The
runswick Chronicle
All The News That Fits We Print
Issue 1: September 2009
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Kennedy President Knox: Dead at77 First Interview What’s Inside
Headlines
First Presidential Interview By David Blumenthal (P. 1, 7) Sen. Kennedy Dead at 77 By David Blumenthal (P. 1, 12, 13) Summer XC Trip to Michigan By Brian DeAngelo (P. 1, 3)
Around Brunswick
M.O.B.MeetsTheMets By Gus Ruchman (P. 2) Sam King Interview By Alex Jonokuchi (P. 6) Soph. Senators Interview By Carter Johnson (P. 6, 14) David Jaramillo Interview By David Blumenthal (P. 14)
Brunswick Sports/Arts
IAAF Review By Ryan Hagerbrant (P. 3, 16) A.L. Recap, Predictions By Alex Jonokuchi (P. 4, 5) NFL Preview, Predictions By Mike Forester (P. 8, 9) N.L. Predictions By Henry Welsh (P. 15, 16)
Student Editorials/News
‘Snow Leopard’ Review By Matthew Cassoli (P. 11) America’s Tortured Policy By Nikhil Menezes(P. 10, 11) (500) Days of Summer Rev. By Gus Ruchman (P. 9) The Riddle of Lockerbie By Nikhil Menezes (P. 13)
By David Blumenthal ‘10 Editor-In-Chief
DJB: How did you feel coming into the race? What did you think your chances were? Were you surprised at your victory? WK: Definitely coming into the race I felt like a pretty major underdog. I think it might have been the speech that won people over. I don’t know, but I’m just happy to have been elected. It’s an honor.
DJB: What do you find most gratifying about winning the election? WK:I guess it means that a lot of people like me and respect my views, which is definitely a great thing. I didn’t really know so many people had respect for me out there… but I’m really happy to have taken the position. DJB: What is the first action you plan to take as President? Where is the biggest need for improvement – the
See “Knox” Page 7
By David Blumenthal ‘10 Editor-In-Chief
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ate in the day on August 25, 2009, an era came to a close and a United States Senate seat in Massachusetts was vacant for the first time in nearly 47 years. Edward Moore Kennedy, Sr. – the longtime “Liberal Lion” from Massachusetts, baby brother to JFK and RFK, and the last standard bearer of Camelot – was gone. The past year had held many indications of Kennedy’s failing health, most prominently his seizure at a post-inaugural luncheon and subsequent
See “Kennedy” Page 12
Summer XC Trip to Mich.
By Brian DeAngelo‘10 Staff Writer
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hat did you do this summer to prepare for your fall sport? Members of the cross-country team took three days out of their summer to go running in Michigan. For the past six summers, Coach Polikoff has been inviting some of the top runners on the team from the prior season to run in Michigan as a prepreseason of sorts. Before you jump to conclusions about what a trip like this could be like, there are a few things you should know. First, drop your preconceived notions of Michigan. We did not go
running through the streets of Detroit or around red barns in the middle of nowhere. Coach Polikoff has a home in Glen Arbor, Michigan. Glen Arbor is a complete runner’s (and summer enthusiast’s) paradise. The town, which is approximately thirty-five square miles, is home to several national parks. If running in national parks with names like Alligator Hill isn’t quite your style, then perhaps hanging out on one of the three nearby lakes is. Glen Arbor is sandwiched between Lake Michigan on and the Glen Lakes, both exhibiting scenic landscapes and crystal clear
water. An added bonus to Glen Arbor are the sand dunes. While we were there, we climbed three different dunes. Each dune ranged in size from ‘not really that small,’ to ‘kind-of big’, to ‘freaking big.’ Climbing the dune falling into the last category counted as a morning workout by itself. The workouts in Michigan consisted of running (obviously), kayaking, dune climbing, swimming, tubing, and eating. Everyone there ran approximately thirty-five miles over the course of trip. Members of the team See “XC Trip” Page 3
The Brunswick Chronicle September 2009
Around Brunswick
M.O.B. Meets The Mets
By Gus Ruchman Managing Editor
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t was anything but a normal Tuesday night for the Men of Brunswick. Last spring, on May 12, the M.O.B.— Brunswick School’s allmale a cappella group directed by Mr. Alexander Constantine— performed The Star-Spangled Banner at the Mets game. The M.O.B., who performed last spring in concerts at Brunswick, Convent of the Sacred Heart, as well as in an a cappella festival in Rye, traveled to Citi Field with Constantine and other arts faculty (including Mr. Andrew Hall, Mr. Matthew KirbySmith, Mr. Seth Potter, and Mr. Brian Shepard). The group included recently graduated seniors Robbie Cortes, Peter Kyriakos, Tim O’Leary, and Daniel O’Neil. The Wilpon family, who own the Mets, first contacted Constantine about the potential of a national anthem performance after seeing the Upper School production of Les Misérables last winter; the musical prominently featured many members of the M.O.B. As Constantine recalls,
“I had always entertained the thought of the M.O.B. singing the national anthem for a major league game, so I inquired about the possibility of our guys singing at a Mets game… After a few e-mail exchanges, and a demo CD of our singing, we received the great news that we were going to be offered this amazing gig. The Wilpon family is an extremely generous and supportive family.” The generosity of the Wilpons was manifested not only as the opportunity for a thrilling performance, but also in the form of luxury box seats and catering for the Bruins who participated. The experience of the evening did not go unappreciated among the singers. According to Will Knox ’10, “ I will remember this experience for the rest of my life, and as a singer and a die hard Mets fan it was absolutely a dream come true. To be singing at Citi Field was an unbelievabl[y] crazy and awesome experience, and I was proud to be representing Brunswick while I was on that field singing.” Emotions were
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The runswick Chronicle
The Brunswick Student’s News Source
Editors-in-Chief
David Blumenthal ‘10 Alex Jonokuchi ‘10 Oliver Sall ‘10
Managing Editor Gus Ruchman ‘10 Staff Writers and Photographers
Chris Baldock ‘10 Addison Bennett ‘12 Matthew Cassoli ‘12 Spencer Dahl ‘11 David Fitzpatrick ‘12 Michael Forester ‘11 Brendan Gilbert ‘10 Ryan Hagerbrant ‘11 Carter Johnson ‘12
Will Jones ‘10 Jake Matthews ‘12 Nikhil Menezes ‘11 Harrison Oztemel ‘10 Zach Lynch ‘10 Matthew Savitt ‘12 Hank Schless ‘10 Sam Waters ‘11 Jack Williams ‘12
Faculty Advisor Dr. Brian Freeman
varied among singers. For tenor Reid Breck ’12, “it was in no way nerve racking, just so crazy and exciting.” And Harrison Oztemel ’10 noted cheerfully that “there was a streaker later in the game.” Constantine himself described a defining moment of the evening: “About a minute before we got onto the field, we were in a holding area and everyone got really quiet. I think that everyone at that moment realized that everything was going to change the minute we walked out that door, and the anticipation was so overwhelming that no one could say anything!” Knox also remembers this moment of anxiousness: “It
was an unbelievably scary and thrilling experience. We were all waiting in a long white hallway and when we heard that we were on in one minute the whole room went deadly quiet with anticipation and nervous energy.” Despite some expected anxiety, the M.O.B. performed well, and the crowd greeted them with cheers and high-fives. The M.O.B. hope to return to Citi Field and other similar arenas, and is grateful for what Constantine calls “one of the most memorable events of the years for the M.O.B. and certainly a proud moment for Brunswick!”
