vol104issue15 by The Recorder

OPINION John Rowland is a Crook - Page 4

Super Bowl XLII Preview

ENTERTAINMENT Everytime I Die Interview - Page 12

- Page 6

LIFESTYLES Bodies Revealed - Page 14

Wednesday, January 30, 2008

Volume 104 No. 14

Faculty Senate Reconvenes for the New Semester

Conrad Akier / The Recorder Faculty senate President Timothy Craine moderating a meeting. Aril Grain

Sean Kinne

Surprise CCSU! It’s Primary Time Melissa Traynor

News Editor

With the Connecticut Primary scheduled for Super Tuesday, Feb. 5, CCSU students have the chance to represent the 18-29 voting bloc if they choose to cast their ballots, however many have mixed attitudes towards the primary. In a poll conducted by The Recorder, the results have show that many students express hesitance toward the vote or are doubtful they will be able cast their ballots. The poll showed that 100 per-

cent of those surveyed said that most likely they will not be voting and over half said that they didn’t have the time next Tuesday or haven’t been following the race very closely. Almost one fifth or 19 percent said that they did not have any interest in the presidential candidates or did not believe that one candidate stood out among the rest. The poll also explained that 45 percent of the students surveyed were either not registered or didn’t know if they were. Of the students who said they are registered, 50 percent are registered Democrats, 36 percent

Independents and 12 percent Republicans. Senior Chris Figueroa, who plans to vote on Tuesday, said that he will most likely register as a Democrat for the primary. “I have the form filled out to register, I just have to mail it in,” he said. Jamie Merritt, who is a junior at CCSU, also plans to vote in the primary. “I’ll probably vote for Obama because he seems open-minded…. And I’m not a Hillary fan,” Merritt said. State Senator Donald DeFronzo (D), who represents New Britain, Berlin and Farmington, believes that the youth vote will have an overall important impact on the primaries and election this year. “In terms of anecdotal evidence,

Assistant News Editor Professor Tim Craine began his final semester as faculty senate president with a response to The Hartford Courant’s Sunday article, “CCSU Chief Has Critics” at Monday’s faculty senate meeting. Craine expressed support for President Jack Miller and optimism for improved relations throughout CCSU. The Courant article rehashes the no-confidence vote and diversity issues of last semester and questions President Miller’s priorities and decision-making capabilities as the reason for CCSU’s recent censure and bad publicity. “Sometimes it feels like we’re

living in a fish bowl,” said Craine, who also stated that Miller’s remarks in The Courant article might have been taken out of context. The Courant quoted Miller as saying that “getting stuff done” is more important than “dealing with people.” “I don’t think he wanted his interview to come across that way,” said Craine. Craine went on to discuss the satisfaction survey recently taken by the faculty in which creating a better environment for communication was a prevalent concern. “Divisions among the faculty became acute last semester,” said Craine, and then touched on a move towards more civil discussions in the future.

See Faculty Senate page 2

See Primary Time page 2

‘When the Gays Move Into Mr. Rogers’ Neighborhood’ Melissa Traynor

News Editor

Joe Bertolino and Bil Leipold, who have been in a relationship for 14 years, visited CCSU last Thursday to present information on the GLBTQ community and promote a college environment of understanding by sharing their personal stories. The couple currently holds administrative and academic positions at Queens College and Rutgers. While technically Leipold and Bertolino’s “When the Gays Move Into Mr. Rogers’ Neighborhood” is a lecture, the pair engaged the audience in wordgames they used to call up and denounce stereotypes and start communication among participants. In an opening exercise, derogatory terms and anti-gay slurs such as “faggot” were assigned to one list made up by volunteers in the crowd,

while a second list was full of generally positive terms Leipold and Bertolino asked the audience to use to describe gay friends or acquaintances. “The first list is just a bunch of terms people use to describe gays who they don’t know, but the second list is a summary of all of the things you have come to learn about a gay person you know. The bottom line is you have to define people in terms of what makes them human, not what they do behind closed doors,” Leipold said. They offered a program to whoever filled Alumni Hall, and encouraged the audience to enter the event with open minds and ask any and all questions. Bertolino and Leipold also described their personal experiences with coming out to family and friends and having to react to responses from

See Mr. Rogers’ Neighborhood page 2 http://clubs.ccsu.edu/recorder/

Stephanie Bergeron / The Recorder

Devils Down Hawks CCSU Hockey wins both weekend games against MSU and Bryant.

