Volume 109 Issue 14

AWA R D-W INNING CENTR A LR ECOR DER .COM Wednesday, December 5, 2012

Central Connecticut State University

Volume 109 No. 14

“To accuse us of legitimizing anything because we went to a dinner in an academic setting as students with a professor of middle east policies is wrong, insulting and I don’t think that anyone at this Political Science Major table, or anything that any student from any university did at that dinner with the President is appalling,” Calvin Brown said and held Central Connecticut up the letter. “What I think is appalling, is this kind of close minded State University political discourse.”

Calvin Brown

see STUDENTS RETALIATE - page 2

phOtO | aBrams/ap

Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.

Free Gaza Now: Rally On Wednesday Aims To Raise Awareness In Palestine

Students Protest

rachaEl BEntlEy the recorder

Despite 30 degree weather, CCSU students stood together in protest in the Student Center Circle on Wednesday, carrying Palestinian flags and signs reading "Free Palestine," in hopes of raising awareness about the current situation in Gaza.

The event was coined as a "Gaza Solidarity Rally" and around 40 students and faculty could be heard chanting "free Gaza" accross campus, openly and loudly questioning Israel for what they are calling the country's "siege" of Gaza.

Many of the demonstrators at the event were critical of the United States support of Israel, specifically the $3 billion given each year by the U.S. The protest was sponsored by particular groups on campus such as the Youth For Socialist Action, the Muslim Student Association, Students For Justice in Palestine, The Middle East Crisis Committee and Connecticut United for Peace.

One of the people who attended the rally was CCSU student Roberto Fiel, who had his own reasons for getting involved.

"I came out of the Student Center, saw the protest and decided to show my support," Fiel explained. "I'm here because I want freedom for Palestine. They just want independence, they just want peace. Every country deserves that."

76-year-old city resident Liz Aaronsohn also attended the rally, but not as a CCSU student.

According to an article in the New Britain Herald Thursday, she said

see FREE GAZA - page 3

rachaEl BEntlEy | thE rEcOrDEr

Students stand outside the Student Center Circle with signs supporting Gaza and their freedom.

Sarah Burns Well-known Author Speaks On Wrongly Convicted 'Central Park Five'

Erin O'DOnnEll | thE rEcOrDEr

Sarah Burns talks to a filled Constitution Room on Monday on her book and documentary.

Follow Us On Twitter: @TheRecorder

see CENTRAL PARK FIVE - page 4

2 THE RECORDER

Wednesday, December 5, 2012

NEWS

SGA Allocates Funds To Musical Under One Condition Kassondra Granata The Recorder

Erin O'Donnell | the recorder

Sen. Bobby Berriault motioned to allocate money to the musical during open floor.

Students Retaliate To History Professor's Letter To The Editor KAssondra Granata The Recorder

History professor Jay Bergman sent a letter to the editor to the Recorder last week regarding an article from the Oct. 24 issue, “CCSU Students Meet President of Iran.” In the letter, Bergman expressed his discontent with Professor Ghassan El-Eid in bringing the students to a panel in September.

Four out of the five students returned with El-Eid to a conference room in Diloreto on Thursday and responded to Bergman’s letter.

On Sept. 24, El-Eid and 12 students went to the Warwick Hotel in Manhattan to view a panel discussion with Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, the president of Iran.

Universities such as Harvard, NYU, UConn, and Hofstra as well as 50 United Nations interns attended the dinner and separate panel. El-Eid, who teaches courses such as Middle East Politics, International Law, International Relations and International Terrorism, said he chose the 12 students based on student interest.

"We are keenly aware of the fact that Mr. Ahmadinejad has conflicting views concerning the Middle East and Israel, but that didn't deter the students from wanting to meet him and get to understand more about this leader,” El-Eid said in October.

In Bergman’s letter, he said, “It is appalling that CCSU students were used as props in a public-relations campaign to legitimize one of the most murderous regimes in the world today. I seriously doubt any professor at CCSU, or at any other college or university in America, would arrange a dinner for students with a kleagle of the Ku Klux Klan.

And yet dining with a genocidal anti-Semite who wants to kill six million Jews is perfectly acceptable.”

Bergman had sent his letter to outside publications, and when El-Eid and his students discovered and read it they said that it was “appalling."

“It belittled our intelligence to say that we didn’t know what we were doing and were just following another professor who is just using us as ‘props,'” said John Szalan, political science major. “I don’t certainly agree with a lot of the things that Ahmadinejad says, but it is the fact of learning. This is a university, and this is what you’re supposed to do here. If you don’t learn and give someone a chance to sit down and speak, then you can’t really write them off.”

All four of the students said that because of their major in political science and career goals, studying different politicians and different world leaders would only better them in the long run.

“In the original article, I used only

After a few amendments and lengthy discussion, the Student Government Association passed a motion on Wednesday allocating $13,532 to the spring musical, Spring Awakening, under the contingency that it becomes a club.

“I really want to do this,” said Sen. Bobby Berriault, who made the original motion during open floor. “It’s a semester long project, and it’s a pretty good program.”

Sen. Berriault made a motion to allocate $17,000 to the musical but then realized that the senate already gave the group $3,468 from the club’s revenue last year, and changed his motion to allocate $13,532.

Zack Heidorn, the student producer of the spring musical, came to the senate’s Nov. 14 meeting to present. According to Heidorn, there will be over 100 students involved in this production and the cast size will be 18 to 20 students. Heidorn initially asked for $23,100.

Heidorn said the group will plan on using the money towards the set, lighting, costumes, royalties for the show and hiring a band to play the music. Heidorn said that it would also be used to hire a director. The amount of money that would be spent on the musical depends on the hired director’s conception of the show.

Treasurer Nick Alaimo then made a motion to amend Berriault’s motion making a contingent for the musical to become a club. It was seconded. Sen. Kory Mills said that he did not agree with Alaimo’s amendment.

“I think you should vote ‘no’ to Treasurer Alaimo’s proposal, and the Finance Committee can discuss it on Monday,” Mills said.

Sen. Dean Ott said that he liked Mills’ idea to send it to the Finance Committee, but in the end, it would be sent to the senate for approval anyway. Ott suggested that Alaimo’s amendment should be discussed at the present time.

Sen. Kim Towler supported Alaimo’s amendment, and said that it was not fair that the musical isn’t a club and that they are asking for money from the senate.

Alaimo’s amendment passed.

In order for the spring musical to start their process in becoming a club, the group would have to meet with SA/LD and get information on the process first. Other procedures would be electing officers, holding meetings, creating a constitution and attending a Student Affairs Committee meeting to present their petition and constitution. Once the committee votes in favor, political terms,” said Bryan Southworth, Middle East Studies major. “I did not ever mean likable. We are all in the fields to study being a politician. Bergman’s article framed that we went out to Starbucks to meet the president of Iran for a social gathering, and that was not the case.”

Austin Swan, international studies major, agreed with Southworth.

“I’m not saying I agree with anything Ahmadinejad said and I’m not saying I disagree with anything he has said, what I am saying is that I went there as a student trying to learn more about the situation,” Swan said.

Upon reading the letter, El-Eid said that he was surprised at Bergman’s reaction, and that the trip was a learning exercise from the very beginning.

“It is both discouraging and lamentable that Professor Bergman feels this way, but that’s his opinion,” El-Eid said. “This whole experience was a rewarding experience and I don’t think that my students or myself feel that we were brainwashed by this leader.

The university to me is a forum where we can debate issues in a free way. This is what academic discourse is all about, this is what critical thinking is all about."

Calvin Brown, majoring in political science, had a copy of Bergman's letter in front of him on the table.

“To accuse us of legitimizing anything because we went to a dinner in an academic setting as students with a professor of Middle East Policies is wrong, insulting and I don’t think that anyone at this table, or anything that any student from any university did at that dinner with the president is appalling,” Brown said and held up the letter. “What I think is appalling, is this kind of close minded

the president of CCSU would sign off on the club to be recognized by the university.

With Alaimo’s amendment added to the original motion, Sen. Kory Mills moved to amend that the money allocated to the club would not be used on lighting, gel and gobos, microphones, batteries, special effects, haze fluid and piano tuning.

“We shouldn’t have to give them money for this,” said Mills. “The department should already have those things presented to them.”

Sen. Izzy Rodriguez disagreed with Mills’ amendment, and said that the department only possesses “general equipment,” and if they need the equipment, then the senate cannot determine that.

“We are pushing it now,” Rodriguez added.

Sen. Berriault said that he agreed with Sen. Rodriguez.

“It is not right for the senate to assume what they need and what they don’t need,” said Berriault. “We should not dictate what their needs actually are.”

Sen. Legairre Radden said that the musical came to senate last year and asked for the same equipment Mills mentioned and were granted that.

“They have decent lights, decent microphones, all of that stuff,” Radden said.

Mills amendment to restrict the musical’s purchasing of certain equipment failed.

Sen. Berriault moved to end debate, and his motion, along with Alaimo’s amendment, passed with 15 yes votes, 14 no votes, and two abstentions.

