vol105issue10 by The Recorder

Wednesday, November 12, 2008

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

Volume 105 No. 10

Central Students Reflect on New President AMANDA CICCATELLI News Editor

students. “Change has come,” he stated in his speech late Tuesday night. The close popular vote was 51.3 percent to 47.5 percent, but Obama defeated Senator John McCain by winning swing states including Ohio, Florida, Virginia and Iowa. McCain gave his concession speech on Tuesday night to mark the end of his ten-year journey to become president as he recognized America’ s desire for Obama to bring change to America. “The American people have spoken, and spoken clearly,” McCain said.

Many Central students were proud Americans on Tuesday night when the news of the 44th Presidentelect Barack Obama was official at about midnight. November 4, 2008 will go down in history as the night America elected its first black president and CCSU will remember it. Obama gave a speech that has politically energized many American college students including Central President-elect Obama

CCSU student Erica Kriscenski, 21, was very happy when she heard the news of Obama’s victory. “We need change and I definitely think Obama will be able to change our country for the better,” she said. As an education student, Kriscenski voted for President-elect Obama because her main concerns are women’s health and education. “His ideas on education are appealing,” she said. “As a woman, I think it’s important that I have the right to choose, the right to my own body.” Kriscenski has high expectations of Obama in the next four years and said she will support him through his term.

Amanda Johnson, 21, and a student at Central thinks much of the youth of America voted for Obama to ultimately see a change in America. “We know it won’t happen immediately, but the desire for it to happen at all is something in our foresight,” she said. Central student Bryan Cistulli was pleasantly surprised when he heard the news on Wednesday morning of Obama winning the election. Since the votes were mostly in McCain’s favor in the beginning in the night, Cistulli thought that McCain would win.

“In the morning my mother came in and told me that Obama won,” he said. Cistulli was reminded of the 2004 election when Kerry was the popular candidate to endorse. “Bush won instead, so I expected the same thing to happen this time,” he said. “I was hoping Obama would win,” said Central student Chris Williams. “As an African-American, I am very happy.” Williams was watching the election coverage on Tuesday night and saw how far ahead Obama was with important states such as Ohio when he assumed Obama would be elected President.

Senate Meeting Raises Issues of Academic Standards Announces Focus on 2020 Plan MELISSA TRAyNOR Editor-in-Chief

Monday’s Faculty Senate meeting unearthed concerns about academic standards, particularly raising them, and how prerequisites should be approached for given courses. The University Planning and Budget Committee also delivered a report on their status and knowledge of university mission and vision statement updates and details of the 2020 Plan. Dr. David Blitz announced the UPBC’s role in keeping an eye on the developments of the early stages in the “2020 Plan”, which will allow the school to develop the campus and update the existing buildings over the next 12 years. He said that delays are expected for the transition building to be built near the Marcus White Hall due to the availability of funding and the current economic downturn. Other areas of concern include the new public safety building for the CCSU Police Department, renovations to the Elihu Burritt Library’s

first and second floors, fire codes in Davidson Hall and the recreation and athletic fields. “These are the five issue we are following and we will come back to you with something written,” Blitz said. Blitz also said that the university’s strategic plan is now posted to the CCSU Web site and is broken down into its seven overarching goals along with subsequent objectives underneath each one. The committee is planning on writing a mission and vision statement and is asking the Faculty Senate to contribute to the ideas or phrasing soon to be decided upon. The committee will approach the Senate and seek their approval on said statement into next month or by next semester at the very latest. Discussion shifted to the events within the curriculum committee and the report came from Dr. Paul Karpuk of the English department. Focusing on a new proposal to impose requirements for a First-Year Seminar course in the Birth of Mathematics (FYS 106), Senate con-

CCSU Blanks St. Francis Red Flash

versation centered on certain students who were able to enroll in and take the course without having the necessary prerequisites. The proposal indicates that these students would have to complete an additional two courses, which would have acted as the prerequisites, in order for the original FYS 106 credits to take effect. Senate President Candace Barrington, who is linked to the FYS course, said that the proposal would permit students to work backwards to take the prerequisites. Others said that it is generally understood that in order to satisfy the Skill Area II requirements, students must take one course with a mathematics 101 prerequisite and another math, statistics or computer science course and the proposal will emphasize that. “We’d be fixing this problem for next semester and clarifying that students would have to take math or stat or CS courses,” Karpuk said. While some Senators said that the proposal would be closing a loopSee Senate Meeting Page 3

Pornography May Create Desensitization of Violence, Take Advantage of Victimized Women hALE yALINCAk Staff Writer

Edward Gaug / The Recorder

James Mallory and Hunter Wanket celebrate after Mallory’s first touchdown.

See Blue Devils Page 8

Edward Gaug / The Recorder

Paul Karpuk gave the curriculum committee report.

Estela Lopez of StopPornCulture. org visited Wednesday to deliver the organizations’ views on the porn industry and its ability to deceive viewers while endorsing stereotypes and misogynistic tendencies. According to Lopez, the porn industry brings in anywhere from eight to 10 billion dollars a year and is the third largest revenue source of organized crime behind gambling and drugs. Today’s image-based media are aimed primarily at 25-year-olds and younger. “We are fish swimming in a sea of media. Without the tools to think critically about media, we won’t see

how it affects us – the water remains invisible,” Lopez said. “You can engage with printed material but an image hits you off the bat.” Interest groups such as the Freedom of Speech Coalition work hard to maintain the porn industry’s freedoms since pornography is readily available to anyone. “Pornographers contributed money to get iPhones better screens,” said Lopez. “Technology makes it more convenient for pornography consumption to be anonymous.” According to Lopez, in the United States alone there are 68 million searches daily and the average age of porn watchers is 11 years old. Mainstream magazines such as Cosmopolitan and Seventeen portray women who are openly sexual as

avant-garde and feminists, but this may not always be true. According to Lopez, 85 percent of women in the porn industry are women who have been sexually exploited or are rape victims. These traumatic events cause many of these women to come to believe their purpose in life is to be sexually abused. “Pornography is filmed prostitution,” said Lopez. “Women’s bodies are exploited and used as objects. It is no longer important whether the woman has a biography and an identity; she’s simply a walking image of sex. Pornography teaches men to break her down into body parts. A fragmentation process occurs. Women have two choices: be sexually available to men or be invisible,” she said. See Pornography Page 3

Inside This Issue

Women’s Volleyball Victory

Battle of the Systems

H.D. Welte Portrait

Setter Bayer leads team through 3-0 win against Bryant.

How do the big three operating systems match up?

Former CCSU president Herbert Welte’s portrait unveiled

We test Department of Eagles, Snow Patrol and others.

Pg. 2

Pg. 10

Pg.9

Pg. 16

Album Reviews

News

2 THE RECORDER Wednesday, November 12, 2008

The Recorder

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Editor-in-Chief Melissa Traynor Managing Editor Peter Collin Art Director Geoffrey Lewis Associate Layout Editor Edward Gaug Copy Editor Aril Grain Entertainment Editor Nick Viccione Lifestyles Editor Jane Natoli News Editor Amanda Ciccatelli Sports Editor Kyle Dorau Opinion Editor Marissa Blaszko Editor-at-Large Karyn Danforth Web Editor John Vignali Illustrator Stefano Delli Carpini

Staff Caroline Dearborn Steve Packnick Misbah Akbar P.J. Decoteau Sean Fenwick Michael Walsh Shauna Simeone Gabrielle Pierce Mike D’Avino Doug Duhaime Ryan Robinson Kareem Mohamed

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 Editor-in-Chief. The purpose of The Recorder is to approach and define issues of importance to the students of Central Connecticut State University. Meetings for The Recorder are held every Monday night at 7 p.m. in the Blue & White Room in the student center.

Portrait of Former CCSU President Welte Unveiled Amanda Ciccatelli News Editor

Friends, family and colleagues of the late Herbert D. Welte gathered on Thursday afternoon to honor of his accomplishments as a former CCSU President with the unveiling of a portrait to add to the other former presidents’ portraits in Founders Hall. Dr. Sean Gallagher of the art department at Central began the ceremony with some personal anecdotes from his experience visiting the Welte family in North Dakota. “This is how you know the Welte’s are true blue devils,” he said. Gallagher visited the Welte family and attended a North Dakota State football game with them. He explained that there were about 18,000 people wearing North Dakota State’s yellow jerseys, while he and the Weltes were wearing blue. “One person was yelling out ‘go CCSU!’ and I said maybe we should step to the side,” said Gallagher. President Jack Miller honored Welte as he shared several of Welte’s accomplishment as President of Central for almost four decades. With some help from Dr. James Frost, Miller explained much of Welte’s background leading up to his career as Central’s President. Welte was 31 years old in 1929 when he completed his doctorate degree at the University of Iowa and moved to New Britain with his wife and first child. Over the following 39 years Welte developed a two-year Normal School to a four-year co-educational institution. The title was changed to Teachers College of Connecticut in 1933 and later added a two-year general education program to the college. In 1959, a Bachelor of Arts Degree was authorized and the name for the Teachers College was changed to Central Connecticut State College. Welte was the youngest and only President of the Teachers College, and later Central Connecticut State College. “His tenure was the longest of any of the institution’s presidents. My personal plan is to break that record,” said Miller. During his presidency at the University, Welte experienced such trying periods as the Great Depression, World War II and the post-war expansion.

This portrait of the former CCSU president is displayed in the Welte Auditorium lobby.

Professor Anthony Cannella wrote a biography of Welte titled, “The Public Vision of Herbert D. Welte,” which centered around Welte’s influence on the transformation of Central. “President Welte’s administration had inherited a two year teacher training school with two handsome, but overcrowded buildings on 24 acres, 286 students and 18 faculty,” wrote Cannella. Upon retirement, Welte’s vision had grown to a multifaceted college

on 100 acres with 20 buildings, which could accommodate 5,000 students and 400 faculty members. “That’s quite a change and obviously his affect on the institution was tremendous,” said Miller. “As Jim Frost pointed out to me, his affect nationally was tremendous as well.” During the post World War II period, traditional colleges were evolving into public, regionally comprehensive universities. This change ultimately created The American Association of State Colleges and

Edward Gaug / The Recorder

Universities which Welte lead the formation of. Welte was President of the American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education, the Association of Professional Schools for Teachers and the New England Teacher Preparation Association. He also served on the Executive Board of the National Council for the Accreditation of Teacher Education, the Committee on Higher Institutions and the New England Association of Colleges and Secondary Schools. “Welte had an impact on growth and change that has been tremendous and I think with that transformation you can see how much more beautiful the campus is, how many more programs we have and the success that we continue to have,” Miller said. There were only six pictures out of the 13 Central presidents thus far and Miller wants to make sure that Central displays every president of the university, upon completion of their tenure, as a reminder of the history of the institution. Four more pictures were created from photographs to display on the walls of Founders Hall. The portraits depict the second president, John Philbrick, the fourth president, Col. Homer Sprague, fifth president Isaac Carlton and sixth president Clarence Carroll. Two copies of the Welte portrait will be displayed: one in Welte Hall and one in Founders Hall.

THE RECORDER / Wednesday, November 12, 2008 / NEWS

Obama’s Victory Resonates in Hartford ARIANA vALENTIN

Special to The Recorder

An election night watch party in Hartford anticipated president-elect Barack Obama’s win and focused on his responsibilities in office. Participants said they’d like to see him resolve financial, education troubles and conquer domestic development. Before the announcement of the new president, there were smiles and laughter from the crowd in Union Station as partygoers awaited the much-anticipated results of who would be elected as the 44th President of the United States. “It’s the greatest night for Obama,” said Congressman John B. Larson during his speech. “Embrace Barack Obama. He made history here on February 4, here in Hartford in the Civic Center.” The crowd cheered for Larson’s speech as state-by-state election results came in on a screen in the background. “Today, Connecticut made a difference in America,” said Larson. “Obama might take it,” speculated Mayor Eddie Perez of Hartford before the announcement. “If Obama does become president, he has to have short success and a long structure. He has to show change in the country, especially for people of color and poor people – to show them their support paid off.” Perez also said he was counting on Obama to bring success of an economic structure and bring about immediate turnarounds.

Senate Meeting

Continued from page 1 hole, other didn’t agree with the possible implications for students. Dr. Felton Best of the philosophy department was surprised that the university would force students to take required courses for FYS 106 even though they will have already completed the course. “I don’t understand how we can impose something on the students after the fact,” Best said. Following the report by Karpuk, the academic standards committee’s report was passed, but sparked some debate as to whether the requirements for certain courses were edging towards too lofty for the average student. A mathematics course again became the center of debate when James Mulrooney of biomolecular sciences brought up a change in the grade requirements for the MATH 119 class. A proposal was introduced that, if passed, would raise the grade requirement of MATH

“[He needs] a focus on infrastructure such as schools, the building of bridges, public buildings, etcetera,” he said. Tori Hamilton, a Hartford resident, said she was also in support of Obama. “He is going to bring a change in perception that African-Americans can hold such office and that it can be done. He can help the suffering communities of foreclosures,” said Hamilton. Tonja Chavez, a senior at Hartford Public High School agreed that the Obama’s election as president would make history. “He would bring the change that we need,” she said. While some in the audience saw election night as a historical day in politics, others saw it in a more religious light. Gloria Duquette of Hartford expressed her joy and support for Obama by referencing a passage in the Bible that says God would one day send a savior. Obama, she feels, is that savior for the people. “Obama will be bringing change,” said Edwin Reyes, “and he’ll hopefully look out for those in financial crisis. The economy is not looking too good.” Reyes, who is a Hartford resident, is particularly concerned with his brother, Yoshua Reyes, who is in the U.S Air force, although currently inactive. “I prefer to have my brother home working as a security officer, not out somewhere not secure,” Reyes.

