vol104issue08 by The Recorder

SPORTS Colonials Fall to Devils’ Intolerable Acts - Page 6

Hartford’s Other Skyscrapers

LIFESTYLES What Central Pizzeria Reigns Supreme? - Page 11

- Page 10

ENTERTAINMENT Central’s Very Own Hip-Hop Duo - Page 14

Wednesday, October 24, 2007

Volume 104 No. 8

CCSU, Museum Coordinate Night of Multimedia Exhibits Melissa Traynor

news editor In a collaboration between the New Britain Museum of American Art and many of CCSU’s academic departments, a ‘Night at the Museum’ is planned for Thursday, Nov. 1 to present student and faculty talents. The event was inspired by Thomas Hart Benton’s mural, “Arts of Life in America,” that focuses on life in the United States in the 1930s. Benton’s mural “Arts of Life in Many of the students whose America” on display at the museum. work will be displayed have completed projects that elaborate on a certain Work by students and faculty persona or figure from the mural and from the art, history, communication explain what his or her life would be and English departments will be on like today through many different display. forms of media. Associated with the ‘Night at the For example, students from Dr. Museum’ will be a bus/walking tour Karen Ritzenhoff’s TV Production to highlight murals throughout CCSU class have and will be assembling and parts of New Britain. Alumni, clips to be displayed at the event. existing and retired faculty, univerRitzenhoff also played a large role in sity staff and students are welcome planning and organizing the ‘Night at to join. the Museum.’ The tour will begin in the Bellin “Many people have worked to- Gallery of the Student Center and gether to make this happen,” said proceed through campus, downtown Ritzenhoff, who played a large role New Britain and end at the museum. in planning and organizing the event, Morgan Fippinger, Manager of “but we are looking forward to see- Visitors and Volunteering at the Muing the students showcase their work. seum, said that the night will begin They will sing, dance, recite poetry, with the reception with the CCSU show their artwork, videos, photo- jazz ensemble under the direction of graphs, graphics, showcase newly de- Prof. Carl Knox as well as a perforsigned art games, and theater skills.” mance by university singers. From

See Multimedia Exhibits page 2

Committee Plans to Hold Students to Higher Ethical Standards

Conrad Akier / The Recorder President Miller defends himself at the Faculty Senate meeting, which voted for taking a no-confidence vote.

32 VOICES PUSH VOTE AHEAD Faculty To Make Confidence Decision in President Miller

Central Makes Deviled Eggs Out of Seahawks

In a second meeting of deliberation, the Faculty Senate voted 32 to 30 in favor of holding a no-confidence vote on President Jack Miller, but not before the President briefly defended himself calling the “constant bickering and fighting and negativity towards one another not helpful to the institution, in any way, shape or form.” President Miller addressed a packed room of faculty for about five minutes, saying he had done enough for people to be able to express their own opinions. “I’ve defended enough rights of individuals of expression lately that I would be hypocritical and remiss not to defend these rights of expression,” he said.

See Conﬁdence Decision page 3

Academic Advising: What Is Wrong and How Can Central Fix It? MarK roWan

staff Writer

See Ethical Standards page 3

opinion editor

editor-in-chief

erin Mcauliffe

Sprung from last year’s Student Government Association, the then ad-hoc Ethics Committee has recently grown into a group with a mission. Currently, the committee consists of a group of students whose task it to draft an official code of ethics that would be applicable to all student organizations and student leaders who accept student activity fees from the SGA. It will cover a variety of issues, including the condemnation of racism, sexism, homophobia and hate speech in general. The code would have to be adopted by the SGA, as well as by the Media Board, Inter-Residence Council and any other voluntary student groups with governing powers. Stemming from an incident in February 2007, the committee was formed in direct response to controversy by The Recorder with the intention of examining what could be done to actively provide a solution to any similar incidents in the future. In the beginning, the group faced

JusTin KloczKo

Conrad Akier / The Recorder Ryan Holmes had 35 yards rushing and 38 passing in Central’s 21-13 win. PeTer collin

sports editor STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- It seems that freshman Josue Paul has a knack for big plays. His most recent saved the Blue Devils (5-2, 3-0) from a late rally by the Wagner Seahawks (5-2, 3-1) as Central prevailed 21-13 on Saturday. With the Blue Devils clinging to 14-13 lead and staring at third and long from their own 18-yard line, the

Seahawks seemed poised to complete an impressive fourth quarter rally. But then senior Ryan Holmes handed off to Paul on an end around. Paul evaded the Wagner defense for the first down before cutting to the inside of the field and going the distance for an 82-yard touchdown. “The minute I saw the opening I knew I was going to get the first down,” said Paul. “I knew the minute I cut it back inside no one was going to catch me.”

See Deviled Eggs page 8 http://clubs.ccsu.edu/recorder/

The problems students face with academic advising are nothing new. Whether a student signs up for a class they don’t need or tries to take a course they need a prerequisite for, bad advising is at the heart of many students’ headaches. The Student Government Association and the Academic Advising Task Force, however, are examining these issues and trying to make a positive change. The Academic Advising Task Force, which is co-chaired by Dr. Jane Higgins of Student Affairs and Dr. Joseph Paige of Academic Affairs, was instated during the summer to address the concerns many people have with the advising at CCSU and how it effects the university’s six year, 40 percent graduation rate. “I had advising problems myself when I was an undergraduate at another institution,” said Paige, who had to stay an extra semester due to an advising mishap. “So I know it is an important factor for graduation rates.”

Paige, Higgins and other members of the task force attended a National Advising Conference last week in an effort to find ways to improve advising. “We’re looking at models of best practices within the field of advising and plan to make recommendations that best meet our institutional type and the need of our students,” said Higgins. The task force has not tabled any recommendations yet, but Paige said they are coming. Recommendations by the task force will be sent to Provost Dr. Carl Lovitt by the end of the calendar year. “When I charged the committee I assured the members that improving the student advising by implementing the committee’s recommendations would be one of CCSU’s highest priorities,” said Lovitt. The Student Government Association, however, is not waiting around for changes to be made. On Oct. 25, members of the Student Life Committee will be in the Student Center lobby assisting students as registration nears. Senators will be printing out degree evaluations and helping students figure out who

See Academic Advising page 3

News Wednesday, October 24, 2007

The Recorder

Student Center 1615 Stanley Street New Britain, CT 06050 T 860.832.3744 F 860.832.3747 ccsurecorder@gmail.com http://clubs.ccsu.edu/recorder/ Editor-in-Chief Mark Rowan Managing Editor Christopher Boulay Art Director/Designer Jamie Paakkonen Associate Layout Editor Conrad Akier Copy Editor Samantha Sullivan Lifestyles Editor Stephanie Bergeron Sports Editor Peter Collin Entertainment Editor Edward Gaug Opinion Editor Justin Kloczko News Editor Melissa Traynor Web Editor John Vignali Staff Amanda Ciccatelli Karyn Danforth Steve Hart Jeff Hayden Susan Kondracki Erin McAuliffe Brian Morache Kari Sledzik Wesley Strong Ryan Yeomans Joe Zajac

Central Student Practices Energy Medicine Melissa Traynor

News Editor Whether they see a chiropractor or attend yoga sessions, people across the world find a way to calm and heal themselves. Many are now learning that the healing they need can be given by their own two hands in a form of energy medicine known as Reiki. Reiki involves a process where the practitioner places his hands on or near the person receiving treatment, with the intent to transmit ki, believed to be lifeforce energy, according to the National Institutes of Health. In order to test this and related effects on the body, Amy Roche-Moss, a fourth-year double major in biology and philosophy, has begun a study through the CCSU Biology Department. She will collect data through Reiki sessions with volunteer participants over the semester to determine whether the treatment has an affect on blood pressure and heart rate. Roche-Moss was first inspired to begin practicing this type of medicine after a friend and co-worker who was a Reiki master had managed to subdue her migraines after one session. She, now a Reiki master, has obtained her certification through training in courses Reiki One, Two and the final Master and Teacher sessions combined. To conclude training, her attunement was the ultimate step. It is a ritual that brings the individual into harmony and makes him or her aware and responsive. It is, in this case, a private and intense

Reiki session. “It was like a tornado of energy,” Roche-Moss said of the experience. “It’s meant to open up and clear blockages and draw on your own and others’ energy.” She said that when a person experiences stress or tension, the body is naturally inclined to placate itself. “I often tell people I’m a reminder,” she said. “People need to be reminded that the body has the ability to heal itself. Reiki is more of a ‘laying on of the hands’ approach. It makes sense that whenever you have a stomach ache, for example, your hands go straight to your stomach. It’s subconscious, but you have this innate ability to try and heal yourself.” Through physical touch, she feels that a session has the potential to be more effective. “I’ve found through practicing Reiki with the hands above the body, you can learn how to detect and feel the energy in between,” she explained. In her two-and-a-half years of practicing Reiki, Roche-Moss has conducted sessions with over 100 people and she said that she remembered only two people on which the treatment has had no effect. She mentioned also that Reiki treatment on her grandmother has managed to control the shaking involved with her Parkinson’s disease. For the average student who is inundated under the pressure of work, studying and extracurricular activities, Roche-Moss recommended that he or she relieve stress in Reiki-fashion or meditation to clear their thoughts.

The purpose of the Recorder is to approach and define issues of importance to the students of Central Connecticut State University.

“It’s important at the end of the day to release bad energy that you’ve picked up from others over the day, even if it’s just the minute before you go to bed,” she

VP of Student Affairs Begins Work on ‘Project Inclusiveness’ Melissa Traynor

News Editor

The Recorder is a student-produced publication of Central Connecticut State University and does not necessarily represent, in whole or in part, the views of CCSU’s administrators, faculty, or students. The Recorder articles, photographs, and graphics are property of the Recorder and may not be reproduced or published without the written permission from the Editor-in-Chief.

Conrad Akier / The Recorder Roche-Moss conducts a Reiki session with a volunteer participant.

In an e-mail sent campus-wide on Tuesday, Oct. 9, Vice President of Student Affairs Dr. Margaret Y. Toston made evident her plans to begin work on a project which, she hopes, will provide insight to the needs of the campus in regards to diversity and inclusiveness issues. She announced that she had allocated a total of $10,000 that she has described as “seed money;” she has designated a one-time budget of $5,000 to the Student Affairs leadership team that is made up of the heads of the departments in Student Affairs and has given a second one-time budget of $5,000 to the Faculty Senate Diversity Committee. “Anything that I can do to support faculty training around diversity initiatives is an obligation that I have to students,” Toston said in regards to the parallel parts of the plan between faculty and students. “And, two students approached me [who] wanted to take a positive approach to educating students about diversity sensitivity issues and diversity from a broad perspective, not just ethnicity.” Seeing as there were some positions in her department that are not filled, Toston had extra money in her budget, however she cannot commit a definite amount of money towards the project in the future. She has also written that she is currently

in search of an Assistant Director of Student Leadership, in whose job description she wrote the responsibility of working with a new Office of Diversity and Equity. Project Inclusiveness, Toston said, will serve as the impetus for similar and subsequent programs. In January, she plans to present a university-wide, highly-publicized and promoted “roll-out” during which she will unfurl the proposal for future events. In the next 10 weeks, she said, she will be working with campus Minister John Campbell to draft the proposal. “We’re looking to design or develop a proposal that will have university-wide scope in that it would be a collaboration across reporting lines and departments,” she said. There is also much interest shown in designing a mission statement, slogan and logo to accompany her plans. In meeting with groups on campus, Toston intends to complete interviewing and gathering information. “I’m going to meet with clubs and organizations - any student who wants to meet with me individually or as group. The reason is to hear what students have to say about what’s important to them, their interpretations of diversity, and to share some of my thoughts and ideas,” she said. She hopes to connect with students because she wants to hear where students stand on the subject of diversity and inclusiveness.

said. “It’s very possible for people to give themselves Reiki without being trained, and you’d be surprised to see how much you can do.”

Multimedia Exhibits Continued from page 1

5:15 to 6 p.m. student images and improvisations will be on display as well as a creative arts competition. “This university collaborative has been such a great turnout with student submissions and the people in the communication department,” Fippinger said. There will also be performances by two local groups. From the Jefferson Elementary School in New Britain, a percussion ensemble named the “Hot Stixx” will be playing and there will also be a performance by the Boys and Girls Club. Those involved with the event this year hope for a continuation into years ahead and aim for an annual event. “I hope that this ‘CCSU Night at the Museum’ will be magical: An unforgettable event for us all being involved, for our visitors and our students,” Ritzenhoff said. “We hope that this event will not be isolated. There are many initiatives to celebrate diversity and culture on our campus. This is just one stone in a larger mosaic of events.” The event is sponsored by offices such as the Provost at CCSU, Alumni and Student Activities and the art and women, gender and sexuality studies departments. For more information on students’ projects, Prof. Jose del Ama of the communication department has designed the website www.communication.ccsu.edu/UMCcollaborative/index.html.

