Thursday, November 28, 2002The soda barIn a corner of the Tabard's filthy and trash-strewn basement rests a disused soda fountain, hoses and wiring strewn about it like tentacles. I asked a long-time house resident about the tap - after all, few fraternities and sororities have made such a committment to non-alcoholic bevereges as to buy a tap system.Apparently, it was in use until two years ago, when the College forced houses to remove their permanent bars, into one of which, in Tabard, the soda soda fountain has been attached. But now it sits, disused, on the beer-sticky floor, a victim of the College's bizarrely-indiscriminate alcohol policies. Full post and comments below the fold. Posted by Andrew Grossman at 12:40 PM (0 comments) Wednesday, November 27, 2002More on LA Senate RaceFox News is now reporting that Landrieu has an almost 17% lead over Terrell. It seems that this will probably dissolve into a squeaker, in the end.Full post and comments below the fold. Posted by Emmett at 6:52 PM (0 comments) Re: Correcting Rollo, AgainDoes anyone else get the feeling that "Correcting Rollo" is a particularly common theme on Dartlog? Remember that next time you feel like nagging me about my lack of TDR contributions.Full post and comments below the fold. Posted by Rollo at 6:44 PM (0 comments) Correcting Rollo, AgainRollo: You criticize me for criticizing the reasons given by the police when they arrested the demonstrators in Providence. Your error is in assuming I mean that all that is realistic or graphic should be allowable. I mean no such thing. My criticism is based on the fact that outlawing such expression sweeps in perfectly lawful expression, and for that reason is dangerously broad. Now, displaying pictures of obscene sex (and obscene has a specific legal meaning) would be both realistic (people do do it, after all) and graphic (I mean, it's obscene), and hence can be banned from a public street corner. But I can also think of much expression that, while realistic, should be allowed -- case inpoint, pictures of aborted children, or displaying the atrocities of the communists. Likewise, I can think of much expression that, while graphic, should be allowed -- case in point, again, pictures of aborted children, or displaying the atrocities of the communists. Such a broad standard really should trouble you. Imagine, for instance, if the police said that speech that was "racially offensive" language was prohibited. I think it's pretty apparent that "offensive" is about as ambiguous a standard as "realistic" or "graphic" (I actually think it's a stricter standard; but if you disagree, you can find your own adjective to suit). Now, you wouldn't "sorta hope" that such a law would be enforced, much less upheld, would you? You can see how some nutjob would interpret your criticism of affirmative action as "offensive." If that's the case, then bye-bye free speech. We'd be no better than Germany. As for your ACLU crack: for the record, I can't stand the ACLU. They ignore certain civil liberties (ever heard of the Second Amendment?), and they are actively hostile to other amendments (we don't need religious liberty anyway). They've done good work, but they've done a LOT of bad work too. They need to get their act together, in my mind, and stop playing to their donor base. Full post and comments below the fold. Posted by Emmett at 5:27 PM (0 comments) AlstonDo you honestly think that if the school divested in tobacco, then the schools endowment would end up in cash? I can understand saying that for the sake of proving the point that the endowment would be unbalanced in terms of its moral judgements, but we all know that a line would be drawn somewhere and that the endowment would continue to invest in some stocks that some people find morally questionable.Do I generally oppose speech codes? Yes, but I do so because they tend to be imposed at schools like Dartmouth that claim to guarentee free speech. Do I generally oppose restrictions on gun rights? Yes, but I do so because I think that armed citizens are a better deterrant than the threat of prison (don't pretend you haven't read John Lott). In the case of gun control, though, the slippery slope holds some weight because there are people who honestly do want to completely ban guns and have said as much. Nobody is arguing for the complete divestment of the Dartmouth endowment. Full post and comments below the fold. Posted by Rollo at 12:08 PM (0 comments) Re: On the road againA correction to this posting from the first week of Dartlog's existance:Stinson's own "Baltimore Jack" -- recently returned from the Trail -- pointed out tonight over drinks that he is not, as was previously reported, a graduate of Baltimore's Johns Hopkins University. He claims that his trail name (appelations given to all through-hikers by their peers) is from a Bruce Springsteen song ("Hungry Heart" from the album The River; the song opens with the lyrics "Got a wife and kids down in Baltimore, Jack / I went out for a ride, and I never came back").Dartlog: we take our accuracy seriously. Full post and comments below the fold. Posted by Andrew Grossman at 3:37 AM (0 comments) 2 Things1. Here's what disturbs me about the swim team debacle, and it really has nothing to do with the swim team itself:Why on earth is there rioting and class council blitzs for this one when there wasn't anything for the library announcements? While I like to see students (finally) getting upset over the budget, the priorities are still screwy. I'm with Andrew that the first goal of budget cuts should be to maintain our academic infrastructure at top-notch, even if that involves cutting a team or two. But none of these teams should be axed before the Collis projects and some of the various deans are eliminated (I'd also recommend severely curtailing the amount of money flowing into the UGA program). Academics should be the absolute priority, but no one was upset enough to protest over the libraries, and I never saw the class council weigh in. I suppose the fact that specific library cuts have not been announced could have some effect, but still... 