vol104issue27

OPINION

Food is the New Gold - Page 4

Five Ways to Beat the Summer Heat

Entertainment Pelican Interview - Page 9

- Page 15

Wednesday, May 7, 2008

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

Volume 104 No. 27

Faculty Respond to RateMyProfessors.com

Marissa Blaszko Staff Writer

Stephanie Bergeron / The Recorder

Bookstore Prepares for Buy-Back Season Melissa Traynor Managing/News Editor While it’s a busy end of the semester for the student-run CCSU bookstore, the staff over at the corner of the student center is prepared for the deluge of students and used textbooks, especially with their guarantee of 50 percent return.

“Our team is proud as we continue to return the highest prices and guarantee 50 percent cash back on any faculty readopted textbooks (within our guidelines of course),” wrote Jack O’Leary, the CCSU book-

store director, in an email to The Recorder.

“This time of the year—it’s tough,” O’Leary said. “The publishers are out there trying to jockey the faculty.”

He said that while a textbook previously lasted five or six years, students are lucky if they can sell a book back that is more than two semesters old.

“Now it’s less than a year. The publishers will add all of these bells and whistles to the book with things like additional CDs,” he said.

The bookstore is working with the faculty to provide a list for books

that the store can accept at the end of the semester and increase awareness for students.

“The faculty have been just unbelievable in terms of getting it together for us,” Jack O’Leary said of the professors who have working with the bookstore since February. He also said that they have been extremely diligent and the store now has about 70 percent of the list accumulated and it’s grown dramatically.

O’Leary said that the CCSU bookstore has earned many accolades including the highest return in the state at around 80 percent of books returned.

See Buy-Back Season Page 2

File Photo by Stephanie Bergeron / The Recorder

The Blue Devils won on Sunday, putting themselves at 20-19 overall and 14-6 in Northeast Conference.

Clean Sweep for Blue Devils

See Clean Sweep Page 7

This time of year, RateMyProfessors.com seems to be running slower than usual—and with good reason.

The site boasts over six million ratings on over one million professors and six thousands schools; with 1,113 of those professors employed at CCSU and schedule revisions in full swing, the site’s popularity at this time of year is matched only by PipeLine and Facebook.

Political Science professor Dr. Jerold Duquette has been, the site claims, failing a good percentage of his students, who are in turn failing him. Duquette, however, said that the claim was completely unreasonable.

“I’m easy to understand. All I ask of my students is that they laugh at my jokes, spend 10 hours a week on my reading assignments and demonstrate doctoral-level mastery on my exams and assignments,” he said.

“Some seem confused about these expectations, staring back at me with a serious expression after I tell a joke, and making ME laugh when grading their work. Oh, well.”

He took a similar stance on being labeled one of the school’s hard-

est graders. “Isn’t torture okay these days?” Duquette asked.

Dr. Eric Leonidas of the English department admitted to looking at his profile in the past but was still surprised to discover the plethora of chili peppers next to his name, making him one of the hottest professors at CCSU. “I don’t consider myself a ‘hottie,’” he told The Recorder as he shifted uncomfortably in his chair. “I think there’s a kind of beauty in what I teach,” he said. “Plus, it’s the Renaissance. [There is] a lot of sex and fun in the Renaissance.”

Although most students viewed Leonidas as a tough grader, almost all of his comments were positive; likewise, Leonidas views RateMyProfessors as a positive thing.

“I think students need more conversations about their teachers,” he said. Still, the comments tend to polarize. Students who meet the class average wouldn’t generally speak up on the Web site—a truth that anyone who has visited the site knows.

One of the most polarizing professors on campus is Mike Alewitz, the art department’s in-house radical. On the site, one former student decided that “he already hates your work… even though you don’t know him and you aren’t even in his class.”

See Faculty Respond Page 2

Syrian Ambassador Returns to CCSU, Stresses Better U.S. Relations Brian Morache Staff Writer Despite currently strained U.S. relations, Syrian Ambassador Imad Moustapha was optimistic when he addressed a dinner at the final Middle East Lecture series.

“Syria is not an enemy of the U.S. and the U.S. is not an enemy of Syria,” he said.

“It is no great thing to be invited once. The real challenge is to be reinvited,” he said of his return to CCSU. With a hearty laugh, the audience welcomed back the Ambassador.

Along with laughter there was also talk of some very serious subjects.

In regards to the Palestinian issue, the Ambassador was very clear as to his country’s view of the importance of United States involvement.

“Peace cannot be achieved without the full commitment of the United States. That is why we need good U.S. relations,” he said.

Moustapha offered a more realistic view of the recent peace talks in Annapolis when he referred to them as a “grand photo opportunity.”

There apparently was much hand shaking and some very delicious food, but little to no discussion of the issues.

The Ambassador had another issue to contend with—the claim by the Bush administration that the fa-

cility that was bombed by the Israeli air force seven months ago was a nuclear reactor capable of processing plutonium. Moustapha presented logical reasoning as to why this assertion was completely absurd.

“Why would Syria, or any other country, make a secret facility capable of being photographed by Google earth?” he asked.

He also pointed out that this facility had none of the support services necessary for a nuclear facility, as well as no security stations or fences.

Apparently anyone could have walked into the building at will. In regards to the “evidence” of the Bush administration, Moustapha pointed out that the President had “evidence” that Iraq had weapons of mass destruction and a nuclear program, as well.

“Who cares about logical deductions when it comes to the Bush people?” he asked at one point.

In the role of peacemaker in the Middle East, Ambassador Moustapha highlighted the role that Turkey is now participating in negotiations between Israel, the Palestinians and Syria. He lamented that this was the “role that used to be played by the United States.”

As part of an Arab state, the Ambassador pointed out that there is an offer on the table to Israel put forth by all of the Arab states. It offers land

See Syrian Ambassador Page 2

News

2 THE RECORDER Wednesday, May 7, 2008

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

Staff Writers Marissa Blaszko Peter Decoteau Chris Demorro Kyle Dorau Nick Gorra Aril Grain Matthew Jurkiewicz Marissa Mancini Brian Morache Heather Vendetta Nick Viccione

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.

Buy-Back Season Syrian Ambassador Continued from page 1

Continued from page 1

They also boast the capability of shipping books out to one of the other 599 Barnes and Noble college bookstores across the country. If the university does not necessarily need a batch of books, the CCSU bookstore can search out and track down another school that is in need of that specific bunch.

“We try to send out some books if we can and try to look beyond our walls,” O’Leary said. “We want to reward students with a fair book return.”

O’Leary cautioned students to return their books with a careful eye and overall, simply educate themselves as consumers. He also recommended that students definitely ask their professors what books they plan on using in the fall so that they will have a better idea of what can be returned in the last days of the semester.

Monday, May 12 through Friday the 16th, the CCSU bookstore will be accepting books for up to 50 percent cash back. Their hours are as follows: 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Friday.

During finals week, the bookstore will open its remote buy-back station: one in front of DiLoreto using their stadium trailers. O’Leary said they’ve opened up this option to make the buy-back process more accessible from both ends of the campus. The remote station will be open from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. May 12 through 16.

Faculty Respond

Edward Gaug / The Recorder

Syrian Ambassador Imad Moustapha doing his best Nixon “I am not a crook” impression. for peace; if Israel will return to its

99215 pre-1967 borders and allow for an inPalestinian Centraldependent, CT Statesovereign University state, then every Arab nation in the 2 col x region 5” will recognize Israel and honor a peace agreement. kc

Continued from page 1 But upon hearing that he had not been given the more-awkwardthan-coveted title of “Hottest Professor on Campus,” Alewitz became instantly disengaged with the interview.

“I don’t hate [my students],” he said. “I despise them. I think they should make paintings about me and rate me as a hot professor… I’m definitely the funniest. The fact that I’m not rated as a hot professor is in itself the intrinsic unfairness of the Web site.”

Another student’s comment was, “I’m glad I overcame the obstacle that is Alewitz.”

The mural-painting professor took full credit in the student’s victory.

“In my class, you learn to get over obstacles.” He then went on to say that if his students would like higher grades, they should award him a chili pepper or two, accompanied by a comment that would help him identify him or her.

Upon looking at his profile on the site, English department Chair Dr. Gil Gigliotti spoke on the useless comments that the site, he claims, encourages. With blurbs like “He thinks he’s a comedian, which makes class somewhat interesting,” and “needs to get some interests outside of Frank Sinatra,” the few comments left on Gigliotti’s page say less about his teaching and more about him in general.

“What pains me the most, of course, is not that they think I’m either a wannabe-comic or a pedantic monomath, or even that I’m not one of those ‘hot’ teachers with a chili pepper next to his name,” Gigliotti stated. “No, what pains me most of all is that not that many of my students bothered to rate me at all. What’s that famous Oscar Wilde quote? ‘The only thing [worse than] being talked about is NOT being talked about.’”

He acknowledged that while peace plans are always more complicated than this, it is certainly a good place to start.

Regardless of any peace plan that may be put forth, the Ambassador,

in conclusion, again stressed the role of the United States.

“No peace will be achieved without the United States playing a major role,” he said.

After the lecture and during the following dinner, the Ambassador spoke of his family and of life in Syria.

His wife, who is well educated, received her Ph.D from a university in England. He spoke of education in Syria, of the many Catholic schools

and how all universities must be secular rather than religious.

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3

THE RECORDER / Wednesday, May 7, 2008 / NEWS

UI Thursdays May Be Quieter with Friday Classes Carla Keppler University of Iowa (The Daily Iowan) (U-WIRE) – Iowa City’s Thirsty Thursday may be no longer.

With nearly 100 additional courses scheduled on Fridays next fall, University of Iowa students may see Iowa City’s Thursday-night party scene abate somewhat.

The spike comes as a result of a 2007 University of Missouri study, which showed that students with Friday classes consumed half as much alcohol as those who ended their academic week earlier. Findings led the UI to increase late-week courses in

hopes of thinning the crowds downtown on Thursdays.

By using a monetary incentive, the UI enticed departments to shift courses to Fridays. The money can vary between UI colleges – the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences pays departments $20 per student per switched class.

In the fall of 2007, 1,402 courses were held on Fridays. Over the past few years, numbers fluctuated from a low of 1,234 – this semester – to 1,479. The number of courses will jump to 1,499 for the fall of 2008.

Rhetoric department head Mary Trachsel accepted the monetary incentive with open arms, and

she plans to use it for teaching initiatives and faculty research.

She believes the transition will positively affect students.

“The likelihood that [students] are going to be drinking on Thursdays is less,” she said. “It’s not going to stop students that really want to go out, but the university is at least taking a stand.”

Some students agree. Junior Kyle Braheny has two Friday courses scheduled for the upcoming semester. Both, he said, are required to fulfill his math major.

Though he said there isn’t anything he can do to get out of taking the classes, he thinks the university’s

decision to implement late-week courses might be a good idea in terms of curbing Thursday partying.

“If I had more Friday classes, I’d think twice about drinking on Thursday nights,” he said.

Braheny said the early weekend party scene “has been a problem” recently and that he respects steps the UI is taking to address it.

“They’ve got to try to reach us somehow,” he said. “I guess we’ll see how it goes.”

Nate Davis, a senior journalism and cinema major, is doubtful. In his opinion, Friday courses do little to prevent students from starting their weekends a day early.

“I’ve gone out Thursday nights knowing I had class Friday,” he said.

“And there are definitely people with a greater urge to party than I have.

People are still going to go out.”

But in Trachsel’s mind, there are few, if any, drawbacks to the higher number of Friday courses.

“It’s probably healthy to instill in teachers and students alike the idea that this is the real world,” she said. “Being a student is like having a job - a full-time job - that needs to be taken seriously.”

Don’t Drink and Drive, Kids Amanda Ciccatelli Assistant News Editor Robin Cullman of Mothers Against Drunk Driving said the spring of 2008 is proving to be a busy season for their programs to caution against drunk driving.

