Gap Yah: Is taking a year off before college a bad thing? Midd sure doesn’t think so, but this article might make you rethink some of that voluntourism you may have been planning on doing.

Williamsburg: I used to think that this was just a place with colonial re-enactors in Virginia. #trueconfessions But this NYTimes reporter took a closer look at the culture of Brooklyn’s hipster hometown.

Linguistics: Lawl, LOL isn’t funny anymore. (duh.)

Poetry: A beautiful poem making the rounds recently titled, “Wandering Around an Albuquerque Airport Terminal” by Naomi Shihab Nye.

Parks and Rec: The more I think about this, the more it makes sense? There is a Parks and Rec porno.

Seasonal: And appropriate. White boys in salmon colored shorts. (I better see some Midd submissions soon…)

Science/Art: Heather Dewey-Hagborg collects hair, smoked cigarettes, and other trash to extract DNA and create portraits of what the person behind the remnant might have looked like.

Advertising: How do you tell a child where they can get help for child abuse, even while accompanied by their aggressor? This organization figured it out.

And your video of the week (I love drunk jokes/stories):

New York City: Check out these never before seen photographs of the Big Apple from the early 1900s and this awesome “Inception” like map of Manhattan.

Twitter: Where do all of your tweets go? Wired investigates.

Linguistics: I really like this article slash it talks about a pretty cool language trend.

White House Correspondents’ Dinner: Just once I wish MiddBlog would be invited to the #nerdprom.

Technology: What if you could virtually drive through Google Street View? Now you can.

Weddings: I love a good wedding, but not these wedding dresses.

Art:  I love lasers and I love forests. See them combined in this awesome new installation.

Escalators: You wouldn’t think an escalator could be awesome. This will prove you wrong.

And your video of the week:

Rachel Liddell ’14

This is a joint post written by Audrey Tolbert ’13 and Olivia Noble ’13, co-lead editors of MiddBlog.

The Middlebury Student Government is probably the most widely known and least appreciated organization on this campus. In the past, nearly every student on campus has known the president’s name, but not many have known what they did on a daily basis, nor did students actively engage with the SGA on issues they cared about. This year has shown a marked improvement on that front, with increasing levels of engagement from students – from the 75+ crowd at the presidential debate last night to the 300+ users on the SGA’s new “We the Middkids” website. All of this reminds us that the SGA President is not just the guy who got us break buses, or who instituted pass/fail – a president represents the student body in every regard.

As we look to the trio of candidates before us for the 2013-2014 school year, each has their strengths and weaknesses. Through their letters of intent, websites, and the debate last night, Middblog has seen that each candidate is extremely passionate and has a variety of good ideas for where this campus should be going. But ultimately, good ideas will only get a president so far. A candidate must have the force of personality and the tenacity to see these good ideas through. SGA President candidates year after year have a lot of campaign promises, a lot of wishful thinking, and a lot of good ideas. However, only rarely do candidates present themselves with the force of personality and will to make these good ideas a reality.

With that in mind, MiddBlog has decided to endorse Senator Rachel Liddell (’15) for the position of SGA President. Liddell is well-spoken, articulate, and incredibly driven. We strongly believe that she is the candidate for the job and would best represent the student body to the administration. A president’s greatest responsibility is to represent the student body and be a good negotiator for student issues. Liddell is smart and willing to hold her ground on issues that matter to the student body like divestment and local food. Her platform differs from the others in her willingness to tackle complicated administrative issues like credit for internships, sexual assault awareness, and the honor code to name a few. Her platform is ambitious, but we believe that Rachel has the drive and enthusiasm to get it done.

Both Naylor and Labarba have interesting ideas and are strong candidates, yet it is our belief that Liddell has the greatest potential to make any and all of those a reality. Let us know what you think of Liddell, Naylor, and Labarba in the comments below and don’t forget to vote on May 1st!

