vol104issue22

SPORTS

2008 MLB Preview - Page 6-7

Hell to be Expanded: Seven More Deadly Sins

ENTERTAINMENT Faire Harbour Interview - Page 10

- Page 4

Wednesday, April 2, 2008

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

Student Abducted

Volume 104 No. 22

Sports Illustrated Editor Says Athletics Equalize America Amanda Ciccatelli Assistant News Editor Stephen Cannella, a Senior Editor at Sports Illustrated, spoke to a combined audience of CCSU and Jacobs University in Germany via an Internet teleconference, discussing the impact of sports and the Olympics on America and how they bring people together.

Cannella was part of an accomplished panel of speakers last Tuesday that included communication professors Cindy White, Jose Del Ama and the English Department’s journalism professor Anthony Cannella.

As the son of professor Cannella, Stephen has followed in his father’s footsteps in pursuing a career in journalism. He has worked a variety of jobs at Sports Illustrated over the past 12 years, beginning as a factchecker and researcher.

When it comes to covering the Olympic Games, Sports Illustrated covers them religiously, but not without challenges.

“The task we face is how to make these games interesting,” he said. Sports Illustrated, along with networks such as NBC, is having trouble writing sports stories that readers and viewers care about. He

See Athletics Equalize America Page 3

Grad Students Advocate for Care and Change on Campus

Stephanie Bergeron / The Recorder

Grad interns Kim Reissig, Kevin Croke and Megan Kenney delivered their Captstone Presentation on campus problems.

Amanda Ciccatelli Assistant News Editor

Stephanie Bergeron / The Recorder

A CCSU student was abducted last Wednesday night from the back parking lot of Essex Place.

Melissa Traynor News/Managing Editor What began as a reported stolen vehicle late last Wednesday night ended in a car crash and the rescue of a kidnapped woman hours later.

According to a crime alert release by the CCSU Marketing and Communications, shortly after mid-

night on Thursday, March 27, the New Britain Police received a report for a stolen motor vehicle, a 2002 Oldsmobile Van with a temporary registration.

Around a half an hour later, the New Britain Police received a call from a town resident who said that his 20-year-old girlfriend was abducted from the parking lot of Essex

Place, an apartment building on East Street. The name of the victim has not been released, but the release stated that she was a CCSU student and was reportedly not injured.

The van was later seen around the intersection of I-84 and Route 9 by a Conn. State Trooper and was pursued, however the driver refused to stop. The pursuit ended in a crash

After researching concerns among colleges and universities across the country, an internship class of CCSU graduate students gave their Capstone Presentations addressing the problems of ignorance and prejudice on many state campuses.

A presentation given by Kevin Croke, Meghan Kenney and Kimberly Reissig said that, along with other colleges and universities, CCSU lacks support for the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender community.

Croke discussed a few instances where students at CCSU were harassed for their sexuality. One student was turned away from the counseling center because they claimed they were not able to help her

deal with her family, who chose not to support her. After seeking help at the counseling center as well, another student was told that PRIDE, the GLBT organization on campus, was contributing to her problem.

“Over the past few years there has been an increase in hate crimes against homosexuals at CCSU,” said Croke. GLBT students become part of the statistics of students who suffer from depression, suicide, substance abuse and verbal or physical assault.

The presenters said that becoming a part of a special group is key to developing as a GLBT student, and the lack of a group on campus poses a problem.

Some of the solutions to this problem that the group called for are improved safety, health and security on campus, increased diversity and faculty training in understanding social differences. There are also asso-

See Care and Change Page 2

See Abduction Page 3

Todd Brewster Lecture: Balancing Security and Civil Liberties Melissa Traynor News/Managing Editor

Edward Gaug / The Recorder

Brewster explains the Constitution using three analogies.

As a byproduct of the War on Terror and efforts to protect U.S. citizens, a growing concern for the protection of civil liberties has come to the forefront of discussion.

For the second part of the Student Union Board of Governors Living Room Lectures series, renowned journalist and accomplished author Todd Brewster came to speak last Thursday on the ongoing debate between the importance of upholding civil liberties and maintaining security in the United States.

He began his lecture with three images that he later compared to the limits, causes and interpretations of the U.S Constitution: a laboratory where an object is testing for its limit in strength, Homer’s epic hero Ulysses who lead his crew past the perilous Sirens and a dictionary where one word can have many meanings.

Brewster explained the Constitution does have its flaws and limits, and pertaining directly to civil liberties, African Americans who were brought to the United States as slaves were denied their basic rights.

He said that while the word “slavery”

cannot be found in the document, the Constitution did support this form of wealth for white Americans.

In determining a cause for the text, he used Ulysses’ cunning story to illustrate the well-planned decisions of the authors of the Constitution.

“When Ulysses told his men to plug their ears with beeswax and to tie him to the mast to guide them past the Sirens, it’s much like the laws and rights of the people. Because they are pre-commitments, people sign on to them even though they know they will be tempted to break [the laws],”

See Todd Brewster Page 2

News

2 THE RECORDER Wednesday, April 2, 2008

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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 News/Managing Editor Melissa Traynor Assistant News Editor Amanda Ciccatelli Lifestyles Editor Karyn Danforth Sports Editor Peter Collin Entertainment Editor Edward Gaug Opinion Editor Dan Ivers Web Editor John Vignali Illustrator Sean Kinne Comics Mike Golschneider

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

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.

Senior Weekend: Casino and Cruise Amanda Ciccatelli Assistant News Editor Senior Weekend is approaching, and this year’s events look to be unforgettable, including a trip to the Mohegan Sun Casino and Lady Katherine Dinner Cruise.

On Friday, May 9 the bus will leave the Student Center circle at 8 p.m. for the Mohegan Sun Casino; it will pick students up from the trip promptly at 2 a.m. Tickets for the casino cost $10 per student and cover the VIP room, game and food coupons and admission into Club Ultra 88. Students who wish to attend the casino trip must be 21 years or older and are not permitted to bring guests to the casino.

“It’s is a weekend of events meant to bring the senior class together one final time before we all go our separate ways before graduation,” said senior class of 2008 president, Carissa Mastroianni.

There is an appropriate dress code for the casino, and any student wearing inappropriate clothing will not be permitted. Mastroianni said that students cannot wear sneakers of any kind, flip-flops, work boots, tank tops, jogging suits or jeans that are ripped, baggy or torn. If they choose

to wear jeans, a blazer or collared shirt is required. Before entering the Ultra 88 night club specifically, all hats must be removed.

On Saturday, May 10, the Lady Katherine Dinner Cruise will take place. The bus will depart from the Student Center circle at 6:30 p.m. and pick up will be at 11 p.m.

Business-casual clothing is required, and each student’s ticket covers dinner and DJ Cruise. The event is open to all seniors and CCSU students with at least 85 credits; seniors are allowed to bring one guest who is a CCSU student, however they must be present at time of ticket sale. The ticket price for both seniors and their guests is $35 each.

For more information on Senior Weekend, log on to www.today.ccsu. edu/MasterCalendar/, click “View All,” select the date for May 9 or 10 and click on “Senior Weekend tickets on sale.”

“This year is going to be a whole weekend full of fun events for the seniors,” said Mastroianni. “It will give students an opportunity to spend some quality time with friends.”

Senior Weekend tickets are now available for purchase at the Centix Box Office in the Student Center.

Care and Change Continued from page 1

ciations called The Safe Zone and The Human Rights Campaign that support schools and colleges in these endeavors.

Croke, Kenney and Reissig created a design for a GLBT center at CCSU that includes a suite style in order for students to feel comfortable. “Having a Safe Zone program would help others feel more comfortable with becoming a part of the GLBT center,” the group explained.

Although CCSU does not have what GLBT students need, there are many other universities, such as Trinity, Emory and Bridgewater State, that have groups on campus who are very supportive.

“These institutions have what CCSU students are looking for,” Kenney said. “Once the university meets the needs of GLBT students, they can reach academic success.”

Amy Napierski and Rita Matozzo also presented their project, which included solutions to the transition problems for students with disabilities from a regional University of Connecticut campus to the main Storrs campus.

The two addressed several issues concerning the ineffective transitioning for students due to the lack of support, pointing out that moving to Storrs from smaller campuses is a concern for students with disabilities and calls for a change.

Students with disabilities typically have physical or mental impairment, the most common disabilities being learning and psychological disabilities and Autism.

Traumatic brain injury is another prevalent disability in college students, partly due to the constant flow of soldiers in and out of Iraq.

Napierski said that there is a large influx of veterans coming to campus, many of whom are returning home after their time overseas with unstable mental health.

Napierski and Matozzo pointed out that those students with disabilities find it difficult to overcome marginalization.

“The feeling that they matter helps them in school,” said Napierski, while Matozzo said, “Having people recognize you makes a big difference

in everyone’s lives, especially people with disabilities.”

There are numerous barriers that Napierski and Matozzo described. “Students’ disabilities are keeping them from fully developing,” Matozzo said. One barrier is the size of UConn at Storrs, which is almost equal to the size of a small city. For these students with disabilities, a small campus is more accommodating to their need to develop relationships with faculty and thrive in an atmosphere with a smaller studentto-teacher ratio.

The group also argued that the lifestyle of a residence hall is one that is difficult to become accustomed to, especially for students with psychological disabilities.

“This is a big adjustment for people who have ADD and anxiety disorders,” said Matozzo and Napierski. While dorm life is challenging, lecture halls could be even worse. “No one is paying attention to them in a big lecture hall, which could keep them from remaining at school,” said Napierski.

If people are wondering what is currently being done about this problem, Napierski and Matozzo said that students are encouraged to make appointments with the Center for Students with Disabilities at UConn.

Currently there are no orientation days, personal tours or information packets to aid the students in order to become better acquainted to their new school.

Napierski and Matozzo developed a set of solutions they hope would work out well for the students in their new environment. “We would not single them out,” said Napierski.

The women said they would want a representative to help the students make a smooth transition into UConn, with Napierski saying, “We want them to have a face to connect with.”

“Our main purpose is to reestablish a relationship with people on the Storrs campus,” the two said.

Todd Brewster Continued from page 1

Edward Gaug / The Recorder

Brewster addresses the reduction of our civil liberties.

Brewster said. “They’re designed in moments of tranquility so that in moments of danger, people will know how to conduct themselves.”

He used his last analogy to explain the definitions of war today and how certain words can be manipulated to benefit a particular cause.

Brewster said that this war on terror is not just a fight between two states answering to a political authority.

“The Constitution was written for the world in which [the authors] lived,” he said.

The line between war and peace, Brewster said, is blurred frequently and the battlefield now spans across the physical and social world.

He said that most American wars are followed by a period in which there is a reduction of civil liberties, commonly in privacy.

In regards to monitoring by the government, or a “Big Brother” authority, students and faculty chimed in and delivered more campus-focused concerns, especially CCSU security.

Chairman of SUBOG Kenneth Barone brought up the topic of Locknetics, which is the security system installed around campus that allows CCSU community members to enter buildings and rooms on campus by swiping a card and punching in their birthday. It also keeps a record of the times and locations of each card swipe that is available to police.

Brewster said that it becomes an issue of whether, guilty or innocent, U.S. citizens are comfortable being monitored.

“If you’ve got nothing to hide you should welcome the government looking through your email,” History Professor Thomas Ratliff said. “The danger is that once freedom is eroded for a few, you risk encountering that slippery slope.”

The remaining sections of the SUBOG Lecture series are the Cambridge Debates that will take place on Thursday, April 3 in Alumni Hall and the First Amendment Free Food Festival on Thursday, May 1 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the Student Center Circle.

JuicyCampus.com Issued Subpoena in Fraud Inquiry Victoria Boggiano The Dartmouth (U-WIRE)-JuicyCampus. com, a nationwide college message board known for posts with titles like “Sluttiest girl” or “Best rack (real or fake) on campus???,” is under legal scrutiny for possible consumer-fraud violations. This winter, Dartmouth’s page was one of many on JuicyCampus.com to gain popularity by allowing anonymous postings of anything and everything about members of the faculty and student body.

New Jersey’s E-Commerce Investigative Unit issued a subpoena to JuicyCampus.com last week asking for details about how the site chooses participating campuses, how bloggers’ school affiliations are verified and how the site ensures that posters are either 18 years of age and older or fill out the required Parental Consent Form. According to a press release from the New Jersey Office of the Attorney General, the site — started in August 2007 — may violate the New Jersey Consumer Fraud Act by misrepresenting itself to the public.

For instance, while JuicyCampus.com’s User Conduct Terms prohibit offensive material and state that it may be removed from the site, JuicyCampus.com seems to lack the ability to counteract such content, the press release said.

The investigation began following complaints from a student at Princeton University, a JuicyCampus. com “supported campus,” who claimed to have been slandered in

posts that included her address, according to an article in The Chronicle of Higher Education.

Company founder Matt Ivester, who graduated from Duke University in 2005, told the Associated Press last month that JuicyCampus.com can benefit college students despite its controversial nature.

“Like anything that is even remotely controversial, there are always people who demand censorship,” he said. “However, we believe that JuicyCampus can have a really positive impact on college campuses, as a place for both entertainment and free expression.”

