vol104issue18

OPINION

Slaves to Techonology - Page 5

SPORTS

Wild Bill’s Nostalgia Center

Devils Crush Hawks - Page 7

- Page 16

Wednesday, February 20, 2008

http://clubs.ccsu.edu/recorder/

Bloggers: New Watchdogs of the Campaign Trail

Volume 104 No. 18

Melissa Traynor News Editor In a debate moderated by CCSU’s Ned Lamont on Wednesday, panelists from across the media spectrum offered their views on the media’s influence in the current presidential race and outlined its functionality on the Internet.

Contributors made examples of the current presidential race, as well as Connecticut’s 2006 senatorial race, to outline successes and failures in utilizing the Internet. Independent from parties and campaigns, bloggers and those who champion the message boards had also made their way into the conversation about the Internet’s sphere of influence.

Panelist Dan Gerstein, political communication consultant and Communication Director for Sen. Joseph Lieberman, said that there is a rise in citizens who are looking to the Internet to learn more about this year’s race.

“In 2004, 13 percent of Americans said that they learned about the candidates’ campaigns on the Internet; the number has jumped up to 24 percent,” Gerstein said. He added that many of these people get information about the campaigns by stumbling upon it, not because they were specifically looking for it.

There has been a change in the way people use the Internet. Now they use it for networking, connecting and organizing, and it slides into politics. Gerstein pointed out that in Barack Obama’s campaign, his supporters are taking the opportunity to create events and meetings that are under the broader umbrella of his campaign, although not directly associated.

He also said that Obama’s Web site has successfully managed to pull resources from over one million individual donors to his campaign.

Tim Tagaris, who served as Internet director for the Christopher Dodd and Lamont campaigns, explained that blogging and similar activities are a good way for people to

See Bloggers Page 3

Stephanie Bergeron / The Recorder

Author David Wilson discusses impact of immigrants in U.S.

Authors Mediate Immigration Q & A Forum Melissa Traynor News Editor Many questions were raised about the status of illegal immigrants in the United States and their impact on society during last Tuesday’s forum, but that was the point.

The audience in Vance 105 was encouraged to ask questions regarding the state of people who would like to become U.S. citizens and to give their opinions of immigrants, whether it was positive or negative.

After more than a dozen questions were written up on the board and ready for discussion by Jane Guskin and David Wilson, co-authors of The Politics of Immigration: Questions and Answers and facilitators of the forum, they began with the largest category: economics.

An issue of great concern for many of those in the room who asked questions was whether immigrants, legal or not, are potentially responsible for taking U.S. citizens’ jobs, more specifically those of African Americans.

Guskin said that there is the need of a market for cheap goods, and immigrants often fall into positions

Talk-show host Colin McEnroe discusses ‘new media’s’ influence on politics.

CCSU Wins Northeast Conference Title

Bob Wessman / CCSU

CCSU Ice Hockey Postseason on Thin Ice Kyle Dorau Staff Writer

The swim team claims their first Northeast Conference title since 2001.

ccsubluedevils.com

See CCSU Swimming Page 6

See Immigration Q&A Page 2

The CCSU ice hockey team will be holding a fundraiser for their upcoming trip to the ACHA National Tournament this Thursday, Feb. 21 from 7 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. at The Bar on 512 Cedar Street in Newington.

The hockey team is looking to raise money for the trip to represent CCSU at the National Tournament in Fort Myers, FL. for the first time in five years.

According to Central Hockey Head Coach Jim Mallia, the entire postseason for the Blue Devils costs in excess of $35,000, and the team is hoping this and other fundraising methods will greatly help in offsetting player costs.

To say the hockey team is constantly trying to raise money is an understatement. The team was stuffing

envelopes and sending letters to friends of the program right up until game time this past Friday.

“We are an exciting, hardworking team. With success comes more financial needs,” said Coach Mallia.

“The student government has supported us immensely this year and in the past. The players are doing whatever they can on their end to generate and raise money for the postseason. I hope the University can help and make this trip a reality; the players have earned it.”

The fundraising event will include an open bar, including all the draft beers the establishment has to offer, raffle prizes and a “hottest outfit contest.” Attendees must be at least 21 years of age and have a valid ID on them. Tickets for the event are $20.

Members of the team that are under 21 will be providing a shuttle

See CCSU Ice Hockey Page 3

News

2 THE RECORDER Wednesday, February 20, 2008

The Recorder

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Staff Editor-in-Chief Justin Kloczko Business Manager Christopher Boulay Art Director Jamie Paakkonen Associate Layout Editor Stephen Meszaros Copy Editor Samantha Sullivan Photo Editor Stephanie Bergeron Lifestyles Editor Karyn Danforth Sports Editor Peter Collin Entertainment Editor Edward Gaug Opinion Editor Dan Ivers News Editor Melissa Traynor Web Editor John Vignali Illustrator Sean Kinne Comics Mike Golschneider

Staff Writers Marissa Blaszko Amanda Ciccatelli Kyle Dorau Aril Grain Matthew Jurkiewicz Brian Morache Victoria Wall Jody Wiles Ryan Yeomans Peter Decoteau Rob Messer Marissa Mancini

The panel of student veterans retell their stories of service and adjustment to home life.

Trevor Smith / The Recorder

Student Veterans Recall Difficulties Adjusting to Civilian Life Amanda Ciccatelli Staff Writer A panel hosted by CCSU’s Veterans Appreciation Organization and the Political Science Department invited former soldiers to share their heroic experiences during their services in the Middle East and the difficulties adjusting to civilian life.

CCSU student Shane Matthews, who has experience in the military as well as having served in the Navy beginning in 2000, hosted the program and introduced the veterans.

Matthews first introduced Aaron Jones, 28, who spoke about his life-changing experiences in the military. Coming from a family with generations of military background inspired him to join the Army National Guard at the age of 17. From an even younger age, Jones was eager to volunteer in any military service he could get his hands on.

In 2001 he was sent to Bosnia, where he stayed for six months throughout the 9/11 tragedy serving in a peacekeeping operation. By 2003 his contract was over, but he chose to extend it in order to fight in Iraq. In April of 2004, Jones’ unit was sent to the Iraq unit with the expectation that they

would be there for mostly law enforcement purposes, but he was hit with the unexpected. “A guy died in my arms the first week,” Jones said.

He explained being in Iraq was an eye-opening experience, especially after being hit with a roadside bomb. Jones soon returned home with the welcoming of a hero; however, he developed problems with anxiety and anger and sought help. Since receiving care and participating with other veterans, Jones feels that public knowledge and information about the soldiers’ mental problems makes it easier for veterans to handle the transition into civilian life.

“A lot of us don’t want to talk about it too much and don’t think we did anything special; we were just doing our jobs,” he said.

Brian Barkman experienced much of his military service alongside Jones, including boot camp.

He decided to join the Army National Guard at the age of 17 as well, mostly because he had ideas of “grandeur” about fighting for his country.

His foresight of the adrenaline rush turned out to be much more. “The beginning was really scary,” he said. “In time you felt if you didn’t die, it was a good day.” He talked about one of his most difficult challenges: facing death. “After losing two

guys in three days, you figure you’ll die and not go home to see your family,” Barkman explained.

Ross Alexander, who served beginning in 2005, saw a lot of action and, at one point, was forced to hold two Taliban members captive in order to get back to his base safely while serving in Afghanistan. Only a month later, after the incident during Alexander’s stay, two soldiers were killed in a suicide bomb. The day Ross left for home, a bomb hit the airport gate, killing five children.

After returning home, Alexander fought many of the same battles as the other veterans, including suffering through relationships and problems with anger. He eventually found a man named Jay White, whom he could talk with once a week, along with the support of other veterans.

White, 36, is a counselor at the Hartford Veteran Center who currently helps each of these veterans cope from day to day. In between his two deployments to Iraq, White was hired by the Veteran Center. “I try to normalize problems and fears,” he said. White understands that veterans come to him for support because he has faced many of the same challenges they have.

Immigration Q&A Continued from page 1

About The Recorder is a studentproduced 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 Editorin-Chief.

T he pur pose of T he Recorder is to approach and def ine issues of impor tance to the st udents of Centra l Connecticut State Universit y.

where they are forced to take factory jobs for these products.

“If they’re looking for some opportunity, immigrants have to accept much lower wages,” she said.

Wilson said that the fault does not lie on the shoulders of the immigrants themselves but on those of the managers and owners of the hiring companies.

“The boss or whoever is their higher-up is looking to exploit these people. The immigrants do not come here and say ‘I want to come to America, work in horrible conditions and get paid less just so I can take the jobs away from African Americans,’” Wilson said.

He explained that with more people in the country, the number of consumers rises and with that, jobs.

Guskin said that organizing for unions needs as much support as it can get, especially if the group of people in need of protection is vulnerable to the arbitrary Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

Recently, a group of 11 illegal immigrants who had been day-workers in Danbury, Conn. have faced trials in the last year, and two of the immigrants have already been deported. Since the arrest by the ICE agents in Sept., 2006, the Stop the

Raids organization has rallied for their cause, and the remaining nine workers are awaiting an appeal.

During the last big wave of immigration, immigrants were not labeled “illegal” immediately and were not living in fear of being discovered and deported. Wilson explained how that generation of immigrants—the grandparents and great-grandparents of many Americans—eventually gathered together and unionized to fight for improved working conditions.

Wilson and Guskin used the example of the tomato pickers’ coalition, or the Coalition of Immokalee Workers in Immokalee, Fla. According to the New York Times, the group of pickers have used the help of church organizations and colleges to persuade fast food chains to demand that their tomato suppliers pay higher wages.

So far, McDonald’s and Taco Bell have agreed to comply with the terms of the CIW, but Burger King is holding out.

“We all need to stick together and recognize that this is a community issue…because, long-term, immigrants have a lot to contribute to this country,” Guskin said.

Stephanie Bergeron / The Recorder

Author Jane Guskin takes questions from the audience.

3

THE RECORDER / Wednesday, February 20, 2008 / NEWS

Tim Wise Tackles Realities of Race at Trinity Samantha Sullivan Copy Editor Writer Tim Wise, author of the books, White Like Me: Reflections on Race from a Privileged Son and Affirmative Action: Racial Preference in Black and White, discussed some of the many issues in today’s society concerning “white privilege” and racial rejection at a two-hour lecture at Trinity College in Hartford earlier this month.

The civil rights activist and author spoke on the issues of race as addressed, or rather not addressed at all, by the 2008 presidential candidates.

Wise explained how many people believe that our society is in an era in which it has transcended race because a black man is running for president and has a very good shot at winning. However, Wise argued that because the candidates never bring it up, it is clear that race is still an issue in the U.S. He said that American culture has made it so that candidates, or any politician or person, for that matter, cannot talk about race openly and honestly; if Barack Obama were to try to discuss the realities of racial inequality, he would be accused of “playing the ‘race card.’” Similarly, a man like former President Bill Clinton could never talk about sexism, Wise said.

“A lot of white folks would want us to believe…that the mere fact that Obama has high white support” means we need to get over the issue, Wise said. The reality of society, however, is far from being able to take that step.

Wise referenced a Nov. 10 article from The Wall Street Journal in which people were asked what they liked about the presidential candidates. A man in favor of Obama explained that he liked him because he “doesn’t have the baggage of the Civil Rights Movement.”

Another man said he liked Obama because “he makes white people feel good about ourselves.”

Wise said that we are far from “transcending race,” and quotes such as these are evidence of that fact.

While every ’08 candidate has a stance on important issues, they fail to discuss the reality of some American practices. Wise said that each candidate has a plan for healthcare, yet none of them talk about the racially disparate outcomes—outcomes that occur not because of economics, but because of unfair judgment by doctors, both on purpose and without thought. Nearly 800,000 African Americans died because they did not have access to the same medications as white Americans, Wise revealed.

The candidates also discuss their plans for America’s housing deficit, but they forget to mention

that “every year in this country there are between two and three million racially discriminatory housing cases,” said Wise. These cases arise when a white person or family buys a home that a black person or family was denied the opportunity to purchase or even pursue.

“You can’t even talk about this stuff honestly,” Wise said. “You gotta make it partisan.”

Wise said that it is hard to convince the public that race doesn’t matter “when we never bring it up.”