Wednesday, October 24, 2007

Ethical Standards

Academic Advising

Confidence Decision

strong opposition from the Media Board. “I think they felt that it was a group of students that were trying to take their frustration out and figure out, ‘How can we take down The Recorder?’” said Ken Barone, current chairperson of the committee. He recalled the group in its early stages as full of motivation but lacking intent for concrete action. “It started in reaction to The Recorder [and] then it was [about] trying to get student clubs and organizations to be held to a higher standard,” he said. Fueled by the most recent controversy over a cartoon that some students and faculty found both racist and sexist, the committee has begun to gain a true sense of purpose. “Since we’ve figured out what our purpose has been, we haven’t had any opposition,” Barone said. The two main obstacles, he explained, are reaching a compromise on a code of ethics with all participating groups and then agreeing on a purpose for a student-run Board of Ethics. The most pressing issue in the future will be establishing consent with the student organizations to follow the code of ethics and reaching reasonable compromises. “In order for the board to get its power, it’s got to come from the students. I think that’s where we’re going to run into some trouble because I don’t know that all these groups are going to want this ethics board to all of a sudden have the power to be able to remove people,” Barone said. The committee looked into the option of giving the board power to enforce the code of ethics. However, they have found that the SGA and IRC already have procedures in place that would make it unnecessary for the board to have the duty of removing student leaders from their positions. It is most likely that the board would play an advisory role and have the ability to recommend action for those who do not follow code, but they will not have the power to implement said recommendations on their own.

their advisors are, among other things. Bryan Perri, sophomore and co-chair of the Student Life Committee, spearheaded a student survey last semester on academic advising. The survey found that 34 percent of students were given misleading academic advice and almost 18 percent said their advisor lacked training or knowledge. Perri said that he found the biggest advising problems in the School of Arts and Sciences, while he hasn’t heard any problems from the School of Business. Perri and the rest of the Student Life Committee are stressing that becoming proactive in the advising process is essential, and going to your advisor with a curriculum sheet and outline of classes students want to take in hand will greatly help the process. Despite all these efforts, students still have their complaints. “Advising is terrible,” said senior psychology major Jessica O’Rourke. “The adjunct professors help me more than the full-time ones. They are too busy for us.” Some students have even given up on their academic advisor. “I don’t have an advisor. When I have had advisors, they tried to advise me as a communication major. I am a criminology major,” said Kristy Harrison, sophomore. The Academic Advising Task Force and the SGA both agree that communication between students and the university needs to improve in order for advising, and subsequently the graduation rate, to improve. “We want to increase communication if nothing else,” said Paige. “An advisor may not know everything, but they shouldn’t be afraid to make a call for you or send students to someone who can properly answer them.” SGA President Alex Estrom said that while the issues that need improving are well known, steps aren’t being taken to make these necessary improvements. “In my opinion, there is no real reason why we can’t work on it,” stated Estrom, “but I don’t see it happening.”

Miller articulated the view that a vote on no-confidence would hinder progress at CCSU, a view that was shared with other professors. “It’s not about me, quite frankly. I’m here to talk about CCSU,” said Miller But Matthew Warshauer, professor of history who initiated the vote against Miller, saw a completely different picture. “He is wrong. It is about him. This issue has to do with leadership. Much of it has to do with his style and his demeanor,” said Warshauer, who proposed an amendment that would allow faculty to check either confidence or no confidence. The real dispute about the no-confidence vote was over the parameters attached to it, which had opponents calling it too loose and ineffective. “The language of the motion, ‘lack of confidence,’ is vague and it appears intentional. It is not going to produce the kind of clear interpretation that we should want,” commented Professor Jerold Duquette of the political science department. Duquette, along with a majority of other faculty against the vote, felt that there was not enough specificity attached to the grievance, and that it would agitate an already problematic atmosphere at Central. “A plebiscite for the entire faculty is not the most deliberative mechanism we could employ here,” added Duquette. Dr. Felton Best of the philosophy department countered by saying that not allowing a no-confidence vote would make CCSU hypocritical. “A motion to nullify this [vote] means we are not exercising the First Amendment rights of all faculty,” said Best. “I want to vote because I would like to see how a large number of faculty feel in regard to confidence or lack of confidence,” said Norton Mezvinsky, a professor of history who has been at the university for 40 years. An important note was also raised by

Continued from page 1

math adjunct professor George Murphy, who said that he surveyed a number of adjunct professors on their opinion whether to hold a vote of no-confidence or not. He concluded that about 85 percent of adjuncts surveyed vehemently opposed the motion to hold the vote, because it lacked clarity in its purpose and runs the risk of further straining the current situation. There were two abstained votes, which if placed in the ‘against’ column would have led to a tie and forced Faculty Senate President Timothy Craine to cast the deciding vote. Representatives from the sociology, history, science, communication and psychology departments agreed with holding a no-confidence vote, while the political science, criminal justice, English, math and art departments opposed it. “This is not about whether we want the university to succeed. There is a question on whether or not we will succeed under this President,” said Warshauer. An anonymous, faculty-wide no-confidence vote will be held within 15 to 30 days following Monday’s resolution.

STSTRAVEL.COM Join America’s #1 Student Tour Operator

CANCUN, ACAPULCO, JAMAICA, BAHAMAS, PUERTO VALLARTA, SOUTH PADRE, FLORIDA, CRUISES Sell Trips, Earn Cash & Travel Free

www.ststravel.com

STUDENT TRAVEL SERVICES

1-800-648-4849 www.ststravel.com

Editorial/Opinion

Wednesday, October 24, 2007

Editorial Some faculty members have finally managed to gain enough support to bring a formal vote against President Jack Miller, but instead of focusing their efforts on more productive means, 32 voting members of the Faculty Senate have chosen to stage some political theater. This pathetic display of the faculty baby crying for their bottle is nothing more than an indirect and less effective confrontation. Two main concerns arise in regards to the outcome of this vote of no-confidence, one being that there is intentionally no list of grievances to attach to the vote. Any faculty member can substitute his or her own reasons for their lack of confidence in Miller. It is what we’d like to call the adlib clause. If they do not have an organized and definitive approach, then they will certainly have difficulties in delivering a clear message to Miller and the students who are looking on. It is a problem when faculty cannot come up with anything substantial to go along with this mystery grievance. We applaud the call to action by our professors for showing that

I loved the piece on the GOP candidates by Justin Kloczko. Not only did it expose the so-called “front runners” as being slick in regard to their tactics and delusional when it comes to recounting their own (legislation) history, it also exposed the only honest and decent statesman on the panel---that is, Dr. Ron Paul. I agree, the last thing we need is more lawyers running this country; we need a doctor. Make it Dr. Ron Paul. Keep up the good fight in CT. Gabriel Mueller In regards to Brian Morache’s article “Armed Teachers Not the Solution to School Violence.” Yes, just imagine. There might be people getting shot in schools in Cleveland and Virginia and Colorado. Oh, wait, that’s happening now isn’t? I’m sure the teachers in all those places were glad they were unarmed while they waited for the police to come as they and their students were being gunned down like the helpless sheep they were. After all, someone might have gotten hurt. (You know what a lot of us wonder? Why someone as dangerous as this teacher seems to be has not yet hurt anyone in a mall or a park or any other place she carries her gun every day. Must be something about public schools that makes people crazy. At least on this Brian and I agree.) Well, I presume you know what the definition of insanity is. You certainly embody it. Kevin Starrett Oregon Firearms Federation

Dear Readers, We will not be printing on Oct. 31 due to a National Media Convention that some of the editors will be attending. However, if you have any questions, comments or concerns you can still send them to ccsurecorder@gmail.com. Check for updates throughout the week at http://clubs.ccsu.edu/ therecorder. Don’t forget to explore our new blogs.

they actually care about this campus, but nothing will truly be accomplished in the name of progress if we are to waste our time. Even if the no-confidence vote yields to dissatisfaction with President Miller, the result is not binding, and does not mean he will lose his job. It will send a message that faculty members are not happy with Miller, that’s it. That isn’t a news flash to anyone; it just runs into a wall. It doesn’t suggest that we should do anything constructive to better this university, either. Also, such a vote may jeopardize existing relationships between faculty and the administration and may hinder everyday tasks that require teamwork and mutual respect for those involved. In conducting the vote, the faculty are leaving no room for cooperation. If anything it sets an appalling example for students who are supposed to believe in the idea of working together to solve problems. It is also worth mentioning that while there have been

sporadic patches of complaints over the past semesters, no mass action such as this has ever been orchestrated. It seems as though these faculty members are only willing to openly criticize while in the safe company of similar thinkers. Their talks, which have been conducted in a clandestine manner up until now, appear to be protected when combined into one collective movement. There is a lot that Miller would like to say, but you can tell he is holding it back. Miller briefly talked about a colleague who joked that he was looking forward to his First Amendment rights being restored after leaving his position as President. This alludes to the fact that there are some things Miller would love to say to the dissenting faculty, but knows that he should refrain, because attacking each other will do no good. If only some faculty members at Central would follow Miller’s lead and refrain from personal and political attacks, maybe this campus would be a much more constructive place.

Office Hours: Not Just for the Teacher’s Pet Jeff Hayden

Ad Manager Every full-time professor is required to hold office hours each week, so that they can meet with students, address issues, continue discussions from class and do paperwork. Often times, the professors we pay so much money to share their experiences and their knowledge, sit alone, eating their salads and reading Mediamatters.org, waiting with open doors and empty chairs for students to visit. Office hours at college aren’t like after-school study sessions or lunchtime meetings behind closed doors in high school. Office hours

aren’t just for the teacher’s pet. In high school, you were expected to maintain your personal distance from teachers at all costs. Sure you could ask them for help, but just having a conversation? No way. This mindset does not belong at a university. A university is about an exchange of ideas, ideologies and experiences. Our assembled faculty are equal to those of any other school. Perhaps we don’t have Nobel Prize-winning physicists, or Newberry award-holding English professors. What we do have is a faculty that ranges from the former Chairman of the Board of Pardons and Paroles of the state of Connecticut to departments that

conduct studies which verify and validate conclusions of other universities. We have professors who have traveled around the globe, lived in numerous countries, experienced hundreds of cultures, tasted exotic delicacies you can’t imagine, and come back to share it. CCSU has many professors who travel across the country, to our unincorporated territories, to our neighbors to the north and south, all to gather information and opinions, to conduct interviews, to formulate research hypotheses, and to publish books. Our faculty as a whole has so much to offer; sure, there are some clunker professors out there who suck. Half the time they’re the ten-

ured ones. However, you can bring a horse to water, but you can’t make him drink. I urge every student who values their education, and the $15,000 a year they put into it, to drink. If we are to continually evolve into the role a university should fill, we must seek out the information that can’t be taught, that can’t be read in a book. As students it is our responsibility to seek out our professors and pick their brains, discover their stories and experiences, and to continue to learn beyond the page. Simply reading the book, taking notes and showing up for the exam is no way to go through college.

Shrooms: Just an Amazing Case of Food Poisoning Justin Kloczko

Opinion Editor Those college graduation trips to Amsterdam just won’t be as fun now that the Netherlands has sold out and banned the sale of hallucinogenic mushrooms in response to the suicide of a 17-year-old girl who jumped from a rooftop after taking the hallucinogenics earlier this year. Amsterdam, which has been notoriously lenient with their drug policies, will start cracking down on the sale of mushrooms, while harmful drugs like marijuana and cigarettes are un-policed and doctors across the world prescribe addictions with a simple Rx. Amsterdam jumped the gun on this one, but America has been missing out on the fun for over 35 years. People do drugs because they are a blast, plain and simple. Yes, sometimes it gets out of hand, but only for the people who can’t handle it. There should be no reason for drugs like mushrooms to be illegal, and I am sure if everyone popped a few caps, we would all agree. Mushrooms are not addictive. They are not toxic and they do not physically harm the body. This was recently discussed in an article run by The Courant where Marjan Heuving, a spokeswoman for a drug policy think-tank, commented on the misperceptions of the drug. Eating shrooms is actually just a diesel case of food poisoning. After all, you can sprinkle them on a slice of pizza or boil them to make a fine, potent tea. Wondering how we can eat up the American debt? Make drugs like

mushrooms legal, and the government could make a ton of money on taxes while simultaneously forgetting about our terrible problems. But letting a substance like mushrooms run openly rampant in society scares the people in charge. There would be some structure to all of this; it would be like an exclusive club, like surviving bangers of heroin. People would go through the same procedures as getting a driver’s license or a gun: they would have to prove themselves fit to take drugs. There would be a bar for people who could legally trip on mushrooms, say 18 years old. Users of mushrooms would have a record kept on file of their drug activity, but they would only have citations on their record if they did something illegal while under the influence of shrooms. If someone can’t handle their trip and does something dumb like strip naked and rob a gas station, then they should not be able to buy mushrooms. People would have to present IDs that would let sellers know if they had screwed up onetoo-many times while tripping. There is such a thing as taking drugs responsibly. It should be a privilege to those who can handle being three sheets to the wind. Being under the influence is like playing The Game; you can’t let the high beat you. It is a constant conscious battle to realize you are being heavily influenced, and you do whatever it takes to go on. Like the horribly failed War on Drugs in the 1980s, this outlaw on drugs like mushrooms will only escalate their use. The death of the

Illustration by John Edwards minor while tripping on mushrooms projected a feeling that anyone who takes them will do the same, but that is obviously not true. People have different experiences, sometimes according to weight, food eaten, past drug experiences or psychological health. Mushrooms generally create a good, euphoric feeling. Like with all things, they should be taken in moderation. It is also important to note that Amsterdam Health Authorities GGD

said 92 percent of mushroom-related incidents were tourists. This is another justification as to why there should be no laws against drugs: people could be free to assimilate into confidant drug users like those people in Amsterdam. For being cultivated in a pile of shit, mushrooms are God’s secret gift to humanity; let us not mess it up.

Wednesday, October 24, 2007

Two Corporate Tools of Coke and Pepsi Engage in Battle Royale of Nothingness Samantha Sullivan

Copy Editor

Gore: More Productive Outside of Politics Brian Morache

Staff Writer There are many who believe that Al Gore should have been the President in 2000 and considering that he had half a million more votes than George Bush, it becomes easy to see why they think so. To add to the controversy was the fact that, for the first time in history, the Supreme Court chose to interfere in a state’s electoral process. Republicans, who complain constantly about “activist judges,” clearly don’t seem to mind their “activism” as long as the Court rules in their favor. So, Al Gore will often joke that he was the President of the United States, at least for a short while. Almost eight years have passed since the 2000 election and he has proved to be right on every issue from the economy to the Iraq war and, most importantly, on global warming. There is talk that maybe it’s time for Al Gore to be President again. To say that Al Gore is a smart man would be an understatement. Since leaving office he has been extremely successful in the business and entertainment world. With an Academy Award and the Nobel Peace Prize, the opportunities are endless for Mr. Gore - so why would he want to squander all that to get back into politics? Al Gore has stated that he is not interested in a Presidential campaign. That, of course, means that others want him to run all the more. After all, he’s smart enough not to want the job, which is why he’d be the best one for it. When one looks at the Democratic field, there are clear frontrunners in Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama and John Edwards; some excellent second tier candidates are Joe Biden, Bill Richardson and Christopher Dodd; and then there are some nutcases, such as Dennis Kucinich and Mike Gravel. Clearly, this is a very crowded field already. If there were no clear frontrunners, such as with the Republican candidates, then it might make more sense to jump into the race. Considering the difficulties Fred Thompson - a latecomer to the Republican side of the race - has had with organization and fundraising, it becomes apparent that starting a campaign at this late date would not be in Gore’s best interest. Stating that he has a larger, worldwide campaign to raise environmental awareness and speak of the dangers of global warming, Al Gore is making the smartest choice at this time. With his new stature as a Nobel Prize winner, Al Gore finds himself with much more credibility than the President himself; he may even be more powerful outside of government than he could be in it. In a sense, he could be this generation’s Jimmy Carter: a respected former politician who is free to speak openly about a variety of subjects that he chooses. Some have argued that Carter has done more since he left office than he did as President; the same will be said for Al Gore.