In contrast to Ivester’s claims, students around the country have expressed outrage at the site’s lack of censorship policies. According to an article in The Chronicle, the student governing bodies at a number of colleges are requesting that administrators take action against JuicyCampus by methods such as removing the website from campus networks. The Columbia College student council at Columbia University banned access to the site from campus computers, according to United Press International. Some universities have policies against banning sites.

Despite the popularity of Princeton’s message board, university administrators have not taken steps to censor the site, due to the fact that it is not the university’s policy to prohibit access to websites for reasons not related to preventing criminal enterprises or acts, according to a Daily Princetonian article.

3

THE RECORDER / Wednesday, April 2, 2008 / NEWS

Abduction

Athletics Equalize America

Continued from page 1

Continued from page 1

Stephanie Bergeron / The Recorder

Sports Illustrated Editor Stephen Cannella talks about the challenges of covering the upcoming Olympics in Beijing.

said the Olympic Games aren’t a typical basketball or football game that many American people are loyally passionate for; they are an alternative but impressive line of sports.

“The Olympics are a very tricky event for Sports Illustrated and American media in general,” Cannella said. He explained that since there are different time zones, it is hard for Americans to watch the Olympics at a convenient time for them. Beijing changed their Olympic schedule in order to accommodate Americans by moving the swimming finals to eight in the morning, so that Americans could watch the games at prime time.

“The Olympics are a giant local story for most media,” said Cannella.

During the time of the Olympics, America is focused on the games and the gold medals because it has become patriotic and nationalistic, or, as Cannella called it, “a hugely American event.”

Cannella spoke highly of legendary sports journalist Frank

Deford, who, he said, changed sports journalism. Sports writing was previously looked down upon as less important or relevant than other types of writing and was dubbed the “toy department” and the “Peter Pan” of the journalistic field. Frank Deford believed that sports cut across social and economic lines.

As an accomplished writer himself, Cannella finds inspiration in Deford’s belief in journalism.

“Sports have become a great equalizer in our society. It is what people have in common,” Cannella said.

This feeling of nationalism dates back to the Cold War, when Americans became very interested in other types of sports. “It was mostly a showdown of capitalism verses communism back in the time of the Cold War,” he said.

Now that it is 2008, Cannella explained that journalism has confronted a crossroad because the Internet has taken over America.

“Sports are tailor-made for the Internet,” he said, “so we are struggling with how to survive in a digital age.” Sports fans can easily access the Internet to check scores and see pictures in minutes when they click on an Internet icon.

This overload of information is educating the sports audience, enabling the writers of Sports Illustrated to expand on their stories, but the magazine is putting out old news to the public. “We face the challenge of how to reinvent ourselves and stay current,” said Cannella.

The Internet revolution has forced Sports Illustrated to reorganize the structure of their company.

The magazine also has a book division, radio shows and television appearances. They immediately put all breaking news onto their Web site and have started writing more feature stories, editorials, analyses and investigative pieces in their magazine.

on Kensington Avenue in New Britain. The crime alert release stated that the operator of the van fled the scene of the crash and has since not yet been captured.

According to the crime alert, the victim had described the suspect as a male around six feet tall with thick eyebrows and wore a baggy gray sweatshirt and dark-colored sweatpants.

As of Monday the 31st, the New Britain Police Detective Bureau was investigating this abduction case and are looking for anyone with information relevant to the case to call in to the station at (860) 826 -3065.

CCSU Police remind students to be aware of their surroundings and ask them to report any suspicious activity. An escort service by the CCSU Police is also available to students and they can request it by calling (860) 832-2375.

Congratulations Central Connecticut State University Graduates!

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4 THE RECORDER Wednesday, April 2, 2008

Editorial

Editorial/Opinion

Colleges and universities tend to be thought of as insulated and benign worlds where young people fortunate enough to continue their studies can go to enjoy a few worry-free years before entering the workforce. However, every so often those conceptions are shattered with a crime like the one a CCSU student had to endure last Wednesday evening.

While Central may be a far cry from the sprawling green campuses many may envision when thinking of a placid college environment, an incident like this is no less shocking here. While the identity of the victim is withheld as of Monday, we can thankfully rest easier knowing that no physical harm was done to her.

As for her mental and emotional wellbeing, we can only extend our best wishes for recovery after such a horrific experience.

The incident comes at a time when violence against college students has become something of a disturbing trend. Aside from the well publicized shootings at Virginia Tech and Northern Illinois, recent violence directed at female students has arisen.

Eve Carson, the student body president at the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill, was shot to death on March 12 just

Letters to the Editor While Dan Ivers deserves credit for showing sympathy for animals (“Equal Contempt for AnimalKillers,” March 12) I’ll save my sympathy for suffering people. It’s terrible what Mike Vick did to those dogs, but we live in a world where governments, businesses and sports organizations don’t hesitate to do the same to human beings -- to exploit them, then throw them away. We need to change the way we treat animals, but more importantly, we need to change the way we treat people.

Throughout Mike Vick’s ordeal, we’ve seen America’s true colors and maybe even learned something about ourselves. Allow me to explain-- its JUST DOGS!! YES, Mike Vick is guilty of being a depraved human being lacking of a soul and basic dignity. YES, Mike Vick is guilty of taking part in a crime that makes me sick to my stomach. And YES, Mike Vick is guilty of making a federal offense, but let’s keep it real.

We see PETA having million dollar fund raisers and rallies fighting for animal rights. But there is no such rallying for human beings.

Aren’t people are more important than animals? Isn’t the homeless, spousal and child abuse, the sex slave trade, and the improvement of our healthcare system more important issues? PETA’s causes are noble and just, but I believe human suffering is much more important than animal cruelty.

Daniel Quintero CCSU Graduate Student

I am a full time student, I’ve been here for going on 5 years. I’ve been commuting for 2 1/2, and the other day I was driving on Ella Grasso, and my car fell into on of those potholes. I was kinda hoping you can direct me to a dive team.

Maybe the people that wanted to bring titanic out of the atlantic can help me drag my car out of the depths of Ella Grasso blvd. Or maybe they could fix the potholes.....

Brittany Selvaggi CCSU Student

Got Something to Say? Write a 200-300 word letter to the editor and send it to ccsurecorder@gmail.com.

off of her campus. Just days before Carson’s death, the body of Katie Wood, a University of Arkansas student, was found in the bathtub of her off-campus apartment after a violent struggle.

And just this past Sunday, Mary Ellen Walsh, a New Britain woman, was abducted from a quiet neighborhood and killed.

Her body was found Monday in a Bristol quarry.

Luckily the victim of the abduction last Wednesday did not meet the same fate as Carson, Wood or Walsh. However, these brutal crimes can serve as another reminder to all of us of the cruel realities of our world – realities that still apply on college campuses, however blissfully they may often be characterized.

As CCSU police have reminded us all, students and all others on campus should be vigilant and aware of their surroundings, especially after dark. They can also provide rides for students worried about walking to, from, or around campus. This is an especially important to keep in mind given that the perpetrator of the abduction is still at large.

Additional precautions can be taken to make sure we are all as safe as possible. For those who live in apartment complexes or

buildings, take note of who is entering the building and surrounding property. The woman abducted was confronted by her captor in the back parking lot of Essex Place, which is enclosed with a gate. Females or anyone worried about defending themselves should consider carrying pepper spray or other self-defense products. CCSU is not fortunate enough to have emergency call boxes around campus, but given the nature of this crime, they should be seriously considered to help thwart future incidents.

The reality of our world is sometimes harsh, unpredictable and unpleasant, especially when viewed through the prism of seemingly random and vicious crimes like this one. No one can change the nature of our surroundings, but we can be alert and try to be as ready as possible to prevent and deal with these events. For the meantime, we can come together and give our support and sympathy to one another, and especially to our fellow student who was made victim to such an unfair and frightening act.

Hell to be Expanded: Seven More Deadly Sins Angela Macala Staff Writer The original Seven Deadly Sins: Lust, Gluttony, Greed, Sloth, Wrath, Envy, Pride. Their names are fairly self-explanatory; however if you’ve done some research, the context of what it is to actually commit these sins is slanted in a hurry.

This subjectivity aside, avoiding committing sins is a matter of common sense. Well, we now have seven more to worry about, thanks to the Pope’s most recent amendment.

The new sins are as follows: pedophilia; abortion; ruining the environment; carrying out morally debatable scientific experiments; allowing genetic manipulations that alter DNA or compromise embryos; dealing or taking drugs; social injustice that causes poverty or the excessive accumulation of wealth by a few.

Thank you, Mr. Pope-man, for your new list. They don’t sound as catchy as Lust or Wrath, but I guess they’ll have to do.

To consider these new scourges of mankind, let’s put aside our stances of believer, agnostic or atheist for a moment, if you will, and take an objective observation of religion in general.

Religion, in its most basic approach, provides humanity with guidelines on how to live happily and morally. Religious ceremonies give people the opportunity to socialize and share common views. If one avoids sinning, then all of us would feel nothing but happiness and live in a utopian society.

Right?

Everyone can pretty much agree on the following: rape is bad.

Incest is bad. Making yourself obese is bad. Not learning how to share is

bad. Murder is bad. Envy is bad. But what about these new sins? What happens when you don’t agree with what is considered “sinful”?

Let’s start with pedophilia. You have to give these men credit to admitting to their faults while you snicker behind your hand, but seriously: as if this act wasn’t wrong before. Imagine the Pope telling his clergy, “Okay, men, tonight’s the last night you can fondle little boys without suffering retribution. Tomorrow you’ll go to hell for it.”

Abortion shouldn’t be thrown under the umbrella of sin, but rather should be considered on a case-bycase basis. Those too lazy to use contraception (yes, we’re overlapping sins, here, but let’s stay focused) should be denied abortion. Those raped by their father at age 12 shouldn’t be forced to give birth to a living reminder of that sin.

And another thing: those who frown upon abortion care nothing about what happens after the baby’s born—they simply want it to be born.

They don’t care if the broken family has to live on welfare; the baby suffers physical and psychological abuse, and so on. How is forcing a fetus into an unwanted life just?

Ruining the environment.

Guess that means everyone that drives or rides in a fossil fuel vehicle better put on a heat suit so hell will be more bearable. Instead of reminding humanity what’s good and bad, why not give us suggestions on how to live better? This whole “Do this, but don’t do that” approach isn’t working.

Science. I’m taking the liberty to mash the fourth and fifth ones together; this whole science thing is on as shaky ground as abortion.

Ironically enough, religion has helped science along throughout history.

Demon Pope takes questions from the audience.

The irony stopped when sciences didn’t support religious beliefs (evolution being the most recognizable one). To give you a solid perspective of this relationship, the Roman Catholic Church didn’t revoke their charges against Galileo’s discovery of the heliocentric universe in the 1500s until 1992. The Vatican should’ve done more research before condemning certain factions of scientific research.

Dealing or taking drugs.

Someone better start closing down Dunkin’ Donuts, pharmacies and hospitals, in addition to busting illegal transactions and consumption on dark street corners. There are lots of drugs in those places (don’t forget: caffeine is a drug).

Wikipedia.com

Excessive wealth. This is coming from a guy with more bling than 50 Cent. Charity is one of the seven holy virtues, and followers practice it every Sunday when that wicker basket comes their way. Yet much of their money goes right into the nearest Christian jewelry shop. So much for buying food for all of those hungry kids in Africa.

What does the Vatican expect to happen now that they’ve announced these seven new sins? People commit the older sins every day, so doubling the list will hardly improve society. It’s just one more way to tell the Christian flock what they should disagree with. Thanks, Mr. Pope.

Dying for Citizenship: A Shortcut to Becoming an American Dan Ivers Opinion Editor Despite an economy on the downturn and an ever-growing resentment towards the United States worldwide, the lure of a life in America to many immigrants maintains its luster. The opportunities here still dwarf those in most of the world, and the large influx of immigrants, legal and illegal, has sparked a lot of debate. Some want to deport them all, while some favor a more tolerant plan of amnesty and eventual earned citizenship.

President Bush was originally part of the latter group, but this idea has gradually faded from his policies.

However, he and his administration have found one surefire way to make every immigrant’s American dream come true.

Die. Honorary citizenship is being awarded to selected immigrants who have gone to Iraq and lost their lives

there. This comes with a small ceremony at the soldier’s funeral and essentially what amounts to a piece of paper that’s supposed to validate and ease the pain of the loss of a loved one. Friends and family are apparently supposed to be happy that while they may have lost their son, daughter, friend or parent, at least they can be remembered as a citizen, a real American.

This is absolutely the most hollow, transparent attempt at saving face the Bush administration has displayed for quite a while. On one hand they are maintaining a staunch antiimmigration stance here at home, but when an immigrant dies for a cause they believe in, or contributes something that’s worthwhile to them, they pile on all the pomp and circumstance and “honor” them with citizenship. In fact, what they consider an honor is truly a great insult.

Fortunately, families like that of fallen Marine Riayan Tejeda of the Dominican Republic can see through

this duplicity, and have rejected the hollow offer of posthumous citizenship.

The reality is that most immigrants who die in combat don’t receive the same offer as Tejeda, and they give their lives for a country that still refuses to call them their own.

Military recruiters often tempt young immigrants with promises of citizenship and acceptance, while Bush and other immigration opponents talk about harsh penalties for those who hire immigrants. Perhaps the Commander in Chief should take a look in the mirror one of these days.