Pornography Continued from page 1

Lopez went on to explain that the porn industry is often portrayed as “glamorous, lucrative and exciting.” Popular porn stars like Jenna Jameson are often used to portray glamour and success, but Jameson herself is a victim of rape, drug abuse and alcoholism. The effects of pornography on men and women are simply unavoidable, said Lopez. “Porn reinforces a pro-rape message. Today’s pornography is ramped up as far as it can go without turning violent,” she continued, saying that the Internet is littered with sites boasting rape and incest fantasies. “The violence in porn is shown to be consensual.” Lopez also explained how pornography also deepens the racial divide between women of all races. According to Lopez, women are separated into stereotypical subcategories. Most mainstream pornography like Playboy, Hustler and Penthouse depict conventionally attractive women, most of whom are white. Other races such as African American women are often portrayed as subhuman. Oriental women are portrayed as overtly innocent and eager to please. This dehumanization process causes society to use otherwise offensive words such as “pimp” in a positive way.

3 “How did the word ‘pimp’ become so cool today? Pimps commit tremendous violence against women,” Lopez said. Pornography distributors often find ways to get around the law in order to produce work that would otherwise be deemed illegal, said Lopez who pointed out that the phenomenon of child-like women in print and media has quickly become a major theme in pornography across the United States. “It’s funny, because in the U.S. we have very conflicted views of sex. Many religious people say sex education is detrimental to young people and [they] stress the importance of virginity. Strangely, porn industries often endorse virginity also, as a fetish,” she said. Pornography gives men unrealistic expectations about sex, the fear of men becoming bored with the material forces porn industries to up the ante constantly, explained Lopez. “Guys who watch porn don’t necessarily rape girls, but it allows desensitization towards sexual violence,” she said. As women here in the real world fight for equality and integrity, the image of women portrayed as sex objects may leave a lasting impression. It is important for young men and women to differentiate the onscreen “relationships” from the real-life ones. “It is a constant uphill battle,” Lopez said.

101 a whole grade point for students who wish to enroll in MATH 119. The 119 course is an accelerated class combining MATH 115 and 121. Other senators questioned the proposal and Provost Carl Lovitt hinted that it may become a roadblock for students. “We need to think about how student get into CCSU under a certain set of standards,” Lovitt said. “… We cannot be cavalier with these decisions [to deliver new sets of standards]. It’s an ethical issue.” Professor Guy Crundwell of chemistry and biochemistry said that it may be more of a matter of resources by the departments. “Sometimes there is not enough faculty to support the increase [in students in a program],” said Crundwell. “We need to start looking at who’s coming into the school and enrollment figures. ” Like the report by the curriculum committee, the report by the academic standards committee was split up for two separate votes.

Edward Gaug / The Recorder

4 THE RECORDER Wednesday, November 12, 2008

Editorial

Editorial/Opinion

Historically, college campuses have been a haven for political activity. The 2008 presidential election proved no different; with record voter turnout, college students around the country have proven they’re ready to take a stand. Around 11 p.m., when Sen. Barack Obama was officially announced as the president elect, campuses around Connecticut exploded in response. At the University of Connecticut, student activist Jason Ortiz, leader of Idealists United, led a spontaneous mob of young voters into the student center to occupy the lobby and watch the wide-screen TVs. In Hartford, Trinity College Anti-War Coalition president Denisa Jashari spent her night with roommates who gushed over Obama’s speech, as students across campus partied loud enough to hear from the streets. At Wesleyan, Students for a Democratic Society member Jon Booth watched a handful of students, draped in American flags, chanted “USA” for a while, before bursting into the National Anthem.

At Central, a few students milled around Memorial Hall, seemingly oblivious to the news. While it probably isn’t a bad thing that flash mobs of students weren’t spontaneously forming to disrupt the entire campus with three-syllable chants, the question needs to be asked: What the hell, CCSU? This seems to be one of the few times where a majority of the problem does not fall onto the school itself. Earlier on in the semester, the Political Science department held a debate party; on election day, the school offered busses to students to the voting station that residents registered on campus would go to in order to cast their ballot. But the turnout for the debate party was meager; the voting busses were a mess, at best. The semi-active student organizations did work, of course, but the College Republicans seem to be using their energy for off-campus activity and the only time the College Democrats have been at all relevant was for the final few weeks of Obama’s campaign.

Attendance at the Oct. 9 Anti-War rally was low, and the BSU’s Obama rally seemed to go unnoticed by a majority of the school. Of course, the school could do better. Larger organizations like the Campus Activities Network and Student Government Association were given an opportunity to host a great event on November 4. With the amount of usually useless TVs sitting around the Student Center, it would have been a great place to host an election party. But the entire blame cannot be put on a few organizations that simply don’t have the leverage with a commuter school in order to get students involved. There are students around campus who don’t know what The Recorder is, never mind what the acronym SA/ LD stands for, or what the organization does on a day-to-day basis. But the 44th ship has sailed, and most of us will (hopefully) have graduated by the time the 2012 election rolls around. Whether a lack of political activity on campus is a problem or not is up for debate, but it’s undisputable that it is a

factor at Central. There is, of course, plenty of reason for students to get active. Between the wars, the economic crisis, and the price of education, students shouldn’t need a presidential election to take to the streets. Of course, the action doesn’t need to be as extreme as what the other Connecticut campuses saw. At this point, even staying up to watch the results would suffice.

What do you think of the campus political activity, or inactivity? Let us know at ccsurecorder@gmail.com

Post-Election: Where McCain Went Wrong his immigration reform bill in which he partnered up with Democrat Ted Kennedy. He was also one of only two republicans to vote against Former Republican presidential nominee the Bush tax cuts in 2001 because he felt that John McCain was facing a headwind in this they were “too tilted to the wealthy.” election and he wasn’t able to work past it. His His moderate stance on various issues loss was the result of his ineffectiveness in com- should have appealed to many Americans, but municating his ideas to the America people and his inability to communicate his new ideas and many external factors that negativeseparate himself from George W. ly affected his campaign. Bush prevented voters from comIt’s hard to say that voters simprehending the extent of his biparply agreed with President-elect tisan record. Barack Obama’s goal for progress, Unfortunately for McCain, because John McCain was also inideological issues were not the main terested in change. He had a lot of reason that contributed to his loss. well-liked views including his conMany external factors that were beviction to drill for oil in America. yond his control helped contribute According to a Rasmussen poll, 62 to his defeat. percent of Americans agreed with The first factor was the shift this view while only 27 percent of focus from the war to the agreed with Obama on the same economy. Sen. John McCain issue. When it came to foreign policy, McCain entered this campaign with a Americans felt more confident that John strong bipartisan record and held a lot of rea- McCain would be able to use his experience to sonable ideas for America’s future. In the past he help keep America safe and continue to make crossed the aisle on many occasions, including progress in the war in Iraq. His support of the Shauna Simeone Staff Writer

troop surge lent credibility to the belief that John McCain could make the correct choices in handling conflicts abroad. Unfortunately for John McCain, the downturn of the economy this summer shifted the spotlight away from the war and on to what many people called the failed economic policies of the Bush administration. Historically, Democratic candidates perform better with voters when the economy is facing hardships. By nature of being a Republican in a rough economy, and attempting to follow the unpopular George Bush, McCain’s chances of winning were drastically minimized. The bias of the mainstream media also was detrimental to John McCain. According to a study done by U.S. News and World Report, 57 percent of reports done on John McCain were clearly negative while only 29 percent of reports done on Obama were found to be negative. The media plays a large part in shaping public opinion, and the clear bias of the media provided unfair support of Obama.

It is also hard to ignore Obama’s obvious leverage over McCain in personality. Obama is handsome and an extraordinary public speaker. On the other hand, McCain is an old man who cannot compare to Obama when it comes to effective oration. Since television became an influential aspect in campaigns, the more charismatic candidate won the election the overwhelming majority of the time, and Obama happened to be that candidate. In regards to Gov. Sarah Palin, many pundits and analysts are blaming her as one of the causes of the loss. I disagree. Palin rallied the conservative base and virtually eliminated the post-convention bounce gained by Obama. Although she had a few shaky public appearances, such as her interview with Katie Couric, Palin did not have a negative impact on the campaign overall. In fact, she drew record crowds on the campaign trail and provided a down-to-earth element to the ticket. With the struggling economy, an unpopular war and a highly disliked president, this was the Democrats’ election to win. McCain would have needed a huge twist of fate to turn the tide in his direction, and unfortunately for the Republicans, it didn’t happen.

@FAScience Labels Networking Site a Tool for Terror Marissa Blaszko Opinion Editor

It may have come to the attention of some readers that the micro-blogging and social networking site Twitter has been mentioned in many articles printed in The Recorder issues this semester. But it has finally come time for this section editor to say, “Luddites, rejoice.” After reading the conclusion that the Federation of American Scientists have come to about the site, Twitter will never be mentioned in this paper again. Well, maybe. The simple explanation for this divorce is because Twitter, apparently, supports terrorism. An “unofficial” document released by the FAS Web site has calmly explained to all Godfearing Americans why the threat of the complete annihilation of our very way of live lurks on our cell phones. “Terrorists could theoretically use Twitter social networking in the U.S. as an operational tool,” the document explained. The document also contains examples of tweets (individual Twitter updates) such as “Chillin in my tent at Baghdad Intentional Airport (BIAP)” and “Drove off base today down Route Irish in an ‘NTV and didn’t get blown up... fun fun.” The article then continues to try to explain Twitter to an audience of what are probably old, white men (probably military officials).

Most disturbingly, the FAS document also points out that “Twitter has already become a social activism tool for socialists, human rights groups, communists, vegetarians, anarchists, religious communities, atheists, political enthusiasts, hacktivists and others to communicate with each other and to send messages to broader audiences.” The fact that Christians, animal lovers and “political enthusiasts” are on Twitter should be, in itself, enough for this paper to disown the light-blue colored site this very instant. For the entire article, visit fas.org. Just don’t be deterred by the large “For Official Use Only” stamp across the top. Here, we come to one of the largest builtin contradictions in the Internet – although it can be used for things like porn, YouTube mashups and posting drunken Facebook pictures, the Internet has, unfortunately, become increasingly accessible and useful. Gone are the days of Star Wars Kid, hamster dance and stalking under-aged girls on MySpace. Instead, we are faced with information-sharing platforms like Bit Torrent, independent news blogs, classroom wikis and the most abhorrent Twitter. Consider this piece a public service announcement, courtesy of this editor. Because unless Twitter users protest the site, or the government disbands it, here are a few things we may someday see come from any one of these “adversarial” groups. The anti-war movement could use friend lists to help activists communicate, instantly, with each other on opposite seaboards. Imagine what Twitter could do if National Assembly

support groups could chat together, live, at the bi-coastal spring demonstrations the assembly called. Boston could send pictures to L.A. and New York could report to Houston how many thousands of people are marching through the streets. Not only could this be a potential communication tool, but also could tentatively give the peace or anti-war movements encouragement. An even more haunting idea is how Twitter could help the Iraq Moratorium organize itself into a more active, monthly demonstration. What would this country look like if the third Friday of every month, the 70 percent of people who oppose the war all supported the protesters, or wore peace-sign pins to work? Immigrant rights activists, (or, as the FAS termed them, “human rights groups”) could use Twitter as an instant hotline to notify and mobilize thousands of activists the second anyone finds out that Immigrations and Customs Enforcement is preparing for a raid. What would this world come to if citizens, working together in solidarity, could come together for a cause faster than ICE could tear apart a family? We could see a level of community involvement like never before in history. Peaceful protesters, such as those at the Republican National Convention who were ambushed by police, could have used Twitter to notify each other of where police blockades are, and where individuals can get help washing tear gas out of their eyes. If the December anti-war actions planned in Hartford were to begin experimenting with Twitter this week, by the time the mass action rolled around community lead-

ers would be able to make sure the event would be as safe and effective as possible. Communists and anarchists could have intellectual debates across the country on the relevance of Noam Chomsky in the 21st century, while atheists share new scientific developments to be covered on a wide scale. The religious could subscribe to get inspirational, daily Bible passages to their cell phones; vegetarians could promote health-food blogs, or share recipes. Socialists could notify comrades of last-minute fraction meetings instantly, and hacktivists could webcock their latest conquer. Political enthusiasts could follow Barack Obama’s latest appointees, or even hold online, real-time discussions about the news as it breaks! The possibilities of this Web site for social activists are endless. If parties and coalitions can wake up and shake off their cobwebs, this country will see the rebirth of popular, political activism – as the online group Anonymous has already proven. This is 2008, not 1968; what would the 1970 student strikes have looked like if news of them had spread instantly not only over campuses, but over the nation, across the world? The Internet is a tool that is being, as a whole, underused by just about every social movement. It is becoming increasingly clear that Web 2.0 will be one of the most important battlegrounds for any new social struggles. It is a powder keg that war-mongering parties should, if they have any sense, be losing sleep over. The only question that remains is, who will learn to use it first?