2. This is regarding Rollo's "slippery slope" comment about my editorial. First off, I don't think slippery slope arguments are "stupid." If you truly do Rollo, then you should have no qualms accepting a speech code which restricts only the most vile expressions of speech. You also wouldn't have a problem accepting just a couple more restrictions on gun rights, even if they were very very tiny. Afterall, if there's not a slippery slope, then what is just one more law affecting only a few people's guns, especially if it doesn't affect law-abiding citizens? I write this knowing full well it is bound to start a debate. But more importantly, I don't think I was outlining a "slippery slope" issue. It is more like a cliff. Either you invest concentrating on the social implications of stocks, or you invest looking to generate the greatest return, unhindered by other thoughts. "Moral" investing is not possible with something like Dartmouth's endowment because it would have to be representative of 4000+ students' views, not just the individual investor. I'm not saying that tobacco divestment is the first step and could be taken further. I'm saying it would be taken further (yes I'm aware of the South Africa divestment; no I don't know all the details or why there weren't immediately calls for other divestment schemes), but even if it weren't, it would still affect the way we invest money. Maybe I'm being obtuse, but this would force our brokers to do research on all the social issues related to any company before investing. For instance, they would be loathe to make some long-term investments if they knew they might have to sell them off before they reached fruition because someone might cry foul. They would have to take the tobacco divestment into account as an example of what can happen with the slightest bit of controversy on our fair campus. There is no doubt in my mind that keeping an eye towards these things would handicap their ability to invest wisely and quickly (clearly, the last couple years were not the best examples of investing, but a 45% return for one year ain't too shabby). It would also divert tremendous research manpower. There are a few more reasons why divesting is a bad idea. First, before any scheme is considered, the College would have to make all its stock ownings public, which they have been loathe to do. Next, the issue of who decides which stocks are bad ones is very unsettling. What if it were a representative from each student group? Elections would be just as bad. But this decision would come back to the Board eventually, and I prefer they don't spend their meetings squabbling over whether or not business involvement in China is grounds for dismissal. Given how many stocks we are bound to own, this alone would takes weeks or months to sift through, and I sincerely hope the trustees have better things to do. I had a couple others I think, but I'm tired now. Happy Thanksgiving all. Full post and comments below the fold. Posted by Alston B. Ramsay at 3:15 AM (0 comments) Tuesday, November 26, 2002#1 Boston College @ #16 DartmouthIn front of a capacity crowd of 4500+, #16 Dartmouth takes #1 Boston College to OT and wins it 5-4 on a goal by Mike Ouellette. Dartmouth wins despite allowing BC to go 3-5 on the PP, Dartmouth went 0 for 2 with the man advantage. Max Guimond had 2 goals for Dartmouth, Trevor Byrne and Lee Stempniak also added goals. Nick Boucher got the W in net.Dartmouth came back from deficits of 2-0, 3-1, and 4-3. They never led until they won it in OT. Dartmouth improves to 6-3-0 on the year, and remain unbeaten at home this year at 6-0. They take on UMass in Amherst on Saturday before taking a break for finals. Full post and comments below the fold. Posted by Ben at 9:25 PM (0 comments) Saving money?Troy Blanchard '05 writes in:I think readers and other students should begin a movement to call for the removal of the Dean of Plurality. Maybe a blitz petition or something in writing, but either way something has to be done. With the anger of the student body and alumni at fever pitch over the swim team (and the alcohol policy, indirectly related to the budget crisis), this would be the perfect time to get this rolling.Good point: they are related. Everything's related - it's all about money being misspent. And the Dean of Pluralism is about as big of a waste as you'll find. Full post and comments below the fold. Posted by Andrew Grossman at 7:52 PM (0 comments) Orozco 2?Today's D mentioned that artist Judy Baca might paint a mural in the newly-dedicated Berry Library. Some samples of her work can be found here and here.Full post and comments below the fold. Posted by JR at 7:14 PM (0 comments) Good NewsThe Dems really are in the toilet these days. A new New York Times/CBS poll shows that almost half of Americans have a negative opinion of the Democratic Party. Wow.The reason? No message. And to think, the aristocratic liberal dons of the Left fancy themselves populists! Furthermore, the article says that Al Gore, supposedly the leading candidate for the Democratic nomination in 2004, has unfavorables leading favorables by two to one. Almost two-thirds of voters think Gore should step aside (so much for heir apparent), and a majority of Democrats concur. No doubt they recognize in Gore's leftward lurch a determined attempt on the part of the former veep to relegate himself to the dustbin of history. Bush's favorables are at 65%. Full post and comments below the fold. Posted by Emmett at 5:38 PM (0 comments) My Damn ResearchHere is a link to the Lebanon District Court documents regarding the drive-by shooting.Full post and comments below the fold. Posted by JR at 5:25 PM (0 comments) Ethnomathematics?It seems that two plus two still makes five.Full post and comments below the fold. Posted by Emmett at 5:21 PM (0 comments) Fish in a Barrel -- But Still FunnyHere's Rudyard Kipling's poem, "Tommy."Here's one witty blogger's clever adaptation, for today's hypocritical pacifist. Full post and comments below the fold. Posted by Emmett at 5:17 PM (0 comments) Queen ElizabethWhile I admire the attempt, even if it be futile, at proving the Church of England's leadership better than that of the Roman Catholic Church, it seems to me ludicrous to describe the Queen of England as a young lady.Full post and comments below the fold. Posted by Alison at 3:13 PM (0 comments) Volokh"Yes folks, in Providence, you can now call the cops when you are confronted with painful truths that are 'graphic' and reflect 'realism.'"Well, I sorta hope so. I mean kinky sex is real too, but I think I should be allowed to walk down the street, minding my own business without having graphic pornography everywhere I look. I think you've been hanging out with your ACLU-types a bit too much, Emmett. Full post and comments below the fold. Posted by Rollo at 2:28 PM (0 comments) Emmett: You're entirely correct. Catholics to Muslims is not a good