If the only way to prove that you’re a good, valuable American worthy of citizenship is to go to war and die, something is wrong. Anyone willing to go to war for America possesses a sense of citizenship unparalleled by most people in this country.

For that matter, anyone who is responsible, works and is a productive member of our society is worthy of the gift of citizenship regardless of

their birthplace, and preferably while they’re still breathing. The job of soldier is just another job that immigrants are doing because most Americans just won’t, and yet respect for that is still lacking.

If those who bestow this posthumous citizenship are aiming for some great symbolism, they have achieved it, only it may not be what they intended. Rather than making immigrant soldiers deaths more honorable because they can be remembered as “a true American” or something of the like, it displays the unbelievable hubris of many who run this country. The idea that American citizenship somehow makes one’s life more valuable or worthwhile is ridiculous, but that is just what they seem to be saying. The real message behind this is of a country that lures immigrants with mostly false promises of acceptance and prosperity, something many are willing to give their lives for.

5

THE RECORDER / Wednesday, April 2, 2008 / OPINION

Hiring Fabolous Disastrous for CCSU Spelling Habits Dan Ivers Opinion Editor

Sean Kinne

The time has come to holla back, CCSU young’n’s. Thanks to CAN and other CCSU officials, Noah Webster is rolling in his grave right now.

The booking of rapper Fabolous for this year’s Spring Week performer is downright ridicolous. The blatant disregard for proper spelling sets a poor example for students already living in an age of spell-check and common AIM and text-isms like “lol” and “prolly.” The endorsement of such blatant misuse of vowels could tarnish the university’s academic credentials and puts all students’ professional futures at risk.

Everyone knows that rappers and other musicians are role models to many kids in school; whether or not they should be is another matter altogether. Forget Mr. Fabolous’ laundry list of incidents in which he has run afoul of the law; his biggest crime is against the English language, and perhaps against young people who might be otherwise spelling and

grammatically sound. Bringing him in to entertain students gives the message that this is acceptable, and this may be only the first domino to fall in a potentially frightening trend—I bet next year’s Limp Bizkit/ Puddle of Mudd show is already in the works.

If this is the example CCSU wants to set, they will only have themselves to blame when graduates meet with difficulty finding jobs. Error-filled résumés will begin to circulate, advertising students’ “computer skillz” and “extenzive vocabulary.” CCSU’s good standing in the academic world will plummet, and high percentages of graduates, with such poor language skills, will be forced into careers as mimes or (gasp) rappers. The careers and livelihoods of literally thousands of people are at risk due to one rapper’s blatant disregard for the great language used by our forefathers.

Honestly, even the idiots who go on “Wheel of Fortune” probably know how to spell “fabulous,” and if they don’t, they may be risking thousands of dollars or trips to Tahiti!

Fabolous isn’t the only offender in rap or the music business with a spelling issue. Adjectives tend to be the victims, with perfectly respectable words like “ludicrous” and “corrupt” being massacred until they are but shells of themselves, becoming “Ludacris” and “Kurupt” (K is probably the most abused letter out there, and my heart goes out to it). And rock isn’t off the hook, either, as American heroes like good old Honest Abe are mercilessly desecrated by whiny groups like Linkin Park for the sake of some nu-metal credibility.

Unfortunately, the damage done can probably not be repaired at this point. CCSU and CAN have probably already paid Mr. Fabolous some money just to ensure he shows up, and chances are he will. Perhaps a spelling bee could be organized, with Mr. Fabolous as a contestant. It would be the least he could do to try to minimize the damage his moniker will wreak across this campus; however, this is unlikely. At this point, we can only hope that students hear this message: it’s FABULOUS…F-A-B-U-L-O-U-S.

Tibetan Repression Met With Empty Gestures Marissa Blaszko Staff Writer On March 10, a group of Buddhist monks made international news when they started protesting on the anniversary of a Tibetan uprising against Chinese rule—an act that has quickly escalated into full-blown riots, with the Dalai Lama threatening to resign.

But late last week, the Chinese government allowed international reporters to visit Tibet for the first time since a string of regional violence began. When the journalists arrived, they were loaded onto a bus and at once chauffeured directly to Tibet, making any contact with individual citizens nearly impossible.

At one of the dozens of checkpoint roadblocks between the airport and the fiercely-guarded Tibet, the police played a recorded message for the Asian and Western news organizations: “Chaos is caused by the Dalai Lama clique. You must resist them.”

The doublethink message, along with the rest of the strictly-controlled tour, was the Chinese government’s attempt at telling the world that everything in Tibet has returned to normal. But even then—during the world’s first look into the occupied nation in nearly a month—China couldn’t fully subdue the proletarian Tibetans.

As the journalists entered the Jokhang Temple, Tibet’s holiest site, a troop of 30 young monks ran into the room yelling. According to several of the monks, the worshippers in the temple were not Buddhists but Communist Party decoys. The temple had been surrounded by troops since March 10, with all 117 monks trapped inside. Soon after the outburst, the monks were escorted away by unarmed Chinese police and the reporters herded out of the temple.

Meanwhile, Pope Benedict XVI condemns the crisis in Tibet as “marked not by love but by selfishness, injustice, hatred and violence,” as he carefully tiptoes around the fact that the Vatican has been building upon a working relationship with China. Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi met with the Dalai Lama a year after awarding His Holiness a Congressional Gold Medal but is taking little real action on the issue. And the President of the most powerful nation in the world continues to ignore the cultural genocide while feeding his people sound bites on last

doublespeakshow.com

‘Teflon’ John McCain Brian Morache Staff Writer

year’s surge in Iraq. But hey—it’s not his fault that China has no oil.

Unfortunately, even with reports of the Jokhang Temple incident zipping around the blogosphere like super balls in a rubber room, the international media has fallen short of helping the Tibetan people. Because China has no independent media (only an Orwellian state-controlled press), it is impossible for the world to trust the Communist Party’s word— but the powerless lack the ability to communicate ideas thanks to China’s Great Firewall, which separates the country from a large chunk of the Internet. Thus, it has been left to investigative journalists to passively, maybe, sort-of, report some alleged facts.

Catchphrases and buzzwords seem to be a great vehicle for delivering a lack of news to the public. The word “crackdown” has become already a favored term—a mostly neutral word that everyone from the BBC, to the New York Times, to little-known Chinese blogs, have been using. “Crackdown” is used to convey the fact that China has taken action against the protestors, without offering much more detail. “Crackdown” can be used in any context—from a positive police crackdown on gang violence to an arguably unconstitu-

tional Internet crackdown on file sharing. “Crackdown” is newspeak that can be found in Webster’s Dictionary. “Crackdown,” like most action taken by foreign governments, is the media’s attempt to acknowledge a problem without picking a side.

And yet, the Chinese media still dismiss the word as foreign propaganda. There’s no telling what will happen to the once-independent nation of Tibet within the next couple of months, never mind the next couple of years. But what the conflict is proving is this: without allowed communication, either independent of or incorporated in the mass media, it is impossible for a people to stand united.

A solution in Tibet, no matter what anyone thinks, says, or writes in a newspaper column, isn’t going to start with politicians. Tibet’s revolution doesn’t need handshaking officials posing with exiled leaders; independence doesn’t begin with a couple of petitions, ‘Team Tibet’ websites, or a string of well-designed anti-Olympic propaganda. Change in Tibet will start with watchdog journalism, a conscious audience and the support of people willing to take real action.

With the nation fixated upon the two Democratic candidates, Sen. John McCain, the presumptive Republican nominee, has received a free ride from the media. While the media has covered the selected words of Sen. Barack Obama’s former pastor, Reverend Jeremiah Wright, and examined Sen. Hillary Clinton’s records as First Lady with a finetoothed comb, McCain has been able to do just about whatever he wants.

McCain has embraced Reverend John Hagee, a man who claims that Hurricane Katrina was God’s punishment of gays and lesbians living in New Orleans and has called Catholics “whores.” So just where is the outrage from citizens about Hagee’s controversial statements? Where is the criticism of McCain for not only accepting this endorsement but seeking it out? Why don’t media outlets make such a big deal about Hagee when they refer to the selected comments of Reverend Wright as a scandal for Obama?

While in the Middle East, Senator McCain attempted to link Al-Qaeda, a Sunni group, with Iran, a Shiite group. He did this not once, but four times. Are we expected to merely accept this as a “misstatement,” or perhaps a “senior moment” from a man who is seeking the presidency? I don’t know about you, but I don’t want my president to be having a “senior moment” when antagonizing a country that many consider to be the primary enemy of the United States in the Middle East. And yet the media let it go without as much as a peep. Haven’t we had enough of lies that get us involved in more wars?

I’m just waiting for a “WMD” state-

ment, or maybe that Iran was behind 9/11.

Of course, how can a senator who was one of the Keating Five, who sought to protect the banking industry from investigation, understand the need for the government to guide the economy in a healthy direction? Why isn’t the media investigating McCain’s efforts on behalf of lobbyists in the communications industry? Five of the senator’s top advisors are major lobbyists who will even make calls directly from the “straight talk express” while the senator denounces their practice.

Why are so few people in the media ignoring his reversal of support for the Bush tax cuts? He voted against them because they favored the wealthy and accused the President of being fiscally irresponsible. Yet now that he is seeking conservative support, he is all-for making them permanent. McCain talks about campaign finance reform, and then his campaign uses public funds as collateral for a bank loan to keep his campaign running. With twothirds of the nation desiring an exit strategy in Iraq, McCain wants to stay there. Yet, regardless of all of the signs, the media seem to ignore just how out of touch McCain is with the people of the United States.

It has become clear that McCain, who is well-liked by the members of the media, has a Teflon skin. No matter what he does or says, everything just slides off his back, while Democrats can’t even hiccup without the media all over them.

Hopefully many of these issues will be brought to light during the general election. That way, “Teflon John” will find his feet put to the fire at last.

Sports

6 THE RECORDER Wednesday, April 2, 2008

MLB PREVIEW 2008 AL East Preview Jen Burns Staff Writer

New York Yankees Last Season: 2nd Place 94-68, Lost in ALDS to Indians.

Outlook: The Yankees are back with their all-star lineup and young pitching staff to lock in the AL East. Phil Hughes, 22, and Ian Kennedy, 23, will be regulars in the rotation with Andy Pettitte starting out the season on the DL. Joba Chamberlain coming out of the bullpen will make his way into the starting rotation later in the season. With Derek Jeter, Jorge Posada and Alex Rodriguez the team will not have a problem scoring runs.

Joe Girardi has a lot to work with, but post season play will be a question with the young pitchers innings limits.

Boston Red Sox* Last Season: 1st Place 96-66, World Series Champions Outlook: With Curt Schilling out for the first half, the pressure will be on the younger pitchers Jon Lester, Clay Buchholz to step up behind aces Josh Beckett and Daisuke Matsuzaka. The Red Sox arguably have the best bullpen in the league. Along with power hitters Manny Ramirez and David Ortiz, Jacoby Ellsbury will score runs, and J.D. Drew will try and continue his hot streak from post season play. The Red Sox chance of repeating relies on their ability to stay healthy as they did last year, because any slip up will give the Indians or the White Sox the chance to take the Wild Card.

son: they’re rebuilding. The Orioles have a few players that will make their mark; the rest are just there to fill space. Nick Markakis and Adam Jones will provide offense to a team that hasn’t had a winning season since 1997. With top draft pick Matt Wieters the Orioles will try to finish somewhere other than last.

AL Central Preview Michael Luchene Staff Writer

Cleveland Indians Last Season: 1st Place 96-66, lost in ALCS to Red Sox Outlook: C.C. Sabathia and Fausto Carmona provide Cleveland with the best one-two punch in the American League. The team’s top prospect, Adam Miller, could join the rotation in time for the stretch run. Scoring runs shouldn’t be a problem either.

Grady Sizemore will once again set the pace for a dynamic offense.

Detroit Tigers Last Season: 2nd Place 88-74 Outlook: The Tigers made a big offseason splash by trading for Miguel Cabrera and Dontrelle Willis. Although the team won’t have difficulty at the plate, pitching is a major concern. Justin Verlander could win the Cy Young award, but Jeremy Bonderman and the newly acquired Willis both need to return to form. Joel Zumaya and Fernando Rodney are quality relievers, but neither can stay healthy. Detroit may be able to slug their way to the playoffs, but pitching wins championships.

Toronto Blue Jays

Minnesota Twins

Last Season: 3rd Place 83-79

Last Season: 3rd Place 79-83

Outlook: In order for the Blue Jays to see post season play, the Red Sox and the Yankees need to make mistakes. The pitching staff is strong with Roy Halladay and A.J. Burnett, that is if Burnett can stay healthy. Scott Rolen, who is always plagued by nagging injuries, may not be much of an upgrade from Troy Glaus. With five of the Blue Jays starters being over 33 and health being an issue Toronto may not reach the 90 wins to give the Red Sox and the Yankees competition.