See Devils Down Hawks page 8

News Wednesday, January 30, 2008

The Recorder

Student Center 1615 Stanley Street New Britain, CT 06050 T 860.832.3744 F 860.832.3747 ccsurecorder@gmail.com http://clubs.ccsu.edu/recorder/ Editor-in-Chief Justin Kloczko Managing Editor Christopher Boulay Art Director Jamie Paakkonen Associate Layout Editor Stephen Meszaros Copy Editor Samantha Sullivan Photo Editor Stephanie Bergeron Lifestyles Editor Karyn Danforth Sports Editor Peter Collin Entertainment Editor Edward Gaug Opinion Editor Dan Ivers News Editor Melissa Traynor Assistant News Editor Aril Grain Web Editor John Vignali Advertising Manager Jeff Hayden Illustrator Sean Kinne

Staff Writers Marissa Blaszko Amanda Ciccatelli Kyle Dorau Matthew Jurkiewicz Marissa Mancini Brian Morache Vickie Wall Jody Wiles Ryan Yeomans

The Recorder is a student-produced 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 ap-

Mr. Rogers’ Neighborhood Continued from page 1

people who did not want to accept or acknowledge them. While Leipold’s story elicited laughter from the audience occasionally, he expressed the internal difficulties of coming out to his family and his personal life being revealed to his fraternity during college. He said that his mother took an especially long time to accept him and have an open conversation about his sexual orientation. “It took her 18 years to develop a dream for me, but [since the day he came out] it gave her the time she needed—two and a half more years—to think of a new dream,” he said. Bertolino was the Greek Life Director at Queens College during the time he decided to come out. When two students who were in a relationship and were not out to their fraternity approached him for advice, he knew that he must come out to his campus. After experiencing some difficulties with his colleagues, shortly after the fraternity and the wider campus community became comfortable with his sexuality and Leipold and Bertolino as a couple. “I decided that I needed to do it for my students… and once they got to know [Bil and I] as people, the rest didn’t matter,” Bertolino said. In order to create an atmosphere of acceptance in the university environment, they suggested that the avoidance of anti-gay jokes and slurs be taken seriously and that gay and lesbian culture be integrated into the current programming on campus. Leipold encouraged students to truly examine the presidential candidates in both parties for their stances on topics such as homosexuality and gay rights. “Please, please vote in November. The candidates have yet to have a real conversation about gay rights, but you should investigate each one,” he said. “If you don’t vote, you can’t bitch.”

Primary Time

Continued from page 1 after the New Hampshire primary voter registration has been at a steady pace and that’s indicative of an effort underway to get people registered to vote,” he said. DeFronzo also said that the “Obama phenomenon” is responsible for drawing out a large number of youth voters to register and cast their ballots. This doesn’t seem to be any indication for Connecticut, though, where Clinton is enjoying a comfortable lead going into Tuesday. After the Iowa and New Hampshire primaries for the presidential election, the precedent has been set by increases in the youth voter turnout rates and may continue with the Conn. Primary. While Iowa’s primary drew out 13 percent of its eligible voters under 30 years of age, it was an increase from 4 percent as of the state’s 2004 primary. New Hampshire enjoyed an increase from 18 percent to 43 percent between the 2004 and 2008 primaries, according to the Center for Information and Research on Civic Learning and Engagement. Prevalent concerns for youth voters, which are how to become registered or send in absentee ballots for those living outside their hometown, will most likely keep many CCSU students from making it to the polling stations. Eligible students may register via mail as long as the registration is postmarked by Jan. 31. This deadline also applies to voters who would like to affiliate themselves with a party, but the registration must be received by this date. The Voter Registration form can be downloaded at the State of Connecticut Web site, http://www.sots.ct.gov/ElectionsServices/Elecform.html, as well at information on absentee voting, or the form can be picked up at the Reference Desk at Elihu Burritt Library on campus. Students who are eligible can also appear in person as late as Feb. 4 at their town hall to complete a Voter Registration form with an I.D. - Additional reporting by Aril Grain

Faculty Senate

Continued from page 1 Also in his report to the senate, Craine said he looks forward to further discussing the athletic field renovations. Craine voiced concern that the new fields will benefit both intercollegiate and intramural students and that the renovations won’t short change the majority of students who need the use of the new facilities. A different kind of concern was discussed by Tim Corbitt, director of Counseling and Wellness, who spoke to the senate about a new incentive for spring that focuses on the mental health of students and the readiness and preparedness of the faculty to recognize and deal with potential at-risk students. Corbitt described MentalHealthEdu, a customizable, online educational program for colleges and universities designed to increase awareness and provide more resources for administrators and students. The program, made for faculty, administrators and staff, takes 30 minutes to complete and addresses the many reasons why the 18-to-24 age group is at the highest risk for psychological distress. “This is a resource for people on the front line,” said Corbitt. Preventative intervention, a reduced stigma against mental illness and increased visibility of campus resources are the major focuses of this program.

