actually right. All the other grades are go- ing to court you, kiss your ass and fight for your attention in the upcoming weeks. You are to the Washington and Lee social scene what Silly Bandz are to eight year—olds. 2. Embrace being the center of attention Live up your freshmen fall as best you can. Every day that you don’t embrace your inner joie de vivre is one more day that you will regret later in your college career. This is the time to go on ad- ventures. This is the year to leave Windfall long after the sun comes up. This is the year to go camping deep in the woods for days at a time. This is the year to live out Vince’s current season on “Entourage.” You won’t have time to cel- ebrate your college freedom the older you get, and worse, you won’t have three years of people following your every move af- ter this year. And in case you’re wondering what your uniform should be for these celebrations, remember that when he was I8, Jesus wore knee-high socks, a lax penny and a backwards hat from the town where he had a summer house. So regardless of who you are and regardless of the extent to which you do it, suck all the air you can out of the whipped cream can of freshmen year. That being said... 3. Remember that you know nothing You heard me. My favorite part of O-Week this year was sit- ting back and listening to fresh- men tell me what college is re- ally like. . Oh, you watched “Greek,” so obviously you know what life here is like. Gotcha. Nobody likes a younger know-it-all, so learn to shut your mouth. I don’t care if a senior is tell- ing you that Kevin Kolb is a le-' gitimate NFL quarterback or that Ron Paul will be president one day; it’s not worth arguing about it. 4. Assimilate into the culture a little I’m not saying that you need to start calling it the War of Northern Aggression but put a little effort into finding ways to identify with your surroundings. Get a definitive opinion on whether you are a Salemo’s or a Frank’s person. Start listening to some frat music: ifyou like good music try listening to Chiddy Bang, and if you like bad music try listening to Sam Adams‘. By no means does this mean that you _ need to change your personality, but now that you’re you from the Walmart shelves. Speaking of parents, 6. Have lots of “intimate con- versations” Last year, we were treated to some delightful reminders about date rape at W&L. The end it. campaign turned out to be a huge success, especially because the statistics were questionable to begin with. Still, instead of hanging out with friends this summer, I spent my time diligently thinking of a way to solve sexual abuse at W&L. After there realizing that you how I write all those opinion articles,” know that you’re in for more than a journalism lesson. Speaking of predators... _ 8. Stay clear of LexPo Lexington is a haunted town after the sun goes down. It is populated with creatures in blue uniforms who prey on vulnerable freshmen late at night. Always travel in packs and never get into a car with beer—— not just because they are the right things to do, but because the Rockbridge County Jail is not a fun place to spend the night. Traveller is always a vital You ’re in college now. Its not just any college, but a college with a dead president in its back- yard. Surviving this year will be an adventure, resource in avoiding these dan- gerous creatures, so try to avoid pissing them off (and maybe try and avoid chilling beneath their tires...) 9. Say no to relationships Look, you’re not ready for it. but it will be made much easier if you follow a Enough said. couple of guidelines. Saying more, freshmen in I college tend to be assholes. Ass- holes do not make great signifi-' 1t others . here, you may as well dabble in the culture. 