So I was at the gym the other day and I saw Ben doing a core workout. Ben lives in Slivka, so SPAC is only a trampoline-jump-from-Slivka’s-fourth-floor away. You can tell that this guy goes to the gym every day: he’s got the triceps, the hair, and he’s even starting to pick up a bro voice. Don’t be mistaken. Although he’s getting the bro voice, he’s the friendliest guy on the team.
When I met Ben at the first practice of the year, he was the first player I shook hands with. The handshake was firm, upbeat, and confident. Since the moment I met him, I don’t think I’ve ever seen Ben look disappointed. I ought to mention that the sole exceptions to that rule are the times when he breaks into a Latvian Potato Joke and gets sad when “Is not Potato Man, is secret police.” This one’s for all the lonely potatoes out there who just want a warm, Latvian home.
Ben is from Deerfield. It’s a suburb of Chicago to the North most well-known for its bakery. Deerfield’s Bakery is a family-favorite, home to fresh morning donuts, custom birthday cakes, cookies made daily, and quality Danishes. This bakery is so well esteemed, in fact, that they were recently awarded the Golden Bison award, “presented to businesses that go above and beyond their daily operations.”
The bakery is the subject of such rave reviews as the following:
“From their donuts to coffee cakes to cookies to cakes…. they do a fantastic job at everything!” in 11 reviews
Lauren F.
“They have a million varieties of decorated sugar cookies that we often bring to different parties or special events.” in 3 reviews
Katy O.
“I love that they have the option to make some cake with whipped cream rather than buttercream frosting.” in 5 reviews
Diana P.
In fact, just listen to what Andrea R. has to say!
“My social media savvy 3-year-old had been playing on Pinterest for months looking for the perfect Cinderella birthday cake. She was all about the Cinderella doll cake where the dress is actually made out of cake. And since I always wanted one of those as a little girl I obliged. And she decided on a mickey mouse smash cake for her brother, who hasn’t quite figured out how to use Pinterest at 1 years old. Maybe next year!
I ordered at the bakery rather than call online since:
- a) I had to bring them a Cinderella Barbie doll for the cake
- b) great opportunity to sample some deliciousness
The woman who took my order was extremely helpful and patient. I wasn’t exactly sure what I wanted the Mickey Mouse smash cake to look like so we played around on Pinterest together, which I’m sure the few people behind me loved. I ordered a week before the party, but I believe they just need 2 days.
I would have preferred to have the cakes delivered, but unfortunately they only give you a few hour window and feared my cakes would be late. I sent my husband the morning of the party and he almost passed out when he saw the Cinderella cake that may have been larger than our wedding cake. I had expected it to feed about 80 people, but based on the amount of cake I brought home after the party think it could have fed about 800 people. Oh well- more leftovers for me!
The cakes were gorgeous and beyond tasty. I had at least 20 people come up to me during the party to ask where they were from. And when I mentioned Deerfield the response was always ‘of course. Where else?’ ”
As you can see, the bakery is certainly the highlight of the town. Because we see that Ben is a very skilled and successful engineer, we can also likely conclude that the high school in the area wasn’t that bad either.
Ben is a quiet leader. In his residential college, he manages student events and resources. He listens to electro swing music and the same workout jams that the whole ultimate team endures during winter conditioning. Ben rushed Phi Delt in 2015, joining Blackwell.
Recently, Kathryn from Slivka publicized a Facebook name test titled “Kathryn F’s TOP 5 FRIENDS”. Ben is listed there with the accurate description “can always be counted on”. If Ben is one thing, then he’s dependable, and Facebook recognizes this. What Facebook has no idea about, however, are his mad rock-painting skills. If you’ve seen the Slivka 2016 rock, you’d know.
As we have seen, the coming of capitalism and modernization to China does not indicate that democracy will follow. Strong forces both within and without the CCP ensure that the status quo of one-party politics will remain. According to political theorist Samuel Huntington, there are three ways a country can democratize. There can be transformation of the power elites; however, the likelihood of this occurring under Hu Jintao, with supporters in the Standing Committee, is slim. Democratic transition may occur through replacement, but the support the CCP receives from wealthy entrepreneurs and the middle class precludes the likelihood of collapse or overthrow. Transformation, the third path to democratization, is a mixture of the first two forms and thus unlikely. The verdict is in; despite prospects for democracy, the hallmark of the present era will be increased market reform without the democratic baggage.
- Written by John Hruska