When it comes to the musical working to become a club, Heidorn said that he believes the group should do that. Heidorn said he also understands that becoming a club will not guarantee that they will be funded the money they need for future productions.

“I completely understand that the SGA needed to make cuts on everyone's funding, but we have gone to them for this money for about fifteen years, and each year [with the exception of this one], they have given us the amount of money that we needed,” Heidorn said in an email. “They want us to be more self-sufficient. It is hard to be self-sufficient when you receive the bare minimum of funding from the University, despite the fact that you are trying to reach out to the entire campus to create something meaningful. I respect their decision to continue to allocate us money rather than pulling the rug out from underneath us.” political discourse.”

On Sept. 30, in an article published by the Jerusalem Post titled "First Person: Dinner With Ahmandinejad," a Jewish reporter described the dinner firsthand. Professor Bergman had used this article and a quote with his response towards El-Eid and his students in an email. In the article, the author said that there was a standing ovation for when President Ahmadinejad walked in the room.

"I sincerely hope that the professor and his students did not join in the standing ovation that, according to a published article about the dinner, greeted Ahmadinejad," Bergman said.

"By their presence, they helped to legitimize a regime that kills homosexuals, oppresses women, threatens the extermination of Jews, murders unarmed demonstrators, and used children to clear mines in the Iran-Iraq War in the 1980s. It is guilty of other atrocities too numerous to mention."

El-Eid said he does not regret bringing the twelve students to the panel in September and it was not the first time he involved his students with a leader of a nation overseas. In 2003, El-Eid mediated a session with Shimon Peres, who was a foreign prime minister and now the president of Israel. El-Eid said there was no issue on campus, and he did not agree with a lot that Peres said.

“I have never as an educator imposed my opinion on any of my students, I do encourage my students to think for themselves,” ElEid said. “That’s my job, to promote critical thinking. These McCarthy-like tactics of intimidation will not work; my obligation is to my students, to do what I was hired to do, to think for themselves and to educate them on these issues.”

3

THE RECORDER / Wednesday, December 5, 2012 / NEWS

The Recorder

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Free Gaza Now

Continued from page 1 she felt it was her "duty to show solidarity with the students."

"I'm an American Jew," she said. "Israel is not representative of Jewish values.

The ethnic cleansing of the Palestinians is repeating the oppression Jews suffered under Nazi Germany."

Aaronsohn is also a member of "We Refuse To Be Enemies," a group that includes Jews, Muslims and Christians who are for the human rights of all peoples.

Demonstrators at the event argued that the U.S. media has not told the truth about the events in the Middle East, and that events like the rally would only help tell the campus and the world about what Palestinians deal with on a daily basis.

Fiel's thoughts on Israel echoed the

Rachael Bentley| the recorder

Student stands outside Student Center with a sign in protest.

CCSU Raises Awareness On Military Rape Irene Yukash The Recorder

Just a few weeks after Veterans Day, the CCSU Women’s Center collaborated with Veterans Affairs to raise awareness on sexual assault in the military. The issue was presented by means of the documentary The Invisible Truth in the Student Center Thursday morning.

According to the U.S. Department of Defense, 19,000 military rapes and assaults took place in the 2010 fiscal year. Of those estimated, only 3,158 were actually reported.

“The silent epidemic is no longer silent,” said Jacqueline Cobbina-Boivin, director of the CCSU Women’s Center.

Cobbina-Boivin decided to bring the film to CCSU specifically around the time of Veterans Day to raise awareness and educate on the issue. Also invited to the event was the YWCA. The YWCA had a table set up that provided information on various resources for victims of sexual assault and other forms of abuse. Before the showing, nearly 50 people had filed in. The group was made up ofstudents, professors, and members of the military.

“I think it’s a problem, it’s happening.

Young men and women enlist to defend their country to do their part and they go fight a war, the next thing you know, they’re fighting for their life within their own units,” said Chris Gutierrez, Veterans Affairs coordinator.

The Invisible Truth shares the stories of several men and women who have been raped by a fellow service member. According to the documentary, in many cases, a superior of higher rank committed the rape. The government dismissed nearly all of the cases exemplified in the documentary and little was done to compensate victims. Several victims were even punished for reporting the rape.

“They reach out to the congress and you think that’s going somewhere and it’s the same answer: they dismiss the case. It’s bad,”

said Gutierrez.

Director Kirby Dick unveils the aftermath of such incidences by following several victims throughout the pursuit of a lawsuit filed against former Secretaries of State Robert Gates and Donald Rumsfeld.

“The documentary itself was pretty moving. It is very upsetting to see such an impact that it can have on people's lives,” said Nicholas Pizzoferrato, CCSU student.

“At the same time it’s awful to see that they had such hopes and desires to do well and advance in their careers and it was all crushed by this one incident.”

“It was disturbing. It made me incredibly sad especially as I got to know some of the students who are women who are serving, who are being deployed, who are so committed. To know that this is a possibility for them, it’s startling,” added Janice Keeman, therapist at the CCSU Wellness Center.

Pizzoferrato shared similar feelings of excitement about joining the military as the people featured in the documentary.

After seeing it for the first time he felt less enthused. “It’s sad that it has to be like that but it definitely discourages me just to see how things like that are handled,” he said.

After the film ended, Gutierrez and Cobbina-Boivin ended the event by making clear that the showing of the documentary was in no way to discourage students from enlisting.

"It’s not anti-military. I’m not an anti military person but I think that people need to be aware,” said Cobbina-Boivin.

The Women’s Center and Wellness Center on campus are open to CCSU students regardless of health insurance. Both centers accept walk-ins as well as appointments.

More information on the documentary can be found at notinvisible.org.

“I think it’s a long road but I think we all have to do something because if we don’t, we’re a part of the problem,” said Keeman.

sentiments of many, stating, "We have been following what has happened in Israel and they are killing everyday. Everyday they kill children, women and men. We have to show we support Palestine."

CCSU student Chris Hutchinson was also one of the 40 who took time to brave the cold and stand in protest.

"Palestinians are among the most oppressed people in the world and their struggle has inspired me," Hutchinson said.

The rally was followed by an event at 5 pm., in Semesters, where students discussed how they could continue to stand in solidarity with the people in Palestine and help them through action, educational and cultural events on campus.

A New Ride Share Program Allows Students To Rent Cars Acadia Otlowski The Recorder

By the spring of 2013, cars will be available for rent by students, thus saving money and the reduction of the impact of cars on the environment.

According to Charles Button, faculty chair of the President's Advisory Council for Environmental Sustainability, this program will be called the “Ride Share Program." The majority of the work for this program was done by Sal Cintorino, Tom Brodeur, Peter Leung and Tim Malone, also members of the President's Advisory Council for Environmental Sustainability (PACES).

“The goal is to have the 'Ride Share Program' available for students and staff available in January 2013,” said Button.

Button says that the use of the cars is limited to students or faculty of CCSU that are at least 18 years of age.

“The program will start with two to three cars to start, and if demand warrants, then more cars may be added later,” said Button.

Button advocates for the cars, saying that there are monetary and environmental positives to the service.

“Car Sharing is the latest smart, easy means of using a car without having the expense of owning one,” said Button. “It allows students and staff members to save money, time and the environment because you only pay for the time you use.”

The program is aimed at students who live on campus, but will be available to any student or faculty at the University.

Although student Jamie Gray is a commuter, she said she would use the service if she lived on campus.

"Yes, That’s very convenient,” Gray said.

The University is cooperating with services like Hertz and Zip Car to provide the cars for the ride share service. To use the services, users will need to apply for membership on the Hertz website or over

the phone, according to Brodeu.

“New members will receive a 'welcome kit' which includes program information as well as a key fob and ID number,” said Brodeur. “Members can then reserve a car 24/7/365. Hertz electronically/remotely activates the reservations, and the key fob will allow access to the car during the reservation period.”

The cars will be located on campus, according to Brodeur, but the exact locations where the cars will be located has not been determined as of yet. Students will not be required to fuel the car using their own funds, but there are some expectations for the students using the cars.

“The member will be responsible for keeping the vehicle reasonably clean and for reporting any visible damage,” said Brodeur.

When students use the cars, they will have access to a Wright Express gas card, which is accepted at the majority of gas stations in the area, according to Brodeur.

“Hertz intends to start with two to three green, low emission, fuel efficient ‘economy’ vehicles initially and will adjust the quantity and model mix as the program evolves,” said Brodeur, reflecting the desire of the PACES to use the cars to help the environment.

Button hopes that students will use the cars to run errands and other trips off campus. While it will save money for students, it will also help to promote the health of the environment.

“There will be a reduction in the amount of carbon dioxide, a greenhouse gas that contributes to global warming,” said Button. “Less cars on the road means less congestion, less pollution, less dependence on oil, and cleaner, fresher air to breathe.

It is estimated that each 'Ride Share' car equates to at least 20 personally-owned vehicles being taken off the road.

The cars will be available for hourly and daily rentals. It will be $6.50 per hour or $62 per day for these low-emission vehicles.