“The problem is [racism] is already a big enough problem; we don’t need candidates saying it isn’t” by not discussing it in the open.

In every generation, the dominant group has not known the reality about the groups below it, Wise said candidly; when we do realize the reality of inequalities, we often still don’t believe them.

“When people of color say it’s a problem,” he suggested, “let’s assume that they’re not crazy.” Wise explained the realities and drawbacks of “white privilege,” saying that privilege means “I [a white man] always belong.”

The author concluded his lecture with a quote by James Baldwin, the African American novelist, essayist and civil rights activist: “‘The world is before you, and you need not take it or leave it the way it was when you came in.’”

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Bloggers: New Watchdogs Continued from page 1

become engaged in what is happening around them.

“We’re Americans with computers who have finally found a way to participate in a political movement that we have been mostly shut out of,” Tagaris said.

In addition to Gerstein and Tagaris’ statements, Colin McEnroe, talk-show host on WTIC and columnist for the Hartford Courant, said that the new media and Internet efforts are more collaborative. McEnroe called it “linking and collective swarm,” which is a kind of a hive mentality where all involved are focused on getting out the information.

In contrast, he said, old media is where one person takes credit for his or her own accomplishment.

McEnroe also said that with new media comes this idea that anything formally organized is not to be trusted; however, while it is easy to collect information, it’s very hard to find a ratifying source.

“New media doesn’t have their Walter Cronkite yet,” McEnroe said.

The panel agreed, however, that the Internet as it stands now is too democratic for there to be one authoritative voice, in terms of the Democratic Party and the system of organization.

Tagaris said that Democrats do very well in this respect because they use it as an alternative to the rightleaning Fox News and radio personalities, such as Rush Limbaugh, and citizens in general have the potential to influence the buzz on the Internet.

Mark Pazniokas, a reporter for the Hartford Courant, explained the new media’s ability to pass on and spread facts and opinions all over the country and world.

He used an example where during a March 2006 interview with McEnroe, Joseph Lieberman had allegedly made a statement regarding patriotism in America during war time; while McEnroe was one the air, he was receiving phone calls and emails, and soon after audio and video clips were posted on the Internet.

The links to videos, scripts of the conversations and Courant.com blogs are still functional today.

Pazniokas said that while he wrote his “old media story,” the new media had picked up where the old left off and carried the information much further than an issue of a newspaper or local news broadcast.

“There became this debate over what Lieberman said, this or that, and that was my ‘eureka’ moment: all of these things are coming together,” Pazniokas said.

The panel drew attention to a new type of accountability forced on political campaigns. McEnroe said that he is held accountable while he is on the radio by bloggers.

“Now they’re at you like Dobermans. The whole flock is coming after me while I’m on the air, and it really is like having 10,000 opposition researchers,” McEnroe said. “It’s come to the point where [blogging] is really at the level of a motor skill.”

Gerstein used the example of Mitt Romney’s withdrawal from the presidential race because of the media targeting his flip-flop views on abortion rights.

“Ten years ago it probably would have been fine, but now you can be called on for the things that you say… It’s refreshing,” Gerstein said.

CCSU Ice Hockey Continued from page 1

service to and from campus as a precaution.

Team co-captain and junior forward Kevin Butler said, “We’re really big on the safe ride program because we really want everyone to stay safe.”

Another upcoming event will be a pancake breakfast Saturday, March 8 at Applebee’s on the Berlin Turnpike in Newington. Players will be participating as hosts, servers and other visible positions just days before the team is slated to leave for Florida. Any amount they can raise before the trip helps.

Other fundraisers include partnerships with Mary Kay, Freedom

Candle Co. and Tastefully Simple, who will donate a portion of online purchases of selected items to the team. For more information on CCSU Hockey Fundraising, visit the team’s website at http://www.clubs.ccsu. edu/icehockey. Anyone interested in making a donation or sponsorship opportunities can e-mail Coach Mallia at jpmallia@aol.com.

“We just ask anybody on campus, if there’s anyone who can help us out any more than what we know right now to accomplish this goal, these kids deserve it,” said Mallia.

4 THE RECORDER Wednesday, February 20, 2008

Editorial

Opinion/Editorial

Former CCSU President Richard Judd and current history professor Norton Mezvinsky have begun plans to build a university in Baghdad in hopes of rejuvenating the Iraqi educational system. The school, aptly titled the International University of Iraq (IUI), would be a non-profit, non-sectarian undergraduate college with advanced research programs.

The Iraqi educational system has been devastated by years of oppression by the Saddam Hussein regime, international sanctions and the current occupation by the United States. Many of the country’s schools have been destroyed by bombs or taken over by militias. United Nations data reported that only about 30 percent of the approximate 3.5 million Iraqi students attend school. Many of those seeking higher education have become refugees, moving into neighboring countries.

Iraq is currently a nation in disarray. As our forces try to quell the violence and reconstruct a functioning society, we are meeting with much resistance. Many of the people there resent our presence and our attempts to convert them to a more Western way of government and life. IUI would be an internationally funded project, completely separate from the U.S. government.

Judd, in an interview with The New Britain Herald, said he would

Letters to the Editor To the Editor:

Enclosed is my two-part suggestion to the administration regarding snow removal and the (in)decision to cancel classes on 02/13/08.

Foremost, I believe that the administration which is charged with snow removal and determining cancellations or delays has done a very poor job today. When many local universities were late to open, students at CCSU who had classes starting at nine o’clock still had to report to class, many of which (including myself) had to drive in really bad conditions. It took twice the normal time to arrive at CCSU, having to avoid at least one accident on my way here. I feel as if our adminsitration should be more responsible in determining whether or not classes should be cancelled, especially when this happens to be a time where a large number of classes are taking their first tests and students can’t skip them in favor of staying warm and dry.

Secondly, walking conditions on and around campus were terrible at best. There are several low spots in sidewalks which flooded up to several inches (past our shoes), causing me to have to walk in the snow / ice, which I don’t mind so much, but sitting through a two hour class with soaking jeans leaves some more to be desired. At 8:45 this morning, the side enterance to the Welte Garage was an ice-skating rink. I noticed three groundspeople shoveling the walkway leading to the Davidson (administration) building, but the walkways to Copernicus, the Student Center, and other classroom and student buildings were icy, slushy, and flooded (again, at best).

I hope that in the future, the administration will not simply follow suit with local delay policy, but make their own critical decision on whether classes should be cancelled considering the conditions at hand.

Timothy Paskowski Student Friends of CCSU Hockey, We are a non-varsity program supported by the Central CT State University’s Student Senate, with no support from the Athletic Department. Over the years we have been backed and financially supported by the Senate very strongly. Unfortunately this year the CCSU Senate has had some financial issues and has cut all club budgets including ours.

With the cuts and the success of the team this year (Record: 18-6-3), we need to generate money to minimize an additional player fees.

Unfortunately, the more success we have as a program the more expensive it will become with postseason, league tournament, regional and the 2008 National Tournament in Ft. Myers, FL. We estimate the total for the postseason this year will be $35,000.

The CCSU Hockey Team is asking for your support to minimize the amount of money each player will have to pay to enjoy the success of their season as we move into postseason looking to win championships!

Thank you for the support.

Sincerely,

Jim Mallia Head Coach Central Connecticut State University Ice Hockey http://clubs.ccsu.edu/icehockey/

eventually request assistance from Washington, but because of world attitudes he feels their “fingerprints” wouldn’t help the cause of trying to renew higher education in Iraq.

Former President Judd, Professor Mezvinsky and all others involved in this project are to be commended. Access to education is one of the most important parts of a liberated society.

Ideally, education will grant people an outlet to express themselves and their opinions without resorting to violence. It provides innumerable opportunities for other avenues in life, something Iraqis have been denied for too long. The various conflicts there have silenced many academics by cutting them off from the rest of the world. The Middle East is one of the most turbulent and complicated regions in the world, and more study and understanding of the situation there could only be beneficial.

But this project will take patience and time if it is going to succeed.

Richard Judd has always been a pursuer and defender of academic freedom. After the 2001 terrorist attacks, he faced criticism aimed at Central’s Middle Eastern Studies program as accusations were made that students were being indoctrinated with anti-Israel bias. He responded to this by defending the pro-

grams and standing by the scholars he hired to be experts on Middle Eastern culture and affairs. He did not yield to the overwhelming nationalistic tide of the time, and his pursuit of IUI demonstrates his continued sympathy towards people in a country many have demonized.

Many see the U.S. effort in Iraq as a disaster, as it continues to appear that not much progress toward democracy has been made there. Some argue that violence there is worse than it ever was under the regime we overthrew. We have met with continued struggles in reconstructing a society there. It is still a very dangerous place, and setting up a university there involves some risk.

However, Mr. Judd, Mr. Mezvinsky and everyone else involved with this project should be applauded for their humanitarian efforts.

In the U.S. it is easy to take many of our opportunities for granted. Education is made part of our lives from almost the beginning. Many of us grow to question its value and even dislike it to a certain degree. But the attempt to bring education to those deprived of it is one of the noblest things someone can do.

Everyone should agree that Iraq could use less warfare and more of these humanitarian efforts.

Prescription Meds May Have Pushed Illinois Shooter Over the Edge Dan Ivers Opinion Editor When Stephen Kazmierczak opened fire on a Northern Illinois University lecture hall on Valentine’s Day, news spread quickly around the country. Memories of the Virginia Tech tragedy are still fresh, and all sorts of stories about the gunman’s history and mental state circulated. Seung-Hui Cho, the gunman in Virginia, had been diagnosed as mentally ill, so many wondered if Kazmierczak might have also been.

Almost immediately, police reports surfaced saying that Kazmierczak had become “erratic” recently after stopping his medication.

They declined to say how his behavior had changed or what the medication had been. Of course, this only served to fuel the speculation as to what should or could have been done to prevent the outburst of violence. By all reports, he possessed a fine, academically capable brain and was even honored with a dean’s award for his work in sociology.

The Virginia Tech crisis brought all sorts of critiques in the handling of Cho, who the university knew was mentally ill. Many said Cho should not have been allowed to be on campus, as it was ruled he was a danger to himself and others. Existing laws should have prevented him from being able to buy firearms but

didn’t, and a heavy price was paid. This raised questions about our gun ownership and sale policies, as well as how to handle those who are mentally unbalanced.

The way we treat those who we consider dangerous because of mental deficiencies has changed quite a bit in recent decades. A process of deinstitutionalization began in the 1950s and ‘60s, reducing the number of people placed in psychiatric care facilities. According to the Treatment Advocacy Center, 558,239 patients were in public psychiatric hospitals in 1955, compared with fewer than 50,000 as recently as 2002. It’s fair to say that the population hasn’t become ten times as sane as they were 50 years ago. Advocacy groups for the mentally ill have decried institutionalization as largely inhumane and insist that they can function in society if provided with the right treatment. What this treatment amounts to is mostly medication.

In 2004, the Food and Drug Administration estimated that about 40 percent of Americans are on some form of prescription drug. Many of these people take antidepressants, which have seen a sharp rise in prescriptions since the 1970s. Authorities won’t say about Kazmierczak, but his behavior after stopping his medication would suggest that he was dealing with some seriously suppressed

rage. Like many people, he may have had serious issues that were dealt with by using pills.

A serious look needs to be taken at mental health care and how we approach it. Greater awareness of depression and other mental disorders has undoubtedly spurred some of the rise in medicating people, but it is far too easy to obtain these kinds of drugs. A little anxiety about a job or family issues is all it takes for a lot of doctors to hand over a Xanax or something of the like.

People with slight depression are overwhelmed with chemicals to their brains, and this is simply not needed. For many people, the use of antidepressants is extreme, like using an atomic bomb to destroy an ant hill. This creates intense dependence on the drugs, and getting off of them can produce imbalance. This is all speculative in terms of Kazmierczak, but much of the immediate reaction has been that if he only continued his medication, things would have been okay. This speaks on how much we lean on and put blind faith into our “miracle drugs.” Mental imbalance has existed as long as human beings have, and it is possible to deal with it without drugs. Our medical care system should encourage this before handing over the pills. Perhaps what caused the violence at Northern Illinois wasn’t the cessation of medication but the act of prescribing it in the first place.