The cola war has waged for years as top-selling brands CocaCola and Pepsi duke it out in radio advertisements and television commercials. An array of celebrities have represented each cola brand, from Britney Spears’ Pepsi musical commercial celebrating “The Joy of Pepsi,” to The White Stripes mimicking their “The Hardest Button to Button” music video in a Coca-Cola commercial promoting the happiness Coke brings. Such is the way of the food industry. Just like fast-food restaurants that always seem to find property across from one another to further ignite the spark of competition, Coke and Pepsi rely on the media to promote their products and win the cola battle. Although both Pepsi and Coca-Cola have an ever-growing crowd of caffeine-addicted followers, their disdain for the opposition has never lead to physical violence – until recently, that is. According to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, at an Indiana County, Pa. Wal-Mart this past week, two deliverymen from each company were distributing their products and taking new orders when an argument began. The reason for

their bickering has not been determined, but the spat lead the Pepsi man - David Paulina, 42, of Clymer, Pa.- to give the Coke guy - Robert Koscho, 48, of Ebensburg, Pa. - a broken nose and black eye, according to police. I can’t say I’m surprised that such a simple thing would lead two men to prove themselves physically, but when did recreational carbonated beverages become an item of such consequence? While it may not have been the drinks themselves that sparked the initial aggravation, it is hard to ignore the fact that both men represented rivaling companies and that they were on the clock when the fight occurred. Who would think after hearing about this that Koscho and Paulina weren’t fighting over which phosphoric acidic, high fructose corn syrup-ed, sodium benzoate-d, caffeinated soft-drink is better? I have heard of fights over which sports team plays better; which player is the best; which beer commercial is the funniest during the NFL season; so I expect to hear about people combating over silly issues. I am saddened, however, that two grown men could not accept each other for their career decisions and practice civility while on the job.

Obviously neither of these men knows how to be the bigger person; Koscho should not have “charged” at Paulina, if that is what he did; nor should Paulina have even gone to the side of the Wal-Mart to “talk” – anyone should have been able to see what that would lead to. Incidents like this just go to show how much pride people take in themselves and in what they stand for, as well as the arrogance human beings are prone to succumb to. It is no secret that many Ameri-

cans are snooty and hot-headed, but this could have happened anywhere in the world and comes as no revelation. The truth is that many people cannot control their self-righteousness, and it is all-the-more important that people learn how to, in order to avoid situations such as this. We do not want our descendants to look back on us in shame, knowing that we fought over such insignificant matters rather than fighting about issues of real consequence.

And So Can You! Andrew Swift

The Daily Iowan (U. Iowa) (U-WIRE) -- The presidential campaign has been largely devoid of candidates willing to speak their minds, to tell the truth, to challenge the people. The candidates from both sides of the aisle are too quick to pander, too afraid to go off script, and too unwilling to raise the level of discourse. Thankfully, that is all about to change. For Stephen Colbert has finally entered the race. I won’t pretend that I think he’s a viable candidate. I won’t -- like some pundits are doing -- discuss what his tactical effect on the race will be. His run is not about being elected; it’s about proving a point. The system is broken and demands radical change. While some hint at this, Colbert will be able to savagely attack our electoral process, with no holds barred. His candidacy, coming on the heels of the release of his book, I Am America (And So Can You!), appears to be a genius public-relations stunt. Indeed, it is hard to take this move at face value. Colbert is only planning on running in his native South Carolina. Even more surprising, he’s decided to run in both primaries. His show caters to a left-leaning audience, but Colbert himself has said numerous times that his politics are more complicated than that. Americans are clearly political cynics. Voter turnout numbers are embarrassingly low -- barely cracking 50 percent of the electorate in presidential races and even lower in midterm elections. Perhaps if “real” politicians were more willing to speak bluntly and without hesitation, attitudes would change. I’m not holding my breath.

The single-minded desire of the candidates to “stay on message” is killing any sense of ingenuity, innovation, or independence. Indeed, the politics of the usual are rapidly becoming the politics of boredom. Sadly, the candidates who do put themselves out on a limb are crazy. Ron Paul may be the most original candidate, but he’s also insane -- we’re talking disband the FBI and IRS insane. There’s no doubt whether some of the candidates have interesting ideas. I bet that Sen. Barack Obama or former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee are fascinating to talk to off-the-record. But the current campaigning system discourages real discussion, dialogue, and debate. Publicly, almost the only thing that sets the Democrats apart is their rhetoric; the only thing that sets the Republicans apart is their level of disingenuousness. It’s hard to imagine a more depressing situation. Educating voters on the problems America faces today is impossible through the status quo. Campaigns are no longer about policy or ideas, but spectacle and pizzazz. This isn’t to say that candidates don’t put forth any plans -- but it doesn’t seem like anyone’s interested in them. Rare are the people who could detail the differences between respective candidates’ healthcare plans. Critics of Colbert’s move are arguing his run will only take press away from second-tier candidates. News flash: Second-tier candidates are getting barely any press anyway. There’s not much to take away. Besides, with his press, Colbert will have his opportunity to lambaste our broken electoral system. If he takes up the challenge, he will have done more good for America than his on-

air persona could hope for. If Colbert decides to expand his horizons, Iowa would be more than ready to extend a warm welcome. Obama drew 10,000 at an Earth Day rally in Iowa City. Colbert could shatter that. Even if he doesn’t throw his hat into the ring in the Hawkeye State, it would generate enormous press, furthering his cause in South Carolina. Colbert’s performance at the 2006 Presidential Correspondent’s Dinner should be required viewing for any candidate. His brutal lashing of President Bush was the most insightful criticism of this administration ever spoken aloud. Speaking

truth to power is profoundly American; the Democratic and Republican fields are speaking only for power. Sure, he’s a comedian, so he gets more rhetorical leeway than the other candidates. But that’s the point. Politicians portray themselves as superhuman, but they aren’t. They work so hard on cultivating an air of detachment that turns average Americans off. On the stump, they’re talking to us, not with us. Colbert, on the other hand, lets everyone in on the joke.

Sports

Wednesday, October 24, 2007

Colonials Fall to Devils’ Intolerable Acts PeTer collin

Robert Morris 1

sports editor Freshman Robert Cavener scored his first collegiate goal and junior captain Yan Klukowski added his second of the season as the Blue Devils (3-8-2, 1-3-1) rallied to defeat the Robert Morris Colonials (6-6-3, 1-3-2) 2-1 in New Britain on Sunday. Klukowski was looking for the big play up front when freshman David Pinto played the ball forward. Klukowski sped by one defender and beat RMU junior goalkeeper Matt Felice with a shot into the upper right corner. “David Pinto played a fantastic pass over the top,” explained Klukowski. “But it wouldn’t sit kindly for me. I had to wait and delay, but obviously I just hit it on a half-volley and it went into the top corner.” The victory was Central’s first conference win this season, keeping their NEC tournament hopes alive. “It was just desserts today; I think we got what we deserved,” said head coach Shaun Green. “We had confidence going into the second half, knowing that we were going to create more chances. We just had to be patient.” The Blue Devils dominated the first half, but were unable to capitalize on the numerous opportunities. Central managed to out shoot RMU 17-7 in the first and 34-14 overall. The Colonials took advantage of the Blue Devils missteps, when senior Jacek Przednowek found junior Tyler Stanley just outside the 18-yard line. Stanley freed himself from his defender and found an opening just beyond the reach of sophomore goalkeeper Paul Armstrong.

CCSU 2 Central finally got on the board when freshman Robert Cavener recovered the ball just inside the 18-yard line after a cross was deflected by Felice. Cavener struggled to settle the ball but managed to find the net just inside the far post for the equalizer. “It just wouldn’t sit down at first. It took a couple of bobbles eventually I managed to get it saddled,” said Cavener. “We had been creating a lot of opportunities we just can’t put them away. To finally get it, the lads were delighted and then to win the game as well, fantastic.” Less than one minute later Klukowski put the Blue Devils on top. The win keeps pulls Central out of the basement in the NEC standings and keeps them alive with four points in the NEC standings. They are now five points behind Sacred Heart for the fourth and final spot for the NEC tournament. “Now we know what’s at stake every game,” said Green. “We’re still playing to try and get a playoff spot and until we’re mathematically eliminated we’re going to play hard like this every game.” On Friday the Blue Devils fell to St. Francis (PA) 1-0 in New Britain. Armstrong had six saves for the Blue Devils. The only goal coming from Red Flash forward Patrick Fleming who recovered a deflection in front of the net before firing past Armstrong for the games lone goal. Next Central will travel to West Long Beach, New Jersey to take on undefeated Monmouth on Friday, October 26.

Conrad Akier / The Recorder Blue Devil freshman Robert Cavener battles his way towards the Colonials’ net for his first collegiate goal.

Blue Devil Shorts

Lloyd Named NEC Rookie of the Week

Central Connecticut’s Beth Lloyd picked up Brine/Northeast Conference Rookie of the Week honors, as announced by the league offices this afternoon. The freshman women’s soccer midfielder assisted on a pair of goals in CCSU’s 4-2 road victory over Mount St. Mary’s. Lloyd assisted on the eventual game-winner in the 55th minute, finding sophomore Leah Blayney on a cross to the middle to put the Blue Devils ahead 3-1. The Reading, England native also notched an assist on the gametying goal 30 seconds into the second half. Lloyd’s pass was headed in by sophomore Brittany Emin. For the season, Lloyd has seven points on two goals and three assists. Central Connecticut, which is now 6-6-1 overall and 3-1-0 in conference play, will host Long Island at 3 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 26. (credit: CCSUBlueDevils.com)

Year: Junior Major: Criminology Age: 22 From: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Jo Jo Freeman ranks 12th all-time on the Blue Devil rushing yards list with 1,506 yards and currently leads the Blue Devils with 512 yards rushing and is tied for the team lead with five touchdowns. Favorites Player: LaDainian Tomlinson Movie: Coming to America Car: Chrysler 300 Junk Food: Lasagna TV Show: Law and Order, CSI. Anything on ESPN. Hobby: “We play a lot of Madden and College Football.”

Smart NEC Defensive Player of the Week

Pump-Up Music “Whatever the guys are playing in the locker room. We listen to a lot of Lil’ Wayne.” Favorite Moment “In prep school I broke a school record. I had 326 yards rushing. It was just a great feeling.” If I had a million dollars… “There are so many things I would do. I don’t know. I would buy a house first.”

Conrad Akier / The Recorder

For the second consecutive week a Blue Devil defensive player has been named the Northeast Conference football Defensive Player of the Week. This week junior linebacker Blair Smart earns the honor following a stellar performance in a 21-13 victory over Wagner on Saturday afternoon that handed the Seahawks their first conference loss of the season. Smart and the Blue Devils remain unbeaten in league play (3-0) and in a tie for the top spot in the league. CCSU returns to action at home on Saturday at 11 a.m. hosting Monmouth. Smart had his most successful game in a Blue Devil uniform posting a career-high in tackles including a pair for a loss in the victory. Smart registered a team-high 13 tackles including 2.5 for a loss as Central Connecticut won for the third straight week, all in league play. Smart and the Blue Devils forced nine punts on the first nine possessions of the game for the Seahawks before they were able to put the ball in the end zone. In those nine drives the Seahawks had six three-and-outs, one four-play and one five-play drive and the longest drive reached just 39 yards. Wagner registered only 225 yards of total offense in the game. (credit: CCSUBlueDevils.com)

Wednesday, October 24, 2007

Squawking Hawks No Match for Blue Devils Peter Collin

Sports Editor Freshman Lauren Snyder totaled a match-high 19 kills as the CCSU women’s volleyball team (16-4) held off a pesky Hartford Hawks squad (7-16) for a 3-1 victory on Wednesday night before a large crowd in the Detrick Gymnasium. U. of Hartford 1 CCSU 3

Conrad Akier / The Recorder Central senior Milou Saxton (center) and sophomore Jamie Baumert (right) attempt to block a volley from Hartford Hawk Hallie Fullagar Wednesday night in Detrick Gymnasium. Baumert finished the game with a double-double of 11 kills and 10 blocks.

Central was not efficient during the match, committing 30 errors and averaging a mere .221 average during the four games, but they persevered behind the double-double efforts of sophomore Jamie Baumert with 11 kills and 10 blocks and freshman Amanda Bayer with 48 assists and 11 digs. The Hawks kept up a persistent attack throughout the entire match, never giving the Blue Devils much breathing room. “They were more aggressive on the court than we were tonight and I’m not sure what it was, but I think we were a little hesitant,” said Central head coach Linda Sagnelli. “We gave up a lot of unearned points.” Central did seem to find a rhythm at the end of the second game, though. Down 2022, the Blue Devils used a timeout to regroup. When they returned to the court they went on a 10-4 run to come back for the win. But the Hawks were far from done as they took control of the third game on the strength of an early 12-4 run that put Central in the rearview mirror at 21-12. The Blue Devils made a desperate run but could not close the gap and fell 30-27. Central bent, but did not break, and returned to form during the fourth match. Snyder took control of the game, scoring two kills during a 7-0 that gave the Blue Devils a commanding 19-10 lead. Snyder totaled five kills and a .500 average to lead all players during the fourth and final game. The Blue Devils were supported by a large crowd of campus residents, who also came out to compete in the Dean’s Cup competition between the halls on campus. “I’ve always wanted to do something with Residential Life,” said Sagnelli. “We wanted to give something back to the students that do come and support us, but tonight’s turnout was phenomenal.” On Saturday in New Britain, the Blue Devils defeated Fairleigh Dickinson University to improve to 17-4 overall and 2-0 in NEC play. Central was paced by senior Katie Karkow’s 15 kills and freshman Amanda Bayer’s 46 assists. Freshman Kaitlin Petrella contributed 12 digs and is now 50 digs shy of the CCSU single-season record set by Jennifer Moshier in 1995. Coming up, the Blue Devils will take on in-state rival UConn on Wednesday night at 7 p.m. at Storrs, Conn., followed by a Northeast Conference match-up with Robert Morris at home on Saturday afternoon at 3 p.m.