4

THE RECORDER / Wednesday, December 5, 2012 / NEWS

Well-known Author Speaks On Wrongly Convicted 'Central Park Five' KAssondra Granata The Recorder

Sarah Burns, author of “The Central Park Five: A Chronicle of City Wilding,” visited CCSU Monday night to share her experience on writing the narrative as well as two clips of a recently released documentary she helped produce.

“I really couldn’t let it go, so I came back to it and started to work on the book,” Burns said, after telling the audience that she wrote her undergraduate thesis on the story. “I didn’t have experience in journalism, I just wanted to share my story.”

Burns said that she spent five years learning how to write her book, and two-and-a-half years to make the documentary. Burns worked on the film with her father and husband as directors, producers and writers.

The two clips that Burns presented were the introduction of the film and the debut of the characters involved.

On April 19, 1989, Trisha Meili, a white investment banker was chased down, raped and beaten during her jog in Central Park in New York City.

Five juvenile males, four African American and one Hispanic, were wrongfully accused and tried for the crime. Kevin Richardson, Raymond Santana, Antron McCray and Korey Wise were eventually led to confess to committing the crime, but Yusef Salaam refused.

The group retracted their statements and said that they were intimidated into making false confessions. No DNA evidence tied the suspects to the crime.

During the crime investigation, media outlets throughout the city covered the whole process. The case resulted these explosions in the media, according to Burns. There were headlines that said “wilding,” a word that came out of the case.

Burns said that the police told the press that this is what the kids called their activities.

“This would be the front page headline. They were called the wolf pack, or ‘wilding’,” Burns said. “They were calling them animals and savages and it was front page news for months.

This media circus took place.”

After Matias Reyes admitted to the crime, four of the five had already served seven years in prison, and the eldest in his 13th year.

“He admitted that he raped the central park jogger, and he did it alone,” Burns said.

After the documentary was shown at the Chicago International Film Festival in October, New York City lawyers have been demanding the directors turn over the footage. The city is already facing a lawsuit filed by the five individuals.

“They asked for essentially everything that we have collected in making this documentary.

Interviews, footage, notes, everything,” Burns said. “We pushed back a little bit and they just asked for the interviews of the plaintiffs and the others.”

According to Burns, the city said that the three were not journalists, but advocates. Burns said that she highly disagrees with that accusation and that advocacy is an intricate part in

Erin O'donnell | the recorder

Sarah Burns discusses her book with the audience and reflects on her study of the famous case. journalism and documentary-film making.

“Regardless, the film is a work of non-fiction, and facts really don’t have sides. I think we were trying to represent the facts and we are really offended at the notion that were not journalists,” Burns said. Burns said that they filed a motion to terminate the city’s subpoena and are waiting on their reply.

“I think there are so many lessons to be learned,” Burns said.

“The film gave us the opportunity to interview the five and get to know them in a different way, as well as New York as a character. What it

Faculty Senate Disagrees With BOR's Strategic Plan Amanda Webster The Recorder

Continuing conflicts regarding the Board of Regents plan for the ConnSCU system was heatedly discussed in Monday's Faculty Senate meeting.

Stephen Adair, chair of the Sociology Department and of the Faculty Advisory Committee, presented the senate with a recommendation made by the Faculty Advisory Committee in regards to the Strategic Plan for the Connecticut State Colleges and Universities that was developed by the Strategic Planning Committee. The recommendation stated that the senate should closely review the plan that is being initiated by the Board of Regents and recommended that the senate make a resolution to oppose the mission statement made in the outline of the plan.

According to Adair, the Strategic Plan that is being supported by the BOR lacks a distinct mission statement for each community college and each university involved in the plan. Adair said that he has been to each BOR meeting and in the earlier stages of the plan there were rough drafts for individual mission statements but since then they seem to have been overlooked.

"What came out on Sept. 25 from the BOR was a strategic plan that was for the system. It was a mission statement, a vision statement and a set of goals that was sort of all consistent for the whole system," explained Adair.

"I think we should be deeply concerned about this," stated Adair. "It strikes me that this is really accountability measures that they will want to influence funding streams. This is really going to be their guiding set of issues."

Members of the senate voiced their opposition to the single mission statement that the Strategic Plan expressed.

"I'm a little confused and right on the cusp of frankly just outrage," said Cindy White of the Communication Department.

"So this is basically OPM acting on its own in

contradiction to a legislative mandate."

According to Adair, when the BOR was presented with this argument at a meeting on Nov. 15 they said that they did not believe that they were in violation of the law because rough drafts of individual mission statements had been drawn up.

"It's simply being really centralized in the making of a strategic plan," said Adair.

Many members of the senate expressed their views about this general mission statement and the belief that the needs and interests of both students and faculty will be overlooked in order to just turn out numbers of students completing courses.

The senate approved the recommendation in order to further discuss and make changes to the motion. The original statement read that the faculty should "encourage the BOR to develop distinct missions and vision statements with corresponding goals, metrics, and strategic actions for each type of public higher education institution."

The changed resolution read that the CCSU Faculty Senate insist that the BOR and its constituent committees cease and desist in the development and adoption of any mission statements, vision statements, goals or metrics related to CCSU without the full consultation and participation of the entire CCSU community.

Members of the senate urged that the new document should be delivered to the BOR at the same time as the first passed resolution in order to avoid confusion over exactly what the senate passed.

"What I'm concerned about is not our representative. What I'm concerned about is some committee member saying 'this a separate item, we will discuss this separately' and then postpone it until the April 2013 meeting," stated White.

The resolution passed unanimously and will be presented to the BOR after it goes through President Miller.

looked like, what it sounded like.

You see New York in the film as a very different city as it is today. It’s almost unrecognizable.”

According to John Dankosky, journalism professor and WNPR news director, said that this was one of the biggest turnouts he has seen in a while.

Students Will Gronbach and Dan Lepage said that they enjoyed the event and the message that it delivered.

“I thought it was really interesting that the police department jumped to such a conclusion,” Gronbach said. “They overlooked a lot of minor details.

It seemed like it was handed to them and they wanted to make it a big case. They need to take these things more seriously. It was really unfortunate for the people involved.”

Lepage said that he agreed with Gronbach and could not believe what he saw from the clips.

“It was pretty unbelievable that kids younger than us were being accused of a crime that they did not commit and that even know that they are being exonerated.”

Burns said that the documentary would reach public television this spring.

Miller Talks Budget Cuts

Justin Muszynski | the recorder

President Miller answers questions.

Amanda Webster The Recorder

The atmosphere was mostly calm during the Presidential open forum on Thursday as the majority of faculty members who attended the session did not seem to have much to talk about.

President Jack Miller opened the floor to faculty and students to voice their concerns and opinions about the on goings of CCSU and everything that may fall under that category.

The first question that broke an otherwise quiet room came from SGA Senator Bobby Berriault in regards to the State's most recent cuts in budget and how they might affect CCSU and the student body.

"One of the cuts was to the CSU system which was $7 million," expressed Berriault. "I was wondering with that cut and potentially more cuts... what impact will that have on students and what services might be changed as a result of this?"

"The place that we have to start here is we have to find out what CCSU's share of the $7 million is," explained Miller. "Typically we can figure amongst the four universities our cut is usually a third give or take."

"I think we have done collectively a pretty good job thus far with all the cuts we've taken of not dramatically changing the world for students," stated Miller. "On the other hand I would feel bad if we could cut $2.5 million and absolutely nothing happening because that would mean we were wasting $2.5 milliob before."

Miller went on to say that the cuts may also not be as drastic because of the decline in enrollment over the past two years. Miller said that theoretically if there are less students then maybe there is room for budget cuts that no one has taken notice of yet.

"We've got to look at how we can make the best use of our resources," said Miller.

President Miller also went on to address a reported security breech on campus that affected 59 social security numbers and about five credit card and bank account numbers in the School of Education.

The exact details of the breech are still unclear but Miller used the example to press faculty to run a new security program across campus called Identity Finder by January.

"We're not looking to find fault with people, we're not looking to blame anybody. We're looking to sharpen security so that you don't end up in a potentially embarrassing and costly situation," explained Miller.

President of IRC, Ian Mangione, asked Miller what the students on campus could do to help the initiative of keeping students on campus and creating a more social life for CCSU. Miller explained that in his opinion it all depended on what students want out of their school. The constant work of the student body in efforts to have a more social atmosphere at school is the key to progress, according to Miller.

"The participation level in all kinds of things has improved dramatically and I think that's where student knowledge and student ability to innovate probably pays off better than our administration coming up with ideas."

OPINION

5 THE RECORDER Wednesday, December 5, 2012

Underage House Party Proves 'Hot-Spot' Ordinance Is Needed There have been several ordinances recently in New Britain that have caused some outrage amongst college students.

One in particular deems homes “hot-spots” if they require several visits from emergency officials that aren’t genuine emergencies.

Many students have complained about this ordinance, claiming they are mature enough to manage their own behavior.