An Argument for Change Dan Ivers Opinion Editor A recent “60 Minutes” segment has shined light on the incredible inanity and inefficiency of our lowest forms of currency. Everyone knows that in monetary terms, they are worth one and five cents respectively. But looking beyond that, the metal used to produce them also has worth, and it has surpassed the worth of the coin. The U.S. Mint produces 8 billion new pennies each year. To make just $80 million in pennies, the government has to spend $134 million, and similar losses are caused by nickels.

Suggestions of cutting pennies and nickels out of circulation have surfaced, with some recommending that a round-up policy be enacted. However, organizations such as “Americans for Common Cents” have predicted that that plan will cost Americans around $600 million per year. Perhaps a futuristic allplastic system should be enacted, or maybe we should convert all coins into bill form to save the money on metal? These are all possible solutions. But more importantly, letting our current pieces go the way of the Susan B. Anthony dollar or the buffalo nickel would be disastrous to many of our customs and traditions and could alter the very fabric of our society.

Imagine a world without coins altogether.

Washington and Lincoln have still got their faces on

bills, but if Jefferson or Roosevelt were around, I bet they’d be pretty pissed. If we made bills worth 10 or 25 cents, we’d have to decide whose face would appear on them. This could be a dream come true for all those Martin Van Buren fans out there. Personally, I’d fight for some love for my boy William Howard Taft.

One upside to getting rid of coins might be that kids won’t eat them. Who can blame them; they’re small, they’re shiny and they’re all over the place. I preferred dimes, myself. I bet I’ve still got at least 40 cents somewhere in my digestive tract. Gambling might be less of a problem, too, with nothing to scratch lotto tickets.

But then again, what about the age-old tradition of flipping a coin to solve a dispute?

Violence rates would go through the roof. And how would football teams decide who gets the ball first? Some

rock-paper-scissors or a good old-fashioned thumb war might really get the competitive juices flowing. What about all those “penny” proverbs and adages? No more “penny for your thoughts,” or “a penny saved is a penny earned.”

Millions of old people would have nothing left to say. Without this kind of guidance, future generations will be plunged into a world without order or scruples.

If we converted to a system of all paper money, think of how it would affect rappers and the lavishly rich. Anybody with a buck could run around “making it rain on them ho’s” all over the place. People will be lighting up cigars and blunts with penny bills just to look cool.

We can’t just stomp all over these peoples traditions. And don’t even get me started on the whole vending machine issue. Imagine how many wrinkly ten-cent bills you’d have to try to straighten out just to get a soda.

Without those shiny little pieces of metal, couch cushions might go unturned for years at a time. And in a more serious sense, charity would all but disappear. Street beggars couldn’t produce that nice little jingle from their cups, and honestly, I’m more likely to plop a chicken nugget in there than one of my precious money bills. And no more take a penny/leave a penny, either.

According to the “60 Minutes” segment, people are attached to pennies and they don’t want to give them up. For the most part, I agree.

I’m happy with things the way they are, just so long as nobody tries to give me any of those stupid Sacagawea dollar coins for change anymore.

5

THE RECORDER / Wednesday, February 20, 2008 / OPINION

Sean Kinne

Slaves to Technology: The Magic Math-Solver

Brian Morache Staff Writer Technology can be a fantastic tool and a real time saver when it comes to complicated mathematical problems. But what happens when it’s not there? What do you do when you actually have to figure it out on your own? Such is the problem facing education majors when it’s time for them to take the Praxis I Math exams.

Beginning in eighth grade, students are taught how to solve problems using a calculator.

They are taught how to take advantage of the computing power found in those little hand-

The Samantha Sullivan Copy Editor She has hosted nine seasons of one of the most popular cable television series since 2003, and the tenth “cycle” airs February 20 on the CW. Her Emmy Award-winning talk show has received some of the highest ratings and viewer praises in television history. Her hair has changed over a dozen times and her weight has shifted 30 pounds—both up and down— but the former Victoria’s Secret Supermodel “still feels hot,” according to her February, 2007 interview with People magazine.

Tyra Banks is the absolute personification of what is beautiful in a woman, in most people’s opinions.

She is successful, strong, attractive, and apparently she can even sing. She knows everything there is to know about the modeling and entertainment industries, from how to strut on the Victoria’s Secret runway to how to shout and dance on-screen. What isn’t appealing about all of that?

Miss Banks will be honored at the first BET Honors ceremony, alongside fellow honorees Alicia Keys, Janice Bryant Howroyd, Richard Parsons, the Honorable Maxine Waters and Dr. Cornel West.

At the awards ceremony, Banks will

held magicians. Throughout high school, math courses are tailored to the use of the calculator, and even textbooks are based on them. Once we get to college, the first item on the list of necessities is a fancy Texas Instruments TI-83+ at a hefty $130. Basic and intermediate algebra is centered around the use of a calculator, and math fundamentals are totally dependent upon it. So what happens when you sit down to take a test and you can’t use your precious mathematical crutch? For many education majors, what happens is failure.

In the fundamentals of math courses, teachers don’t bother to even teach the methods

of how to solve the problems, only how to put the information into the calculator and let the “math solver” do the work. Students never learn how the problem gets solved—only that if they push the buttons, the correct answer will pop up. How they got to the answer is a mystery.

Is this really teaching? Is this what we are paying good money for? Just what can students taught this way expect when they go out into the world and either don’t have a calculator or don’t have one with the magical “math solver” in it? If it is so important to not just know the answer but to also know how to get the answer, then why don’t we teach students the process?

Why are we making slaves to a calculator, and what happens when we take that tool away?

Given the large numbers of education students at CCSU, it is surprising that there are not math courses designed to show students how to do the kind of math they would see on the Praxis I exams. With all the exam help booklets available, it would not be hard to develop such a course. The only question would have to be, can our professors teach math without a calculator? When was the last time they had to figure something out longhand? Or perhaps they, too, have been made slaves to technology.

Tyra Banks Phenomenon receive the Media Award for her work with young women and her input in numerous charitable foundations.

After reading all of the above, you might think that I look highly upon Tyra Banks. My apologies for misleading you; the truth is that I actually can’t stand the woman. She’s a hypocritical stereotype looking to follow in the footsteps of Oprah, whose shoes she will never fill.

Banks endorses inner beauty and self-love on her talk show, yet the show she is better known for, America’s Next Top Model, promotes outer beauty and a skinny waist—when you’re not plus-size, anyways. She constantly tells hopeful models that they need to lose weight in order to be successful in the fashion industry, critiquing the girls on their bust and hip measurements rather than on their talent. On her talk show, however, she addresses the public’s interest in her own weight changes, claiming to be happy with her thick thighs and pudgy stomach.

If she’s happy at her current weight, why can’t models be happy at a size four instead of a size two or zero? Let me take that back—if a model is a size

zero, she might be anorexic. There is just no pleasing the fashion industry.

Since when is it okay for some random woman, even if she is a supermodel, to yell at another woman for not showing her emotions? I’m sure everyone is familiar with Banks’ outburst during season four of ANTM, when she yelled at contestant Tiffany for playing-off her elimination as less than a big deal. The poor girl just

wanted to keep her emotions to herself, so she was scolded for it on national television? That doesn’t make sense to me. “When my mother used to yell at me like this it was because she loves me!”

Banks exclaimed on the infamous episode. I have a feeling, however, that her mother yelled at her when she was doing something wrong, not because she didn’t react in a certain way.

Has anyone ever really looked at Tyra Banks? I mean, really look at her—she looks like an alien. She always looks like she has bags under her eyes, and her weave changes (hopefully) as often as she changes her underwear, not to mention her five- or six-head. What is so spectacular about her look? I guess I just don’t see it.

Tyra Banks is a lunatic.

Aside from her explosion on ANTM season four, Banks also felt the need to go crazy on an episode of “The Tyra Banks Show,” where she revealed her favorite beauty secret.

Let me first say that while revealing this secret, Banks had absolutely no makeup on, which was just a disaster; if beautiful people are only beautiful when they’re loaded under layers of spray-on makeup, what is it that

makes them so attractive—the makeup or the person? Why does beauty have to mean hiding your flaws? After she disclosed her beauty secret— which turned out to be a container of Vaseline covered in Swarovski crystals, of all things—Banks was screaming at the top of her lungs until her voice cracked repeatedly. She began running up and down the aisles of the set, screaming and grabbing audience members until they were also screaming. Long story short, she ended up on her back on the staircase with her legs up in the air, shaking and screaming even more. Is this really something worth honoring?

Rather than celebrating a fanatic woman who just-so-happens to be stunning and “sexy,” why don’t we celebrate a woman who has actually contributed more to her community and her world? What about Dr. Maya Angelou—one of the most amazing poets, historians, actresses and civil rights activists in history—who was the second poet ever to have written and recited an original piece at a Presidential Inauguration in January of 1993, according to her Web site.

Apparently supermodels take priority over people who would seemingly be much more worthy.

6 THE RECORDER Wednesday, February 20, 2008

Sports

Blackbirds Soar Over Blue Devils

Blue Devils Take Home First Northeast Conference Championship Title Since 2001

Peter Collin Sports Editor Brooklyn, NY - The Central Connecticut women’s basketball team (3-10, 4-21) fell in a heated match up against the Long Island University Blackbirds (10-3, 19-5) 59-48.

CCSU 48 Long Island 59 Midway through the second half, the Blue Devils finally overtook the Blackbirds, tying the game at 34 before sophomore P.J. Wade connected on one of two free throws to give Central the one-point advantage.

But the Blackbirds rallied, retaking the lead 41-37 with just over seven-and-a-half minutes remaining in the game. Central continued to fight, putting pressure on LIU deep into the half.

Sophomore Kanita Boone put the Blue Devils back on top, first by hitting a running jump shot in the lane followed by a three-pointer to make the score 42-41.

The Blackbirds quickly responded on their next trip down the court as sophomore Valerie Nainima, who scored 32 points against the Devils during their first match-up, connected from behind the arc to put LIU back on top 44-42. But the Blackbirds weren’t done there, as their next possession ended with a three-pointer by senior Sara Oblak giving LIU a five point-advantage The start of the game went quickly against Central, as the Blackbirds built an eight-point lead by the midway point of the half.

The Blue Devils rallied and pushed on the Blackbirds hard going into halftime, using an 8-2 run to cut a seven point lead to only 28-27.

Central struggled from the free throw line, making only 50 percent of their attempts in the second half, while LIU was perfect, making 11-11 from the line during the entire game and keeping the Blue Devils at distance down the stretch.

The Central defense did hold the Blackbirds to a mere 38 percent from the field and only 29 percent from behind the arc. They also limited LIU top scorer Nainima to just nine points and only one field goal.

But Oblak totaled 14, and senior Anna Dziadkowiec scored a career-high 16 points to pick up the slack, while senior Mikaelar Whippy had a game-high of six assists to accompany six points and five rebounds.

The Blue Devils were led by Wade and her fourth double-double of the season, as she totaled 12 points and ten rebounds for the game.

Freshman Justina Udenze and sophomores Kanita Boone and Latisha Hatcher each contributed eight points to the Blue Devil cause.

Central Connecticut fell on Monday night as well, to the Robert Morris Colonials 68-54 at Detrick Gymnasium. The Blue Devils were led by sophomores P.J. Wade and Kanita Boone who scored 15 and 14 points respectively, while freshman Kerrianne Dugan added 14.

The highlight of the game came with just 6:21 left when sophomore Emily Rose connected from behind the arc. It was Rose’s 50th three-pointer of the season and it set a new single season record for the Devils, one that had been held by former Blue Devil Vicki Guarneri who tallied 49 triples during the 1997-98 season.

The next stop for the Blue Devils will be against the Farliegh Dickinson University Knights on Monday, February 25 at 7:00 p.m. in Teaneck, NJ.

Top: Sophomores Kanita Boone (R) and Latisha Hatcher (L) both contributed eight points during CCSU’s loss against the Long Island Blackbirds.

Bottom: Latisha Hatcher (L) and Kerrianne Dugan (R) struggle for a loose ball in last Saturday’s game. The lady Blue Devils would drop two games this week.

Photos by Conrad Akier / The Recorder

CCSUBlueDevils.com Central Connecticut claimed its first Northeast Conference Swimming and Diving Championship since 2001, winning six of seven events on the final of three days in Kiphuth Pool at Yale University.