“We don’t want one of you to be on our screen next year,” Cullman said to the audience as she began Monday night’s visual presentation, where she and several other speakers shared their life-altering stories. These individuals stood strong when they recalled the nights they lost their loved ones and the 2 a.m. phone calls that changed their lives forever.

The program was made possible by CCSU’s Counseling and Wellness Center, Natural Helpers, MADD and Waterbury Hospital.

“Families are destroyed,” she stated. “It is hard to convey the pain unless you have experienced that pain.” She introduced 18-year-old Jessica Keeley, who lost her brother Timothy in a drunk driving crash five years ago. Keeley admired her older brother as she was growing up; she was 13 at the time of his death. After spending the day together, Timothy said, “I love you and I will see you tonight when I get home.”

Keeley explained that at 2 a.m. on her mother’s 50 th birthday, her mother let out a curdling scream; that is how Keeley remembers first learning of her brother’s death.

Timothy Keeley and his friends were completely sober that night. They were hit and killed only two miles from the Keeley’s house by a 40-year-old woman driving on the wrong side of the road coming back from her engagement party.

In a separate story, the mothers from MADD explained that a woman named Lori Hudak died around Thanksgiving.

“Lori’s grandmother was the last person to see her before she died,” said Lori’s mother, MaryAnn Hudak. The girls drank at a party and then went to a bar. Lori’s friend was driving them home from the bar when she crashed into a pole on Lori’s side, killing her instantly. At 2:45 a.m., Hudak thought to herself, “Why is Lori so late?”—then the doorbell rang.

When she saw the police cruisers outside her house, she recalled how everything was surreal in her mind; she didn’t want to believe what she was about to hear. “No one had to tell me that my life had changed forever,” Hudak said.

After the “longest car ride of her life” to the hospital, Hudak and her husband were lead downstairs to the morgue. She saw Lori lying motionless and brutally inured. “Her skull was indented, her liver torn, her bones crushed,” said Lori’s mother. She stated that all she could think to herself was, “Lori is still beautiful to me.”

Cullman presented a list of names as a way to honor the deceased at Monday’s presentation.

One of them was Caryn, a teenage girl who was babysitting her little sisters. She took them out for a drive when, on her way home, Caryn’s car ran out of gas. She pulled over to retrieve a spare container of gas she had in her trunk when suddenly a drunk driver hit and dragged Caryn to her death. Meanwhile, the girl’s little sisters watched in horror from the inside of her car.

Cullman continued with the story of the White family. About to celebrate their 17th wed-

Stephanie Bergeron / The Recorder

Jessica Keeley, 18, discusses the loss of her brother to a drunk-driving accident. ding anniversary, Steve White and his wife were coming back from a friend’s house after having a few drinks. The ride ended in Steve’s death at the hands of his wife, who drove the couple’s car while intoxicated.

“This is one of our newest slides,” Cullman said while beginning the story of Dustin Church, who plunged to his death in the Housatonic River as a result of drunk driving.

He was with two of his friends, both of whom were able to escape from the car, but were too drunk to dive into the river to save him. Instead, they climbed on top of the car and screamed at the top of their lungs for help while Church drowned.

Aside from fatalities, 500,000 people were injured last year in drunken driving accidents.

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“Our bodies are not designed to withstand the impact,” said Cullman. “People are blinded, thrown through the windshield and back, legs are snapped like twigs under the dash.”

A speaker named Joe experienced the hard truth from the driver’s seat. “I killed somebody by drunk driving,” he said. After a hard day of work, Joe felt he deserved to go out with the guys and have a few beers. Before he knew it, Joe said, he had killed a man on his drive home.

“I looked in the rearview mirror and said to myself, ‘Oh my god, that didn’t happen.’”

Joe spent four years in jail for killing a person while driving drunk, but it could have been ten years without suspension. He conveyed the message to the student audience to be responsible: take a cab, crash where you are or call a sober friend.

“Do not put the keys in that ignition,” he cautioned.

After almost two hours of presenting each speaker with sympathy and strength, Cullman shared her story. Although she would have liked to, she said she did not choose to join MADD to contribute to her community; she chose MADD because she learned the hard truth like Joe. Cullman wanted to use her first-hand experience to prevent others from driving drunk.

At 34 years old, Cullman attended a wedding with a good friend. She decided to be the driver for the night, although it was not her original plan. As the wedding carried on and party time came, she made a limit for herself: one drink every hour. She figured that was responsible and safe enough for when the time came to drive home.

As the end of the night neared, the festivities were over and Cullman and her friend climbed into the car to head home. As she drove towards a median on the road, she decided it would be faster and easier to get her friend home if she drove over the median.

Robin drove into a three-foot-high dirt pile that flipped and crashed her truck, killing her friend instantly.

“I reached up to the shattered glass and grabbed strands of her hair that were caught in the windshield, and that is when it got real,” Cullman said.

She was sentenced to eight years in prison and was suspended after three-and-a-half. “I didn’t think that’s who I would be when I grew up,” she remembered.

According to MADD.org, car collisions are the number one killer of young people ages 15-20, and 31 percent of these deaths are drunk driving crashes. About 18 million Americans or 8.5 percent of the population meet the criteria for alcohol abuse.

4 THE RECORDER Wednesday, May 7, 2008

Editorial

Editorial/Opinion

The Connecticut State University System and Central in particular has seen a steady increase in its standing in the academic world in recent years. The Recorder is pleased to lend its endorsement to the new journalism program the university is looking to adopt. The program will not only help the current staff of The Recorder, but future staff and generations of Central students interested in writing and journalism.

In the past, journalism was only offered as a minor, and a sparse variety of classes on the subject were offered each semester.

Students looking to pursue careers in the field had to be content with the minor, and were usually funneled into the communication or English departments for their majors. Such an arrangement would leave them earning around three times the credits in communication or English classes than in journalism. 18 credits—the amount needed to fulfill a minor, is just over one semester’s worth of training, which leaves many students under-equipped to enter a very competitive profession.

All of us at The Recorder can speak to the high quality of instruction that we receive from the two current journalism profes-

sors, Dr. Vivian Martin and Anthony Cannella. Despite not having a major, Central has turned out well-regarded professional journalists fairly consistently, and it is due in large part to these and other professors. With a heavier load of courses to teach every semester, more staff will have to be added, and this can only be beneficial.

They will be teaching important background classes like History of Journalism, Responsibilities of Journalism and Journalism Theory. More classes in Web journalism will be taught, which will help students compete in an industry moving more and more into the world of the Internet. Until now, these classes might have only been offered about once every two years, leaving just a handful of students the opportunity to take them. Likewise, the creation of a separate department ensures that more thought and time will be devoted to tailoring the program to continue its upward progress.

The argument for a journalism department has been going on for some time, but it was given some extra momentum by recent controversies regarding The Recorder. Many said that a department would allow for more guidance for the student newspaper, and some past controversies could have been avoided. A “journal-

istic integrity task force” organized as a response to some of these concluded that Recorder staff be offered additional “systematic training initiatives that will expose them to the basic journalistic skills and practices.” While we maintain that part of our experience on a student newspaper has to be the independence to make mistakes and learn from them on our own, more training via the classroom to prepare for work on The Recorder can only help the final product.

Overall, we recommend the university decide to create a fullfledged journalism department. If it was spurred on by recommendations made in the wake of controversy, so be it, for that is an appropriate response that allows the paper to fulfill its purpose while still addressing problems raised by other members of the campus community. Other university administrations, such as Quinnipiac’s, have taken far more heavy-handed measures, and we are thankful to not be subjected to such measures here. We look ahead with excitement, as the new department can only create a better Recorder, which, we hope, can only help create a better campus.

Letters to the Editor Dear Recorder, That the US military is seeking Israeli advice on how to conduct urban warfare is a good thing. Israeli operations in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, which Professor Nanjandiah calls “wanton state terror,” has resulted in the lowest ratio of civilian casualties against that of armed combatants in any armed conflict since the Falklands War. An estimated 55% of Palestinian casualties are civilians. Is that a lot? Yes. Too many Of course, but far better than in Iraq, where over 90% of casualties are civilians.

I wonder if the professor is aware that the reasons that “most of the deaths and injuries are of impoverished Palestinian civilians” is because that Israeli security and intelligence forces have thwarted hundreds of terrorist attacks, which are essentially attempted-murders, and is also the reason why 15,000 Palestinians are currently in Israeli prisons. When terrorists who deliberately target Israeli civilians (75% of Israeli casualties are civilians) are successful, victims are treated by one of the best emergency medical response systems in the world. Where it not for Israeli security and medical services, just as many or possibly even more Israelis than Palestinians would be dead today.

I wonder if the Professor, who also accused Israel of being an “oppressive apartheid” state, is aware that Mangosuthu Buthelezi, South Africa‘s black Home Affairs Minister, has said “The Israeli regime is not apartheid.” Or that Jean-Christophe Rufin, the former president of Doctors Without Borders, thinks that comparisons between Israel and apartheid should be illegal.

- Steven Bensics, student As I look towards my graduation, I find myself eagerly awaiting the day when the only classes I will have to worry about are the ones I am going to teach. This also means saying goodbye to many good people at CCSU and the “college life” that so many of us complain about yet also grow accustomed to living. Part of that experience has been writing for The Recorder, and that too will come to an end for me as this is the last issue I will be published in. For some readers, the fact that this will be my last article will bring much pleasure, and, at least I hope, some will also be sorry to no longer have the opportunity to read my work.

I came to CCSU as a non-traditional student in 2004, having been a freshman in 1986 and last attending college in 1989. In the intervening years, I found my education interrupted by that nasty little thing called life.

Yet it was that experience that has made college that much better for me and it is this life experience that I have tried to bring to the Recorder as a writer. Always remember that no matter how great an education you may receive at college, much of what you will learn in your life will not be found in a classroom.

Even though I was a published author when I began writing for The Recorder in 2004, I had not written in a journalistic style since high school. I am not a journalism major nor am I an English major; I haven’t even had a college journalism course. Instead I relied upon my natural ability as a writer as well as the passion I have for the issues I wrote about. In the four years I have been at CCSU, I have at times stopped writing for the paper out of disgust, sometimes at the attitudes of editors or at other times out of the fatigue of being a lone voice of the kind of caution and respect that tends to come with life experience. Despite, or more accurately because of those times, I have also enjoyed working with some excellent young editors and at times have labored through periods when those in charge needed a dose of common sense and journalistic decency. Whether my work was published or not, I kept writing because I felt there was a need to say things that just couldn’t be left silent.

Older students such as myself don’t make too many friends at college, but we do have many associates whom I think the world of. As a student who is closer in age to the parents of many of my fellow journalists and one who does not live on campus, I tend to not be the first one to call for a party or to hang out. Still, this does not stop me from taking part in The Recorder and enjoying my time with all of these truly wonderful people. I would hope that my associates at The Recorder enjoyed my company as much as I did theirs.

So with these last words I will pay my farewells. I am grateful for the opportunity to have shared these last four years with all of you. I hope other older students will become involved in The Recorder and continue to provide a hand that is perhaps a bit more scarred by life’s experience. In the words of that famous journalist Edward R. Murrow, “Good night and good luck.”

- Brian Morache

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

Food Is the New Gold: Greed Creating More World Hunger Marissa Blaszko Staff Writer Although the saying “food is the new gold” may conjure up images of bank vaults stockpiled with cans of corn and boxes of cereal, the actual meaning of last week’s media-spun catchphrase may just be a little more ridiculous. That’s because over the past couple of months, food prices have begun skyrocketing; the price of rice alone, a staple in most thirdworld diets, had doubled since December. But look on the bright side: it makes for a hell of a good investment.

The food crisis first came to the world’s attention when hunger began sparking international riots, predominantly in Haiti, where the backlash was aimed at not only the government but also the UN. The United Nations has had peacekeeping troops in Haiti on and off since the 1990s, and during what Haitian protests called a political demonstration, the troops fired rubber bullets and tear gas into the crowd outside of the president’s palace. Still, the UN maintains that they will begin seeing to the food shortage immediately.