The Brunswick Chronicle September 2009
News
12th IAAF World Championships: Review
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By Ryan Hagerbrant ‘11 Staff Writer
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n August 15, 2009, on a balmy, summer day, the Track & Field World Championships commenced in Berlin, Germany. The nine-day meet featured some of the greatest track & field athletes in the world, both male and female sprinters and distance runners. While a couple of American athletes performed well on the world stage, they were outshone by the sprinting prowess of the Jamaicans and graceful strides of the Kenyans and Ethiopians in the distance events. Perhaps the most distinct feature of this year’s championship was
the storylines that wove their way into the mix of things, particularly those of Caster Semenya and Usain Bolt. “I just blew my mind and blew the world’s mind,” Usain Bolt said as
“XC Trip” Cont. also swam across Little Glen Lake, which turned out to be a mile-and-a-half swim. Everyone also got his fair share of water tubing on Coach Polikoff ’s friend’s boat, which can only be described as the mechanical bull of tubing. Eating in Michigan was itself almost a workout, at least for a bunch of skinny runners whose
workout regimen allowed them to eat to their hearts’ desire. Everyone attempted to eat a monster sundae at the Cherry Republic, the world headquarters of all things cherry, and only two succeeded in conquering the pound and some more of ice cream and cookies. Also on the menu were peanut-butter-and-jelly-
he grinned from ear to ear and underplayed, one of the greatest performances the sport has ever seen. On Day Two of the championships, Bolt struck again, as he ran 9.59 seconds in the 100m finals,
muscling out American runner Tyson Gay. Lowering his world record by a staggering 1.1 seconds, Usain Bolt appears to have laid claim to the title
flavored pizza and the famed J-burgers. The J-burger is a mammoth burger; in the history of the cross-country trip, only one runner has completed this one-pound burger and all its fries. But this summer, three conquered it. For the past three years, the trip to Michigan has been one of the highlights of my summer, and I want to thank
the Polikoff family for graciously inviting the team each time. The rewarding combination of hard work and fun on the summer trip definitely reminds me why I run. For me, cross-country embodies new friendships and teammates, a raw, competitive atmosphere and the idea that what effort you put in is nearly always directly related to the reward
See “IAAF Review” Page 16
The Brunswick Chronicle September 2009
Sports
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Around the Majors: A.L. Playoff Preview, Recap, Awards
By Alex Jonokuchi ‘10 Editor-In-Chief
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his season has seen more than its share of surprises, disappointments, blockbuster deals, steroid scandals, and devastating injuries (mostly on the Mets). And going into September and October, there is certain to be even more excitement around baseball than ever. Here is a recap to get you up to speed on all of the playoff races around the American League. The Yankees, propelled by the May return of Alex Rodriguez and a decisive four game sweep of Boston, have been redhot since the All-Star break with a 32-11 record through August, best in the MLB. Carried by the hot bats of MVP candidates Derek Jeter and Mark Teixeira, and anchored by the left arm of perennial late-season ace CC Sabathia, New York appears heavily favored to win the AL East. The Bombers’ potent offense was the first in the majors to reach 200 homeruns, and by seasons’ end could potentially boast eight players with 20+ long balls. And with what could be a postseason staff of Sabathia, Burnett and Pettitte, backed by Joba, Hughes and Mariano in the late-innings, the Yankees
Red Sox still look poised appear poised to continue to make a statement in their run of success in the postseason, with Josh October. Beckett and Jon Lester Just when Boston looked down and out, the packing a mean one-two Red Sox have started to heat punch in the playoffs. up for the playoff push, and Riding Carl Crawford’s maintain a comfortable lead wheels and Carlos Pena’s pop, the Rays had been in the Wild Card over the fighting desperately Rangers and to stay Octoberdivisionrelevant, aided rival Rays. by surprisingly After productive seasons starting from Ben Zobrist, strong, Jason Bartlett and including Jeff Niemann. winning However, recent the first injuries and slumps eight games seem to have dashed against most of their New York, October hopes. a crippled Meanwhile, the Blue Jays pitching staff and slumping (despite a hot start) and offense began to manifest Orioles have largely been themselves in the Sox’ out of contention all year. record. But the deadline But the Jays have witnessed acquisition of Victor stretches of greatness Martinez from the Indians by Roy brought MVP Race: Halladay and balance 1. Joe Mauer outstanding and run2. Mark Teixeira production production from second to the 3. Derek Jeter baseman middle of a 4. Miguel Cabrera Aaron Hill rock-solid and outfielder/DH Adam lineup, and the late-August Lind, while the O’s have addition of Billy Wagner seen top prospects Chris added another power arm Tillman and Matt Wieters to one of the best bullpens get important major league in baseball (the list of experience. reliable relievers is a long Detroit, led by staff one: Papelbon, Bard, Saito, aces Justin Verlander and Ramirez, Delcarmen and Okajima all had ERA’s below Edwin Jackson, lead the AL Central by a comfortable 3.50 on Sept 1). Thus, the
but not-insurmountable margin. They are followed by the scrappy Twins and up-and-down White Sox. In a break from the pattern that has developed over the past few years, the Central has been less-hotly contested in 2009. The Tigers have had solid pitching all year, and acquired Jarrod Washburn at the trading deadline to complement a rotation of Verlander, Jackson, and Porcello. Additionally, the Tigers acquired a veteran left-handed bat in Aubrey Huff to support a strong offense sparked by catalysts Curtis Granderson and Miguel Cabrera. Questions about Minnesota’s rotation have been swirling for most of 2009 but as is always the case, Ron Gardenhire and his Twins have stayed competitive in the AL Central. Sporting a rotation led by the likes of Scott Baker, Nick Blackburn and Carl Pavano, the Twins have relied on MVP-favorite Joe Mauer (leading the league in AVG, OBP and SLG while playing gold-glove-caliber defense as a catcher) and slugging first baseman Justin Morneau to power their offense. A deadline deal with Oakland brought Orlando Cabrera into the top of their lineup, whose energetic approach and solid defense Continued on following page
The Brunswick Chronicle September 2009
Sports
“A.L. Recap” Continued
Cont. from previous page