Student Makes Progress After Welte Fall Melissa Traynor

News Editor

The CCSU student who jumped from the top level of Welte Garage in November has recently awoken from the initial coma and is now recovering from the life-threatening injuries she sustained. Sophomore Cherolle Brown leaped from the side of the parking garage facing Ella T. Grasso Blvd on Nov. 14, 2007 and was rushed to Hartford Hospital. Brown has been relocated to the Institute of Living in Hartford, which is a mental health center, and has been recovering there for over two weeks. Her visiting hours are between 6 and 8 p.m. Monday through Friday and the Institute is located at 200 Retreat Avenue, Hartford 06106.

Riot Forces Break Up Party Many students reported incidents of unnecessary police violence. Alexander Comisar Dan Loeterman

Daily Trojan (University of Southern California) (U-WIRE) -- A seven-house 30th Street block party turned into a mob scene Friday night when police tried to break up the party and more than 1,000 partygoers refused to leave, prompting at least 75 Los Angeles Police Department officers in riot gear to use clubs, smoke bombs, tasers and pepper ball guns to control the crowd. Nine were arrested after at least 100 students staged a “sit-in” in the street to prevent police from ending the party. Witnesses said students taunted the officers and threw beer bottles at them. Officers responded to the taunting by shooting students with pepper balls and striking them with nightsticks, according to students at the party. Shortly after midnight, Department of Public Safety officers, who had learned about the party a week earlier, warned the party’s organizer that the party had become overcrowded. The hosting houses turned off their music, but hundreds of people remained in the street. DPS then called LAPD officers to break up the party. Because of the crowd’s size, LAPD declared a tactical alert, said police spokesman Mike Lopez. The crowd turned hostile when two police squad cars arrived at the party. “The kids were throwing beer bottles, not just at the cars but the officers, too, so they called us out,” said an LAPD officer who responded to the alert. “Basically there were too many people in the street and they got LAPD out here to control the riot.” Between 75 and 100 LAPD officers arrived from several different divisions, some in riot gear, witnesses said. The officers gathered in front of the crowd and warned students through a megaphone they had three minutes to disperse. When students continued to sit in the street, a line of officers began to walk into the crowd to force them to leave. Students said they were angered by the conduct of LAPD officers during and after the confrontation. Many students said they were Tasered by officers or struck with nightsticks. Daniel Bell, a junior majoring in communication, said he was recording LAPD officers struggling with students on his cell phone

when one of the officers pointed at him. “Three officers jumped me and threw me onto a car. I didn’t struggle or anything. They made me put my head down and spread my legs.” When Bell realized he had lost his phone and asked for it back, “The officer picked it up, looked down at it, pressed the delete button, switched it off and put it in my pocket.” Some students also said LAPD shot them with rubber bullets. “When I was filling out my police report, I told one of the cops I got asered,” said Dan, a USC student who asked that his last name not be used. “The cop looked at the big mark on my ribs and told me it wasn’t a Taser mark.” Dan also said that while he filled out his police report, he attempted to read a police officer’s badge number, but the officer covered his chest. Mario Imbert, a student at the Art Institute of California, said a police officer used a Taser to subdue him. “Dan got hit, and I tried to help him up,” Imbert said. “Then [police] tased me a couple times. It felt like my entire body was out of control. They tasered me in my ribs, and I could feel it in my jaws and in my feet.” Not all students were frustrated by the LAPD response. Schwartz said he thought LAPD’s actions were necessary to settle a party dangerously close to being out of control. “Every house was full and the street was full,” Schwartz said. “It was way too out of hand. It wasn’t a good feeling at all.” Schwartz said an LAPD officer fired a pepper ball at him, but that he thought it was necessary. “People were yelling obscenities and egging them on,” he said. “It was a good thing LAPD came. I don’t think they were doing anything that was unjustified.” An LAPD officer on the scene, who declined to give his name, said nightsticks had been used but that no shots had been fired. Joel Avery, who organized the party, said he thought the party atmosphere cultivated partygoers’ defiant attitudes. “There was just this really awesome party and it was being taken away,” he said. “There was too much energy for it to have ended at that point.” A member of the Daily Trojan’s editorial board was one of the nine students arrested.