One theory as to why food prices have risen so dramatically is the growing use of biofuel, which is using a third of U.S. corn crops, as well as a high percentage of those in Europe.

Because of this, not only have the prices for corn gone up, but so have those of any product that uses corn— from artificial sweetener to livestock.

The world’s demand for corn has grown so exponentially that many corn products have become simply unattainable in certain parts of the world.

So why continue using food for ethanol or any other type of fuel?

Biofuel isn’t the single reason families around the world can’t afford to feed their children, though it is an indicator of a larger problem. The underlying reason for the global food crisis—not to mention an uncountable number of civil disputes and full-out wars—is energy. In the United States, gas prices above $4 per gallon mean less consumption and a sluggish economy; but in countries like Haiti, it means that farmers can’t afford to grow food and families can’t eat.

And yet most news sources are reporting record profit margins for companies like BP and Exxon Mobile ad nauseam. The idea that a few bad CEOs are making enough money for not only them but their grandchildren to lead lives of grandeur unheard of in most countries is just like that of a Swiss bank filled with stockpiles of powdered milk and pasta – ridiculous.

Perhaps we shouldn’t even be labeling the food shortage a crisis in itself at all, but rather the byproduct of a larger problem. With an estimated 100 million shoved into poverty because of their inability to obtain food while most of the world’s wealth is controlled by the top two percent, a global economic war is raging.

Because while a good part of the world is complaining of ‘Clorox hunger’ – a hunger so torturous that they felt their stomachs were being eaten away by bleach or battery acid – investors are looking at the food crisis as an opportunity.

Not only can foreign investors pump money into corporate farms and scientifically engineered livestock, but the company’s ability to produce food in bulk gives them the ability to beat the prices of local second and third-world farmers. And while several countries are trying to ban foreign imports on food, the UN is urging the foreign governments to remove tariffs and bans to keep food coming to the people.

When World Bank President Robert Zoellick spoke at a news conference several weeks ago about the catastrophe, he summed up the situation entirely. “This is not a natural disaster,” he said. “Make no mistake, there’s nothing natural about it. But for millions of people, it is a disaster.”

5

THE RECORDER / Wednesday, May 7, 2008 / OPINION

Religious Contempt Among Americans May Foreshadow Actions Overseas Dan Ivers Opinion Editor The very words “radical fundamentalism” undoubtedly produce many similar thoughts and images in the minds of the average American. It is generally associated with Islam, terrorism and much of the struggle we face in our current war in Iraq and larger war on terror.

However, a story that has recently emerged from the Middle East changes the face of that dirty phrase. Army specialist Jeremy Hall has filed a lawsuit against the U.S. military, alleging he was the target of harassment by his superiors and fellow soldiers regarding his atheist views.

He also alleges that he was sent home from Iraq after filing complaints, as well as that he was blocked from being promoted because of his views and threatened by other soldiers and superiors to the point where the Army had to assign him a bodyguard.

While none of Hall’s claims have been substantiated, they don’t seem that far out of the box. It’s not hard to cast the war in a Christian-versus-Muslim light, and the original post-9/11 rhetoric from President Bush and many other politicians suggested just that (Bush even called it a “crusade,” which he apologized for later). While this has been toneddown severely, it’s not difficult to imagine that a certain number of recruits may be motivated by religious reasons; they may be there to fight for “God and country,” in the truest sense. These concerns are even more serious when you consider just who we will let in the military these days (seemingly anybody, including those with violent criminal histories).

The military has vehemently denied Hall’s accusations, and the Constitution clearly states that no one can be denied a position of employment based on faith, which presumably extends to a lack thereof. However, reactions to atheism can be severe, and it’s not always observed as being under the umbrella of religions to be tolerated. Atheists are seen as morally lost by many who will tolerate your difference of faith from their own, provided that you do claim to adhere to some religious set of morals. A 2006 University of Minnesota survey found that atheists were the least-trusted group in America, below Muslims, homosexuals and recent immigrants. They also got the lowest ratings when people were asked whether they thought a group “shared their vision of

America.” I’m sure many were surprised to hear that there even was an atheist soldier, as stereotypes would hold that they are unpatriotic.

Many atheists do not openly espouse their views for fear of being ostracized (hence the popularity of non-offensive terms like “agnostic” and all the cop-outs you hear, like “I’m spiritual, just not religious,” or “I just don’t like organized religion.”). Someone like Hall is brave to announce his religious philosophy, although he has admitted that it took a long time for him to comfortable with it. His attorney —Mikey Weinstein of the Military Religious Freedom Foundation and an Air Force veteran who also served in the Reagan White House— has seen thousands of similar incidents over the years. He will publish a book titled “With God on Our Side: One Man’s War Against an Evangelical Coup in America’s Military” later this year.

After 9/11, America enjoyed a sense of unity against a common cause, and most backed our efforts to fight in the Middle East. However, this was very short-lived, and clearly discrimination and divisiveness are back with a vengeance. There’s no doubt that our soldiers are patriotic, for they put their lives on the line for our country; but it shouldn’t be only for their vision of our country, and they shouldn’t be out there fighting a neo-crusade against any nonChristian, whether Muslim, Atheist or any other denomination. Like it or not, soldiers are ambassadors, and this kind of conduct against one of their own doesn’t speak well for how they might treat Iraqis or Afghanis. Terrorists are often called radical fundamentalists because of their extreme adherence to their religion and their lack of tolerance for anyone who will not show the same adherence. Incidents like the ones raised by Jeremy Hall show that this might not just be their holy war, but ours, too.

Furthermore, atheists have the same right to not believe as anyone else to subscribe to their religion, yet it’s still somewhat socially acceptable to hate them. Atheists may be without a god, but they are not universally without morals. Unfortunately, they are shunned and are fairly poorly organized, so they have almost no one to fight for the respect and tolerance granted to other religions. It’s not hard to imagine how an Islamic terrorist would react to someone who says they are godless, but apparently a lot of soldiers—and Americans—wouldn’t feel too differently.

Daily Athenaeum Backs Obama For W.Va. Primary Steve Veres U-Wire Online Editor (U-WIRE) – Hailing Sen. Barack Obama’s education and student loan platforms, West Virginia University’s student paper endorsed the Illinois Democrat for the state’s primary on May 13.

“Members of the editorial board have been impressed with Mr. Obama’s passion for change and drive to make life better for everyone,” the editorial board wrote.

Amid an economic downturn and shrinking education state budgets, the Daily Athenaeum tempered its endorsement by asking the senator to use his influence to increase donations to colleges and universities.

“Our educational bodies should not spend most of their time campaigning for more money,” the students wrote. “Perhaps Mr. Obama can use some of his experiences doing this in the field by securing more money for education,

rather than sending money overseas for wars that shouldn’t have been started.”

Obama and Sen. Hillary Clinton are set to face off Tuesday in the Indiana and North Carolina primaries – the two biggest pledgeddelegate states left in the months-long primary schedule.

According to UWIRE’s count, Obama has received more than 90 percent of the 53 student newspaper editorial board endorsements for the Democratic primary. Four boards have backed Clinton.

The Daily Athenaeum endorsement was published on the same day the board called for its university president to resign after a panel found the daughter of West Virginia’s current governor was awarded an unearned degree. The paper contrasted the two situations in Obama’s endorsement.

“In the same day that we call for the resignation of our own president of our University, we recognize the presidential bid of another,” the board wrote.

The New GI Bill

An Investment Worth Every Penny Brian Morache Staff Writer If someone were to offer you an opportunity to make an investment that would give you a return of twelve times your money, wouldn’t you jump at it? It would be like buying into Microsoft or Intel back in 1985 and cashing in today. Now imagine if the entire country could enjoy such prosperity on their investment— would that not be worth every penny?

Yet many of the very same politicians who claim to “support the troops” are opposed to the new GI bill that Senator Jim Webb is attempting to pass through Congress. Even Senator John McCain, one of the most prominent war hawks and a veteran himself, is lukewarm to the idea of a new GI bill. It makes one wonder just how these politicians really support our troops – they seem ready enough to send them into harm’s way; but once they are home, well, I guess veterans just become another drag on society in their eyes.

When the veterans of World War II came home, they represented a large workforce that, while trained by the government in the art of war, had varying degrees of skills that could translate into peacetime. Throwing a grenade farther than anyone in the neighborhood or picking off a target with an M1 rifle at 600 yards wasn’t what most employers were looking for after the war was over; so the United States government took the initiative and passed a GI bill that would turn this large workforce into one of

the most skilled labor forces in the world. The result of this decision would be a return of twelve dollars for every one spent on the GI bill.

The current GI bill only funds 14 percent of a student’s college tuition and does nothing to help them with cost of living expenses. And while some states may make up the difference at state universities, that a veteran has to depend upon his state for such assistance is inexcusable.

These are the very same people who volunteered to fight in Iraq and Afghanistan to serve our country. As soldiers, they give up the very rights they swear to protect to keep the rest of us safe. So how can a government that claims to support the troops leave so many of them out in the cold?

It is time to take a long, hard look at what “supporting the troops” means. It has to be more than just wearing a lapel pin or waving a flag. Why isn’t the S22 GI bill sailing through Congress, and just who are the ones who are opposing it? Could it be that those who claim to support the troops are the very same politicians who have voted to cut veterans’ benefits? Could Senator Barack Obama be correct in stating that patriotism has to be more than just a slogan or a pin (which is made in China, anyway)? Any politician who opposes this new GI bill and claims to support the troops should remember that veterans, who are the true patriots, do two things: they remember and they vote. See you in November.

6 THE RECORDER Wednesday, May 7, 2008

Sports ccsu blue devils Year in Review

Peter Collin Sports Editor Kyle Dorau Staff Writer These past two semesters have made for a banner year for Blue Devil sports. Central athletics set records, won awards and made noise on the national stage this year. The Blue Devils will be able to add two more Northeast Conference championship banners to the rafters, and they have positioned themselves for several more in the years to come. Here is a recap of each Blue Devil and their performance in this season:

The Blue Devils failed to give Coach Mick D’Arcy his fifth NEC Championship, but there was some success on the field. The women did earn their sixth consecutive NEC Tournament berth, and sophomore Rachel Caneen was second in the conference with nine goals scored.

The Blue Devils will be in good position next year to learn from their early playoff exit with almost the entire team returning, save for the two seniors on the squad, Kari Mancini and Megan McClements.

Football

Men’s Soccer

The CCSU Men’s Soccer team had a season for the record books.

After starting the season with a dismal 3-8-1, the Blue Devils were on the edge of playoff elimination. They needed to go undefeated for the rest of the season just to have a chance at the NEC Tournament. It was a daunting challenge, but the young squad pulled together and went on a historic run. They traveled to New Jersey to the home of the regular season NEC Champions, the Monmouth Hawks.

The Hawks had not been defeated in a conference game since 2004—a streak of 24 games—until the Blue Devils had defeated them in their regular season match-up. CCSU ran into the Hawks again in the championship, where they continued their undefeated play, knocking off the Hawks in round one before defeating St. Francis (PA) in the championship.

With a berth in the NCAA National Tournament, the Blue Devils made the most of their hot streak, taking down nationally ranked opponents from Harvard and Tulsa before finally falling to UMass.

Women’s Soccer

Men’s Basketball

The Blue Devil Football squad achieved a new level of consistency this past season, reaching the six-win plateau for the fourth consecutive time, a first for the Blue Devil program. They also became the first NEC school to take on a Division I program when they traveled to Western Michigan University, where they fell to the Broncos 51-14. The season was not a total success, though, as Central failed to take the NEC crown and earn a bid to the Gridiron Classic in Dayton, Ohio, when they were defeated by Albany 49-14 at home. Jo Jo Freeman made had a solid season, following in the footsteps of Blue Devil standout Justice Hairston. Freeman raked in 828 yards and 10 touchdowns on the season.

