Obama speaks at Wellesleyan

Go here for the entire Commencement ceremony

Foss hill—which was swarming with thousands of spectators on Sunday—acquired a certain historical significance last weekend, but it's had some personal significance to me for the past five years. It was the meeting place that was swarmed with kids in shorts and skirts on the first nice day of the year. You'd approach it with a little apprehension, looking for a group of familiar faces among the many clusters that instinctively converged. You'd sit there and smoke, or pretend you could do work outside, holding a book without really reading more than a paragraph. If you shouted at the row of buildings across the field, a dizzying echo would thunder back from behind you.

On Sunday it wasn't drunken phrases that buzzed over the field, but the voice of presidential candidate Barack Obama. Obama's voice already has a pleasing tenor, a cadence that both invokes and inspires reverence. When it comes at you from at you from all directions, it's another story.

As the procession to the infectious throb of taiko drumming came to an end, Obama walked onto the outdoor stage. From the hill, even with binoculars, he was barely visible, but one woman seated behind us gave the play-by-play: "He's wearing a robe! Oh! He just waved!"

University president Michael Roth welcomed the crowd, boasting the end of his first year at the university. My class just missed his career there; for the duration of our four years, we were treated to Doug Bennet, the mumbling former-head of NPR, who was lauded for saving public radio by selling "underwriting" (simplified advertisements that are FCC-regulated). The Bennet administration grew to be reviled by a student movement on campus, that felt he was more concerned with fundraising than with student affairs (in 2004, a group of protestors stormed the president's offices).

Rashida Richardson referenced this and other changes and incidents the university has seen during her four years there, including an incident last week, when 300 students poured out of a party onto the street, and campus public safety officers called the Middletown police and state troopers, who used tasers, dogs and pepper spray on students after they would not disperse and threw a beer bottle at a cop car.

"We have endured racist and homophobic remarks written on student doors in Clark," Richardson said, "racial profiling of students of color, sexual harassment and racist comments, and most recently, the apparent brutality that many of us witnessed ten days ago. It is regrettable that these painful events continue to occur at Wesleyan, similar events happen daily in the real world. In a sense, this is just one more way Wesleyan inadvertently prepares us for what's to come."

Roth was an impressive speaker, gushing enthusiasm ("Wesleyan, you are so cool!") and poetry ("Violence remains one of the sad, disturbing parts of our lives. It is the loud noise that keeps us from hearing the music of the world"). He elegantly traced the class of 2008's career at Wesleyan, recognizing that their freshman year, George Bush was elected for a second term.

"In the fall of 2004, your frosh year, we had the sad spectacle of presidential politics promoting a climate of fear in which self-assertion was framed as an antidote to inflamed insecurities on topics as diverse as terrorism and marriage," he said. "That was in 2004. In this spring of 2008 we have heard the word 'change' on countless occasions.

"You will hear people tell you that the greatest protection against violence is surveillance, that greater security is developed with higher fences to keep out the foreigners, or that we must project violence on distant shores to keep our homes safe. Do not believe these messages. Please remember that your education stands in opposition to non-sense and cruelty; please recall your capacity to create when others around you call for destruction."

Much has been made of Obama's speech. It mirrored his address to Knox College. It was a tribute to Kennedy. It was a call to service. It refreshed the burnt out campus.

Peter Applebame can liken Wesleyan getting Obama as graduation speaker to "Notre Dame getting the pope" all he wants ... the Wesleyan students I know are cynical about talk of change and the cult of personality. I was surprised by how many skeptics seemed moved by the speech. That's all I'm saying. That, and several '08ers commented on how soft Barack Obama's hands are.

Global Whating?

By CaraBayles on Wed, May 14, 2008 5:19 pm

FINALLY, polar bears are endangered.

Hot enough for ya?

All things internet: the Army

By CaraBayles on Mon, Apr 21, 2008 5:24 pm

The US Army has a virtual guide named Sgt. Star. They had a life-size virtual version of him at the ICA.

He's here to answer your questions. The Dig interviewed him for the hell of it:

Hello, I'm SGT STAR the United States Army's Virtual Guide.

Please type your name below.

[I typed no]

SGT STAR: Welcome No. How can I help you today?

no: how much does the army pay?

SGT STAR: The United States Army pays on a government scale, according to your rank and time in service. In addition to this basic pay, special duties or skills may qualify you for specialty pay. The Army also provides allowances for housing, meals and uniforms, to offset the cost of living. Soldiers are paid on monthly/semi-weekly schedule reported to you on your Leave and Earnings Statement on the 1st and 15th of the month. Here's More: Salary Discussion Board

no: are you a real boy?

SGT STAR: That is a good question, however, I am not positive that I understand what you are asking. Try rephrasing your question. I understand simple questions best.

no: what are you wearing?