5. Appease the shareholders Even though they have shifted from domestic tyrants to finan- cial contributors, your parents still need a little bit of love. Give them a call occasionally, especially when you’re running low on funds. Think of yourself as a politician and them as cam- paign donors. They need to be buttered,, they need their voice “heard,” etc. You will probably need at ' least 15 minutes worth of talk- ing about the goings-on of the siblings, then a little about how “interesting” your classes are and finally how nice your friends are. Just remember to throw in some comments like, “I wish I had more lights in my room ——-—a—--— WASHINGTON AND LEE UNIVERSITY »——»w THE RING-TUM PH T MANAGING EDITOR NEWS EDITOR OPINIONS EDITOR ARTS & LIFE EDITOR SPORTS EDITOR COPY EDITORS DIANDRA SPICAK ELEANOR KENNEDY STOCKTON BULLITT HOLLY SUTHERS BROOKE SUTHERLAND FOWLER MARTENS KATHERINE ROBERTS JESSIE YKIMOFF to study later into the night, ‘but sadly, I spent all my money on textbooks.” They’ll buy that hook, line and sinker, and you can finally afford that iPod speaker that was calling to By Tim McA|eenan wasn’t anything I could do to stop the rape itself, I had an epiphany. What better way to cut down on the percentage of non- consensual sex than simply have much, much more consensual sex? You’re welcome, KEWL. But, seriously, remember the college version of Mr. Salt and Mrs. Pepper: Mr. Trojan and Mrs. Plan B. They’ll come in handy. Still... 7. Avoid Predators Especially for freshmen girls (because nobody wants to sleep with freshmen guys), be vigilant when you’re drunk. Just because the jungle juice is not filled with roofies doesn’t mean that there aren’t older guys with heat vision and dread locks. By the way, just to dispel the rumers, the day your punch has something dangerous in it is the day Clay Coleman buys a pledge paddle. If these predators can beat up Alien, they can pretend to find what you say interesting. If ajunior guy tells you, “Let’s go back to my room, and I’ll show Now, I’m not going to stop you if you are already hearing wedding bells, but be wary. That person coyly purring your name may not be all they seem, and heartbreak warfare is not really fun to go through during rush. The only real exception to this is if you are Paul Rudd from “I Love You, Man.” And even then you’ll be forced to spend your evenings watching “Chocolat.” 10. Spend this year taking in- troductory classes I know parents are going to kill me for this one, but this is really not the time to be taking super-interesting, yet incredibly demanding classes. If you spent your high school career killing yourself to get into this college, which I’m assuming most of you did, then you might be a little bumt-out on academ- ics. Make this year about tak- ing classes you need to take and maybe trying a few new kinds of classes. Save the fascinating classes for a time when you are once again fascinated by classes. Now, if you spent your aca- demic career chained down by the intellectual incompetence of your former peers and are dying to finally spread your academic wings, then completely disregard this section, but when you have to bite your tongue to stay awake at your 8 a.m. 300-level class, don’t say I didn’t warn you. Oh, and guys, it might be a good idea to go easy on your classes for the winter semester. Just, um, a hint. 11. Never anger the Co-op ladies Purveyors of both wisdom and sunrises, the Co-op ladies, along with the crew in D-Hall,,hold the ‘ key to your stomach. Don’t mess with them. I have seen many overly ag— I gressive students badger the la- dies around midnight when free food is occasionally given away (this used to be a secret until se- " crets stopped being possible at W&L around 1789), and ‘their lives have gone progressively downhill. Maybe it’s a buffalo bite or two being taken away, maybe it’s an extra 50 cents added onto the cash tax, or maybe they will just call another name when your food is ready. Regardless, these Venuses of the commons are to be treated with respect and admiration- and who knows, maybe a sunrise sandwich will find its way into your welcoming hands. 