The Recorder published an article earlier this semester devoted entirely to students’ reaction to this ordinance that detailed their objections to it. In the piece, several students said they were not in a financial position to pay fines because of noise complaints that are made to a house where they are hanging out.

One student said warnings would work as a

better system.

As passionate as some CCSU students feel about this new ordinance, others proved the point of city officials this past week when a house party about a mile away from the campus was broken up by police. The Hartford Courant reported that the police filed charges related to underage drinking against 50 people between the ages of 18 and 20. One person charged even allegedly jumped off of the second floor deck in an attempt to flee the scene and avoid the police, the Courant reported.

Any argument that students were trying to make about this new “hot-spot” ordinance being unnecessary has pretty much been tossed out the window after these recent

Editor’s Column:

events unfolded. As mature and respectful as some students are here at CCSU, others insist in engaging in such careless activities which force officials to take action.

What would it look like if the mayor didn’t react to complaints from local residents about ill-mannered CCSU students that disrupt the normal neighborhood activities?

No one is trying to prevent students from having a good time, but when things get out of hand and 50 people are causing a ruckus, police and political officials can’t look the other way. While it isn’t clear exactly how many people attending the party were CCSU students, it’s safe to say that a party consisting of 50 people between the ages of 18 and 20 a mile away from campus was probably

Letter to the Editor: To the Editor:

Operation Winter Vacation KAssondra Granata The Recorder

With the semester coming to a close, students all around are scrambling to find ways to entertain themselves for a month on winter break. Some have the safety of a parttime job to keep them occupied, but what to do with the spare time with no classes to fill the space? When the holiday festivities, or chrismativities, are all over, the high will dwindle and students will be in perpetual limbo until classes start.

Over Thanksgiving break, this notion brought me to an inexplicable panic. With constant working hours throughout the week, a simple waitressing job just won’t do to keep me sane when classes aren’t in session. When your personality is “go! go! go!” it’s difficult to just come to a halt and be content.

Therefore, I have decided that there are two things that I desperately need to make time for, and this break is just the opportunity.

Throughout the end of December into January, I will be participating into two different activities: Operation Bookworm, and Operation MRS Degree: Kassy Crocker.

When I was growing up and I had an immense amount of free time, I would spend my days with books of all genres. The minute I read Hop on Pop at age three, there was no stopping me. From Agatha Christie to C.S. Lewis, books were my escape. There was always an adventure to go on and a chance to learn new ways of thinking and exploring the imagination. The possibilities were limitless. Reading is freedom, and one of the most peaceful activities.

I take books very seriously. I can sit down and have a conversation about a novel for hours, dissecting each theme,

each character. I have come to a point in my life where I accepted that I deem fictional characters to be real, and sometimes I even prefer them over actual individuals that I see day-to-day.

Because of my busy schedule, I haven't had time to read a book at my own leisure.

This break, I am taking advantage of this open window and reading as many books as I can. I have formulated a list and it has ranged from re-reading the Harry Potter series to reading Les Miserables and the Lord of the Rings trilogy. For each book I will also incorporate a blog post, also keeping up to date with my writing skills.

While sitting at the Thanksgiving table and gorging myself with all sorts of delicious treats, I had a sudden epiphany that one day, I would have to take on the role as the chef for holidays. While attempting to pick up my fork that I dropped upon that realization, I made the decision that it was time to learn.

I can make the basic dishes. My Kraft Macaroni and Cheese is superb. My cereal skills are sub-par. But, that’s not going to get me my MRS Degree. I need to start cooking.

Dinners, pies, cakes, random treats, it’s time to get creative.

Pinterest is an excellent website. It is the most organized, unorganized website that has ever been created. On this site you can type in “recipes” or “food," and will find a plethora of dishes with a link to its instructions. Just surfing for two weeks has given me over 20 dishes to prepare. With each dish I make, I will also be blogging about my experience.

The courses of action that one can take are endless when it comes to leisurely activities. Instead of lying around this winter break, keep yourself active. Go to the gym, start a new hobby, continue a hobby. Don’t just lie around and waste valuable time.

www.centralrecorder.com

made up of more than a handful of Central students.

It’s hard to take the side of the student body and condemn this “hot-spot” ordinance that Mayor Timothy O’Brien has put in place. Residents of New Britain shouldn’t have to deal with constant disturbances made by students who would rather have a “good time” than to take their academics seriously.

If you feel the need to act irresponsibly then you’re going to have to continue to deal with underage drinking summons and the new ordinance. The ordinance won’t affect those acting in a civilized manner, but 50 people consuming alcohol causing excessive noise in a neighborhood home just have to suffer the consequences.

This is in response to the letter sent

by Jay Bergman, in which he complained that students who accompanied me to a dinner with Iranian President Mahmoud Ahamdinejad in September were used as "props in a public relations campaign."

I am astounded and shocked by the content and tone of his letter. His accusation that our students were used as pawns is both lamentable and insulting.

Those students, who were mostly selected from the Graduate and Honors programs, are smart enough to differentiate between truth and propaganda. To assert that we deliberately "brainwash" our students and use them to promote foreign governments' political agendas is reprehensible.

A university is a marketplace of ideas and forum for scholars and students who cherish education and the pursuit of knowledge, and endeavor to promote critical thinking.

During my tenure at Central Connecticut State University I have hosted numerous Israeli and Arab speakers with divergent views and opinions about the Middle East and global affairs. Back in 2003, I moderated a debate between CCSU students and Shimon Peres, who served twice as a Prime Minister of Israel and is currently serving as President of that country. It was a valuable experience for our students who had a chance to interact with an important leader of a state that plays a key role in regional politics.

Furthermore, many Israeli and Arab scholars delivered guest lectures in my classes including Zaidau Atashi, a former Likud member of the Israel Kenesset. I have always welcomed opportunities to expose my students to different perspectives and endeavored to encourage them to think critically about political issues and global

affairs. It is this philosophy that drove my decision to accept the invitation from the Iranian mission to the United Nations (the United States does not have diplomatic relations with the Islamic Republic of Iran.)

Bergman cites several quotes from the various speeches and presentations that Ahmadinejad delivered over the years concerning Israel, Zionism and the Holocaust. I very strongly disagree with many of his views, but that does not negate the fact that he is a leader of an important country in the Middle East. And yes, I did say that he is rational. Former Israeli Mossad chief, Meir Dagan, made the same assessment of the Iranian leader when he appeared on 60 Minutes with Leslie Stahl back in September, 2012. After all, you do not become president of a country, even a theocracy, by being a crazed individual!

I am a firm believer in the value of education: the more we know, the better off we will be. To suggest that we are somehow legitimizing him by attending this event is ludicrous. Delegates from Harvard, Cornell, New York University, Hofstra and Rutgers, among others, were all in attendance. For us, this was a learning experience.

What distinguishes a free and democratic society from dictatorships is the ability to discuss, debate, and freely argue the issues without fear of retribution and coercion. We are fortunate to enjoy such freedoms in our country.

I doubt whether this event changed many minds about Iran, but we were all better informed as a result of this meeting.

As we strive to confront the formidable problems facing us in the Middle East, knowledge and education, rather than paranoia and ignorance, are the best tools for problem solving.

-Ghassan E. El-Eid

Follow The Recorder on Twitter @TheRecorder for breaking news multimedia and live tweeting @RecorderSports FOR LIVE TWEETS DURING GAMES

6

THE RECORDER / Wednesday, December 5, 2012 / OPINION

NYPD Officer Does Good Deed Gracious Gesture Gives Hope To Humanity Bryan Morales The Recorder

The New York City police officer that has been recognized around the country for his kindness never thought that purchasing a pair of boots for a homeless man would bring so much attention.

“When you’re a police officer, you’re just out here to help people,” said Larry Deprimo, the police officer and online sensation due to the Daily News article "Finest Deed Leads to Web Fame." De Primo was out on West 44th Street and Broadway when he saw the homeless man without any shoes or even a pair of socks to keep his feet warm.

Deprimo said he knew in his heart what he had to do. It’s shocking to see that some people can’t even afford a pair of shoes or clothes to stay warm. This is the worst time to be stranded with nowhere to go with temperatures dropping low throughout the night.

When Deprimo handed over the boots

that he bought from the Skechers store in Manhattan, someone took a picture of the entire process.

“I looked over and someone was laughing at this elderly gentleman who had no socks and no shoes,” Deprimo said. “You could see the blisters from a distance.”

Some people are just rude and ignorant.

It’s sad to see that some people are immature and find it funny to see others suffer. Not everyone is fortunate enough to have some of the important things we need to get by.

There’s always going to be someone out there without a roof over their head, without food, and without help.

I’m glad to hear there are still people like officer Deprimo who do these types of good deeds. I may have not given the man a new pair of boots, but from personal experience when I go back to my home country in Mexico, which has its poor parts, I always see a homeless person that I donate my spare change to.

Jennifer Foster, a visitor from Arizona,

took the picture of Deprimo as he handed the homeless man a pair of new boots and some thermal socks. He didn’t even know someone was taking pictures, but that’s what made the entire thing memorable because it wasn’t planned, he did it from the bottom of his heart.