look to spark the team that always finds ways to win ballgames. Chicago’s dreadful August (11-17) was capped off by a few Ozzie Guillen expletive-laden tirades and deals that saw Jim Thome shipped off to the Dodgers and Jose Contreras sent packing to Colorado, signaling what might have been the end to the White Sox’ postseason push. But with a month to play, the White Sox aren’t out yet. Their chances may be slim though, especially if waiver claim Alex Rios cannot rediscover his stroke, and deadline surprise Jake Peavy is not healthy enough to come back and win a handful of games in late September as was the plan. Cleveland has been out of the race for much of the year, and budgetary concerns at the deadline triggered deals that most notably sent Cliff Lee to the playoff-bound Phillies and Victor Martinez to Boston, cementing the realization that the Tribe will most likely have to enter a rebuilding phase moving forward. And considered by many to be a sleepercontender this year, Kansas City hasn’t managed to stay competitive, which really shouldn’t come as much of a surprise to anybody. Zack Grienke has, however, surprised almost everybody
with a phenomenal season— quality (Ervin Santana has at the start of September he been remarkably inconsistent led the AL with a sparkling and Kelvim Escobar was lost 2.32 ERA and 1.08 WHIP, to injury). Also, the Angels and also racked up 202 Ks, join the Yankees as the second to Justin Verlander. only two American League But his ballclubs magical with winning CY Race: season might records on 1. Zack Greinke not come the road. 2. Justin Verlander to a fitting Currently 3. CC Sabathia end because chasing 4. Felix Hernandez he would be Boston for hard pressed the Wild to win the Card, Texas Cy Young Award with a might have to set its sights mediocre 13-8 record, no on the AL West if they fault of his own. want a playoff spot. Ron Currently leading Washington’s ballclub has the AL West are the Angels, experienced surprising who have traditionally been success on the mound, carried by strong pitching ranking among the leagues and defense top 5 ROY Race: to go with a in team small ball-style ERA for 1. Andrew Bailey offense. But most of 2. Jeff Niemann this year the 3. Gordon Beckham the year. Halos have been Kevin 4. Elvis Andrus finding more Millwood, ways to win Scott with the stick. Despite losing Feldman and Tommy Vladimir Guerrero and Torii Hunter have gotten it done Hunter for extended periods from the hill and a strong of time, their offense has relief corps featuring ranked in the top two with fireballing prospect Neftali the Yankees for most of Feliz, CJ Wilson and Frank the year and they boast a Francisco have come up league best .290 team batting with big outs. Texas’ offense average, including 8 everyday has been good enough to players that could end the win ballgames, although season with batting averages they are sometimes too above .300. The addition of reliant on the long ball and Scott Kazmir to a rotation prolonged slumps by last led by John Lackey and year’s most consistent hitters Jered Weaver will help quell (Josh Hamilton, Ian Kinsler, some speculation that their Chris Davis) have taken pitching is not World Series- their toll. The Rangers, who
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happen to be the only major league franchise to never win a playoff series, look to change their luck in October. And while on the subject of never winning, not much has gone right this year for both the A’s and the Mariners. For the out-ofcontention Athletics, young pitchers like Brett Anderson and Andrew Bailey have been the few highlights to a season that saw the organization release a struggling Jason Giambi and part ways with Matt Holiday and Orlando Cabrera in trades before the deadline. Bailey has been dominant as closer and could be a potential AL ROY candidate. The Mariners under Don Wakamatsu have a fighting chance at achieving a winning record, but little else. Their pitching (even without Erik Bedard) has been surprisingly good all season. The M’s have also seen some terrific hitting by Ichiro, whose batting average trails only Mauer’s in the AL, and dominance by young ace Felix Hernandez and closer David Aardsma. Some playoff predictions to whet your appetite for baseball’s biggest stage: In the ALDS, East Champ Yankees (1) over Central Champ Tigers (4), Wild Card Red Sox (3) over West Champ Angels (2). In the ALCS, Yankees over the Red Sox in six games.
The Brunswick Chronicle September 2009
Brunswick News
Interview With Sam King
By Alex Jonokuchi‘10 Editor-In-Chief
a few moments to realize that I had won. I was really surprised and excited to hear the results of the election. AJ: What exactly are the responsibilities of the Community Affairs Director? SK: The Community Affairs Director is responsible for regulating clubs and activities in the school. This ast spring, the Chronicle includes providing clubs and sat down to talk with community service groups Sam King, who had with money by allocating just been elected the Director Student Council funds, of Community Affairs. Sam overseeing food sales, etc. discussed some of his thoughts AJ: What community service and hopes for the 2009-2010 clubs have you been a participant school year. in? Are there any particular organizations around Brunswick AJ: Is this your first role in Student whose missions resonate with you Government? How did you find out personally? the results of the balloting, and what SK: I’m in the Bears for was your reaction? Chairs club, which raises SK: Well, technically, I was money and awareness an assistant representative of supporting the Wheelchair my advisory in 5th grade… Foundation. With Bears for but yeah, this is my first Chairs I have visited the legitimate role in Student Veterans Administration Government. People came up Hospital, where we spend to me in the Dining Hall and time with the patients and started congratulating me in help them however we can. the lunch line, and it took me I have also been on several
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Midnight Runs, which have been really worthwhile and a valuable experiences each and every time. The Big Brother and Middle School Connections programs also resonate strongly with me, allowing me to enjoy spending time with younger kids and learn a little more about myself in the process. AJ: What are some things about Community Service at Brunswick that you like? What changes would you like to make next year? SK: I like the commitments that Brunswick makes to serving the community at the St. Lukes Shelter in Stamford and the Thomas Edison School in Port Chester, as well as during Community Service Day in April. I also like the efforts we make to raise money through food and t-shirt sales throughout the year. But I definitely want to make community service a regular part of the school day, with meetings and activities held on a much more consistent
Interview: Sophomore Senators By Carter Johnson ‘12 Staff Writer
Chronicle: So what are your plans, hopes, and ideas that you want to achieve next year? Rick: I ran on a platform that had very little to do with my own personal ideas and that was more of a direct democracy.