It can be quite a challenge for a team to try to repeat a 16-2 performance and a conference championship.

Now take away all but two of the players from that championship team and throw in eight freshmen, and the task becomes almost impossible; but the Blue Devils gave it their best. After starting the season 1-5, Central found a groove after the New Year when they put together a fivegame winning streak. The Blue Devils managed to get back to the NEC Tournament, only to fall to the team they defeated for the NEC title last year, Sacred Heart. Though the Blue Devils will be without star guard Tristan Blackwood next year, the playoff experience gained by the freshman class, especially Rookie of the Year Shemik Thompson and standout freshman Ken Horton, will be invaluable next season.

Ice Hockey

Baseball

The CCSU Ice Hockey team won 21 games this past season, the most since 2000-01. In doing so, they earned their first bid to the National Tournament since 2003 as a number two seed. Backed by strong goaltending from sophomore Carmine Vetrano and the dynamic first line, featuring Rob Diclemente, Supereast Player of the Year Joe Dabkowski and Mike Diclemente, the Blue Devils finished second in the league. Going 6-0 in the month of February helped Central build momentum heading into the postseason. Despite distractions surrounding funding for the trip to the national tournament, the team persevered. Unfortunately, the club lost three games, including a heartbreaking 4-3 loss to the Michigan Wolverines. There is cause for optimism, though, as the team heads into the 2008-09 season. They will lose just three seniors, while three top scorers return. The team also saw a rise in fan attendance and hopes to see many more students come out next year. “This year was a great year for development and expanding our horizons as a team,” said Co-captain Kevin Butler. “We saw a lot of young players come out of their shells and really contribute to the goal we had in mind from the day we stepped on the ice in September.”

CCSU Baseball is making a strong bid to return to the Northeast Conference tournament for the third consecutive season. Behind pitching staff stars Matt Gianini and John Tesseyman, the Blue Devils are battling for positioning in the cramped NEC standings. Tesseyman has been a workhorse for Central, making eight starts and going the distance in half of them. The position players have been solid behind them, as well.

CCSU is ranked third in fielding percentage in conference play, as well as third in ERA, plus second in hitting.

While there’s still a long way to go in the season and so much left to be decided, there are a couple of things that need to happen in order for CCSU to make some noise in the NEC Tournament: Ken Kerski needs to revert back to his sophomore form – it’s no secret the southpaw was struggling earlier this year, but solid back-to-back outings against Monmouth and Sacred Heart serve as assurance to get him back on the right track. Kyle Zarotney needs to put the ball in play, cut down on strikeouts and get on a hot streak like he did at the end of last season; finally, they must be able to get consistent shutdown pitching out of the bullpen.

If they do those things, as well as if senior right fielder Jak Kidd can keep hitting an absurd .455 against lefty pitching and Casey Walko continues his breakout season, this could be a banner year for the Blue Devils.

Women’s Basketball

Volleyball Swimming Softball

It was another solid season for volleyball Head Coach Linda Sagnelli. In fact, it was her best season record-wise. The 23 victories racked up by the Blue Devils were the highest of Sagnelli’s seven-year tenure at Central. Unfortunately for the young Blue Devil squad, that regular season success did not translate into tournament success. The Blue Devils fell in their opening match-up of the NEC Tournament to Robert Morris.

Things are looking good for next season, as the Blue Devils will be bringing back their top outside hitter, freshman Lauren Snyder, and their best setter, freshman Amanda Bayer.

The women’s Basketball program at CCSU began a new era this season. Coach Beryl Piper began her career as a collegiate basketball coach after spending 19 seasons at New Britain High School, where she won three state titles. Unfortunately, that success hasn’t immediately followed Coach Piper to Central. The Blue Devils struggled throughout the season, compiling only four wins on the season. Things can only get better, though, as Piper will have plenty of time to recruit and rebuild this offseason.

Central dominated most of their meets this season and senior Lindsay Snyder led the team and earned a spot on the NEC AllConference team. The Blue Devils dominated the NEC Swimming and Diving Championships, winning their first title since 2001. They used that momentum to beat out 22 other teams for their first-ever ECAC Championship.

Photos by Conrad Akier / The Recorder

It has been a rough season so far for the Blue Devils. Winning streaks have eluded them, as they haven’t been able to string together more than two wins in a row since an early season four-game winning streak.

The outlook is bleak for Central as they sit more than four games out from the last playoff spot. The bright spot for the Blue Devils has been junior Rachel Brenneman, who is eleventh in the NEC with a 2.90 ERA and 12 victories.

7

THE RECORDER / Wednesday, May 7, 2008 / SPORTS

Clean Sweep for Blue Devils with 8-5 Win Over Sacred Heart on Sunday ccsubluedevils.com The Central Connecticut baseball team finished off a weekend sweep over Sacred Heart with an 8-5 victory on Sunday night. The win puts the Blue Devils at 20-19 overall this season and 14-6 in Northeast Conference play, just two games back of first place Monmouth. Junior righty Taylor Kosakowski came in in relief for CCSU to pick up the win pitching the final seven innings and allowing only one run.

Blue Devils Sacred Heart

8 5

The Blue Devils scored four runs in the top of the first inning on just one hit. A pair of errors by the Pioneers and three wild pitches helped Central Connecticut take the big lead. Sophomore Anthony Scialdone scored the first run of the game on a wild pitch to give CCSU the 1-0 lead. Sophomore Tommy Meade drove in the second run when he reached on an error. A second run also scored on the play and then the fourth run scored on a throwing error by the SHU catcher.

Sacred Heart came right back and scored a pair of runs in the first

and two more in the second off of Blue Devil starter Derek Roberts.

Four more runs in the third inning for the Blue Devils gave them back their four-run lead, 8-4. Meade drove in two more runs in the inning with a single to left field with the bases loaded. Junior catcher Sean Parker drove in a run with a groundout and then freshman Sean Miller-Jones singled to drive in the fourth run of the inning.

A single run in the sixth for the Pioneers cut the lead to 8-5, the final score. It was the only run scored off of Kosakowski in his seven innings of work.

Kosakowski picked up the win pitching the final seven innings allowing seven hits and one earned run while striking out seven. He walked only one batter in his seven innings of work. He is now 2-2 on the season with the victory. In his last 21.2 inning of work he has allowed only two earned runs while striking out 20 and walking only four. In his first nine innings of the season he had allowed 13 earned runs.

The Blue Devils scored eight runs and had just five hits in the game. Meade led the offense with his three runs batted in. He drove in six runs in the last two games of the weekend series. The Pioneers had 12 hits but managed just the five runs in the loss.

Blue Devil of the Week

Photo by Stephanie Bergeron / The Recorder

Tommy Meade drove in three runs in Central’s 8-5 victory over Sacred Heart on Sunday.

Montemurro Leads CCSU in Doubleheader Split at Hartford

John Tesseyman

File Photo by Stephanie Bergeron / The Recorder

Blue Devils softball celebrates a recent win. The team finished the year 14-25 with five wins in the NEC. ccsubluedevils.com Tesseyman currently leads all Blue Devil starters with a 2.71 ERA, 69.2 innings pitched, five complete games and is tied for the team lead in wins with fellow starter Matt Gianini at six.

Name: John Tesseyman Age: 22 Year: Senior Major: Managing Information Systems Hometown: High Falls, NY

What do you miss most about home?

“I like where I grew up at home. It was a small town but it was beautiful. I like the area I lived in.

I miss that because I come out here and it’s more urban. It’s next to Hartford; it’s busy.”

Favorites

Pump up song:

Baseball Movie: For Love of the Game

“I basically like hard rock before I go out.”

Car: Lotus or Ferrari

Biggest superstition:

Bands: Journey, Metallica, Outfield Place to Eat: “For faster Italian food I usually go to Tom’s down the street. If I want to sit down or something I go to Bertucci’s on the Berlin Turnpike.”

Local Bar: “Pour House is probably the one I went to the most.”

“I always warm up the same way and during games I always hang my coat in the same spot or I’ll sit in the same spot or put my glove to the side.”

Favorite thing about Central:

“Everything is close by.

Everything you need, everything you want. The mall is right here, the city is right there.”

Freshman Liz Montemurro registered her sixth win and seventh complete game of the season to lead the Blue Devils in a 3-1 game one victory over in-state rival Hartford.

Montemurro went the distance, striking out three Hawk batters, while only allowing five hits in the contest. The Blue Devils dropped the second game to the Hawks, 6-2.

Senior Melissa Pelletier posted three hits and two runs on the day.

Central Connecticut posted the first runs of the opening game.

Pelletier had a bunt single, moving freshman Erin Kelley to second, who walked to lead-off the inning. Kelley scored from second off a Hawk error, while Pelletier advanced to third.

Senior Karen Costes singled up the middle to score Pelletier, giving the Blue Devils a 2-0 lead.

The Blue Devils added another run in the third inning, stretching

Game 1 Blue Devils Hartford

Game 2 3 1

their lead to 3-0. Pelletier scored on senior Melissa Caron’s walk.

The Hawks scored their first run of the game in the bottom of the sixth inning. Hartford sophomore Sara Messinger hit a ball over the left field wall to make it 3-1.

Hartford posted two hits in the bottom of the seventh, but Montemurro got Hawk junior Jackie Simonetty to ground out to end the game.

In game two the Hawks jumped out to a 3-0 advantage in the first inning of play. Hartford junior Amanda Sais highlighted the inning with a double that scored a run for the home team.

Central Connecticut cut into the Hartford lead in the top of the

Blue Devils Hartford

2 6

second inning. Sophomore Tiffany Erickson drove in Costes.

Hartford posted two runs in the bottom of the third inning off a single from Hawk junior Danielle Glantz, knocking in two runs in the process, while adding a home run by senior Alex Morley in the fourth to give the home team the lead 6-1. Central added a run in the top of the fifth.

Junior Brittany Salvatore started the game for the Blue Devils, going three and two thirds innings, while striking out six. Classmate Rachel Brenneman closed out the final two and a third innings fanning four Hawks.

BROTHERS AT ARMS

Over the summer, keep an eye on Pete Collin’s blog, Brothers At Arms, where he and his two brothers discuss the happenings of the Yankees and Red Sox with a little bit of brotherly love thrown in. www.brosatarms.blogspot.com

8 THE RECORDER Wednesday, May 7, 2008

Entertainment Atmosphere When Life Gives You Lemons, Paint That Shit Gold

Only a band like Animal Collective can take a four-song EP and stretch it out to feel almost like a full-length. Animal Collective, known for their long running times and trippy samples, has taken their usual formula and stripped out any production values to deliver a raw, organic record that flirts closely with the band’s last fulllength, Strawberry Jam. Don’t let the weird concern you when it comes to listening to Animal Collective; the band still makes music that is talent-wise on the level of any other indierock band floating around today, but it’s done on completely different terms. It uses a lot of samples—falling bombs and water dripping, specifically on this album—and unlike a lot of experimental outfits, the lead singer is really talented. Where most bands sacrifice vocals for odd effects, Animal Collective has leader Avey Tare belting out smooth and smart lyrics that run deep throughout AC’s message on any given track.

To fully understand Animal Collective’s mission in music, it is necessary to check their back catalogue and listen to the music that preceded Water Curses because there has been a lot of solid development since the band first released Spirit They’re Gone, Spirit They’ve Vanished back in 2000. If you are too lazy to go that far back, grab a few beverages or whatever else it takes to change your state of mind and listen to the last full-length, Strawberry Jam. If these four songs don’t quench your Animal Collective thirst, you might have to venture out this summer and see them at Pitchfork Fest in Chicago or with Radiohead at All Points West in Jersey City. I know I’ll be doing anything I can to be at the latter.

Edward Gaug / Entertainment Editor anticon. reDosh cords has seriously taken over Wolves and Wishes everything I have listened to in the past month, and once again they have released an album that fits solely into their target market of electronicbased rock music. Dosh, a 35-year-old Minneapolis native, has this genre down to a tee, and he doesn’t even bother with vocals.