THE RECORDER / Wednesday, November 12, 2008

6 THE RECORDER Wednesday, November 12, 2008

Sports

CCSU Women’s Soccer Wins Seventh Northeast Conference Championship Heads to NCAA Tournament on Friday CCSUBlueDevils.com

The Central Connecticut women’s soccer team won its seventh Northeast Conference Championship on Sunday with a 1-0 victory over top-seeded Long Island at the Aviator Sports Complex in Brooklyn, NY. Junior Leah Blayney scored the game’s lone goal. Sophomore Abby Graham assisted on the play. The Blue Devils have now won five of the last seven NEC titles dating back to the 2002 season. With the win, CCSU advances to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2005. The victory also marked the 100th career victory for head coach Mick D’Arcy. Central Connecticut is now 12-6-4 overall this season. The two squads played to a scoreless first half, with the Blackbirds holding a 4-2 advantage in shots. Each team had one shot on goal in the

The women’s soccer will face Boston College in the first round of the 2008 NCAA women’s soccer tournament. The pairings were announced live on Monday night on ESPNews. Harvard and Northeastern will meet in the other game at BC. The games will be played at 4 p.m. and 7 p.m. on Friday. The winners of the two games will meet at 1 p.m. on Sunday. The Blue Devils, the 2008 Northeast Conference Champions, are playing in the NCAA Tournament for the fifth time in the last seven seasons. The Blue Devils will face Boston College in the first round game being held in Chestnut Hill, Mass. CCSU dropped a 1-0 decision to the Eagles earlier this season on Sept. 14. In the other game being held at Boston College, Northeastern will face Harvard. The Blue Devils de-

feated Boston College in the first round of the NCAA Tournament in 2003. That game was also held at Boston College. Tickets for the games can be purchased by calling the Boston College Ticket Office at 617-5524622 or prior to the games at the Newton Soccer Field. Admission for both Friday and Sunday games will be $3 for students/youths and $7 for general admission. Central Connecticut is 12-6-4 entering the tournament and 9-2-0 in its last 11 games. The lone losses for the Blue Devils during that time were a 3-2 loss at Yale and a 1-0 regular season loss to Long Island. Seven of the nine victories have come by shutout. The Blue Devils have recorded a school-record 12 shutouts this season including three straight heading into the NCAA Tournament.

Carmine Vetrano blocks with a kick-save, adding to his season total of 204 saves. high, as DiClemente converted on Vetrano for May’s first tally of the “Their goalie was patient,” said the odd-man rush to make it 3-0. season. McConnell. “But he left a hole on the CCSU picked up where they McConnell answered back, right side open, so I put it upstairs.” left off in the second period, as dangling through the offensive zone Central poured it on some more Paglinco banged home a rebound in a and got his second of the game in rein the closing minutes. Bryant sus- four-on-three situation to give sponse, making the deficit four goals tained some pressure in the CCSU Central a four-goal cushion. It was once again. zone, but a nice outlet pass sent his second goal of the game. The third period saw the Blue Paglinco and Rob DiClemente on a Once the Blue Devils had the Devils hold off a suddenly energized two-on-one. Again the shooter went four-goal lead, they began to play Bryant attack, but not without some much more passive. It was from that trepidation. Jonathan Gautier of the point on that the Blue Devils began Bulldogs cut the deficit back to three to have problems controlling play. as he managed to beat Vetrano. “That’s something that we’re In a four-on-four situation, Joe going to need to figure out,” said Fusco of Bryant cut Central’s lead to Mallia, “whether it be focus, comfort, two at 5-3. Moments later, CCSU cockiness. I’m not sure exactly what dodged another bullet, as a turnit is, but we’ll figure it out.” around shot nailed the post. Bryant’s John May got the bullThe wind was taken out of dogs on the board in the second Bryant’s sails as Dave Windish finframe. A fluttering wrist shot hand- ished off the Bulldogs with a soft cuffed CCSU junior goalie Carmine

Photo: Paul Krish Jr.

period but neither had a true scoring opportunity. Central Connecticut took the 1-0 lead early in the second half. Blayney received a pass off the foot of Graham from midfield down the right side. When the goalkeeper came out of the crease, Blayney beat her to the left side of the goal to give CCSU a 1-0 advantage at the 51:58 mark. Senior goalkeeper Erin Herd made two saves to preserve the shutout, her eighth, and team’s 12th, of the season. Her biggest stop came with 14:07 remaining in the game. The Coffs Harbour, Australia native punched a direct kick shot over the crossbar. Herd was named the tournament’s MVP. She joined senior Jill Kusek, sophomore Lauren Salvia and freshman Brittany Jackson on the All-Tournament team. Long Island, which had defeated the Blue Devils earlier this season 1-0 on the campus of LIU, finished the game with a 10-9 edge in shots.

They also had a 9-2 advantage in corner kicks. D’Arcy, already the winningest coach in CCSU women’s soccer history, notched his 100th career victory with the win. In his ninth season as the head coach of the Blue Devils,

Blue Devils 1 LIU 0 D’Arcy is now 100-68-14 in his career. His teams have now won five NEC Championships in his nine season and posted five seasons with at least 11 wins. D’Arcy’s Blue Devils have finished below .500 only once since 2002.

Blue Devils Keep Bulldogs on Short Leash Kyle Dorau Sports Editor

BURRILLVILLE, R.I. – The CCSU Hockey team made it back-to-back road victories on Friday night, as they doubled up the Bryant Bulldogs by a score of 6-3 at Levy Community Rink. Ryan Paglinco and Kevin McConnell each had a pair of goals to pace the Blue Devils. CCSU came into the game ranked fourth in the Northeast, looking up at a third-ranked Bryant team who held a slim lead over the Blue Devils in the voting. Central didn’t seem to care, as they came out and dominated the Bulldogs in the first period. “To get a win against this team, on the road where it’s always a tough place to play, it’s big for us,” said head coach Jim Mallia. Paglinco got CCSU on the board first, as he took a pass from McConnell and went high glove side on Bryant net minder Jon Stachelek. “I was just going to the net hard,” said Paglinco. “Kevin gave me a really nice pass, put me wide open and just put a shot over the goalie’s glove.” The Blue Devils continued to mount offensive pressure, as Kevin McConnell found an open lane to the net and came in slow went high on a backhand shot to make it 2-0.

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backhand that Stachelek should have had, closing out the scoring at 6-3. Central had three players receive ten-minute misconducts for failure to wear a mouth guard. “Technically the mouth guard is supposed to be in your mouth,” said Mallia. “As everybody knows, it’s tough to play with a mouth guard in your mouth.” Bryant was missing four key players for violating a team rule. Each of the four players received a total of 12 games and are in the early stages of serving those suspensions. CCSU Hockey goes on the road Thursday to face William Patterson, ranked second in the Northeast. They return home on Sunday to host a matinee game against UNH. Game time is 1 p.m. at Newington Arena.

RECentral

Day: M-F 11 a.m. - 2 p.m. Evening: M-Th. 4 p.m. - 11 p.m. Fri. 4p-9p Sun. 8p-11p

November Wed-12: Ball Park Frank Free Hot Dog Day

Kaiser Fitness Center

Day: M-Th 12 p.m. - 2 p .m. Fri 11 a.m. - 2 p.m. Evening: M-Th 4 p.m. - 11 p.m. Fri 4 p.m. - 9 p.m. Sun 8 p.m. - 11 p.m. Sun-7 - Tues-9: Intramural Playoffs Wed-10: Intramural Championships

THE RECORDER / Wednesday, November 12, 2008 / SPORTS

Pick Your Poison

NFL Predictions for Week 10

It was an exciting week in the Pick Your Poison contest. It seems that quite a few of our picksters have found a groove and for the first time since Week 3 we had eight of our contestants reach double figures for the week. Leading the charge with 12 each was Anthony Gonsalves, Gary Berman and our Sports Editor Kyle Dorau. Dorau also managed to put some distance between himself and his closest competitor Kevin Petruzielo who had a down week for the first time in a long time. There are still a few competitors within close striking distance of Dorau, including Gonsalves and Carey Brimmer but they may have to hope for our sports guy to hit a cold streak. With only four weeks of competition left for the Pick Your Poison crown everyone needs to keep those picks coming and if you have any comments or questions email us at ccsurecorder@gmail.com.

PETER COLLIN

kyLE DORAu Sports Editor

Associate Layout Editor

Entertainment Editor

New England

N.Y. Jets

Atlanta

Denver

Philadelphia

Managing Editor

New York Jets at New England Denver at Atlanta Philadelphia at Cincinnati Chicago at Green Bay

EDWARD GAuG

NICk vICCIONE

Green Bay

Chicago

Green Bay

Houston at Indianapolis

Indianapolis

New Orleans at Kansas City

New Orleans

Kansas City

New Orleans

Miami

Baltimore at New York Giants

N.Y. Giants

Minnesota at Tampa Bay

Tampa Bay

Minnesota

Tampa Bay

Oakland at Miami

Detroit at Carolina

Carolina

St. Louis at San Francisco

St. Louis

San Francisco

St. Louis

Arizona at Seatt le

Arizona

Pitt sburgh

Tennessee at Jacksonville

Jacksonville

Tennessee

Jacksonville

Dallas at Washington

Washington

Dallas

Washington

Dallas

Cleveland at Buﬀalo

Cleveland

Buﬀalo

San Diego at Pittsburgh

Pick of the Week

New England def. N.Y. Jets The Jets are scared of the Pats. They have been for years and it was most evidenced by their subpar play at home against them the week after New England lost Tom Brady for the season. It would be nice to see the Jets step up when it matters most but they haven’t done that in almost 40 years.

St. Louis def. San Francisco St. Louis rebounds from an embarrassing loss against the Jets. This team is too talented and Jim Haslett is too good a coach to let one bad loss phase them. The three game losing skid ends against the 49ers.

Washington def. Dallas Not even Mr. Jessica Simpson can save the downward spiral that is the Dallas Cowboys. With T.O. yelling in his ear for the ball all game, Romo will crack under the pressure and the ‘Boys will fall further behind the New York Football Giants.

Jacksonville def. Tennessee I have faith in the Jaguars that they can step it up at home in a huge divisional game against the unbeaten Titans. Call me crazy, but divisional games are always played tough and Jack Del Rio knows how to coach his team in tough games.

This Week’s NFL Prediction Leader Board Rank

Name

Total Points

Current Week

Kyle Dorau

Kevin Petruzielo

Anthony Gonsalves

Carey Brimmer

Nick Viccione

Ed Gaug

Gary Berman

Ryan Kennedy

Marc Chouinard

Peter Collin

Edward Homick

Melissa Traynor

Alex Waters

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THE RECORDER / Wednesday, November 12, 2008 / SPORTS

Blue Devils Shut Out Red Flash

CCSU 36 St. Francis 0

Ernie Greywacz runs in a fumble for a touchdown at his last home game on Arute Field. Kyle Dorau Sports Editor

The CCSU Football team wanted to do something special for the veteran leadership on Senior Day. A 36-0 victory over St. Francis (PA) and the program’s first shutout since 1998 would certainly qualify. A total of six turnovers – two returned for touchdowns – shut down the Red Flash and allowed the Blue Devils to pull away late in the game. James Mallory was the story offensively, despite getting the wind knocked out of him early in the game and missing part of the first half. He managed 167 yards rushing and scored two touchdowns in what was an inspired performance for him. “I’m playing with a heavy heart,” said Mallory, who went home to Buffalo after the game to visit his dying grandmother. “I really wanted to go out and have a huge game for her.” His huge game included a 70yard run early in the second half while the game was still in doubt to break it wide open for the Blue Devils. The defense was strong all game long, as they intercepted Red Flash passes five times en route to the victory. Dominique Rose had two picks, including one he ran back 85 yards down the CCSU sideline for a touchdown. He became the first Central player to have two interceptions in a game since Marcus Dorsey against St. Peter’s in 2006, and the first to return one for a touchdown since Coree Tucker against Colgate in 2005. “Dominique’s becoming a really good corner. He’s made quite a few plays,” said head coach Jeff McInerney. “I think Dominique is an all-conference corner. I just think he needs to get his recognition out there, and if he keeps making plays like that, nobody hits a pass on him. He just does a nice job.” Coach McInerney was pleased with the defensive effort as a whole. “It was good to see us score on defense,” he said. “I thought the defense played great. Those guys had high energy all year, and they worked

their rear ends off. They made some nice plays.” “I baited the quarterback into throwing it,” said Rose about his pick six. “Once I read him, I got it, and I just took off the other way. I was a little bit out of breath there at the end though,” he said with a laugh. Senior Ernie Greywacz gave the home fans a lasting memory in his final game at Arute Field. In a steady rain, he picked up a fumble in the fourth quarter and ran it back for a touchdown to close out the scoring for the Blue Devils. “I saw that quarterback sprinting towards me,” said Greywacz, when asked what he was thinking when he picked up the loose ball. “No way is this gonna happen. I’m getting in that endzone.” Central struggled to mount offensive pressure early in the ballgame. Between the absence of Mallory for a stretch and some bobbled pitches, the offense lacked rhythm until junior quarterback Hunter Wanket came under center at the end of the first half. He was 6-8 on pass attempts for 57 yards, and also scrambled for a touchdown. Starting quarterback Aubrey Norris completed just two passes for 15 yards, and ran six times for a total of 23 rushing yards. Those offensive numbers were a point of concern for coaching staff. “We gotta get our mojo back,” said McInerney. “We’re not doing the little things right.” The offensive inconsistency was compounded by an extra point that went wide, as well as another that was blocked. With eleven seniors on the roster, the emphasis was on making senior day end on a positive note. “That’s my motivation, was to just ball for them,” said Rose. Greywacz was appreciative of his teammates’ support after the game. “Awesome way to go out,” he said. “Wouldn’t want to do it with any other group of guys.” The Blue Devils end their season on the road at Sacred Heart this Saturday. Game time is 1 p.m., as Central looks to repeat their performance from last year, in which they put up 49 points on the Pioneers.