Outlook: It was a long winter in Minnesota. Torii Hunter’s departure was followed by the trade of Johan Santana. The Twins will once again rely on younger players to fill the void. Hunter’s replacement, Carlos Gomez, is the fastest player in baseball, but he’ll have to show that he is Major League-ready. Kevin Slowey headlines an impressive list of young arms in the organization, but the loss of Santana could be too much to over-

Tampa Bay Rays Last Season: 5th Place 66-96 Outlook: For the Tampa Bay Rays, last place is a familiar spot. Reliable pitchers Scott Kazmir and James Shields will be followed in the rotation by Matt Garza who is a fierce competitor. Troy Percival is a new addition to the team and gives the Rays a solid veteran closer. Run support will be provided by Carlos Pena, B.J. Upton and top third base prospect Evan Longoria. Look for first round draft pick David Price to make a strong outing later in the season when the Rays hand him the ball.

Baltimore Orioles Last Season: 4th Place 69-93 Outlook: The Baltimore Orioles are trying something different this sea-

come. All eyes will be on Francisco Liriano. “Franchise” is back after missing 2007 with Tommy John surgery. His progress may be the biggest factor in the success of the team’s 2008 season.

Kansas City Royals Last Season: 5th Place 69-93 Outlook: The Royals are in the midst of a return to prominence. Playing in baseball’s most competitive division doesn’t bode well for the team’s 2008 playoff chances, but after years in turmoil, there is light at the end of the tunnel.

Don’t be surprised if Alex Gordon and Billy Butler are household names by the end of the year.

Chicago White Sox Last Season: 4th Place 72-90 Outlook: Ken Harrelson is one of the most nationally recognizable play-by-play announcers in baseball. Unfortunately his famous line, “He gone,” may be true of manager Ozzie Guillen before long. GM Ken Williams probably won’t be far behind. Paul Konerko, Jim Thome, and Jermaine Dye could all help bring a title to their team...after they are traded. The Sox need to rebuild, but they don’t appear to recognize that yet. Let’s set the over-under at June.

AL West Preview Peter Collin Sports Editor

Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim Last Season: 1st Place 94-68, lost in ALDS to Red Sox Outlook: The Angels finally added that protection that Vlad Guerrero so desperately needed, but it wasn’t the big bat they wanted. Torii Hunter may not be the same caliber bat as Miguel Cabrera, but he is a huge improvement over the fast-fading Garret Anderson.

The loss of Kelvim Escobar is a blow, but the Angels always have the system depth to fill holes in the rotation and the bullpen. Prospect Nick Adenhart will be waiting in the wings to fortify the rotation behind ace John Lackey and recent addition Jon Garland.

Seattle Mariners Last Season: 2nd Place 88-74 Outlook: The Mariners made a huge splash with the addition of Erik Bedard. Bedard and Felix Hernandez make arguably the best duo at the top of any rotation. Adding Jarrod Washburn and Carlos Silva to the mix makes their rotation that much better and their bullpen isn’t too shabby either with an elite closer like J.J. Putz. They will struggle though. Richie Sexson is becoming ridiculously bad and Adrian Beltre is never going to live up to that huge contract. Teams will find it hard to score on them, but Ichiro can’t carry the team alone offensively.

Texas Rangers Last Season: 4th Place 75-87 Outlook: Texas is still lacking in the same area: pitching. It has been their Achilles heel for a long time now and it doesn’t seem like is going to change anytime soon. An aging and injured Kevin Millwood is the best this team can offer and that is going to be a big problem. Not only that but their lineup is nowhere near as deep as it used to be and it is overly dependant on troubled outfielders Milton Bradley and Josh Hamilton to produce big numbers.

Oakland Athletics Last Season: 3rd Place 76-86 Outlook: When Oakland dumped Dan

Haren on the D-Backs and Nick Swisher on the White Sox, it was assumed that the rebuilding process had begun in earnest. GM Billy Beane brought back a pretty good haul too, and it shouldn’t be long before the A’s are back and contending. Of course those deals did little to aid Oakland right now and this season should be a dismal one for the A’s.

Rich Harden probably will go donwnaround May like always and from then on Oakland fans can worry about if the Raiders will put together an actual football team in September.

NL East Preview Jen Burns Staff Writer

New York Mets Last Season: 2nd Place 88-74 Outlook: The Mets can’t do much worse than they did last year.

The Mets need Jose Reyes to rebound and perform consistently. He can’t fade off at the end of the season for the Mets to do well. What it comes down to is a solid performance from Reyes and equally good years from Carlos Beltran and David Wright for the Mets to look at post season play. Having Johan Santana, a healthy Pedro Martinez and young starters Oliver Perez and John Maine, the pitching staff will be strong for the 2008 season.

Philadelphia* Phillies Last Season: 1st Place 89-73, Lost in ALDS to Rockies Outlook: Philadelphia has a few things to overcome if they want to have a successful season. Although they have six players in their lineup who hit

20 homeruns last year, their biggest need is to keep their pitching healthy enough to make it to the bullpen. If Brad Lidge returns to the form of two years ago along with strong pitching from Brett Myers and Cole Hamels, the Phillies could win the division.

Philadelphia has more than enough in their lineup to get on base with Jimmy Rollins, Shane Victorino, Chase Utley, down to the eighth spot. With 892 runs scored last year, the offense will solve most of their problems.

Atlanta Braves Last Season: 3rd Place 84-78 Outlook: The Braves have a lineup that is stacked in the middle with Mark Teixeira, Chipper Jones and Jeff Francoeur. They could outscore the Mets and the Phillies. The Braves also picked up Reuben Gotay from the Mets who will help solidify the bench.

With Hampton and Hudson being in their 30s and Glavine and Smoltz in his 40s, the Braves still have a rotation that can win games but also help out the young bullpen. The Braves have a lot to accomplish this season with solid hitting and a reliable bullpen that could put them ahead of the Phillies and the Mets.

Washington Nationals Last Season: 4th Place 73-89 Outlook: The Nationals have a few things to look forward to this season, pitching isn’t one of them. Their closer Chad Cordero is reliable but the rotation never makes it that far.

Acquiring Lastings Milledge from the Mets will help out the lineup in the long term. Ryan Zimmerman and Elijah Dukes also have the power to drive in runs. For the Nationals there wont be much to celebrate this year beyond their new stadium.

Florida Marlins Last Season: 5th Place 71-91 Outlook: The Florida Marlins finished last in the NL East in 2007 and look like they will again this year. They have a few good players but their pitching needs a lot of work. Andrew Miller who still needs a full year in triple A will get the third spot in the rotation this year. Even though losing Miguel Cabrera the Marlins have short stop Hanley Ramirez who step up to lead the offense. Mike Jacobs, Dan Uggla and Josh Willingham fill out the lineup.

For the Marlins, the future looks bright, but for now they have a lot of work to do.

NL Central Preview Michael Luchene Staff Writer

Chicago Cubs Last Season: 1st Place 85-77, lost in ALDS to Diamondbacks Outlook: If the Cubs can’t win their division this year, then they really are cursed. Kosuke Fukodome will make his anticipated U.S debut in right field. Kerry Wood is healthy and ready to take on his new role as closer.

It’ll probably take him about three games to blow his arm out again, but the Cubbies have Carlos Marmol waiting in the wings.

7

THE RECORDER / Wednesday, April 2, 2008 / SPORTS

Milwaukee Brewers Last Season: 2nd Place 83-79 Outlook: If anyone is going to give Chicago a run for their money, it’ll be Milwaukee. First baseman, Prince Fielder, is coming off of a monster year and it wouldn’t surprise anyone if he matched it with another. Manny Parra will start the season in the rotation. He could prove to be the NL Rookie of the Year.

Houston Astros Last Season: 4th Place 73-89 Outlook: Miguel Tejada is a huge upgrade at shortstop. Defensively, Adam Everett will be missed, but Tejada may hit 35 home runs with the short porch in left field. Hunter Pence will get a chance to step into the lineup from day one this year. While there are plenty of reasons to be excited about the offense, there are just as many excuses to be skeptical of the depth at pitching.

Cincinnati Reds Last Season: 5th Place 72-90 Outlook: For the first time since the days of Jose Rijo and Barry Larkin, the Reds could be serious contenders. Edison Volquez, Joey Votto, and (reigning Minor League Baseball Player of the Year) Jay Bruce will all factor in at some point this season.

Brandon Phillips finally figured things out last year and impressive numbers are expected again during this campaign. It may take another year for everything to fall into place, but the foundation has undoubtedly been built.

Pittsburgh Pirates Last Season: 6th Place 68-94 Outlook: Sometimes it takes time to develop young pitching. Ian Snell, Tom Gorzelanny, and Paul Maholm are starting to come into their own, but some of the other talent hasn’t developed as planned. Andrew McCutchen and Neil Walker project to be ready in time for 2009, and many think the team has no realistic chance of competing until then.

Some believe the team has been cursed since the departure of Barry Bonds. They may be right!

have to rely heavy on Ubaldo Jimenez and Franklin Morales who have 24 combined starts in the majors.

St. Louis Cardinals

Los Angeles Dodgers

Last Season: 3rd Place 78-84 Outlook: The Cardinals are hoping for more of the pop that Rick Ankiel showed when he got the call back to the big leagues last year. He’ll start the year in center, but look for Colby Rasmus to join the party around early June. St. Louis will need Albert Pujols to prove that he’s healthy if they are going to make a run at the playoffs.

NL West Preview Peter Collin Sports Editor

Arizona Diamondbacks Last Season: 1st Place 90-72, lost in NLCS to Rockies Outlook: After dominating the Cubs in the Division Series, the Diamondbacks fell flat against the hard charging Rockies. Arizona did not pat themselves on the back for a well-played season, they went out and created one of the most dynamic one-two punches in baseball. With both 2006 Cy Young winner Brandon Webb, and Dan Haren at the top of the rotation, the D-Backs will have their strongest front-end since the days of Randy Johnson and Curt Schilling.

The question will be whether or not all those young hitters will finally mature into a formidable lineup.

Colorado Rockies Last Season: 2nd Place 90-73, lost in World Series to Red Sox Outlook: Last year was a dream for Rockies fans. Rocktober shock all of Colorado into its first World Series appearance ever. But their 21-1 run that catapulted them into the Series did not faze the Red Sox, who easily swept aside the upstart Rockies.

Colorado did little to improve that team. That isn’t necessarily a bad thing, because their lineup is still stacked, but their rotation is going to

Last Season: 4th Place 82-80 Outlook: God help Scott Proctor. It seems Goody Proctor cannot escape Joe Torre who is coming to collect his right arm again. But while in LA, Torre probably figures he should try to guve the Dodgers a sense of new life. After 13 successful seasons in New York, Torre has moved cross country to try and sow the seeds of victory in Dodger Land.

San Diego Padres

Division Series Predictions AL Division Series

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Last Season: 3rd Place 89-74 Outlook: Jake Peavy won the Cy Young award last season but you wouldn’t be able to tell from the way he pitched in the one-game playoff with the Rockies. Peavy seems to come up short in the big spots, something he may have picked up from Hall of Fame closer Trevor Hoffman, but his pitching pedigree is undeniable. The tandem of Peavy and Chris Young supplemented by the ageless Greg Maddux means that the Padres will be in the divisional race. But their sketchy lineup is going to hold them down, especially since it is so dependant on two 37-year-olds in Jim Edmonds and Brian Giles.

San Francisco Giants Last Season: 5th Place 71-91 Outlook: The Giants outlook is bad.

They have two bright spots on the team in Matt Cain and Tim Lincecum. Beyond that it is going to be a long season in the bay area. It will be a long rebuilding process for San Francisco as there are few pieces of the puzzle down on the farm and their everyday lineup moves closer and closer to the retirement home.

The addition of Aaron Rowand in center will do little more than make Rowand’s bank account fatter and those middle inning highlight reels very enjoyable.

* Denotes Wild Card

NL Division Series

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over Championship Series Predictions AL Championship Series

over NL Championship Series

over World Series Prediction

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8

THE RECORDER / Wednesday, April 2, 2008 / SPORTS

Blue Devils Battle Through Conference Openers Peter Collin Sports Editor

Sophomore Jaclyn Logan drove in five RBIs during the past week. She leads the team with 13.

For the CCSU women’s softball team it was a trying week that showed flashes of success coupled with some tough defeats. The Blue Devils opened the week with two games against Boston University before beginning their conference schedule with back-to-back double-headers against Wagner and Long Island University.

The Blue Devils split their NEC opening match-up against the Wagner Seahawks on Saturday, dropping the first match-up 13-7 before rallying to take the night cap 5-4 behind the stellar pitching of Rachel Brenneman, who went the distance allowing nine hits while striking out six.

It was a back-and-forth affair until the bottom of the sixth inning when Blue Devil senior Melissa Caron, after driving in the tying run, scored on a wild pitch to give Central a 5-4 advantage.

The Blue Devils were not so fortunate in their final double header of the week when Long Island rolled into town. The Blackbirds shut out Central in both games, winning 8-0 and 10-0. Freshmen Kendall Sours and Erin Kelley totaled all three of the Blue Devils’ hits in game two after Central was no-hit in game one by

Long Island sophomore Blaire Porter.

Earlier in the week the Blue Devils split a double-header with Boston University. Freshman Liz Montemurno threw a complete game shut out, allowing only three hits and three walks for her second win of the season. Sophomore Jaclyn Logan put the Blue Devils on top early. After Sours and senior Karen Costes both walked, Logan doubled to right-center field to give Central a 2-0 lead that they would never relinquish.

Caron would knock in the another Blue Devil run with a single in the bottom of the third and the final run came around when sophomore Sara Budrick scored on a wild pitch.