12. Listen to this article This is one of the only places you’ll hear sagely advice, like that partying under the County Seat porch is never a good idea. _ Other little tidbits to note are to avoid College ACB only if you live on the fourth floor of Graham-Lees and to make sure you’re near a bathroom 10-15 minutes after eating at D-Hall. You’ll thank me in due time. Oh, and one last thing, to that kid from Arizona who won the trivia game at the beginning of O-Week: don’t use it to try and get laid. It doesn’t work. I know from experience. Use this article instead. An en‘|ight’ened stance on smoking I T hey follow the law, yet smokers around campus are unfairly judged LIZZ DYE PAIGE GANCE MARIE LOCKE TIM MCALEENAN ROSIE PURDY JONATHAN SALM CONTRIBUTING WRITERS KATIE HATFIELD STEELE BURROW CHRISTIAN RODEN ROB GEGRGE MATT GOSSETT TRANG NGUYEN VALAREE TANG ROBERT UHLMAN DESIGN EDITOR STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER STAFF CARTOONIST BUSINESS MANAGER DISTRIBUTION STAFF MISSION STATEMENT: It is the mission of THE RING-TUM PHI to accurately, truthfully, and thoroughly report news affecting the_Washington and Lee community for students, faculty, parents and alumni. Our goal is to look deeper into news affecting campus life and hold leaders accountable. Through our reporting, we aspire to spark discussions that lead to discovering information that prompts change. THE RING-TUM PHI IS PUBLISHED MONDAYS DURING THE UNDERGRADUATE SCHOOL YEAR. THE RING-TUM PHI IS A MEMBER OF THE MEDIA BOARD, BUT IS OTHERWISE INDEPENDENT. QUESTIONS OR CONCERNS ABOUT THE PHI SHOULD BE ADDRESSED TO THE EDITORS AT PHI@WLU.EDU OR TO THE MEDIA BOARD AT MEDIABOARD@WLU.EDU. THE MEDIA BOARD IS AN INDEPENDENT, STUDENT-RUN EDITORIAL OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE WORKING WITH ALL MEDIA OUTLETS ON THE WASHINGTON & LEE CAMPUS. ALL INQUIRIES WILL REMAIN CONFIDENTIAL. THE RING-TUM PHI WELCOMES ALL LETTERS. WE RESERVE THE RIGHT TO EDIT SUBMISSIONS FOR CONTENT AND LENGTH. LETTERS AND ADVERTISING DO NOT NECESSARILY REFLECT THE OPINION OF THE RING-TUM PHI STAFF. THIS NEWSPAPER OBSERVES CURRENT‘ COURT DEFINITIONS OF LIBEL AND OBSCENITY. THE RING-TUM PHI UNIVERSITY COMMONS ROOM. 341 WASHINGTON AND LEE UNIVERSITY LEXINGTON, VIRGINIA 24450 TELEPHONE: (540) 458-4060 FAX: (540) 458-4059 EMAIL: PHI@WLU.EDU SUBSCRIPTION RATE $45 COLUMNIST For those of you with good memories, think back to the first time in your life when you said something negative about someone else. One of your parents prob- ably stepped in, chiding you to “put yourself in the other per- son’s shoes” before you rush to judgment. In this (Marlboro) light, we’re going to take a look at life through the eyes of one of the country’s most persecuted ‘ minority groups: that of the American smoker. A hundred years ago, many Americans disapproved of the lifestyle of Irish immigrants. Restaurants banned the Irish with their unwelcoming “No Irish Need Apply” signs, and even the American government supported harsh restrictions aimed at controlling the Irish. Substitute “smokers” for “Irish” in the previous para- graph, and it is obvious that we have a minority group in need of some love on our hands. To quote the great bard Snoop Dogg, “let’s take a journey” into the life of the average American smoker. You might think this is just a “puff” piece, but hope- fully it will give you something to enjoy and read during class as your ECON 101 professor teaches you about inelastic de- mand (assuming you’re laid- back enough to appreciate the irony). Every day, you, the Washing- ton and Lee smoker, feel alone, unwanted, neglected. Your “real friends” refuse to accompany you as you shiver outside, alone in the cold. Whenever you ap- proach attractive women (or even unattractive women for that matter), they recoil in hor- ror, as if you were brandishing a burning stick on fire or some- thing. Elitist professors snort at the habits you apparently share with the Neanderthals, conde- scendingly musing, “How hoi polloi.” Even airline pilots taunt you in your misery, leaving the “No Smoking Sign” that lies above your head fully lit right once a week,” you feel unappre- ciated. After all, if more Ameri- cans were like you, there would be no Social Security crisis. Heck, there would be no Medi- care crisis, and we’d probably have a balanced budget. Come on, you voluntarily buy an item taxed at 300 percent (every week no less) and this is the thanks you get‘? Even though what you’re do- ing is perfectly legal, you’re re- garded as an outcast. Your uncle, Philip Morris, is such a pariah that he is not even legally al- lowed on television anymore. A Come on, you voluntarily buy an item taxed at 3 00 percent (every week no less) and this is the thanks you get? next to