The Oberlin LJ

Dea Goblirsch, Oberlin '12, has locked her body in the way of explosive blasting at the West Virginia mountaintop removal mining site on the mountain closest to her heart: Dea and her friend Nick are locked inside a drill rig on Coal River Mountain. I love his kid so much. I'm not in Oberlin anymore-- Please spread the word.

---

Open Letter to Friends & Family

This morning, I locked down inside a drill rig on Coal River Mountain, the last high elevation mountain in the Coal River Valley that hasn't been mountaintop removed. This rig is being used to build a road that will facilitate mining. My affinity group has taken action to stop mountaintop removal before it even begins- if completed, it will render the last high elevation range in the range in to a series of pancake-like plateaus.

Mountaintop removal is the most egregious example I know of humanity's reckless abuse of nature. It is much more than just a stark metaphor, however- it causes real, tangible effects on the lives of folks in the coalfields and the lives of those downstream. Residents of the Coal River Valley struggle daily for their health, air and clean water. Sludge impoundments threaten the lives of valley residents, keeping them up at night, worrying- it is incomprehensible to me that coal barons can sleep soundly (do they?!). Yep, part of why I'm locking down is a big “Fuck you!” to King Coal (and, in a broader sense, Big Energy).

I'm also thankful for the things I've learned in the Valley and for the people who have been fighting mountaintop removal. Our best organizers are local residents who have worked tirelessly to expose the illegality of MTR and valley fill permits, win over supporters and get the word out about this devastation- I am so completely humbled by the work they do. I'm also humbled by friends and fellow activists who have been arrested multiple times taking a stand against mountaintop removal, the least I can do is step up and take my turn.

I'm a New Yorker and college girl who has only been here a few months, but the Coal River Valley has altered my perceptions of what it means to live with the land. A friend and I were talking the other day about geography- about how people build their homes in the natural hollows carved in to the mountains and how the main road follows the curve of the valley. There are cultures of knowing here- knowing how to use and respect the land through hunting, foraging and gardening. In the midst of one of the most egregious ecological catastrophes exists incredible pockets of sustainability.

Civil disobedience is hard (sometimes scary) work, but it is just that- work. As you read and think about this action, challenge yourself to come down and pitch in. Our needs don't end with arrestables- we have a lot to do and all good work, including washing dishes and mixing compost, is important work.

Thanks for your support!

Love & Mountains,

Dea

---

Press Release from Climate Ground Zero
Daily Kos: Blasting Halted on Coal River Mountain
Coal Tattoo blog post: Blasting on Coal River Mtn is illegal & pre-emptive according to the EPA
Coal River Mountain Watch
Coal River Wind Project
Send an e-mail to Obama about it (hehehe)

Does anyone have a bocce set I could borrow this weekend? I feel like I've seen people playing with them on wilder bowl before.

Can anyone who has Justine Pas for English 275 (Intro to Comparative Literature) tell me how she is?  New teachers are always risky... 

Firstly, yo! Do y'all have suggestions for fun and/or interesting and/or lightweight courses that a second-semester senior really, really should take?

Two specific questions:
Has anyone taken the 1-credit Hatha Yoga with Eric Stewart? Is it relaxing/painful/any of the above?

Same question about "Intro to Somatic Studies" with Deb Vogel -- what is this class, exactly?

Could anyone in oberlin host an alum for the night on saturday? I'm an '07 grad traveling with a close friend cross-country. We'd be arriving saturday night, leaving sunday morning. We're both women, and we're quiet, neat, excellent couch surfers. Tank never got back to us about sleeping in their lounge, couch surfing has been fruitless; we're just a wee bit desperate. Alternatively, anyone have a backyard we can camp in? the best way to find me is to email me at marne dot litfin at gmail.com. many thanks oberlin!

Hi,
I worked an au pair for a family in Germany a year or two ago. Their most recent au pair didn't work out, and they're looking for someone to start as soon as possible. You don't need to speak German already (although it would make your life easier), since they want you there to speak English with the kids (two girls, age 7 and almost 3 now, I think). (You'd have to pass an easy German test within the first few months of being there, for the work visa, but you can go over initially on a tourist visa.)

If you're interested, let me know and I can tell you more.

--Caitlin '07

can someone tell me who tank's current hlecs are/how to get in contact with them? i'm not sure if the osca website is up to date. i'm an alum passing through, hoping to stay on their couch for a bit.

I'm planning to talk to the Shansi program more about this, but I thought I might be able to glean some supplementary testimonies from livejournal: are there any alums of the Shansi fellowship program who could tell me about it? What it was like, would you do it again, etc?

Hello!

The Oberlin Blogs needs new faces!

Things we’re looking for in a blogger:
- quality writing
- diverse perspectives
- humor
- willingness to share the things you love with the whole, wide internet.

How to apply? Visit:
http://blogs.oberlin.edu/apply

… and send in your application (writing sample/blog + answers to questions) by Monday, September 14th.

We’re excited to read your work!

Best,
Aries

Oberlist has a new front page. Now with more useful. Check it out.

http://oberlist.com/

Set it as your homepage and you'll never again wonder what the weather is or what drink to order at the Feve.

Hey Everyone! Hope classes are going well.

A quick google revealed a list of Exco classes, but there are no course descriptions anywhere. Any ideas? I am really curious as to what SPARKs is?

Also, is there any kind of resource where ex-exco students have left reviews of classes taught repeated each year? Particularly, I am looking at American Indian Movement and Beginning Swedish Language/Culture. I know I've seen them before.

When is the fair this year?

Does anyone know the hours for the mailroom this coming week?

Thanks!