The Blue Devils won 18 of 20 events, totaling 649.5 points, and swept all the major awards. Senior Lindsey Snyder, who won three individual titles, was named the NEC Outstanding Swimmer of the Year, while junior Kate Sohon and sophomore Liz Wahlberg, who split the three-meter and one-meter diving titles, were awarded NEC CoOutstanding Diver of the Year honors.

Freshman Alex Huffman was tabbed NEC Rookie of the Year, and Blue Devil coaches Bill Ball and Dave Maliar claimed the NEC Coach of the Year and NEC Diving Coach of the Year awards.

“It was a total team performance,” Ball said. “All of their hard work throughout the season certainly paid off. This was our main goal this season, and winning 18 makes it even sweeter.”

The former NEC record for events won, held by UMBC, was 14 in 1999.

In addition to Snyder’s three wins, seniors Kristen Jurzynski and junior Erin Crowley each won three events, while senior Rachel Brookman won twice.

Jurzynski began the day with a record-setting performance in the 1,650 free. She broke the league and CCSU marks with a 16:56.34 effort.

Sophomore Alex Huffman and junior Heather Vendetta added third and fifth place showings in the event.

Huffman touched in 17:37.20, while Vendetta finished in 17:52.43.

Snyder followed with a NEC record breaking effort in the 200 back. The Winterport, Maine native went 2:01.43 to break a five-year-old record held by UMBC’s Astrid Sperling by .79 seconds. Senior Maya Drew, meanwhile, placed sixth in the event.

Erin Crowley made it three straight on the evening for the Blue Devils. The junior won the 100 free in 52.40. Freshmen Alyssa Carlucci and Alyssa Reinhard then went 3-4 in the 200 breast, finishing in 2:32.61 and 2:33.54. It was Carlucci’s second top-three finish in a breaststroke event. She finished second in the 100 breast.

Brookman regained CCSU’s spot on the first place podium. The Rocky Hill, Conn. product won the 200 fly in 2:02.90. Freshman Megan McGorry and Vendetta placed fourth and sixth, respectively. McGorry touched in at 2:09.55, and Vendetta finished in 2:21.13.

Central Connecticut made it a clean sweep in diving. Junior Kate Sohon, who finished second in onemeter board action on Thursday, won the three-meter crown with a personal-best 196.80 points.

Sophomore Liz Wahlberg, the onemeter champion, finished second with 196.35 points. Freshman Theresa Degan, meanwhile, placed fourth with 149.25 points.

“This is the hardest working team I’ve coached,” Maliar said. “All the credit goes to the team. I wouldn’t expect anything less from them.”

The Blue Devils closed out the championship with a victory in the 400 free relay. Crowley, Brookman, Snyder and Jurzynski teamed for a 3:31.17 effort. Crowley swam the opening leg in 51.76, bettering her time in the earlier 100 free victory.

St. Francis (PA) edged Wagner for second place. The Red Flash had 457 points to Wagner’s 436.5. Sacred Heart took fourth with 222 points.

Mount St. Mary’s and St. Francis (NY) rounded out the field with 132 points and 126 points.

With their victories, the senior trio of Snyder, Jurzynski and Brookman finished their Blue Devil careers with a combined 18 individual titles. Snyder’s eight crowns rank third in CCSU history. Jurzynski finished with six, while Brookman had four.

“It is hard to replace one senior, let alone a group with this kind of history,” Ball said.

THE RECORDER / Wednesday, February 20, 2008 / SPORTS

7

Devils Crush Hawks Kyle Dorau Staff Writer CCSU Hockey had nothing on the line Friday besides pride. With berths in the Super East semifinals and ACHA National Tournament clinched already, they could enjoy the senior night festivities. It turned out to be CCSU’s offense that enjoyed the night most, as the Blue Devils (19-6-3, 9-3-2) thrashed the St. Joseph’s Hawks (13-9-1-2) 10-4 on Friday night at the Newington Skating Center.

After a slow start to the period that saw very few shots in the opening minutes, St. Joe’s jumped out to an early lead 7:33 into the game with a goal by Michael Fuery.

St. Joseph’s 4 Blue Devils 10 Fuery faked-out Blue Devil sophomore forward Dane Anderson, and fired a wrist shot top corner past junior goaltender Craig Height to give SJU a 1-0 lead.

Just about halfway through the period, sophomore center Joe Dabkowski took a turnover and fired a wrist shot that was robbed by the glove of St Joseph’s starting goalie Rudy Mangino.

In addition to looking lackluster in the first period, CCSU suddenly became the walking wounded.

Junior forward Erich Stoneman lost an edge and plowed face first into the end boards, knocking the wind out of him and sophomore forward Kevin McConnell found himself doubled over on the bench after taking a stick to the neck.

CCSU finally got on the board 11:28 into the first frame when McConnell returned to the ice and found the back of the net for a goal, but the CCSU momentum was short-lived.

St. Joseph got the lead back when Craig Height made the initial stop on a wrist shot by Fuery as well as a follow-up shot by SJU forward Eric Engels, but the third time was the charm for the Hawks, as Ryan Smith snuck it past Height to make it a 2-1 lead.

The Hawks continued the pressure until the end of the period.

Height came up big by stopping Smith on a breakaway with a kick save in the closing seconds. St. Joe’s controlled the first period, but it was all Blue Devils after that.

The Vancouver Canucks have the Sedin twins, but CCSU has an equally dangerous twin combo in junior forwards Mike and Rob DiClemente. Rob struck first, tying the game 3:22 into the second period.

On the defensive end, the Blue Devils tightened up. Dane Anderson made up for his first period defensive miscue by breaking up a two-on-one for the Hawks.

The Hawks had a power play midway through the second, but nobody told Mike DiClemente that.

DiClemente corralled the puck along the side boards, deked a SJU defenseman out of his skates and scored one of the prettiest goals of the season, a shorthanded marker to put Central ahead 3-2.

“We came out struggling; it wasn’t the best team we’re going to see all year,” said senior co-captain Todd Healey, who was benched in the first period for a team rule violation. “But we buckled down and started playing like we know how.

When we’re on, we’re a dangerous offensive and defensive team.”

Anderson contributed offensively, roofing a loose puck in front of the net to give CCSU a two-goal cushion. But just six seconds later, SJU answered right back as Kevin McNamara put the puck past sophomore goalie Eric Lunt to cut the deficit to one.

Lunt split the game with Height and made six saves on eight shots to pick up the win, his first of the season.

Mike DiClemente took advantage of SJU defenseman Brad Rushton being overaggressive at the blue line and converted the ensuing two-onone by sniping a wrist shot high blocker side to make it 5-3.

A monstrous hit by Kevin Butler at the blue line, which took two Hawks out of the play, led to sophomore forward Chris Kowaleski’s goal to give CCSU a comfortable three goal-lead.

The third period saw the Blue Devils outscore the Hawks by a three goal margin. It included a flashy goal

by Ryan Paglinco, who demonstrated some nifty stick handling around the crease.

Senior forward Chris Manemeit also found himself on the score sheet, picking up a goal on senior night.

Rob DiClemente and Kowaleski each got their second goals of the game, helping CCSU put up double-digits on the scoreboard for the second time

this season and extending the Blue Devils’ win streak to seven.

“What we’re going to do is enjoy it,” said Coach Mallia. “I really want the guys just to step back and understand that we’ve got 19 wins this year.

We only had 17 last year; we’re ranked number two in the Northeast; and we’re one of just eight teams that [have] currently qualified for the national tournament.”

CCSU will play an added game to the schedule against 8th ranked Boston College at 8:00 p.m. this Saturday, February 23 at the Newington Skating Center.

Top: Forward Kevin Butler’s hit on two Hawks opened up the doorway for a three-goal lead.

Above: Kevin Butler skates across the ice during Friday night’s game against the Hawks.

Left: Goalie Craig Height (#31) John Owens defend the Blue Devils net.

8

THE RECORDER / Wednesday, February 20, 2008 / SPORTS

Blue Devils Clawed by Blackbirds Peter Collin Sports Editor Brooklyn, NY - Freshman Ken Horton scored 21 points while totaling eight rebounds and three blocks as the Blue Devils (12-14, 8-7) fell to the Long Island University Blackbirds (13-12, 5-9) 78-64 on Saturday.

CCSU 64 Long Island 78 Central struggled the entire game to contain an aggressive Blackbird team and their defense suffered with 20 fouls. It is the second straight game the Blue Devils amassed more than 20 fouls, and not surprisingly, it resulted in their second straight loss.

“LIU just flat took it to us,” said Head Coach Howie Dickenman.

“From the opening tip they out ran us, they out hustled us and they appeared to have wanted the game more than we wanted the game.”

The Blue Devils faced foul trouble early in the game, as they registered their fourth team foul before the 16 minute mark. Senior Tristan Blackwood also found himself in trouble, receiving two fouls during the half.

The Blue Devils struggled early in the first half, going scoreless for 2:11 and giving the Blackbirds a 10-5 advantage. Central managed to rebound from its slow start, going on an 8-0 run to take a 13-10 lead, but LIU sophomore Jaytornah Wisseh tied the game with a three moments later.

Central failed to match the LIU intensity throughout the game.

Consistently finding themselves on their heels and playing hesitantly.

The Blue Devil bench also struggled, amassing only nine points for the game compared to 20 points from the LIU bench.

“We didn’t come out with enough fight. We weren’t hungry today,” said

Horton. “We weren’t physical at all. We weren’t bumping anybody; we weren’t getting nasty; we weren’t doing anything and they just really had their way with us.”

Throughout the first half, the Blackbirds were lethal from behind the arc, making 67 percent (6-9) of their attempts.

Later on in the half, Central found themselves caught in another scoring drought, this one lasting for 3:56. LIU capitalized on the Blue Devils’ inability to score putting together a 6-0 run to increase their lead to 35-25. The Blue Devils would only see a double-digit deficit for the rest of the game.

As the half came to an end, the Blackbirds pulled away, increasing their lead to 15 on the strength of an 8-5 run to close out the half, which was highlighted by another LIU three, this time by senior Eugene Kotorobai.

“Today it was just one bad play after another, one defensive lapse after another,” said Horton. “They were in our shirts and they were physical. I think they got into us mentally.”

The Blue Devils continued to struggle from three-point range in the second half, making only three of seven attempts to add to their game total of 4-16 from long distance. Central went over 27 minutes without a basket from behind the arc.

“The team effort has to be rated an F,” said Coach Dickenman. “We never made a run at them. You can credit their defense for not allowing that, but the looks that we got were not very good.”

It wasn’t until freshman Shemik Thompson connected at the 10:24 mark of the second half that the Blue Devils ended the dry spell that began when

Robert Morris Rallies Late to Overtake Devils

Photo by Edward Gaug / The Recorder

Forward Marcus Palmer takes it to the basket.

Jen Burns Staff Writer The Central Connecticut Blue Devils (12-13, 8-6) let go of an eightpoint lead with 12:03 left to lose a tough fight Thursday night at home against the Robert Morris Colonials (20-6, 11-2), dropping this one 80-74.

Robert Morris 80 CCSU 74 The Devils were up against a team “who may be the best team in the league,” according to Coach Howie Dickenman. A win for the Blue Devils would have broken the Colonials’ eight-game winning streak, but there was no such luck.

The Blue Devils put up quite a fight against the Colonials in the first half, keeping the score close. Back-toback three pointers by Jimmy Langhurst and A.J. Jackson of RMU gave the team momentum early.

“Five different players scored three’s; everyone can make three’s on that team,” said Dickenman.

The game was back and forth for the most part, going into half time

Blackwood made the first three of the game at the 17:37 mark of the first half.

“We have three more games. Two on the road,” “But if we play like this we’ll be an early out in the tournament, but we’re capable certainly of getting back together and turning it around and I expect we’ll be able to do that.”

Three other players reached double figures in points. Thompson and junior Marcus Palmer scored 12 points each and Blackwood added 10.

The Blue Devils will be heading to Teaneck, NJ for their next game against the Farleigh Dickinson Knights on Thursday, at 7:00 p.m. Their final home match up will be against the Quinnipiac Bobcats on February 28.

with the Blue Devils leading by one point. Coming out of the locker room, the Devils scored quickly and brought the fans to their feet.

Scoring during the second half was on-point, with lay-ups from junior Marcus Palmer and freshmen Shemik Thompson and Ken Horton all within the first two minutes.