If the stories last night impacted you and you would like to get involved with issues of sexual assault and violence on college campuses, contact IHH Midd or check out Know Your Title IX, an activist collective run by students and young alumni who have successfully campaigned against their colleges’ inadequate responses to campus sexual violence. Their goal: educate every college student in the U.S. about his or her rights under Title IX by the start of the next academic term.

Boston: An interesting perspective on the events from the New Yorker’s John Cassidy. Also, an old Thought Catalog article that seems particularly relevant.

Greek Life: For those of you who have not read the crazy sorority girl email yet. I just like imagining someone from the Mill sending out a comprable email…

#SWUGlife: A more accurate account of the social phenomenon from Cornell, home of the original SWUGs.

Art: The perfect combination of fine art and culinary art in this new cookbook.

NYC: A fun and interesting infographic measuring wealth inequality in New York City by subway lines.

Ice Coffee: Always an appropriate question this time of year: Is it ice coffee weather?

Music: I didn’t know that there was a Pulitzer for music, but this girl definitely deserves it.

And your video for the week (watch till the end):

Now back to your regularly scheduled Sunday links…

Television: I don’t usually post Buzzfeed articles here (because I assume everyone has already seen them, I mean how else does one procrastinate?) but this one was just too good to pass up: The 18 Best Quotes from Parks and Rec’s Ron Swanson.

Geography: Watch this super awesome hyperlapse of Google Street View images and create your own!

Admissions: Hey white girls, just no. Kendra James does an awesome job breaking down the recent (and ridiculous) trend of white girls, like Suzy Lee Weiss, blaming minorities for not getting into their top choice school.

Parenting: Children are so sensitive. Here’s a tumblr documenting all the reasons they cry.

#Seniorthesisproblems: Do you think students have sex in the thesis carrels at Midd? Cause apparently it’s the craze at Wesleyan.

Music: April is Public Radio Music Month. Check out the top 10 (awesome) songs from stations across the country. While you’re at it, show the WRMC site some love!

Vine: Like Vine? Start discovering new ones on Vinepeek.

Kitsch: You can buy a tea infuser shaped like the Titanic. Too soon or boatloads of fun?

And your video of the week:

My name is Cody Gohl and, no, I will not show you my tits. Nor will any of the strong female friends I surround myself with on a daily basis. Show you our tits? How about you show us your spine first?

I see you eating your Dr. Feelgood after a night partying. You’re a little drunk and feeling a little cocky. You’re surrounded by a group of friends who seem to be the kind of people that not only like your shirt, but wish they had one too. You walk into the Grille like you own the place: tank first, mind second.

Which leads me to my most pressing question: where is your mind? Clearly it wasn’t hanging around when you purchased this piece of clothing because, if it were, it would have told you that wearing this kind of shirt is wrong and stupid and degrading. What are you trying to say? What are you hoping to achieve by wearing a shirt like that in public, a shirt that asks women to show you their “tits”? Do you think that people will find it funny or charming or cute?

Because I hate to break it to you, but it is not funny or charming or cute.

We go to a school where sexual assault is a very real thing. And not just physical sexual assault, but verbal sexual assault. Verbal sexual assault like men yelling sexually aggressive slurs to women as they walk around campus at night. Verbal sexual assault like you deciding it is a safe and appropriate thing to put on a tank top that reads SHOW ME YA TITS. Like it or not, deciding to wear this kind of shirt is an action that contributes to the heavily lopsided state of gender politics on this campus. You putting on that tank top does not move us forward—it works to push us backward.

And so to the manchild wearing the “Show me Ya Tits” tank in the Grille, I say grow up. I say think about the fight for Equal Rights. I say take a moment to think about Susan B. Anthony and Elizabeth Cady Stanton and the hundreds of unknown women that fought for Woman’s Rights at the turn of the century. I say take a moment to consider how important Feminism still is even in a society that claims itself to be Post-Gender Inequality. I say think about the difference between pay rates for men and women. I say think about glass ceilings and job opportunities and social stigmas. I say think about all of the men and women who will see your shirt and feel defeated because of it. I say think of the ways in which your shirt could make even just one person feel unsafe.