That being said, I do have a couple of my own ideas, mainly the idea of more community service and taking action directly from what the people and our grade want. As for community service, I feel like we do a lot of things that don’t really help anyone. I’m not sure how
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basis throughout the year. AJ: If you had unlimited power and resources, what would be the first cause you supported? SK: That’s a tough one… I would probably find a cure for AIDS. AJ: Do you have any additional comments? SK: To expand on what changes I would like to make, this year I want to ensure that clubs and community service groups remain active throughout the entire year. In September most clubs generate a lot of interest, hold a meeting and some sort of activity, and then die out for one reason or another. I want to maintain the vitality of all our clubs, and find ways to bring kids with similar interests together for the good of the school and the community. This will allow people across different grade levels to come together based on mutual interest and
believe more governmentto-student interaction is much of the seven-dollar necessary, to further reach markup on a Bruin goes to out to the people we are charity. I think we can do actively serving. We could some more real community use more frequent food service, programs like sales and with lower prices, Saferides and Midnight Run. and by that I mean that the student government Harry: My philosophy should be notified of food was more based on the sales earlier so we can set experiences I’ve gained See “Senators” Page 14 as a freshmen senator. I
The Brunswick Chronicle September 2009
Brunswick News Continued from Front Page
biggest ‘void,’ so to speak? WK: Well, as soon as school starts there are definitely going to be fans in a lot of the rooms to keep everything cool. Especially in the Math Wing, because I know how hot it gets up there. Definitely, also, I want to improve the food selection around here because half the time people are eating things they don’t really want. So, I think we can definitely improve on those two things more specifically, but there are a lot of other things I’m hoping to get done. DJB: In terms of the governing structure of the Student Council, are you satisfied with it? WK: I guess I’m satisfied. I mean, there are a few changes that could be made. I definitely think this year I want everybody in Student Government to step up more than they have in the past. I’m basically an empty slate. Whoever is willing to give me suggestions I’ll voice them to Mr. Philip or whoever else is interested. I just feel like six (or however many) people working at something are better than one person, and it’s good
“Knox”
to get as many voices out there as we can.
here, so I just want to take things to a higher level.
DJB: In a similar vein, in what ways will your administration take that more active role?
DJB: Sounds great. This might be a dangerous question, but do you have any criticisms of the past administration?
WK: Well, this year I’m definitely going to push to hear whatever anybody has to offer. You can email me at any time, and if anybody has an idea, I’m not afraid to get things started. I definitely had a few ideas myself coming into the
WK: I don’t know – I like what President Yarnell has done overall. I think maybe more opinions could be used. I feel like maybe it was a little bit narrow – a few people with most of
year that maybe should have been voiced to President Yarnell. And I think that everybody has ideas that they want to improve things around
the power, and I want to be the voice of what everyone is thinking rather than one person’s opinions. I definitely think he did an awesome job
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and everything he did was great, but I there’s more stuff that we could do next year and looking towards the future there are a lot of things around here that we could change for the better. DJB: What do you think you will enjoy most about being President? What do you think is the best thing that you “bring to the table?” WK: I definitely think that I am pretty much on a friendly level with almost everybody at the school, from the faculty to the students, and I’m definitely going to be open with the freshmen, sophomores, juniors and seniors. I don’t have anything against the younger guys, and I respect their opinions just as much as anyone else. I really hope everyone knows I’ll be there listening to you regardless of how old you are or how cool you are. I’m not going to care. I’ll treat everybody the same. I’m pretty easy to talk to and I hope people won’t be afraid to come up and ask me to change things if they think they need to be changed.
The Brunswick Chronicle September 2009
Sports
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2009 NFL Preview, Predictions
By Mike Forester ‘11 Staff Writer
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he story of the 2008 NFL season was the Arizona Cardinals’ magical run to Super Bowl XLIII. Historically an under-achieving team, the Cardinals burst onto the scene in 2008, going 9-7 and winning the NFC West. Predicted by almost everyone to lose to the Falcons in the first round of the playoffs, the Cardinals won three consecutive games before falling to the Steelers 27-23 in one of the most exciting Super Bowls in recent memory. Led by their prolific passing attack, the Cardinals took the league by storm in 2008. One question heading into this season is this: have opposing defenses figured out how to stop the Cardinals? Or will Kurt Warner and co. roll through the NFC again in 2009? The other big story from last year was Tom Brady’s season-ending knee injury in the first game of the season. The reigning league MVP from 2007 was lost for the year, and questions swirled about his future. Many wondered if he would ever be the same quarterback he was in 2007 when he threw for 50 TD’s. That leads to another huge question going into 2009. Will Brady return to his 2007 form and lead the Pats to
the Super Bowl, or will he be slowed by his knee injury? This season, the Patriots backup quarterback situation
be serious contenders in the AFC. Arguably the biggest story heading into the 2009
talent Vick possesses on the football field, but now there are many questions about his character. He has not been fully reinstated to the league by
is shaky, as Matt Cassel left for Kansas City this offseason. Should Brady be injured again, Cassel will not be able to help the Patriots to be as successful as they were in 2008. Brady’s status will have a big effect on the league as a whole this season. If Brady can stay healthy and return to form, the Patriots will once again
season is the return of Michael Vick to the NFL. Suspended from the league since 2006, Vick has been out of football for over 2 years because of his role in a dogfighting ring. He served 20 months in prison, but he was released from jail and signed by the Eagle to a 2-year contract in mid-August. There is no denying the
Commissioner Roger Goodell, but that will be under consideration by Week Six. I expect Vick to be reinstated before that time, however. He gives the Eagles another formidable weapon on offense, along with Brian Westbrook, Donovan McNabb, DeSean Jackson, and Jeremy Maclin. With Vick, the Eagles can run a fearsome Wildcat. Their offense instantly becomes one of the most exciting in the league with the addition of Michael Vick. My prediction f-
Cont. on following page
The Brunswick Chronicle September 2009
News
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“Previews, Predictions,” Cont.