Just before the four-minute mark, the Colonials started a 10-0 run that turned the tide of the game and put the fans in Detrick Gym on the edges of their seats.

With 2:58 to go the Blue Devils had the lead 68-67. With a jump shot followed by a three pointer by Jeremy Chappell, the Colonials set the stage for a late comeback by the Blue Devils. Fouls by Thompson, Palmer and freshman Aaron Hall resulted in the Colonials’ lead growing to 70-76.

With 18 seconds left in the game, Palmer hit two foul shots, bringing the Blue Devils within four points of the Colonials. Following a Thompson lay-up, Jackson slammed home a dunk and Chappell completed two foul shots with one second to lock up RMU victory.

“A.J. Jackson did what seniors should do in the clutch situation— [he] made great plays, great shots,” Coach Dickenman said.

By the end of the game it came down to who wanted it more, and “They wanted it more,” Thompson said. The Blue Devils had 19 turnovers on the game, with six blocked shots and six steals.

Thompson led CCSU with 20 points, while Palmer contributed 16 points and senior Tristan Blackwood another 15 points. Horton added seven points and ten rebounds to the Blue Devil cause.

The Blue Devils got into trouble when they committed 20 fouls against a team that is “the best foul shooting team in the league,” according to Dickenman. Usually averaging 14 fouls a game the Blue Devils gave the Colonials opportunities to pick up extra points.

Jeremy Chappell was the high scorer for the game, putting up 24 points and carrying the Colonials to their second victory over the Blue Devils this season. He came out strong, scoring five consecutive points with two minutes left.

“It came down to playing defense and taking care of the ball, and we didn’t do a good job in the last four minutes,” Blackwood said. After a tough loss the Blue Devils can “learn from their mistakes and build from. them,” said Blackwood.

Upcoming Games Date

Opponent

Location

Time

Feb 21

Fairleigh Dickinson *

at Teaneck, NJ

7:00 p.m.

Feb 28

Quinnipiac *

New Britain, CT

7:00 p.m.

Mar 02

Sacred Heart *

at Fairfield, CT

4:00 p.m.

* Conference Games

Top Left: Coach Howie Dickenman is pissed.

Left: Tristan Blackwood tries to snatch the ball away.

Bottom Right: Coach Dickenman talks to his team during a time out. The men also lost both games this past week.

Photos by Conrad Akier / The Recorder

ALSO INSIDE: Music Reviews - Page 10

- Page 11

Spanish Prisoners Interview - Page 12

10 THE RECORDER Wednesday, February 20, 2008

Entertainment

American Music Club The Golden Age

American Music Club is a name so nondescript it leaves a prospective listener wondering what they might be in for.

What they will find is music that reflects the traditions of American genres: rock and folk, with some dabbles in country. What ties the music together is the overwhelming sense of pessimism that accompanies leader Mark Eitzel’s lyrics.

The Golden Age is a fitting album title for a band that’s now going on its third decade. The song-craft here is mature and sophisticated, with intricate guitar arrangements backed with gritty vocals and often understated horns. The occasional blast of feedback or dissonant guitar solo keeps the music cutting and sets Eitzel with one foot in the punk door of his roots.

The songs are most harrowing when Eitzel handles most of the duties himself. “Decibels and the Little Pills” tells the story of a girl trying to substitute sex and drugs for happiness and intimacy, picking up the pace after the first few slower songs.

Eitzel is preoccupied with identity on this album; two of the songs’ titles, “Who You Are” and “I Know That’s Not Really You,” get directly to the heart of the matter. The latter has a loose, drunken waltz-type of feel, reminiscent of Bob Dylan’s “Rainy Day Women #12 and 35” (“Everybody Must Get Stoned,” to most). The former is shiny with finger-picking and harmonies but self-pitying with its chorus: “I’m stuck in my confusion, but I know that you’ll go far / You’re chased by the horizon because you know who you are.”

The incessant cynicism and painful selfconsciousness are what defines the album, as on tracks like “One Step Ahead,” where even doing drugs in a bathroom stall during a trip to San Francisco is defined as “so downtown.” Eitzel’s lyrics are painful in the sense that they are distant critiques of characters that may or may not be autobiographical; his pain is the evident lack of immediate feeling.

This album is deep lyrically, but there aren’t a whole lot of hooks or memorable melodies to keep you coming back. It jumps from slide guitar that hints at blues and country, to straight gutter-poetry folk, but stays within a range I can only define as Americana.

Dan Ivers / Opinion Editor

Be Your Own Pet Get Awkward

Despite the female lead singer and obnoxiously weird band name, Be Your Own Pet make amazing, fun, chaotic music that would be great to dance to while drunk at a small bar…BAR in New Haven should be trying to book these guys as soon as possible.

The Tennesseebased (Really?

Tennessee? Could have fooled me.) foursome has taken traditional punk-rock and somehow managed to speed it up on all the tracks that aren’t “Becky,” which steals its opening instrumental from a ’50s pop classic but adds some tough-girl lyrics to it: “…me and her will kick your ass, we’ll wait with knives after class.” Shit, not too shabby for a band that could get away with just being Dance-Rock.

The instrumentals on Get Awkward rock harder than a lot of albums that make their music overly-serious; I feel that this record is so much easier to listen to when I’m driving around or just playing video games in my bedroom.

With that being said, Be Your Own Pet is not a very technical band, and you are not going to get a lot of their music if you sit down and really examine it. With Jemina Pearl Abegg behind the mic, it’s very easy to make the comparisons to bands like the Yeah Yeah Yeah’s or Tsunami Bomb, but BYOP rocks harder than both of these bands and does it with more aggression and spite.

Be Your Own Pet have created an album that will give punk rockers something to get excited over that isn’t a 7” vinyl re-release of Op Ivy’s Energy, and it gives fans of the aforementioned Yeah Yeah Yeah’s-feel that they need to get pissed about something and have a soundtrack to go with it. With flashy guitars and threatening vocals, BYOP are doing it right and don’t give a fuck if you agree.

Edward Gaug / Entertainment Editor

Murder

By Death Red of Tooth and Claw

Should I touch a rap review after I fucked up the last one I did because I didn’t do my homework and got called-out on it? Sure, why not?

I love lesser-known hip-hop because it usually contains lyrics that don’t base themselves on bitches and cash.

Cadence Weapon is comprised of rapper Cadence Weapon and DJ Weez-l, and they stay true to that last sentiment—I didn’t hear a single mention about loose women or an overabundance of money, but I did hear an amazing Super Mario Bros. sample that lead me to believe that this was going to be my kind of record. I was deadon.

Reliable beats, swirly scratches and vocals that are easy-going but strong enough to really drive home his words with emphasis grace Afterparty Babies. Cadence Weapon uses almost every play in the hip-hop textbook: vocals; scratches; old movie samples; the recurring sample in the background; and jazz horn beats.

While he uses them all, he does it correctly and doesn’t try to go over the top or be something more than what he really is.

The track that really stood out for me was “Tattoos and What They Really Feel Like,” just because it’s more of a spoken-word song than a rap. He walks through the initial feelings of getting ink done and smoothly transitions into a break-up song that you don’t even realize until the second half of the track when it comes out in full force. A comparison to Jurassic 5 seems like it should be there, but it falls short.

While I can’t seem to come up with a legitimate compassion, Cadence Weapon hits it harder than some, but that isn’t what he’s all about. He does it smart and he does it in a style that kills without being decadent or over the top. Best yet, he’ll be in Northampton, Mass. at the end of the month.

Edward Gaug / Entertainment Editor

Did Johnny Cash resurrect himself and make a shitty, gothic altrock band? Because Murder by Death sounds exactly like what that garbage would sound like.

Murder by Death’s lead singer, Adam Turla, spreads his deep, gravely vocals all over the band’s fourth album, and it doesn’t work for him at all.

The first thing anybody ever learns about Murder by Death is that they possess a female band member who plays the cello.

While I love when bands use classical string instruments in an unconventional way, MBD uses it almost as a gimmick. I’m not saying that they do it maliciously, but they definitely don’t shy away from the fact that they have Sarah Balliet rubbing her bow across that electric cello’s strings.

Murder by Death really attacked the rural, downtrodden feel when they recorded Red of Tooth and Claw, using more than a few references that feel more at home in an older western than a brand new “rock” album. I feel like this album shoots for a particular antique sound, but falls short of their mark and came out lackluster, at best. For a first-time listener of MBD, I am highly disappointed, even though I have heard so many good things about this band from numerous people. I guess I can chalk it up to being just a bad album and not a bad band.

If I had the ability to cut out the vocals on the album and just sit and listen to the magnificent strings (whether it be the cello or the guitar), blended into perfection with Dagan Thogerson’s drumming, I would much rather do that and it would probably get a much better review than this one. While I can’t purely judge this band on the single piece of work, I can definitely hold it against them if I get around to listening to their previous three albums. For fans of the band, it’s probably a nice turn; but for the beginning listener, I don’t recommend it.

Edward Gaug / Entertainment Editor

Adam Green’s latest album, Sixes and Sevens, due out on March 18, is an expansion of this thing people are starting to call “anti-punk,” but more so to describe whatever he did after The Moldy Peaches and Kimya Dawson (recently known for the Juno OST).

The album has a retro feel to it, and while some of the songs are reminiscent of the weird transition between the 1970s and ’80s in rock music, some have the potential to be singles. “Morning After Midnight” sounds like the brass background for a Bruce Springsteen classic, which takes some time to get over, but other songs such as “Festival Song” and “When A Pretty Face” make up for it.

Many of the tracks pleasantly revert back to his Gemstones and Friends of Mine days, with upbeat acoustic guitar-based tracks accompanied by hand drums or piano. In the song “Leaky Flask,” the instruments don’t even come into the equation until the second minute and, after that, are restricted to drums and a deep, whiney horn.

Like his previous two albums, Sixes and Sevens needs to be taken in and enjoyed to the fullest as a whole compilation of 12 or 13 tracks.

Whenever I listen to Green, I can’t help but think that a lot of the music he’s making is a joke; there’s something about his voice that says, “Don’t take me that seriously, even when I sound serious.” He’s got a goofier tone that is similar to LCD Soundsystem’s James Murphy on the track “Sound of Silver.”

However, Sixes and Sevens is fairly catchy and surprisingly commercial. “Tropical Island” could be a parody of the opening music for a sitcom based in the tropics for its lazy and acoustic familiarity.

For the tracks that really stand out, Green takes a bunch of conventional instruments and familiar beats—even background singers— and creates a modern translation of the music we knew and loved from 30 years ago.

It’s definitely something you should steal online if you get the chance.

Alison Goldfrapp’s Goldfrapp voice is mesmerizing.

Seventh Tree From the moment you press play on Goldfrapp’s latest album, Seventh Tree, you are charioted away to an elegant sound-world of ambient, soothing tempos that are accentuated by Alison’s sensuous, drawn-out notes and perfectly played-out pitches.

Goldfrapp’s newest release stands out from most of their collection; before Seventh Tree, Goldfrapp was a bit more tantalizing.

Their most recognizable hit on Supernature, “Ooh La La,” was featured in commercials for the scintillating FX television series “Nip/ Tuck.” Most of the tracks on Supernature resonate a Kylie Minogue feel, even a hint of Gwen Stefani. As if the crazy electronic party got a little too out of hand for Goldfrapp, Seventh Tree is seen as a bit of a “rehab” album for the band.

“Clowns,” the first track on Seventh Tree, has a Joni Mitchell appeal; lest we all remember Mitchell’s impressive range, where she could dip low into false baritone and bounce back immediately to sharper, high notes. Alison shows her ability to do the same and could give Mitchell a run for her money.

Recorded out in the English countryside of Somerset, most of the album reflects that serene feeling that is evident in most of the tracks, especially “Little Bird” and “Happiness.” They also have that psychedelic ‘60s feel, with a mix of reverberating sounds and noises in the background of Alison’s lyrics, which feel very Beatles- oriented.

Every single track is as aesthetically pleasing as the next; “Road to Somewhere” and “Eat Yourself ” are two dazzling gems of Seventh Tree, and in “Cologne Cerrone Houdini,” a beautiful string arrangement sashays its way through four minutes of bliss, whilst Alison asks, “Could we be together in another world?”