I say take off the tank, replace it with a crisp white V-neck. I can guarantee you that your friends will still like you and that you’ll be a better person for it. Because, no, I will not show you my tits, but I would love to show you the amazing men and women I know, the amazing individuals who are more than just the sum of their physical parts, who are fighting each and every day to establish an order in which women are treated equal to men, an order in which clothing like yours does not exist.

I guess at the end of it all, I hope you enjoyed your meal; however, maybe next time, instead of ketchup, you’ll order your French fries with a healthy dose of perspective.

BOOM AND THANK YOU MUCH,

Cody Gohl

No longer Noah Berman ’13

I ride my bike a lot. I’m not, however, a cyclist. I don’t even really ride it for exercise. I ride my bike to get from point A to point B. It’s quick, it’s easy, it’s convenient. It is, quite literally, the most perfect form of human powered transportation ever invented, purely in terms of conservation of energy. And I’m a nice guy. Anyone who knows me would probably agree. I can be an ass, but its almost always in good fun. Of course, I do have moments of less than admirable behavior, but any slip I make is usually unintentional, the consequence of taking a joke too far or some such mistake. I make mistakes. Everyone makes mistakes.

In light of the recent uproar over Delta house, dorm damage has come to fore of the college consciousness. A certain amount of damage is inevitable: someone microwaves tinfoil or spills wine on a carpet. Mistakes. Mistakes are understandable, for to err is to be human. But smashing a light fixture is not a mistake. Destroying nearly twice the dollar amount of allotted property is not a mistake. Lets just consider that for a second. They were given an allotment of property to destroy, and that amount was exceeded. Middlebury, in essence, sanctified a prescribed amount of damage, said “you can break this much stuff, but no more…” And they broke more. Middlebury prides itself on churning out well-rounded students, students ready to become productive members of society. What sort of society tells a young man that he can destroy with impunity up to a limit, at which point he is immediately penalized? Certainly not one that hopes him to be productive. Not one that expects him to deal well with taking responsibility.

I personally don’t care that Delta house was closed, but I wouldn’t have cared if it stayed open, either. It matter very little to me. What does matter to me is the culture of casual destruction that has been fostered here, in this elite institution filled with privilege and money. It’s easier to patch over unpleasantries than it is to require us, the well-rounded and the productive, to keep a hold on our animal instincts. There are very few productive members of society who routinely get so drunk that they destroy others’ property, and it speaks rather poorly of us that we feel so entitled that we do. Blinded by the facility with which we glide through life, we feel so entitled that when we are punished, we rebel. We feel the consequences, clearly stated and understood, are unfair. I find that reaction disturbing. So should we all. It’s the same sentiment that keeps Wall Street banks floating in cash, while the poor get poorer. And yet, Middlebury actively fosters this environment. Punishment is unfair. We are above the law.

Now, let’s talk about my bicycle. Since I have been at Middlebury, my personal property has been actively abused. So, I’m unlucky right? Freshman year, I forgot to lock my bike one day before I went into Proctor. It was gone when I came back. I never saw it again. My fault, excuse me, I didn’t lock it. Sophomore year. New year, new bike. This time, I locked it religiously. Unfortunately, one night before I went to bed, I locked only the front wheel of my bike to the bike rack. I came back out in the morning, and the body of my bike was gone. But someone had left my wheel for me. Thanks! Junior year, new bike, incident free. Senior year was shaping up to be incident free as well, until yesterday.