Sophomore Josue Paul had 272 receiving yards going into Saturday’s game.

Edward Gaug / The Recorder

THE RECORDER / Wednesday, November 12, 2008 / SPORTS

Youthful Blue Devils Look to Improve on Solid Season Peter Collin Managing Editor

In spite of their first round defeat in last season’s Northeast Conference Tournament, the CCSU men’s basketball team accomplished a lot last season. After losing almost their entire roster from 2006-2007 championship team, head coach Howie Dickenman had to put together almost an entire roster from scratch. As always, it didn’t take long for Dickenman to show his ability to spot and mold talent. Coach Dickenman surrounded senior guard Tristan Blackwood with eight freshmen and the team sputtered through the season, hitting hot and cold spells along the way. It was a typical young team that found it hard to find a rhythm as the season moved along. This year the Blue Devils are without Blackwood. The former guard was the heart and soul of the Blue Devils, leading the team not only points per game but also assists and steals. It goes without saying that his presence and leadership will be hard to replace. But in spite of the loss of Blackwood, Central will be putting a strong team on the court this year. Blackwood and fellow guard Danny Powell are the only major losses from last season’s roster. The Blue Devils will be returning five talented sophomores from last year. Shemik Thompson, fresh off the first ever rookie of the year award in Blue Devil history, will be a key component of the Central back court. He missed several games down the stretch with an injury and the Blue Devils missed him against Sacred Heart during the first round loss. Joining Thompson from last season’s stellar class of freshman is

sophomore Ken Horton. Horton was a big part of last season’s offense, putting in 12.7 points per game. Along with senior Marcus Palmer, Horton will be crucial to Central’s success underneath the hoop. The Blue Devils also have more promising young talent on the way. Freshman Chris Baskerville is a local product from Hartford and will look to provide additional depth to the Central back court. Junior Joe Seymore is the only remaining player from the championship squad of two seasons ago. With Blackwood gone the Blue Devils will look to Seymore to pick up the slack behind the arc. It will be a tall order for Seymore to replace the NEC’s all-time leader in three-point field goals, but the junior could be up to the task as he nailed .355 percent of his shots from long-range last season. It won’t be an easy road for the Blue Devils this season. The NEC is still a tough conference to play in and very few teams ever get better after losing their best players. But this Blue Devil squad is loaded with young talent and should be able to hang with any other team in the conference. Look for a strong showing from Central and another bid in the NEC tournament. Where they go from there will be anybody’s guess, but if this young group starts to click at the right time, another championship is not out of the question.

Junior Joe Syemore (32) and Senior Marcus Palmer (21) will provide returning leadership for a young Blue Devil squad.

Bayer Leads Blue Devils Through Week’s Victories Kyle Dorau Sports Editor

The CCSU women’s volleyball team continued their hot streak Wednesday as they overpowered Bryant University, three games to none. Amanda Bayer was particularly strong, notching 37 assists, more than the Bulldogs’ entire lineup combined en route to the victory.

Central’s Sophomore libero Kaitlin Petrella led the match with 18 digs, as the Blue Devils improved to 9-12 on the season. Repeated Bryant miscommunications led to Blue Devil points in the first game. Those mistakes allowed Central to pull away as the game went along, and they won 25-15. The second game featured an impressive volley which Bryant got the better of, allowing them to cut an

Sophomore Lauren Snyder sets up her serve.

early deficit to 7-6. CCSU was far from shaken up, as they responded with 10 points in a row. The Bulldogs rebounded with five straight points of their own as part of a 12-3 run that saw them cut the lead to 20-18. Central countered with five consecutive points to close out the game at 25-18. The third game quickly became a struggle for Central Connecticut, as Bryant made adjustments throughout the match that resulted in continued improvement in their play. CCSU trailed by as many as four, but rallied to trail by just two at 24-22. Following a timeout, the Blue Devils were able to overcome the only adversity they faced that night. “We put an offensive play in, and it was so well executed,” said head coach Linda Sagnelli. “You never want to see a team sit back and get timid, and we didn’t tonight, which was great. We were taking some really aggressive swings with the game on the line,” she explained.

Bryant could not put away the Blue Devils, going 0-5 on game points and falling 30-28. Senior Amanda Olmstead led CCSU with matchhigh 13 kills. Sagnelli also praised the play of Lauren Snyder who totaled nine kills on the day. On Saturday, the women continued their strong play as they made it three straight wins, taking three games in short order from St. Francis (NY). CCSU improved to 4-2 in conference play, while the Red Flash dropped to 0-5 in the NEC and remain winless at 0-30 overall. Central won the first game 2514, setting the tone for the senior day victory. The Blue Devils jumped out to a 10-3 lead in the second frame, and closed it out with a dominant 25-6 performance. In the third and final set, CCSU rested some of their regulars and went on to score a 25-16 win to close out the match. Amanda Olmstead had 12 kills to lead all players.

Seniors Amanda Olmstead (4) and Jamie Baumert (7) combined for a block against the Bulldogs.

Photo: Conrad Akier

The volleyball team travels to Pennsylvania this weekend as they face St. Francis on Saturday and Robert Morris on Sunday. The conference championships will take place the following weekend at the home of the regular season conference champions.

Da’Trelle Snell contributed to this article.

Photos by Edward Gaug / The Recorder

Olmstead tallied 25 kills in two games last week.

10 THE RECORDER Wednesday, November 12, 2008

Entertainment Department of Eagles In Ear Park 4AD Records October 7, 2008

Photo: Amelia Bauer

Snow Patrol A Hundred Million Suns Interscope Records October 24, 2008

Snow Patrol is one of those bands whose songs are either hit or miss. There aren’t any sort of good, sort of bad songs, just one or the other. Unfortunately, a majority of songs on their new album release A Hundred Million Suns happen to be garbage. It’s catchy music alright, but with little style or depth. I’m not surprised that every song is either a guy complaining about his bitch of a girlfriend or complaining about being lonely. A Hundred Million Suns is filled with promising intros and unfulfilling choruses. The music is redundant, having the same toned guitar strumming eighth notes the whole song through and that typical drumbeat that so many soft rock songs fall victim to. Though the band experiments with synthesizers and melodic bell parts here and there in the album, their music is essentially the same as it has been on their past releases, dull and cheesy. This album in particular sounds like someone’s journal entries sung along to background music you’d hear in a sitcom on the WB. Verses that begin with phrases like, “Crack the shudders open wide, I wanna bathe you in the light of day” remind me of Michael Bolton, not a sexy five-piece with a substantial following. Or how about, “Cool your beans my son, you look a fuckin’ mess, no one’s getting out of here tonight”? Does that sound like music you want to pay money for? Now if you are still considering listening to this album because you’re a Snow Patrol fan or just like guys that sound like Michael Bolton, whatever be the case, I suggest checking out tracks four and five on the album. Track four is unofficially the hit of the album. It’s got a meaty bass line and sounds like a crossbreed of Beck and Alanis Morissette. Killer, I know. But the rest of the album just plain sucks. Tracks eight through 10 aren’t actually that bad, but sound too much like Sting singing Death Cab for Cutie songs. Snow Patrol needs to stop crying and start making music. It seems that whenever they stray from their traditional soft rock feel, the product is much better. Maybe they should try delving into reggae or experimental for their next release. They might surprise themselves. Misbah Akbar / Staff Writer

Various Artists Twilight OST Atlantic Records November 4, 2008

I’ll admit it; I’m 21 years old and addicted to all things “Twilight”. Not only do I read the books, I go to the midnight releases for them. I am not content to suffer my addiction alone, so I recruit all of my friends to read them as well, much to their initial protests, yet in the end they thank me. So I have a rather large group of people who are eagerly anticipating the Twilight movie, which comes out on November 21, starring Kristen Stewart and Rob Pattinson. As someone who knows the books word for word, listening to this soundtrack the first time was less about hearing the songs and more about figuring where in the story they would fit. But by my third listen, I was focusing more on the music. It’s a pretty good mix, from Linkin

Patience is a virtue not often required by today’s musical offerings. In Ear Park, the debut release by Department of Eagles, calls for loads of it, but rewards listeners willing to give it a try with exceptional subtlety and depth. It’s a schizophrenic beast of an album, sounding like it’s from both the past and the future while featuring the usually contradictory characteristics of slick production and fully realized warmth. Layers of impressive guitarwork ease listeners into the opening title track but belie an intensity that permeates throughout the

Park to Paramore to Iron and Wine, and of course Muse, who Stephanie Meyer (the author of the Twilight books) has credited for inspiring her to write. But the biggest surprise on the album is Rob Pattison’s “Never Think”. Footage of him singing this has made its way around the Internet, and when I heard it I was expecting the drowning cat that sang in those clips, but I was pleasantly surprised. And I was extremely excited to hear anything by Iron and Wine, who speak to my inner Folk-Singer wannabe. Seriously. You should hear me sing in the car. Perry Farrell (yes, of Jane’s Addiction) has one of the more upbeat songs on the album, with “Go All the Way (into the Twilight)”. We get to see a slightly softer side of Linkin Park with “Leave Out All the Rest”, and Collective Soul returns to awesomeness with “Tremble For My Beloved”, which doesn’t exactly fit in with the rest of the album, but if my assumption is right, will kick ass in the scene I’m envisioning it for. And Paramore’s two songs seem to fit with the story, which makes sense, since Hayley Williams is just as big of a “Twilight” addict as me. Kate daly / Special to The Recorder

Dir En Grey Uroboros The End Records November 11, 2008

After being in the music industry for over 10 years, Dir en grey have naturally taken many twists and turns to come to this point. This includes dabbling into the Japanese visual kei scene as well as incorporating J-pop and progressive elements into their music. This path has ultimately led them to this point, the release of their seventh full-length album, Uroboros.   Dir en grey is not a band full of incredible musicians. They will not dazzle you with intricate and fast solos or ‘impossible to head bang to’ time signatures. Instead, they represent what a fully rounded band should be. Each member of the band works together to form cohesive music. However far-fetched a section of music may seem in Uroboros, it is always easy to see its place in the context of the music as a whole.   Other than the fact that the vocals are in Japanese, other uncommon elements are littered throughout Uroborus. Some eccentricities include the use of keys and mandolins. Paired with atmospheric acoustic passages and vocal harmonies, a distinct oriental theme is created.   The most impressive part of Uroboros is the vocalist Kyo. Whatever vocal range you think you are familiar with gets tossed aside. Kyo shows immense range and diversity throughout every song. A pure and pummeling vocal performance is thrown at the listener; whether it be the low guttural vocals in “Bugaboo” or high pitch shrieks in “Reiketsu Nariseha”.  I f fans of metal music can get past the language barrier and the sometimes-flamboyant image of the band, they are in for an impressive 59-minute musical experience. Mike D’Avino / Staff Writer

entirety of the release, which often travels back and forth from serene flitters of piano to thundering bass lines without pause. Though the production can easily be praised as the album’s biggest triumph, the real genius comes in the execution of each song, presenting arrangements that recall classical music, melodies reminiscent of a soundtrack from a 1950s film and an a-track listing drenched in atmosphere. Fickle ears will claim homogeneity, but with successive listens each song slowly reveals its own singularly unique attributes, making each one a sort of negative piece of origami that unfolds into a complete and frequently dizzying work of art.