parallel.Roisin: Do your own damn research. Full post and comments below the fold. Posted by Rollo at 2:10 PM (0 comments) RolloIt seems you're wrong. While 33% of the world -- just over 2 billion people -- is Christian, 20% -- or 1.2 billion -- is Muslim. Catholics account for 17.4%, or about 1.044 billion -- a small but significant difference of 156 million.However... If 85% of the world's Muslims are Sunni (and I think that figure is right), then 1.02 billion people are Sunni Muslims. This puts Catholics over the top by 24 million, as the single largest denomination in the world! I repeat: In nomine patris, et filii, etc. etc. Full post and comments below the fold. Posted by Emmett at 1:56 PM (0 comments) BegleyHow many divisions does the Queen have?Full post and comments below the fold. Posted by JR at 1:42 PM (0 comments) Censoring Pro-LifersEugene Volokh is blogging about an arrest of anti-abortion demonstrators outside of an abortion clinic in Providence, RI, according to The Providence Journal.Police there received a phone call about shouting at 8am (fair enough). They also received a call from two motorcyclists who objected to the "graphic nature and realism" of the protesters' signs, which displayed the bodies of aborted children. Fifty bucks says no one objects to an Abercrombie ad, though. Yes folks, in Providence, you can now call the cops when you are confronted with painful truths that are "graphic" and reflect "realism." (Note to Self: Better be careful not to say anything bad about affirmative action there...) (PS -- Alas, the Supreme Court, in Hill v. Colorado, has unconscionably sanctioned the suppression of protesters outside of abortion clinics. Maybe a Chief Justice Scalia can undo this damage... and the damage of Roe v. Wade, while he's at it.) Full post and comments below the fold. Posted by Emmett at 1:34 PM (0 comments) BegleyShe also rules the UK. Ever heard of this chap? Or these fellows? The Pope is a dictator, and proud of it.Full post and comments below the fold. Posted by JR at 1:28 PM (0 comments) EmmettWhile estimates of religious adherents are notoriously unreliable, it's my understanding that the religion of peace is larger than the Catholic Church. It's not until you include the, um, freedom fighters that Christianity ranks above Islam.Full post and comments below the fold. Posted by Rollo at 1:27 PM (0 comments) RoisinActually, I believe this stately young lady rules the Church of England.She can take the Pope any day. (After all, how many divisions does the Pope have?) Full post and comments below the fold. Posted by Rollo at 1:12 PM (0 comments) Kick a Dog When He's DownAlthough the Catholic Church may be troubled these days, it is still the largest church in the world (and the best, I dare say). In contrast, Rollo's beloved Church of England (aka, "Splitters") now claims the active allegiance of only 800,000 Britons. Although the Catholic church is suffering in England, too, it has the highest attendance figures of any organized religion in England.Islam, that religion of peace, is the fastest-growing religion in England, as it is throughout Europe and, indeed, the world. Full post and comments below the fold. Posted by Emmett at 1:09 PM (0 comments) Via Glenn ReynoldsHere's a photo showing what Europeans do in their spare time. No wonder they want a 35-hour work week!PS -- I can't really make out all the words on the memorial because they're (obviously) obscured. What I can see reads: In this forest in April 1945, thousands of prisoners [were deported to?] Sachsenhausen and Ravensbrueck [Nazi death camps]. Hundreds were murdered here by the fascists. "Mankind, be watchful!" Full post and comments below the fold. Posted by Emmett at 1:03 PM (0 comments) Re: Settlement with NH Priests:Right on, Emmett... Also, who would want to be part of a church ruled by this pinko commie?Full post and comments below the fold. Posted by JR at 12:33 PM (0 comments) Re: Swimming CutGrossman, I disagree with you here. Naturally, as an academic institution, the absolute last items to face the axe should be those directly bearing on the College's educational mission -- library, faculty, etc. Everything else is fat: we should be willing to cut it if necessary, and thankful for it when we have it. We are all in agreement with this.However, the story here is not whether or not swimming and diving should be cut. All things being equal, that's a debatable point, depending on your preferred method of resource allocation. The story is that swimming and diving were cut, while ridiculous expenses (like the Office of the Dean of Plurality, the Women's Resource Center, and just about everything done in Collis) were not. That's the outrage -- not what was cut, but what they were thinking when they did the cutting. It is fully deserving of your condemnation. This is about opportunity costs. Whatever you think of swimming and diving, you have to acknowledge that they have a better claim to College funds than the politically motivated boondoggles they chose to keep. Yes, the administration's values are on display here, and more and more we're looking like Swarthmore or Bryn Mawr. Full post and comments below the fold. Posted by Emmett at 12:15 PM (0 comments) Re: Shut upBen, while I do agree that swimming is a less attractive target than near anything taking place in the Collis Center, it is by far the most deserved victim of budget cuts announced so far. That the team has been around for more than seventy years shouldn't give it funding priority over, say, the library or nearly any academic programs. Obviously, no student or alumnus will agree completely with all of the administration's chosen cuts, but at least let's applaud them for looking in the right direction, towards programs that are not essential to the school's academic mission.Reviewers should remember that while we've often been quick to criticize the College (and almost always rightly so), we should hold off when the administration makes sensible choices and decisions. No matter what is cut, that program's beneficiaries will be upset; it will always be easy to find students and alumni dissatisfied with this or that cut. Instead of the just echoing the inevitable complaints, the Review should praise those decisions that fit our values, no matter how unpleasant those decisions may be (because, unless the College decides to go for the women's studies department, every cut will be unpleasant). Full post and comments below the fold. Posted by Andrew Grossman at 11:35 AM (0 comments) Re:I'm a Little TeapotFrom the letter: "[B]y accompanying the photo with the caption: 'I'M A LITTLE TEAPOT: The Dartmouth Dance Ensemble performs one of their 'modern dances,'' you have critically undermined a sincere effort at the advancement not only of dance at Dartmouth, but of modern art in the broadest sense."From their own pages: The Daily Dartmouth undermines the advancement of "modern art in the broadest sense." That's a rather tall order. Full post and comments below the fold. Posted by Andrew Grossman at 11:30 AM (0 comments) Speaking of athleticsI encourage everyone on campus to pack Thompson Arena tonight. #1 Boston College comes calling for a pre-Thanksgiving battle with #16 Dartmouth at 7:00. The ticket office is expecting an SRO (standing room only) crowd as plenty of Eagles fans are coming up for the game. If you're not able to make it, catch the radio broadcast online by following the link from Boston College's athletic site - I can't in good conscience point you to Dartmouth's broadcast as Dartmouth uses student announcers which honestly are painful to listen to.Full post and comments below the fold. Posted by Ben at 11:25 AM (0 comments) Just a ThoughtHas anyone thought about organizing a petition of alums saying they won't donate to the College unless it gets its priorities straight?Full post and comments below the fold. Posted by Emmett at 10:43 AM (0 comments) Wesleyan Bans ChalkingsThe New York Times has an article today about Wesleyan University, where the president recently banned chalking on sidewalks (a common practice at this arch-liberal school). President Douglas J. Bennet cited vulgar references to professors as the justification (it would be interesting to know what those references were, exactly, and whether or not they were libelous). After his announcement, leftie students, feeling that the University was demonstrating a "lack of commitment to minorities and unprintable gay chalkings," protested with a "chalk-in." Choice scribblings include "Free Palestine," "Where is Asian-American Studies," and -- my personal favorite -- "There Are Too Many White People."Full post and comments below the fold. Posted by Emmett at 10:41 AM (0 comments) Re: Shut upI must respectfully disagree with Andrew, the swim team has been around for 70+ years. Intercollegiate athletics are an integral part of the college's history, tradition, and a much more deservedly funded program than 90% of the crap that goes on at Collis. No one is going to confuse Dartmouth for Notre Dame or Stanford when it comes to sports, but that doesn't mean we shouldn't offer them at all. Afterall, isn't a 50 yard swim test still a requirement to graduate?Swimming and diving may not draw the crowds of football or hockey, but they deserve their team as much as the sailors or the riders on the equestrian team. If they want to add money to the athletic budget, raise prices of hockey, basketball, and football tickets by $1. The hockey team's been averaging 3500 fans a game - say 3000 of which aren't students. 3000 x 15 home games = $45000. You'd likely get the same amount of money from football, and maybe half-3/4ths of that from basketball. There's at least half of the needed money from one easy step. I'm sure it couldn't be that hard to come up with another $90k. The only thing I will agree on is that it does make sense to cut one program as opposed to making budget cuts across the board affecting every team. But it doesn't make sense to have to cut any of them in what has been a rediculously minor economic downturn. How the hell did the swim team survive the 1970's if it can't survive this? Full post and comments below the fold. Posted by Ben at 10:25 AM (0 comments) I'm a Little Teapot...short and stout.Full post and comments below the fold. Posted by Emmett at 10:22 AM (0 comments) CommentsWhy would the NY Times mention that the Masters, in addition to being a great sporting event, is also "the world's great attractions for business executives who bring along their most valued customers and clients"? I have not read the article, but based on this statement it does not seem that the NY Times is trying very hard to support their own desire for Augusta National to admit women. While it may not be fair that there are far fewer women executives who play golf and bring their clients to golf tournaments, I would believe it is a fairly accurate statement. This being said, so far, the NY Times has failed to provide readers with a worthwhile reason for the club to admit women.In response to an earlier post-- thanks for the suggestion, but I do not plan to convert. Full post and comments below the fold. Posted by Alison at 10:11 AM (0 comments) Re: Settlement with NH PriestsRollo: Our Church may be going through difficulties, but at least it doesn't have as its basis a fat English bigamist who wanted to shag Ann Boleyn. Ultimately, we all know that the Church of England is a dead end. So there!(In nomine patris, et filii, etc etc...) Full post and comments below the fold. Posted by Emmett at 10:09 AM (0 comments) Swimming in the DThere's an article about the swimming team controversy in today's D. It's exactly what you'd expect, until you get to the last paragraph:"The Undergraduate Financial Committee decided to postpone disclosing its budget, which it had planned to release today. Though the UFC is completely separate from the Dean of the College and the athletic department, a source close to the UFC told The Dartmouth that the UFC had postponed their announcement so as not to cause student outcry over funds received by other less popular campus organizations while the swim team is being eliminated." So, to clarify, according to the D's source, the College knows damn well that it is funding programs that students don't like, while cutting spending on programs that students do like. All I have to say to the UFC is this: you can't withhold it forever. Your donors have a right to know how well their donations are being managed. Also in the D is an op-ed by some kid named Alston. I'm not actually sure I agree with his reasoning. Slippery slope arguments tend to strike me as sort of stupid. I do, however, agree with his conclusion: that Dartmouth should not divest from tobacco companies. My logic is this: how can we in good conscience announce that we think that the production of cigarettes is wrong without ever announcing that we think the use of cigarettes is wrong? Surely, there's an inherent flaw in telling people that it's okay if they smoke, but