My stolen bikes, I understand. Someone wanted a bike, wanted, like I wanted, to be able to get from point A to point B quickly and efficiently. I get it. But last night I left my bike locked outside of my Atwater dormitory, and left. Facilities had not yet brought the bike racks back out from their winter storage, so I left it the same way I had left it every day for nearly two semesters: locked to itself, leaning against the wall, out of the way. Out of the way. This morning, I woke up and there was vomit in the stairwell. There was broken glass outside my suite where someone had thrown an empty beer bottle at our door. And I found my bicycle moved. I assumed someone had tried to ride it, realized that it was locked to itself and just left it. So I picked it up, unlocked it, and tried to ride. Turns out the would be bicycle thief had realized he could not ride away on my bicycle, and had become enraged. Or perhaps he had just coolly decided that, if he couldn’t ride it, neither could I. Either way, he threw it so hard that the gears bent, becoming entangled in the spokes.

This student, although the violence inherent in the action leads me to assume he was a man, remains anonymous. It could have been anyone. Any person at this school who feels so little personal responsibility for his own actions that he can continue through his life unperturbed, safe in the knowledge that he is entitled. Entitled to a bicycle when he wants it, entitled to ruin it if he can’t make it work, entitled to an outstanding education, entitled to the world and all it has in it. Regardless of any toes that must be stepped on. Without thought for consequences.

There is no way for me to impose any consequences on the faceless, drunk, pathologically enraged, soon-to-be-productive member of society that I see in my head, but I wish there were. I wish there were because it was, frankly, rude. It was disrespectful, thoughtless, witless, crude, bad-mannered, uncivil and downright rude. So let’s do a fun experiment and say no to our industrial culture of unchecked destruction and wonton disregard for others. It’ll be a pleasant change, like going to the beach after several years of being assaulted by psychotic, drunken vandals. And if anyone wants to confess to me that they destroyed my bike, I would gladly accept an apology and an offer to pay for the new one. Because I’m not an unreasonable man. In fact, I’m generally a pretty nice guy.

Snapchat: How Vine and Snapchat have used the most basic aspect of smartphone technology to become the most popular media-sharing apps of this year.

Facebook stalking: We all do it. Now thanks to this study that measured how people interact with their exes on Facebook, you’ll know you’re not alone.

Art?: Maybe former president George W. Bush will have a higher approval rating as an artist?

Liberal Arts Schools: Smith College rejects a trans woman due to crappy bureaucracy. Poor form.

Swimming Pools vs. Guns: Which are more dangerous for our children?

The Vatican: Catholic Popes, big pimpin’.

Theatre: David Tennant fulfills pianist’s dying wish by using his skull on stage in a performance of Hamlet.

Uplifting: A blind boy’s first step off a curb goes viral.

Internet: Ever get lost in the endless maze that is the world wide web? (I once spent over an hour trapped on wikipedia…) Then you might not want to explore the subject of this article.

And your video of the week: Introducing “Romance Pants”

Rubblebucket: (from their website) “Led by the musical couple of front woman Kalmia Traver and bandleader/trumpeter Alex Toth, Rubblebucket has spent the last four years building a reputation as a band that blurs the lines between psychedelic indie rock, upbeat dance, and radiant, left-field arrangements. The Brooklyn, NY by way of Boston and Vermont band has evolved into something that is “utterly post-genre—horns, synth, guitars, harmonies—a smile-inducing point on the tangent that connects Björk and Broken Social Scene”, which is to say that you never know what you’ll see or hear next.”

Baths: LA based electronic musician Will Wiesenfeld, layers unorthodox sounds such as clicking pens, vocal samples, rustling blankets and scissor snaps to create his unique experimental style. Often compared to chillwave musician Toro Y Moi, Baths’ debut album was listed by The A.V. Club as the 21st best album of 2010.

