The Oldest College Weekly in America. Founded 1868.

The Colgate Maroon-News

The Oldest College Weekly in America. Founded 1868.

The Colgate Maroon-News

The Oldest College Weekly in America. Founded 1868.

The Colgate Maroon-News

The Bravermans

Marissa Roberge, Arts & Features Editor February 13, 2015

On Thursday, January 29, the series finale of the NBC show “Parenthood” aired. For us devoted viewers, the following weeks have been filled with denial and symptoms of withdrawal. For those of you...

Obama’s Proposal for the 2016 Budget:  A Lack Of Serious Reform

Obama’s Proposal for the 2016 Budget: A Lack Of Serious Reform

Brian Challenger, Maroon-News Staff February 5, 2015

On Monday, February 2, President Obama presented his 2016 budget to Congress. In the proposal, President Obama called for a $3.99 trillion budget paid for by a bunch of new taxes. The new budget represents a 67.5 percent rise in spending from 2009 – when President Obama entered office. The President didn’t skimp on anything – calling for both more domestic and military spending and refusing to touch entitlements. Without reform, Social Security is basically going to run out of money by 2017, forcing senior citizen benefits to either be paid for out of general tax revenue or to be cut. A responsible budget should at least attempt to make our current programs viable so that the millions of people who depend on them are not left in the cold.

To his credit, President Obama does pay for this spending with $1.44 trillion in tax increases over the next ten years. He would raise the capital gains tax to 28 percent – it was 15 percent when he entered office making him responsible for almost doubling it. He would set the minimum individual tax rate to 30 percent. He would reduce or eliminate tax deductions for things such as retirement accounts, which is expected to raise $746 billion. The list continues with more taxes and rule changes designed to extract more money out of people and companies.

It is not all bad. U.S. companies currently have over $2 trillion of cash stored overseas; money on which they have already paid taxes. Right now, if they tried to bring that cash back to the United States, they would be forced to pay another 35 percent tax on it. The President proposed temporarily lowering it to 14 percent for current profits and 19 percent on future overseas profits and using this new money to finance infrastructure upgrades. This is a smart way to get companies to bring back money they say they want to invest domestically and to pay for needed upgrades to airports and bridges.

The biggest problem with the budget isn’t any of the proposals but the signal it sends to Republicans and the country. The President had to know that the Republicans who now control Congress were not going to respond well to this budget – and they haven’t. The President could have used this as an opportunity to reach out to the new Congress and show a willingness to work with them and actually get something done. Maybe even pass the so-called “Grand Bargain” that politicians have been talking about since the fall. Instead, the President took this time to show that he lacks the will to push any serious reform. He failed to address entitlements entirely – which will either keep eating a growing percentage of all tax revenue or start severely cutting programs. And he chose to send Republicans a budget proposal that he – and everyone else – knew would never have a chance of passing through Congress without being completely rewritten. Most likely, Congress is going to start over with a completely new budget plan and we will risk losing the good ideas with the bad. 

Queer Corner: Why Are You Into Me?

Kris Pfister, Maroon-News Staff February 5, 2015

I am certain many people in the LGBTQ community have been asked, “So, are you gay?” A friend of mine said that no one really needs to know how you identify unless they’re attracted to you. So just...

Sodexo: Bad Eggs?

Emily Haines, Class of 2017 February 5, 2015

As you stand in line in Frank Dining Hall to order an omelette or a fried egg, you can’t help but notice Sodexo’s sign proudly declaring that all of their shelled eggs are 100 percent cage-free. Unfortunately,...

The Hidden Environmental Impacts of the Fashion Industry

The Hidden Environmental Impacts of the Fashion Industry

Breanna Giovanniello & Grace Dennis, Class of 2016 & 2015 February 5, 2015

Few shoppers consider sustainability when purchasing new clothing, but surprisingly the fashion industry has a major environmental impact. From production to transport to disposal, the fashion industry is the third most polluting industry after oil and agriculture. 

The impact of clothing begins with the production of fabric materials. Growing natural fibers is incredibly resource-intensive, with cotton alone responsible for a quarter of the pesticides used in the United States. Textile dyeing, which is responsible for 20 percent of industrial water pollution, also adds to the industry’s environmental impact. Factory-made clothing is extremely inefficient in its fabric usage. For each garment produced, 15 to 20 percent of the fabric is thrown away as scraps. With one billion garments coming out of China alone each year, that’s a lot of wasted material.