Wednesday, January 30, 2008

UW Cuts Contract With New Era

UW terminates license contract with New Era Cap Company after their refusal to comply with the university’s code of conduct. Lexie Clinton

Daily Cardinal (Uni. of Wisconsin-Madison) (U-WIRE) -- Following the sports merchandise company’s repeated incompliance with workers’ rights inspectors, UW-Madison decided Friday to terminate its licensing contract with New Era Cap Company. The termination, which is effective immediately, cuts off New Era as a licensee and forbids the company from manufacturing its signature baseball caps and sportswear with the official University of Wisconsin logo. “We’re terminating the contract based on New Era’s actions not really being the type of company this university wants to be associated with,” Dawn Crim, special assistant to the chancellor, said at a Labor Licensing Policy Committee meeting Friday. The university decided to terminate because of New Era’s refusal to comply with UW-Madison’s code of conduct that says UW logo licensees must allow a monitoring agency to observe work practices. Crim said New Era did not uphold this agreement when it did not allow the Worker’s Rights Consortium, a labor rights monitoring organization hired by UW-Madison, to enter its U.S. factories. If the WRC was allowed access to the New Era facility in Mobile, Ala., it is likely they would have found poor labor practices, according to UW-Madison sophomore Chynna Haas, who traveled to the factory earlier this month with students from other universities with New Era contracts.

Haas traveled to Alabama as a student delegate of United Students Against Sweatshops. At Friday’s LLPC meeting, Haas shared stories from many of the black, single mothers who sort caps at the distribution factory and say they experience daily racial abuse and sexual harassment. Haas explained New Era’s point system that gives workers penalty strikes when they skip work. A worker can get up to seven points before being laid off, but Haas says the strikes are unfairly applied. She said women were given strikes for tasks such as going to the hospital for a heart attack, leaving to attend to a house fire or moving a son into his first day of college, even with a note from the university’s dean. Haas said some of the workers made a stride in forming a union, but their membership has led to retaliatory action from supervisors. “Workers who show up wearing their union shirts, proud to finally get respect at work are being targeted for bogus reasons,” she said. New Era released a statement Jan. 21 denying all allegations of unfair labor practices. Haas said she could understand the grounds for UW-Madison’s termination with New Era but was unsure how its message would resonate at the factory in Mobile, where workers see hundreds of different logos a day. “It’s not a strong enough message to the workers,” Haas said of the New Era termination. “I wish the university would have the courage to stand up to New Era and say we’re cutting the contract because your company has bad labor practices.” Crim said UW-Madison le-

gal officials explored the option of threatening New Era with a breach of contract suit, which may have brought forth some of the workers’ anecdotes. However, since a breach can only be carried out while still under a contract, the university decided a termination would be the quickest, most effective way to end ties with the company. Other LLPC members said they thought a termination was only a quick-fix solution and bringing the case to court would have made a bolder statement. “You can’t sidestep these issues forever,” said Jan Van Tol, a UWMadison junior on the committee. “I’d like to see one university stand up and say, ‘Yeah, we’re going to fight this, we’ll go to court.’ It may be a battle, it may take years, but we’d set a precedent.” Dennis Dresang, a LLPC member and UW-Madison professor, said a licensee case like this could take years of suits and countersuits and may not bring an outcome that was originally intended. “Terminating a contract sends a message,” Dresang said. “It sends a message that can be amplified … without getting the university in legal trouble.” The termination with New Era will have almost no ramifications for Badger sports fans because other licensees make the products like those from New Era. “We can afford to work with other licensees that will comply to our code,” Crim said. This is the second time in the past decade UW-Madison has cut a licensee contract with the New Yorkbased company.

Say What? The Recorder asked CCSU students whether they are planning on voting in the Connecticut Primary on Feb. 5. Students offered their ideas on whom they would vote for and why they are interested in each candidate.