Blue Devils Face Uphill Battle after NCAA Ruling Upcoming Events Peter Collin

Sports Editor The CCSU men’s soccer score from October 5 was recently reversed by the Northeast Conference based on the decision made by the NCAA rules interpreter following an official protest by the Fairleigh Dickinson University Knights. The protest came after a goal by Blue Devil freshman David Pinto that equalized the game at 1-1 late in the second half. Pinto had moved into open space in front of the FDU goal, freshman David Agbatar crossed the ball to Pinto, who then volleyed the ball towards the goal. Less than one second before the ball crossed the goal line head referee Damian Anyora blew his whistle. FDU’s argument was that when Anyora blew his whistle the ball was dead which would

have prevented the goal from counting. Knights head coach Seth Roland argued the call with Anyora during the game only to be rebuffed. The game then went into overtime where Central freshman Chris Brown scored in the 106 minute to give the Blue Devils an initial 2-1 victory. Afterward Roland filed a protest the NCAA rules interpreter based on evidence found in the film of the game. “He heard the whistle blow and then saw the goal happen afterward,” explained Assistant Athletic Director Sara Naggar. “The NCAA looked at the film, agreed with him and granted the protest.” The NCAA ruling was passed on to the NEC who then determined how to handle the game. NEC Commissioner Brenda Weare explained the NEC’s role in the ruling.

“We said to the institutions, ‘we will record it as a tie 1-1 and if they opted to replay the game that they could do that as well. They opted not replay the game,’” she said. The tie was a blow to the Central season, dropping them from two points to five points behind Sacred Heart University for the fourth and final NEC tournament spot. CCSU’s Athletic Department was aggravated by the NCAA which did not consult Anyora as to the reason he blew his whistle. A statement issued by the Blue Devils stated, “We understand the process for protesting the game but felt the ruling that was made on the field should have remained official. However, it is our responsibility to respect and honor the Northeast Conference’s decision and we will move on with our season.” Anyora could not be reached for comment.

Here are all of the scheduled Blue Devil home and local games during homecoming week and until our November 7 issue. Wednesday, October 24

Volleyball at UConn, 7 p.m.

Friday, October 26

Women’s Soccer vs. Long Island, 3 p.m. Saturday, October 27

Football vs, Monmouth, 11 a.m. Volleyball vs. Robert Morris, 3 p.m. Sunday, October 28

Volleyball vs. St. Francis (PA), 1 p.m. Women’s Soccer vs. Wagner, 1 p.m. Friday, November 2

Men’s Soccer vs. Long Island, 2 p.m. Saturday, November 3

Football vs. Sacred Heart, 5 p.m. Sunday, November 4

Men’s Soccer vs. St. Francis (NY), 12 p.m. Wednesday, November 7

Volleyball vs. Providence, 7 p.m.

Wednesday, October 24, 2007

World Series Preview Rob Messer

Staff Writer

AP Photo/Charles Krupa

Colorado Rockies

Boston Red Sox

Regular Season Record: 90-73 World Series History: First World Series appearance

Regular Season Record: 96-66 World Series History: Seventh appearance; Five championships

How they got here: Def. San Diego in one-game playoff to win NL Wild Card NLDS: def. Philadelphia Phillies 3-0 NLCS: def. Arizona Diamondbacks 4-0

How they got here: ALDS: def. Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim 3-0 ALCS: def. Cleveland Indians 4-3

History

Going into the Series

Going into the Series Using the word “hot” was appropriate to describe the Rockies four weeks ago after they practically ran the table to clinch their playoff berth. Now, winning 21 out of their last 22 games they are nothing short of spectacular. NL MVP front-runner Matt Holliday (four HRs), Kaz Matsui (eight RBI) and Yorvit Torrealba (batting .320) are leading the charge offensively in their seven postseason games. The team’s superb 1.89 postseason ERA is the result of the outstanding starting and bullpen performances, backed up by their “highlight reel” defense.

What to Watch For

Colorado Rockies’ Matt Holliday tosses the ball around during baseball practice at Coors Field in Denver, Monday, Oct. 22, 2007. The Rockies will play the Boston Red Sox in the World Series starting Wednesday night in Boston. (AP Photo/Jack Dempsey)

The Rockies don’t plan on losing anytime soon. They keep on finding ways to win anyway they can. Hence the fact that they have only one loss in the last 35 calendar days. Out of their seven wins in the postseason, five of those have been by two runs or less. This is partly due to the consistency of the offense, defense and pitching. The Colorado bullpen, starring Matt Herges, LaTroy Hawkins, Brian Fuentes and closer Manny Corpas (five postseason saves) have quietly been amazing and the key to their recent success. If the bats stay consistent and the starters can go five or six strong innings, Red Sox Nation could feel the wrath of Rocktober.

Although not as dramatic as their 2004 ALCS comeback, battling back from 3-1 down to Cleveland in dominant fashion was pretty impressive. The Red Sox outscored the tribe 30-5 in elimination games before clinching their second American League pennant in four years. Boston has to feel confident with their starting rotation consisting of Curt Schilling and Daisuke Matsuzaka backing up 2003 World Series MVP Josh Beckett. Unlike the Rockies pitching staff, Beckett and Schilling have thrived in the World Series spotlight before. The only questionable aspect of the rotation is Dice K’s ability to perform under pressure. His game seven performance was respectable, but far from equaling his $103 million price tag.

What to Watch For In a nutshell, the heart of the order: David Ortiz, Manny Ramirez and 120 RBI man, Mike Lowell. Who do you pitch around in tight situation? On the other side of the ball, you have the ALCS MVP and hottest pitcher in the game right now, Josh Beckett (3-0, 26 Ks, 1.17 ERA). The Red Sox bats are hot, putting up 40 runs in their four ALCS wins. However, we don’t know how they are going to react to the young staff from Colorado that many are unfamiliar with. The Sox have hit into 20 double plays already this postseason; a number that can’t get too much higher if they want to win this thing.

Predictions Questions

Three questions to ponder: 1) What will the weather be like? We know we can expect anything from sunshine to snowstorms in New England but few know that the Rockies were forced to practice inside last week due to snowstorms. 2) Will experience play a role? Simple. Boston has experience. Colorado doesn’t. However, the Rockies have been playing for their season for a month now and are more than comfortable with that. With that said, the Rockies have nothing to lose and are happy to still be playing. Is it possible that the Boston Red Sox could play tighter than the Colorado Rockies? 3) Did the Rockies cool off? When the first pitch comes Wednesday night, the Rockies will have had nine days off. Especially with the snow, is that period of time long enough to cool off the Rox?

Conclusion This is going to be a great series. I think Boston will overpower the Rockies in the first two games on both sides of the ball. However, once the team figures Boston out we will see many close games and a Colorado comeback. I believe Colorado’s stars will produce when it counts and their defense will continue to come up with the big plays when they need it the most. Sorry Nation, Rocktober is coming to Fenway. Rockies in seven.

World Series MVP Matt Holliday

Central Makes Deviled Eggs Out of Seahawks Continued from page 1

For Paul, it was the third time this season he has scored on a play of 70 yards or more. He also returned a kickoff 95 yards for a touchdown against Southern Connecticut and ran for a 70-yard score against Merrimack in the Blue Devils home opener. Paul’s run saved the Blue Devils after the Seahawks had rallied to nearly tie the game. At the start of the fourth quarter Central seemed in control, holding a 14-0 lead while constantly holding Wagner’s offense at bay. That changed when the Seahawks got the ball with just over 14 minutes left in the game. Wagner drove to the Blue Devil 41-yard line before facing a third and long situation. A costly pass interference penalty on freshman Alondre Rush kept the drive alive and put the Seahawks on the Central 26-yard line. Three plays later Wagner senior Jason Butler burst through the left side of the line and into an empty secondary for the 17-yard score. Butler struck again just over nine minutes later when the Seahawks drove 59 yards to the Blue Devil 22-yard line. Wagner handed the ball to the senior running back on five consecutive plays until he finally busted into the end zone from three yards out to seemingly tie the game, but kicker Piotr Czech failed to convert the extra point missing wide right. “Football is a game of momentum and they had momentum,” said head coach Jeff McInerney. “What took a little bit out of them was

that missed extra point.” The Blue Devils struck first in a familiar fashion. Wagner was attempting to punt from their 10-yard line, when freshman Torin McCullough broke through the left side of the Wagner line to block the punt. Central recovered the punt on the Seahawk 18-yard line. Sophomore Aubrey Norris led the Blue Devils to the one-yard line before punching it in on a quarterback sneak for the touchdown. “You usually win the games if you can get a punt blocked,” said McInerney. “We thought they had some young kids over there and if we could apply some pressure we might have a shot. We’ve blocked a punt in almost every game.” Central struck next in the third quarter when Holmes connected with junior wideout Jermaine Roberts from 13 yards out to complete a 73-yard drive. Wagner had one final chance to get back in the game. With 2:41 left in the game they drove to the Central 25-yard line, but a botched snap that resulted in a loss of 14 yards and set up a fourth and 18. Junior Matt Abbey launched a final desperation pass downfield that was broken up by Blue Devil sophomore Marcus Dorsey. The Blue Devils will continue their NEC quest when they take on Monmouth in New Britain on Saturday, October 27 at 11 a.m. The game will also be broadcast on FSN-New York.

Conrad Akier / The Recorder Junior Blue Devil running back Jo Jo Freeman (right) rushed for 53 yards with 18 carries.

Wednesday, October 24, 2007

Pick Your Poison

NFL Predictions for Week 8

Well, the streaks continue. We’re not talking about the Editors subsequent roar up to the top. The Miami Dolphins and the St. Louis Rams are still absolutely painful to watch, but there is great news. Miami will get an opportunity to shine for the whole world to see in London with their 0-7 record against the Giants this coming weekend. So a whole new audience will get to see a miserable team lose yet again. The Rams get a decent shot at trying to salvage something out of their season this weekend, when they play the Cleveland Browns. What a coincidence. One Cleveland team gets embarrassed by the Red Sox and another one could lose to a winless opponent. These fans just can’t catch a break. According to your responses to last week’s “Who will finish in the top two in the AFC East,” it was an obvious consensus for the division winner. Dedicated picker and possible Jets fan Charlie Sorensen said, “The Patriots will definitely win the AFC east. I’m thinking the Bills will get second place or possibly the Jets depending on when they decide to play Kellen Clemens. Either way, the second place team will not win a wild card spot. So it really doesn’t even matter who gets second place.” “Raider” Mike Luchene takes the cake yet again this week for most clever quote. He said, “The Pats better win it, unless they want to deal with Moss acting like Marky Mark from the movie Fear.” The choices for second were split between the Jets and the Bills. So the question for this week is, who do you think will finish in the top two in the AFC North and why? As always, send your picks to ccsurecorder@gmail.com.

Detroit at Chicago

MarK roWan

PeTer collin

edWard gaug

cHrisToPHer Boulay

editor-in-chief

sports editor

entertainment editor

Managing editor

Detroit

Chicago

Detroit

Pittsburgh at Cincinnati

Pittsburgh

Indianapolis at Carolina

Indianapolis

Tennessee

Oakland at Tennessee Cleveland at St. Louis New York Giants at Miami Philadelphia at Minnesota Buffalo at New York Jets

St. Louis

Cleveland

New York Giants

Minnesota

New York Jets

Buffalo

New York Jets

Houston at San Diego

San Diego

Jacksonville at Tampa Bay

Tampa Bay

Jacksonville

New Orleans at San Francisco

San Francisco

New Orleans

Washington at New England

New England

Denver

Green Bay

St. Louis def. Cleveland

Detroit def. Chicago

Buffalo def. New York Jets

Green Bay def. Denver

That is right; St. Louis is getting their first win of the season and about six people in the Midwest are thrilled. Listen, Steven Jackson should finally be coming back. Who cares if Jackson and half of the Rams’ key players aren’t going to be playing at 100 percent. They are going into a bye week, they are at home, they think they can beat Cleveland, and they will. It won’t be easy, but it will happen.

I must be a glutton for punishment. I guess I haven’t learned my lesson from last week as I just have to pick against the Bears again. I just don’t trust that defense to hold down another high-octane offense. Kitna lets it fly as the Lions make a move on Green Bay.

After a huge win against the Ravens, the Bills will remain hot and beat a not-so-good Jets team. While the AFC East is a lost cause for all teams that aren’t the Patriots, you have to figure someone needs to come in second place. The Bills can be that team. This is will be even easier if the Jets finally decide to bench craptastic QB Chad Pennington in favor of...well anybody.

Denver may have surprised some people last week after beating the Steelers, but expect Green Bay to keep chugging along and take the Broncos in what should be a very exciting Monday night match-up.