if anyone helps them smoke they're in for it. Until Dartmouth has an anti-smoking policy, I don't think it's in any position to have an anti-smoking-enabling policy. Full post and comments below the fold. Posted by Rollo at 8:07 AM (0 comments) NY Timesis still waxing idiotic about the Masters."To understand the outcry about the Augusta National Golf Club's refusal to admit women members, it helps if you think about the Masters tournament as more than just a sporting event." This sounds like a Dartmouth course (English 38: Deconstructing Sporting Events). "It is also one of the world's great attractions for business executives who bring along their most valued customers and clients." So, sporting events are attractions. It's for insights like that that I subscribe to the NYT. I'm also surprised that the Times, in its efforts to point out that Augusta discriminates illegally because business takes place there, didn't point out that only male customers and clients are allowed to see the Masters. Oh, wait. "CBS nevertheless plans to go on with the show, simply for the prestige of broadcasting the Masters. Some prestige." Given the significant majority of Americans (both male and female) who support Augusta National, yeah, I'd say it is pretty prestigious. "Top players present and past, starting with Tiger Woods, also need to ask themselves whether winning the Masters next year will be such a crowning achievement." A few days ago, on this site, I said that I thought the NYT was pushing Tiger to boycott the Masters simply because of his drawing power. I was wrong. Clark: I apologize. There is absolutely no reason why a boycott has to "start" with Tiger Woods. This is absurd. And, for the record, winning golf's biggest tournament will be a crowning achievement (jacketing achievement?), shocking as this may sound. "The Masters has produced more than its share of great champions, but if Augusta National wants to retain its place in the golfing firmament its leaders must step into the modern world." I don't know where the Times has been, but its version of "the modern world" effectively ended in 1989. And no, I won't provide the link. Deal with it. Full post and comments below the fold. Posted by Rollo at 5:56 AM (0 comments) Settlement with NH PriestsThe Catholic Diocese of Manchester has apparently reached a settlement with almost all of the 65 people alleging sexual abuse against it.Emmett, Talcott, Alison, et al: feel free to convert. Full post and comments below the fold. Posted by Rollo at 3:41 AM (0 comments) Weak?I dunno. It's late. Good crowd. Funny chants and cat-calls (I liked some of mine, personally.)Full post and comments below the fold. Posted by alex at 1:09 AM (0 comments) Weak riotingAfter giving up on Larimore, around 150 students wound up demonstrating in front of the President's house, not realizing that he lives in Norwich. While their chants were somewhat inane, they were loud, pissed, and armed with tp-rolls, trying to get Jim and Sue out of bed. It's beyond me why swimming would get people that frenzied, but the trend is promising. Strange bedfellows though.Full post and comments below the fold. Posted by Byron at 1:05 AM (0 comments) Shut upA mob chanting "Student voice!" just wound its way past the Tabard on its way to the Choates (I don't know why either). Apparently, this was the swim team, irate over something or other, like the school cancelling their program.I say, screw swimming, It's a great way to cut the budget down without abandoning the school's academic priority. Swimmers: you're here to learn, right? Get your ear infections on your own time and without wasting everyone else's money, OK? Full post and comments below the fold. Posted by Andrew Grossman at 12:43 AM (0 comments) Monday, November 25, 2002Class Councils getting on it--- Forwarded message from 04-Class-Council --->Date: 25 Nov 2002 21:39:24 EST >From: 04-Class-Council >Reply-To: dabeast >Subject: Support the Swim Team >To: (Recipient list suppressed) --- Forwarded message from 03-Class-Council --- >Date: 25 Nov 2002 21:07:57 EST >From: 03-Class-Council >Reply-To: bestclassever >Subject: Support the Swim Team >To: (Recipient list suppressed) As you may have already heard, due to budget cuts the Athletic Dept is going to cut the swimming and diving teams. Show you care! Help their voice be heard. Come show your support for your classmates. 101 Collis 11:30 PM *tonight* Full post and comments below the fold. Posted by alex at 9:50 PM (0 comments) Who knew?Amy Fisher is funny.Full post and comments below the fold. Posted by alex at 6:41 PM (0 comments) Town-gown relationsWatching Channel 14 here at Dartmouth (yes, I'm that bored). There's a panel of Hanover High guidance counselors. Apparently the College offers mock admissions interviews to their students.Full post and comments below the fold. Posted by alex at 6:32 PM (0 comments) Swim Team FactoidWe will now be the only Ivy League school without a Swimming and Diving team. Hurray for us.Full post and comments below the fold. Posted by Ben at 5:43 PM (0 comments) In the immortal words......of President Wright:"Students don't rebel against adult guidance in the way they did 30 years ago," said James Wright, Dartmouth's president. New York Times, 3 March 1999. (Available on Lexis-Nexis) Full post and comments below the fold. Posted by Christian at 5:42 PM (0 comments) Dumb question:Re: Lengthy blitz #2... What do the authors think will be accomplished through solidarity with the swimming/diving programs and/or a community hour with the provost? I'm not suggesting that we don't support the swimming/diving athletes, but isn't it time for the students to move beyond inane sentiments into real constructive action? Personally, I would love to occupy an office or two a la 1968...Who says all student demonstrations have to be led by lefties? Full post and comments below the fold. Posted by Christian at 5:25 PM (0 comments) Re: swim teamWhile Dartmouth isn't the first school to cut a swim team nor will it be the last, it is troubling nonetheless. It's one thing when a school like Nebraska cuts men's Swimming and Diving because of budget troubles (Nebraska's athletic department is self-sufficient, funded mainly through football money while receiving no taxpayer money or general university funds) and Title IX issues (they kept the women's team), it is another entirely when a school like Dartmouth, with an athletic department which is funded by the school and doesn't depend on ticket revenue to support its