Logan totaled five RBIs for the week giving her a team-leading 13 for the season and Sours scored four runs over the six games to add to her team leading 12 runs for the season.

The 2-4 mark over the week ran the Blue Devils overall record to 6-9 and their conference record to 1-3.

Up next for the Blue Devils are two weekend double-headers against Fairleigh Dickinson and Sacred Heart University. They are all home games at St. Joseph College in West Hartford with the Saturday contests starting at 1:00 p.m. and noon on Sunday.

Photo by Conrad Akier / The Recorder

Gianini Leads Blue Devils to 3-1 Win at Fairfield on Thursday ccsubluedevils.com Senior lefty Matt Gianini pitched eight innings allowing four hits and just one run to lead Central Connecticut to a 3-1 victory on the road at Fairfield on Thursday. The senior improves to 2-2 this season with the win while the Blue Devils are now 4-11 on the season. Gianini did not allow a run in the first seven

innings of action. Junior righty Derek Roberts picked up the save working a scoreless ninth. The Blue Devils return to action next Tuesday night at 7 p.m. hosting URI at Beehive Field in New Britain.

The Blue Devils struck first in the top of the opening inning when sophomore third baseman Anthony Scialdone homered to put the visiting team up 1-0. It was his first home run

of the season and his sixth run batted in.

In the third inning senior right fielder Jak Kidd’s sacrifice fly with the bases loaded put the Blue Devils up 2-0. He leads the Blue Devils with 13 RBI this season.

In the fourth inning freshman Sean Miller-Jones drove in sophomore Kyle Zarotney with another sacrifice fly, making it 3-0. MillerJones is second on the team with 11

RBI this year including nine in the last eight games.

Fairfield scored a single run in the bottom of the eighth inning for the 3-1 final score.

Gianini pitched eight innings allowing just the one earned run while striking out four but walking five. He allowed just three batters to reach third base in the first seven innings but did not allow any of them to score. Roberts picked up his first

save of the season pitching the ninth without allowing a run to score.

Scialdone and Casey Walko each had a pair of hits for CCSU, who outhit Fairfield 8-5 in the game.

Miller-Jones and Zarotney each stole a base for CCSU in the win.

The Blue Devils return to action next Tuesday night at 7 p.m. hosting URI at Beehive Field in New Britain.

High Hopes for Blue Devil Basketball Peter Collin Sports Editor No one expected the Blue Devils to return to the heights they reached a season ago. Winning the Northeast Conference for the third time in school history was a remarkable feat for a team that was drastically undermanned.

This year’s squad returned only three players from that team.

Expectations were not high for Central as they were picked to finish sixth in a preseason NEC poll. But Coach Howie Dickenman put together a solid recruitment class that featured some highly thought-of players.

Freshman Ken Horton led an impressive freshman class into the 07-08 season. Horton won Rookie of the Week honors three times during his rookie campaign, while fellow David Simmons earned one nod as Rookie of the Week.

Freshman Shemik Thompson matched Horton’s three Rookie of Week honors and won the NEC Rookie of the Year award. The seven weekly awards won by CCSU players set the pace for the conference.

But freshmen were not the only additions to the Blue Devil cast.

Junior Marcus Palmer transferred to Central after spending time at Eastern Arizona Community College. Palmer averaged 10.1 points

per game and 5.8 rebounds per game.

Even with all their talent though, the Blue Devils struggled early on to find a rhythm. It wasn’t until after the New Year, when they won eight out of ten games from January 5 to February 9. The run put them in prime contention for the NEC tournament and showed that they were finally gelling as a team.

But the young Blue Devils struggled down the stretch and drifted into the NEC Tournament in sixth place.

There they met Sacred Heart.

The Pioneers remembered last year’s defeat in New Britain and used that motivation to dispatch Central in the quarterfinal match up.

For the women’s basketball team the season was much less hopeful. The Blue Devils failed to match last season’s overall record and faltered in their conference play as well, dropping from four victories to only three.

It was a rough inaugural season for Head Coach Beryl Piper after her successful tenure at New Britain High School. But things can only get better for Coach Piper as she will finally have a full off-season to recruit for the Blue Devils.

Each team has things to look forward to in the future: the men and their new class of talented freshman, and the women and their new coach who is steering them toward a bright new future.

Stephanie Bergeron / The Recorder

Marcus Palmer and Ken Horton were two key additions this past season that will be returning next year.

9 THE RECORDER Wednesday, April 2, 2008

Entertainment

DeVotchKa A Mad & Faithful Telling

For a band that was previously a musical backing for burlesque shows, the old sounds that bleed through DeVotchKa’s fifth full-length album, A Mad & Faithful Telling, are much like the reinvention of the theatrical form itself, except certainly classier and minus the sequins and tassels.

The first track, “Basso Profundo,” is a fairly blatant example of old and new: an exciting and unconventional arrangement of a bouncing, nostalgic accordion and steady flecks of almost-reggae guitar. Around three and a half minutes deep, however, the song jumps into an upbeat dance of a Balkan funeral procession.

Tracks like “Along the Way” take the album in a Mariachi turn and everyone who loves DeVotchKa for their brass section will appreciate this song. Telling’s first single was named “Transliterator,” which is a track that abandons the Spanish roots for a more modern sound, but fans like myself are more likely to use the former of these two tracks to characterize the entire album.

It’s not only the coupling of time periods, but also a love-hate relationship in melody and lyric that helps make this an exceptional album.

Conflicting emotions throughout this album drag you down from spinning celebration romps to a melancholy wallowing.

This DeVotchKa album isn’t as severely depressing as say, their 2004 release How It Ends, but with lead singer Nick Urata’s eerie and painful warbles, Telling can compete.

His vocals are an undeniably unique part of this album and he is capable of taking an otherwise upbeat tune and adding depth with passionate sorrow.

This is certainly an album where, with more listens, appreciation for each song grows and the details are emphasized when previously they had gone unrecognized. It is also a great DeVotchKa album to begin with for newer fans due to its compilation-like quality to account for all of their sounds up until now.

Melissa Traynor / News/Managing Editor Talk about coming out of nowhere—Dodos popped up on my radar last week when I was looking for any local shows going on in the area.

Their name was on display at Cafe Nine in New Haven, so like any other band I haven’t heard of, I went directly to their MySpace page to get a quick taste. Thank God for that site because without it, another band would have flown under the radar and we all would be missing out.

With a guitarist and a drummer, Dodos are minimalists to the max, but the band doesn’t suffer like other bands that come out sounding in pieces rather than a whole.

Meric Long, the band’s guitarist and vocalist, uses a mix of steady strumming and strongly-accented picking to create the band’s highly unique guitar lines, while drummer Logan Kroeber gives the listener a thumping bass drum line steadily throughout the whole album. While most of the time drummers take a back seat to the more popular guitarists and even sometimes the bassists, this sentiment isn’t true for Dodos; the album displays each instrument equally, giving listeners a solid mixture with the vocals tying everything together in a tight package.

In the track “Fools,” the band shows off this blend and executes it with perfection, even though the song seems to have a more lo-fi feel to it compared to other tracks on Visiter. Long’s vocals range from melodic to straight primitive screams, some of which seem forced or out of place. Luckily, they are few and far between on the whole for Visiter.

“Winter,” the album’s fifth track, begins with Kroeber playing his entire drum part on the tom instead of his snare, getting a deeper beat compared to the tin-y sound that would usually resonate from his snare head. This is a pretty unique sound that is a rare find, not because it sounds wrong, but it tends to give a song too much bass. With a lack of bass drum pounds, it works.

If you like to see Dodos live, all you need to do is head down to New Haven and Cafe Nine tonight and take in their indie-folk vibes with a cold drink.

Edward Gaug / Entertainment Editor

Dodos Visiter

Hypothesis: Sweden’s metal masters Meshuggah are easily one of the most brutal bands ever. Their newest full-length release obZen will be heralded as one of the most punishing albums of 2008.

Tests: I have been listening to obZen on repeat for over a month now and gathering the necessary data (not to mention putting off this review for the same amount of time).

Evidence stands as follows: the escalating guitar solo from 2:43 – 3:21 in “Combustion”; the offtime chug rhythm from 3:29 – 4:03 in “Electric Red”; the entire seven minutes of “Bleed”; the chain of riffs in “Lethargica” that takes place from 3:02 – 4:34, which is arguably the heaviest minute and a half ever; the immense brutality that takes place from 1:31 – 3:59 in the title track “obZen”; the bridge breakdown that takes place from 2:01 – 2:41 in “Pineal Gland Optics”; the entire song “Pravus,” which is arguably the best song on the album, if not Meshuggah’s best song.

Conclusion: I realize that if you have not heard obZen yet, then the above evidence really means nothing to you. However, I urge you to use it as motivation to pick up this album and play it into the ground. The parts that I mention are not by any means the only great parts on the album. After an uncountable number of listens, it has still yet to get stale to me.

You would assume that after 10 releases a band would start to slow down and cool off.

With the release of obZen, Meshuggah not only scientifically proves this is inaccurate, they also add another notch in the “Why Swedish metal will always be better than American metal” headboard. I cannot imagine any fan of metal that has not heard Meshuggah, but if that were the case, obZen would be a great place to start.

That is, if you can handle the polyrhythmic madness, the sweet solos, and ungodly heavy production.

Nick Viccione / Staff Writer

Meshuggah obZen

Despite an incredibly annoying band name, Minneapolis’ Tapes ‘n Tapes won me over with their sloppily-artful debut album The Loon.

While this follow-up doesn’t quite bomb, it fails to show any artistic growth, as almost every song seems like it would never have made it onto The Loon.

The only real difference here (and not a good one) is in the production. The songs sound dirtier and more overtly garage-punk sounding. A few songs even brought to mind a less bombastic Hives, another band that relies way too much on the same formula again and again. The album is missing the plaintive moments that lent their debut a sense of versatility, perhaps with the exception of “Say Back Something” – a highlight here, but nothing even approaching an “Omaha” of their previous offering.

Noisy guitars are something that had previously worked well for the band, when used responsibly. Walk It Off is so full of them that it obscures many of what would be palatable.

While their lyrics have never made sense, the off-the-wall, abstract words suited the music, which was just as unpredictable, liable to quickly switch time signatures or come to a screeching halt. Attempting to comprehend what the words are is a trying task on this album. The same jittery guitars are there but buried so far under the distortion and crunch you would hardly know it. Likewise, the industrial drumbeat that begins album closer “The Dirty Dirty” is interesting and innovative for the band, but the song is so sludgy and lackluster that it quickly loses its appeal.

This album was incredibly disappointing for me, with the exception of only two or three songs. The complete lack of artistic growth puts to bed any hopes of future greatness for this band, as they appear to be another one-trick indie group. If music-appreciating aliens were to visit our planet and I wanted to show them how alternative rock became a mundane amalgam of way too many bands with all the same influences, I might have them listen to this album.

Tapes ‘n Tapes Walk It Off

Dan Ivers / Opinion Editor

When I saw The Kills years ago in a small, dank nightclub in Boston, I had no idea who they were, but just a few songs into their set I realized that they epitomized rock n’ roll. Lead singer Alison “VV” Mossheart gyrated and pulsated with the music as her dark hair swirled around her eyes.

By the time she’d climbed up onto the giant speakers to the right of the stage (much to the chagrin of the club staff), I, and probably everyone else in the crowd, was in love. The only other band member, guitarist and backup singer Jamie Hince, jutted his angular blues riffs over the drum machine as if he were having a seizure. Simply put, they melted my face.

The band’s new album, Midnight Boom, seems to have discarded this grimy blues aesthetic for a new hipster retro feel, and it’s reflected in the music. The under-produced garage sound has been largely replaced by heavier, almost danceable beats and some layered guitar work. While this may represent a shift in their sound, there remain a few tracks that stand alongside their best, including the first single off of the album, “U.R.A. Fever,” the spastic “Tape Song,” and “Getting Down,” all of which recall the group’s older style. Ironically, their first albums were acclaimed but also lauded for a certain similarity in the songs that made them all blur into each other; on Midnight Boom it seems as if they’ve tried too hard to change things up, and in a few cases forgot to write a good song to complement the interesting production.

Nevertheless, The Kills’ Midnight Boom is an intriguing album that I have the feeling will only get better with further listening. It’s beatdriven, guitar riff-heavy rock with a little taste of the blues and R&B thrown in for good measure (good stuff to drink whiskey and smoke cigarettes to). Besides, how can you not fall in love with a lead singer that comes off as a dirtier, sexier version of Karen O from the Yeah Yeah Yeahs? The answer is you can’t. Now if only I could get her and my girlfriend to talk…

Peter Decoteau / Staff Writer

The Kills Midnight Boom

I try to be as unbiased as possible when I write my reviews, but then again, I always find myself reviewing albums that I know I am going to like no matter what. Case in point, Torche’s new full length, Meanderthal, which hits stores on April 8, is another great release from Miami’s heaviest rock quartet.

Anyone who is a fan of Torche would agree with me when I say that it is hard to classify them and describe their sound as anything but rock. The songs are short and to the point. They are loud and catchy. And most importantly, Torche is able to combine these songs together to make consistently solid releases, which, in my opinion, is one of the most important aspects of making music.