Cont. from previous page
-or the 2009 season is that the San Diego Chargers win Super Bowl XLIV and the Lombardi Trophy. I believe that this will be the year the Chargers FINALLY put everything together and win it all. They have all the talent in the world, but they
have never been able to play up to their capability. Philip Rivers had a breakout campaign last year, and look for that to carry into this season. He has great targets to throw to in Antonio Gates and Vincent Jackson. Also, don’t forget about LT. He had a “down” year
last season, in which he ran for 1110 yards and 11 TD’s. Darren Sproles filled in more than capably last year, but look for LT to get back to 1500 yards and 15 TD’s this year. On the defensive side, the Chargers have one of the best run-stuffers in the league in Jamal Williams.
Antonio Cromartie is a star at cornerback, and safety Eric Weddle is one of the best tackling safeties in the NFL. Norv Turner leads a squad that is poised to have a huge year, and I expect the Chargers to finally breakout and win the Super Bowl.
(500) Days of Summer - Review
By Gus Ruchman ‘10 Managing Editor
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or the soul etherized by the overwhelming flood of barely watchable films that comes out of Hollywood from June through August each year, finding a reel that is both entertaining and fulfilling can be a challenge. If Angels and Demons is now one of your “Favorite Movies” on Facebook, you might as well stop reading here. If, however, you partake in the annual struggle to discover a worthwhile summer film, this reviewer recommends one indie hit that you might have missed: (500) Days of Summer. Directed by Marc Webb, (500) Days of Summer chronicles the life cycle of an up-anddown affair between Tom (Joseph Gordon-Levitt), a hopelessly romantic greeting card-writer with dreams of architectural design, and Summer (Zooey Deschanel), a quirky new assistant at Tom’s job who
is determined to stay out of cumbersome relationships. In delightfully composed, wittily scripted, French filmreferential indie fashion, the non-chronological story of love and reality emerges to deliver an emotional punch. Marketed with the tag, “This Is Not a Love Story,” (500) Days of Summer fairly warns that ultimately there may be no glass slipper for its characters, but also unfortunately labels itself as a venture demanding to be viewed as portraying the sometimes painful realities of love. There are a couple of reasons not to like this movie. Some believe it unfortunately true that there are no girls out there as perfectly idiosyncratic and spontaneous as
Deschanel’s character, thus negating the purported realism of the film. Others simply dislike the cultural associations of the Regina Spektor-ridden soundtrack. Nevertheless, Deschanel’s stellar performance in her embodiment of youthful ideals of passion and beauty far outshines accusations of hyperbole and provides for an effective thematic center to the atypical romanticcomedy plotline. The joy of (500) Days of Summer lies in the feeling that each cinematographic moment is personally crafted. From the uncannily accurate awkwardness of the workplace and other day-today interactions to the split-
screen sequence contrasting Tom’s mental plan for an evening with its inevitable outcome, every scene presents a new and exciting surprise in its unique narrative. The sketchbook style graphical effects utilized in one conveyance of Tom’s psyche can only be described as breathtaking. Perhaps these tastes of cinematic sweetness are the reason for the film’s widespread acclaim, and its recognition at the Sundance Film Festival. (500) Days of Summer provides more than the stereotypical escape of the movie-going experience. It reminds the viewer why we love narrative, empathize with characters, and can laugh, cry, and do everything in-between in a ninetyminute time frame. The public will have to wait on the edge of its seat for Marc Webb’s next surprise, but until then, if you missed (500) Days of Summer during vacation, put it at the top of your NetFlix cue.
The Brunswick Chronicle September 2009
Student Editorials
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America’s Tortured Policy By Nikhil Menezes ‘11 Staff Writer
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lthough the news has been dominated by the economic recession, another important story has also held the interest of Americans. Torture, over the past few months, has been a hotly debated issue. Although Abu Ghraib and Guantanamo brought the story into the mainstream, it was President Barack Obama’s choice to release the now famous torture memos that formally revealed many of the longsuspected interrogation methods employed under the Bush Administration. Some of the questions that are now being grappled with are entirely legitimate. For instance, the debate over whether the Obama administration should also release the photos depicting the CIA using “enhanced interrogation techniques” on detainees. With this, the idealistic message of governmental transparency that Obama preached during his campaign comes into conflict with political pragmatism. The release of these photos could serve as a new rallying point for radical anti-American groups and could deepen the partisan
divide between Obama and the Republicans. Now that Obama has endorsed military tribunals for detainees from Guantanamo, the nature of his policies is starting to veer alarmingly in the direction of his predecessor. To give credit where credit is due, however, Obama did allow the release of the aforementioned “torture memos” (April 16th, 2009), which showed that techniques such as pushing detainees against walls, facial slaps, cramped confinement, stressful positions, sleep deprivation, placing detainees in a confined space with insects, and waterboarding were authorized under the Bush administration. The Republican backlash was predictable, and some people even said that the country would be better off not knowing. Wall Street Journal columnist Peggy Noonan said in a roundtable discussion on ABC news that “some things in life need to be mysterious. . . . Sometimes you need to just keep walking.” The absence of a unified public outcry against these inhumane interrogation techniques
is probably the most surprising and shocking aspect of the whole situation. The argument that waterboarding does not constitute torture is preposterous. To clarify: waterboarding is a practice where the prisoner is tied to an inclined board so that his feet are at a higher angle than his head. Cellophane is then wrapped around the prisoner’s face and water is poured on him. This triggers the gag reflex and the prisoner feels as if he is drowning. This practice is not in line with the Geneva Convention which states that “No physical or mental torture, nor any other form of coercion, may be inflicted on prisoners of war to secure from them information of any kind whatever. Prisoners of war who refuse to answer may not be threatened, insulted, or exposed to any unpleasant or disadvantageous treatment of any kind.” Until recently he United States had adopted a firm stance against waterboarding. In 1947, the U.S. charged Japanese military officer Yukio Asano with war crimes for waterboarding an American civilian, and he was