“I think it’s an important reminder," Deprimo said. "You see something like this and you remember that people have it worse.”

Those who laughed should have kept their thoughts to themselves. They don’t understand where these homeless people are coming from. No one knows what they have faced or are facing that put them in the position they are now.

“It was really inspiring to see someone take five minutes out of their work day to do something small that can become something big,” said Jose Cano, the manager of the Sketcher store on West 42nd Street.

I hope this makes readers appreciate what they have a little more and think twice about making fun of the less fortunate.

A Non-Stoner Advocates For Weed Brittany Hill The Recorder

There is this ever-elusive assumption that all activists must partake in the action advocated.

It allows for those in opposition to throw out ignorant, assumptive claims that group your reasoning with those seen as extremists; or in my case, stoners and potheads.

My views on marijuana have brought me to write this piece out of the pure frustration after having to explain after every argument that: 1) I do not smoke weed or 2) One does not have to be a stoner in order to stand up for what is right.

I see legalizing marijuana as another step towards modernday reality. As proven by recent rallies and laws, something that is natural and ever occurring can still remain illegal throughout this ‘free’ country of ours.

It is unfortunate how generalizations play their part before the individual’s opinion can even have a chance. I am sure this has happened to you at one point in your life. You feel passionately about something and, suddenly, because of the extremists’ view, your opinion is no longer valued as a reflection of yourself, but rather the opinion of the majority.

Cartoon

It is the same reason why politicians are so good at bringing in the voters and convincing them of their oh-so personal views of America. With yelps of “I’m pro-America!” and “I believe in Freedom!” why wouldn’t you vote for them? Our country thrives off grouping others into categories before giving the individual a chance to defend. And as seen by our media outlets, the very mention of marijuana legalization is instantly linked to the rallies and crazy festivals that are widely associated with ‘hippies’ and ‘druggies’ coming together for something preposterous.

Although I have never attended a festival comparable to the ever-popular Hempfest in Seattle, I would be curious to hear what the people have to say about why marijuana should be legalized. The legalization goes beyond the personal needs of a stoner. With America’s drug war continually on the rise, legalizing a substance as commonly used as alcohol may not be a bad idea.

The Prohibition Movement is this country’s prime example of how controlling what the individual does only causes greater unintended consequences for groups at large. The drug war now, especially in connection with marijuana use, has given great gain in the number of people searched for suspicion of

marijuana possession. And all for what? For most of the cases, they were not harming others, stealing, or causing a disturbance, so what’s the problem? The Stop and Frisk program implemented by New York City’s mayor Michael Bloomberg stopped 685,724 New Yorkers in 2011 alone. According to the New York Civil Liberties Union, 88 percent of them were innocent.

Once these arguments are used to defend marijuana’s legalization, the opposing force will find it is their time to throw out inapt titles at others. I am not a cannabis user, but I do have a problem with destruction of basic rights in a society that is continually taught of freedom and choice.

For the sake of the argument, let’s give attribution to all that is publicized as being wrong in marijuana use. The most argued being it has health repercussions, right? All too often people base their opinions on a situation they have never par-taken in and therefore jump to conclusions.

The Journal of the American Medical Association released information in January after completing a study that examined effects of marijuana use. It concluded that their “analyses of pulmonary function and lung disease have failed to detect clear adverse effects of marijuana use

on pulmonary function.”

Smoking is not the only method to consume cannabis.

Vaporizers, butter, and food are all alternate methods that have little to no health effects. In that case, how is it that cigarettes are still legal?

With all consideration to other forms of tobacco consumption, including top methods such as cigars, chew, or hookah, none are safe from deathly diseases as warned by the Surgeon General.

Cigarette smoking constitutes for 90 percent lung cancer deaths in males and 80 percent of lung cancer deaths in females according to the Center for Disease Control (CDC). Yet, regardless of these known health risks, tobacco companies still profited $35.1 billion in 2010 according to the World Lung Foundation.

As much as the average goer at Hempfest may consume marijuana and use it regularly, it should be understood there are equally passionate activists out there who never have. Just as there are beer and wine connoisseurs, there are just as many who know a lot about cannabis. The issue of legalizing marijuana will reign as long as those with little knowledge on true freedom remain. It is about time our elected officials and mass media get blunt about the truth and start listening to what the individuals have to say.

Frosty's Personality

by Eric Valad

Have an opinion?

Email kgranata@centralrecorder.com to share your thoughts at CCSU!

Tragic Events Shouldn't Trump Bill Of Rights Justin Muszynski The Recorder

The recent tragedy that occurred in Kansas City involving an NFL player in a murder-suicide was a horrific reality check proving just how horrendous this world can be.

Jovan Belcher, former Chiefs linebacker, shot his girlfriend multiple times and killed her. He then proceeded to go to the Chiefs practice facility and commit suicide. This is a heartbreaking situation mostly due to the fact that two lives were lost in a meaningless event.

But what we are already seeing is this occurrence being used as yet another argument for gun control.

Well-known sportscaster Bob Costas has already started this crusade.

Every time a shooting happens in this country this topic gets debated heavier each time.

The problem is that nothing has changed and the same stale arguments in favor of gun control are presented with the hope that the latest shooting will have more impact on a fearstricken society. The whole case that is made rests entirely on the idea that people will eventually grow to worrisome that it will give into this idea.

But the simple fact remains that the 2nd amendment guarantees “the people” the right to bear arms.

You can’t pick and choose which amendments you want to honor and which ones you’ll disregard.

Murder is a sad fact of life that we must live with in America. Banning guns is going to have little to no effect on the murder rate. The only thing banning guns would do is take them out of the hands of the law abiding citizens. This would leave the criminals with plenty weaponry while the innocent citizens who use guns for self-defense wouldn’t have an equalizer.

We can’t question the principals that this country was founded on every time a situation like this takes place. If you decide to ignore the 2nd amendment and enforce gun control that can lead you down a slippery slope. Who’s to say that we don’t eliminate the right that protects us from an unreasonable search and seizure or the guarantee to freedom of the press, which is the very amendment that gives me the right to do this article?

The logic that is used to say that if there were no guns there would be less murders can be applied to so many other things that we as Americans are entitled to. If we’re going to eliminate the leading causes of death then we should ban fast food and cigarettes because heart disease is the number one killer in America according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention.

People are always going to find ways to illegally import things into this country. How many illegal narcotics are around in the U.S. despite the fact that they aren’t supposed to be here? The same thing would happen with firearms which is why we need to end this longstanding debate. We shouldn’t resurrect it every time someone dies at the hands of someone holding a gun.

UPGRADE

Best Of 2012 Danny Contreras The Recorder

We have reached the end of 2012, an eventful year for arts and entertainment worldwide. It hasn’t been as crazy as years past with pop culture mainstays keeping to themselves this year. Of course, we did get a couple of scandals with Chris Brown fighting Drake at a club, multiple cellphones hacked with naked pictures of famous artists, and Lindsay Lohan’s erratic behavior making headlines every other week.

Regardless, now that the year is coming to a close, we can focus on what was the best of 2012 across the A&E spectrum. The year gave us a ton of new artists, amazing films, festivals and games. Without a doubt, 2012 was a success for pop culture. Without further ado, here is the best of 2012 review:

photo | Walt disney studios motion pictures

and People’s Choice Awards accolades to their resume, and Fun didn’t only produce the best album of 2012, but they were also the best band of the year.

With indie pop heavyweights Passion Pit and Two Door Cinema Club scheduled to release follow up albums in the summer, Fun released Some Nights in February to commercial and critical successes. The indie pop band from New York released three singles to support their album; giving listeners one of the best songs of 2012: “We Are Young.” A youth anthem with catchy leads and pot-laden lyrics, was a mainstay of this year’s MTV music video schedule and easily defeated indie music veterans such as Passion Pit, whose album was largely underwhelming.

Fun released the eponymous single Some Nights in the summer which immortalized their status as the best band of 2012. The single was a very experimental song that features traditional singing, some rapping a combination of jungle beats, and a piano driven melody. Add to that appearances on The Colbert Report, Late Night with Jimmy Fallon, and MTV, AMA

to that point. Nevertheless, it is an engaging story.

The look of the game is beautiful.

Graphics are all rendered highly and textures rarely ever pixelated. Light shadings could’ve worked better during the night missions, but one can barely notice this, especially playing in smaller TVs. Gameplay is perfect. While the first person shooter perspective might throw some people off, especially fans of the Assassin’s Creed and Splinter Cell, getting used to it is no problem, and it eventually becomes ideal. Sure, fighting enemies can be a hassle but it’s not overwhelming. Only at the highest difficulty can players expect the FPS perspective to be truly flawed but that’s only if you’re not used to the genre.

App of the year

The Avengers

Instagram

Event of the year

Fun- Some Nights

THE RECORDER Wednesday, December 5, 2012

Film of the year

Without a doubt, Avengers was the best superhero movie since The Dark Knight in 2008. It changed the entire landscape of Hollywood and its relationship with comic-book based movies—in the process destroying the notion that only dark and gritty movies can truly make the genre shine.