Hello, Obies past and present,
My partner and I, plus a friend, are going to be passing through Oberlin on our move to Madison. (Oberlin is coincidentally a good half-way stopping point)

There are 3 of us, plus our big moving truck, and not a lot of money.

Is there any place in Oberlin, or near Oberlin (between Oberlin and I-90, which is the road we'll be coming from and returning to) where we can camp? Can we sleep in womb chairs?

I haven't been through the area since 2004, and this is the first time my partner will get to see my college town, so any help is very appreciated.

Thanks!

-Rek

My landlord says that I really can't receive mail at my apartment. Do I have a right as a tenant to receive mail at my residence, or should I let it go, and just use the mailroom?

Reposting this un-friendslocked, so that it'll get picked up on the Facebook feed. XD
( no need to reread )

Hi guys!


I was wondering if anyone knows of any good trails or routes in Oberlin for biking and jogging.

For biking, anywhere between 15 to 30 miles would be ideal.

For jogging, a 6 mile route or so would be nice.


I only ask because going around the school would be kind of .. not as rewarding? And I was hoping someone might in the know of a place to go that's not super high traffic with cars or whatnot.


Thanks!

Hi!

Are you the admin of the Oberlin College Facebook Page? If so, can you get in touch with me? I'm the new Web Fellow at the Office of Communications and we'd really like to be able to use the page.

Thanks!
Aries

Aries.Indenbaum@gmail.com

Alum '07. Looking for round-trip ride sharing in July.

i'm moving! and would like to sell any of the following to a loving home...

women's cruiser bike (good shape, less than a year old, a bit of rust but just fitted with a brand new bike seat, backpedal brakes) - $60
optional combination bike lock to go with it - $12
bike helmet - $10
nice midsized rug from World Market - $15
microwave - $15
Friday Night Lights, Season 2 - $12
leopard print twin-sized comforter - $10
assorted hoodies/jackets (north face, oberlin, etc.) - $10-15
16 piece dish set (mugs, plates, saucers, silverware) - $10
4-cup coffee maker - $9
small room fan - $5
brand new football - $5
hot water boiler - $4
fold-up hamper - $3
scrabble dictionary - $3
hangers - FREE!!! AS MANY AS YOU WANT!

*email me at ywinn@oberlin.edu or comment if you're interested in anything!

1. Good doctor (for checkups and such).

2. Good licensed general contractor, qualified to do structural repairs.

3. A good-quality used mattress or futon, preferably queen size or above.

If you can help, please contact me. Thank you!

Hey guys, this is kind of a longshot but I though I'd post here anyway because it seems like a very Oberlin type thing. I graduated in 2005 and am currently working for the Nature Conservancy, a national environmental non-profit, in New York City.

Every summer they send a bunch of high school kids to a bunch of sites on the east coast to work on preserves for a month and learn about nature. They are looking for mentors to accompany and supervise the kids (3 kids per group) during the month of July.

This a really awesome job where you paid to spend a month outside and mentor kids that have never really had much contact with nature. (Also, of note is that one group of kids will spend a week working with another Obie grad, Carly Trumann, up in Maine. :) ) The basic qualifications are experience working with older kids and experience working outdoors. They are also looking for older people (i.e 25ish) since you would be working with high schoolers. The program runs through the month of July and pays $2,900, includes room and board, and you have to be on the east coast, obviously.

If you know anyone that would be interested, could you pass this on? I know a lot of grads still haunt this journal...


( Follow the cut for more info! )

Hello!

I wanted to invite all of you to "Will Work for Circus," the spring OCircus production! Will Work for Circus features 80 college students and community members performing every avenue of circus arts : stilts, swing dance, tumbling, aikido, poi, clowning, aerial rope, hula hooping, jump rope and so much more!

The show is this weekend: Friday, May 1 at 7:00 PM ; Saturday, May 2 at 4:00 PM and Sunday, May 3 at 7:00 PM.
The show is in Philips Gym and totally free! We're family-friendly and great for kids.

Thanks!
Aries

PS: The jump rope act is RIDICULOUS. I must warn you.

Monsters Of Burlesque!
Sco
Friday May 1 at 10pm
$4 for students
$8 for non-students

Official Website
Myspace

My collective house in Lower Allston, a neighborhood of Boston full of music, activists, and vegan dining options, is looking for new housemates! Our house has seven bedrooms, two living rooms (one for sitting, one for dancing!), a huge kitchen, two bathrooms, and an awesome open basement that hosts shows, open mikes, and soon a full-length musical. We have a porch and a yard too, and will be building raised beds for growing food this summer.

We buy staple groceries together as a house, and those run from 8 to 20 dollars a week, depending on what we're out of. We tend to dumpster about half of our food and always have bread around. We only collectively buy and cook vegan food, though there are no rules barring non-vegan food (including meat) from the kitchen.

We split chores up for common spaces, and chores rotate weekly. We also share dinner and dishes, so there is almost always dinner or leftovers available every night.

Rent is low for the area. We split up rent based on the idea that everyone pays the same amount for use of common space, but that our rents are adjusted based on the square footage of our rooms, and then we split the utilities evenly.

We want to be as sustainable of a home as possible, and everyone in the house has some level of commitment to not destroying the earth. We make decisions on a consensus model, with no one person as the boss, and we do our best to minimize hierarchies.

Check out the Eliconia Code below the cut for a better idea of who we are and who we're looking for. ( Read more... )

Summer sublets-- several weeks to several months
New (semi) permanent members

Rents range between $300-500 depending on the size of the room and whether or not you share with a roommate.
Interested? Contact Kyla at kylajagger at gmail

**Looking for ACTIVISTS & ORGANIZERS especially!

Please do not x-post this elsewhere, but feel free to share it with like-minded Obies.

Which room in Wilder is the Student Union Office?