Comparatively speaking, Meanderthal has a much more poppy feel to it than Torche’s previous two releases. But this slight change of pace does not take away from the unique Torche sound. In fact, it has added a delicious new flavor to their repertoire. The production of Torche albums has always been one of my favorite aspects and with Meanderthal, they used the services of Kurt Ballou of Converge fame to handle the reigns. The end result is another stunningly deep sounding record.

Torche usually makes a stop in Connecticut when they tour and if you get a chance, I strongly urge you to make it out there and watch them. Not only are they one of the loudest bands I have ever seen, they also put on one hell of a show.

Fans of most genres of music will enjoy Torche’s latest effort Meanderthal. It has enough thickness and riffage to appeal to the metal crowd, and enough pop to appeal to fans of post-rock. Meanderthal is one of the better releases of 2008 so far.

Nick Viccione / Staff Writer Good luck Ulysses Campbell finding any inColor It All formation on what Ulysses Campbell is all about, outside of the fact that he is originally from New

Torche Meanderthal

Hampshire and now resides in Florida, where he goes to school. The only reason you are hearing about him right now is that this shaggyhaired 21-year-old makes fantastic electronic music out of his bedroom that could make Avey Tare of Animal Collective jealous.

Ulysses Campbell and Color It All is the epitome of low-budget electro-rock that doesn’t skip on the static and uses a pretty standard Casio-like 61-key keyboard, homemade mixers and acoustic guitar. While Campbell’s set-up doesn’t sound like much, his creations sound rich enough to fool most listeners that an entire band is producing the blips and beeps flowing through their speakers. This is not the case – Campbell is a doing it all himself.

“All in Front (of me)” kicks off the album with a disoriented mass of fuzzed distortion backed by 8-bit keyboard lines straight from late ‘80s video games. After a few moments this chaos fades away and Campbell shows us a quick glimpse of his voice, if only to draw in the listener to see what he actually has in store.

Of course, the second track really shows off how well Campbell can actually sing. “The Things That Happen So Often” brings back the distorted keys, but this time they play second to Campbell’s vocals, which are on display for the track’s first 60 seconds, after which they slowly disappear to allow Campbell’s bread and butter - spacey key lines and pounding drum machine beats. While he does bring back words about three minutes into the song, you shouldn’t care; you’ll already be nodding your head mindlessly to the beats.

Though I could go on endlessly about the rest of Color It All, the last five tracks will be for you to discover and make your own comparisons. The only thing you need to do to get yourself a copy of Color It All is to visit Campbell’s MySpace and click on the download link – simple, really.

Edward Gaug / Entertainment Editor When first listening to Why?’s newest album, Alopecia, I was interested, but not quite sure what I had just experienced.

Alopecia varies its genre from track to track, with some sounding like hip-hop, some coming off as dance-rock and others even sound like straightforward indierock. How does an album riddled with such A.D.D. manage to keep the listener completely engaged for 45 minutes?

Alopecia begins with “The Vowels, Pt. 2,” and electronic pop beats swarms in the background as Yoni Wolf sings/slow raps about “filming his own fake death” and “faking suicide for applause at food courts in malls.” With lyrics like these, you would anticipate something dark and brooding, but Why? manages to make me want to get up and dance to it. The track continues to grow with the blips and beeps faded behind an up-tempo vocal that continues to impress me more with every listen.

Though my thoughts on this album change every time I listen to it, it remains consistent that this record is one of the best of the new year and continues to grow on me with every sit-down and listen. The album’s hip hopheavy tracks change the pace but don’t alienate the listener, who usually won’t appreciate weird-but-catchy verses. Weird is the key word there; with verses like, “Blowing kisses to disinterested bitches/ Playing lead lay in a bad way on Broadway/ Sending sexy SMSs to my Ex’s new man ‘cause I can/ On the road trying to break an old van,” it’s easy to see what I mean.

Weird aside, Why? manages to also bring in sounds that remind me of other bands, like Interpol on the more electronic songs and Neutral Milk Hotel on the indie-heavy tracks. I hate to name-drop like that, but those names came to my mind as it raced to make a connection to understand what I was hearing. Wolf ’s vocals stand out in every track on Alopecia, but at the same time it doesn’t make the listener disregard the intricate instrumentals that play alongside.

Why?’s album has officially hit the shelves, and if you missed their show on the 23rd, you will have to wait ‘til the fall when the band makes their way back to New England.

Edward Gaug / Entertainment Editor

Why? Alopecia

10

THE RECORDER / Wednesday, April 2, 2008 / ENTERTAINMENT

Meet Connecticut’s Faire Harbour

Samantha Sullivan Copy Editor Recently I got the chance to interview Tim Ketterer, Brett Wilson and Jeff Kenniston, three of the of six college students from CCSU and UCONN who make up Faire Harbour, the band that won Jam Solid Production’s Battle of the Bands at the Webster Theatre this February.

Before they performed as an opening act for Lifehouse on March 27 at the Webster, the guys and I discussed their future goals, group dynamics and lyrical inspirations.

Samantha Sullivan: Hey guys. As an emerging band, not many people know about you yet. So first off, why don’t you explain your style of music and how you got started?

Jeff Kenniston: I guess we could say the band started in December [2007].

Tim Ketterer: Basically most of us were in a different band before, then our lead singer [Trent Gerbers] quit, so we found a new bassist and a new lead singer. Then Trent wanted to come back, so we ended up with two lead singers.

Brett Wilson: It’s really a mixture of a bunch of sound. Some Maroon 5…

Ketterer: Train.

Kenniston: Blues Traveler. We’re still finding ourselves.

Sullivan: Where did the name ‘Faire Harbour’ come from?

Sullivan: What about those songs will appeal to the audience as a single?

Kenniston: Catchy melody lines.

Wilson: “This is Love” is more pop—you would hear it on the radio. But “Back for More” has more relatable lyrics.

Sullivan: What inspired you to create this band?

Ketterer: I think it’s our background. Our two lead singers [Trent and Brett] both have backgrounds in a cappella. I think it was Jeff who pushed for a six-man band. We’re going kind of for a bigger Dave Matthews Band kind-of thing.

Sullivan: Well, I know that Tim has extensive musical background, both in school and in his family. Do any of the other members?

Ketterer: Trent comes up with stories to tell through the songs, whereas Brett writes from experience.

Kenniston: I play a number of different things, just from school mostly.

Sullivan: We haven’t talked about it yet, and I’m a little surprised. How did the battle of the bands go at the Webster?

Wilson: I used to take piano lessons, and everything was very classical for a few years. Once I got into it, I dropped the lessons and started teaching myself and writing my own music.

Ketterer: And I’ve been in heavy metal bands and have jazz background.

Kenniston: Trent was in choirs all throughout high school.

Ketterer: Well, Trent and Jeff are from New London County.

Kenniston: Yeah, and I guess the state of Connecticut wanted to name New London ‘Faire Harbour’ in its inception.

Wilson: Chris [Logan) pretty much plays the guitar, and he’s sick at it. Whatever he does is just perfect for us.

Ketterer: And we just liked that, so, we use it.

We’re the first thing that comes up on a Google search, and no one else uses it.

Sullivan: Your Facebook group says you are a band that “prides itself on [its] dedication to musical perfection and vocal intricacy.”

How do you achieve those things?

Ketterer: Mmm, either “Back for More,” or “This is Love.”

Wilson: Yeah, we started talking about music video ideas and we have a whole idea for “Back for More.”

Sullivan: What inspires your lyrics? Are the things you write about true-to-life, based on personal experiences?

Wilson: Our song-writing process starts with an instrumental base, like guitar or bass or piano, for me. Lyrics are kind-of the last thing we worry about—Trent and I write when the music is ready. We’re very different, though; I like to sit on the lyrics, but Trent can write a song while the guys are playing and get a melody right away.

Ketterer: Kevin [Aust] was in a band for a while doing singing and guitar. He was in a band called Skaliosis for a while, and he’s been in jazz band here at school for a few years.

Sullivan: Out of your nine original songs, what song are you hoping will be your first single?

Kenniston: Well, it’s kind-of a ‘majority rules’ thing… And if there is something that one person absolutely hates, we won’t do it because we don’t want them to do something that they hate.

Ketterer: Most of us are music majors, and those of us who aren’t are not tonally challenged. A few of us are music minors, too. We sit there and say, “Yeah, this works,” or “No, this doesn’t.” All the people who sing are great at finding harmonies, too.

Sullivan: With six members, you must realize that you all won’t always agree on everything. How do you decide how to make decisions as a group?

Ketterer: Well, we won.

Kenniston: There were 10 bands at the Webster Underground.

Ketterer: It went very well, no screw-ups.

Wilson: And it was our first show together.

Ketterer: One of the judges actually came up to us after and bought our EP… and he said the two best singers there were in our band, and that’s how we got the Lifehouse gig. After the show, we were asked if we wanted to open for Lifehouse. [laughing] Our answer was just, “Hell yes.”

Sullivan: So, what is your main goal as a band?

Wilson: I think one of our goals right now is to find a good manager. A manager can make or break a band, and we don’t want someone who’s just in it for the money. After that, I guess we just really want to sign with a good label.

The Who, What, Where and When on

Ketterer: We want to spread our audience.

Wilson: Yeah, you know, there are so many groups out there that are doing the same thing.

You have to prove you’re better than them in every aspect.

Sullivan: So, when can we expect to hear about your first full-length album?

Ketterer: We are hitting the studio pretty regularly, and the best thing to do is check our MySpace page.

Wilson: We’re in the studio every other weekend. We’d like to have a CD finished by the summer, I think.

Ketterer: We are currently also trying to get the songs we do have on iTunes; we’re talking to the people at Apple.

Sullivan: Is there anything we didn’t get to cover that you would like to add?

Kenniston: That’s a good question…

Wilson: My professor (Anthony Cannella) always tells us to do that at the end of interviews.

Sullivan: Yeah, that’s where I got it.

Kenniston: Well, keep in touch. Check out our MySpace—we love talking to people.

Wilson: You know, if everyone just told one person about us and 10 percent of those people looked at our page, that’s 10 percent more than we already had.

Ketterer: I would love it if after reading this interview, people could find us on Facebook or stop us when they see us in person. I don’t think any of us would mind that. And that really is one of the best parts—when people stop us and ask, “Hey, aren’t you in that band?” And one thing that makes it so great with us is that we’re not just a band, we’re six best friends.

You can find out more information about Faire Harbour, their members and their upcoming shows at www.myspace.com/faireharbour.

Ketterer: Yeah, it’s all about who you know.

Kenniston: The sky is the limit… well, that’s corny. We’re just riding the wave right now. [laughing] What other one-liners can I give you?

Why?

- Page 16

ALSO INSIDE: Music Reviews - Page 10 Penelope Review - Page 11

THE RECORDER / Wednesday, April 2, 2008 / ENTERTAINMENT

11

Semi Pro is Semi Good Nick Gorra Staff Writer In his latest comedic vehicle, Will Ferrell plays funkadelic-fresh Jackie Moon.

As usual with most Will Ferrell comedic characters, he is an over-the-top alcoholic, sexaholic party animal. Moon is a man who became famous for his one hit wonder song “Love Me Sexy” and uses the profits he made from the song to buy an ABA basketball team, “The Tropics,” based out of Flint, Michigan.

To my surprise the film is rated R, (I did not realize it was rated R until I noticed the repeated use of profanity), which is uncommon for Will Ferrell comedies as they are typically rated PG-13. The movie feels kind of strange, as it seems very PG-13; there is not a whole lot of use of R-rated material, except for some profanity. So I’m a little disappointed that for an R-rated movie its content is pretty mild. I’m guessing the filmmakers were originally hoping for a PG-13 rating.

The film takes place in the ‘70s and revolves around the ABA Basketball league merging with the NBA, with only a few select ABA teams being included, not including the Tropics. In order to save his team, Moon must get the Tropic games attendance up and secure a fourth place position by the end of the season in order to qualify for the NBA merger. In doing so, he does a variety of whacky publicity stunts ranging from promotional contests (where the winner is often not rewarded due to the team not having any money) and daredevil stunts, such as Moon wrestling a live bear. I n an attempt to improve his team, Jackie also recruits a

former a NBA benchwarmer Ed Monnix, played by Woody Harrelson, who at times feels more like the lead character of the film, despite Will Ferrell receiving top billing. Of course, he is involved in a subplot that involves getting back his old girlfriend, Lynn, who is played by ER’s Maura Tierney. These scenes don’t really build up to much and are very cliché. However, these moments do offer much humor from comedian Rob Corddry, who plays Lynn’s naïve husband and is also Monnix’s biggest fan.

The film also features hip-hop group Outkast’s Andre Benjamin as Clarence Coffee Black, the egotistical star player of the Tropics. Benjamin does a commendable job in his performance, but his role is very predictable. Other noteworthy cast members include Will Arnett, Andrew Daily, David Koechner, Any Richter and Tim Meadows, who all have their own moments over the course of the film.

The movie itself is funny. However, much of the film’s humor is pretty predictable. If you’ve seen previous Will Ferrell comedies, you’ll know what to expect. There really isn’t anything new here, just another Will Ferrell screwball comedy that lampoons a popular occupation, in this case a basketball player/team owner. I also thought the film ended kind of abruptly with no real closure as to what happens to the film’s characters. But people don’t go to Will Ferrell movies for a structured and coherent storyline, they go for laughs. The movie itself does provide many laughs but that’s about it.