Green Bay at Denver Pick of the Week Why

This Week’s NFL Prediction Leader Board Current Week (of 16)

Rank

Name

Total Points

Kevin Petruzielo

Steve Hart

Marc Chouinard

Kyle Robbin

Jason Beaumier

Matthew Jurkiewicz

Alyssa Smollen

Jon Lundie

Peter Collin

Charlie Sorenson

Mark Rowan

Chase Proctor

Mike Luchene

Rob Messer

Edward Gaug

Nick Viccione

Christopher Boulay

Kyle Dorau

Mike McDonald

Chris Culmone

Lifestyles

Wednesday, October 24, 2007

Franklin Avenue’s Best-Kept Secret

Vanessa Pergolizzi

Staff Writer

Jamie Paakkonen / The Recorder

Melissa Traynor

News Editor A handful of skaters stand by waiting and watching, holding their boards upright and resting against their legs. Soon, a line forms at the far end of the pavement near them in mounting anticipation for the steep wooden ramp about 50 feet away to be cleared. Each skater makes a run, sprinting first then dropping down onto their boards to hit the path to the ramp with their wheels. A few approach the ramp, reach its tip and make a u-turn, while others are more daring. One boy crouches low on his board as he advances on the incline, his hands gripping the bottom of the deck. The momentum of his being pops up as his board leaves the ramp, his arms springing out, stretched. He is air-born. This is heaven. Heaven is an expanse of concrete, a park situated over I-84 in Hartford where about 100-150 skaters from the area converged Saturday for the fourth-annual event “Take Back Heaven.” In the form of an open and free skate competition, Heaven’s patrons preserve the space as one of the few places skateboarding is permitted in the city. “It’s kind of gone bad over the years; a wasteland, basically,” said Bekim Sejdic, owner of Hatchet Wound, Skateboard Happening and Take Back Heaven’s coordinator this year. “We want it to be a safe place for kids to come to and skate.” The competition/skate jam began Saturday around 1:30 p.m. with a game of skate not unlike “HORSE,” in which one skater has to imitate the style and tricks of another until a winner is declared. Despite some opposition and chattering from his peers, a participant named Cameron won this year’s game.

“He’s kind of got an awkward style of skating and some of the other kids were taking the rules real seriously. My rule is: a trick is a trick, anything goes,” Sejdic said of the underdog. The landscape of Heaven is outlined by ledges and retaining walls to tame overgrown grasses and chives, but all are smudged with the grayblack wear of trucks - the metal pieces that attach the deck of the board to its wheels. Most of these ledges served as bleachers for onlookers, but Sejdic and his team built a triangular wooden piece of equipment this year for grinding. In addition to a quarter pipe and two ramps, the “wedge ledge,” nicknamed for its shape, earned some wear towards the end of the competition during the section where skaters battled for the “best trick” title. Sejdic said that the skaters’ tricks are judged on their level of difficulty and style. “We’ve been skating for a long time, so we know what’s hard, but the trick really has to stand out,” he said. During the “best trick” portion, skaters came armed with their superlative moves. Some attempted - and

landed - airwalks, melon grabs, nose grinds and varials on and from the “wedge ledge” and ramps. “It’s really about the way the trick looks. I remember the second year when this kid showed up with one leg and a razor scooter. He was doing tricks like he felt right at home. I remember thinking ‘Wow, this kid is killing it on a razor scooter,’” Sejdic said. Prizes for the winners and general participants were hauled over in boxes and chucked out to the crowd at the end of the event, which was sponsored by brands such as Hatchet Wound, Theory, Debris, Hoodlum and Low Card. The main goal of the event was to have fun and keep Heaven a public space for young people, Sejdic explained. He mentioned that a similar competition, “Back to the Banks,” is an annual skate event in Brooklyn, New York, but noted that it is “too big.” “It’s okay for us to be under the radar. We don’t want too much attention,” Sejdic said, thankful that no police had any objections to the day’s crowd or competition. “The people that need to know will know.”

Jamie Paakkonen / The Recorder

Franklin Avenue, better known as “Little Italy,” is in the South End of Hartford’s epicenter for Italian cuisine and European culture. It boasts fine Italian dining and is studded with various pastry shops; bakeries; elegant cafés; small Italian, Albanian and Bosnian family-owned food markets; and even a host of Italian social clubs, maleoriented gathering places for those who love soccer, coffee and a little bit of foosball. But because the area is saturated with such Italian richness and classic trend-setting restaurants, one might tend to overlook the food from other countries that is offered. Yes. As hard as it is to believe, it is true that amidst all of the breadmaking, cake-icing, cappuccinodrinking and pasta-eating, life from another country actually exists on Franklin Ave. Tucked between the popular Casa Mia and Martial Arts & Fitness is Goal International Sports Restaurant, one of the few small Hispanic restaurants on the strip that focuses on Peruvian cuisine. The restaurant may seem a little less than appealing to some, but to me, it is a bold pronouncement that is fighting to be noticed. As the name of the restaurant suggests, the main motivation behind the Peruvian community is mainly men who can visit Goal International Sports Restaurant to sit at the bar, drink some Inca Kola and watch international soccer games with their family and friends. The place is as much of a bar as it is a restaurant, but aside from the soccer craze, the cozy dining area, even though small, offers a rather extensive selection of popular Peruvian dishes. Given that Peru is a major fishing nation, it is notorious throughout South America for its colorful and scrumptious seafood cuisine. This fact is made clear on the menu where over 20 popular Peruvian seafood (mariscos) plates are featured, not to mention the selection of appetizers (entradas), soups (sopas) and house specials (especiales de la casa) that also feature seafood prominently. The seafood choices range from succulent shrimp, to red snapper, to trout and squid. One of the best seafood dishes is the arroz con mariscos, Peruvian-style seafood paella that is garnished with jumbo shrimp and mussels, crab meat, calamari, squid, conch and vegetables such as peas, diced carrots, lima beans,

Conrad Akier / The Recorder green peppers and string beans that are mixed with saffron. Another fine choice is the camarones al ajo, shrimp sautéed in a fresh garlic and wine cream sauce that is served with a mound of white rice. For fried food lovers, the jalea is ideal. The jalea is an exquisite array of breaded and seasoned seafood that is served with a special onion, tomato and freshly cut cilantro sauce. Wedges of fried yucca are also served with this dish and are always accompanied with salsa verde, an extremely spicy green sauce that enhances the flavor of the yucca and is made up of blended tomatillos, chile peppers, green onions, garlic and fresh cilantro. The menu’s offerings don’t stop at seafood, though. A host of chicken (pollo), beef (carne) and rice (arroz) courses also contribute to the dynamic selection. Some of the best items are the lomo saltado: sautéed strips of beef stir-fried with onions and tomatoes served over french fries and intermixed with white rice; chicharron de pollo: juicy and crispy, yet tender chunks of deep-fried chicken that are also served with a side of french fries and white rice; and the arroz chaufa mixto, another tasty combination of chicken and beef strips that are tossed with eggs, scallions and rice and seasoned in an oriental-style sauce. Among the most appetizing side orders are the porcion de maduros - fried sweet plantains - and the canchita - a mound of corn “puffed” in olive oil and spices, kind of like a cross between corn nuts and halfpopped corn and is great to snack on while awaiting the arrival of the night’s entrees. Inca Kola is something you can’t leave without sampling. Don’t worry, it isn’t too daring, but it complements the food very well and is great-tasting, for that matter. This cultural icon is a popular Peruvian soft drink that is sweet in taste and golden in color, and to some, it is reminiscent of bubble gum or pineapple. The interior of the restaurant itself may not be aesthetically appealing and the atmosphere may also not be upbeat or trendy, but the artistic presentation of the food compensates for the lack of variety in décor. Goal International Sports Restaurant is located at 395 Franklin Ave. and offers delicious flavors in combinations most have probably never had before. This is cuttingedge traditional cuisine that deserves to be tasted and appreciated. Hasta Luego.

Wednesday, October 24, 2007

What Central Pizzeria Reigns Supreme?

Mark Rowan

Editor-in-Chief College students have long forgotten the food pyramid that was so kindly presented on elementary school milk cartons. Pizza now reigns supreme as the food group. Of course, this is just stating the obvious. What Central students may not know is which establishment is the best place to get this grease-saturated delicacy. This is where science, and a little personal taste, comes into play. Last Thursday evening 10 members of The Recorder staff gathered together to put eight local pizzerias to the test. We weighed college students’ biggest concern

the most: time. Time is, well, of the essence. Everyone hates waiting an hour for a measly large cheese pizza to arrive at their dorm. Price was also a big factor, as most students do not have a lot of money to squander. Finally, a taste survey was given to all 10 people and then averaged out. Taste plays a little part since it is so subjective, but still must be considered and respected given the varied tastes in the room. The taste test was based on a scale from 1-10. For the sake of consistency, each place was called at the exact same time on eight different phones and all asked for a large cheese pizza. The info graphic explains most of what you’d want to know, but here are some short explanations.

Pizza Palace was crowned the best pizza place in the area due to having one of the lowest prices and the second best time. The time was actually quite debated as Pizza Palace called before Domino’s, but the pie did not arrive at the office until a minute later. The price difference is what broke the tie though. Tony’s, despite a relatively bad taste score of 3.9, was the cheapest pizza in the field and third fastest. People’s Choice came in at 45 minutes and was quite a bit more expensive than Nick’s, but Nick’s 3.18 taste rating and the fact that they made us go out to the car to get the pizza made People’s Choice worth the extra 10 minute wait. Finally, Elmer’s limped in and delivered

the pizza just over an hour after it was ordered. The price and taste were below average, which gave us no reason to not place it last among the pizzerias that actually delivered. Barb’s Pizza did not pick up their phone at 9:37 on a Thursday night, despite being open until 10 p.m. Tom’s Pizza, while they did manage to speak to us, closed early, which seems all too common for them. The fact of the matter is that no pizza in the area is really good. The highest score given for taste didn’t even reach a six. However, if your taste buds are numb due the suds you’ve been drowning yourself in, your next best bet is speed and price. This is where the guide comes in. Enjoy.

Feeling Vegan? Marissa Blaszko

Staff Writer “Ahimsa,” for those who aren’t fluent in Sanskrit, means “non-injury.” The owners of Ahimsa Inc., a family-owned vegan restaurant down the street from Yale University in New Haven, have applied the ethics of Ahimsa to their restaurant by serving only organic food, and packaging their take-out menu entirely in organic material. Owner Nirav Shah opened a then-café in front of his father’s photography studio at the age of 17. It has since evolved into the high-end dining establishment that is Ahimsa. The restaurant has a modernIndian feel, without the Bollywood cheese. Thin tapestries hang from the ceiling, separating most of the tables from one another without closing them off entirely. The tables, floors and walls are all different types of wood, and warm-colored paintings line the interior. Shah, a vegan, has put his life into his work. All of the food at Ahimsa is either vegan, raw, kosher or any combination of the three. Vegans, as a rule, don’t eat anything containing animal products, no matter how small the amount; this includes things like Pop Tarts, Starburst, certain types of cereal and even chocolate. But somehow, Ahimsa has still

managed to add raw sushi, spring rolls, stuffed mushrooms and raw eggplant manicotti to their menu. “We call it ‘pure’ vegetarian,” said Shah’s father, Sudhir, who also works at the restaurant. In addition, just under half of the food on the menu is “raw,” meaning it was cooked at less than 116°F. “When you cook food to over 116°F, the enzymes are destroyed, and all the nutrients are depleted,” Sudhir said. Raw food is also easier to digest, and it doesn’t leave you feeling as if you’ve just walked away from Thanksgiving dinner. However, since “raw” is generally a term applied to food like salads, Ahimsa needs to use creative cooking techniques to keep their cuisine from resembling rabbit food. “We like to travel a lot,” said Sudhir. The items on Ahimsa’s menu come from places like South India, Mexico and Italy. “When we go to a place, we try to learn their cooking style from the local people.” For the first course, Ahimsa took the Japanese dish, sushi, and put a new spin on it. The plate comes with two types of rolls: a more traditional seaweed roll, stuffed with Tahiti, tomato, humus and cucumber, among other things, and a roll wrapped in thin cucumber, stuffed with humus and a single baby tomato. Although both lack fish, the ap-

Stephanie Bergeron / The Recorder petizer also lacks the heaviness that classic sushi has, leaving room for a second course. The same holds true for the spring rolls, which are light and flaky; not the deep fried monster rolls you can get for a-buck-a-piece at New China Star. Ahimsa treats the main meal like a gourmet restaurant should, with small-but-filling portions. The chole bhature consists of a small bowl of dayboat chickpeas and potatoes, served with whole wheat puri. In English, it’s a little salad of tomatoes and starches, with a generous

piece of fluffy Indian bread. In general, vegan food is scary. Anyone who’s ever had a vegetarian try to tell them that it “tastes just like meat” knows that gelatinous bean curd usually tastes nothing like chicken. But Ahimsa isn’t trying to convert anyone, unlike certain treehugging roommates. “This is good food that happens to be vegan,” said Sudhir. No one is going to go to Ahimsa with the guys after a game; but, for a date? They serve wine, have private tables and you leave full of energy.

Although the average three course meals - wine included - range from 30 to 40 dollars, the prices are nothing compared to that of other restaurants in its class, where a single steak can match the prices of Ahimsa’s entire meal. Instead, the food is all natural, lactose free and surprisingly good tasting — something that’s not usually associated with the word “vegan.” So come on; don’t be so stubborn. Give non-injury a chance.