The first reference point that popped into my head when listening to Dosh’s music is the fact it sounds a lot like the numerous Board of Canada albums I have. Wolves and Wishes is bolstered by static-laced keyboard loops and tons of ambient instrumental samples.

As the album plays out, there are no definite parts—rather a single 44-minute work of art that is cut into tracks for conformity’s sake.

There are no breaks or cuts to be found anywhere on Dosh’s album, but it doesn’t drag on or become repetitive. With a large assortment of tones and samples, this album develops more than it actually plays, in the general sense. Since there is no distinct beginning or end, playing through the album on random will give you as much satisfaction as playing it from tracks one to ten.

While at times the album feels incomplete without the normal vocals backing the instrumentals, other times it works to its favor, giving the listener raw musical talent over the traditional four-piece rock outfit. The track (if you

Animal Collective Water Curses EP

}

When indie hip-hop band Atmosphere’s latest album When Life Gives You Lemons, Paint That Shit Gold hit stores late last month, it was released on the little-known label Rhymesayers—although, according to Epitaph Records (Atmosphere’s old record label), the band had been approached by everyone from Interscope to Warner Bros. While the duo has been releasing albums religiously since 2002, the band’s only official Web site remains their MySpace page.

The sound created in Lemons echoes Atmosphere’s independent ideals. Not one song on the CD has a scrap of MTV’s corporate-generated gangster imagery—like 50 Cent, who spent years living in Farmington, Conn. but desperately wanted listeners to believe he was still hustlin’. Instead, Slug (Atmosphere’s lyricist) focuses his rhymes on subjects like the alienation of youth, women’s issues and minimum wages; pictures of the male poet wearing a t-shirt that bears the words ‘this is what a feminist looks like’ can easily be found online. A storyteller by trade, Slug’s lyrics are not only captivating but refreshingly original, and shine

in the midst of the stereotypically shallow genre.

Ant, the band’s producer and tour DJ, has mixed the album so well that even listeners who generally don’t like rap have found something in the CD; even Web sites like absolutepunk. net have found the album worth reviewing.

Every song features a wide range of instruments—from piano to brass horns—on top of a deep bass drum that is reminiscent of early hiphop and even shows some jazz influence. Part jazz and part rap, the storytelling social commentary that is Lemons is easily one of the most accessible hip-hop CDs of the year, while still managing to stay true to hip-hop ideals.

Marissa Blaszko / Staff Writer

want to call it that) that really stands out is “Wolves,” a jazz-fusion that plays off of Dosh’s piano ability with a synth and organ line that brings it all together. The people who are anticipating horns in their jazz just have to wait a few more seconds into the track to get their saxophone fix.

While Dosh might not have the cult following that fellow anticon. bands like Why? and Subtle are getting recently, Dosh proves to be at the top of his ambient, electronic genre with little competition. If you enjoy noise just as much as traditional instruments in your music, look no further than Dosh’s Wolves and Wishes.

Edward Gaug / Entertainment Editor

enjoy outside of an initial head nod. Lead singer Scott Vogel growls out his disdain for everything in his life, including himself, for nearly a half hour before the album comes to an end.

The band’s instrumentals are typical for a lot of hardcore acts and less brutal metal acts, with a good amount of breakdowns, rapid-fire bass drum beats and the always-inclusive gang vocals. As I listen to the album, I can never keep my attention to it for more than a few minutes before my mind starts to wander, essentially forgetting the music at hand. I guess this is why the typical hardcore track doesn’t last much longer than two minutes. If I had any say, this album wouldn’t last much longer than the first track, as it doesn’t get any better in the last 28 minutes or so.

While I have come to enjoy hardcore more this semester, Terror reminds me why I couldn’t stand it back in high school and why I was reluctant to give it a second chance when I started reviewing music. It takes a lot to impress me when it comes to hardcore bands, mostly because they all play on the same formula, which leaves for little artistic license and a lot for similar songs flying around. You have to be either really good at the instruments you play or have a really cool gimmick. Folly had their gimmick and Comeback Kid was just plain good.

It’s easy to say this album is awful from my perspective, but it wouldn’t surprise me if all Terror fans love this album more than all their others. That’s just how the music industry works.

Edward Gaug / Entertainment Editor

abundant on those previous efforts. An emphasis on beat and lyric seems to be the ambition on most of the new album, and those that do attempt to throw in some song pale in comparison to tracks like “Baby” and “Star.” Despite the fact that Rising Down may not reach the accomplished heights of some of its predecessors, it remains leagues above the typical fare that passes for hip-hop today and touches on themes and issues not only relevant, but intelligently versed and important for Americans to address, proving the necessity of The Roots’ evolution—or intelligent design.

Peter Decoteau / Staff Writer

El Perro del Mar From the Valley to the Stars

This time you don’t even have to download the album for free on the Internet to see if you like it. El Perro del Mar’s newest, From the Valley to the Stars, is available in its entirety on her MySpace, however the songs aren’t available to download.

Sorry, but you can live with the free streaming music and support the artist should she pass the test-run.

The album altogether has a very heavenly and airy feel to it. I can definitely see why later release dates were chosen for the States and the U.K. because a lot of the songs remind me of the summer-spring transition, when the sun is taking the skies back from snow in winter and rain in spring.

Female musicians generally annoy me, but Sarah Assbring pulls it off in a way that isn’t obnoxious. Her voice is extremely delicate, and it sounds like if she pushed a little harder for stronger vocals, the song would break.

“Somebody’s Baby,” is a pretty good example of her limits. It’s a piano-led track that resembles the upbeat bounce of Motown in the late ‘60s with flicks of guitar here and there. For most of the song, it sounds like she is humming the verses and the gentle choruses are not much more passionate, but it’s the kind of simplicity that people can appreciate.

El Perro del Mar moves in again on the retro feel with other songs such as “How Did We Forget.” Marvin Gaye himself could have been backed up by the light piano and hints of a brass section in this track.

She’s kind of like the softer female equivalent of fellow Swede Jens Lekman, whom she’s rumored to be friends with. Both have their own light, poppy take on the American groove of the 1960s and ‘70s. If you’re unsure, don’t hesitate to hit up the El Perro del Mar MySpace, but if you’re looking for something with heavy groove and vocals, you may be disappointed.

Melissa Traynor / News/Managing Editor

Terror The Dammed, The Shamed

When people joke about the hardcore genre, there are always two bands that pop up in the mocking conversation: one is straight-edge, t-shirt selling champion Bane, and the other always seems to be Terror. While I never understood why Terror took the spot as hardcore’s joke band, I listened to the latest album The Damned, The Shamed and it became pretty evident.

Terror takes everything you could ever know about hardcore music from the outside— every stereotype and misconception and throws it together in a single band. Terror’s single worst problem is a lack of anything original, leaving their sound too generic to actually

The Roots Rising Down

On the Roots’ last release, Game Theory, front man Black Thought mused “Some call it evolution, others say intelligent design,” and while he was most likely referring to the societal rift between science and faith, he very well could’ve been pointing to the music of The Roots itself. Some longtime fans have for years been decrying the group’s forays into social commentary and sonic experimentation, citing their earlier work, especially on Do You Want More?!!!??! and Things Fall Apart, as far superior. These are the same people, no doubt, that turned on the Beatles after Abbey Road and crucified Radiohead for Kid A—the same people who would lambaste the groups for unoriginality were the music to remain static.

Forever ignoring expectations and eluding the music industry’s want for singles only, The Roots’ new release, Rising Down, delves deeper into their condemnation of a failing American community, taking aim at everything from homogenous radio hits to school shootings to the demonization of African Americans.

While the content has become more serious, the album relies less on the digitry that seemed to be becoming more and more present on past releases, in effect simplifying the sound (drummer ?uestlove’s hard, quick snare seems to permeate throughout the entirety of Rising Down).

Roots traditionalists should, it would seem, have much to rejoice in this simplicity, but the dark themes mean that the mellow, jazzy vibes of earlier albums are still missing.

What ultimately holds Rising Down from rivaling Game Theory and the Tipping Point is a lack of the truly interesting melodies that were

We Are Scientists With Love and Squalor

The inside joke about We Are Scientists’ debut album, With Love and Squalor, was that they should rename themselves “We Are Scenesters.”

Nevertheless, the release was consistent and just odd enough to carve itself out a little niche in between the hipster scene and the intelligent rock outfits (naming the album after a J. D. Salinger short story probably didn’t hurt).

The music featured “angular” guitars, whatever the hell that means, and had funny/poignant lyrics about the twenty-something life that many twentysomethings seem to be living.

What really made it stand above being simply acceptable in a long line of similar counterparts were the well-structured songs that featured surprisingly adept melodies and harmonies without ever succumbing to self-seriousness or pretention. With that said, my new joke is going to be that they should change the band name to “We Are Crap,” because the new release, title still TBA, is just that.

Instead of having their signature, if somewhat formulaic, sound progress naturally into something like what the Arctic Monkeys did— a little darker, a little weirder, much more complicated, but still fun—We Are Scientists ditched their sound altogether for muffled production and a seriousness that severely bogs down the tracks.

From what I can gather, the songs themselves are, once again, cleverly constructed, but what was once left clear and concise has now been over-produced with fuzzy guitars and harmony over shitty harmony that shrouds the songs in a sticky, unwelcome and completely forced sound. The first track is a perfect example of this. It begins with guitar licks and harmonies that sound as if they were coming from the bottom of a pool, butt he album as a whole never makes it to the surface.

Somewhere in the mess We Are Scientists still exists, scenesters or not, but for now they simply remain “We Are Not That Good.”

Peter Decoteau / Staff Writer

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THE RECORDER / Wednesday, May 7, 2008 / SPORTS

}

Catching Up With

Nick Viccione Staff Writer Today, May 7, Chicagoan post-rock powerhouse Pelican will be bringing their show to Connecticut for the first time when they come to the Webster Theater with Thrice and Circa Survive. I was able to catch up with guitarist Laurent Schroeder-Lebec to ask him a couple of questions about the tour, future recording plans and most importantly, the age-old Chicago question: Cubs or White Sox? Nick Viccione: So how is the tour treating you guys right now?

Laurent Schroeder-Lebec: The road is treating us very well right now. This is a very cool tour for us to be on, and this is the best time of the year to tour weather-wise. The routing was planned out really well, and not to mention we are opening up for a band, in Thrice, that we have been wanting to tour with for quite some time now. It is a pretty different type of tour for us because we are used to playing to an older crowd, with longer sets, later at night. Also, the clubs we are playing in on this tour are much larger than what we are accustomed to. It is really an opportunity for us that we enjoy to be able to play our music for a different crowd that may not have heard us before, and it is going really well.

NV: How has the reception been from the crowds?

LS-L: The reception has been really cool. It is a different type of music than what most of those fans are used to hearing, but on the other hand it blends and complements the music of Thrice and Circa Survive very well. And if the fans do not particularly like it, at least they are being respectful, and that is all you can ask for, really.

We are having a great time.

NV: Like you said before, you guys are much more used to playing the smaller venues and, for lack of a better term, a more laid backtype of crowd. It is always beneficial to cross genres and experience new things as a band.

I am sure you would agree.

LS-L: Yeah. That is something we have always tried to do anyways, when we would book tours we would always consider being with a band that we wanted to tour with. Especially when you are an instrumental band, it is helpful to broaden the reach you have and increasing the appeal you have with fans of a whole bunch of different genres.

}

Pelican NV: You guys will be stopping in Connecticut on May 7. If my memory serves me right, you guys have never played here before.

LS-L: We have not. We have played in all of the areas around Connecticut, but for some reason we have never been able to stop and play a show for you guys.

NV: Do you Connecticut?

know

anything

about

LS-L: Well, no. [laughs] I know that Hatebreed is from Connecticut, but that is pretty much all I know. I mean, I grew up in the whole ’90s hardcore scene, so I know about Cornerstone and Jasta 14. But that is about it. [laughs] NV: This tour is pretty lengthy; have you guys started writing any new material for a new release, or have any ideas in mind after you are done with this tour?