With an all-star cast that includes Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans, Mark Ruffalo and Tom Huddleston, the movie was flashy, loud, and colorful. The chemistry between all the actors was felt throughout the film.

The writing was impeccable, too. Each character had at least one catchphrase over the course of the movie, and their delivery was painfully accurate.

Album of the year

7

Ultra Music Festival While electronic dance music has been fairly popular over the past four years, it was UMF which truly brought it to mainstream attention in the United States. Ultra is by far one of the largest labels in the industry, and they have all the big stars in the genre.

Considered part of Miami Music Week, Ultra Music Festival opened its door for the first time to hundreds of thousands of fans in downtown Miami with three equally large stages and a lineup of headliners after headliners. Breakout stars such as Hardwell and Fedde Le Grand all made special appearances at the festival, but established artists such as Deadmau5, Afrojack and David Guetta also featured.

Yet it was Swedish sensation Avicii who stole the show. Closing the festival, the performance was broadcasted fully online to millions of viewers—but two important things happened: 1. His song “Levels” had

photo | arkane studios

the biggest pop in the industry this year; 2. He officially brought dance music into mainstream with his collaboration with pop queen, Madonna.

It also brought forth the argument of DJs and the current state of the art. With so many big artists hitting play now, are there any true DJs left? The argument carried on for the rest of the year. But it’s all thanks to this festival that the U.S. can now argue for or against DJs. Game of the year Dishonored Dishonored had huge expectations after its unveiling in E3 the year before. Arkane Studios in partnership with Bethesda Softworks have released amazing games over the past 5 years, most notably Bioshock 2.

The game was almost flawless. It lacked multiplayer but made up for it in the amount of endings one can achieve. At the very beginning, it might seem as if the game is fairly linear. One could not get creative in regards to achieving objectives, but after the first act of the game, all of that is quickly thrown out the door. After the first couple of missions, magic is added to the gameplay and creativity becomes the focus of the game.

Dishonored developed every single character, major or minor, very well. It did feel a little bit too predictable at times, and there are many choices that would’ve been taken regardless of the actions taken prior

People usually have two reactions to Instagram: a tool used by hipsters; or a fun way to make everything look artsy. The latter one prevailed, as Instagram became one of the most downloaded apps in 2012. What helped them? They opened their doors to Android users.

Facebook seized this opportunity and bought the company for one billion dollars.

Fast forward to August and Instagram was now compatible with Facebook giving a potential 800 million people the chance to add artsy filters to all of the photos.

But reception to the app hasn’t been all that warm. Photography communities have reacted negatively as they believe Instagram destroys the techniques of the art. Automatic filters take away the work and training photographers learn over the years.

Nevertheless, Instagram is extremely popular. In May, 58 pictures were uploaded and a new user was gained every second.

Finally, the internet embraced Instagram with the famous “The Rich Kids of Instagram” Tumblr blog. The site lampoons pictures found on Instagram from rich teenagers who live a large life. Among the pictures you will find teens jumping off yachts and spending over $50,000 dollars on a few food items. The extravagant lifestyle could only be made better with low end filters—which the internet exploited.

Overall, Instagram became a lot more relevant in 2012 than any other app since Twitter reached the App Store and Play Store.

‘Two Spirits’ A Spirited Documentary Joe Suszczynski The Recorder

Homosexuality has always been prominent in cultures since the dawn of man. In some cultures it is not considered a big deal and is part of the norm. Those places included ancient Greece and ancient Rome. However through time homosexuality became taboo partially because heavy religious influences took over. Many homosexuals had to hide who they were over the years in order to avoid persecution.

Thankfully, homosexuality has been becoming more accepted in today’s society. Many movies and television shows fearture gay and lesbian characters. People in the armed forces can now serve openly due to “Don’t Ask Don’t Tell” being repealed. Nine states and the District of Columbia allow gay marriage as of this year. The way I see it, the more people are exposed to this the more they will

accept it.

One aspect of this issue lies within Native American culture, where it's known as “two-spirited.” Two-spirited means a person whose body simultaneously manifests both a masculine and a feminine spirit with the term generally applied to Native Americans. Being two-spirited is not a bad thing in Native American culture, rather it was embraced. Sadly, once Christianity had its place within the Native American culture, being two-spirited went from being praised to being taboo.

In 2009, a documentary was made on this issue. It follows the murder of 16 year-old Fred Martinez, twospirited Navajo. Other two-spirited Navajos and Native Americans of other tribes were interviewed regarding the lifestyle they live and they talk about their experiences being two-spirited.

I found this documentary to be rather moving due to the realness of this issue. Martinez was murdered in 2001.

It saddens me when someone is murdered because of something like their sexual orientation. I empathize with his mother; no parent should ever have to experience what she went through and now has to live with.

The other thing I like about this movie is that they had other perspectives telling their stories as well. The movie was predominantly focused on the Navajo tribe, but other Native Americans interviewed were from different tribes.

It’s nice because it wasn’t just one tribe who accepted homosexuality, all traditional Native Americans had embraced this lifestyle.

This is a heart touching documentary. It shows true beauty within a culture that even I did not know existed.

Hopefully this documentary reaches out to people across the country that can make a difference about this issue. I would recommend watching this if you are a fan of Native American culture or a fan of documentaries.

8

THE RECORDER / Wednesday, December 5, 2012 / UPGRADE

Dishin’ It A Simple, Delicious Treat

Apple Cinnamon Chimichangas Ingredients For the pie filling:

Rachael Bentley The Recorder

If you have a passion for Mexican food then this fried apple pie burrito will be your undoing, but in the best sense. After an evening of enjoying the classic Mexican staples many of us love, I found myself craving a sweet ending to a great meal, only to find out the restaurant offered very limited options. Rather than go home crying, I decided to find a recipe that would satisfy my sugary craving. Success came in the form of Apple Cinnamon Chimichangas. One of the most simple, yet satisfying, dishes I have had the chance to experiment with.

4 baking apples, finely chopped. (granny smith and gala apples are the best to mix) 1/4 cup cornstarch

For the Chimichangas: 8-10 small tortillas 1/2 cup sugar 1 Tbs. cinnamon

3/4 cup sugar

Oil for frying

1/2 tsp. cinnamon

1 1/2 cups water

1/4 tsp. salt 1 Tbs. lemon juice Instruction for the pie filling:

Combine the water, cornstarch, sugar, cinnamon, salt, and lemon juice in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil. Cook for approximately 3 minutes, or until the mixture becomes very thick.

Add the chopped apples and reduce to a simmer. Allow the apple mixture to simmer until the apples become just tender (approximately 10 minutes). Allow the mixture to cool.

Instruction for the Chimichangas: Mix cinnamon and sugar in a shallow bowl and set aside Spoon apple pie filling across the bottom 1/3 of the tortilla Roll in both sides of the tortilla before rolling up the bottom of the tortilla over the filling, and then continue to roll the tortilla up like a burrito.

Meanwhile, heat a small skillet with 1/2 an inch of oil. Once oil is hot, fry the chimichangas on all sides until the tortilla turns golden brown. (approximately 30 seconds on each side) Remove the chimichangas to a paper towel-lined plate and allow to drain briefly.

Immediately roll the warm chimichanga in the cinnamon sugar mixture to coat and serve.

Rachael Bentley | the recorder

Aplple Cinnamon Chimichangas.

You can serve the chimichangas drizzled with caramel sauce if you desire.

An Injury to One is An Injury to All: A Conference in Defense of Civil Liberties and to End Indefinite Detention

On December 8th residents and activists from Connecticut and the region will meet CCSU to learn about each others struggles and make connections necessary to mount a serious response to attacks on the civil liberties of many communities including immigrant, Muslim, peace activists, unions, students and others. Join us!

Interested in writing for The Recorder?

Email Kassondra at kgranata@centralrecorder. com for information.

Featuring:

Glen Greenwald - Author and Guardian Columnist Sahar F. Aziz - Civil Rights Legal Scholar Ruth Wilson Glimore - Scholar, Activist and Prison Abolitionist and more!

Saturday December 8, 2012 Semesters Hall, Student Center Central Connecticut State University New Britain, CT Contact: Chris 860-680-6314 Hosted by the following CCSU clubs: Youth for Socialist Action, Latin American Student Organization, Muslim Student Association

Meetings are every Monday at 7:30pm in the Blue and White Room in the Student Center!

9

THE RECORDER / Wednesday, December 5, 2012 / UPGRADE

Worst Hoiday Alyssa Pattison The Recorder

“It’s the thought that counts,” is usually the motto when receiving that not-so-appreciated gift during the holidays. Some horrid gifts are even repeat offenders (that’s you, ugly sweaters). With the holiday season upon us, students at Central shared their stories about the worst gifts they’ve received.

“Last year, my Gram gave me a stuffed purple farting hippopotamus,” said Keira O’Brien, who recalled the gift with a laugh.

“It was from NCIS, but I didn’t know that at the time,” she said.