the “Seatbelt Required” sign, as if there is the slightest chance that American Airlines will let you light up midflight if you play your cards right. Worse, when you fiip through the dozens of pages that denote the minority groups protected under your company’s “Equal Opportunity Employer” code of conduct, you notice that smok- ers are conspicuously absent from the list. After all, this is the twenty-first century. And you, sir, are a social albatross. Like a parents paying thou- sands of dollars to send their son to college who “only calls home free market, indeed. A double standard, you insist. The FDA doesn’t mind giv- ing pharmaceutical companies TV time to air those drug com- mercials that end with the mo- notonous voice warning that “side effects may include AIDS, pregnancy or death (among oth- er things)”, but heaven forbid we ever see a gentleman churning a Churchill. Oh well, life goes on (err, maybe). You wryly smirk when you enter a bar or restaurant that the (*cough*) liberals haven’t slapped with a No-Smoking ban yet. You rub your hands_ with glee when you see that the bar is divided into “Smoking” and “Non-Smoking” sections, which is kind oflike a pool roping itself off into “Peeing” and “N0n-Pee- ing” sections. Instead of spending your night chasing women, you choose to sit next to the most obnoxious person you can find. It’s time to “kill” two birds with one stone, so to speak. You casually light up your cigarette and take a nice, slow puff, knowing full well that your persecuted lifestyle choice, much like Ted Kennedy’s driv- ing, could potentially lead to the death of those around you. While everyone you meet wishes that you would quit smok- ing, you wish that you could go back to a simpler time. I A simpler time like the 1920s: the good old days when smoking was healthy. Back when it mat- tered what brand four out of five doctors endorsed (of course, even back then, you had to watch out for the “hatemongers” who went as far as to argue that America’s sweet fiery sensation “caused cancer,” but I digress). Obama must have made a thousand» promises on the cam- paign trail, but “quitting smok- ing” is the only one he seems to have kept, you note with a twitch. For the third time in two years, the Democrats are raising taxes on cigarettes “to discour- age consumption,” they claim. On that note, you take a drag as you‘ ponder what the purpose of the “income tax” is. Q» OCR::/Vol_114/WLURG39_RTP_20100913/WLURG39_RTP_20100913_005.2.txt \\ Free two-day MAKE YOUR TEXTBOOKS shipping for students Low prices on textbooks Sell back at great prices Amazon Student Free two-day shipping available to customers who qualify for our free Amazon Student program. ’ OCR::/Vol_114/WLURG39_RTP_20100913/WLURG39_RTP_20100913_006.2.txt 3 0 THE RING-TUM PHI ' MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 13, 2010 arts&lif ! Locavo res feast in Staunton r Local food trend succeeds in surrounding areas and grows in popularity on W&L campus By Marie.Locke STAFF WRITER The recent Locavore Fest, held in Staunton, VA, celebrated the use of locally grown foods. The festival, which was hosted by the Transition Organization, was held on September 4. The event featured a talk by Joel Salatin of Polyface Farms, “a family-owned, multi—gen- erational, pasture-based, beyond organic, local-market farm and informational outreach in Vir- ginia’s Shenandoah Valley,” ac- cording to the farm’s website. Several Staunton restaurants, including Zydore, Staunton Gro- cery and Mockingbird Artisan Fare and Grill featured locavore menus in honor of the event. The evening highlighted a growing trend towards the use of local food in homes, restau- rants, and here at Washington and Lee. According to Assistant Manager of the Marketplace Kelly Brown, the push to use local food on campus started two years ago but has recently Soco serenades frosh gained momentum. “We use a lot more [local] product than we did in the begin- ning,” Brown said. i The initiative to cook with local food came largely from President Ruscio and several student committees, accord- ing to Brown. Currently, W&L spends more than 12 percent of its budget on products from over 50 local farms. W&L has also_ been awarded