Hopefully Will Ferrell will explore new comedic ideas for the future because this formula is beginning to get tiring.

Modern Take, Ancient Scare Samantha Sullivan Copy Editor Last week as I searched for an interesting movie to watch, horror being the genre of choice, I stumbled across a 2008 film that has gone unnoticed. They Wait is a modern take on a ghouly Chinese belief—that during “the month of the hungry ghost,” offerings must be made to appease the ghosts who wait in limbo to move on. Sammy, his mother, Sarah (Jaime King, Sin City), and his father, Jason (Terry Chen, I, Robot), must attend a funeral for Jason’s Uncle, whom they believe was an honorable man. But a secret that runs deep in the family may be the end of Sammy—unless Sarah can pacify the ghosts of the family’s past before dawn on the last day of the month.

I rarely can find a movie that makes me actually jump, but this film succeeded in doing so within the first 30 minutes (it even got my boyfriend). The combination of traditional Chinese stories incorporated with modern styles of cinematography make for a great watch, and the best moments in the story are the ones you don’t expect. The end isn’t great by any means, but the movie overall was a great display of knowledge in graphics and storytelling. I was thrilled that when I went to bed, I ran from my door to the bed and jumped on as quickly as I could, still excited from the adrenaline I built up during the movie.

I would recommend that anyone who enjoys a good horror flick should check this out—you can even find it for free online. It has been a long time since I have seen a movie that is unique in its story; I have never seen a movie like this or about the same subject, so it was refreshing.

Enjoy Your Opium Suppository ccinsider.comedycentral.com

Samantha Sullivan Copy Editor Word on the street is that a certain high profile comedian/actor has been stealing jokes from a lesserknown comedian who has been around a lot longer. I won’t name names, but the alleged thief is known for his inability to stand still and his patented Stupid Finger—I mean, Super Finger. But on Friday, March 28, Louis C.K. took the stage at the Bushnell Theatre in Hartford and caused such an upwelling of laughter that not a word was spoken of the copycat comedian who has been selecting lines from C.K.’s shows. (And in case you didn’t get it by now, the copycat is allegedly Dane Cook.)

Outside the drama, C.K. is a man with a lot to offer to the right audience. I would say he is a mix between Brian Regan when he’s calm

and Dane Cook when he’s active—I hate to compare a man to his “wannabe,” but Cook is unfortunately one of the most well-known comedians out there and the only one I can think of that compares. Where Cook is borderline crazy, though, C.K. is sufficiently enthusiastic—what I mean is that he doesn’t stand in one place for an hour, but when he moves you don’t get motion sickness.

Louis C.K. has an extensive list of accomplishments in comedic writing, including nearly 20 episodes of “Saturday Night Live,” over 150 episodes of “Late Night with Conan O’Brien” and “Late Show with David Letterman.” His repertoire also extends to film, including co-writing I Think I Love My Wife with Chris Rock and writing Pootie Tang. C.K. played “Marty” in Welcome Home, Roscoe Jenkins and will be in a 2009 comedy titled This Side of Truth.

C.K.’s jokes are genius. In one of his earlier specials he joked about one of his two daughters, who used to like to play hide-and-seek with C.K. and his wife on her terms. This meant that when it was her time to hide, his daughter stood against an open wall, crouched down and scrunched her face with excitement, and C.K. and his wife were supposed to pretend not to see her. It isn’t as humorous in print, but I promise you would laugh if you saw/heard it.

A big theme among the jokes in his Bushnell show were sexual, which, for any other comedian, usually has a way of shifting from hilarious to awkward. Not with C.K.—sex and blowjobs are welcome on his shift, and the audience is able to understand and react appropriately. Actually, most of the jokes of the night were about or included sexual acts.

One of his best jokes was about the use of prescription drugs to avoid his children, which I’m assuming he doesn’t actually do (just a guess). The moment peaked when he began describing the sensation of shoving an opiate suppository up his…well, you know. The theatre was bursting at that moment, possibly the funniest of the night.

If you’re looking for a great new comedian to add to your iPod or just to enjoy, it is imperative that you find one of C.K.’s specials and watch it immediately. A ticket at the Bushnell only cost $32 for seats in the orchestra— Section E; Row B: seats 102, 104 and 106 (only about 20 feet away from the stage)—but I would have paid twice that.

12

WEEK OF APRIL 2

MUSIC 4.2

The Dodos

@ Cafe Nine New Haven, Conn. / $7

THE RECORDER / Wednesday, April 2, 2008 / ENTERTAINMNT

4.4 – 4.6

Trinity International Hip-Hop Teeth @ Real Art Ways Fest w/ Blitz the Ambassador Hartford, Conn.

Sam the Kid, Shokanti, 7:30 p.m. / $6.25 Y Love

4.3

The Simple Pleasure @ Cafe Nine New Haven, Conn. / $4

Founded in the spring of 2006, the Trinity International Hip Hop Festival was created to combat the disunity, segregation, and violence of Hartford, CT and Trinity College.

Using the historically education-oriented and politically revolutionary medium—Hip Hop– and focusing on its global potency and proliferation, the Trinity International Hip Hop Festival works to unify Trinity College, the city of Hartford, and the Globe. The primary goal of the Festival’s diverse events is education.

Murder by Death w/ Kiss Kiss

@ Webster Underground Hartford, Conn. 6 p.m. / $12

High school student Dawn works hard at suppressing her budding sexuality by being the local chastity group’s most active participant. Her task is made even more difficult by her bad boy stepbrother Brad’s increasingly provocative behavior at home. A stranger to her own body, innocent Dawn discovers she has a toothed vagina when she becomes the object of violence. As she struggles to comprehend her anatomical uniqueness, Dawn experiences both the pitfalls and the power of being a living example of the vagina dentata myth.

4.6 – 4.8

Persepolis Though they’ve had eight years to refine their sound and vision, Murder By Death rolled out of the gates fully realized in 2000, playing a blend of rocking Americana noir and dramatic post-punk that erased old style and audience boundaries as much as it tested the limits of new ones. And with their fourth album and Vagrant debut, Red Of Tooth And Claw, the Bloomington, Indiana, quartet are emerging as true artists in the zero-boundary sense: cinematic storytellers whose albums come together in an essential whole, and players whose jawdropping performances on record make you yearn for the chance to experience their energy up close and in person.

@ Cinestudio Hartford, Conn.

7:30 p.m. / $7

@ Cinestudio Hartford, Conn.

7:30 p.m. / $7

Quiet Life

Hartford, Conn.

5:30 p.m. / $6.25

From director Michael Radford comes Flawless, a clever diamond-heist thriller set in swinging 1960s London. Demi Moore plays Laura Quinn, a bright, driven and beautiful executive at the London Diamond Corporation who finds herself frustrated by a glass ceiling after years of faithful employment, as man after man is promoted ahead of her despite her greater experience.

Through 3.30

Mary Temple

@ Real Art Ways Hartford, Conn.

11 a.m. / $5

Even though Temple is considered a multi-disciplinary artist, her background in painting remains a key part of her sculptural forms. Temple explores the visual qualities of light and shadow in any given room, which displays an uncanny awareness of everyday spaces. Using a single piece of paper, she folds and cuts it to resemble a small room with windows; an exterior source of light is then cast into it. Then, working from memory, Temple paints the places that received light, while at the same time inventing and adding details from an exterior landscape.

Bleck is best known for her distinctive scratchboard illustrations, involving a process similar in concept to woodblock printing. Working on clayboard, Bleck carves delicate yet powerful black and white illustrations that have become her trademark.

@ Real Art Ways

4.4

ART

@ New Britain Museum of Modern Art New Britain, Conn. 11 a.m. / FREE

Flawless Groove with reckless abandon on April 3, as we welcome the dub sonics of DJ UB, and rev up for another evening of sensual satisfaction from the Simple Pleasure. Back from Brooklyn for a visit, hometown music veteran Nolan Voss embodies the musings of Steve Severin in his new project Thrill Velocity. Electro-aficionados take note.

Opening Band: DJ UB, Thrill Velocity

Set in the early 20th century, the film follows the rise to power of Daniel Plainview -- a charismatic and ruthless oil prospector, driven to succeed by his intense hatred of others and psychological need to see any and all competitors fail. When he learns of oil-rich land in California that can be bought cheaply, he moves his operation there and begins manipulating and exploiting the local landowners into selling him their property.

Cathie Bleck: 13 Years of Artistic Expression

4.2 – 4.3

Quiet Life is a candle with ecstatic wax and wick, modern burn and recycled light. Their blend of classic country/folk and indie/rock is one of the most genuine combinations being fused across modern America. Hailing from the whaling city of New London, Connecticut, this four-member rock outfit has all the sincerity of their great folk predecessors, influenced by the true honesty of American folk music and the raw expression of rock and roll’s forefathers.

There Will Be Blood

Through 5.4

FILM

@ Amity Teen Center Woodbridge, Conn.

4.9 – 4.12

@ Trinity University Hartford, Conn.

4.6 Originally formed in 2006 under the moniker Dodobird as a one-man acoustic act, Meric Long would gig around SF playing folky guitar with a combination of loops and ambient keyboards. Having already studied West African Ewe drumming, Long got turned onto country blues fingerpicking and sought to create a band where the drumming could be a center role and help bring out the syncopated rhythms coming out of the acoustic guitar. Through a chance introduction by a roommate, Long met Santa Cruz transplant Logan Kroeber, who had also been experimenting with drumming, but in the area of progressive metal.

Opening Bands: Silje Nes

4.2 – 4.3

Through 11.9 In place of the usual “girls night out,” Cinestudio invites you to a mother, daughter, and grandmother movie that celebrates a young woman’s independence of thought, creativity and humor.

Marjane Satrapi is an Iranian comic book artist - and now filmmaker - who uses animation to illustrate her coming of age, first under the corrupt Shah, followed by repressive mullahs. A natural rebel, Marjane is sent to live in Vienna, where her love for punk music can’t erase her longing for home. The daughter is voiced by Chiara Mastroianni, her mother is portrayed by Mastroianni’s real mother, Catherine Deneuve.

Academy Award® nomination, Best Animated Feature Film.

Pop to the Present: New Questions, New Responses @ Wadsworth Atheneum Hartford, Conn.

11 a.m. / $5

Featuring major works from the Atheneum’s extensive collections, this exhibition examines the multiple avenues of artistic exploration from the 1960s to the present. With the explosion of new modes of representation and new artistic, social, and political concerns that became central to the language of art during this time, Pop to the Present will celebrate the amazing varieties of form that proliferated during the last third of the twentieth century and that continue into our own time.

Did we miss something? Know of an event we should list here? Contact us at ccsurecorder@ gmail.com.

14 THE RECORDER Wednesday, April 2, 2008

Lifestyles

2008 Saab 9X BioHybrid Concept

2010 Chevrolet Camaro

2008 Audi R8

2008 Jeep Renegade Concept

Mach 5

Scion Hako Coupe Concept

Samantha Sullivan / The Recorder

2008 International Auto Show: New York City Samantha Sullivan Copy Editor Kyle Reutenauer Special to The Recorder Spring Break was a slow week this year, with nothing to do but attend a wedding party and watch “That 70s Show” reruns.

But on Easter Sunday, sixty-eight dollars, ninety minutes on the Metro North Railroad and our best walking shoes found us in New York City, walking from the Grand Central Station at 87 E 42nd Street to the Javits Center at 11th Avenue between 34th and 39 th Streets. The International Auto Show ran from March 21 to March 30 and brought some interesting new vehicles. I have to admit that it wasn’t as exciting as I had anticipated, but there were certainly enough new vehicles to pique my interest. We have chosen our top picks from the show, including some concept cars, some that are in-production and some that are just plain fun.

Samantha’s Top Picks 2008 Jeep Renegade Concept: With the combination of a lithium-ion battery pack and a small-displacement BLUETEC diesel engine, this car is said to have a fuel economy of approximately 110 MPG or more. I just thought it looked like a Dune Buggy, and it would really only be practical in the summer. It’s a two-seater with no roof, lowered windshield and half-missing doors; yet it’s just so ridiculous that it may actually go into production.

Mach 5: That’s right, I mean Speed Racer’s Mach 5. The car body was constructed for the Warner Bros. Speed Racer flick, which is scheduled to be released in the U.S. on May 9 of this year and stars Emile Hirsch as “Speed” and Christina Ricci as “Trixie.” If the trailer is any representation of what the movie will actually turn out to be, it’s going to suck; but the authenticity of the Mach 5 is definitely impressive.

2010 Chevrolet Camaro: It’s back! I cannot explain the amount of sadness I felt when I heard the Camaro was no longer in production – I grew up with my mother sporting a turquoise ’94—but my fears were smothered when they released the concept in 2006. The car has been redesigned to resemble a classic 1969 Camaro, but its features are also completely futuristic.

Although it is still owned by GM, from what I’ve heard the car will be produced in Australia by Holden. The release date, as of right now, is Feb. 16, 2009, although we probably won’t see them in any dealerships until sometime in March; convertibles will be available around December of the same year. I can’t wait!