P!NK Funhouse LaFace Records October 28, 2008

With her new hit single “So What” blasting across radio airwaves and reaching number one on the American Top 40 over the past few weeks, Alecia Moore, also known as pop rock singer P!NK is on top of her game once again. With the release of Funhouse on Oct. 28, 2008, P!NK has successfully completed five albums since her debut in 2000 with “There You Go” and “Most Girls” off the Can’t Take Me Home album. Known for her edgy, outspoken, and sometimes angry lyrics, P!NK delivers once again in this album that is rapidly climbing up the charts. “So What” is the first song on the album and one would assume it sets the tone for the entire CD with the “I’m gonna kick some ass” type of lyrics that illustrate the domestic dispute and divorce between her and husband. She begins the catchy tune that causes any woman to be infused with a new sense of, as the Spice Girls would say, girl power. At first listen, one assumes all the songs are going to be this upbeat and catchy, but as stated earlier, this is not the case at all. Although the CD does have two “drink your worries away with the girls” songs, “Bad Influence” and “Funhouse”, everything else is kind of slower, somber and desperate. “Bad Influence” and “So What” are the only songs that encourage me to go out and party. “Bad Influence” ranks on the top of my bar playlist songs on my iTunes, so definitely check it out. Besides these songs, the rest of the CD is once again rather depressing, but very well written. Working with famous song writer Linda Perry and various others, P!NK collaborates to create songs that depict the status and vicious cycle of her failing relationship and her overall depressive emotions. With song titles like “Sober”, “I Don’t Believe You”, “Please Don’t Leave Me”, “One Foot Wrong”, “It’s All Your Fault” and “Mean”, it is clear that her state of mind is something to the effect of drink your worries away to avoid World War III in the morning. She reflects on waking up out of a drunken stupor on numerous occasions and does not understand how she could ever feel happy sober again and has a hard time letting go of a love that was once wonderful and pure. Overall, Funhouse is definitely a rush of different built up emotions that build up a hill on a rollercoaster and send the listener along for the rocky, jerky ride. Being the ultimate P!NK fan, I would say she lives up to her edgy in your face reputation, but in a different way. Susan Kondracki / Staff Writer

Ryan Adams is known for many things - his prolific but uneven songwriting, his self-destructive past, kicking a fan out of a concert for imploring him to sing “The Summer of ’69” (a Bryan Adams tune) but one thing he has always remained is interesting. While his music is sporadically riveting, the tracks and albums that miss the mark (and

Ryan Adams and the Cardinals Cardinology Lost Highway Records October 28, 2008

Though the album is best suited for late nights and headphones it’s far from melancholic and is even often upbeat. In Ear Park won’t be blasting out of any car stereos next summer, but it’s the perfect album to ease us into the colder days and longer nights of winter, and like the long wait for the return of spring, the key is patience. P.J. Decoteau / Staff Writer

believe me, there are plenty) are still engaging and intimate confessions of a life lived less than perfectly and a man struggling to find his way through modern America. Adams’ new release, recorded with his band The Cardinals, ditches much of the countrytinged Americana that has been the foundation for his music ever since his days with Whiskeytown. It’s a move that could be seen as daring, were the music anything other than completely generic. On Cardinology, instead of leaving behind their well-worn territory to explore new soundscapes, the group seems to shuffle timidly into standard rock fare. While Adams’ typically smart lyrics make appearances, they do so intermittently, more often than not being drowned out by clichés and melodrama. Adams’ odd choice in singing style doesn’t help matters. Adding in an uncharacteristic faux-vibrato, he winds up sounding like a whiny Neil Young, and in an album already rife with whine, a little manly hoarse couldn’t hurt. To be honest, I really wanted to like the album and searched desperately for positive attributes, and there will no doubt be fans out there that find them in abundance (Rolling Stone had a particularly glowing write-up). Unfortunately, all biases aside, Cardinology is simply an average, generic rock release by a group that has proven that they can do much better. Experiment or bring back the Americana – anything but this. P.J. Decoteau / Staff Writer

THE RECORDER / Wednesday, November 12, 2008 / ENTERTAINMENT

Changeling Captivates From Start to Finish

Photo: Universal Pictures

Michael Walsh Staff Writer

‘Friday Night Lights’

Photo:NBC Studios

Easy to Fall Into, Stay Hooked P.J. Decoteau Staff Writer

My girlfriend hates football. In fact, she hates sports in general – she’s more of an arts girl. She also happens to love NBC’s “Friday Night Lights” and while it took some convincing to get her to start watching, it only took about two episodes for her to go out and buy her own copy on DVD. Since I’m sure you’re one of the millions of people not watching this show (because I’m fairly positive it’s just me and three others who thought it was about on HBO’s “Friday Night Fights”), I find it squarely upon my shoulders to forgo the usual analysis and instead focus on getting you to give up your biases and give it a shot. After all, saying that it’s a show about football would be like saying “Romeo and Juliet” is a story about two dumb kids, and if my girlfriend can not only tolerate it, but genuinely love it, anyone can. Season two ended abruptly – so much so that after watching it on DVD I was convinced I was missing a disc – and though it was still leagues above other primetime shows, it never really stood up to the heights reached in the debut season. The good news is that, unlike other shows, it’s not entirely necessary to have seen

previous episodes before beginning the new (and best) season. Of course, going out and splurging the twenty bucks for season one or two on DVD couldn’t hurt, but since each one begins with the start of a new school year (and since the writers are hell-bent on picking up new viewers by reestablishing story-lines in every episode) it’s easy to fall right in to the rhythm of the show. Perhaps the greatest attribute of “Friday Night Lights” or what makes it more than just about football and puts it head and shoulders above most everything else on TV, is the characters. They’re so deeply created, each with their own quirks and attributes, and the acting and casting so spot on that, were it not for the added music, the show would seem like a documentary. Each character represents a stereotypical American archetype of some sort but, as is the case with most people, these stereotypes belie deep conflicts, both within themselves and with others. Through these conflicts, the beautiful and popular cheerleader becomes an American woman torn between faith and temptation, and the somber, heavy-drinking fullback becomes a sad orphan. The end result is a show that presents real people experiencing real problems that go deeper than the soap opera

shit force fed to us by network producers who think that we’re all morons. Then again, the lack of an audience for a great show like this may point to certain moronic tendencies concerning American viewers’ preferred programs. “It’s when all the scared rats are leaving a sinking ship, that’s when a real entrepreneur steps in; a true visionary.” – though uttered by resident bad boy Tim Riggins to convince his brother to go in on a house-flipping scheme in episode five of the new season, he may as well have been speaking directly to the producers of the show themselves. In fact, it would be remiss to ignore the thought that the writers were slyly winking to the audience of the critically lauded but lowly rated program, considering the fact that it was all but cancelled at the end of season two. Luckily for fans DirectTV struck a deal with NBC to help produce the show with the allowance to air the entirety of season three before showing it on the network station’s primetime. For those few of you out there who actually have DirectTV, I implore you to catch up and keep up, and for the rest, the new episodes are scheduled to be aired on NBC closely following the Super Bowl, so you have no excuses not to catch it from the beginning.

Zack and Miri Earn Laughs, Maybe Respect Sean Fenwick Staff Writer

Photo: Weinstein Company

When it comes to penis and fart jokes, there are few writers that can hold a candle to Kevin Smith. Zack and Miri Make a Porno is about two friends, named, as you have already assumed, Zack and Miri. They embark on making a porno film in order to pay the rent on their awful apartment in Pittsburgh, Pa. And not for nothing, from beginning to end, Smith delivers another film that you will find yourself quoting for the following few weeks. Zack is played by the ever-funny Seth Rogan who lives with childhood friend Miri, played by the beautiful Elizabeth Banks. These two have been seen on the screen together before but never in this form. The great chemistry between the two is seen the moment the film starts. At first Zack and Miri seem to be brother and sister-like, trying to watch out for each other. Zack works at a coffee shop alongside Delaney, a sex deprived husband that seems one step away from suicide, played by Craig Robinson from NBC’s “The Office”. Delaney ends up being the producer for Zack and Miri’s last chance to keep a roof over their head. As the cast for their small skin flick takes shape, they run across real life former porn-star Traci Lords, Kevin Smith’s hetero-

sexual life mates Jason Mewes and Jeff Anderson (the infamous Randal Graves from the Clerks franchise). Even the new superman Brandon Routh makes a cameo that will not be forgotten. As the gears turn for Zack and Miri’s porno, so do emotions between the two. Zack and Miri end up finding love in the most bizarre way possible: filming themselves for money. It takes awhile to dig through the sex jokes but underneath this skin flick is a tender love story that Smith should be proud of. Zack and Miri also was able to show the audience how much fun is to be had on a film set. Smith was able to show what he has done in the past. He banded together with his friends to make a movie and to have fun. It is hard not to see a little bit of Smith in Rogan’s character; both are aspiring filmmakers who realize their lives are better when there is some cash in it. Smith has always had a way of appealing to the slackers who get by while doing the least amount of work, and in Z&M it is no different. This film starts with nothing but fart jokes and disgusting dialogues that Smith has built a career on, but in the end, he is at his best, and the end result is hard to frown on. Even if you think you have matured since Clerks, Mallrats and Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back you should still give this movie a shot.

They say they save the best for last. Such is the case in the film industry. Every year when the air turns cold in our neck of the woods. Oscar-worthy films are released into theaters one right after the other. Changeling, one of this season’s earliest contenders, is 78-year-old director Clint Eastwood’s most recent attempt to strike it rich at the Academy Awards. The movie is based on the true story of Christine Collins (Angelina Jolie), a woman who realizes that the boy returned to her by police is not her missing son, who ties into the infamous Wineville Chicken Coop Murders case. Most of the film focuses on Collins and her attempt to make the LAPD’s mistakes and corruptions public. I’ve always been fascinated with period films of any kind. I admire the hard work put into them by everyone involved, from the actors to the director to the set designers. Changeling so easily transports the audience to late 1920s Los Angeles right from the start. The level of detail instilled by Eastwood is astounding. From cereal boxes to cable trolleys, everything feels authentic. The look and feel of the film is downright professional. As engrossing as the film’s atmosphere is, the acting is what carries the film along. Changeling may as well be Angelina Jolie’s coming-out party as a truly respected actress. Her versatility as an actress is shown as she leaps from the stylish 2008 action flick Wanted to this serious and emotionally moving film. Jolie gives a sense of endearment to the character that truly makes the audience care for her struggles. Her performance is powerful and more than just a showcase for a nomination as best actress. While the spotlight is focused on the dolled up Jolie and her thunderous cries for the return of her real son, the rest of the cast is not to be forgotten. Nearly every other performance in Changeling is as convincing as the next. John Malkovich is powerfully influencing as Reverend Gustav Briegleb, the man who spearheaded the fight against the corrupt factions of the police department. Other notable performances include Jeffrey Donovan’s performance as Captain J.J. Jones, leader of the LAPD Juvenile Department, Amy Ryan’s so-goodyou-won’t-even-recognize-her performance as Carol Dexter, a wrongfully imprisoned woman and Jason Butler Harner’s unsettling performance as serial killer Gordon Northcott.

Changeling is as much about theme as it is plot. Eastwood strays from the conventional concept of making the film simply about a grieving mother and police detective work by exploring themes relevant to the time period. In this case it was the 1920s’ male-dominated Los Angeles. This only elevates the importance of Collins and the femme-driven battle against the police. The execution of this theme among others all goes hand in hand with Eastwood creating the perfect mood for the film. It’s simply a well-made movie. Whether it blows you away or not will depend on your patience. Some will find it at times overdramatic and too involved. I, on the other hand, was wrapped up in every minute of the film. I felt that part of its purpose was to slowly and gruelingly detail the plight of Collins, dragging the viewer along all the ups and downs. Eastwood tells this haunting and sorrowful tale in a way only a veteran like himself could. The multi-genre Changeling is emotionally moving, compelling, entertaining and flat out successful as a mystery, thriller, drama and period piece. This film is not a superficial shot at an Oscar; it’s a well thought out, well crafted and beautifully shot film that captures the audience from beginning to end.