by the College Sustainability Report Card with an “A” grade for its food and re- cycling program. Special Projects Coordinator Chris Carpenter has helped in the quest for local food. “Carpenter works with local producers and inspects any new vendors [dining services] uses,” said Marketplace Chef Geral- dine McCutcheon. According to McCutcheon, Carpenter is an experienced chef and who is able to find qual- ity products while keeping cost limitations in mind. He ensures that the eggs are cage-free and that the meat and dairy are free of hormones and antibiotics. The Marketplace menu is a buys items that are already pur- chased from another source. Also, several of the products are seasonal, like the local tomatoes currently found in many reci- “We use a lot more [local] product than we did in the beginning. 1) KELLY BROWN, Assistant Manager of the Marketplace blend of source- and menu-driv- en lo.cal items. When Carpenter finds new companies, he works with Ms. McCutcheon to see if she can develop a way to use the product in Marketplace menus. Local food producers call on W&L with new items to see if they can be worked into the food program. The university mostly F irst-years get a taste of W&L tradition and culture By Holly Suthers ARTS & LIFE EDITOR Orientation Week, affec- tionately known to most as “O- Week,” is a time where new stu- dents are introduced to timeless Washington and Lee traditions. One of the most notable‘ and loved events of all is the a Capel- la concert at the Alumni Picnic at the Liberty Hall Ruins. This past Sunday evening, choral groups JubiLee and Southern Comfort provided an entertaining and memorable ex- perience for new and returning students alike. “I always enjoy the a capella concerts. The songs are great and the voices of all of the singers are amazing,” said senior Mag- gie Dozier. W&L has four a capella groups on campus: JubiLee, Southern Comfort, General Admission and Washingtones. While the last two groups did not perform at the picnic, they will have several events throughout the year. Each group has unique char- acteristics, but their high caliber of performance is equal across the board. JubiLee, the all-girls group, ‘sang “Higher” with a solo by senior Sarah Vinegar and “Ain’t Too Proud to Beg,” with a solo by junior Kaelin Fraley. JubiLee is led by Emma Redd and held auditions for new members this past Sunday. The infamous men’s group Southern Comfort, or SoCo, performed a rousing rendition of “Kiss the Girl,” in which the men invited two freshmen to par- ticipate and even kiss. The group also held auditions this past Sun- day and is led by senior Clark Simcoe. “SoCo has been one of the most memorable experiences for me at W&L,” said senior Graham Perkins. “I will always remember Malcolm Hines and Thomas Sell- ers’ entertaining faces and voices during every performance.” A capella performances take place several times throughout the year. The most popular events are held on Parents Weekend and during the holiday season. Ticket information is available from the Box Office at the Lenfest Center and remember to reserve tickets in advance. Cartoon of the Week CHRISTIAN RODEN / staff cartoonist “I could have sworn you said you were hiring sober divers for tonight... ” pes. Carpenter and McCutcheon work closely together to ensure that the products are of the high- est quality. The Chef also re- quests for Carpenter to find spe- cific products that she has seen at the local markets in the area. Students and faculty eating at the Marketplace should look for the many locally sourced menu items, which are often fresher and healthier than other prod- ucts. Lexington farmer Charlie Potter supplies all the burgers and ground beef in the Market- place. The chicken is local from Sunrise Farms, and producer Steve Baker supplies breakfast sausage. The Marketplace also fea- tures cheeses and yogurts from’ Mountain View Farms, one of the most popular being the “Moogurt.” The honey is bought from Whistle Creek Apiary, and grits and whole-wheat flour come from Wade’s Mill. Even the tofu is made locally by Twin Oaks, which uses soybeans grown in Virginia. One ofthe most popular items is milk supplied by Homestead Dairy, located in Burt