LS-L: We are in the final stages of touring for our last record, which came out last June; there is one more tour after this one that we are going to do in the fall in Europe. We really toured the hell out of this new record. After all of these tours are said and done, we will be fully immersed in writing the new record, which we are starting to write this summer.

NV: Do you prefer Europe over the states?

LS-L: It depends. It is a very different reaction.

The community in Europe is very responsive and they are always engaged, so it is a nice change of pace to play for them over there. That happens a lot in the states, too. The one thing I really like about Europe is how close all of the countries are and the ease of traveling.

NV: Besides Chicago, where you are from?

Are there any other cities that tend to give you the best response?

LS-L: Well obviously the bigger cities give us the best response because you just have more people there. But, if I can recall, we have gotten a really great response in San Francisco – I love playing there. Also, in Orlando, Florida, believe it or not, we have played a ton of great shows at The Social. I have tons of great memories from great shows in different spots here in the states.

NV: As you mentioned before, you are going to be fully immersed in writing a new record as soon as all of the touring is done for your last release; has your writing process changed at all since Australasia? Because, as I listened to the most recent record, it is easy to hear that the songs are much shorter and

to the point, which is a drastic change from the lengthy songs on Australasia.

LS-L: I don’t think there has been anything that has been done on purpose. I think it’s always been some sort of unspoken evolution in the band and the way that we all have grown up in the past couple of years. When we started this band, we had just started playing together and there were a few members that were doing more of the writing than others; and as we evolved as a band, other members started to contribute more and we all started to trust each other’s ideas. When you have a few records behind you, you start to trust your writing more and you can take some more chances. I think we have always been willing to make a very different record from one album to the next. But we have not actually sat down and discussed it.

We write the songs in batches, and the first two songs that we write for a new record is usually an indication as to what direction the album will be going in. Once the ball gets rolling, it moves fast. When you are an instrumental band, I think you do it much differently. If we came in with a bunch of lyrics and wanted to write songs around those lyrics, maybe the music would have been different based upon what we were reading at the time. The most recent records have been products of us being a full-time touring band, while Australasia was a product of us having more time to write crazy stuff in the practice space and touring occasionally. With City of Echoes, most of the writing feel came from us on stage. I think that is why those songs have more of an urgent feel to them.

NV: Have changed?

your

personal

influences

LS-L: Well, you become older and much more of a sponge for all different types of music and you get to be more tolerant of maybe something you were not so tolerant of before. We all love the ’60s and ’70s “psychedelic” and progressiverock movement, as well as a lot of the ’90s heavy rock stuff, like Helmet and Jawbreaker and that type of stuff—some Chicago-based things, like Tortoise and Jesus Lizard and bands like that. It is all over the place. It’s also how you live your life and what you go through as a human being that shape who you are and that reflects on the music a lot. As you get older, you get a lot less trivial as to the music you listen to. When you are younger you feel the need to identify with a specific scene. Anyone who said they liked “everything” in high school really did not like anything at all.

NV: What can you say about Hydrahead Records? They seem to be one of the most

consistent labels around when it comes to releasing quality albums. That is my opinion, anyway.

LS-L: Oh, for sure. Hydrahead was the label we most wanted to be on when we were first starting out. It had to do with us being strong fans of a lot of the bands that were already on that label, whether it was Botch, Coalesce or Cave In. Then, fast forward to now and it is even better to be able to watch them become a little more diverse and watch us become one of their featured bands—it was really a great experience.

They always seem to be releasing the music that is on the cutting edge of a whole bunch of genres. They are really experimental, and it’s a great label to be on. We have been able to tour with Daughters, Clouds and Jesu, and those are all great experiences to have under our belts.

“We write the songs in batches, and the first two songs that we write for a new record is usually an indication as to what direction the album will be going in.”

- Laurent Schroeder-Lebec

NV: What are you guys personally listening to right now for this tour? What is the Pelican playlist?

LS-L: Right now we are listening to Rival Schools and Led Zeppelin. I personally am enjoying the new Dismember record a lot. We find a lot of different ways to kill time.

NV: Last but not least, I have to ask this question. Cubs or White Sox? LS-L: [laughs and pauses] Neither, actually. I could care less.

NV: Not a baseball fan huh? They are both doing pretty well right now.

LS-L: Well, I can say that I have been living in Chicago for 12 years and I have never been to either a Cubs or White Sox game. But I do try my best to stay out of the neighborhood that the Cubs play in, especially on the days that they have games there. The people that tend to gravitate to that area and get drunk and support their favorite team – yeah, they are not my favorite types of people, to say the least. I grew up in France, so I am a soccer fan. If I watch any sports on television, it is usually the World Cup.

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THE RECORDER / Wednesday, May 7, 2008 / ENTERTAINMENT

ALBUMS TO PICK UP THIS SUMMER

NO AGE NOUNS Ex-members of Wives have shed their hardcore roots in favor of making really technical experimental rock. If you like your music on the simple side with a lot fuzzy static and organic vocals, Nouns is a solid choice.

For Fans of: Dosh, Husker Du, noise shows in your friend’s living room

DEATH CAB for cutie NARROW STAIRS

THE COOL KIDS BAKE SALE EP

FLEET FOXES FLEET FOXES

The much-anticipated follow-up to Death Cab’s highly successful Plans album is right around the corner. Ben Gibbard and crew have another easyrocking indie album that is sure to please everyone, except fans like me who want a new Postal Service album instead.

For Fans of: Bright Eyes, The Shins, radio-friendly indie-rock that will be mistaken for emo.

The best hip-hop group you never heard of is releasing a 10-song EP to follow up their attention grabbing Totally Flossed Out EP that came out in 2007. Since then, these bike ridin’, Jordans-sportin’ cool kids have been named the most anticipated band of 2008. I’ve been hooked since the first time I heard them. Also, they are at Wesleyan tonight (May 7).

For Fans of: Older Beastie Boys and Nas, streetwear, fun

Sub-Pop records has this way of churning out brilliant artists and Fleet Foxes is the newest one. After impressing people at Bumbershoot in Seattle a year ago, this five-piece altretro-rock group is finally releasing their first full-length album. If ‘60s rock and roll is the only thing you listen to, you should give Fleet Foxes a listen.

For Fans of: Beach House, Dodos, your parents’ record collection

Folk-rockers My Morning Jacket are back at it again and continue to infuse their special mix of country and indierock into another solid album. To the band’s older followers: you might be surprised by a few hints of pop thrown into the concoction. It’s still good.

Don’t worry about it.

For Fans of: Wilco, The Raconteurs, confused country music fans

The game l.a.x.

Black Kids

partie traumatic

I give a lot of respect to The Game. It takes balls to get a Dodgers logo tattooed on your face. I’m only kidding.

This LA rap extraordinaire is back doing his own albums and after his cameo on Nas’ Hip-Hop is Dead album, I can’t wait for his new set of rhymes.

For Fans of: Nas, Snoop Dogg, album covers with pictures of rims

I fell in love with Black Kids after their initial EP released this past fall and I’m still amazed by their mix of dance and indie-rock. If they can follow up their first attempt Wizard of Ahhs with another solid album, they will remain at the top of the genre for years.

For Fans of: Vampire Weekend, White Williams, drunk dancing

TILLY AND THE WALL ALKALINE TRIO WEEZER O WEEZER (THE RED ALBUM) AGONY AND IRONY After their first wave of popularity due to a certain t-shirt worn by label mate Conor Oberst, Tilly and the Wall continue to impress new listeners with their mix of smooth vocals and catchy tunes.

For Fans of: Black Kids, CSS, tap dancing

Since Weezer released Make Believe back in 2005, a lot has gone on behind the scenes and on the Internet surrounding Weezer. There were stories of a break up stemming from rumors focused on Rivers Cuomo and there have been leaks of fake albums.

Finally, Weezer is back in the game and ready to release their third selftitled album, in this case The Red Album.

For Fans of: Jimmy Eat World, Get Up Kids, Muppets?

Obsessed-with-death rockers Alkaline Trio are releasing their six studio full-length, hopefully making up for all the time they lost promoting Crimson, which was a sorry excuse for an Alk3 album. If they fail again this time around, I’m just going to stick with Heavens, Matt Skiba’s side project.

For Fans of: Alkaline Trio, Alkaline Trio, possible murder

MY MORNING JACKET EVIL URGES

Top Five Worst Horror Films Samantha Sullivan Copy Editor I am a self-proclaimed horror film fanatic.

My movie collection mildly resembles one a sociopath or serial killer might own, ranging in movies from classics like American Psycho, which I still don’t quite understand, to newer movies like The Messengers that definitely get my juices flowing.

But it’s always a disappointment when I watch a “horror” movie and either can’t help but laugh or can’t do anything but keep a straight face—and there have been plenty of each of those. The following is my pick for the top five worst horror movies I have ever seen.

Five – Feardotcom

Well, this movie came out around the same time the Internet was becoming more widely available and mainstream. It was an interesting idea to take something that was so popular and give it a tint of fear—check out this Web site, www.fear.com, it’s so freaky…but don’t click ‘Yes,’ because everyone who goes to the site dies, but it failed horribly. No dead girl

is going to find me through a Web site and kill me if I don’t solve the mystery of her death.

Four – The Wicker Man

It’s hard to believe that anyone thought the 1973 movie was a good choice for a remake, but there’s no way it could have been worse than the 2006 version. This is around the time Nicolas Cage’s career was going downhill, quite possibly because of this movie. I don’t even know what to say about this movie—a man gets a letter from his former fiancé asking him for help to find her daughter, whom he finds out is also his. When he gets to the island she lives on— yes, and island—the men are dumb (as in they can’t speak) and the women run everything. This is about the time any sane person might have tried to leave, but Nicolas “the hero” Cage stays and is ultimately burned in a giant wicker man as a sacrifice for the island’s harvest. Smart guy.

Three – The Blair Witch Project

This movie was just horrible. I remember hearing that it was supposed to be an amazing breakthrough in the genre – one of the first

movies that were filmed first-hand by one of the characters – but it fell short. Very short. The whole movie was just bad, but the end especially angered me.

Two – Plan Nine From Outer Space

“Aliens resurrect dead humans as zombies and vampires to stop human kind from creating the Solaranite (a sort of sun-driven bomb).”

Directed in 1959 by Ed Wood, this was Bela Lugosi’s last film—he actually died while they were still shooting. The actor they got to replace him was at least six inches taller and thinner, so every time they showed the filler actor, his face was covered by his cape. What a good idea.

One – Jaws: The Revenge

Also known as Jaws 4, this movie is definitely the worst horror movie I have ever seen.

Sharks…3-D…enough said.

THE RECORDER / Wednesday, May 7, 2008 / ENTERTAINMENT

‘I AM IRON MAN!’

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ironmanmovie.marvel.com

Nick Gorra Staff Writer One of the most highly anticipated films of the year is finally in theaters. I can honestly say the film successfully lives up to the hype.

When I first heard about an Iron Man film being in development I was excited. However my excitement began to decline into potential disappointment as more news surrounding the film’s production surfaced. First I heard actorturned-director Jon Favreau would be directing the film. I was not happy about this, as I did not believe Favreau possessed the proper qualifications to direct a movie as potentially epic as Iron-Man, plus I never really cared for him as an actor. Then I heard Robert Downey Jr. was going to play Iron Man/Tony Stark I thought to myself, “this guy is too old and too small to play Iron Man and he’s a washed-up actor.” The final straw came when I heard that Gwyneth Paltrow (or Mrs. Person whose career went nowhere following her Oscar win and marriage to that bullock from Coldplay); I lost all hope in the film and thought it was going to be awful. However, I can gladly say that my early impressions were

largely unfounded and the film ended up being better than I could have ever expected.