Entertainment

Wednesday, October 24, 2007

I’m trying to refrain from saying the all too clichéd line: “This Self-Titled EP band cannot be described!” While Middle Distance Runner can be described, they put in a solid effort and touch on loads of different influences. Many comparisons have been thrown around about this band - The Strokes and Oasis to name a few - but comparisons aren’t really fair here. It’s not that MDR won’t remind you of those bands at times, but they will also remind you of a spectrum of bands that have nothing to do with each other, so what is the point? The point here is that Washington D.C.’s very own have made a considerable splash with this six-song EP. From the thick baseline in “Up in a Tree” to the lines “Why’d you cut your hair / Don’t get me wrong, it’s cute” in “With Swords,” this EP will make sure you do not soon forget MDR. Did I mention the indie-rock-out song “Man of the People”? Or the adorable (yes, adorable) lines, licks and claps in “Naturally”? Washington D.C. hasn’t been this fun since Bill Clinton was jamming out on his sax. - Mark rowan / Editor-in-Chief

Middle Distance Runner

Sunset Rubdown

Stemming from indie band Wolfmother, Sunset Rubdown is taking on an image of their own and is Random becoming one of the most Spirit Lover popular bands that no one will ever have heard of. While I usually don’t like my music really pop-y, Sunset Rubdown finds the gray space in music that combines a pop feel with darker elements and instrumentals that tend to even it out. For the amount of upbeat, synth-y parts, SR has equal amounts of darker, single guitarstrumming parts that make for a decent listen. While I think that Random Spirit Lover is a good album, they cannot compete with bands like Animal Collective and Mates of State, both of whom make very similar music. As the album progresses, the vocals become more annoying and spastic. The musical parts also become a tad more tribal and basic, which throws off the listener because the style lacks consistency and seems to jump around. At first I thought I loved this album, but the more I listened, the more it became annoying and difficult to listen to, something that I haven’t come across in a long time. I would say give Random Spirit Lover a chance, but Animal Collective’s Strawberry Jam is a much better album with a similar sound. - Edward Gaug / Entertainment Editor W h i l e drawing from two of the four The Alchemy Index: essential eleVolumes I & II ments, Thrice has dedicated the first two volumes of The Alchemy Index to fire and water. Although this release is technically considered two separate albums, they play together fluently enough to be considered a single one. The biggest jump Thrice has made from their previous release, Vheissu, is the harder, more brutal sound that is easily recognizable. Thrice isn’t the band you remember from The Artist in the Ambulance, the album that made them popular across the country. The first band that comes to mind when I heard the song “The Flame Deluge” is Poison the Well, older PTW, but them nonetheless.

Thrice

Once “The Flame Deluge” ends and “Digital Sea,” the first Water track, begins, Thrice slows it down a bit and brings in some scratchy synthesizer to give you the distinction of different albums. Dustin Kensrue’s voice is still distinctive enough on The Alchemy Index to let people know this is a Thrice album, but he shows his range with Water. Echoed vocals remain a constant throughout the second half of this album, which will draw comparisons from indie bands more-so than the metal bands from the first half of this record. It is very rare for a band to release two albums that are so different in such a short period of time; the last one from my music collection would be Bright Eyes’ Digital Ash/ I’m Wide Awake collection, which was also released as two albums on the same day. Thrice has finally dropped their screamo persona while still creating extremely technical music. The Alchemy Index: Volumes III & IV will be out sometime in April. - Edward Gaug / Entertainment Editor

Janelle Monáe

If Prince was a woman Suite I: The Chase and then did a four-part, outer space concept album you’d have Janelle Monáe. You may recall her from a couple of tracks on OutKast’s Idlewild and with good reason: she was a standout. Monáe, like Del tha Funkee Homosapien before her, uses a futuristic alter ego called Cindi Mayweather for her alternative universe. Monáe is releasing what seems to be one album in four parts in order to stay fresh and appeal to the iPod generation that picks and chooses what they want. She doesn’t leave much to pick at as the three actual songs are sturdy, though I would pick out the intro and the minute and 39 second interlude. Not sure if that goes against what she wanted to accomplish, but they are throwaways. The other three suites, or EPs, will need to be just as solid to keep pace and to prove to her listeners that every one of her songs deserves the attention she is forcing us to give it. So far so good, though. Her single “Violet Stars Happy Hunting!” will definitely remind you of Andre 3000, but it is “Sincerely, Jane” and its elephant-sized horns that will leave you impressed. You’ve been craving some futuristic R&B, and it has landed. - Mark rowan / Editor-in-Chief

Jennifer Lopez

Je n n y from the block Brave refrained from cutting any corners when it came to her latest album, Brave, infusing an enthusiastic pop and R&B sound. After releasing the albums Rebirth (2005) and This is Me…Then (2002), which lacked her full potential, the now happily-married Lopez doesn’t hesitate to publicize her high spirits. Lopez attempts to return to the roots that helped build her superstar status. Brave is loaded with an upbeat tempo and strays from the blues and any overrated sappiness. As Brave delves into the first few tracks, Lopez’s lead single “Do It Well” sets off the album with an infectious booty-shaking groove, which headlines the steady flow of feel-good music. “Gotta Be There” uses a Michael Jackson sample, “I Wanna Be Where You Are,” merged with additional, attention-seeking beats making it one of the top gems. Brave does not strive to dominate new dance trends or create a spell-bounding sound. Instead, Lopez offers catchy, club anthems you can’t get out of your head that simply express this love-struck artist’s happiness. She entices

listeners with irresistible beats and memorable hooks, and although her delicate voice may not be a powerhouse, it has enough sweetness to engage your attention. Brave may not receive as much respect as her debut album, On the Six, or be embraced by her biggest critics, but the album proves Lopez’s confidence can’t be doubted. The album showcases Lopez’s growth as a woman through a rollercoaster of struggles in her personal life, which seems more important for her to vocalize rather than compiling an album that screams an artistic breakout. - ashley andriulli / Staff Writer Say Anything’s newest effort and the folIn Defense low-up to 2004’s of the Genre gem …Is a Real Boy clocks in at 27 songs and almost 90 minutes long. Most listeners concern will be the length, and rightfully so - there aren’t 27 good songs on here, although it is fairly close. While Max Bemis and company give it a good shot, some songs weren’t meant to leave the studio. There are a couple of major differences between In Defense of a Genre and Real Boy. The rock-opera aspects that made Real Boy standout in a sea of cookie cutter bands in the same genre are mostly gone. It shows its face on a few tracks (“That Is Why” and “This Is Fucking Ecstasy”), however, In Defense is definitely missing those high-stepping anthems that added to the angry social commentary. His lyrics are still a stellar part of the album, as he touches upon his stay in a mental institution (“The Church Channel”) and his religion (“Died a Jew”). The single, “Baby Girl, I’m a Blur,” is undeniably a single. This is the band’s biggest dive into pop and serves up a heavy dose of electronic (at least for Say Anything standards). Expect it to be on MTV in two weeks. In Defense has more guest appearances than a hip-hop album. Most of them add nothing more than backing vocals, but a few artists make notable appearances. Chris Conley of Saves the Day takes over for a quick verse on “Sorry, Dude. My Bad.” On “About Falling,” Matt Skiba fits in nicely. The appearances of Anna Waronker and DJ Swamp on “No Soul” furthers the hip-hop vibe, as Waronker takes lines from the chorus of Notorious B.I.G.’s “Juicy” (which Biggie originally took from James Mtume). Like In Defense, this review is getting far too long. However, my judgment to stop now will prevail. If Bemis stopped while he was ahead, he would have had a rather amazing album. Instead we’re left doing the work of the producer, finding out what works and what doesn’t, and then molding the album accordingly. - Mark rowan / Editor-in-Chief

Say Anything

In the second volume of the Good Apollo, I’m Burning Star IV saga, No World progressive-rockers Coheed and Cambria For Tomorrow pull their Pink Floyd and Rush influences even closer. In No World For Tomorrow, Coheed is without ex-drummer Josh Eppard, who left the band last year. Foo Fighters drummer Taylor Hawkins was asked to step-in with Eppard’s departure. With a mix of flatout ridiculous guitarplay by lead singer/guitarist Claudio Sanchez and the most distinctive voice in rock music today, No World For Tomorrow plays like an epic 70’s rock album more than an album from 2007. With guitar

Coheed and Cambria

solos that bring a name like Jimmy Page to mind, you can’t expect anything but a brilliant album. The beginning electric, peddleheavy guitar solo in “The Hound (of Blood and Rank)” recalls the late 70’s prog-rock bands your parents listened to. Like any of the previous albums, Sanchez’s voice steals the show and has matured a lot since their last release two years ago. The whiney voice from Second Stage Turbine Blade is slowly disappearing and is being replaced by a deeper, stronger voice that fits right in with the spacey, sci-fi instrumentals. It’s not the best album this year, or even this week, but it will remain in my car stereo simply because it’s a solid guitar-heavy album that’s amazing to listen to with your radio cranked up and the windows down. - Edward Gaug / Entertainment Editor

Steven Wright

W h i l e comedy is startI Still Have A Pony ing to make a comeback after its steady decline in the 1990s, most comedians that are popular today suck. Dane Cook sucks; yeah that’s right, colleges’ favorite comedian Dane Cook sucks. A lot. With his signature slow, deadpan delivery, Steven Wright has remained hilarious since his major album I Have A Pony back in 1985. Wright moves through his set at a snail’s pace, but he manages to sneak in a lot of material in an album that only runs for 42 minutes. One of the first memorable lines comes from the album’s second track, “I Met This Woman,” where Wright states, “I met this woman and I really liked her as soon as I met her and all I could think about was ‘I wonder if there is such thing as the opposite of a restraining order.’” This is the type of dry comedy that makes Wright stand out amongst the crowd of dirty joke-telling psychopaths. Throughout the rest of the album, Wright talks about things that usually go unnoticed in everyday life but are slathered in sweet puns and irony. “I think it’s odd that only one company makes Monopoly,” shows this ideal perfectly. Combine these types of jokes with a few guitar-backed songs and you will have the perfect comedy album, one that you can actually share with your parents and not get embarrassed. - Edward Gaug / Entertainment Editor

Infamous Mobb

Infamous Mobb is back Reality Rap with their third album, Reality Rap. The Queensbridge housing trio, a spin-off from Mobb Deep, is just a small bit of the talent that has come out of the largest public housing project in the country. In addition to Infamous and Mobb Deep, big names such as Nas, The Bravehearts and Capone have all lived in the 3,142-unit complex. After some label difficulties, the wait for Reality Rap is finally over and it couldn’t have come soon enough. The album has great beats from producers such as The Alchemist and Havoc, and rhymes from Prodigy and Eric Sermon, just to name a few. This record has a pure street sound and you’ll probably never hear any of the songs on the southern rap dominated FM airwaves, but that doesn’t mean you should ignore it. The album starts off with a gangster song about the Queens neighborhood called “Capital Q,” and finishes off with “Hustle Hard,” featuring and produced by The Alchemist. Oh yeah, and did I mention there are 17 tracks? If you haven’t yet, check out Infamous Mobb. - Steve Hart / Staff Writer

Wednesday, October 24, 2007

A Few Quick Minutes With:

Whole Wheat Bread Edward Gaug

Entertainment Editor I have already covered Whole Wheat Bread this semester with a show review, but lead man Aaron Abraham was cool enough to give me a short interview when the band came through Connecticut a second time. As they start their tour with Big D and the Kids Table this week, they continue to make amazingly fun pop-punk and have a good time living the dirty south lifestyle. Edward Gaug: Last time you guys were here back in September, there was a pretty small crowd [seven people]. Have things been going any better this time around, now that you’re touring with Big D and the Kids Table?

Praising Daisies Mark Rowan

Editor-in-Chief Bryan Fuller keeps coming back for more. The creator of such shows as Dead Like Me and Wonderfalls is at it again, this time with the hit ABC dramedy Pushing Daisies. The fourth episode of the season will be airing tonight, but it will only take you one episode to realize that this show is something special. It gives off an aura; it is in the plot, the characters, the narration and the visual effects. The main character, Ned (Lee Pace, Wonderfalls), has the ability to bring the dead back to life, but there are rules to this power. Once the previously dead person or thing is living, Ned has one minute to touch them again to put them back to their dead state permanently. The tricky part is that if Ned allows the once-dead to stay alive for over a minute, someone or something close dies in exchange. Ned puts his ability to use and teams up with private investigator Emerson Cod (Chi McBride, Boston Public) to collect the rewards of unsolved murders by bringing the dead back to life for some quick questioning. It is abnormal, which is refreshing and sort of surprising given the fact that it is on a major network during primetime television. Not that the show doesn’t deserve it. It does — all 60 minutes of it. Even after three episodes, I’m still stunned; the show was a slap in the face and I have yet to come to my senses. There’s good reason for this, though, and maybe Mr. Fuller is feeling the same way. A sense of worry is tagging right along with every episode I enjoy. It is as if I should stop writing this article full of kind words in order to not have my hopes crushed in the future. Let me explain. In 2003, Fuller’s creation Dead Like Me graced Showtime to much critical acclaim, only to be canceled after two seasons. Fuller was at it again in 2004 with Wonderfalls on Fox. This time he teamed up with Todd Holland (Malcolm in the Middle) and the show was canceled after the fourth episode, despite praise from the media; all 13 episodes of the show reached DVD in 2005. Third times a charm though, right? My fingers are crossed.

Aaron Abraham: Yeah, yeah definitely man. Tonight is only the second night, but last night was packed as hell. The line tonight seems pretty big too. Gaug: It’s a big jump going from the small Webster Underground to the Theater where you get a big stage and wide open floor. Abraham: Yeah, it definitely is. Gaug: Another thing I was just reading was that you had a member of the band leave recently. If you don’t mind me asking, what happened between you guys and CJ [the band’s ex-bassist]? Abraham: Well, he was never permanent anyways. Our real bassist [Nick Largen] is fuckin’ in prison right now [Largen was sentenced to seven years in prison on charges of armed robbery]. So CJ was never meant to be permanent. He had other things to do so we said, “Cool, do what you need to do.” He never signed a contract or anything when he joined up. He filled in for so long that a lot of people assumed that he

was permanent, but he wasn’t. So, nothing really changed for us, you know what I mean? He wasn’t even a bass player, he was a guitar player. He really doesn’t want to be doing that kind of stuff. He wants to be a producer, so all props to him, he wants to do what he wants and we got to do what we got to do. Gaug: Have you been looking for anyone permanent that would take up that spot, or are you going to work on a rotating basis for now? Abraham: If shit goes right we will, but it’s going to be real hard to fill Nick’s shoes. Gaug: He was a huge part of the Minority Rules album, to fill in everything he did would take a while. Moving on though, when can we expect a new Whole Wheat album? I know it was in the works the last time I talked to you guys.