Chimney. This milk is fresh, additive free and has more solids in it than the commercially produced milk found in grocery stores. W&L has plans to expand its reliance on local products. In part, the focus is on responding to the changing tastes of each class and expanding the array of healthy Options. For example, pizza is now made with a whole- wheat crust and whole-grain- pastas and brown rice have been added to the menu. Other addi- tions include sweet potato fries, a variety of breakfast choices and baked goods. Lyrics every W&L student should know.... The Washington and Lee Swing Come cheer for Washington and Lee, We're going to win another victory! The White and Blue we will ever wave in triumph For the University. RAH! RAH! RAH! Fight to the finish we are with you, Break through the line on every play; Rush the ball on down the field And we will win thisgame today. When Washington and Lee's men fall in line, We're going to win again another time; For W&L I yell, I yell, I yell, And for the University, I yell, like hell! And we will fight! fight! fight! for every yard; Circle the ends and hit that line right hard! And we will roll those Wahoos on the sod! Yes, by God! RAH! RAH! RAH! HEY! OCR::/Vol_114/WLURG39_RTP_20100913/WLURG39_RTP_20100913_007.2.txt 3 ti. MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 13, 2010 THE RING-TUM PHI 0 7 sports Late-game goals stump field hockey The W&L field hockey team fell 3-0 its season opener against Catholic University on Friday night By Brooke Sutherland SPORTS EDITOR The women’s field hockey team had no answer for a late—game run by Catho- lic University of America and dropped Senior midfielder Emmy Mathews and senior forward Kelly Tran h-alf goals gave CUA the advantage. , “It was tough,” said junior defender Lizz Dye. “They’d already had three STEELE BURROW / Staff Photographer try to knock the ball into the Catholic University goal. its season opener in a 3-0 loss. The Gen- erals, picked to be No. 2 in the ODAC conference in a preseason vote by league coaches, managed to hold off the Cardi- nals for the first half but three second- games under their belt and they’re a very athletic team, so I think it was a good learning experience for everyone to take us forward into the next couple games.” Senior midfielder Tory Gagliardi scored the first goal for Catholic on an unassisted toss. Junior forward Tracey Scanlon brought the Cardinals’ lead to 2-0 with another netter. Senior mid- fielder Caroline Reilly struck the W&L goal again for the Cardinals with a shot off a penalty corner and an assist from defender Catherine Mirsky. The Gener- als, meanwhile, struggled to get their of- fense offthe ground.‘ ’ . “I think our passing and receiving could have been better... just looking as a team up the field to get some offense going,” said junior offensive player Christina Benedetti. “We had no offense whatsoevef....The good part about it is all ofthat is so fixable. We can do drills to work on passing and receiving. We can do things to work on defense.” The opening loss comes on the heels of a largely successful 2009 season. The Generals closed out the year with a loss in the ODAC semifinals to‘ Eastern Men- nonite University. The team finished l0- 7 overall and 5-2 in the ODAC confer- ence. The Generals lost their leading scorer Sallie Armstrong, who graduated, and her absence will be felt on the offensive side ofthe field, saidjunior forward Em- ily Kunkel. “She definitely had the momentum that we could have used in the game,” she said. “But we bumped Kelly Tran [senior] up to forward and that really helped us a lot.” The team returns several other key players, including sophomore forward Katharine Price who notched five goals last season, and team captains Emmy Mathews and Kate Donnelly. The Generals’ next game is set for Tuesday at Frostburg State University. Game time is at 6 p.m. Statistics from generalssportscom. Junior defender Lizz Dye chases down a ball during the Generals’ game against Catholic University on Friday. Volleyball takes first in W&L Invite The Generals went 3 -I over the weekend and dropped only three sets to claim victory in their opening tournament By Rosie Purdy STAFF WRITER The Washington