How you enjoy this album depends on the atmosphere in which you play it; it will probably only be enjoyed while you are relaxed. It could quite possibly be your perfect yoga jam or when you’re working intently on your next masterpiece in art class. All I know is that I think I’ve found one of the best albums this year has yet to offer.

Karyn Danforth / Lifestyles Editor

Cadence Weapon Afterparty Babies

Adam Green Sixes and Sevens

Melissa Traynor / News Editor

The A.K.A.S (Are Everywhere!)

Everybody Make Some Noise!

Enough with the damn exclamation points, people.

It’s already aggravating that your band’s name has two separate parts; the exclamation point is just unnecessary. I don’t want a band’s name to yell at me.

Beyond all that nonsense, the A.K.A.S make some of the best punk-fusion that I have heard in the past year. I call it punk-fusion because it has elements of a few other genres, like dancehall and ska, which vary from track to track. Lead singer Mike Ski was actually a part of now-defunct hardcore band Brother’s Keeper in his earlier days.

Everybody Make Some Noise! has a mixture of punk vocals, dancy keyboard lines, splashy cymbals and thumping bass lines that should please listeners from all over the music spectrum. The album starts off with “This is the Way We Move,” a punk song with toe-tapping, electronic thoughts. The odd part of the song is that it finishes like a finale at a concert.

Ski’s voice really steals the show on this album, with his blends of punk shouts and smooth melodies. His voice stands out enough to give him a sound that is almost unmistaken, and the first comparison I can think of is a poppy version of Chuck Ragan of Hot Water Music; but that will fade the more I listen to the A.K.A.S. The album moves around a lot more than the average record, which makes for an interesting listen because you have no idea what to expect from the next track.

With variety and a solid punk-rock core, the A.K.A.S have made a great first step into the scene; now it’s up to them to plant their feet and hold their ground. Everybody Make Some Noise! is a good start and a great album to check out if you want to listen to something new.

Edward Gaug / Entertainment Editor

Grand Archives Grand Archives

Grand Archives, formerly known as Archives, is an emerging band out of Seattle full of promise and potential. The band, which started as a four-piece and is currently a five, is led by Mat Brooke – former guitarist from Band of Horses. Brooke’s airy vocals, alongside band mates Jeff Montano and Ron Lewis, are best described by PitchforkMedia.com as lending “a fireplace warmth to these rainsoaked ballads.”

They are a band best listened to on a rainy day, much like The Postal Service.

The harmony of their voices together creates a somber, almost sad sound; yet, it is angelic and beautiful.

The band was first “aired” on MySpace until Pitchfork found them, which really helped their exposure on the Internet. They were then signed by Sub Pop and picked to tour with Modest Mouse for seven shows on the West Coast.

Grand Archives’ tracks are mostly slowpaced songs, with a few that speed up the flow.

Certain songs have the soul of other great bands, like that of the aforementioned Postal Service, as well as Ryan Adams and Wilco.

“The Crime Window,” one of the more upbeat songs on the album, starts off sounding like a new wave Ramones “I Wanna Be Sedated,” except less rebellious and more cutesy (in the best sense of the word). It’s one of those songs that you can’t help but listen to over and over again, until you learn all of the words and can sing it at the top of your lungs with your car windows down.

The last song on the album, “Orange Juice,” has an island jingle that makes you want to drink Margaritas barefoot on the beach. It’s a good ending to the album, standing at a miniscule minute-and-a-half long.

Overall, the album is a great mix, with every song being different, but relating to each other through the harmony of their voices.

Nothing seems out of place, which can destroy any good album by throwing it out of sync.

They hit the nail on the head the first time around, which is sure to get them far. It will be exciting to see what becomes of them.

Stephanie Bergeron / Photo Editor

THE RECORDER / Wednesday, February 20, 2008 / ENTERTAINMENT

11

Wristcutters: A Love Story

Edward Gaug Entertainment Editor While as a society we have learned that there is nothing funny about suicide, and for the most part I believe that sentiment, writer/director Goran Dukic has something to tell us about the sometimes-comical situations we find ourselves in.

Until I saw Wristcutters: A Love Story, a dark comedy that shows the viewer a new take on what life after suicide might really be like, purgatory or the after-world seemed pretty dead. The audience learns very early on that the afterlife for people who have committed suicide is very similar to what we know as the world today.

The movie starts with leading role Zia, played by Patrick Fugit (Almost Famous, White Oleander), who is a twenty-something recovering from a miserable break-up, awakening to his dirty apartment. As the scene develops, he proceeds to clean the entire apartment with Tom Wait’s (who later appears in the movie as the camp leader Kneller) song “Dead And Lovely” playing overhead. As the scene comes to an end, we are left with Zia lying on the ground in a puddle of his own blood after slitting his wrists.

The plot line begins when Zia tells the viewer, “Soon after I killed myself, I found a job here at Kamikaze Pizza. It’s not a great job, but it’ll do for a while. The manager was cool enough to hook me up with a place to live, too.” The scene cuts to a shot of him slicing pies at a stereotypical and appropriately-named pizza place.

The movie makes a point of demonstrating how similar the afterlife is to reality.

After the initial introduction, Zia comes to meet Eugene, an ex-rock

star with a thick Russian accent who had “offed” himself after being booed by the crowd at his band’s gig. His suicide was probably the most bizarre out of all the characters we meet in the movie. Eugene electrocutes himself by pouring a full beer (rightfully a Rogue Dead Guy Ale) onto his plugged-in electric guitar. The odd thing about Eugene is the fact that his whole family crossed over to suicideland after his mother pulled out her IV in the hospital, his father hanged himself out of grief and his little brother overdosed because of Eugene’s death.

Shortly after meeting Eugene, Zia comes across an old acquaintance who lets him know that his ex-girl-

friend Desiree has crossed over to the suicide world, so Zia makes it his job to go find her. With Eugene behind the wheel and Zia riding shotgun, the two begin their directionless journey, where they come across a lovely hitchhiker named Mikal, played by Shannyn Sossamon (A Knight’s Tale, 40 Days and 40 Nights) and a peaceful camp run by Tom Waits’ character, Raif Kneller.

This movie isn’t for the uptight and politically correct because there are so many different scenes that will offend a closeminded viewer. You have to appreciate this movie for the story and the conflict more so than the actual topic. In real life, a whole world of people who offed themselves would be tragic and depressing; Zia and Eugene manage to make it interesting and hilarious with witty one-liners and over-the-top stories.

The last thing I noticed about the movie after watching it two or three times was the use of music in the movie. This doesn’t mean the soundtrack, but the music that is playing inside the movie. All the music played in the movie is by bands that had lead singers who killed themselves. Joy Division, Joe Meek and Gram Parsons all make cameos in Wristcutters. The soundtrack isn’t too shabby on its own, though, done solely by New York City via Ukrainian gypsy-punks Gogol Bordello.

While the DVD doesn’t hit shelves until later in March, you can still find the movie’s soundtrack online and the trailer is available on Apple’s website. Since almost no one was able to see this movie at the film festivals, don’t miss your opportunity to see it on DVD.

The Death of a New Technology:

How HD-DVD Died

Edward Gaug Entertainment Editor Luckily for me, I am not usually an early adopter of brand new technology. It took me about two years to finally buy the Xbox 360 I now use constantly to play Call of Duty 4. For others, though, it’s not quite the same.

Many people (tagged usually as Early Adopters) like to jump on the hottest and newest technology when it is first released so they can be the first on their block to have it.

The few hundred thousand people that did this with HD-DVD are kicking themselves in the ass now that Toshiba, one of the world’s leaders in video technology, is on the verge of announcing that they will halt all sales of the deceased video format technology, according to the tech-blog Engadget. com. What was it that killed HDDVD? Was it the fact that tech-giant Sony uses only Blu-ray (HD-DVD’s only competition) in their next-generation console, the Playstation 3? Or was it the absurdly high price of HDDVD players at release (between $500 and $800)?

To be honest, it was probably a mix of both. Sony’s Playstation 3 wasn’t a huge hit at inception, but they did one thing right; they chose a format for their disc drives and stuck with it. Blu-ray was just as expensive a technology, but it was built into the console, unlike Microsoft’s Xbox 360, which had to have a HD-DVD player

bought separately and then attached to the console via USB. Not only did 360 owners have to add another piece to their console, they experienced subpar video resolution due to the fact it was playing through USB and not the HD standard HDMI output.

HD-DVD’s prices have dropped faster than any other technology I can think of. Though stand-alone players started at well over $500, nearly a year and a half later, the same players are going for a tad over $100, and most offers include five free HD-DVD movies included with them, making the player essentially free. While some people around the holidays saw this as a true bargain, others speculated correctly and announced it as the demise of the new video format.

The death of HD-DVD has been more prevalent in the past few weeks, as many players in the movie business have been announcing that they will

be backing Blu-ray in the near future.

Companies like NetFlix, Blockbuster, Wal-Mart and Best Buy have all announced their alliances with HDDVD’s competition. Production companies like Paramount and Warner have also announced their support of Blu-ray.

In the upcoming weeks, I wouldn’t be surprised to see other companies announcing a stop in production of HD-DVD players and discs and, subsequently, the release of Bluray players to take their place in the video market. The next step in the process is to see if Microsoft will follow suit and drop the dying technology in favor of Blu-ray, as well as what they will decide to charge for the attachment for their Xbox 360 owners to gobble up. It looks like the “Format Wars” have come to a ceasefire.

definitelymaybemovie.com

Definitely Needs Laughs, Maybe Shorter Matthew Jurkiewicz Staff Writer Hollywood just keeps churning them out—these formulaic and predictable romantic-comedies. The story is generic; the premises are almost identical; and the audience reaction is indistinguishable—you laugh a little, care a little, but forget the entire film within ten minutes of leaving the theatre.

Definitely, Maybe is one of those romantic-comedies. Though it did have the potential for growing into something beyond the norm, the movie is going to simply be lost in the fray of generic rom-coms of past, present and future.

The plot was unique to the romcom genre, if not television. Those who have seen the CBS series How I Met Your Mother will find striking similarities between the sit-com and this recent theatrical release. William Hayes, played by the talented Ryan Reynolds, is being divorced by his wife. His daughter Maya, played by the delightful Abigail Breslin, wants to hear the story of how her parents met and fell in love. At this point, Will launches into the tale, which includes his wife and two other past girlfriends. The twist is that Will has altered the names of the three women, so Maya has to try to guess which of the past girlfriends turns out to be her mother. It’s a mystery!

Most of the film is flashbacks in the life of William Hayes. We get to see how Hayes met, fell in love with and then sabotaged his relationships with all three women. You would think that by seeing the entirety of the relationships, the audience would be empathetic towards the characters. The problem is that the dialogue prohibits any actual genuine sympathy towards the lovers. Rather than actual development in the conversations, the dialogue feels more like idle chatting than revealing insights into character. To put it bluntly: conversations are boring and lengthy.

So the romance aspect of the movie comes up short; how about the comedy? Well, it has its funny moments (the 1992 George W. Bush clip is pretty cute), but they fall few and far between. Laugh-out-loud moments are basically nonexistent.

There are a few clever comments, a giggle every now and then, but the lack of laughs makes the movie drag on forever. I was pretty bored for about 20 minutes in the middle.

Will begins the film as an aspiring politician working on the 1992 Clinton presidential campaign. Now,

I love ’90s nostalgia, and all my friends do as well. It makes us feel cool and mature. Definitely, Maybe has tons of it. The problem is that it steps over the line from cool to corny.

Too much of the comedy is based on the decade-old jokes rather than the awkwardness of a father telling his daughter about his love-life or the peculiarities of young love that would have entertained and endeared the audience to the characters.

Ryan Reynolds again proves himself to be one of the best-kept secrets in the contemporary comedy.

The script was not very funny; it was the talents of Reynolds to be boyishly charming yet coy that made some points in the film enjoyable.

You have all seen him before (that dude from Van Wilder), but you probably do not know his name. Too often his comic talents are wasted on scripts that just aren’t all that successful. The big-name comedic leads in Hollywood are given the movies first; then they pass and the mediocre scripts filter down to Reynolds, who is probably just thrilled to be in a major studio picture. But watch for Reynolds in the future; the rest of his movies may not be equal to him, but he is comic gold.