sentenced to fifteen years of hard labor. In January 1968, The Washington Post showed a front page photo of an American soldier supervising the waterboarding of North Vietnamese soldier; this led to a military investigation and a court martial of the solider. Additionally, in 1983 Texas sheriff James Parker and three of his deputies were sentenced to four years in prison for conducting waterboarding on their prisoners. By authorizing waterboarding to obtain information, America has put itself in the company of such notorious organizations as the Spanish Inquisition and the Khmer Rouge. The main argument for the use of “enhanced interrogation techniques” is that, to put it simply, they work. Recently, however, even this has come into question. Ali Soufan, a former FBI agent, gained valuable information (including Jose Padilla’s dirty-bomb plot and the identity of 9/11 mastermind, Khalid Sheikh Mohammad) from al-Qaida operative Abu Zubaydah using only legitimate and humane interrogation techniques. When the CIA took over the interrogation, Cont. on following page
The Brunswick Chronicle September 2009
Student Editorials
Page 10
Review: Apple’s Snow Leopard By Matthew Cassoli ‘12 Staff Writer
O
n August 28, Apple started selling their new operating system, Snow Leopard. This launch, however, is notably different from previous ones. Historically Apple has liked to make their new operating systems feature-rich, with lots of “innovations.” For example, when Leopard was released, Apple claimed it had over 300 new features over Tiger. Snow Leopard is unique in that it only has 100 new features. So what did Apple focus on for their new version of OS X? Speed, efficiency, and taking advantage of the new hardware and multiple cores found in newer computers. Almost all of Snow Leopard’s features
are “under the hood”: the upgrade isn’t obvious on the surface, but together the changes allow for better system performance. For example, the entire Finder for Snow Leopard was rewritten in a more efficient manner, using 64-bit computing, to make one of the most important applications of the system faster. Safari and Apple Mail were also re-written in 64-bit. A 32-bit mode is still available for the sake of plug-ins that do not yet work in 64-bit mode. Another important feature of Snow Leopard is known as Grand Central Dispatch. Grand Central Dispatch (GCD) allows developers to use the multicores found in newer computers, as Apple puts it on their website, “to squeeze
“Torture” Cont. Continued from Page 3
though, it waterboarded Abu Zubaydah 83 times, in addition to waterboarding Khalid Sheikh Mohammed 183 times in one month. Whether these men deserve to be treated like this is moot, but that these methods were used so frequently brings into question their effectiveness and the legitimacy of the resulting confessions. Although ideally America
should never torture, the fact that it may not even be effective should make the case against “enhanced interrogation techniques” all the more obvious. After eight years of Bush, Cheney, Gonzalez
every last drop of power from multicore systems.” 64-bit system applications and GCD are only two important aspects of Snow Leopard. Two other favorite new features for users everywhere are faster shut down times and faster time machine backups. Apple has also created a new QuickTime—dubbed QuickTime X—a new dock, a new Exposé, and much more. Since Snow Leopard is mostly an “under-the-hood,” fine-tuning upgrade, Apple has given it a competitive price of only $29 to upgrade from Leopard. This is in contrast to Windows 7, which, according to Microsoft’s website, will cost $119.99 to upgrade from Vista. Snow Leopard is referred to as 10.6.1 and
the last “1” will increase as future Mac OSX updates are released. So far, upgrading issues have been minimal; however, PowerPC computers cannot be upgraded. Most issues when upgrading have to do with third-party software not being Snow Leopardcompatible, but many developers are attempting to get their applications working. It is also worth noting that Rosetta, which allows PowerPC applications to run on Intel-based computers, is no longer built into Snow Leopard. If PowerPC programs are still used on a computer, it will now be necessary to install it separately (a relatively easy task, as Rosetta is still included in the install disk).
and the like, I hope that America can close this dark and unfortunate chapter.
torture will still persist (including whether Nancy Pelosi, the Democratic speaker of the house, approved these techniques). But now the nation needs to overcome the rhetoric of Sean Hannity and Rush Limbaugh and stand against this practice that I believe is below our moral standing.
Many issues concerning
The Brunswick Chronicle September 2009
Student Editorials
“Kennedy” Cont.
Continued from Front Page
hospitalization. Regardless, the news of his death was still received with tremendous shock. A dry eye at Kennedy’s funeral was a rare sight and the presence of presidents and colleagues, Democrats and Republicans alike, attested to the magnitude of his loss. All commented on Kennedy’s legislative power – his unique ability to bring senators together for a common cause. Yet, to view the life of such an icon through such a nearsighted lens would be a mistake. Like many quasi-mythic figures, Kennedy possessed a more nuanced image – whether it be the taint of Chappaquadick or his rousing 1980 Democratic National Convention speech, he was an iconic figure whose life will never be defined by one deed or one moment. Long before all of this, Teddy was the youngest Kennedy, oft-pampered and appearing almost always on his father’s lap in family photos. Still, his early years were not without tragedy. By the time he had reached
the age of sixteen, he had lived through the traumatic death of his brother Joseph, a World War II fighter pilot, and the failed lobotomy of his mentally impaired sister Rosemary. To make
matters more difficult, he had to labor to acquire qualities which came easily to his older brothers— he appeared to lack John’s worldliness and Bobby’s intense drive. As a child, he never built a reputation for anything except as a decent football player. He and a classmate were even expelled from Harvard College in 1951 for cheating on a Spanish language examination (though they were later re-admitted because of “subsequent good behavior”). Despite these setbacks, he eventually
made a conscious decision to follow in his brothers’ footsteps. “I plan to enter another contact sport,” he told a scout who had hoped to recruit him to play professional football. “Politics.” Teddy spent his early years in the “sport” as a key operative in his brothers’ political campaigns. He headed JFK’s 1958 senatorial re-election campaign and used his recently acquired skill as an airplane pilot to travel among the Western states to help John win such crucial Western states as Nevada and New Mexico. At first Teddy was reluctant to run for office right away, but his father would hear none of it. Ted Kennedy handily won election to his brother’s former seat in the Senate in 1962. The youngest Kennedy established himself early on, leading a nearlysuccessful movement to amend the 1965 Voting Rights Act to include a poll tax ban. A bacchanalian social life soon caught up with him, however. The infamous Chappaquadick incident, in which Kennedy’s Oldsmobile went off a bridge, was submerged, and a young female campaign worker died, derailed his presidential aspirations. Kennedy refused to run in the presidential elections of 1968, 1972, and 1976. Part of his reasoning was based on his enjoyment of