“One time, I opened a present with my name on it,” shared Jeff Adams, “and it was women’s underwear, with the days of the week on them.” Adams, in fourth grade at the time, later realized the gift was meant for his sister. While his family got a good laugh out

Photo | amazon.com

Photo | thestylebugs.com

Gifts at C C S U

of the mix-up, Adams was not so amused.

Along with family member confusions, age inappropriate gifts are also a popular choice among gift givers. Student Gabbie Hasson recalled receiving one of these gifts from her aunt at age 16. “It was one of those make-up starter kits,” she said. “It was in one of those toddler purses.”

Others might have considered that scenario only slightly awkward.

“It was a fake-fur coat, zip-up. It was black and white, with a matching hat. I was 12, and my sister also got an identical gift,” said Amanda Beaulieu, whose grandmother gave her the unique present. “We had to wear them to church,” said Beaulieu.

“I still have it in my closet.”

“My grandparents gave me a Snow White DVD when I was 16 or 17 years old and that’s one of the scariest Disney movies,” said Bethany Cologna, who still sounded

a bit shocked by the gift.

When asked about the worst gift she had ever been given, Samantha Beck remembered almost immediately. “My aunt once knitted me a purse with bamboo straps,” said Beck. “I don’t even use purses,” she said, though admitting to appreciating the matching wallet that came with it.

But don’t be fooled, not all terrible gifts are given by unsuspecting family members.

Some are just plain pre-meditated to be awful. “I’ve gotten some bad [gifts] as pranks,” said Dillion Bender. “Sophomore year of high school, I got a Bible in a completely different language,” said Bender, who claimed his brother is often the source of gag gifts. “I left it in a church,” Bender admitted, still not knowing what language the book was in.

Maybe sometimes, it takes more than the thought to count.

Photo | theuglysweatershop.tumblr.com/

Photo | polyvore.com

Bookmark It! Alyssa Pattison The Recorder

‘Eating Animals’ by Johnathan Safran Foer

A read not for the faint of heart, Johnathan Safran Foer’s novel Eating Animals is a graphic gateway to the reality of human eating habits, a necessity which unites us all, yet is often not a topic at the table.

In his novel, Foer brings attention to the social barriers protecting the presentday human omnivore from truly grasping the idea of where his meat originates and its journey to his plate. For many, treating the animals we eat as invisible commodities is the only way to avoid the gruesome truth: factory farming animals for human consumption is a business sacrificing the health of animals for profit, a prevailing practice which is ultimately costing us, the consumer, our health.

Throughout the novel, the reader is challenged to find the reason for traditional ‘"norms" of eating animals. Questions such

as why Americans do not eat stray dogs and cats (arguably also a source of meat, and which there are plenty of) force readers to think outside the box about the animals they consider food or friend.

Foer brings together the history, science, philosophy, and of course his talent for writing and investigating to show the multiple faces of farming the meat we consume in America, from breaking and entering uncooperative factory farms with an animal activist, to family farmers and vegans themselves. Foer’s investigations reveal the undeniable facts (followed by over one hundred pages of references) about the mass production of animals, information large corporations historically have looked over or misleadingly revealed to the public.

Eating Animals is not a novel meant to convert readers to being vegans, or animal activists. It is understood that animal suffering is not the biggest problem on our Earth, but what is it worth? Is the evident cruelty worth our acquired taste for meat?

Can we truly become "selective omnivores" by solely supporting family farms raising animals according to ethical standards without tossing aside our table fellowship with one another?

While some critics label the novel "annoying," many readers see for the first time what farming has become, breaking away from the comfortable images of green rolling hills and happy California cows courtesy of corporate advertising.

Eating Animals changed me from a twenty-year vegetarian to a vegan activist.

I've always been shy about being critical of others choices because I hate when people do that to me,” said actress Natalie Portman in her blog entry related to the novel, featured on Huffington Post.

Along with his research for Eating Animals, Foer is also known for his other novels, Everything is Illuminated and Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close, now a major motion picture nominated for two Oscars.

10

THE RECORDER / Wednesday, December 5, 2012 / SPORTS SPORTS BEGINS ON BACK PAGE

Line 'Em Up

NFL Predictions For Week 14 Each week, the following four staff members of The Recorder will place their game predictions. Are you bold enough to stand against these guys? Send us your picks before Thursday's game and we will run the best picks. Email us at jmuszynski@centralrecorder.com!

Photo | nfl.com

Justin Muszynski Managing Editor

Matt Aveni Sports Editor

Corey Pollnow Staff Writer

Paige Brown Staff Writer

Denver @ Oakland

Denver

Denver

Denver

Denver

Dallas @ Cincinnati

Cincinnati

Cincinnati

Dallas

Dallas

Baltimore @ Redskins

Redskins

Baltimore

Baltimore

Redskins

Buffalo

Buffalo

Buffalo

St. Louis

Tampa Bay

Tampa Bay

Tampa Bay

Tampa Bay

St. Louis @ Buffalo Philadelphia @ Tampa Bay Atlanta @ Carolina

Atlanta

Atlanta

Atlanta

Atlanta

Kansas City @ Cleveland

Cleveland

Kansas City

Kansas City

Kansas City

San Diego @ Pittsburgh

Pittsburgh

Pittsburgh

Pittsburgh

Pittsburgh

Indianapolis

Indianapolis

Indianapolis

Indianapolis

NY Jets @ Jacksonville

NY Jets

NY Jets

NY Jets

Jacksonville

Chicago @ Minnesota

Chicago

Chicago

Chicago

Chicago

Miami @ San Francisco

San Francisco

San Francisco

San Francisco

San Francisco

Tennessee @ Indianapolis

Arizona @ Seattle

Seattle

Seattle

Seattle

Seattle

New Orleans @ NY Giants

NY Giants

NY Giants

NY Giants

NY Giants

Detroit @ Green Bay

Green Bay

Green Bay

Green Bay

Green Bay

Houston @ New England

Houston

New England

New England

New England

Line 'Em Up

S

T

A

19­–11

N

D

21–9

I

N

G

17–3

S 9–7 *Did not participate first week

Fantasy Football Do's and Don'ts MATT AVENI The Recorder

Defense Do’s: As bad as the Jets offense has been playing, their defense has played well with star cornerback Darrelle Revis out for the season.

The Jets are playing against a weak Jaguars team who has no stride offensively and should be shut down. The Jets should be able to create turnovers and they should be started this week in fantasy football.

Don’ts: The Houston Texans have one of the best defenses in the league, but have been shaky lately. They are facing off against Tom Brady and the New England Patriots this week. The Patriots do not turn the ball over very often and Tom Brady can pick apart defenses. I would not start the Houston Texans defense this week in your fantasy league.

this week.

Quarterbacks

Runningback’s

Wide Receivers:

Do’s: Cam Newtown has been playing like the first round fantasy quarterback that many fantasy owners have been hoping for the past three weeks. He lead quarterbacks in points last week and he should do the same again this week. With Newton gaining confidence every team facing him should be worried about his numbers week to week.

Do’s: Bryce Brown has played extremely well in his first two starts of the season for the Eagles and is running all over teams. With McCoy still questionable, Bryce Brown should still get his touches and please fantasy owners who have picked him up in the previous weeks.

Do’s: With the recent death of a teammate, the Kansas City Chiefs have been playing really well. Dwayne Bowe is one of the few targets for Brady Quinn and he should be targeted more against the Cleveland Browns. Bowe has picked up his production since the beginning of the season and starting to play like a starting wide receiver for many fantasy teams.

Don’ts: The Bears lost to a Seattle team with an average offense. In the past the Bears have always played great coming off a loss. With this being said, Christian Ponder happens to be the quarterback facing off against the Bears. Ponder should throw a few interceptions.

Adrian Peterson will get his carries but with a dominating defensive line and multiple All-Pro linebackers Peterson should be kept in check

Don’ts: Alfred Morris has gone beyond expectations for a rookie runningback but this week he is going against the Baltimore Ravens. The Ravens suffered a tough loss to the Steelers and should bounce back to shut down Alfred Morris and let Robert Griffin try and beat them with his arm.

Don’ts: Brian Hartline has played great all season for a bad Dolphins team. This week the Dolphins are squared to play the San Francisco 49ers. The 49ers are trying to clinch the division with a win and they should stop Ryan Tannenhill from completing many of his passes. Tannenhill being a rookie quarterback, should have a tough time going against the 49ers so Hartline should not be started this week in fantasy.

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Tight Ends: Do’s: With the resurgence of Cam Newtown, Greg Olson has been catching more passes especially in the redzone. Olson has fallen under the radar all season and this would be the perfect time to give the tight end a start. Olson’s production has picked up week-to-week and he is becoming one of Newton’s top targets.

Don’ts: Jermichael Finley has been a disappointment all season long. Even though his production has increased from week-to-week, fantasy owners looking for a playoff spot should not start Finley. He has dropped a numerous amount of passes and is becoming a shadow in the Packers offense.