Abigail Breslin is simply adorable. There is no other way to describe her. Not often can I honestly praise the work of a child actor, but Breslin earned the respect through a cute, yet poignant display of daughterly love. Her character is the only one in the film that you actually care about—mainly because she is the biggest victim in this broken-home story.

By the time I reached the end of the movie and found out who the mother was, I simply did not care anymore. The love-story-mystery thing was a great hook, but the idea never really panned out. The worst part was that by the time you finally do find out mommy dearest’s identity, there are another 15 minutes left in the movie! If any of this had been funny or emotionally enthralling, it would have been acceptable.

However, the movie made me invest nothing.

12

THE RECORDER / Wednesday, February 20, 2008 / ENTERTAINMENT

Edward Gaug Entertainment Editor For those of you who follow my blog, you should know all about our liking of Spanish Prisoners, the Brooklyn-based Folk Rock band. They make absolutely amazing music and lead singer Leo Maymind is one of the nicest guys we’ve have meet in the music industry. Here is a short interview I was able to conduct with Leo this week. If you feel the need to see these guys live, you will have to venture down to New York City next week. Lucky for you, they’ll be opening for the legendary Daniel Johnston.

If traveling down to New York just isn’t your thing, listening to their songs via their MySpace will have to do and they sound as amazing recorded as they do live.

artist that is so renowned in the folk and Americana music scenes?

Maymind: We’re all super excited about this show, especially because we are opening and backing up Daniel.

Gaug: It seems like you’re on tour all the time, how do you keep yourself grounded and sane while being on the road pretty consistently?

Maymind: The people around me keep me pretty grounded. I wouldn’t call myself sane most of the time!

Gaug: You have recently signed to Exit Stencil Recordings, were they involved in the making of your record Songs to Forget or did they come in after?

Edward Gaug: While I have had the opportunity to listen to Spanish Prisoners, I am guessing many others here at CCSU haven’t, how do you explain what the band and what their sound is all about?

Maymind: No, I recorded the whole record before Exit Stencil came into the picture, so I financed (and recorded) the whole thing myself. We’re glad to be working with them now, they’re great folks.

Leo Maymind: I usually describe it as ‘noisy chamber pop.’ It’s hard to sum up quickly because the music sort of spans genres and I don’t feel it’s my role to describe the sound, I just think listeners should figure it out on their own.

I wouldn’t call myself sane most of the time!

Gaug: Spanish Prisoners have looked a few different ways live, from only yourself to four people now, how have the differences changed the band’s sounds and the way you play live?

Gaug: What are your and Spanish Prisoners’ hopes and plans for 2008?

Maymind: Having varying lineups is great because it makes playing the same songs malleable in different setups, which keeps things fresh. I enjoy playing solo, but we can get a lot closer to the true vision of the songs by having more people on stage.

Gaug: Is there anything else you want us to know about Spanish Prisoners?

Gaug: You’ll be in Somerset, Mass. in the next couple days and then a pretty big show in Manhattan after that with Daniel Johnston. How excited are you to play a show with an

-Leo Maymind

Maymind: Just to keep touring, writing, reaching out to more people, and enjoying life.

Maymind: Take a listen here: www.myspace.com/spanishprisoners! The music should hopefully speak for itself. Thanks for reading.

Spanish Prisoners’ debut album, Songs to Forget, will be out on April 8. You can preorder it now from their MySpace.

THE RECORDER / Wednesday, February 20, 2008

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14 THE RECORDER Wednesday, February 20, 2008

Lifestyles

A Speedy, “Green” Alternative Chris Demorro Staff Writer Connecticut is the 6th worst state in the union to own a vehicle, according to a recent Forbes study on the cost of car ownership. That means the Nutmeg State beat out places like New York and Washington D.C. by having some of the highest insurance, maintenance and fuel costs in the country. Yet owning a car is a necessary evil even for urban denizens in a state that prides itself on its rustic antiquity, what with the widely dispersed population and isolated outposts of consumerism that dot the rural townships. Fortunately, a fastgrowing car-sharing company named Zipcar may soon offer an alternative, perhaps even on our campus, one day soon.

First hitting the roads in 2000, Zipcar is a compelling paradigm for an alternative to car ownership. Via the Internet or telephone you can reserve the car of your choice, from hybrids to BMWs and MINIs, for the time and duration you require on a specific date. With a special Zipcard, which you swipe in order to access the vehicle at the specified time, you are granted access to the car without worry of insurance, maintenance, or even fuel fees. It is as simple as it sounds, and as long as you have no more than two moving violations or accidents on your record in the past

three years, you will likely be approved for Zipcar’s rapidly-expanding rank of customers, of which there are nearly 200,000 nationwide.

More exciting is the future prospect of having a Zipcar on Central’s campus. Across the country, Zipcar is in place at more than 70 schools, including Yale, New Haven.

Central, as many of us know, has a severe lack of parking during hours of the day in the school week. Zipcar, however, would be good because for many residents to leave their littleused vehicles at home, instead of taking up precious parking space. With

rates under ten dollars an hour, it would be a much more cost-effective alternative to putting excessive mileage on one’s car for a quick trip to West Farms. Plus, since gas is on the house, the fuel savings will pay for themselves if you don’t mind riding in economy class.

Schools like M.I.T. and the University of Boston have claimed substantial savings thanks to their students’ devoted use of Zipcar. On the M.I.T. campus, thanks in large part to Zipcar and a number of other transportation alternatives there, the school was able to not only expand its office space without the addition of a new parking lot but also save more than nine million dollars. During Zipcar’s inaugural year in Boston, the school estimated the company saved them more than $200,000, on top ofhelping reduce the school’s vehicle fleet by 80 percent.

So why not Zipcar? Indeed, why not Zipcar on our campus? The parking lots are overcrowded; many campus residents are stranded without salvation from the inactive weekends at Central; and it is yet another way to promote “going green,” an increasingly popular way of saying you are maximizing your energy efficiency throughout your life. But even if you have no desire to save the trees, you might still be inclined to save the green in your wallet.

I Have an Anxiety Disorder C. Nagle Special to The Recorder

Before you wake up, the room is still slightly dark and you’re wondering if you should pull the three heavy blankets down from over your head, even though it’s not cold and you’re sweating bullets. You peek over the blankets, look into the darkness and wonder if anyone was able to sneak into your room during the night.

Finally you convince yourself to stop shaking, pull the blankets down and sit up. At this point you could possibly pass out in fear, but instead you grab your light and turn it on for dear life. With the room illuminated you feel calmer, but you make sure to check the closet, under the desk and outside the door to ease the rest of your fears.

Those are just the mornings.

Actually, that’s a good morning. I have an anxiety disorder; I’ve been diagnosed at least five times throughout my life by five different psychiatrists. Each one said that my situation is severe and that I need medication, but unfortunately I can’t any.

My last shrink attempted to solve my anxiety through emotional and physical therapy. This calmed me somewhat, but I became annoyed by the constant push for the medications, so I left. That was last year.

Since then, I’ve been fighting this battle by myself.

It’s hard to go through because I hate telling people about it, and usually when they find out it’s because they see me do or go through something that isn’t normal. Every so often, when my fears and worries engulf me, I go through mini-seizures—I have uncontrollable shaking, and sometimes I black out when it’s severe. When these occur, I’m usually thinking about some problem I am facing—for example, a test.

My worries cluster from the smallest to the largest: someone trying to kill me during the test; not passing the test; failing the class; not being able to finish my major; not getting a job; dying due to starvation because I don’t have a job; disappointing my parents; ruining my family; dying alone because everyone hates me because of all the things I couldn’t accomplish; and then going

straight to some form of hell, never to resurface again.

My head doesn’t worry about just one thing; it takes every aspect of worry to the next level. I’ve made ways to attempt to deal with some of the normal worries that I get, but some times I can’t help it.

My boyfriend now helps me through a lot of it, but when we started dating, I was so concerned that he would think differently of me. On one of our first few dates, I couldn’t get my hand to stop shaking. I had a discount for working at another restaurant and was worried it wouldn’t go through. I just remember trying so hard to keep my hand between my legs so he wouldn’t see. Eventually he noticed, and I had to explain everything to him. Instead of thinking I was weird like I thought would happen, he stayed. I appreciate that to this day.

Sometimes I wish I could just be able to walk up a flight of stairs without thinking it might break. It’s really hard to see people do things and not worry about them. When I

was younger, I thought my worries were normal and that everyone went through them. I used to say I was nervous about certain things and people thought I was weird. Since then, I’ve realized that I’m one in a few with these thoughts. I know I’m not alone, but it sure feels like it when you’re looking out a window and hoping it doesn’t shatter in your face while everyone else is just looking out a window.

One day, I hope people can understand that I’m not a weird person and that I just go through things differently than others. I wish I could put everyone in my mind for a moment and and let them see how it feels to walk through a door and not know what’s on the other side (even though you’ve been in that classroom five times). College is one of the most fun, yet nerve-racking experiences of your life. Take your nerves and multiple them by two hundred—then you’ll see life through my eyes.

ublib.buffalo.edu

Going Greek Laura Caron Special to The Recorder We all see those men and women walking around campus with Greek letters on their shirts, but what do they really mean? “Oh, they are part of some clique; they probably wouldn’t talk to me.” You couldn’t be further from the truth.

When I left the comfort zone of my small community college and was thrust into the hustle and bustle of CCSU, I was terrified! Trying to find time for classes and work, never mind a social life, proved difficult. Through all the changes around me, the thing I missed most was the bond of friendships I had made in high school. I had never been one for “cliques,” so when I walked past a Phi Sigma Sigma recruitment table, I’ll admit, I didn’t know if it was for me.

We have all been subject to mind-numbing college-based “comedies,” which hold sororities in a notso-flattering light. But the moment I started going to events, I changed my mind on what Greek life was all about. It was really easy to talk to the sisters (not like what we see on TV), and I always felt wanted and welcome.

So why did I go Greek? Plain and simple: I was lonely. I didn’t know how to go about meeting new people as a freshman, especially as a commuter student. From the first time I

went to a recruitment event, I felt a connection with my now-sisters. All of the stereotypes I had heard about Greek life could not have been further from the truth.

What did I find? Sororities vary, but let me tell you a bit about mine.

Being a Phi Sigma Sigma sister, like in any family, means giving your all; it’s felt in that moment when you feel like giving up, but your sisters help pull you through. It’s being strong enough to face the world alone but never having to. Being a sister means being a shoulder for someone and having one there for you. It’s having someone to share the joy of engagements and the tears of breakups with.

You always have someone to study with or be silly and laugh with.

Now, as an alumna of Phi Sig, being a sister means being welcomed back with open arms. It’s seeing sisters graduate and welcoming new members. Being a sister means being a part of something always changing, yet always the same. It’s knowing love, friendship and dedication. Isn’t that what families are all about?

We all have those moments in college that we will always cherish and never forget. Once a Phi Sigma Sigma, always a Phi Sigma Sigma.

Student-Parents: Something Interesting Every Day Brian Morache Staff Writer For the traditional student, concerns may range from the big paper that they have due to the test that’s all too close, or how they’re going to balance school, a part-time job and, of course, that ever-important social life. Not that this is not a pretty daunting task, but it pales in comparison to the life of the student-parent.

As a married father of five kids, not a day goes by that does not bring something truly interesting, if not down-right critical! Beyond dealing with classes, I also have the joy of dealing with the parent-teacher conferences of my kids, with their social dramas and, of course, homework and keeping a house. Did I mention work and sometimes getting around to my own homework?

Needless to say, I have a very full day, every day. Imagine coming

home to find out that your six-yearold is being suspended from school, or that you have to bring your 14-yearold to a basketball game—and, by the way, you have to study for mid-terms before heading to work. You can do one of two things: go nuts, or just enjoy a very, very full life. At least there is never a boring day.

Student-parents have more than just their own issues to handle; They also have those of their spouses and their children. While it’s difficult to balance your own activities, just try adding the issues of children and a husband or wife.

Many of us do an incredible job of balancing all these issues and still doing well in school. We have “real world” experience that provides a unique perspective in the classroom.

If you ever need to know what its like to do the ultimate balancing act, ask any of us and we’d be willing to tell.