With the growth of fast fashion and cheap clothing retailers like Forever 21 and H&M, society has begun to see clothing as disposable. New wardrobes can be easily bought to follow changing trends and torn clothing can be discarded instead of repaired and worn again. The growth of this disposable mindset of fashion has lead to a major increase of perfectly good clothing in landfills. In fact, the average American throws away 68 pounds of unwanted clothing each year. Currently only 15 pounds of discarded clothing in the United States is sold in thrift and consignment shops. As clothing becomes cheaper to buy new, the perceived resale value of unwanted clothes has decreased considerably. Cheap clothing also removes the need to buy used clothing at discounted prices. Only 12 to 15 percent of Americans shop at resale shops, creating a major gap in the circle of recycling. 

Many clothing companies have acknowledged the environmental impacts of the fashion industry and have begun working towards more sustainable practices. Sustainably harvested fibers, waterless dye processes and zero-waste manufacturing are all being tested out by various clothing brands. Consumer involvement is also a vital step in decreasing the environmental impact of the fashion industry. A movement away from the disposable mindset of clothing will help address the massive amount of waste created by discarded clothing. Quality of materials and construction should be highly valued and clothing should be seen as an investment. Higher quality garments will last much longer before fading or ripping. Consumers will also be more likely to repair a piece of clothing if they see it as a quality investment. 

When a piece of clothing is discarded there are many ways to keep it out of a landfill. If the clothing is too worn or stained to be worn again it can be taken to a textile recycling center where it will be made into new fabric. If the clothing is still wearable, it can be donated to thrift stores (like Goodwill) or resold at consignment shops or through online retailers. In order to complete the circle of recycling more shoppers need to purchase used clothing. Used clothing stores today are much more upscale than many people imagine. Chains like Second Time Around, which has stores in 12 states, and the online retailer Tradesy.com, specialize in reselling brand name clothing for a fraction of the original price. These new resale stores simplify the shopping experience by eliminating the need to sift through racks and racks of clothes to find quality pieces. 

While sustainability may not be a major consideration when purchasing clothing, simple measures can be taken to decrease the impact our clothing choices have on the environment. Shoppers should consider sustainable brands and used clothing stores when making purchases. Many rips can be easily repaired at home or by a tailor, greatly extending the life of a piece of clothing. Finally, unwanted clothing should always be recycled, donated or resold to ensure that it stays out of landfills.

In Praise of the Mixtape

Amy Balmuth, Commentary Editor February 5, 2015

The art of the mix CD is a very fine art indeed. Though distinct from the 21st century’s “playlist,” they are, in theory, pretty much the same thing. Both are made up of a series of songs, ordered...

Queer Corner: LGBTQ In The Workplace

Kris Pfister, Maroon-News Staff January 29, 2015

A few days before the spring semester began, I participated in the SophoMORE Connections Program. If you are a first-year, I would definitely recommend taking advantage of it in the future. While the majority...

Are Organic Products At Risk?

Breanna Giovanniello & Grace Dennis, Class of 2016 & 2015 January 29, 2015

The giants of the food industry such as PepsiCo, General Mills and Kraft have recently devoured most of the United States’ organic food companies. The organic food market is rapidly growing, hence its...

Alumni Column: Camelot and Expanded Horizons

Harry Horwitz, Class of 1976 January 29, 2015

This article is directed, primarily, to those nearing the end of their time as a Colgate student. If you are not one of them and can spare two more minutes, read on. I will share some thoughts about Colgate...

A Call To Action: Reactions to the Martin Luther King Jr. Day Presentation

Zoe Smith, Class of 2017 January 29, 2015

The Colgate Thirteen had just filed off the stage when senior Kori Strother took to the podium. It was the first event of Martin Luther King Jr. Week, and Strother’s speech would close the ceremony....