Abraham: Yeah man, we are done with it. Actually I take that back. We have to go back and touch up some things on it. It is recorded though. We’re hoping sometime next year it will be out. We do have some tracks done though. Gaug: I know you are all huge fans of Lil’ Jon; can we expect a cameo from him on the new record? Abraham: Yeah, yeah you can. He’s not going to be on vocals, but he is in on the production. Gaug: I’m going to wrap this up cause I know you’ll have to hit the stage soon. Is there anything else you want to throw out there for our readers to know about Whole Wheat Bread? Abraham: Yeah man, Whole Wheat Bread ain’t nuttin’ to fuck wit!

Rental Essentials: The Hunger It is hard for a show like Pushing Daisies to break through to viewers. There is a certain diet American television watchers are used to. There are the reality shows (Kid Nation, The Biggest Loser); there are the cop shows (CSI, Law and Order); there are the shows that take place at a hospital (Grey’s Anatomy, ER, Scrubs); there are the “talent” shows (American Idol, The Singing Bee)… Well, I think you get the idea. There’s a formula for success, and very rarely do we see shows break the mold and succeed. You can point to something like The Office or Lost, but for every one of those shows there are 30 shows like Firefly and Freaks and Geeks. Whether a show catches on has little to do with its critical reception. Some shows catch-on a bit too late, like Wonderfalls, which garnered a huge underground following and was a huge success on DVD. Similar to Family Guy, Wonderfalls tried to make a television comeback, but instead it came up short. If you’ve seen a Bryan Fuller television series before, you will feel right at home with Pushing Daisies. However, I can’t help but feel that there’s something different about this one.

Brian Morache

Staff Writer Eternal youth - how many of us wish for such a gift? As we get older, the allure of youth becomes stronger and stronger. What price would you pay for such a gift? Would you take it if it was offered to you no matter what the cost? The Hunger is not your average vampire movie, where a Count, who is not very attractive, terrorizes pretty young women. Catherine Deneuve plays Miriam, a 1,000-yearold vampire who is heartbroken now that her lover, John, is beginning to age rapidly. John, played by British rocker David Bowie, cannot come to grips with losing his lover or becoming old. Miriam promised they’d be together forever, but it seems forever is not as long as either of them thought it would be. The price to be paid for eternal youth is a hunger for blood, of which there is in abundance in this film. The cinematography in The Hunger is brilliant with the use of imagery and suggestion to highlight the more graphic aspects of being a vampire. This facet of the film allows it to standout among run-of-the-mill slashers. The film uses the view-

ers’ imaginations to fill in much of the graphic violence. What is really emphasized in this film is an aspect of the vampire that is often ignored, and that is their erotic allure. The target of the vampire couple’s desire, other than the club goers who they use to fulfill their bloodlust, is Dr. Sarah Roberts, played by a very sophisticated and sexy Susan Sarandon. The doctor’s work in the science of aging draws Miriam and John to her, as they hope she can somehow reverse John’s quickly-deteriorating body. In one very impressive scene, John is in a waiting room while the doctor is in a meeting, and in the hours that he is there, he goes from a man in his 40s to a man in his 70s. The reward for Sarah’s work is the opportunity for eternal youth as Miriam’s new lover. The scenes between Miriam and Sarah are incredibly erotic and can be likened more to fine art than to anything pornographic. This is a more sophisticated film that blends the terror of the vampire with the sheer eroticism that is inherent but often forgotten in the vampire legend. Add to this the idea of an eternal love between John and Miriam and, well, this film becomes more than your typi-

cal vampire flick. The choice for Dr. Roberts, as if she has one once she is bitten by Miriam, is to enter a world that thrives upon the blood of others, become like Miriam, and give into the hunger. While this movie was filmed in 1983 and is a bit dated by the clothes and hair styles, it does portray an aspect of the vampire legend that had yet to be explored then and has never really been explored since. So, if you love a good horror flick but want something a little different, watch this film and give into your own hunger.

Wednesday, October 24, 2007

Blak Philly and Reasonance: Central’s Very Own and Very Serious Hip-Hop Duo nicK viccione

staff Writer While CCSU isn’t known for its huge hiphop following, two students, one producing and one emceeing, are trying to open up your ears. Blak Philly and Reasonance are a duo working hard to keep the scene they love alive here at Central. While walking by the radio station, I saw a stack of CDs with a note saying “Take one if you like good music,” so I did and decided to give it a listen. After getting through the seventrack EP, an interview seemed like a good idea. While they might not be big yet, they definitely have some skills. Nick Viccione: Obviously you two collaborated together and have put out a short EP entitled Insert Album Title Here. When did you two meet and how long have you been working together? Blak Philly: We met through a mutual friend around this time in 2006. It turned out we only live about 20 minutes from each other, which is pretty crazy. We have been working together since we first established our home studio and started recording our first collaborative project, Insert Album Title Here in January 2007. Viccione: How long, from start to finish, did it take to put out Insert Album Title Here? Blak Philly: The album was about seven months in the making. We really took our time with it. We’re both perfectionists and we wanted to make sure everything was done right. Reasonance: All of the recording, mixing, mastering and design was done at our own homes. We sent the tracks out for pressing and duplication at the end of July 2007. Viccione: What are your takes on writer’s block? Or in Reasonance’s case, producer’s block? What are some things you do to overcome that? Blak Philly: When I write a song, especially a song that has a strong concept or story, I never complete it in one day. What I do is take time

off, especially during writer’s block, and come back to it another day. Sometimes it may take weeks for me to have the stimulus to want to come back to write a specific song. Reasonance: Producer’s block doesn’t really happen too often, but there are times when nothing sounds the way I want or I can’t find a sample to work with. When that happens, I usually step away and come back, which usually solves the problem. Viccione: Speaking of the lyrics on Insert Album Title Here, you manage to incorporate a wide variety of types of lyrics. Was this intentional or did it just kind of happen that way? If it was intentional, why? Blak Philly: I use the name Blak Philly and Blak Philosophy interchangeably because I have two styles. One can be straight up lyrical wordplay and punch lines; the other can be about telling a story and conveying a message to the common people of the world. Our first album, Insert Album Title Here, allowed me to grab every audience. The tracks touch on the topics of love, hate, politics, comedy, philosophy and many others. My intent when I make music is to make the CD as flavorful as possible; a treat that will make many become addicted. I see myself as an emcee that provides sounds that are both entertaining and different from what you hear everyday. Viccione: A similar question for Reasonance, each song seems to have its own feel to it and each beat is unique. I am assuming this was intentional, but could you explain the programs you use and how you go about making all of the facets of the beat sound good together. Reasonance: This CD was originally going to be a demo, so I wanted to be sure to show my versatility in the production department. We picked beats and song styles that represented different moods and tempos to show people that we can make more than just one type of hip-hop music. As for equipment, I have a PC, turntables and a mixer, an Akai MPD24 MIDI Controller, Fruity Loops Producer Edition and

Adobe Audition. I don’t need all the bells and whistles to make my beats. A lot of people criticize producers who use Fruity Loops. If the end result sounds good then who cares how it’s made? As a sample-based producer, I’m always searching for obscure records. This summer, I was lucky enough to find a ton of vinyl at tag sales so I have a lot to work with now. After I find a sample that I can work with, I’ll bring it into Fruity Loops to add a bass line and drums. When I feel the beat sounds just right, I import it into Adobe Audition to add the final touches; equalization, fade in/out, effects, etc. As I’ve learned from many of my favorite producers, drums are the key to a crisp-sounding beat. Anyone can chop or loop a sample; it’s the drums that make a producer stand out. Viccione: Have there ever been any creative differences between you two? Reasonance: Yes. When we first started the EP, we were both way too picky when it came to mixing and mastering. After a while we realized that in order to get anything done, we needed to compromise and sometimes settle. However, we are both very creative and openminded, which makes for excellent concepts. Overall, we get along extremely well. I am blessed to have found such a talented emcee that also doubles as a fantastic friend. I have no complaints. Viccione: Are you planning on playing any shows around here? Blak Philly: I just finished a tour doing shows in Australia and Argentina, and now I’m back to perform around the local areas of Connecticut. I’m looking forward to some upcoming shows at Southern Connecticut State University, Club Déjà Vu (Plainville), Sully’s Pub (Hartford), Busters (Bristol), Zen Bar (Farmington) and Lush Lounge (Norwalk). Since age 14, I’ve performed at numerous venues in New York, Connecticut, Australia and Argentina. Viccione: I noticed on your MySpace page that you are advertising an underground hip-hop compilation that you are on. Would you like to explain that a little bit?

Blak Philly: Yes, we have been featured on KeepItClassic.com’s last two compilation albums. KeepItClassic.com is an urban clothing company from Miami, Florida that brings together underground/independent and major label hip-hop artists from around the country. We were featured on both their summer and fall season albums; hosted by and featuring Cappadonna of Wu-Tang Clan, Akrobatik, Ugly Duckling, El Da Sensei, Saukrates, Abstract Rude, AWOL One of Shapeshifters and Ruck of Heltah Skeltah. Viccione: Are you working on anything currently? Reasonance: I am ALWAYS making beats. I currently have a few projects in the works. Blak Philly and I are working on another album, which will be even better than the first one. I am also creating an instrumental album that I hope to complete by summer 2008 and a collaboration project that will feature several emcees from all over the country. Viccione: Any last things you would like to say? Reasonance: Although our music is intended to be fun, we would also like to let people know that we take our music very seriously. A lot of people seem to perceive us as two hip-hop heads who make songs for the hell of it when, in fact, we are treating it as a secondary career. We live and breathe hip-hop. Much of our music contains subject matter that everyone can understand and relate to. It carries a message and represents who we are. We ask that you please visit our MySpace page, give us a listen and let us know what you think. Blak Philly: If you’d like a free copy of our CD, Insert Album Title Here, please email us, send us a message on MySpace, or call us. We’d like to thank The Recorder for this opportunity and everyone who has shown us support; we can’t express how much it means to us. Keep hip-hop strong!

Wednesday, October 24, 2007

= recommended

WEEK OF OCTOBER 24

ART

MUSIC

10/24 - 12/09

10/28

New Britain Museum of Modern Art 11 a.m. / $7 Hilliard documents his life and the life of those around him in panoramic photographs, which are displayed in a series of seperate panels. He says, “This sequencing of photographs and shifting of focal planes allows me the luxury of guiding the viewer across the photograph, directing their eye; an effect which could not be achieved through a single image.”

Unearth

Toad’s Place / 7 p.m. / $18 Countless bands have been inspired by the abundance of radio-friendly hooks and choruses surfacing in today’s popular metalcore. Unearth are the exception. While other groups have been motivated to make their songs more commercial, Unearth have gone the opposite direction. Opening Bands: Darkest Hour, August Burns Red

FILM

NEW/NOW David Hilliard

Until 12/30

again: serial practices in contemporary art

Real Art Ways Starting at 12 p.m. / $6.25 A full week of Academy Award qualifying runs of documentaries chosen by the International Documentary Association. These films will be shown exclusively at Real Art Ways and will only play in 11 other states.

Wadsworth Atheneum / $5 w/ Student ID again: serial practices in contemporary art features work by 15 artists drawn from a gift of 125 photographs to the Atheneum from collector Mickey Cartin, together with works from The Cartin Collection. Works from On Kawara, Ed Ruscha, Hans-Peter Feldman and Jonathan Monk anchor the central premise of again by looking at serial processes as they are articulated across media, culture and the last 35 years of contemporary art.

10/24 - 10/27

Until 2/20

Until 10/28

DocuWeek

Death at a Funeral

Cine Studios / 7:30 p.m. / $7

Imagine Gosford Park remade into a comedy set among today’s British upper class, and you’ll get a hint of the literate anarchy of the new film by Frank Oz (Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, Bowfinger). When the patriarch of a distinguished family dies, his timid, conventional son (Matthew Macfadyen) does his damnedest to arrange a proper funeral at the ancestral country estate. If only he didn’t have to invite his high-maintenance brother (Rupert Graves), his hallucinogen-toting cousin, and his germophobic best friend. However, the heirs’ inbred ability to maintain a stiff upper lip at all times is severely tested when the wrong body appears in the coffin, and an outrageous little person mysteriously intrudes, demanding his rightful claim to the estate. 10/26 - 11/01

The Bothersome Man

Real Art Ways / 5:30 p.m. / $6.25 Forty-year-old Andreas arrives in a strange city with no memory of how he got there. He is presented with a job, an apartment – even a wife. But before long, Andreas notices that something is wrong. He makes an attempt to escape the city, but he discovers there is no way out. Andreas meets Hugo, who has found a crack in a wall in his cellar. Beautiful music streams out from the crack. Maybe it leads to “the other side”? A new plan for escape is hatched. 10/28 - 10/31

Two Days in Paris

Cine Studios / 7:30 p.m. / $7 French actress Julie Delpy is best known in the States for her starring roles as the perfect, if unattainable, lover in Before Sunset and Before Sunrise, kept apart from her American boyfriend by unpredictable turns of fate. Now the multi-talented actress has written, directed, and starred in a new film with a totally different take on an intercontinental love affair that is acerbic, realistic, passionate, and often hilarious. Delpy plays a strong-willed Parisienne who takes her frazzled New Yorker lover (Adam Goldberg) home to meet her parents - played by Delpy’s real mother and father. Playing against type, the always-photogenic City of Light puts their relationship to the test, with Goldberg’s American in Paris seeing possible terrorists - and Delpy’s former lovers - in every charming café.

Magic Facade: The Austin House

Wadsworth Atheneum / 11 a.m. / $7 From its completion in 1930, the Austin House has been the subject of a widespread urban myth that survives to this day-that the house is nothing more than a façade. In fact, this very real house was the product of the taste and imagination of one of America’s most innovative museum directors, A. Everett Austin, Jr., universally known as “Chick.” In 1994 it was designated a National Historic Landmark by the United States Department of the Interior for the significance of its architecture, its interior design, and its history as a gathering place for leading international figures in the arts in the 1930s--from Gertrude Stein and Salvador Dali to George Balanchine, George Gershwin, Le Corbusier and Alexander Calder.