and Lee volleyball team had a triumphant beginning to its 2010 season this weekend, defeating three out of four teams to win the W&L Invitational for the seventh time. Senior defensive specialist and cap- tain Summer Goldberg said she is proud of the team’s early victory. “One of our biggest goals from pre- season was to win a tournament,” said Goldberg. “So it was really nice to ac- complish that so early in the season.” . The Generals success in the tourna- ment began with a 3-0 sweep against McDaniel College. First-year outside hitter M.A. Boles and junior middle hitter Lindsey Dee aided in the win, totaling 14 kills and six digs, and nine kills and eight blocks, re- spectively. Senior middle blocker Lou- ise Brooks also contributed, with five kills, five blocks and four digs. F irst-year setter Meghan Meleski totaled 22 assists and four service aces, while sophomore libero Cameron Hill chipped in 17 digs. W&L struggled in its next match- up, falling 3-2 to Averett University. After battling Averett through four sets and forcing the game into a fifth set, the Generals were ultimately defeated 15-9 in the final set. Leading the Generals’ offense for the match was junior outside hitter Megan Daily, who added 17 kills, while Boles contributed 16 kills. Meleski helped the Generals rally with 35 assists and 13 digs. Hill totaled 20 digs, and Goldberg added 10 digs and three service aces. Goldberg said that unforced errors were a big part of the team’s loss, but she wasn’t completely disappointed in the outcome. “We made a lot of mistakes that al- lowed [Averett] to rack up a ton of points,” Goldberg said. “But the game showed that we could battle back, even when we were down. We weren’t just going to give up.” The team rebounded from Friday’s loss with a 3-0 victory over Southern Virginia University on Saturday mom- ing. W&L won an easy first ‘set with a score of 25-10. Tensions were high during the second set of the match, as the SVU Knights stole the lead several times, but the Generals held them off and triumphed 35-33. A 25-10 beating in the third set secured W&L the win. Highlights of the match included nine digs apiece for Dec and Boles, six kills from Daily and four kills each from sophomore right side Bailey Walker and first-year outside hitter Allison Rouse. The invitational wrapped up with a 3-0 sweep for W&L against Transylva- nia University in the final and touma- ment-deciding match. Boles led the of- fense with ll kills, five digs and three service aces. Hill added 16 digs, while senior defensive specialist Jenna Finger chipped in eight digs and three "service aces. With a three-way record tie between W&L, Transylvania and Averett, the win went to the Generals, who lost only three sets throughout the tournament, compared to Transylvania’s four and Averett’s five. Boles’ weekend record of 50 kills, 40 digs, and 13 service aces earned her the title of tournament MVP. She was also named to the invitational’s All-Touma- ment team, along with Dee and Meles- ki. Senior defensive specialist Marah Schmitz said the first-year players such as Boles will play a big part in the team’s success this season. “It doesn’t usually happen that so many.of our freshmen are on the court with so much playing time,” said Schmitz. “We have a very strong group of freshmen this season.” The Generals will fight for another win when they play Guilford on Tues- day night. Statistics from generalssportscom. Women’s soccer breaks even in invite The Generals dropped their first game, 1-0, to Sewanee, but defeated Methodist University, 1-0, to start season I -I By Brooke Sutherland SPORTS EDITOR Back-to-back home games for this weekend’s Washington and Lee Invi- tational gave the women’s soccer team a 1-1 start to the season. The Generals stumbled to a 1-0 loss versus Sewanee on Saturday, but rebounded with a 1-0 win over Methodist University on Sun- day. It’s “kind of a mixed reaction,” said senior midfielder Taylor Garrett. “The team played really well. There were a lot of positive things coming out ofit. .. but at the same time we had a lot oftrouble putting the ball in the back ofthe net.” Facing off against Sewanee, the Gen- erals were able to hold off the Tigers for '~