teams, must cut its swim team anyway.Swimming and diving, while not high profile sports, are at least well-known Olympics sports which the USA used to dominate. As the number of NCAA swim teams diminish, though, that will change, as we saw in Sydney when Australia started to challenge the US for supremacy in the water. Frankly, I must question why swimming and diving get cut but not the obviously more cost-intensive and yet more obscure sports of sailing or equestrian. Or why an athletic department that can squeeze 34 varsity sports out of a budget of $10.8M is being forced to cut sports at all. That is a bargain price, and provides much better use of student and endowment funds than any Collis event or a Dean of Plurality. For comparison, consider again a place like Nebraska, which offers 19 sports with an athletic budget of around $55M. Granted that includes scholarship costs which Dartmouth does not have, but the point is the same. It would seem like they could dig up the $250k necessary to save the team if they really wanted to. Full post and comments below the fold. Posted by Ben at 5:09 PM (0 comments) Say the RyansGorsche: Not only did they cut the swim team, but now Larimore's trying to keep me from getting piss drunk before attending meets.It's not like I'm that chick from Swimfan, but does anybody else find it ridiculous we have a Dean of Plurality and no intercollegiate varsity swim team? Really I don't care...As long as they don't touch the National Ammo Day party funds, but I fear they're next. Damn this school!Samuels: I think that more and more folks are beginning to find it ridiculous. Here is a rather sensible piece in the Daily D from some right thinking 05s: http://www.thedartmouth.com/article.php?aid=200211250201. Full post and comments below the fold. Posted by alex at 5:08 PM (0 comments) AlsoWith all of the swimming team stuff and the alcohol policy stuff, I feel like people have sort of forgotten that:1. SOMEBODY SHOT INTO THE WINDOWS OF A DARTMOUTH BUILDING from a distance at which they may not have known if there was anyone inside. 2. Nobody bothered making this info generally available. Apparently snipers shooting at the campus don't merit "crime alerts." The only thing that's worth double-checking (I'm looking at you Roisin, as I don't actually subscribe to the Connecticut Valley Spectator) is that those dates were from this year, since we all know what the courts are like, although I would have thought the article would have made it more obvious if it were old news. UPDATE: yeah, it was this year. Full post and comments below the fold. Posted by Rollo at 4:51 PM (0 comments) Michael LedeenThinks Tehran is going to fall.This is one hell of a day. Full post and comments below the fold. Posted by Rollo at 4:37 PM (0 comments) Big Brother in my houseRuth Morgan blitzed the Alpha Chi president a reminder about a House Tour with Student Activities scheduled for tomorrow. They're going to walk around the house with a digital camera and take pictures of all of our exits and social areas, and ask where we serve alcohol from during parties.Full post and comments below the fold. Posted by alex at 4:29 PM (0 comments) Things not going swimminglyI won't be done with swim team rants for some time.I've been told that team members only learned of the decision today. My public high school didn't even have a pool, and we still had a swim team. The swim team is an institution, an obvious organization. What's next to go?--Mid-Mass? The English Department? Full post and comments below the fold. Posted by alex at 4:17 PM (0 comments) Important lengthy blitz #2Dear Dartmouth Students,This morning we were all stunned to find out that the Athletic Department has made the decision to cut the Dartmouth Swimming and Diving Teams as varsity programs. The Budget Committee has also approved these recommendations, so this news is official. While the Student Assembly was under the impression that most of the budget cut proposals would be released this December or January, this decision has been released at this time because of its implications for early decision students, particularly prospective swimmers and divers. Student Body Vice President Juila Hildreth and I met with Dean of College Jim Larimore this morning to discuss the details of this decision. First, we would like to point students to the following link, which hopefully will clarify some of your questions: http://www.dartmouth.edu/%7enews/releases/nov02/swimming.shtml Among other things, Dean Larimore conveyed to us the reality that any cuts in the Athletic Department would be more visible to the campus than cuts in other departments. In addition, we discussed the viability of maintaining a competitive swimming/diving program despite its lack of a varsity status. Clearly no one on campus wanted this to happen, and we should all stand in solidarity with the swimming and diving teams. We should especially support them during this Winter season, and make their home meets truly memorable. While this decision appears to be final, students' voices can still be heard, especially with regard to the future status of the swimming and diving programs. On Tuesday, December 3rd, the SA has scheduled a Community hour in Collis Commonground from 12pm-1pm with the Provost Barry Scherr, who oversees the budget committee. We had already arranged this date to discuss potential budget cuts, but now the discussion will feel far more relevant to many students. In addition, the Student Assembly has convened a task force to collect student feedback throughout the budget cut process. The Administration has agreed to work with this group to ensure student voice in evaluating further budget cut decisions. Thank you, and please blitz me, Julia, or the Student Assembly account if you would like to discuss this further. Janos Marton, Student Body President Julia Hildreth, Student Body Vice President Full post and comments below the fold. Posted by alex at 4:10 PM (0 comments) Important lengthy blitz #1Date: November 25, 2002To: Dartmouth Students From: Jim Larimore, Dean of the College Re: Revised Alcohol Policy In early October, I sent you an email to provide you with a status report on revisions to the College�s alcohol policy that were recommended last spring by a Working Group comprised of students, faculty and staff. The Working Group paid particular attention to questions surrounding the language in our alcohol policy, social event registration, server training guidelines, and the �Good Samaritan� policy. Student