THE RECORDER / Wednesday, November 12, 2008 / ENTERTAINMENT

Standing Above the Rest

The Six Best Stand-Up Comedians Nick Viccione

Entertainment Editor

Stand up comedy is an art that most college-aged students can enjoy and get behind even more so in the sense that with our age and generation being obnoxiously desensitized to most everything, no subject seems too taboo or risqué anymore. Everyone these days has his or her own opinions on what a good stand up comedian needs to “do” to be funny. Without further ado, I present you with my humble opinion of the top six, (top five was too cliché for me) stand up comedians who are still alive, and actively doing their shtick with new material to this day. Feel free to let me know if you agree or disagree, so I can make fun of you for thinking differently. 6. Zach Galifianakis Honestly, one of the driest comedians around and the reason why he is not higher on this list is because of the fact that he has only one DVD, and about an hour of recorded stand up comedy. He specializes in awkward characters in even awkward situations. His DVD, Live at the Purple Onion is endlessly watchable. His style may not be for everyone, but it sure as hell is for me. I suggest searching YouTube for some of his material if you are not familiar with him. 5. Daniel Tosh Fairly new to the stand up scene, Tosh has made a name for himself fast. He’s tall and goofy and rambles on forever on certain jokes to the point where half of the audience just loses track and laughs even more so at that fact. He has been seen on the “Late Show with David Letterman” and “The Tonight Show with Jay Leno” and has an album entitled “True Stories I Made Up” which was released in 2005 and a DVD entitled Completely Serious, which was released in 2007. Normally I would not consider someone as new as Daniel Tosh on a “best of ” list. But he has some great material, and I suggest all fans of comedy to give him a shot. 4. David Cross Many may not be familiar with David Cross as a household name or stand up comedian, but there is a good chance you know his face. Cross plays Tobias Fünke on the hilarious television show “Arrested Development”. Cross has written for a countless number of television shows including, but not limited to “Aqua Teen Hunger Force”, “Crank Yankers” and “Family Guy”. He has two full-length comedy al-

Director’s Profile Jean-Pierre Melville

bums, “Shut Up You Fucking Baby!” which was released in 2002 and “It’s Not Funny” which was released in 2004. Cross is occasionally crude, yet articulate and intelligent at the same time - not to mention, sarcastic as hell. 3. Patton Oswalt Oswalt has been around since the 1980s and came into his own as a stand up comedian in the mid to late 1990s; he knows how to engage a crowd and he adjusts his material to do so. If you are not familiar with the name Patton Oswalt, you may know him from the show “King of Queens” with Kevin James. Oswalt plays Spencer, the awkward momma’s boy. Oswalt has three great comedy albums, “Feelin’ Kinda Patton”, “222” and “Werewolves and Lollipops”, and actively writes new material. Oswalt likes to make fun of America’s materialistic society, religion, and even dabbles in politics. 2. Brian Regan Regan epitomizes what it means to be a solid stand up comedian who does not rely on dirty or offensive material to be funny. This is why I am so high on him. In the 20 years or so that Regan has been doing material, he has grown a reputation to be a very friendly guy willing to interact with the crowd and sign autographs. This comes off on-stage, where Regan is rarely bitter with his material and likes to poke fun at everyday events and exaggerate them to his liking. Regan has made countless numbers of appearances on the late shows with Letterman and Leno, while having a full-length album and a DVD to his name, he plays shows yearround and constantly has new material to use. 1. Louis CK Sure Louis had a fairly unsuccessful television effort on HBO, titled “Lucky Louis” and sure it has taken him 25 years to get where he is today but on the flip side, he has won an Emmy, is wellrespected in the business and I swear to God no man has ever made me laugh so hard that I felt it in my neck, sides and face two days later. Louis CK is what it means to be a perfect stand up comedian. His delivery is flawless and his material is always fresh. He sticks to the ever-common self-loathing, society hating material that many comics do, but there is just something about Louis CK that sets him apart. I have been able to see his act five times, and every time has been better than the last. This man deserves support, and while he is still relatively an underground phenomenon, it would be in your best interest to search online for some of his material. Michael Walsh Staff Writer

French director Jean-Pierre Melville’s stylish film noirs are the epitome of cool. Melville’s minimalistic films contain cool, calm and suave gangsters, stylized imagery and a strong emphasis on weapons and accessories like hats and jackets. Melville, who was born Jean-Pierre Grumbach but used the pseudonym Melville in tribute to American author Herman Melville, began in the film industry as an independent director and owner of his own studios. Melville quickly became famous for his tragic film noirs that to this day stand as some of the most influential and revered work within the genre. The word cool is overused to hell and back these days. Melville’s pulpy films are the truest definition of the word in my opinion. To explain this one would need to bring up examples straight from the films themselves. In Melville’s influential early gangster film Bob le Flambeur, which focused on an aging veteran of the crime business, the main character Bob enters a room in which a woman he had interests in was sleeping with another man. In any other film an event like this would create some kind of violent altercation. Rather than stir up trouble, Bob simply tiptoes out of the room, letting things be as they may. It’s this kind of offbeat thinking and dare I say, “swagger,” that many of the characters in his films emit.

Photo: Universal Pictures

Mentor Programs Were Never Funnier Sean Fenwick Staff Writer

Surprisingly, Jude Apatow had no hand in creating the new raunchy film Role Models. Directed by David Wain (Wet Hot American Summer), Role Models tells the tale of two friends who have to make up for their mistakes by participating in a court-ordered mentor program. The always-funny Paul Rudd plays Danny Donahue, an energy drink salesman who hates the world. Alongside Rudd is Seann William Scott, who plays the sex-obsessed energy drink mascot Wheeler (pretty much an older Stiffler). These two go from school to school selling a Red Bull-type energy drink, hoping to make some serious cash. After his girlfriend of seven years dumps him, Danny finds himself going on an energy drink binge with Wheeler, ranting that he hates the world and kids might as well take up a drug addiction, among other things. They end up in front of a judge and, having the choice of jail or 150 days of community service. They choose the latter. Paul Rudd has been around. He is in all the great flicks, Anchorman, 40-Year-Old Virgin, but has never starred in one to call his own. In Role Models, he shines and may even become a household name. As for Seann William Scott,

his character Wheeler is very much Stiffler from American Pie except for one huge difference: Scott is acting and acting well. Danny and Wheeler are great together. Danny secretly hates Wheeler and Wheeler wants nothing more then to be his best friend. The two are thrown in a big brother-like organization called Sturdy Wings. At the head of this organization is actress Jane Lynch who plays Gayle Sweeney. Lynch as Sweeney is easily a show-stealer with her odd, but hilarious behavior and extravagant, yet educational details of her past coke addictions and zeal for helping children. Danny is paired up with Christopher Mintz-Plasse (McLovin) a D&D loser who does nothing but role-play 24/7. Scott is grouped with Bobb’e J. Thompson as 10-year-old Ronnie and they share an equal appreciation for a nice rack. Wheeler learns how to connect with Ronnie by giving him advice on how to successfully spy on women. Although the movie is very predictable, the script is written so well, thanks to the collaboration of Rudd and Wain, that its predictability doesn’t hurt the film. Walking in I expected this to be another studio attempt to grasp Apatow’s success, but I’m happy to say I was wrong. Scene after scene this movie delivers. It is funny, cleaver, disgusting and great.

High School 3 Is Something to Sing About Shauna Simeone Staff Writer

Generally sequels to movies are never as good as the original. High School Musical 3: Senior Year was one of those rare exceptions where each movie was just as good as the first! This is the perfect movie for any girl searching for a light-hearted romance, or for any guy who wants to show a girl his compassionate side. The movie followed all of the characters through their last days together in their senior year at high school. It captured events such as basketball championships, prom and of course the unrealistically incredible school musical which caught the eyes of Julliard scouts. Senior Year built on the friendships made in the last two movies. East High seems to be the rare exception to all high schools where there are absolutely no cliques or signs of social hierarchy with the exception of the diva Sharpay The “cool” nature of Melville’s films extends to the style and imagery of the films as well. Le Doulos, which in French slang translates to hat, but in the underground world of cops and robbers means the informant, is an example of the perfect use of shadows in film noir. Noir is heavily distinguished by its chiaroscuro – which is the contrast between lights and darks. Le Doulos, French New Wave inspired film noir, features dark shadows so heavy that it feels suffocating. The visuals are so arresting and gripping that they alone can keep you interested in the film. Melville’s films also helped breed a crop of “cool” French film stars. Alain Delon was probably the most connected actor with Melville and became one of France’s most popular film stars of the era. Delon can be best thought of as a French version of Humphrey Bogart. Delon is best known for his career-defining performance as hitman Jef Costello in Melville’s masterpiece Le Samourai. Delon’s charismatic acting style went hand in hand with his character that had the Zen-like manner of a samurai. Le Samourai is one of the most influential films of its kind. The character of Costello has been the main inspiration for Agent 47 of the popular “Hitman” video games and John Woo’s hitman in his excellent film The Killer. Samourai has been described as “a razorsharp cocktail of 1940s American gangster cinema and 1960s French pop culture” and is the pure film definition of cool.

who isn’t even a cheerleader. The jocks are friends with the nerds, and the band geeks are friends with the cheerleaders. And they all agree to become part of the school musical! The friendships between the characters make it impossible for a viewer NOT to wish they were back in high school again. As anticipated, many new relationships began to bud and develop. The continuation of the relationship between basketball superstarturned-singer Troy Bolton, and the gorgeous, yet genius, Gabriella Montez provided the drama and romance that everyone who goes to see a Disney movie craves. The students also face tough decisions like whether they should choose their college based on where their friends decided to go. There is something in this movie for everybody: romance, sports, action and music. High School Musical 3 is a quality movie, and I know I’ll be praying for the fourth one to come out. Jean-Paul Belmondo, one of the most recognized actors of the French New Wave generation, also had a strong film relationship with Melville. He starred in Le Doulos along with a couple more of Melville’s most popular films. The combination of major, suave and charismatic actors and Melville’s ability to create untouchable gangland environments around them made for some of the best crime films ever seen. While Melville wasn’t strictly about films concerning crime and gangsters, as noted by his acclaimed films Army of Shadows and Les Enfants Terribles, he became popular for his remarkable style of filmmaking and attention to detail with his film noir and French New Wave blended films. Melville used real locations for his films and was one of the first French film directors to do so. His work has influenced modern directors such as Quentin Tarantino, John Woo, Jim Jarmusch and more. In a world where everyone and their mother describes meaningless concepts and ideas as cool, nothing will be cooler to me than a wonderfully shot Alain Delon as hitman Jef Costello in a tan trench coat with his signature brim hat committing one of his well thought out and creatively crafted jobs. Essential viewings: Le Samourai, Le Cercle Rouge, Le Doulos, Army of Shadows, Les Enfants Terribles, Bob le Flambeur, Le Deuxième Souffle

THE RECORDER / Wednesday, November 12, 2008 / ENTERTAINMENT

CALENDAR WEEK OF NOVEMBER 12

MUSIC 11.13  Murder by Death  @ Pearl Street Nightclub  Northampton, Mass. 8:30 p.m. / $13

Indiana-based Murder by Death first caught the attention of Thursday’s Geoff Rickly while playing a gig together one night in their hometown of Bloomington, Ind. Rickly promptly brought the band, then called Little Joe Gould, to the attention of his friend Alex Saavedra (Eyeball Records owner), and the group was signed immediately. The band was comprised of vocalist/guitarist Adam Turla, drummer Alex Schrodt, bassist Matt Armstrong, cellist Sarah Balliet, and pianist Vincent Edwards. They issued a 2001 self-titled EP as “Little Joe Gould” before the band eventually decided to change its name to Murder by Death, taken from the 1976 Robert Moore mystery of the same name.

11.15  Iron and Wine  @ Pearl Street Nightclub  Northampton, Mass. 7 p.m. / $28

11.16  M83  @ Pearl Street Nightclub  8:30 p.m. / $18

11.14 Gregory and the Hawk @ People’s Center New Haven, Conn. 7 p.m. / $7

11.17 The Toasters @ The Space Hamden, Conn. 6 p.m. / $12

11.15  Kiss Kiss  @ The Space  Hamden, Conn.  7 p.m. / $10  “It’s time for a revival,” is a common sentiment in modern music, but Kiss Kiss’ Josh Benash, doesn’t say it, he embodies it. With their explosive debut album, “Reality Vs. The Optimist”, Kiss Kiss don’t just revive music, they build a cathedral to it out of a gypsy circus tent. In the space of twelve tracks, the cabaret catches fire, the orchestra aches and Josh Benash’s voice breaks it’s way through a truly groundbreaking masterpiece.

11.12 My Mexican Shivah @ Cinestudio Hartford, Conn. 7:30 p.m.

When Moishe Tartakovsky, exuberant patriarch of a Mexico City family, dies of a heart attack in the middle of a raucous mariachi party, he leaves behind a large and complicated web of secrets and relationships that must be untangled over the course of his seven-day shivah. Just released in the States, this cross-cultural comedy brings together an abuela with highoctane chutzpah, a lusty Hasidic grandson, and a bossy daughter trying (without much luck) to keep cheese out of the chimichangas. Meanwhile, unseen by the swirl of family and friends, two Yiddish-speaking angels keep a running list on the departed’s deeds, good and bad. The deliriously fun soundtrack mixes the sounds of the Klezmatics with local Mexico City mariachi bands. A production of indie icons John Sayles and Maggie Renzi. 11.16 – 11.18 Momma’s Man @ Cinestudio Hartford, Conn.