Delicate Steve: (from their Youtube channel) Delicate Steve is the brainchild of New Jersey-based songwriter Steve Marion. Having previously recorded friends’ bands, Marion realized one day that he had enough gear lying around his home studio to record an album of his own and decided to just go for it. What he developed is a sound that feels like a hybrid of Animal Collective’s dense experimentations and the African-influenced pop of bands like Dirty Projectors and Vampire Weekend, playing with layers of percussion and keyboards while tying everything together with breezy, Dobro-style slide guitar. Marion released his first album of experimental pop, Wondervisions, in 2011 on David Byrne’s Luaka Bop label. In 2012, Marion returned with his sophomore full-length Delicate Steve album, Positive Force.

Will Cuneo: A sophomore at Midd, accompanied by fellow MiddKids Bree Baccaligni on violin (filling in for Emily Luan), Davis Woolworth on cello, Bjorn Peterson on bass, and Nick Rehmus on drums, and Shivs Ivhanmuse on backup vocals, Will Cuneo is anything but a sophomore slump. Producing folksy-acoustic melodies, his rich sound and poetic lyrics will stay with you in the best of ways.

1. 593 should get me some prime real estate on Battell Beach, right? I figure that I can keep my clothes in my car and shower in the gym. It might get chilly during J-term, but a 5 star arctic tent, a space heater, and a lot of blankets should do the trick:

It’s even bigger than my sophomore single was!

2. What about a year long slumber party in the Bunker? We could tell ghost stories every night, have pillow fights, the whole shebang. Once upon a time the Freeman International Center (FIC) was supposed to be it’s own commons, so why not start that up again?

3. I spent last semester abroad, and when we didn’t have enough money to stay in a hostel we would crash on church floors. I may need to ask the administration, but I’m thinking that Mead Chapel is a viable option. While it may not have the comfiest sleeping arrangements, it is a great location on campus: right next to Proctor, an easy walk to the gym, and really just has a spectacular view of the mountains.

So let me know what you think! And if you have any other suggestions, please let me know because at this point, I’m open to anything.

At 4:30pm on April 4th at Ridgeline, President Liebowitz and Solar Decathlon team members, Kate Eiseman ’15, Cordelia Newbury 13’, and Laura Romig ’12.5 will speak to kick off the team’s spring construction.

Food and refreshments will be served, as well as music by student band The Blue Laws (Kento Mizuno ’15, Dustin Lowman ’15, and Danny Nigh ’15).

For more information leading up to the event, feel free to “like” the Middlebury Solar Decathlon 2013 Facebook page and check out their website!

Also, for those who saw our third post of the day, chronicling the fictional plight of Angelo class of ’17, we apologize if our joke was offensive or disrespectful. The profile of Angelo was based on the character of D’Angelo, a young drug dealer who turns his life around in the hit tv show, The Wire. We certainly do not mean to sweep this issue under the rug if you felt the post was distasteful or offensive, so comment below or shoot us an email and perhaps we can continue the dialogue into a constructive conversation.

Meanwhile, hope everyone enjoyed their spring breaks and had a light-hearted and enjoyable April Fools Day!

While we were all gone on Spring Break, the Proctor Cat was busy with her own nefarious activities.  Tweets from Director of Dining Services Matthew Biette and several excited snapchats from excited Heburn residents confirm that the Proctor cat has had at least 3 kittens, maybe more.  Bragging rights go to the first person who snaps a quality picture of the litter. Looks like there are going to be some new mouths to feed around here.

In an update on her website, owner Nancy Weber-Curth announced yesterday that the Sparkling Champagne and Wine Bar, located next to Sama’s in downtown Middlebury will be going out of business this summer.

“I am sorry to announce that this summer, Sparkling Champagne and Wine Bar will be going out of business. Unfortunately, there has not been sufficient patronage or enthusiasm from the community to financially support the bar and the rising costs of shipping such unique wines from across the globe. It has been a pleasure serving the town of Middlebury for the past year, sharing my passion for champagne and sparkling wines with so many people.”

Coming Soon?