Page 12 his current job as a senator. But, another part was based on the danger that seemed to accompany any Kennedy on the presidential trail. Kennedy privately observed to an aide, “I know that I’m going to get my ass shot off one day, and I don’t want to.” Finally, in 1980, Teddy did throw his hat in the ring. His family was not taking any chances however – a personal physician armed with life support equipment at all times accompanied him on the campaign trail. In any case, a lack of a clear message dealt more of a blow to his campaign than any assassin’s bullet. Kennedy lost many early primaries and the race was best remembered for Kennedy’s imploding on a CBS special with Roger Mudd. Kennedy’s jumbled and inarticulate answer to the supposedly easy question – “Why do you want to be president?” – was most revealing. A friend and former colleague in the Senate, Walter F. Mondale, remembered, “I had worked with Ted in every kind of area. I noticed if he didn’t want to talk about something, he would talk using words, but they didn’t come together somehow.” No one was sure what to think of the candidate’s answer, which included banal references to everything from, “a great belief in this country,” to “the greatest Continued on Next Page
The Brunswick Chronicle September 2009
Student Editorials
Page 13
The Riddle of Lockerbie By Nikhil Menezes ‘11 Staff Writer
A
convicted mass murderer, the killer of 270 people, has been released on compassionate grounds. Whichever way one looks at it, it is hard to understand. On the 21st of December in 1988, a bomb detonated on Pan Am flight 103 (a Boeing 747-121), causing it to crash into the Scottish town of Lockerbie. The man convicted for this atrocious crime was Abdalbaset alMegrahi. After years of diplomatic maneuvering, he was finally brought to trial in the Netherlands and sentenced to life in prison for 270 counts of murder. It has not even been a decade since, but over the summer the Scottish government released Megrahi on the grounds that he only has months to live due a terminal case of prostate cancer. Libya gave him a
hero’s welcome while the West perceived it as a crude and tactless demonstration. This, of course, is a simplified summary of the circumstances surrounding Megrahi’s release. There are a multitude of questions swirling around this decision: Was it political? Why isn’t Gordon Brown expressing his opinion? And even: Is Megrahi innocent, as he claims? What lies at the heart of the public clamor is a suspicion that the situation boils down to the always-pressing issue of oil. With the ninth-largest oil reserves in the world, Libya has natural resources that would make most nations’ mouths water. Add to this the fact that the U.S. and Great Britain have both been attempting to improve relations with Muammar alGaddafi, the leader of Libya, in recent years, and there is the potential for scandal.
The international outrage that accompanied Megrahi’s release is one of the few things that has been consistent. President Obama called it “a mistake” and Kenny MacAskill (the Scottish justice secretary who approved the release) has been facing rampant criticism during the past few weeks. A survey of 1,005 Scottish adults conducted by the BBC, revealed that 60% believe the decision was wrong and only 32% agree with Kenny MacAskill with regard to Megrahi’s release (http://news.bbc. co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/ scotland/8226585.stm). All of this appears ominous for Prime Minister Gordon Brown and his Labour party in the upcoming elections. Brown’s silence on the issue in contrast to David Cameron’s (his Conservative rival) clear deununciation of how Scotland handled
“Kennedy” Cont.
Continued from Previous Page
educated population in the world.” Boston Globe reporter Ellen Goodman remembered, “When I heard Roger Mudd ask Kennedy the question and Kennedy froze, I wrote and thought, ‘That’s right, he doesn’t want to be president!’” Jimmy Carter went
on to become the Democratic nominee in 1980 and Ted Kennedy had to learn to be satisfied with his own “bully pulpit.” He did so, building perhaps the most successful senatorial career in American history, and gaining enormous respect in the United States and abroad. Kennedy was always a champion of the
minority populations and waged frequent battles to buttress their rights. Perhaps it was his own Irish Catholic background that gave him the empathy to help those oppressed by sentiment. Less than four decades after one of his kind would have had difficulty getting any decent job in Boston,
the issue can do nothing but hurt Labour’s reputation in the British Isles. As information starts to seep out, a clearer picture will be formed. Already some shady dealings between Jack Straw (who is currently the British Secretary of State for Justice) and British Petroleum in 2007 regarding a prisoner transfer agreement have been revealed (http://www. timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/ uk/article6820931.ece). There is even speculation that perhaps Libya was not responsible for the bombing at all, and a growing number of people suspect that Iran or Syria could have been responsible instead. Whether the answer is oil, diplomacy, conspiracy or pure and honest compassion, this is a story that will not be going away any time soon.
he was elected to legislative leadership, and over the next five-plus decades evolved into more than just a presidential candidate or the offshoot of an American ‘royal family.’ He became a political powerhouse whose devotion to public service will stand as a legacy few will approach. How difficult it will be to fill his shoes, only time will tell.
The Brunswick Chronicle September 2009
Brunswick News
Page 14
Interviewwith David Jaramillo
By David Blumenthal ‘10 Editor-In-Chief
To conclude the series of student government interviews the Chronicle caught up with new Vice President David Jaramillo. He shares his thoughts and hopes with us for his term this year. DB: What made you first want to run for vice president? DJ: My experiences as a sophomore senator made me want to run for vice president. Being part of the student government is something special because you have the ability to control events such as dances, fundraisers, and homecoming games. I also ran for vice president because I feel that for the most part, the events are nearly identical from year to year. I plan on making the events more exciting.
DB: How did you find out about your victory, and what was most gratifying about it? DJ: I found out through a text from an insider. At first I was a bit skeptical, but later Mrs. Brennan told me. The most gratifying moment was when I received a high five from none other than Nick Garzona. DB: What is your biggest concern regarding the Student Government agenda for the upcoming year? DJ: I don’t think there is one major concern in particular, but in agreement with what President Knox mentioned in his speech, I think more support for the varsity teams is necessary, as it will benefit school spirit.