input on the proposed revisions was extensive and thoughtful, and many of you offered helpful suggestions for ways to improve the campus social environment. Campus discussions made clear that our alcohol policy needed to place greater emphasis on health, safety, individual, and group responsibility, and to provide clear information regarding when and where registered social events could take place when they included the service of alcohol. I have accepted the main recommendations of the Working Group. Beginning January 5, 2003, we will implement a revised alcohol policy; a copy of the revised policy will be available at http://www.dartmouth.edu/~deancoll/alcrec/ on or before the beginning of the term. The revised alcohol policy better reflects the social climate that we strive to maintain regarding the appropriate role and use of alcohol by members of the community. The policy balances desirable freedoms with essential responsibilities, such as respect for self and others. The success of the policy will require the cooperative effort of students, administrators, faculty and alumni. Specific changes in the policy include: � More clarity about where social events involving the service/provision of alcohol to students of legal drinking age can take place. � The �Tier System� for registering parties has been replaced by a simpler system (registration is encouraged, but optional if attendance is 10 or fewer in a residence hall common area; 40 or the number of organization members, whichever is fewer, in a Coed, Fraternity, or Sorority physical plant). � If alcohol is present at a social event, certified trained student or other servers, or paid professional servers will be required. Training will be optional but encouraged during the 2003 winter term, and required as of the start of the 2003 spring term. � The �Good Samaritan� policy has been reaffirmed and clarified. The College supports the choice made by some students not to consume alcohol and actively discourages and responds to the irresponsible use of alcohol. We recognize that the majority of students who choose to drink do so in a responsible manner. However, we also recognize that the irresponsible use of alcohol can have negative consequences for the irresponsible drinker as well as for others with whom they come in contact. Social gatherings at Dartmouth, including those at which alcohol is served, can be an important and enjoyable part of community life. They must also be conducted in a manner that protects the health and well-being of community members and guests, complies with College policy and State laws, and reflects the high value we place on respect for the rights of all individuals. When alcohol is served, it should be an adjunct or enhancement to the event rather than the sole reason for the event. Given the degree of freedoms and responsibilities associated with social life at Dartmouth, it is expected that students will model responsible alcohol use and that the hosts of events will exercise care and good judgment in the planning and management of events. Student suggestions about the procedures for registering and hosting social events resulted in the adaptation of the Social Events Procedures used by the Greek Leadership Council. These revised procedures will apply to all student organizations and residences interested in hosting an event that involves the service of alcohol. The Social Events Procedures will be available for review by the beginning of winter term on the Safety and Security website. As recommended by the Working Group, a new training program for event hosts, servers and monitors is being developed. Training will be optional but encouraged during the winter term in order to allow students the opportunity to help refine the training. Training for servers and monitors will be required as of spring term 2003, which will provide student organizations sufficient time to have their members participate in training. I believe that these improvements to the alcohol policy will strengthen our ability to work together to safeguard the health and well-being of students, and to preserve the ability of students and student organizations to exercise freedom and good judgment in hosting social events where alcohol is served. As suggested by the Working Group, I will review the effectiveness of the revised alcohol policy and social event procedures with students and colleagues during the summer and fall terms of 2003. Best wishes for an enjoyable winter break. Full post and comments below the fold. Posted by alex at 4:09 PM (0 comments) More Election NewsWord is that the GOP is negotiating with a Democratic congressman from Kentucky, Ken Lucas, to get him to switch parties. That would mean a six-seat pickup from this election cycle, with three seats outstanding. Lucas is expected to announce a decision today.I repeat: gravy. Full post and comments below the fold. Posted by Emmett at 3:56 PM (0 comments) A Prudent ReminderBlogger Tacitus reminds us why the multi culti nostrum that all cultures are created equal is demonstrably false. The values of our enemies and their (many) lay supporters in the Arab world are not, as the multi cultis would have us believe, simply another set of equally legitimate values, different from our Western values but not really better or worse. Rather, they are values that favor extremism over prudence, intolerance over civility, and -- ultimately -- death over life. They are, in a word, evil. Here's one more reason why.Full post and comments below the fold. Posted by Emmett at 3:44 PM (0 comments) Bayou BrawlThe Republican candidate for the Louisiana Senate seat, Susan Haik Terrell (an Arab, by the way), is leading incumbent Democrat Mary Landrieu. The latest poll of likely -- that's likely -- voters has Terrell ahead 48-40%, putting her lead outside the margin of error.Gravy, ladies and gentlemen. Gravy. Full post and comments below the fold. Posted by Emmett at 3:30 PM (0 comments) Professor Tony MartinOn his blog (Daimnation!), Damian Penny mentions a scholar by the name of Professor Tony Martin.Here he is billed to give a speech on "the tactics of organized Jewry" at the Institute for Historical Review (HIS), a notorious group of pseudo-scholars whose main saw is Holocaust denial. Professor Martin's scholarship includes The Secret Relationship between Blacks and Jews, used in his courses and published by the Nation of Islam, and -- most recently -- The Jewish Onslaught. Avik Roy reports nicely on his unstable temperament. Tony