The post continues on to say that tentative plans have been made to fill the space with a Starbucks. Weber-Curth says that while community support for a chain coffee store has been lacking in the past, she believes the college community would embrace another cozy study space off campus. She wrote to MiddBlog in an email saying, ”As sad as I am to see my business go, I can realistically appreciate that the space will be better served by a well-loved coffee chain that many students would frequent. I think a Starbucks would lure many students off-campus more often and potentially help the other businesses in downtown Middlebury.”

More details of the business plans are set to emerge later in the spring. MiddBlog will be keeping a close eye on the changeover to let you know exactly when you’ll be able to enjoy your Grande Non-Fat Mocha Frappuccino.

Update: Community Council member Barrett Smith ’13, issued the following quote to MiddBlog in a phone interview tonight:

“Going forward, I believe the most important thing for the community will be for [the houses of] Palmer and Prescott to be social houses. These spaces were meant to be social houses and should serve that purpose. New student organizations can be created to fill these roles and I hope to work with the council to outline what the process of forming new social houses. It takes a lot of work, but I hope that student leaders on this campus will step up to the challenge.”

Middlebury’s Community Council voted earlier this evening to disband Delta, the social house often referred to as ADP, in a 13-4-1 vote. Last Tuesday the council held an open meeting to discuss the house’s future but tabled the vote until today when they reconvened in an executive session. Discussions over the fate of the social house lasted over an hour and other possibilities were considered, although ultimately discarded. The ruling will now go to President Liebowitz for approval, though he is unlikely to overturn the council’s decision.

The rest of MiddBlog’s coverage on the Delta case can be seen here. Keep following MiddBlog for updates as they come.

Now there is! Last night the SGA announced their new petition platform: We the MiddKids. President Arnowitz explains here in this video how the site works:

So check out go/wethemiddkids to vote for change on this campus!

Iraq War: 10 years after the U.S. invaded Iraq, a 16-year old girl is still writing letters to her father who died in gunfire in 2006.

Seniors: After a rousing 100 days party, keep calm and senior spring on.

Language: 18 English words that should have never gone out of use. Personal favorite: “with squirrel.” Also, the science of accents.

Art: This color matching game had me occupied for over 40 minutes. Also, there’s color blind assistance!

Swimming: This little boy lost his legs to meningitis as an infant, but can now swim thanks to these awesome flipper legs.

Hair: I present to you, the monodread.

Fighting homophobia: The following website is part of a campaign in Québec to fight homophobia. Are you as open as you think?

Cooking: Everyone loves paella. Take a look at the magic of this wonderful dish.

Dinner Parties: Ever have trouble picking a seat at the dinner table. Worry no more! Here’s a handy guide to help you out.

Middlebury’s Scorecard: Check out Midd’s college scorecard from the College Affordability and Transparency Center.

And your video of the week (which is really only relevant for today), the History of Saint Patrick’s Day:

To the Middlebury Community–

As student organizers within the divestment campaign on this campus, we would like to make clear that the recent appearance of graffiti on the Franklin Environmental Center at Hillcrest does not represent the views of, nor is endorsed by, any collective group that has been working towards divestment at Middlebury, including the Socially Responsible Investing Club, Divest for Our Future, and Sunday Night Group. To the best of our understanding, this was an autonomous action that was carried out independently of any organized student group on campus.

However, it is important to keep in mind the remaining urgency of divestment. Let us remember that, according to our administration, Middlebury still has approximately 3.6% of our endowment invested in fossil fuels and approximately 0.6% invested in arms industries. We hope that the discourse around divestment will continue to center on the issues themselves and will not be diverted by a small action taken by an unknown individual or group of individuals.

We stand by our original goals of divesting our endowment from the fossil fuel and arms industries, and are continuing our campaign while working closely with the administration and other campuses around the country.

Thank you,

Student Divestment Organizers

Students might notice the following image tagged on the side of Hillcrest today:

Many will remember the vandalism of the same side of Hillcrest (next to Tire-rhea) this fall.