11.14  Nightmare of You  @ The Space  Hamden, Conn.  7 p.m. / $5 or 2 cans of food

Nightmare of You rose out of the ashes of the Long Island punk revivalist band the Movielife. Ex-Movielife guitarist Brandon Reilly formed the melodic indie rock group in 2003 with a sound much more pop-oriented than his hardcore roots would initially suggest. Alongside vocalist/guitarist Reilly, Nightmare of You includes guitarist Joseph McCaffrey, bassist Ryan Heil, and drummer Sammy Siegler (ex-Rival Schools, Glassjaw)

FILM

The Toasters have been around since 1981 and have undertaken their 28-year anniversary tour. Formed on the Lower East Side of Manhattan they traded punches with the best of them at the legendary CBGB’s Club (RIP) on the Bowery. With early releases produced by the great Joe Jackson they zoomed into prominence as America’s early ska pioneers and have been blazing the way for the rest of them ever since. Alongside bands like Fishbone they helped engineer the American ska craze in the ‘80s and ‘90s.

Writer/director Azazel Jacobs not only set his film in the New York loft where he grew up, he cast his own bohemian parents (artists Flo and Ken Jacobs) as the rents of a thirty-going-onthirteen son (Matt Boren) who leaves his wife and small child to move back into his childhood bedroom. Wandering through the loft that is cluttered with his past, watching TV in bed with his Mom and Dad, and dodging phone calls from his puzzled wife, Mikey’s ill-timed homecoming tickles the anxiety of “overbonded” kids and parents everywhere. “One of the sweetest, saddest stories Franz Kafka never wrote” J. Hoberman, Village Voice. 11.12 A Man Named Pearl Real Art ways Hartford, Conn. 5:30, 7:15 p.m.

“Assembled without frills or fuss, A Man Named Pearl is as much a portrait of a small Southern town as of an unassuming black folk artist.” — Jeanette Catsoulis, New York Times A Man Named Pearl tells the inspiring story of self-taught topiary artist Pearl Fryar’s unlikely journey to national prominence by confronting a racial stereotype: black people don’t keep up their yards. His goal was modest but clear: to become the first African-American to win Bishopville’s Yard of the Month Award. It’s a subtle and intriguing film that speaks to respect for self and for others.

11.14 - 11.15 Patti Smith: Dream of Life @ Real Art Ways Hartford, Conn. 9 p.m. /

Narrated by Patti Smith herself, Dream of Life is a plunge into the philosophy and artistry of the cult rocker. Known as the godmother of punk, she emerged in the 1970s, galvanizing the music scene with her unique style of poetic rage, music and trademark swagger. This portrait of the legendary singer, artist and poet explores themes of spirituality, history and self-expression to reveal a complicated, charismatic personality who wrestles with life’s many paradoxes.

ART Present - 01.24 NEW?NOW The Eye Deceived @ New Britain Museum of American Art New Britain, Conn. FREE

Michael Theise takes his inspiration from 19th century American painters William M. Harnett and John Frederick Peto, who pioneered the technique in this country. He sometimes chooses contemporary props, many of which reference these earlier artists. Like all trompe artists, he loves to capture the nuances of surface texture. Where he asserts his own artistic vision, however, is in the marriage of surface with form, and in his obvious delight in the intersection of form with idea. Present - 01.04 First Doubt: Optical Confusion in Modern Photography @ Yale University Art Gallery New Haven, Conn. FREE Celebrating a major gift of over 200 photographs from the collection of Allan Chasanoff ’61, the exhibition explores the seldom-discussed phenomenon of optical confusion in photography. Drawn from the Chasanoff Collection as well as from the gallery’s permanent collection, “First Doubt” features approximately 100 photographs taken by a diverse array of 20th-century photographers. Seen together, they reveal the interpretive nature of the lens and the interpolative nature of the photograph.

14 THE RECORDER Wednesday, November 12, 2008

Lifestyles

Covering the Election on a Quiet CCSU Campus One Reporter’s Experiences Last Tuesday

Karyn Danforth / The Recorder

Left: Lines were nonexistent outside of Welte Auditorium late Tuesday afternoon. Right: A few local residents vote inside of Welte Auditorium’s lobby area. Karyn Danforth Editor-at-Large

Last Tuesday morning, I hustled to campus in hopes of not only hearing, but seeing fellow students and professors express their attitudes and moods walking to classes, sitting in classrooms, even while talking on their cell phones. I wanted to see facial expressions, hold debates with other individuals on campus grounds; to see signs, banners, and t-shirts. My first election serving as a journalist to the public, I anticipated an uprising. I hoped to run around, scribbling notes as fast as I could; trying to grab each suspense-filled moment. Writing about the election wasn’t the only first for me in the course of the day; it would be my first time voting at the age of 23. Why did I decline to vote in 2004 when President George Bush battled Kerry for another four years in the office? Being born and raised in Indiana and Ohio, the majority of my family and relatives are Republicans. When I was little, picking the next president was like rooting for a sports team because one or more family members were fans: I always was swayed towards the Republican candidate because that was what they approved of. Vaguely, but surely, I still have memories of the early elections in my lifetime. In 1992, I

was in first grade, sitting in my house in West Carrollton, Ohio, listening to the television, the radio and my father speak of George Bush Sr. and Bill Clinton. Although I was not old enough to understand any particulars of the electoral process, I wanted Bush Sr. because my family spoke well of him. When 1996 rolled around and Clinton was up to renew himself for another term against Bob Dole, I found myself in my fifth grade classroom arguing with my classmates, even my best friend, over which presidential candidate was better. I wasn’t the only one influenced by my parents; we all were. It wasn’t until 1999 that I received the biggest culture shock of my life: moving from the Midwest to the liberal East Coast. Living in Connecticut, I learned to keep my mouth shut in regards to politics. As high school rolled around, I’d have political discussions and arguments with my father, either conceding or agreeing with what was agreeable, but not with my peers for fear of being attacked. I absorbed my new liberal surroundings while questioning them and always being skeptical. I didn’t feel ready to vote in 2004 because I was unsure of which party I agreed with. As of the past couple years, I’ve combined the best of both ideals in each political party to make my own pseudo-party. Choosing a candidate in this election was a difficult task, but in the end, I chose Sen. Barack Obama because I

believe he is someone as understanding as I am when it comes to leaping over the party barriers and listening to what every individual has to say. While I didn’t find the campus response I had initially wanted, I knew the majority of students felt the same way. Election Day at Central was tasteful, rather than barbaric: people had an extra spring in their step and an “I Voted Today” sticker worn over their heart or on their face. It was a quiet, silent hope. Approaching a classroom, I queried a mélange of students on whether they were voting or not, to which the majority responded positively. Most were anticipating the “historic” night, as most coined it, and gave general responses towards the election, saying that it didn’t matter which candidate people voted for; it would still be monumental in terms of having an African-American president or a female vice president. The class, Contemporary American Literature, studies writers who are deeply invested in the “American Dream” and how most American citizens are disconnected from their hopes of ever establishing it. English professor Aimee Pozorski is not the type of teacher who discusses her own views in her classroom because she understands the need for students to have the ability to make their own decisions. Outside and away from the ears of students, she spoke of her approval of Obama.

“Obama not only looks to the future with hope, but he looks to the past with a sense of the history that the United States was founded upon: the equal voice that democracy promises, freedom, education, safety from harm, the physical necessities for day-to-day living as provided for the poor by the people with the wealth,” Pozorski said. “I find it deeply troubling that we are one of the few democracies where the people are afraid of the government. Based on our founding documents, it should be the other way around really – the people should have the power. I believe Barack Obama will restore that power to the people.” After taking photos of voters walking in and outside of Welte Auditorium, it was time to leave campus and go vote for my first time at my registered location. With no line whatsoever, the volunteer ladies ushered me in with the kindest of attitudes and there I was: nestled in a plastic booth with a marker in one hand and a ballot in the other. Hours of anticipation compared to the two-minute process seemed ridiculous, but I grinned as they scanned my ballot and off I went to watch the results across the country pile in. Fast forwarding to eleven o’clock at night, sitting with two of my closest friends and calling another one screaming on the speaker phone, the wait was over. We did it.

THE RECORDER / Wednesday, November 12, 2008 / LIFESTYLES

Student Fight Club Gathers to Trade Hits, Blow Off Steam Matt McGowan

The Daily Toreador Texas Tech University

(U-WIRE) - A group of about 20 students stood around, uneasy but animated - some bobbed on the balls of their feet and shook their arms to get loose. Then it was fight time. No referee. No ring. No crying. Texas Tech now has its own Fight Club. It convenes Wednesday nights in the Robert H. Ewalt Student Recreation Center. Some fought. But most were content to watch. While the club is not exactly straight out of a Hollywood movie, it still has the same basic premise: blow off steam and punch the other guy more than he punches you. “I’ve always had a lot of anger,” said Jordan Goble, a junior from Plano who co-founded the unofficial student organization about a month ago. “I like to hit stuff and I just wanted to put it to something more proactive. It hurts getting hit sometimes, but it’s still fun. I just thought there’d be other people out there like that.” Tech’s Fight Club’s members typically remain on their feet, stick to boxing and, because of their inexperience, refrain from using mixed martial arts. Students looking for all-out, street-fight brawling, Goble said, may want to look elsewhere. “We usually stop if somebody starts bleeding, because we don’t want to get blood all over the place,” he said. The club - not to mention recreation center administrators - institutes a handful of ground rules before fighting begins, Goble said. Most participants have no formal training and must wear gloves, headgear and a mouthpiece. Pairs of fighters agree on the length of rounds before they touch gloves and start swinging. Another rule forbids fighters from punching each other in the back of the head. “If people want to go light than we do just like 15 or 20 percent,” Goble said. “We just put a degree on it. But some people just go crazy and try to kill people.” As two students grunted and groaned midway through a round, Ryan Wildberger, a manager at the recreation center, stepped into the room and stood near the door. He watched silently, expressionless. Students have asked the center to allow them to form a fight club many times in the past, he later said, but the requests were not granted until this semester.

“This is the only full-contact group we have here,” Wildberger said. “I don’t know why (they granted it this semester). I’m just here enforcing the policy, making sure nobody’s fighting without protective gear.” Most of Wednesday’s rounds lasted one minute, which appeared to be long enough. “It’s a lot more tiring than it looks,” said an out-of-breath Andy Kimmons, a sophomore mass communications major from Houston who fought Goble in Wednesday’s first fight. “That seemed like a lot longer than a minute.” Tech’s Fight Club relies on an “honor system” when it fights, Goble said, and a fighter can ask his opponent to take it easy before they fight. While the group does not establish a ring and its fighters do not stop fighting when they cross any particular line, fighters usually know when they have gone too far out-of-bounds. When they do, they stop and move back toward the center. “It’s whatever they agree on, basically,” said Sean Wolleydt, a senior English major from Montgomery. “They’ll agree on the rounds, the number of rounds. There are no arguments or anything.”

Ty Lockwood kept time for fighters. “Ten seconds,” the senior general business major from Grapevine shouted. A pause. “One minute!” But despite the courtesy, blows are landed. “Who else got knocked out?” Lockwood asked Wolledyt. “Oh. Yeah. Cody got knocked out a few weeks ago. There are usually one or two good hits a night. You’ll know they’re good because everyone will go, ‘Ooh.’” Wolledyt mockingly started stumbling around and said, “They’ll get all disoriented.” Everyone in room seemed to have an anecdote. “I got hit in the nose last week,” Kimmons said. “Your eyes tear up. That’s the worst place to get hit.” But pain, Goble said, is inevitable. “It’s unfortunate there’s always some sort of injury,” he said, eyeing a fight in progress, “but you can’t avoid it, like with any sport.” Josh Wright attended Wednesday night’s Fight Club, but only to watch. As a trained Muai Thai fighter, Wright, a freshman exercise science major from Houston, said he knows better than to participate in Fight Club with untrained fighters. “For one,” he said, “you’ve got people who don’t know what the hell they’re doing. Here, it’s just kind of out of control.” Wright’s eyes followed two fighters as their round drew to an end on Lockwood’s call. “Not everyone can take a hit,” he said slowly, emphasizing every syllable. “Not everyone can take a hit.” At the heart of Fight Club lies friendship, said Richard Hentschel, a junior architecture major from Houston the club’s other co-founder, despite what passerbys may be led to believe. He said fighting helps people relieve stress and vent frustration during college’s more trying times. Goble agreed, calling Fight Club a “bonding experience.” “You think when you fight somebody you don’t like them,” he said. “But you actually become better friends.” “We had a lot of people come to the first orientation meeting, talking about how much they wanted to do it,” he said. “But they never showed up. When it came down to it, they didn’t want to get hit. People are fake.”

Photo: Karl Anderson / Texas Tech

A Texas Tech student gears up for his fight.