The movie revolves around Tony Stark (Downey), an industrialist billionaire, engineering genius and playboy. During a weapon demonstration in Afghanistan, his convoy is attacked by a group of terrorists who take Stark hostage, forcing him to build a type of missile defense system. However, he instead builds what becomes the first Iron Man suit prototype to defeat the terrorists and escape. From here the movie progresses with Stark’s attempt to make another more superior Iron Man suit while battling internal issues within his company and, not surprisingly, Downey really surpassed my expectations as he was able to accurately portray the character. Much of this might be attributed to the fact that both Downey and Stark’s personal lives have always been a media target; Stark is constantly living a reckless free-spirited lifestyle while Downey struggled with a drug addiction, which had always been a tabloid highlight. The only criticism I have to offer was that Downey’s frame was on the smaller side and at times I thought he might be a little too old to play the charac-

ter). However, these criticisms are very minor as Downey really put on a great performance.

The supporting cast is pretty solid for the most part. Jeff Bridges makes his presence known as the role of Stark’s mentor, Obadiah Stane, in which he does a fine job executing with a strong voice and mischievous visage.

Terrence Howard does a pretty convincing job as Stark’s right hand man James Rhoads; however, I was a little put off by Howard’s light, sometimes feminine voice, and I also believe he could have benefited by having a little bit more of a muscular frame. Paltrow does a decent job as Pepper Potts, if she weren’t Gwyneth Paltrow I would say she had a more satisfying performance; however, Paltrow seems to be kind of out of place for such a sidekick type of character for an actress of her popularity. I almost feel she was given the role out of celebrity nepotism.

However, if you disregard Paltrow’s celebrity status, I would say her performance is overall commendable.

Favreau’s directing is also worth mentioning. I was really surprised by his direction as he really shot down my initial doubts I had of him.

Judging from what I saw, Favreau could have a

more promising career as a director in the future to come.

Iron Man is a rare type of superhero movie. It is constantly fun and action-packed, with tragedies never taking an overwhelming toll on the storyline unlike many other superhero films (Batman is always internally conflicted, Peter Parker still talking about his deceased uncle up until the third movie in the series, etc.). The special effects are top notch; they are quite polished and never seem to disappoint—some of the best I have ever seen (courtesy of special effects wizard Stan Winston). It really is the rock and roll of all superhero movies (not to mention that notable guitar virtuoso Tom Morello, of the rap-metal band Rage Against the Machine has a cameo). The film opens up with the pumping AC/DC hit song “Back in Black” and at one of the most memorable moments in the film Black Sabbath’s heavy metal classic “Iron Man” can be heard. So far, Iron Man is the best superhero film I have seen in a while (especially after the disappointing Spider Man 3 last summer) and I advise everyone to see it.

Skanking It-Up to Reel Big Fish Amanda Ciccatelli Assistant News Editor

The decision to invite Reel Big Fish to cover for the unfortunate accident of OneRepublic’s lead singer was a wise one. The well-known ‘90s ska band attracted many of their longtime fans, who brought their support on Thursday night.

The funky, upbeat sound of ska caused the student audience to dance freely and cheer on the fun-loving guys of Reel Big Fish. The band even invited two students up on stage to sing along to one of their hits.

During the show, almost everyone in the audience was skanking to the sounds of Reel Big Fish. If some of you are not familiar with the term “skanking,” it is a form of dance practiced in the reggae and ska music scenes. It may not be the most precise art of dance, but it is perfection for the ska music genre. Typically the dancer puts each foot forward while lifting the knee, and then moves each foot back with their elbows bent and hands in fists. The hands alternate with the legs, but the leg movement is

the focus of the dance because it allows musicians to dance when playing instruments.

Originally from Huntington Beach, Cali., Reel Big Fish calls itself ska-punk. The band gained loyal fans starting in the ’90s with their 1992 demo, called In the Good Old Days, and their hit song, “Sell Out.” Everything Sucks was their debut full-length album, leading them to sign with Mojo Records. Turn the Radio Off was another album that made a place for Reel Big Fish in the punk music scene.

“Sell Out” was the single that broke them into the mainstream music scene and brought the band to the top of the charts. By 1998, Reel Big Fish performed hits from the album Why Do They Rock So Hard? in the movie Basketball. This was also the last album for trombonist Grant Barry and trumpet player Travis Werts, who left the band shortly after. Drummer Andrew Gonzales also left the band, so Reel Big Fish rotated drummers and trumpeters over the following six years.

Photo: James Perou

Reel Big Fish performed as if they were just a bunch of a college guys having a blast. The lead singer even asked the audience, “So guys, where is the after party?” He pointed to the guy in the front, who was

throwing his hands up and lip-sinking every word, and said, “It looks like it’s at that guys house.”

The band went worldwide on July 10, 2007, when they released Monkeys for Nothin’ and the Chimps

for Free. It was announced on December 19, 2007 that Reel Big Fish will be playing at Warped Tour 2008.

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Lifestyles

THE RECORDER Wednesday, May 7, 2008

Nice Wheels, CCSU

Dorm Dishes 101 Carrot Salad

Samantha Sullivan Copy Editor The school year is just about over, and summer is quickly approaching. What better way to stay in shape and love what we’re eating than to have a great salad recipe to make for snacks and meals?

4 carrots, shredded 1 apple (peeled, cored & shredded) 1 T lemon juice 2 T honey 1/4 c blanched slivered almonds salt and pepper to taste (if wanted) Blanching is not a process that everyone is familiar with, so here’s a brief rundown. Bring a pot of water to boil, adding salt as if you were making pasta. As the water heats up, fill another bowl with ice and enough water just to cover the tips of the ice

cubes. Boil the almonds until they’re barely cooked through—to test, you can remove one when the color looks right, put it in the ice bath for a minute and eat it. When you’re sure the nuts are done, remove them as quickly as you can and put them immediately in the ice bath. Take them out of the ice bath as soon as they are no longer warm—and that, according to eHow.com, is blanching.

Now, back to the recipe: In a bowl, combine the carrots, apple slices, lemon juice, honey, almonds, salt and pepper (if wanted). Toss and chill before serving.

You can substitute numerous items for the ingredients listed here if you don’t like any of them; for example, peanuts for the almonds and raisins for the apples work as well. This recipe was found at AllRecipes.com.

Enjoy!

Chris Demorro Staff Writer Over two hundred cars descended on CCSU for the 9 th annual C3 car show, which was one of the most successful shows in the club’s history. On Sunday, April 27 car lovers from all over Connecticut and the rest of New England attended with a dizzying array of cars, including dozens of Subarus, Mitsubishis and SRT-4 Neons.

The event was themed after the popular television show “Top Gear,” and many of the outlandish events inspired the games and competitions that took place during the course of the day. The show was held in the name of Families for Spinal Muscular Atrophy, specifically for a young disabled girl named Emma.

Cars began filling the parking lots around 10 a.m.; a Buick Grand National with a turbocharged G-body from the mid-’80s that even now is revered among gear heads of all circles was the first entrant. Soon, the trickle of cars became a deluge as other clubs attended en masse; the line of cars sometimes lead out of the Student Center parking lot like a multicolored snake that hissed exhaust tones and coiled around the flagpole and into one of two parking lots that were entirely packed by the day’s end. Clubs such as Connecticut Club Diamond Star Motors attended, bringing along impressive displays of power and suspension, including a ramp designed to show off the flex of one of the dozen mud-splattered Wranglers of NortheastJeep.org.

As the day wore on, events such as the Big Wheel drag race allowed spectators to take on the role of The Stig, a “Top Gear” team driver and

Chris Demorro / The Recorder

mystery man, albeit in a toned-down fashion. For the ladies, there was a contest of wits and mechanical prowess as eight young women competed to be crowned Miss C3. They had to answer questions that tested their car knowledge, such as naming five Japanese Manufacturers and identifying eBay items by make and model.

After the question and answer round, the ladies proved their roadside worth by removing a tire and then carrying it around the car and into a deposit box. A young woman named Crystal Marie claimed the crown, as well as several gift certificates.

The whole day came to a head with the return of the car smash, which saw a 1987 Merkur XR4Ti pummeled to a pulp by donating spectators. They were allowed to wield one of six weapons including a pickaxe or lead pipe. The car was then rammed, flipped and crushed by C3 member Brian Wilson, who climbed atop the car in his decked-out Wrangler. After the show, it took six

people a half-an-hour to dislodge the Jeep from its nesting spot atop the overturned Merkur.

The club handed out over two dozen trophies, including awards for best bike, largest club and various awards for the best of every brand.

The coveted sleeper award, given to the fastest-moving yet slowest-looking car, was given to Vicki of East Coast Swappers with her twin turbo right-hand drive Subaru Impreza.

The trophies were all made from pistons and connecting rods, and many comments were made about the club’s creativity, especially during a semester that saw their budget substantially slashed in comparison to previous years.

With each passing year, the C3 club has tweaked and fine-tuned their show, producing a better show for all to enjoy. Their next show is scheduled for the fall semester, promising to be even better.

The Rubik’s Cube: Mathematic Wonder in Nine Square Inches Karyn Danforth Lifestyles Editor Nothing confuses a person like the puzzle of a toy called the Rubik’s cube, and in fact, most simpletons do not know, nor bother to attempt at figuring it out. Coined as the “world’s best selling toy” for 25 years, this miniscule 3 by 3 inch contraption still boggles most to this day, while some actually spend the time to figure out the secret behind it.

Invented by a Hungarian sculptor and professor in 1974, the cube dreamt up Emo Rubik was first dubbed it the “magic cube.” While it looks particularly easy with its red, white, blue, green, orange and yellow squares, the process of aligning the correct colors is far more mathematical than it is necessarily fun.

Solving the Rubik’s cube with seconds to spare has been a widely competitive feat ever since the early 1980s. In 1981, the Guinness Book of World Records held a contest for “speedcubing,” which is simply put, the feat of solving it as fast of a time as one possibly can. Prior to the start of the contest, all cubes being used were all moved 40 times and rubbed with petroleum jelly to allow them to move with ease. Thirty-eight seconds later, a native of Munich, Germany held up their Rubik’s cube in all its splendor and ran away with the record.

Speaking in mathematical terms, there are 43 quintillion (43,000,000,000,000,000) starting position permutations of a Rubik’s cube. Every time you pick up a Rubik’s cube, chances are, it will never be in the same starting position ever again. If every permutation of a

single Rubik’s 57mm square were lined up end to end, it would cover the earth 276 times; I won’t even dip into the permutations of solving a Rubik’s cube, but those numbers are just as high.

Then there are all the countless mathematics junkies at schools like Northeastern and Stanford who claim to have found methods to solving the cube in 25-26 moves, using Rubik’s cube based programs on computers. While it sounds simple enough, they do not give out this information, leading most to believe that it is either false, or humanly possible. Honestly, you can make up anything on a computer, but until they show the world how it is done, what are we supposed to believe?

Only one out of 15 random CCSU students knew how to solve the mystery that is “magic cube.”

Emily Kerr, an elementary education major, met a guy who attempted to impress her with the fact that he knew how to solve it. Telling her to pick a color, he solved the color she chose first, and the rest afterwards. After this, she was dead set on learning how to show him up.

“I didn’t like how a guy knew how to do something I couldn’t,” Kerr laughed.

By learning the patterns Kerr had witnessed and reading the booklet that came along with the cube, she had successfully learned how to solve the cube in no time.

“I would study and walk around the room trying to solve it at the same time. I even solve it under my desk during class sometimes,” she said. “I sometimes jokingly refer to myself as a idiot savant.”

Another student had a particularly funny story about the Rubik’s cube involving her parents.

“My mom used to have a cheat sheet on how to do it,” said Carolyn Titus, a communications major.

“Every night when my dad came home, she’d have it done. He’d try his hardest to screw it up, but every night it would be sitting there, completely perfect.”

“He still doesn’t know to this day,” Titus said.

Frustration was the word most commonly associated with individuals’ experiences with the contraption.