Minus the City: Unfinished Business

Minus the City: Unfinished Business

Danielle Dillon, Maroon-News Staff January 29, 2015

Located somewhere between a fling, “it’s complicated” and a relationship lies the concept of unfinished business. At one point or another, we all come to recognize the almost-relationships we have had that fall under this category. These tend to be those over which we obsess, can’t seem to drop or drag on before progress is made in the relationships – or in some cases, all of the above.

In many ways, unfinished business is pausing on what could be and moving on for the time being by accepting the loose end of an inconclusive relationship. This could be for many reasons – from bad timing to a lack of ability to commit. However, there’s a clear distinction to be made. 

 Unfinished business isn’t burying emotions. Buried emotions come out in ugly ways, such as the drunk text to the ex we just aren’t over. Unfinished business is keeping the feelings at bay. However, therein lies the question: at what point are we supposed to let go of our feelings and leave it entirely in the past? Is unfinished business healthy, or is it prolonging the agony that we just don’t want to let go of yet?

Perhaps what causes the transition from cute to ugly is when we ignore our feelings in order to leave things purposefully unresolved. At a certain point, we may continue to involve ourselves for the sake of the game. It’s some twisted form of emotional masochism – the continuation of the feelings, constantly being undefined, the persistent lacking of a conclusion. It leaves you wanting more and dealing with the unpredictability of the future. It’s an addiction, and I have to wonder, at what point do we call it quits? Is there a healthy balance between holding out for something that might be worth our time and moving on before the undefined matter turns into a toxic obsession? After all, the saying “only time can tell” only goes so far. For some, there’s a lesson to be learned in being a “loose end” and leaving it all up to the tricks of time. For others, there’s a lesson in choosing between waiting for the text or call that might never come, or moving on and accepting the fact you once had something, albeit undefined and in the past – for now. 

#ColgateProblems: No More Mr. Ice Guy

#ColgateProblems: No More Mr. Ice Guy

Amy Balmuth, Commentary Editor January 29, 2015

It’s January. That means the charming frost that sprinkled the holiday season has reached new heights of inconvenience. Snow is no longer a novelty, but rather a fluffy, white constant that makes you look like you have scalp issues. But this is nothing compared to snow’s wily sidekick: ice.

Ice is literally always trying to bring me down. Whether it’s the arctic Slip ’N Slide also known as Broad Street or that shady area around Frank and Stillman that seems too vertical to be fun (safe?). It’s a classic tale of “Man vs. Wild,” though maybe adapted to the 21st century to become “girl vs. icy concrete.” During one memorable finals week commute to the library, I inched down the steep hill to the fifth floor with geriatric caution. I got about halfway down and started feeling pretty good about myself. Still, I kept my head down and chuckled at the pair of grip-less Timberlands belonging to the guy in front of me as he braced himself for a potential downfall. Before I knew it, I made it to the bottom without being covered in snow and bruises. It was the beginning of a beautiful day.

I wish the story ended there, but like most Indiana Jones-esque tales of wild adventure, it does not. I opened the door to the library with the enthusiasm of 1,000 first-years. Eager to attack my studies and flying high from my dancer-like grace that kept me upright, I walked down the stairs only to meet my downfall. As if the floor was lovingly coated with a generous helping of butter, I slipped down not one or two but at least FOUR steps of the fifth floor staircase. As minor injuries go, this one was pretty traumatic. Still, I pulled myself up from my bootstraps (probably where the expression came from) and tried to reclaim my body that all forms of H2O were so intent on destroying.

The girl next to me asked “Are you okay?” and even though my mouth said, “Yeah, haha, happens all the time!” my heart said, “I think every bone is broken in my entire body. I need to go to a hospital now before I collapse into dust.”

Unsuprisingly, the latter did not happen. After inspecting my wounds in a library carrel and copious WebMD searches, I was disappointed to find the outcome of my fall to be “bruising and discoloration.” Though I still proceeded to text “I think I broke my arm” to most of my recent contacts, it appeared the greatest damage was to my ego.

When it comes to facing the elements, we as humans are weak and puny and don’t stand a chance. We stand so mighty, on our elevated surfaces in our Patagonia Snap-Ts yet nature finds a way to make snowy fools of us all. When it comes to fighting the ice around us, it seems the best offense is a good defense. Walk slow, potentially acquire some crampons and if and when you fall, don’t worry – from there, the only way to go is up.

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