Martin has been a full-fledged professor at Wellesley for thirteen years. Full post and comments below the fold. Posted by Emmett at 3:01 PM (0 comments) Swim TeamThis is truly an atrocious development. My question is this: the $1.8 million the school is dropping on Phi Tau aside, why not sell some land? It's liquid, we've got tons of it, and much of it is valuable."Oh German! I thought there was something wrong with you." Full post and comments below the fold. Posted by Rollo at 2:34 PM (0 comments) An exchange...between the missus and me.Kristin: Shit [includes a forwarded blitz about the swim team cut] Talc: i know. up at dartlog. absolutely awful K: can they not fucking get rid of fuel?? K: it's not like swimming is some exotic sport T: mabye if it was the underwater gay sex club they'd still have a team Full post and comments below the fold. Posted by alex at 1:33 PM (0 comments) Whatever You Do, Don't Mention the WarSome Germans living in England have their Lederhosen in a bunch over workplace slurs. Verfluchte Englaender!Full post and comments below the fold. Posted by Emmett at 1:15 PM (0 comments) Hilarious"The Chronicle of Higher Education is reporting on the intolerance gays frequently show to bisexuals. This has prompted many bisexual students to decry "biphobia," and to create support groups.One student at Brown commented that bisexuals need places where "they are treated as more than 'just good for orgies.'" No people, you cannot make this stuff up. Full post and comments below the fold. Posted by Emmett at 1:06 PM (0 comments) 3 months lateOh well. Here's some damage control by Mr. Thornhill back in August.And I don't have the 12/2 Weekly Standard in front of me, but I'm guessing Chi Scam? Full post and comments below the fold. Posted by alex at 12:15 PM (0 comments) News we don't hear:What with such a well-connected small campus, one would think that shooting crimes and the trials of Dartmouth students would be common knowlege. However, leave it to an up and coming local paper to inform us of our own news. Here are some excerpts from the November 21 edition of the Conneticut Valley Spectator:
The report goes on to state that True stole the gun, a .22 Waffenabrik GMBH Sierra. So, drive-by shootings in rural Hanover. Also, from Lebanon District Court:
We haven't heard a peep from the D of the conclusion of this saga, even though they plastered the story all over the place last year. Full post and comments below the fold. Posted by JR at 12:12 PM (0 comments) "Dmouth does Diversity"N.B.Heather Mac Donald takes on this topic in the 12/2 Weekly Standard. In response to the 11/12 pieces in the NYT. Trivia: what's the frat house in the picture on p. 19? Full post and comments below the fold. Posted by barrett at 11:39 AM (0 comments) Dartmouth to cut Swimming and Diving teams after this seasonBudget Cuts have hit the athletic department:http://www.dartmouth.edu/athletics/archive/2002/11/0098.html
Full post and comments below the fold. Posted by Ben at 11:12 AM (0 comments) England, the Home of LibertyIt seems they've not only forgotten about free speech; they've forgotten about common sense as well.They put the man in jail... Relatedly: you know, certain actions and utterances by Prince Charles lead me to think that he has a very good head on his shoulders. Cf. here, here. Methinks the man is a conservative. Full post and comments below the fold. Posted by Emmett at 10:26 AM (0 comments) Sunday, November 24, 2002Zimbabwe"The threat of being deliberately starved by the government if the opposition won votes, was used to profoundly influence vulnerable rural voters in recent elections in Zimbabwe."I can't, of course, speak to the validity of that claim, but you hear so many similar reports, that you've got to start wondering how the rest of the world allows this guy to stay in power. Full post and comments below the fold. Posted by Rollo at 11:58 PM (0 comments) Re: Even Dartmouth has Idiot FansBen, if you think Dartmouth has problems:In Clemson, S.C., a 67-year-old sheriff's officer and a female fan were injured when fans rushed the field and tore down a goal post following the Clemson Tigers' 27-20 win over South Carolina. Fans piled on top of Officer James Booth, was hospitalized in stable condition. Details on the woman's condition weren't immediately available, but officials said her injuries were not life-threatening.There are a lot more incidents mentioned in the full AP article. Full post and comments below the fold. Posted by Andrew Grossman at 10:46 PM (0 comments) Happy Birthday, Girls Full post and comments below the fold. Posted by Andrew Grossman at 10:39 PM (0 comments) Even Dartmouth has Idiot FansApparently even Dartmouth with its dwindling attendance in most sports (though hockey is bucking the trend with a large increase in attendance over the last 2 years) isn't immune to idiotic sports fans. Last night the team was assessed two delay of game penalties as fans threw tennis balls after the 2nd and 3rd goals, not just the first like tradition calls for. Thankfully Princeton didn't score on the ensuing power plays, but the fact remains the so-called "fans" could've cost Dartmouth a win.The tennis ball tradition is one of the few sporting traditions we have left on campus. But you only do it after the first goal, because if you do it more than once the team takes a penalty. And if penalties keep happening year after year, then it will likely mean the end of yet another tradition because sooner or later it will cost Dartmouth a game, and the administration will have no choice but to ban the tennis balls. Hopefully the idiots who decided they were bigger than the game will never attend another game all year, since they were likely part of the bandwagoners that always show up for the Princeton game (attendance thus far has been roughly 3000-3500 people per game, last night it was 4500). I somehow doubt we'll get anywhere near that many when Boston College comes calling on Tuesday, despite them being ranked #1 in the nation. Full post and comments below the fold. Posted by Ben at 2:26 PM (1 comments) |
Dartlog ToolsHanover NewsDartmouth LinksNota BeneArticles of note—culled from the Internet by TDR. A hyperrealist's defense? Thanksgiving: Adam Kirsch landed on his feet. Grim. How important is the libretto? Nothing thrills a classical music crowd more than a new piece of music that doesn't make them physically ill. Advertisement  Dartmouth BlogsFavorites
Advertisement |
|
Copyright © 1996-2009 The Dartmouth Review |
|