COMEDY

WEEK OF OCTOBER 31 MUSIC 10/28

The Academy Is

Webster Theater / 6 p.m. / $20 The Academy Is…almost never was. Frontman William Beckett and guitarist Mike Carden grew up as rivals, in separate bands on the Chicago local music scene. William eventually left his band, wanting to take music more seriously and looking for someone who shared his passion. Mike’s band broke up also and the two gradually found themselves talking more and more; engulfed in amazing conversations about music. After realizing they were very much alike, they decided to try their hand at writing songs together and The Academy Is… was born. Opening Bands: Armor For Sleep, The Rocket Summer, Cobra Starship

Silverstein

Toad’s Place / 6 p.m. / $16 Acquiring the name from the famous children’s author, Silverstein was formed in early 2000 in an attempt to tear down the boundaries between Hardcore, Emo and Punk. Originally started as a side project, the band was a chance for its members to try something new and get away from their current Punk, Metal, Ska and Hardcore bands. Opening Bands: From Autumn to Ashes, Strike Anywhere 11/03

Casiotone for the Painfully Alone

People’s Center (New Haven) / 6:30 p.m. / $7 Casiotone for the Painfully Alone is the musical alias of 28 year old American film school dropout Owen Ashworth. Ashworth began making music in 1997 after he realized that song-making was a far more cost-effective means of storytelling than film-making. Opening Bands: From Autumn to Ashes, Strike Anywhere 11/06

Band of Horses

Toad’s Place / 8 p.m. / $17 Emerging in 2004 with a woodsy blend of midtempo rock and reverbladen vocals, Band of Horses quickly gained an audience in their native Northwest before Everything All the Time made them indie rock darlings.

Horatio Sanz

THEATER 10/24 – 10/27

The Grapes of Wrath

Black Box Theater (Maloney Hall) 7:30 p.m. / $10 Frank Galati’s award-winning adaptation of John Steinbeck’s The Grapes of Wrath affords us a glimpse into the heroic and determined hearts of the Joad family as they escape the killing effects of 1930’s Oklahoma dustbowl, with hopes of thriving in California’s “land of plenty.” Their incredible journey shines light on the saving power of family and community and the incredible resilience of the human spirit in the face of life-threatening circumstances. A tourde-force of theatrical performance and music, The Grapes of Wrath is not to be missed.

11/02-11/04

Lake of Fire

Real Art Ways / 7:30 p.m. / $6.25 Tony Kaye, best known for his dramatic feature American History X, has spent the last fifteen years working on what has to be the definitive documentary on the volatile abortion debate in the United States. It’s irrelevant if you support the choice or the pro-life movement. This film will outrage you, scare you and deeply move you. Kaye makes little attempt to protect his viewer. In photographing his story in striking black and white, he takes sensational footage and dims it down a lumen so you can look at it with the morbid fascination of a car wreck.

11/03

10/24 Toad’s Place / 8 p.m. / $20 Dark-haired and portly, with the energy and manner of a madman and seemingly limitless comic potential, Horatio Sanz joined the cast of “Saturday Night Live” in 1998 and was immediately compared to the late “SNL” great John Belushi. Raised in Chicago, Sanz became the first Latino cast member in “Saturday Night Live” history, but those familiar with his groundbreaking comedy theater work were disappointed with the mostly background work Sanz was getting in his first season, appearing infrequently with often reigned-in impersonations of celebrities including Larry Flynt, Meat Loaf and Jerry Garcia.

transformation of former Marine Captain Brian Steidle from soldier to observer to witness and, finally, to activist. Soon after arriving in the remote western province of Chad as an unarmed military observer, Steidle realized that things were going terribly wrong. Unable to intervene, Steidle used his camera to document what international law calls ‘crimes against humanity and war crimes’ on a massive scale.

FILM 10/31

The Shining

Cine Studios / 9:30 p.m. / $7 Your trick-or-treating days may be over, but that’s no reason to miss out on a chance to be scared out of your pants! One of the most terrifying movies ever made (OK, not counting Bratz) comes to Cinestudio’s big screen this Halloween. You won’t want to go home alone after seeing the beyond-creepy implosion of a ‘typical’ American family. Jack Nicholson is at his absolutely sharpest as a writer who spirits his family away to take a job as caretaker at the mysterious Overlook Hotel, where horror and ‘redrum’ wait behind every door. 10/31

The Devil Came On Horseback

Cine Studios / 7:30 p.m. / $7 Annie Sundberg and Ricki Stern’s astonishing film on the genocide in Darfur witnesses the

ART 10/31-02/02

Shadow Show

Real Art Ways / 2 p.m.-10 p.m. / FREE Shadow Show includes work by 16 artists, many from Providence, Rhode Island, and others from Connecticut and New York. The exhibition will explore a range of associations with the word and idea of “shadow.” Included will be work in which physical shadows either play an integral part, or the ideas of shadow, as in tail, trace, surveillance, mystery, memory and longing, are explored. 11/01

CCSU Mural Bus Tour

Bellin Gallery (Student Center) 2 p.m. / FREE This tour celebrates the shared mural tradition that connects CCSU, the city of New Britain, and the NBMAA. The tour begins with the historic (1930s era) Bellin murals in the CCSU Student Center and continues on campus and downtown New Britain with the work of the CCSU Student Mural program directed by Mike Alewitz. 11/01

CCSU Night at the Museum

New Britain Museum of Modern Art 5 p.m. / FREE For one night only, CCSU students will exhibit works art, poetry, video, journalistic writing, performance, theater, music and multimedia at the New Britain Museum of American Art. The “Hot Stixx” percussion ensemble from Jefferson Elementary School in New Britain will also perform. The entries for this year’s “Student Arts Creative Competition” on “Mural Faces/Benton Personas 2007” will also be displayed. Come join us for light refreshments and meet CCSU’s student artists and their teachers. Did we miss something? Know of an event we should list here? Contact us at ccsurecorder@gmail.com

Wednesday, October 24, 2007

Stephanie Bergeron

Lifestyles Editor “Oh, ginger ale, ginger pop, ginger beer, beer bubbles, bubble-ade, bubble cola, double cola, double bubble burp-a-cola, and all the crazy carbonated stuff that tickles your nose. Few people realize what tremendous power there is in one of those things.” - Willy Wonka

ll your life you’ve probably dreamed of the day where Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory could actually become a reality. As a kid, you wished wallpaper tasted like schnozzberries, and that somewhere, anywhere, everything was edible. You dreamed of drinking soda that would not only taste great, but make you fly. Although Avery’s soda doesn’t give you wings, it sure brings you to a world of pure imagination. A small red barn lies on 590 Corbin Avenue in New Britain; within its walls is Avery’s soda factory, and over 40 different, delicious flavors of soda. Factory, though, seems too cruel a term for a place so endearing. The driveway is small and made of gravel, and the signs are antique. An outside banner announcing over 100 years of existence sticks out like a sore thumb because its white color still reads as such, while other signs have become tinted with age. “Mr. Avery started this business in 1904 and began delivering soda in a horse and wagon to stores and bars around New Britain. He got his first truck in 1914,” said Rob Metz, who has been working at Avery’s for eight a half years. “Mr. Avery had two daughters, and one of the boys that was always around became like his surrogate son. He was 16 at the time, and went off to World War II. When he came back, he bought this business from Mr. Avery; and now, that 16 year old is 96, living in the white house across the driveway, and is still driving. His name is Mr. Body.” Rob Metz is what I would refer to as the Willy Wonka of tour guides. Metz used to work in the corporate world and started working at Avery’s to “try something different,” with less politics. He knows Avery’s sodas like the back of his hand, he’s funny and he makes you feel at home. As he guides you around, explaining everything from knick-knacks hanging around, to how the soda is made, all you can do is smile, goofily, with your eyes, ears and mouth wide open. You are in for a real treat, and I’m not just talking about the soda. “All of Avery’s soda,” Metz explained, “is made with real sugar. We’re an old-fashioned, gourmet kind of soda, like back before nasty, corn-syrup sodas were everywhere.” Avery’s is not only made with real sugar, but also, none of their products contain caffeine. Thus, it is a much healthier alternative when it

comes to drinking soda, but it is also more costly to make. The nearer we approached the machinery, the more my toes started to tingle. The scent of sweet, sugary syrup, concrete floors and machine oil filled my nostrils. It was everything I dreamed it would be - nostalgic and perfectly honest. The machinery and processes that Avery’s uses to make their soda are all about 50 years old. Metz explained that if you were to walk into a soda factory in the 1950s, the kind of machinery that is in Avery’s today is what you would find. “Back then, there were hundreds of these places all across Connecticut. Every decent sized town had their own soda bottling factory,” said Metz, enthusiastically. Avery’s soda is one of the four soda factories left in Connecticut of its kind; the other three are located in East Haven, Willimantic and Ansonia. Avery’s, though, is the oldest. They have even been approached by the historical preservation society, but Metz is unsure of the status as of now. Just as the history of the bottles themselves was being revealed, we were interrupted by something as loud as the sound of an oncoming train. The phone rings a deafening ring that only seems fit to be used in a small factory such as this, where normal rings would be unable to compete with the loud machinery. It rattles and clanks and beeps, and it gives you no breathing time in between chimes. And even though it hurts, you can’t bring yourself to cover your ears. While the phone was being answered, I had time to get a sneak peek at the bottles. Most were old, and waiting to be washed, while others looked fairly new. Boxes of them stood all around me, almost forming their own city. Some of them were in cerulean, plastic containers, while others stayed true to their original homestead with aged wood. They were everywhere; piled onto windowsills and shelves for decoration, and as much as you were afraid to knock one of them over, you couldn’t help but want to hold one for yourself. Avery’s uses two different kinds of glass bottles, and a lot of the glass bottles they use are “historically abused,” according to Metz. They have old-fashioned, heavy, ret u r nable/reusable bottles, with a painted label, which are about 2530 years old. Being that these bottles aren’t made anymore, they have become very hard to find. So, Avery’s started buying new, disposable bottles about a year and a half a go. The new bottles have thinner glass than the older ones, and have a sticker label. Unlike a modern Coke or Pepsi factory, Avery’s washes even the new bottles that come in, alongside the old. The bottle washing process

takes about 20 minutes, with each bottle having to go through a sterilizing bath of about 160 degrees, and gets rinsed 15 times. After they are done being washed, they go down the bottling line and into the bottling machine where they get their syrup and carbonated water poured in separately. After they get capped, they must be hand-mixed by turning each individual bottle upside-down three times. Once the soda is mixed, and the syrup is no longer lingering lonely at the bottom, it’s ready to be sold. Avery’s makes over 40 different flavors of soda, Birch Beer and Cream being two of the most popular, followed closely by Black Cherry. They’re most recent addition to their ever-increasing list is the “Totally Gross Soda” line. “Totally Gross Soda” is an idea that came from kids who participate in Avery’s “Make Your Own Soda” program. The flavors include Swamp Juice, which is made of six different flavors, Bug Juice and Dog Drool. “The kids came up with all of these names. But, 90 percent of them we couldn’t use,” joked Metz. Suddenly, a scream as piercing as the telephone interrupted. Maybe someone tried a new flavor, and now needs to be rolled to the juicing room in order to be squeezed, I thought. I looked around the corner, above a tier of

bottles, in hopes of finding an Oompa Loompa, but found the Black family instead. The Black family had been on the road for a week, touring around New England. They found out about Avery’s in the Lonely Planet guide book, and decided to make it their last stop before returning to their home, right outside of Baltimore, Maryland. Mom, Dad and son, just barely old enough to talk, took a tour and ended their visit shortly after buying several cases of soda. “They are going to make great Christmas presents,” the parents said, as Metz rang them up on an antique cash register. As the Black family gathered their belongings, I wandered in everything that is Avery’s soda. Antique soda signs hung wherever there was space, and amongst the different flavors of soda, caged in boxes against the wall like puppies, ready to be taken home. On the wall, behind the register, hangs what Metz refers to as an “Eye Spy” box. It was inspired by Walter Wick, who illustrated those Eye Spy books many of us used to play with during recess when we were kids. In this special shelving unit contains everything that was found within the boxes people returned their glass bottles in. There is everything from guitar picks, small toys, to even Chinese fortunes. Only about 25-30 percent of Avery’s soda bottles are returned, which Metz says is one of their biggest challenges in “such a throw-away society.” Avery’s currently delivers to 30 or 40 different places, including Another Bookstore. They not only cater to their customers on a very family-orientated level, but they also participate with different organizations and fundraisers around the area, not to mention they have a Toys For Tots dropoff. “During the holidays we are working on Jingle Juice, which we are going to be doing with Toys For Tots, and some of the profits will go to them,” said Metz. “We have a new bottle of water that is coming out on Tuesday [Oct. 23] called Woof Water - hydration for hounds and humans. We are partnering with a domestic animal rescue group, and they’ll be getting some of the profits from that, as well.”

Avery’s is not only involved in fundraisers, but they also specialize in making bottles for things like weddings, birthdays and whatever else you can dream of - Avery’s does it all. “Listen to your customers, and cater to what the people want. That’s what makes you successful,” said Metz. Avery’s is a place that attracts an array of people, but two in particular. “Well, you have the old people, and you have the new people. For the old people, it’s tradition,” Metz said. “For the younger people - the new people, it’s more to experience the nostalgia and gourmet soda, which is what Avery’s is.” Go down to Avery’s soda and experience the magic and hospitality that will make it hard to drink any other soda, ever again. You don’t need a golden ticket, just a big trunk to fit all the soda you will end up buying. You won’t want to buy just one; you’ll want to buy a case. For a case of soda bottled in the new bottles, it is only $13.50 with tax. The prices are reasonable, but differ between the vintage and new bottles, the vintage bottles being a bit more. Make sure you check out the mixing room, which is probably no bigger than your average bedroom, but full of possibilities with the right imagination. See if you can make a soda that makes you fly, and the only way to get down is if you burp. Ask about the first turkey and gravy soda, and try to go when they are actually bottling the soda; you can always call ahead to ask. You won’t regret your visit, just the fact that you can’t stay forever. Also, beginning now through March, Avery’s offers $1 off a case of soda (new bottles only) with a CCSU Blue Chip card. All the more reason to go!

Photos by Stephanie Bergeron / The Recorder