SGT STAR: I'm wearing the Army's new Army Combat Uniform, or ACU. The digital camouflage pattern is suitable for just about any situation, while it's new construction allows it to be worn comfortably under body armor. It was introduced in April 2005, and I have to say that it is quite possibly the most comfortable and versatile uniform I've ever worn!

no: it's ugly.

SGT STAR: Displayed below are answers that I believe are related to your question.

Here's More:

Time with the Army

What SGT STAR is Wearing

Soldier Creed

no: are you single?

SGT STAR: I am married, Mrs. STAR is my boss.

Nice guy. If only the army could amass a fleet of Sgt. Stars, so real people could come home.

I guess Mrs. STAR wouldn't be too pleased about that.

UMass Dean resigns?

By CaraBayles on Tue, Apr 8, 2008 5:42 pm

Rumor has it that Adenrele Awotona, Dean of College of Public and Community Service (CSPC) at UMass Boston, resigned today. Awotona was unpopular among the school's faculty, who recently wrote a letter calling for his resignation.

CPCS has a strong history of political activism. Its alumni include Boston Mayor Thomas Menino, former congressman/current CEO of Citizens Energy Corp Joe Kennedy and Sen. Steve Tollman.

Super Tuesday

By CaraBayles on Wed, Feb 6, 2008 2:15 pm

Is there a big difference between how Cambridge liberals vote and how Boston liberals vote? And how does the densely populated metropolis of Somerville add up?

Now you can find out, by checking the Globe's sick voting map!!!

Give that man a raise!

By CaraBayles on Tue, Feb 5, 2008 1:23 pm

"Delinquencies, assault & battery, rape, arson and carjacking…That crushing workload and range of challenging issues is not uncommon across all court departments," Chief Justice Robert Mulligan testified, in an ironic role reversal, at last week's hearing before the Compensation Advisory Board.

Pay increases for the state's 441 judges, constitutional officers (including the governor and the secretary of state), and legislative leaders (namely, Speaker Sal DiMasi and Senate President Therese Murray) were at stake.

Justice John Greaney sited a report from the National Center for State Courts that ranked Massachusetts 45th in judge salaries after adjustments for the cost of living. But in salary dollars the state ranks 21st, paying its trial judges $129,694 annually, and its high court judges $145,984 (incidentally, that's more than Deval Patrick's $140,535 income, which is the 14th highest governor salary in the country).

Paul Guzzi, president and CEO of the Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce and chair of the advisory board, said the fact that neither constitutional officers nor legislative leaders came to the hearing was of little significance.

"They may be relying on the judgment of the commission," he said. "We certainly have data that will put us in a position to decide about their pay."

While the independent committee will include hard numbers in its recommendations, the legislature ultimately decides on the budget. With the state's deficit, and the national economy in a nose dive, Michael Widmer, President of the Massachusetts Taxpayers Foundation, says it's a contentious time for the legislature to dole out raises to politicians.

"Having this informed process won't remove politics from the situation. But it's important to pay our state leaders a salary commensurate with their responsibilities," he said. "I'm not concerned from the expenditure point of view—we should pay what we should pay—but I am concerned about the timing in terms of public reaction. I think people will have stronger reactions when they're hurting as opposed to when the economy's booming."

Guzzi said that the economy and budget are considerations, but "We're concerned with the overall issue of whether or not and how compensation helps to attract and retain quality people."

The second (and last) Compensation Advisory Board hearing will occur Wednesday, February 6th at 6 pm, at the UMass Medical School, 55 Lake Avenue North, Worcester. Anyone can testify

MoveOn likes Obama

By CaraBayles on Fri, Feb 1, 2008 4:30 pm

MoveOn.org endorses Obama, in a final, pre-election push (don't forget to vote for whoever on super duper Tuesday, kids).

But who will Swift Boat Veterans for Truth endorse?

NON-NEWS

By CaraBayles on Thu, Jan 24, 2008 1:39 pm

Rocky backs McCain

Unfortunately, we think Stallone may be confusing blockbuster movie magic with reality. It sounds like he's casting McCain in the role of president:

"There’s something about matching the character with the script and right now, the script is being written and the reality is pretty brutal and pretty hard edged, a rough action film, and you need somebody who’s been in that to deal with it."

Poor guy. Won't someone take pity on him and make him retire?

Break in at Romney HQ

Daniel Bradley and Michael Sauer allegedly took a computer from Mitt Romney's presidential campaign HQ on Commercial Street. When police dragged the suspects out of their car, two empty cans of Budweiser (the king of beers) fell out. District Attorney Daniel Conley doesn't believe the theft was politically motivated…it's just a couple of bros who wanted a new iMac.

WHERE'S WHITEY?

By CaraBayles on Thu, Jan 24, 2008 11:07 am

New Whitey Bulger tapes were released by the Feds today, so you can listen to the unique tenor of his voice and see if it sounds like someone you know. Or something.

ECONOMY DROOPS, SOME GUY WEEPS

By CaraBayles on Wed, Jan 23, 2008 12:30 pm