Where To Put Your Money and Why A Quick Guide to Saving Now Caroline Dearborn Staff Writer

Even with the unstable stock market, college students still have a good chance to make a profit if they begin thinking about investing in retirement accounts now. Two particular accounts that come to mind are IRAs and Roth IRAs. These accounts allow a person to diversify his or her assets by either investing them in stocks, buying bonds, or saving them as simply cash, or even a mix of all of these. However, it is important to note that you can only invest a maximum of $5,000 per year in these accounts, and if you are not claiming in your taxes that you have made any salary, you cannot contribute to these funds. Also, if a person makes under $5,000 “on the books,” sort-to-speak, then he or she can only contribute up to the amount being taxed. In other words, if a person makes $10,000 per year baby-sitting, unless that person is claiming that amount of income on his or her taxes, s/he cannot invest in an IRA. If a person makes $10,000 at Burger King, and claims that,

then s/he can put up to $5,000 into one of these accounts. And yet another scenario would be if a person makes $3,786.58, doing whatever, then s/he can only contribute $3,786.58 to one of these funds. Keith Lyons, a former financial advisor, suggests that college students begin to invest in retirement funds. He explained that since money compounds when invested in accounts such as these, to gain the greatest growth potential, it is important to invest early in your work years, even in college. “What you invest overtime can triple,” said Lyons. Further explaining the importance of investing earlier on, Lyons brings to light the “Rule of Seven”. This rule says that it takes about seven years to double money that is receiving a standard amount of interest. Using a vivid example, Lyons puts saving for retirement in perspective. He said that a 20-year-old who plans on retiring at 65 would have 45 years to save. Since seven goes into 45 six times, “your money has a chance to double six times over that period of time,” said Lyons. Providing another scenario, Lyons explains that if a 35-year-old decides that he or she wants to save for retirement, and that same per-

son wants to retire at 65, this is a 30-year period to save and invest. At first glance, 30 years may seem like a long time, but Lyons continued in saying that this only leaves the person’s money a chance to double three or four times. Compare this to the six times that the 20-year-old will have and how the 35-year-old, even if investing more than the 20-year-old, will never catch-up. The bottom line is that the earlier a person starts saving and investing, the more money he or she will have in the end. According to Lyons, a 20-year-old realistically can handle fluctuations in the stock market because he or she has a “huge time horizon.” A time horizon is the length of time that a person has to invest. Lyons explained that the length of time that a person has to invest is what determines how aggressive a person can be in making investments. So now that there are feasible ways to save money, why invest money in a market that is in an unstable condition? Stay tuned next week for part II.

Q&A with CCSU’s Health Service:

Eat Well, Sleep Well, Live Well. Caroline Dearborn Staff Writer

As seasons change, our bodies try to adjust accordingly. In an attempt to maintain homeostasis, often times the body’s immune system is compromised, allowing for infection of the cold, flu and other viruses that may be circulating. Kathleen Groff a nurse practitioner for CCSU’s Health Services Department offers some advice on how to stay healthy this season. Caroline Dearborn: How does maintaining a healthy diet influence the immune system? Kathleen Groff: Eating a diet rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains and low-fat dairy, along with a moderate amount of protein, is the best way to get all the vitamins and minerals your body needs. If the focus is on adequate amounts of these foods, you really don’t need a multi-vitamin or any other supplementation. CD: During cold and flu season, are there any other precautions that can be taken besides washing hands and getting the vaccine? KG: The two things you mentioned are at the top of the list of prevention strategies. Next would be discarding tissues and washing hands each time after nose-blowing, and staying away from people who are coughing and sniffling. CD: From a medical point of view, is the flu vaccine something that college students should consider getting? KG: I think college students are great candidates for the flu vaccine because any protection from the flu can reduce the spread of this potentially debilitating illness to other people in the community, meaning fewer absences from class and fewer sick people. Flu can spread quickly in residence halls where students congregate in close quarters. CD: How does sleep play into all of this? KG: Lack of sleep stresses the body. Everyone should try to get at least seven hours of good sleep every night. That might mean planning ahead so that other commitments are finished early enough to have an hour or so to unwind before you actually want to go to sleep. CD: Most people get sleepy when they get ill; are there any signs that differentiate the flu from mono? KG: One of the hallmarks of the flu is a high fever, often 101-102 degrees. With flu, the fever, body aches and occasionally a scratchy sore throat and dry cough come on suddenly. Mono usually has a more gradual onset of fatigue, a bad sore throat and swollen glands, particularly in the neck. CD: Is it “starve a fever, feed a cold,” or “feed a fever, starve a cold?” And why would the correct one be true? KG: I’d go for feeding a fever and feeding a cold. Meaning, it’s important to keep well-hydrated when you’re ill and have a fever. I’m a fan of chicken noodle soup, especially the home-made kind because it’s lower in salt than the canned. The slightly salty broth in the soup goes a long way at soothing a sore throat. Orange juice is great for added vitamin C and sports drinks, like Gatorade and Powerade, are good for fluid replacement. CD: How would dorm living directly concern those who are infected with the flu or a cold? How can people in dorms who are trying to avoid infection remain healthy? (eg. opening windows, cleaning doorknobs...) KG: People who are sick should try to limit their exposure to others. When that’s not possible, like living in the residence halls, then wash hands, wash hands, wash hands, whether you’re sick or well. And if you want to be extra careful, you can wipe down commonly-used surfaces with hand wipes.

Battle of the Big Three THE RECORDER / Wednesday, November 12, 2008 / LIFESTYLES

Which Operating System Reigns Supreme?

Kareem Mohamed Staff Writer

From turning your computer on, accessing your favorite music files on iTunes, to browsing Mozilla with the slightest click, controlling these programs that seem easy to a user at the grasp of a computer, in reality, are a different story that lie within the metal of a motherboard. The major driving force of the computer that organizes and controls the communication between software and hardware efficiently, known as the operating system is what makes computers of today one of humanity’s greatest tools. The powerhouse operating systems of today, including Windows Vista and XP by Microsoft, Leopard 10.5 for Apple and the more unchartered Unix and Linux, have surpassed their predecessor systems of the late ‘90s and early 2000s with proven enhancements in performance, security, interface, memory management and familiarity to millions of household and corporate users across the globe. At the cusp of a new operating system rising on the digital market and continual improvements in computer systems many users may look to switch to a platform that provides them with not only stellar performance, but stability with years to come. Choosing the right platform for your computer is matter of what your day-to-day computer activities are, with a specific system that is perfect for every type of user. The major contributions and consequences have been reviewed with the remaining question of which operating system is the best? Beginning with our common household name, Windows XP or Windows “eXPerience” has sold over 400 million copies to date since its emergence in October of 2001 providing a userfriendly interface for new and old machines.

A successor to Windows ME and Windows 2000, the XP interface has presented users with translucent blue selection menus, drop shadows and the freedom of users to change visual styles that permits easy navigation through the operating system. Despite the fact that it lacks the overall “prettiness” and 3D effects of its newest successors Vista and Mac competitor Leopard, which use transparency, improved search features and intricate animations, XP still provides the average consumer and computer with something familiar. Similarly, Linux provides once Microsoft users with KDE and Gnome interfaces that mimic Mac OS and XP interfaces to allow easy transition to the more unknown systems like Ubuntu. Historically, XP’s noteworthy shortcoming has been its poor security with a high vulnerability and susceptibility to malware, Trojans and worms. With the allowance of the user to have an administrative account and access any point of the OS, exploitation of security holes which are virtually invisible make it difficult to prevent malware attacks on the system. XP has been the prime target for virus creators and will continue to be the target for a very long time. With an unpatched system, XP (requires a firewall, Service Pack 3 and anti-virus software for safe online usage) fails to compete with Vista, Linux or Leopard. Vista’s promising upgrades, which were based solely on expanded security capabilities, includes User Access Control and Active X programs/applications that prompt user consent of actions, an improved Windows firewall, ready installed anti-malware tools as well as an encrypting file system that ensures a safe platform.

For Mac users, Leopard uses a strict partition between the user files and system files that provides maximum safety and security for your system while Linux systems like Ubuntu which don’t use root user accounts and allows it to remain a low target for malware. For those who take their gaming to the next level, one would most likely want to stick with XP which offers better performance speed even though Vista has boosted 3D graphics. Software on both Vista and XP are virtually the same with slight improvements in Windows Media Center, Media Player and Movie Maker on Vista. Some complaints of Vista are that many XP utilities, programs and games are not able to run on the upgrade especially those in 16X and 32X bit. Those who are weary of spending cash can take advantage of Linux-based systems, which offers thousands of entirely free downloadable programs and applications that emulate Microsoft Office Suites as well as games of the OS X and XP platforms. Consequently, the negative reception of Windows Vista recently,heavily stems from its high memory requirements and disk space, which surprisingly run slower than XP on a computer with same hardware requirements. Requirements of a 800 Mhz, processor 15 gigabytes of memory and 512 megabytes of RAM encourages consumers to purchase a computer with Vista already installed. Although Leopard offers a beautiful design all around, organized and slick performance its exclusivity to Mac-only machines are pricier for the average consumer. The upside to the premium price is the computers resale val-

ue. After owning a Mac for more than three years, it’s resale value still hovers around the 50 percent mark, where PCs tend to lose all value after two years or less. Linux, similar to XP, offers great performance on older machines as well offers dual booting which allows users who are unsure of switching to the unfamiliar system to test it before committing. At the reach of a blank CD one can upload the whole Linux operating system for free and be able to explore its applications and programs. For those who have never used the system before, companies offer ready-made Linux based systems, which use XP-like interfaces, programs applications such as Xandros. Without a doubt there is an operating system for everyone. For us to imagine a perfect 10 operating system that offers all of the necessary features of all consumers is impossible. For those who are more computer savvy and are willing to put in the extra time and effort exploring the net and can’t deal with faulty security of XP, Linux might be the system for you. Meanwhile, those with a few extra bones to spare on a new machine that provides enchanting graphics and smooth performance, an Apple might be your calling. As far as the ongoing battle between the near discontinued $400 XP, which offers a great overall performance and minimal hardware requirements and its successor Vista, the amount of significant difference between them should give an existing PC owner little inhibition to switch/ upgrade. XP with continued upgrades should remain a steady platform for a few more years to come until a better operating system is available. For those already planning on buying a new machine with faster processing speed and higher memory shouldn’t mind the upgrade to Vista. In essence, it’s a matter of your tastes.

Take A Chance on First Friday Festivities

Nzinga’s Daughters, an African a cappella group, performed in front of the Benton Murals at the New Britain Museum of American Art last Friday night. Marissa Blaszko Opinion Editor

The New Britain Museum of America Art, located about seven minutes from campus, has made it a long-time tradition to host its “First Friday” parties, a way of getting all of its members together, as well as casual patrons, and showing them a good time. The First Fridays feature drinks, music, performance art and new art exhibits. Last Friday marked not only the first time a Recorder writer has covered the event, but, from the looks of it, the first time a college student has actually attended the event. Although this is an exaggeration, the median age of those attending the gathering seemed to be about 47; there were no small children in sight, and an overwhelming percentile of patrons seemed both wealthy and retired.

That is not, however, to say that shindig was a total bust. Drink tickets are $3 to get ticket holders unlimited refills of wine or beer. In addition, free snacks create small mountains on surrounding tables. At ten dollars, ticket prices are steep (student discounts don’t apply afterhours), but aren’t too bad considering that First Friday is probably the only alternative to a night full of beer pong and margarita shots in the area. It’s also, coincidentally, a way better alternative date night. On this particular Friday, the two billed attractions were Nzinga’s Daughters, an African a cappella and drum circle group, and the Val Ramos Flamenco Ensemble. Nzinga’s Daughters, who by themselves were probably worth the entry fee, are the latest act in the co-op between New Britain’s Hole in the Wall Theatre and the NBMAA. Hole in the Wall has begun organizing a series of performances around the permanent collection; the

performance by Nzinga’s Daughters was in response to the Benton Murals most Central students have heard about ad nauseam. One panel of the murals (which are actually hung on the walls to act as large-scale paintings) features several poor black people, responding in song to the harsh financial times that faced most Americans during the beginning of the 20 th century. Fittingly, Nzinga’s Daughters sung songs illustrating the slaves’ passage from Africa (at which point drums were confiscated), followed by life under slavery and ultimately the escape to the emancipated North. The mural seems to have picked up from where the women in the group left off; the predominantly Caucasian audience that seemed captivated with the music simply added to the commentary. Dayna Snell, one of the Daughters, explained that the troupe’s purpose is to “tell the stories from Africa to America.” The objective

Marissa Blaszko / The Recorder

of the co-op has a similar educational purpose, with more emphasis on local involvement. “Everybody has something very important to give, and together, it can just be greater,” she said. “People come in after work and bring in things to the community.” By its end, the performance brought a fresh and unexpected light to the Benton Murals that CCSU has been so adamant about promoting for the past year or so. The First Fridays are a great way to get to know the NBMAA which is a great place to begin learning about art, and one of the few things New Britain has going for it. Bring a friend, grind your teeth a bit over the ticket price, and try to find someone that knows what they’re doing to talk to you about an interesting piece of art Odds are they’re enjoying the free drinks, and would be more than happy to explain the pseudo-megalithic Solo cup instillation to a few college students.