“I’ve attempted to do it, but I’ve never been able,” said Kristen Vasquez, a secondary education major, “so I just threw it in the trash.”

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THE RECORDER / Wednesday, May 7, 2008 / LIFESTYLES

The Recorder’s Summer Reading Picks

Finally, there is time to sit back, relax and pick up a good book.

While we’re not forcing these choices down your throat like your ninth grade teacher, our editors have a definite mix of genres that are across the board and sure to interest you while you slacking off at your boring desk job or lounging beachside on vacation.

Jamie Paakkonnen:

Karyn Danforth:

Hippie - Barry Miles On The Road - Jack Kerouac An Arsonist’s Guide to Writers’ Homes in New England - Brock Clarke

The Tender Bar - J.R. Moehringer Summer of ‘49 - David Halberstam Team of Rivals: The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln - Doris Kearns Goodwin

Edward Gaug:

Justin Kloczko:

Melissa Traynor:

The Learners: A Novel - Chip Kidd Designers Are Wankers - Neville Brody How to be a Graphic Designer Without Losing Your Soul - Adrian Shaughnessy Hocus Pocus - Kurt Vonnegut Kingdom of Fear - Hunter S. Thompson

Stephanie Bergeron:

The Great Derangement - Matt Taibbi The War Nerd - Gary Brecher Dead Souls - Nikolai Gogol

In Defense of Women - H. L. Mencken The Ginger Man - J. P. Donleavy Be Nice (Or Else!): and What’s in it for you - Winn Claybaugh

Dan Ivers:

American Pastoral - Philip Roth

Peter Collin:

The Brief Wonderous Life of Oscar Wao - Junot Díaz

Extra Special Staff Recommendation:

Andrew Jackson and the Politics of Martial Law: Nationalism, Civil Liberties, and Partisanship - Matthew Warshauer

Surviving Summer Courses Five Ways to Beat the Summer Heat Karyn Danforth Lifestyles Editor For fear of being dubbed a “Super Senior,” many might be scrambling to fill their would-be lofty summer break with a few weeks of classes, because no one wants to be here forever. While it may resemble summer school in middle or high school, hopefully it will be less painful. After all, you chose to do it. Here are some ways to endure the heatridden classrooms and sweat-soaked syllabi.

Avoid awkward sweaty moments. Don’t laugh at the professors sweat marks when he/she lifts her hands and it is in direct eyesight. As for yourself, lift up your behind every so often to avoid swamp ass. For girls, this will be ultimately worse if you are wearing a skirt or dress, so try to not let your butt stick to the seat.

Save fuel. Gas prices during the summer will inevitably shoot through the roof, so attempt to find alternative routes to campus so that you may keep more money in your wallet. See if it’s possible to carpool with a friend or classmate, and if you live close, attempt to take public transportation or ride a bike.

Walk to class at a relative speed.

Don’t over exert yourself by getting to campus late and running/flailing to your class in a rush against time— that could give you more problems to do with than your professor being upset. If you do build up a sweat, rehabilitate yourself with a bottle of water; always keep yourself hydrated.

Rejoice if your class is in Copernicus or Vance. These two buildings are fortunate enough to be blessed with the wonder of air conditioning, while hot boxes like Willard tend to cook students like an oven. If you are an English major on the verge of fainting, use one of those dinky mini-fans, or bring a water bottle full of ice cubes.

Study and read outside on campus. During summer courses, the campus is much quieter and relaxed without a bunch of heathens running around all over the place. If it’s not sweltering hot, claim a spot for the three weeks you’re there and don’t let anyone take it away from you.

Meet new people. Many students taking summer courses at Central are from schools elsewhere who are taking classes while they are home for break, so branch out from your normal CCSU posse and build relationships with new people.

Live without Sodexho. The dining services don’t offer too much over the summer, so survive by grabbing a sandwich at the Underground Deli, go to Stop and Shop and get a cheap snack, or sip on an iced coffee from Dunkin Donuts. Better yet, pack a lunch. Just don’t bring milk – it’s a bad choice.

Focus and work together with your classmates. Oddly enough, some students claim to have made closer relationships with their peers in summer courses than in normal semesters. Use this as an advantage to really understand the material and help each other through the course load.

Be kind to your elders. There is a high rate of older adults taking summer classes, so talk it up and get to know someone two times your age or older. They might let you in on a few epic stories from their lives.

Don’t be all work no play—it makes you a dull boy or girl. If you have time in between classes, make the most out of your summer days with other classmates; hang outside, toss a Frisbee, or keep cool inside the Student Center (until they kick you out at 6 p.m.) Do whatever you want, but make the most out of your summer classes; they’ll nab you in the behind later for being more expensive than regular semester courses.

Nick Viccione Staff Writer This recent influx of beautiful weather has spoiled us rotten the past couple of weeks here in New England.

However, before we all know it, summer will be in full force and inflicting its wrath upon the helpless population. If you know you are going to be begging for the sun to show mercy, here are five quick things you can do to make the summer heat a little more bearable.

Befriend someone with a pool Many college students will be going home for the summer where they may have the luxury of a pool in their parents’ backyard. If this is the case then, please, go to hell. Most of us will have to deal with that friend from high school that nobody likes, but everyone was friends with because they had a pool. So, while the spoiled will be lounging out on their newly stained deck, the rest of us will me muscling through small talk with a tool bag.

Rob an ice cream truck You may get arrested and be looked down upon as a complete waste of life in the neighborhood. You may ruin a countless number of innocent childhood lives. But just think of the upside: all of the free Choco Tacos and Rocket Pops you can get your sweaty little lips on. When you hear the tune and see the truck slowly grumbling down your road, grab your madball and get to work.

Six Flags Water Park One of these weekends you’ll actually have enough spending money to take a trip up to Six Flags and enjoy the beautiful day. Bring your bathing suit and dive into the wave pool. Get aerodynamic and head down the water slides. And of course, do not stand too close to a kid; there is a good chance they are peeing.

Wear Less Cutting back on the layers would seem like a logical decision when the heat is on. For females, this is socially acceptable. But for males, this is a tricky feat to accomplish without looking like an ass wipe. However, the shorter the shorts, the pastier the thighs, the more the sun will regret coming out that day.

Stay Inside When all else fails, and you’ve scalded your hand one too many times on your seatbelt, the only choice you have is to strip naked, place frozen bags of peas on your body (preferably snow peas since they are colder than regular peas) lay on your bed in front of the air conditioning and watch all three Lord of the Rings movies on repeat. That should kill some time.

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THE RECORDER / Wednesday, May 7, 2008 / LIFESTYLES

College Humor’s Hottest Nick Viccione Staff Writer For the last couple of years, the popular time-wasting Web site CollegeHumor.com has held a 64-woman tournament that is titled “America’s Hottest College Girl.” Girls then proceed to put themselves on display while horny males and females alike vote on who they think should move on into the next round. I had a chance to sit down and talk with the representative from CCSU, Paola Racelis. She very politely discussed common myths about girls, and most importantly, gives light onto what type of guy she likes the most. Take note, fellas!

Nick Viccione: How did this whole College Humor/Hottest College Girl thing come about?

Paola Racelis: Well, I didn’t even want to do the hottest college girl of the year. I just wanted to do the cutest college girl of the day and see if I could get into it. And then one of the reps from College Humor contacted me and really liked my pictures and offered me a spot in that whole tournament thing that they had going on. I didn’t really like the idea of “running” against 63 other girls but I thought to myself, whatever, it’s just for fun. And all of my friends said that I should do it and supported me.

NV: That girl you went up against in the first round, who you lost to, was not really that attractive to be honest with you—slight resemblance of a horse. What do you make of that?

PR: I know, everyone said that, but most of America is just going to focus on the boobs.

NV: This is true.

PR: And she’s from Penn State, which is such a bigger school. I don’t know if that has anything to do with it, but it is much larger than CCSU. NV: Can you explain the feedback from friends, or from people who you were kind of acquaintances with and then saw you on there? Word gets around much quicker with Facebook and all of that.

PR: I definitely got a lot of messages from random people from like, Wisconsin and Georgia telling me that they have me in their “final four” and crazy stuff like that. People [are] just adding me on Facebook, mostly dudes, and I am not a bitch, so I add them. Some girls also added me, too.

NV: Any of those guys try to be slick and drop some lines on you?

PR: Oh yeah. Not only that, but the guys that try to message me on Facebook and if I don’t respond, then as a back up they’ll try and message me on MySpace. So not only that, but they’d keep on doing it.

NV: Yeah well, after once, it’s creepy. Have you had any serious issues with creeps because of this—the ones that cross every type of sketchy line there is? You know those guys.

PR: There was this one guy that really freaked me out. One of my friends was talking to me online, and he was looking at my pictures and all of the sudden I get a message from a guy that says he saw my pictures on another guy’s computer.

[He said:] “I am from CT Talent and just wanted to say hi because we recruit models and all that.”

NV: Yeah where, in his basement?

PR: [laughs] Exactly! I have been modeling since I was 16. I knew it was a scam.

NV: Obviously PR: So finally I just messaged his friend because he wouldn’t stop messaging me. I asked him why his friend kept on messaging me and he was like, “What are you talking about? We are not friends, he probably saw your name and then just started messaging you.” That is surely creepy.

NV: In contrast, have you had anyone message you all like, “You ain’t nothing.”?

PR: No, not really.

NV: So you don’t get any negative backlash from girls? You don’t seem like the type of girl to walk around with your nose in the air, but other girls don’t know that.

PR: Well, not because of CollegeHumor. [laughs] I have had girls in the past at Central that have said a lot of stuff to me, but I have anger problems so it usually just ends up in a fistfight.

NV: Have you ever been spat on?

PR: No, usually I just kick the girl’s ass.

NV: You’re fucking tiny. How come I do not believe this?

PR: Usually the girls assume the same thing and think that I wont do shit. Then they are on the floor.

NV: Do you get a lot of comments on your height?

PR: A lot of people say I am small of course.

NV: What is the weirdest way a guy has ever tried to ask you out?

PR: [laughs] There was a 35-year-old guy one time… and he just comes up to me while I am pumping my gas and says, “I have a boat.” And I just stared at him and said “So do I.” And then he responded with, “Well, mine is big.” He was just ranting about how much money he had and how he wanted to take me out to dinner. He was really persistent and then drove off. I get a lot of weird people that approach me.

NV: I would hope most girls don’t fall for that shit. Is this true?

PR: Yeah. A lot of girls are the type of girls that go after guys that all of the other girls want. You see the typical asshole, the athlete, has everything going on. Normally, pretty girls just go after that.

NV: So girls look at guys as prizes too?

PR: Some do—with me, I go the other way. My last boyfriend didn’t get attention from any girls,

he was a shy guy but he was cute, you know. He’s not like every other guy. He is very ordinary and owns like three pairs of jeans… I guess it sounds stupid, but I just like guys that are very normal and can make me laugh. Their personality means so much more than what they are.

NV: That’s some deep shit. I remember you were telling me before a little about how you really love to dance? If you wanted to expand on that, it would be a nice way to wrap this up.

PR: Well, I have never taken any professional dance classes when I was younger. I was always the entertainer when I was younger—we would have a festival in my house and I would always be dancing for my family. I love to perform in front of people. I remember dancing in the middle of the street and having people come outside and watch me. Ever since then, music has been a major part of my life. Everything changed this year for me. I have always told myself that one day I would be famous. I had a video of myself dancing up on my MySpace page and I had a representative contact me from the director of a dance school in New York City. He told me he wanted me to come dance with them and they offered me a full ride, three-year scholarship. I cried. [laughs] I guess they really saw something in me and they really thought I had great potential to be a great dancer. It was an amazing feeling. All of my friends and everyone I know has supported me in this decision to this. So I am extremely excited about it. It is a once-in-a-lifetime thing to participate in and I need to take hold of the moment now.

NV: Hindsight is always 20/20. I guess you have to take the chance when you have it.

PR: That is what I keep telling myself.