“Senators” Continued from Page 6
consistency in the sales, rather than having several two days in a row. I think my main focus for this year will be on student life, focusing on basic improvements we can make to areas such as the student center that will further help students enjoy their
experience at Brunswick. Chronicle: Do you have anything to say to the people who voted or didn’t vote for you? Rick: To those that voted for me, I thank you for giving me this opportunity to join the student government and try and
DB: What will you most enjoy about your job this year? DJ: Being a sophomore senator, you have power, but it’s rather limited. Now as vice president, I can be more involved in the decision-making involved with school events, and hopefully make some changes that will improve them. Also, it’s going to be fun working next to such a respectable young man as William Knox, despite his unfortunate love for the Mets. DB: How do you feel about serving on the Disciplinary Committee in the upcoming year as a junior? DJ: It’s pretty cool to hear what’s going on, but it’s also one of the biggest responsibilities, and should not be taken lightly.
represent you and the school. To those that didn’t, I understand, no hard feelings, your suggestions are equally welcome. Harry: I would also like to thank those that voted for me. I know as a freshmen senator with Chip Parkhurt I really didn’t do much, mainly because we were new to the experience; we didn’t know what to expect. And so this year, I really
DB: If you had absolute power, what would be the first change you would make in either the school or the governing structure of the Student Council? DJ: That the library back door would remain open at all times. No, seriously though, I would encourage changes in the lunch menu and a loosening of the driving restrictions. DB: Which campaign promises can you promise to the student body will definitely be on the agenda? DJ: A new athletic event— either an advisory wiffle ball or frisbee tournament. I will also look forward to, once again, having a pingpong tournament, this time perhaps with better prizes.
want to make that vote you gave me count. Chronicle: If you could sum up in one word what you want to achieve for next year, or what you stand for, what would it be? Rick : Involvement. Harry : I would have to say experience.
The Brunswick Chronicle September 2009
Page 15
Sports
N.L. Playoff Preview
By Henry Welsh ‘10 Staff Writer
A
s we get closer to October, the MLB postseason rapidly approaches. In the National League divisions, it appears the Phillies have won the East, the Cardinals have won the Central, and the Dodgers have won the West. As of now, however, the real race is for the Wild Card spot, where there are four teams within five games of the leader, the Colorado Rockies. I’m not sold on the Rockies though, and I don’t think they have what it takes to hold onto their lead for the rest of the season. Don’t be surprised if the Atlanta Braves or San Francisco Giants take over the Wild Card lead; they both have two of the best pitching staffs in the entire NL. Of the two, I’d pick the Giants to take the last playoff spot, who are currently just a game behind Colorado. San Fran has a deadly 5-man rotation. Lincecum and Cain are two of the NL’s
best, Jonathan Sanchez is still improving and has nasty stuff (he threw a nohitter with 11 strikeouts in July), Barry Zito is enjoying second-half success similar to his 2002 Cy Young performance, and newly
Playoff round would look like this: (1) Phillies vs. (4) Giants and (2) Dodgers vs. (3) Cardinals. I like the Phillies in the first matchup. Both teams have great rotations, but I think their deep and powerful
acquired Brad Penny is benefiting from his AL to NL switch with 8 innings of shutout ball in his first San Francisco start. So with these predicted standings, the Divisional
lineup will be too tough for the Giants. Despite the previously described depth of the Giants’ rotation, San Francisco’s lineup has nothing that can make opposing pitchers like
Cole Hamels and Cliff Lee nervous, other than maybe Pablo “The Kung Fu Panda” Sandoval. In a Dodgers vs. Cardinals series, I’d take the Cardinals. This would be a very interesting matchup since both teams are very solid at the top of their rotations, and both have strong lineups. However, St. Louis has two Cy Young candidates in Adam Wainwright and Chris Carpenter, not to mention Albert Pujols, the best hitter in all of baseball, who can now enjoy protection from Matt Holliday and a healthy Ryan Ludwick. These scenarios would result in an NLCS series between the Phillies and Cardinals, who actually are the last two teams from the NL to win the World Series, the Phillies being the defending champions, and with the Cardinals winning in ‘06. I like the Cardinals’ chances in the NLCS. Hamels has simply been too shaky this year to depend on for the entire playoffs, and Cliff Lee has given up 12 runs in his last two starts, pitching a for Continued on Next Page
The Brunswick Chronicle September 2009
Page 16
Sports
“IAAF Review” Continued Continued from Page 3
as the greatest sprinter ever. In the 200m run, the tall, lanky Jamaican beat the field again, running another world record: 19.19 seconds. Bolt continues to amaze and inspire, and the fastest man in the world appears unstoppable. Other notable sprinting performances included those of the Americans Sanya Richards, who won the women’s 400 meters, Kerron Clement, who won the men’s 400 meter hurdles, and LaShawn Merrit, who beat out fellow American Jeremy Wariner in the men’s 400 meters. While the Kenyan and Ethiopian runners generally continued their quiet domination over
American and European runners in the distance events, a few American runners had strong
showings. In the men’s 10,000 meters, while the ever-imposing 5’3”, longstriding figure of Kennisa Bekele dazzled the field of runners, Dathan Ritzenhein, an integral part of a new found resurgence in American distance
Usain Bolt. After appearing on the world stage as an unheard-of 18-year old and winning the women’s 800 meters, Caster Semenya, a rather masculinelooking female athlete, was bombarded with accusations of whether she was in fact a woman or a man. While an official complaint has been filed against her and initial testing has taken place, Semenya has kept her gold medal for now. Overall, the Shannon Rowbury captured championships proved to the bronze medal in the be a great success. Track women’s 1500 meters, & field got some national overcoming a stumble, recognition and attention, literally, in the semi-finals. though some of it was Overshadowing all of the negative, and some pretty distance events, however, incredible times were was both the greatest and recorded. worst thing for track since running on the world stage, managed a very respectable sixth place. On the women’s side, American
“N.L. Playoffs” Cont. Continued from Previous Page
combined 8 innings in the outings. However I’m most skeptical about the Phillies bullpen. Brad Lidge does not look like the pitcher he was last year. He currently has 28 saves
with 10 blown saves, not a pretty ratio for a World Series contending team, especially when considering Lidge’s 7.15 ERA. Setup man Ryan Madson has also proved to be vulnerable,
giving up 4 runs in his last 5 appearances. Philly better hope a healthy Brett Myers can help shore up the bullpen. So my pick is the St. Louis Cardinals in the World Series. The
Cards currently have the NL’s wins leader (Wainwright- 17), ERA leader (Carpenter- 2.28), homerun leader (Pujols44), and saves leader (Franklin- 37), so the title would be well-deserved with their talent.