11

THE RECORDER / Wednesday, December 5, 2012 / SPORTS

MLB Begins Winter Meetings Signing And Trades Are Underway matt avEni the recorder

With the Major League Baseball Winter Meetings underway there are many potential headline signings and trades that might be inquired about in the days to come.

The market for free agents was set when BJ Upton signing with the Braves earlier in the week for 75.5 million dollars over eight years. BJ Upton has been an up and down player his entire career but can pose as a five tool player when the time is right. The Braves are hoping that he can be the player he was in 2007.

One of the major free agents on the market is outfielder Josh Hamilton. Hamilton has played for the Rangers since 2008 when he had his breakout season. The Rangers are looking to resign Hamilton but they are not willing to offer him a long contract with his previous problems with drugs and alcohol. It will be hard for many teams to offer a 31-year-old Hamilton a long contract, being that he has been put on the diabled list each of the past three seasons. With all of this said there will be a team that goes out and signs Hamilton to a huge contract for eight years and worth up to 200 million dollars.

Hamilton is not the only prized outfielder out on the market this offseason.

There are cheaper alternatives to Josh Hamilton.

Michael Bourn and Angel Pagan are very coveted centerfielders that can come at a cheaper price. Michael Bourn will be 30-years-old when the season starts; many teams see this as a potential problem because he relies on his legs. As a player gets older many teams question how his legs will hold up towards the end of his contract. Many teams have taken this risk before, as with the Red Sox signing Carl Crawford two years ago and we all know how that ended up, (he is not playing for the Los Angeles Dodgers). Angel Pagan can come at a much cheaper price than both Hamilton and Bourn but he has only played elite baseball for one season and that happened to be this season.

The Giants would love to resign with Pagan but the Philadelphia Phillies might sweep in and overpay for him this offseason.

The cheapest alternatives for free agent outfielders will be Cody Ross, Ryan Ludwick, Nick Swisher and Jason Bay. Cody Ross is being looked at by many teams, including the Red Sox, Phillies, Giants and Reds. Ross had very good power numbers with the Red Sox last season, which were helped by his uppercut swing and the Green Monster out in left field at Fenway Park. Ryan Ludwick can be a steal for many teams. He has played a constant left field with a good bat and can come at the right price for many teams. He is willing to sign a two year contract for less money than many outfielders that put up less production. Nick Swisher is going to be an interesting signing. There have been rumors that the Red Sox would love to have Swisher on their team with his versatility of being able to play first base and the outfield.

This would be an interesting signing seeing as the Red Sox came to terms Monday with Mike Napoli who can also play first base and catch.

The market for infielders is much weaker than outfielders, mainly

phOtO | JOhn BazEmOrE

BJ Upton officially signs with Atlanta Braves, setting the bar for outfield contracts this off season. because there just is not many great first baseman or shortstops up for free agency. The top shortstops available are Stephen Drew, Marco Scutaro and Yuniesky Betancourt.

All of these shortstops can make an impact on any team they go to but will not bring that star power that many teams are looking for their club to acquire this offseason.

First base has an even weaker market.

With Mike Napoli reportedly coming to terms on a three-year-contract, the already small first base market is dwindling.

Adam LaRoche is the only big name first baseman left for free agency.

LaRoche led a Washington Nationals team to its first playoff series since the team moved from Montreal to

the country's capitol. Teams will be offering LaRoche a significant amount of money with the size of the market and LaRoche should get the number of years that he will want.

The starting pitching this offseason is interesting for many reasons. Some of the big names out there are veteran starters who have a lot of experience but might not be the number one pitcher that ball clubs are looking for. Ryan Dempster has number one pitcher stuff but is getting older and started to slow down towards the end of the season last year for a flailing Rangers team.

James Shields is another big name out there. Shields can be a number one pitcher for just about every team in the majors and should get a lot of

attention. With a plus fastball and knee bending curveball, Shields is attracting attention from every team in the majors who needs a quality starting pitcher.

Trades are also a possibility, but at this point in the winter I am not sure how many trades will be available. There are rumors that the Cleveland Indians are willing to trade their ace Justin Masterson and their all-star shortstop Asdrubal Cabrera for young talent. Both these players have a smaller contract and can be acquired for the right price.

Justin Upton is reportedly also on the trading block with the Arizona Diamondbacks willing to trade him for young, top of the rotation, pitching prospects. If the Colorado

Rockies are willing to trade away the two faces of their franchise Troy Tulowitzki and Carlos Gonzalez, they should be receiving phone calls from multiple general managers inquiring about what they need to do to trade for either of the players.

Starting pitchers are more likely to be traded because quality starting pitching is hard to come by.

With the Winter Meetings to end Thursday there will be many players signed and many potential deals that are just in the making. With pitchers and catchers not reporting for three more months there is still plenty of time for teams to get their 25-man roster in check and ready but this is one of the most important four days in preseason baseball.

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Submit a Weekend Central grant proposal to request funding support!

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SPORTS

12 THE RECORDER Wednesday, December 5, 2012

Heartbreaking Loss To Holy Cross Blue Devils Fall Short One Point Tommy Liljedahl The Recorder

Central Connecticut Women’s Basketball suffered a gut wrenching 56-57 loss to Holy Cross on Wednesday, courtesy of a buzzerbeating jump shot by Brisje Malone.

“A game like that is awesome on the winning end, and heart breaking on the losing end,” Head Coach Beryl Piper said as she witnessed Malone's shot splash through the net. That one shot lifted the Crusaders to a .500 record, and dropped the Blue Devils to 2-3 on the young season.

“It was especially difficult because we played so hard, with so much intensity in the second half,” Piper said.

The Blue Devils had their work cut out for them after Holy Cross went on a 16-2 tear in the final seven minutes and 43 seconds of the half, resulting in a 36-25 halftime lead.

Clare Sullivan played a significant role in the Crusader’s explosion, hitting on all six of her shots from the field for 13 points.

Piper attributed the sluggish start to Central Connecticut’s brutal travel schedule.

“After travelling 13 straight hours to San Antonio after Thanksgiving, we had to pick ourselves up to travel to Worcester, Mass. to play Holy Cross," Piper said. "It’s been a tough week or so.”

The Blue Devils, did, however, increase the intensity in the second half, going on a run to erase the deficit. They finally gained the lead, 46-45, with about five minutes to play, as junior guard Jessica Babe nailed a jumper. Babe finished with

Kenny BArto i The recorder

Jessica Babe dribbles past defender in game last season.

14 points, six rebounds and four assists.

In her most impressive game of the season, senior center Kirsten Daamen filled the box score with 21 points, nine rebounds and two steals.

Daamen hit a layup with three minutes to play, tying the game at 51, and then a free throw to give the Blue Devils a one-point lead. In a

riveting second half that saw eight lead changes, Central Connecticut and Holy Cross found themselves tied at 54 with a minute and a half to play.

After Daamen sank yet another bucket, assisted by Babe, CCSU led 55-56. Then Brisje Malone knocked down a jumper as time expired, off a feed from Alex Smith, securing the win for Holy Cross, 57-56.

Basketball Game Schedule Dec. 5

VS. Vermont

Dec. 9

@ New Hampshire

Date

“It was definitely tough coming back only to lose at the end like that,” said Piper. “But I love the heart we showed in the second half.

Although it doesn’t show up in the box score, Jaleen Thomas was our ‘garbage pail kid’, our hustle player of the game.”

The Blue Devils have ample time to regroup, as they do not play until hosting 3-5 Vermont on

Wednesday, Dec. 5. They currently sport a 1-1 record at home, and a 2-3 record overall, as they continue to prepare for a competitive North East Conference Schedule.

Central will play their first conference game on the other side of the New Year, travelling to Robert Morris on Jan. 5th.

Opponent

Time

7:00 PM

Jan. 26 vs. St. Francis (N.Y.) *

1:00 PM

2:00 PM

Jan. 28 @ quinnipiac *

7:00 PM

Dec. 19 vs. La salle

7:00 PM

Feb. 2

@ Fairleigh Dickinson *

4:30 PM

Dec. 21 VS. Rider

6:00 PM

Feb. 4

@ monmouth *

7:00 PM

tba

Feb. 9

vs. Quinnipiac *

12:00 PM

vs. Wisconsin/Delaware st. tba

Feb. 11 vs. liu brooklyn *

7:00 PM

@ Robert Morris *

4:00 pm

Feb. 16 @ Mount St. Mary's *

2:00 pM

@ St. Francis *

7:00 PM

Feb. 18 @ wagner *

1:00 PM

Jan. 12 Vs. Bryant *

1:00 PM

Feb. 23 @ bryant *

1:00 PM

Jan. 14 Vs. Sacred Heart *

7:00 PM

Feb. 25 @ Sacred heart *

7:00 PM

Jan. 19 Vs. wagner *

1:00 PM

Mar. 2

vs. Robert Morris *

1:00 PM

Jan. 21 vs. mount st. mary's *

7:00 PM

Mar. 4

vs. st francis (pa) *

7:00 PM

Dec. 28

DEC. 29

Jan. 5

Jan. 7

@ Miami (Fla)*