Nissan Denki Cube Electric

2008 Mazda Furai Concept: Pronounced foo-rye, the new Mazda concept combines the “Soul of a sports car” with a 100 percent ethanol-fueled engine and a partnership with BP. The car is based on an American Le Mans Series racecar, featuring a Courage C65 chassis and 450-hp three-rotary engine. This car is sick… it’s absolutely beautiful. String lights decorate the back, front and even sides of this insane car, and although I don’t expect we’ll see it on I-84 in our lifetimes, I would love to see it on the racetrack.

Kyle’s Top Picks

2008 Saab 9X BioHybrid Concept: A new concept by Saab is designed to run on 85 percent bioethanol (E85), the same fuel used on Chevrolet’s Flex Fuel cars. The 9X has an electricity hybrid system, which is ideal for high traffic areas where starting and stopping is the norm. There is also a solar panel on the roof to keep the batteries fully charged, side view cameras to replace the mirrors, and a body that changes shape at high speeds to become more aerodynamic. I would love it if this car went into production.

2008 Audi R8: This was my favorite car from the show. It features a 4.2L FSI V8 engine mounted behind the seats that pumps out 414hp. It can do zero-to-60 mph in 4.6 seconds, with a top speed of 187 mph. The base price for this beautiful car is $109,000—I expected it to be higher.

Nissan Denki Cube Electric: Electric cars were a big thing at the auto show, and this one was my favorite. I really like boxy cars now, so this one was right up my alley. Not a whole lot of information is available on this car as of yet, other than that it is based on the standard Nissan Cube, which is already being used today in Japan, and the four cylinder engine has been replaced by an electric motor with large lithium-ion batteries located underneath the front seats.

Scion Hako Coupe Concept: This was probably my least favorite car from the show. I love boxy cars, but this thing is just ugly in all aspects. It is supposed to be a Japanese-style version of an old school hot rod, and I can see what they were trying for but it really just does not do it for me. The car features cameras on the front fenders that feed video to monitors on the inside of the doors and to the dashboard; a joystick-like shifter and a trackball on the steering wheel for controlling the entertainment options.

I really hope this doesn’t go into production because I actually like Scion cars.

15

THE RECORDER / Wednesday, April 2, 2008 / LIFESTYLES

Professional People-Watcher Professor Harmon on Student Interactions Marissa Mancini Staff Writer

What are your thoughts on registering for classes?

“I think it’s okay timing wise.

I map out in blocks when classes are available. I do it a week before advising, then go to advising with my idea, and registration is no problem.”

- Elizabeth Clinton Math Education

“This is my first time, and if it was anything like signing up initially, then I don’t think it’s going to be easy.”

Jason Bender Computer Science

“It’s an annoying process, I check it over to see if any of the classes overlap. When I first came to Central, they definitely didn’t do a good job of helping me understand how to sign up online. I didn’t even know what an advisor was until someone told me!”

Kristen O’Connor Elementary Education

“It’s stressful because everyone is doing it at the same time. I don’t agree that they do it this early, I think we should register in the summer, which is closer to the semester we’d be preparing for.”

Kristen Rossi Business Management/ Human Resources

“I’m not really bothered by it whatsoever.”

Matt Jones Business

“I think the sign ups are too early. We have all summer, why not pick classes when we get our grades? It would make a lot more sense.”

Matt Raczewski Civil Engineering Tech

“I’m an athlete, so I am fortunate enough to have priority registration. I just need to make sure I pick my classes as soon as possible.”

Mike Alloson, International Business

“I have no problem with it, it’s not stressful at all. People actually have a problem with it?”

Stephen Gould Elementary Education

The university and college students seem to be in their own world with their own culture. Few people on this campus understand that better than geography professor John Harmon, who has been teaching at CCSU for 28 years and seen a good share of the lot come through. Harmon teaches human geography, the study of people’s interactions with their environment. Consider him a professional people-watcher. He chose it over other potential jobs in his field because he liked the independence. “I like the ability to create and recreate my own job,” he said.

Choosing to attend college and seek a professional career is a big commitment. What defines students,

Harmon believes, is their motivation to move on to do something different than their parents or family. Harmon, who has also taught at a branch of UConn, says the students at CCSU seem to be less outgoing. Although the desire to obtain a goal was the same, students at CCSU are less willing to demonstrate or participate in the classroom.

Professors are motivating people and the relationship between professor and student can be inspirational.

Some colleges, like Colgate for example, are expected to interact with students outside of class. CCSU’s professors are not expected to participate in student activities but, Harmon said, some do participate by going to sporting events or encouraging their students to participate in research they may be doing for a publication.

Harmon has been a faculty member under six different presidents at CCSU and has seen the campus life change with every president. The student’s stability is outstanding to him.

“How little it changes is really interesting,” he said. Over the last 28 years, Harmon has seen the birth of the Internet and continues to see the impact of it among his students and their work. “I still value libraries and the ability to extract needed information from books and journals. I do not like the students’ heavy reliance on Google and the reluctance of students today to go to the library,” he said.

The flipside of this is that the Internet does have some great resources for students. He has no idea what it will be like in the future, but he predicts it will be better. “The Internet is still evolving,” said Harmon.

Earliest Recording Unearthed Karyn Danforth Lifestyles Editor

Move over, Thomas Edison, it’s time for Frenchman Édouard-Léon Scott de Martinville to get the credit for the earliest known audio recording.

According to the New York Times, a 10-second recording of a woman singing “Au Clair De La Lune” was discovered earlier this month, and researchers are certain that it was created on April 9, 1860, 17 years before Edison’s infamous “Mary Had a Little Lamb” recording.

What was merely squiggles on paper turned out to be a phonautogram, which was a recording created on a 19 th century phonautograph.

The phonautograph, invented by Scott, could transcribe sound into a visual medium, but was not made to sufficiently play back any sort of audio. Scott, a Parisian inventor, was fully convinced that Edison had received recognition that was rightfully his own.

Scientists at the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory in Berkeley, California used a mix of optical imaging and modern technology to extract sound from patterns etched

on the soot-blackened paper 150 years ago, and with that, the rag-like 9 by 25 inch rectangle gave way to the clearest, cleanest audio waves conceivably possible for such a time period.

Before this momentous occasion, scientists were only able to make phonautogram’s “squawk,” but this one was special. In the recording, a hissing, popping background gives way to a woman’s eerie rendition of the lyrics “Au clair de la lune, Pierrot répondit” in a hauntingly short and creepy fashion.

Some Central Connecticut students provided their thoughts on the recording, which were rather mixed reactions.

“It reminded me of a class I took while going to school in Chicago for two years,” said junior Nick Garofolo.

“We analyzed recordings and had to figure out what they were recorded with while learning the history of recording.”

“Sounds really rough... haven’t these people ever heard of digital?” quipped junior Phillip Causey, while others, like freshman Nicole Verderame, were naturally curious.

“This is really interesting, especially knowing that it was waiting in storage somewhere just to be discovered,”

she said. “It makes me want to know who the person was that was recorded.”

On a broader social front, the audio clip has continued to get national recognition. Charlotte Greene, a BBC newsreader, dissolved into a fit of giggles after playing the recording over the airwaves. She attempted to continue business as usual, but could not do so after a studio member remarked that it sounded like “bees buzzing in a jar,” according to BBC News.

Discoveries such as the April 9, 1860 phonautogram ignite cravings for history that are insurmountable, and should be spoken of to children and young adults alike. It is a driving force that will propel students into a world of education that they will not want to leave, and will most likely inform and teach others of what they learn.

But seriously, in all the years of knowing what is produced from a coal oil lamp or what lines the inside of a chimney, who would have realized that by simply putting that and a piece of paper together, that a voice could be recorded? It is a marvel, and a mystery, and thanks to Scott, it will now be researched.

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16

THE RECORDER / Wednesday, April 2, 2008 / LIFESTYLES

After 31 years, four CCSU grads have remained close and reminisce about their days on campus.

Nancy King, Colleen Kubinsky, Robin Gooch and Pam LaCharity regularly meet at the nearby Olive Garden to keep in touch through the years.

Karyn Danforth Lifestyles Editor

“We used to keep our beer cold in the window,” laughed Pam LaCharity as she sipped a glass of wine. “Only the rich kids, like Nancy, had refrigerators,” Colleen Kubinsky said as she pointed at her friend Nancy King. Robin Gooch began to chuckle, and the women dissolved into a fit of laughter.

For 31 years, these four CCSU alumni have been meeting for an annual lunch to catch up with each others’ lives, and to revisit and remember the memories. “We’ve all gone different roads in our lives, but we’ve always been together,” said LaCharity.

King and LaCharity had once went to high school together, but their friendship did not solidify until they roomed in the “once upon a time” all-girls dorm of Seth North. It was there that they had met Gooch and Kubinsky, and the quartet was established.

During the 1970s, Central was a wet campus. A pub formerly resided inside the student center, and it was always packed.

“A line used to snake out the doorway; as each person left, they took someone in,” recalled LaCharity. The ladies had VIP access, thanks to a friend who had worked there. Two dollar pitchers of beer were enjoyed as movies graced the screen of the pub every Thursday night.

Campus mainstay Elmers was around back then, and doubled as a strip bar. A pizza joint called Belvedere Pizza was nearby, and the ladies would walk there to grab a few slices and have a good time. With three out of the four not having a car, anything within walking distance was a surefire check off of the ‘things to do’ list of Central happenings.

Imagining a time before cellphones, computers and Facebook may be difficult for some, but for these women, college without these gadgets was not a disappointment.

“There was no need to drive off campus,” said Kubinsky, a 1976 education graduate. “You had to go out to socialize.

We traveled in packs.”

Every dorm at Central used to have parties; they would hire a DJ, get a keg, or would make a nice big barrel of “Purple Jesus.”

“People would bring the hose in and fill a garbage can full of water, a can of Kool-aid, and a ton of grain alcohol, then turn around and sell tickets for two bucks a

A photo of the group of friends circa 1976. cup,” said LaCharity, a 1977 education graduate.

Semi-formal dances, called functions, were also held for each dorm every semester, giving everyone an excuse to dress up like the prom and dance the night away. “Some of our fondest memories include us getting ready for the functions in our rooms together; sometimes we’d just take the whole day off from classes to do so,” said Gooch, a 1977 business graduate.

The invitations would not forget the most important ingredient to the night however, and would mention the most popular acronym in a college setting: BYOB. As I sat with these four cheerful “bitties” (as Gooch referred to them) they showed me pictures of themselves dressed up at functions, parties, for Halloween and their graduation days. Each photo had a particular story and a laugh or two to accompany it.

“Partying was a part of our life, but within reason,” said Gooch.

“It’s pretty amazing that any of us graduated,” laughed Kubinsky, and the others followed suit.

CCSU in the 1970s was considerably different; technology was undergoing

changes, security wasn’t an issue, and students weren’t the stressed out multi-taskers they are today. Students wrote their papers on typewriters, the main doors to residence halls would stay wide open until late at night, and when they were not partying, students went to class, and worked 10-15 hours a week to hold up their discretionary funds.

Primitive methods of the yesteryears have been replaced with easy clicks of the mouse on the Internet. Picking classes, for example, used to be an ordeal. Students had to go to the student center, get in the line of the department the class is in, and get a card punched. Today, e-mail makes contact with professors a quick, impersonal act, while before computers, students had to grin and bear it by walking to offices and having face-to-face conversations, although meetings such as these are still welcome.

Simply put, there were no individualistic luxuries. Students typically did not own the common technological devices that today’s students take for granted, whether it be a computer or television set.

With one television being in the basement of an entire residence hall, or one major

Conrad Akier / The Recorder

movie being shown in Welte Hall, these were the moments that students came together to enjoy a good flick, and some great company.

The four recalled some loopier memories, in which they spoke of the ridiculous stunts boys would pull to get attention.

“Guys used to come out of their buildings and streak naked, and go flying across campus,” said Kubinsky.

“Some of the boys who lived in Vance owned tarantulas,” said LaCharity.

“Then there were the pranksters who would shove pennies in our doors, and we couldn’t open them,” said Kubinsky, proving that boys will be boys.

Certain residence halls had different reputations, as well.

“Beecher were the pot heads, Vance were the jocks, Gallaudet was co-ed, Barrows were the elite girls, and above all, Seth North was home to the nicest people,” said Gooch, recalling her own residence dorm.

Dorm life was always abuzz; residents would hang outside of their rooms, using the hallway to its fullest advantage. “We’d sit in the hallways to study and support one another,” said LaCharity. A phone booth existed in each hall, and was the only means of contacting the outside world other than snail mail.

While there was no such thing as a spring weekend, spring break was the time to take a bus trip down to Florida with a bunch of friends. “We would drink beer on the bus, and then drink grain alcohol out of the hotel room tub,” recalled Gooch.

Once the four graduated, they were adamant about keeping in touch, and thus established annual get-togethers. “When we began doing these, we’d laugh and say, ‘Wait till we all get married, wait till we all have children,’ and now we’re at the point where our children are getting married.

Now we’re saying, ‘Wait till we’re all grandparents.’ Every time another milestone rolls around, we’re still together,” said LaCharity.

Gooch smiled and agreed. “Us getting together is a testament to the fact that the friends you make in college can really become lifelong friends,” she said. “Now that we’re older, we drive more slowly, and drink finer quality wine.”

“Enjoy it while you can,” Kubinsky said in regards to college. “It goes by way too fast.”