15

THE RECORDER / Wednesday, February 20, 2008 / LIFESTYLES

The Salvia Mind Explosion Ryan Yeomans Staff Writer There’s a new buzz going around: Is Salvia the new alternative to marijuana? Salvia Divinorum is a legal hallucinogenic drug that can be purchased at most head shops, adult novelty stores and even on the Internet.

This potent herb has been gaining media attention for much of the past year, mainly due to claims of one mother who says that salvia caused her son to commit suicide.

If you’ve seen a report about salvia on TV or read about it in the newspaper, you probably know the drug as “the new pot,” or even better, “more dangerous than LSD.” Before I can analyze how ridiculous and misleading these comparisons are, let’s take the time to learn a little bit about this mind-expanding drug.

Salvia Divinorum is a psychoactive herb that is a member of the sage genius and the mint family. The plant can be found in shaded, damp areas of Oaxaca, Mexico, where it has been used as an entheogen by indigenous Mazatec shamans as part of their spiritual and healing ceremonies, according to Wikipedia.

Salvia can be ingested in a few different ways, but most commonly the dried leaves are inhaled through a water pipe, or bong, as you probably know it, and held in the lungs for as long as possible.

Depending on the potency or concentration of the leaves, users will

usually begin feeling the effects upon exhaling. For most users, the effects of a normal trip include uncontrollable laughter, lack of coordination and spiritual visions. A higher dose brings about a more intense trip, which may include perceptions of multiple realties, also known as an out-of-body experience, and maybe even a short visit with God.

Salvia is just one more item to add to the list of things blown out of proportion by the media.

The effects of this drug are quite intense but very short lived, as they usually only last five minutes.

Salvia is usually considered non-toxic, non-addictive and short-acting, with no significant long-term side effects.

Although the effects of this drug appear to be quite harmless to the user, many parents and lawmakers are bringing fourth attacks against the drug, claiming it is a risk to all teenagers and their families.

Much of the negative media coverage has come from the suicide of a 16-year-old boy from Delaware named Brett Chidester, who apparently used salvia in the months before his suicide. In an article by CBS news, Brett’s mother, Kathy, claims that af-

ter her son started “acting differently,” she went snooping on his computer and found that he was buying salvia online and smoking it.

She credits the fact that her son used this drug in the months before killing himself as the cause of his suicide. Kathy forced the blame of her son’s suicide on the drug while she neglected to stop her 16-year-old son from illegally purchasing salvia online and failed to get him help for the depression he was clearly suffering from.

Kathy’s outcries have led legislators of Delaware to enact “Brett’s Law,” making salvia a Schedule I drug. Lawmakers and “journalists” have used comparisons to LSD and marijuana to try and scare the general public into believing this drug is dangerous and addicting.

Salvia in no way compares to marijuana or LSD and is generally used once or twice by someone looking to experiment and then forgotten about. The drug has been around for many years and has kept a low profile because of its limited uses and shortlived experience.

Reporters have twisted the story behind salvia and brought huge media attention to it, which has actually increased the use of salvia because more people are hearing about it and looking to try it out. Salvia is just one more item to add to the list of things blown out of proportion by the media.

For Artists, MySpace Leads to Gallery Space John Guigayoma The Daily Bruin (UCLA)

Stephanie Bergeron / The Recorder

Battling with Cigarettes Victoria Wall Staff Writer In sixth grade, I tried my first stale and foul cigarette. While the coughing was completely overwhelming, my older sister seemed to handle hers easily. It was a completely disgusting experience, but it was only the mere beginning. Five years down the road, cigarettes would creep into my life again.

The year before I would embark on college, my friend Al and I would spend our weekends smoking cigarettes. The ongoing joke that I had with him was that “The cigarettes we smoke are good for us.” It is not much of a fabrication; we both smoke American Spirit cigarettes, which do not contain chemicals, and the tobacco is organic and grown on Indian reservations.

Since I ran crosscountry, indoor and outdoor track, I couldn’t smoke during the week, although I’d still occasionally give in to my craving and smoke one. Feeling as if my lungs

were about to collapse, I would step back and wonder why I had made those poorly thought-out decisions that made my practices more challenging.

I heard somewhere that if one or both of your parents smoke cigarettes, it is harder for you to quit; it’s a type of hereditary trait. My father has been smoking cigarettes since he was 13. While others use it as an excuse for them to continue smoking, I’m looking to extricate the habit from my life.

Quitting smoking is difficult; I have tried to stop more times than I can count. I was able to stop this past fall and had not smoked an entire cigarette up until a month ago.

Fortunately, I can admit that I am not a heavy smoker. When I’m stressed out, one or two will calm me down; but it generally happens while drinking with friends.

My siblings and I are constantly battling with cigarette usage. Once, I caught my younger brother smoking on campus; he tried to hide it.

Three years ago, I found out my sister was puffing. It’s saddening that even though we know how terrible smoking can be, none of us want to be judged by what we do; therefore, we lie and hide and pretend that we would never smoke cigarettes.

In 2005, my father underwent surgery because he had precancerous lump in his colon. He downplayed his surgery so much that I was not too worried. One month afterwards, he told me that the patient he shared a room with was going for the same surgery. Unfortunately, that man did not come out of it alive. The surgery was a 50/50 chance. That blow really hit home, more than anything else had ever before.

For a while after the surgery I really did stop smoking cigarettes, but after a while I started up again.

This will most likely be a life-long struggle for me. I know the health risks, yet I still continue to do it. I’m making more of an effort, and hopefully I will eventually be able to say that I quit, for good.

(U-WIRE) -- The tiny crowd at an East-L.A. mini-gallery wanted more, but William Deutsch didn’t have much else to give.

Only a few pictures circling the Internet recounted the show: devilish dragons in melting pastels, a distressed whale with mouth agape, a stained-glass punk altar.

People would ask to see more, and the UCLA 2006 alumnus would shrug his shoulders—until he developed heyitswilliam.com, his own little corner of the Internet, complete with portfolio and pictures of his show at Truxtop Gallery nearly two years ago.

Deutsch is a full-fledged Internet art-networker, eager to talk about the art forums in which he posts, the blogs on which he dreams of being featured, his MySpace account and of course, his Web site.

“It’s a way to represent yourself without you being there. It’s a place where people can see what you are about and get in contact with you,” he said. “It’s like the equivalent of an answering machine, but for your artwork.”

Musicians do it: Any group of guys with a drummer and a dream can create a MySpace account and pray a record label requests a tape.

Filmmakers do it: A student can post a short film on YouTube and dream a studio rep will give them a call. And artists are no exception, vying for attention from galleries or companies looking for fresh designs and illustrations.

But while the boundary-breaking world of the Internet gives artists a greater chance of being recognized, it poses a few tricky questions.

As many artists can tell you, creating art is one thing; it’s another thing to sell it.

The traditional money-making goal for an emerging artist involves gallery representation, meaning a gallery picks up an artist and acts as both promoter and agent. Artists hope to establish the right connec-

tions to hook up with the right gallery, and galleries hunt down the freshest art that fits the aesthetic philosophy of its space.

The process can mean years of waiting, but the Internet eliminates the footwork. It unites galleries, stores and artists through keystrokes and mouse clicks, giving many the connections they otherwise would have never had.

Michael C. Hsiung’s success is a product of this. The Koreatownbased artist has gone from post-graduation doodling in his sister’s L.A. apartment to gallery representation, design deals with shoe and skateboard companies, and appearances on blogs and in zines around the world.

His formal training was one high school figure-drawing class, but his first networking tool was Flickr. com, a Yahoo-owned photo-sharing Web site. Founded in 2002, “Flickr” is one of the first Internet forums where artists are able to post their work, and it now has a considerable artist community. After college, Hsiung found himself back in L.A. without a job and eventually expanded his artistic presence on the Internet by exploring other sites.

“I drew a lot of funny people and animals, and we’d all just get a laugh out of it,” Hsiung said.

“My friends would say, ‘You should keep drawing. You should scan some of these and put them in a computer.’”

One important viewer was Leora Lutz, curator and owner of Gallery Revisited in Silver Lake.

“I found Michael’s MySpace, and I was just laughing all the time,” she said about Hsiung’s early illustrations of mermen. “I contacted him, and it turns out he was local, so I let him come in. He brought all his work.”

After showing at the gallery, Hsiung’s relationship with the Internet grew, not to mention his career. He now adds regular updates to his MySpace and Flickr accounts, and he also maintains a blog and personal Web site, michaelchsiung.com.

16

THE RECORDER / Wednesday, February 20, 2008 / LIFESTYLES

Bottom Left: Wild Bill.

Photos by Stephanie Bergeron / The Recorder

“This is what happens when you don’t throw anything away for 60 years.”

Nostalgia Center Karyn Danforth Lifestyles Editor Calling all collectors and novelty enthusiasts: search no longer for that vintage Hannah Barbara lunchbox or giant Pez dispenser! In need of a bobble-head or two? Look no further, and stop digging through your parents’ old junk in the attic!

There is a living monument to the unforgettable time periods that are well-passed and long gone: an ode to the pop culture that defined us as Americans.

Driving down Newfield Street in Middletown is quite ordinary; that is, until Wild Bill’s Nostalgia Center comes into sight. It is as if you began to trip right then and there, as the explosion of colors numb your senses.

The building’s exterior is difficult to describe in layman’s terms; it is that intense. Each side has been painted with historical figures and cartoon characters, from Jim

Morrison to Superman. Janis Joplin is seen hanging out by an unmarked entrance and next to it, a sign painted with the old phrase: “Hippies use side door.”

“It’s good to have high ceilings,” said owner Wild Bill. “Makes it easier to pile a lot of crap up.”

For 25 years, Wild Bill has been living a dream, owning sacred novelties that people constantly are pining after. As an early distributor of Funko, Bill started out selling Wacky Wobblers, otherwise known as bobble-heads. Funko has also made a bobble-head of Wild Bill, which resembles him with his long locks in an Uncle Sam top hat and peace sign necklace.

Bill then increased his store’s merchandise to hold rarities, ranging from hard-to-find vinyl records to recreations of old concert flyers, along with the millions of posters and postcards.

Wild Bill’s past is as colorful and adventurous as his store. Having worked for the Barry Goldwater campaign in 1964, he then enlisted in the Air Force in 1966 while most were avoiding the misery that was Vietnam.

After coming home, he settled down, got hitched, and had three children, all of whom work at the establishment as well. “My children and grandchildren work here; it’s strictly a family business,” Bill said.

Outside the store, on his 45-acre lot sit, 28 tractor-trailers full of rare finds. The store is already filled to the brim as-is, so Wild Bill takes out handfuls of loot from the trailers when he has the time, and the space.

“This is what happens when you don’t throw anything away for 60 years,” he said.

One item in his store holds a personal meaning to Wild Bill: a lifesized, electronic, animated clown built in the 1920s, straight from Coney Island. As he plugged it in and

turned on the semi-disturbing laugh track, I watched the clown’s haunting movements. “This is sentimental to me because my grandfather was a Barnum & Bailey clown,” Bill explained.

Random objects hang from the ceilings, whether it’s a giant Mini-Me (Austin Powers) or a section from a kiddy carnival ride from the 1940s.

“Anything goes here,” said Wild Bill.

“Whatever I find, I sell.”

While scouring the inside of the store, I stopped to gander at myself in a warped mirror, attempted to talk myself into purchasing a liquor bottle lamp and eventually ended up at a $550 Coca-Cola soda machine, starting at it intently and wishing it could reside in The Recorder office.

From vintage toys to wigs, suspenders, model cars, sunglasses and more, nothing in the store can be classified as “normal.” “It’s oddball stuff, but people do buy it,” Wild Bill

said. “I started the kind of place I’d like to shop in.”

Distributors from all over the U.S. and Europe know about Wild Bill’s Nostalgia Center. “They know we’re here and that we buy strange things,” he said.

Even Rob Zombie knows; he used a Wild Bill’s poster in one of his latest movies. Speaking of great publicity, A well-known television station is noticing the store’s outer beauty as well. “MTV is shooting a music video here next Sunday,” Bill noted. “It should be interesting.”

Wild Bill is planning an actionpacked summer full of outdoor concerts, flea markets, and better yet, a fun house built behind the store that will be open to the public. “I was thinking of having a hot dog stand built into the fun house,” Bill said.

“You’d order your hot dog, go through the fun house, and then receive your hot dog as you walk out.”