“I’m not planning on voting because I’m not registered.” Andrew Yaghjian Freshman

“I’m going to vote for Obama because he inspires me… He’ll probably do a good job of uniting the country.” Richie Cooper Freshman

“I won’t be voting for religious reasons. I’m a Jehovah’s Witness.” Tiffany Crockett Freshman

“I’m not going to vote. I’m not registered in Connecticut because I lived in Pittsburgh for a couple of years.” Kareem Mohamed Senior

“No, I’m not registered.” Sandra Bryant Junior

“Yes, and I’ll vote for Hillary Clinton. I don’t think those attacks about her being in government for a long time will affect her chances. I think you need experience.” Yelida Cuadra Senior

“For me it’s between Hillary and Obama. I’m moving towards Hillary because she has goals and she’s got experience.” Heta Desai Junior

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

Editorial/Opinion

Wednesday, January 30, 2008

Editorial Ron Paul is the only candidate running for the Republican nomination for president that represents the kind of frankness and unwavering values that have become so scarce in Washington. Many candidates have labeled themselves as representing “change.” Paul will affect change by shunning the kind of chameleonic politics employed by his running mates. Paul endorses not only common Republican ideals like lowering taxes, the free market, the right to gun ownership and limited government, but ground-breaking economic reforms like the return of the “gold standard” to curb inflation and the misuse of money by our government. He is the only Republican candidate to be forthright in his assertion that the Iraq war was a mistake from the start, not something mishandled only in the aftermath of the dismantling of the Hussein regime. He stands alone in acknowledging that we were led into this

war by false information and intelligence. He has also been outspoken in his opposition to the torture and detention policies of the current administration. He is a veteran of the Air Force, giving him a first-hand understanding of military operations and the intricacies of war. His commitment to responsible use of monetary resources is needed as we continue to spend billions of dollars in a seemingly endless and fruitless war. Ron Paul has been consistent in his voting record for decades, and is deeply committed to a strict adherence to the Constitution, one that has been repeatedly distorted during the last eight years of the Bush presidency. While the other Republican candidates adapt themselves to voter attitudes in callous displays of self-salesmanship, Ron Paul remains steadfast in his beliefs. In this age of voter disenfranchisement, he embodies the kind of change needed in Washington.

Barack Obama is the best hope for the Democratic Party to regain control of the White House in November and change the errant path of our country. Many of his detractors raise questions about his lack of experience, having only been a Senator since 2004. However, this is his greatest strength, as those more acquainted with Washington seem to become more and more devoted to the special interest groups and partisan politics that currently divide our nation. Obama possesses the kind of widespread appeal that his main competitor Hillary Clinton lacks, and this gives him a better shot at victory in November’s general election. He would also represent a break from the frightening trend towards political dynasties. The fresh image Obama presents would help to repair our image worldwide, something someone named Bush or Clinton could not accomplish. The freshman Illinois senator has the

unique ability to be the kind of orator that makes a listener believe in what he says, something which, needless to say, is rare in politicians. His eloquence and charisma offer the best hope to bring together and mobilize a country disillusioned by an administration that is seemingly indifferent to its wishes. Support for issues like stem cell research, healthcare reform, a woman’s right to choose and opposing measures like tax breaks for companies that send jobs overseas are important, but they do little to differentiate Obama from his Democratic rivals. One major difference is the Iraq war, which Clinton and John Edwards voted to authorize. America is hungry for a candidate that can bring them closer together instead of divide them, and Barack Obama is the best man for the job.

In Case You Forgot: John Rowland is a Crook Dan Ivers

Opinion Editor The outcry over the proposed hiring of former Governor John Rowland for an important economic development job in Waterbury has been loud among many state politicians. One vocal critic, House Speaker James Amann, has said of Waterbury Mayor Michael Jarjura in an article from The Hartford Courant, “I am not knocking him for trying to help out an old favorite son of Waterbury – but I just don’t know why it had to be this particular job.” Amann is right in one respect – Rowland should not be hired to a position granting him access to city funds because misuse of money is the very thing that led him to leave office in 2004 and earned him a stint in prison. However, Amann’s assertion that he has no problem

with Rowland being hired to a position with the city, as long as it’s not this particular one, is troubling. John Rowland is an ex-convict. According to the The Courant, he was sent to prison for over a year for “collecting $107,000 in gifts and services from businessmen who got hundreds of millions in contracts and tax breaks from his administration.” Now, a couple of years later and after being released and earning money speaking about his stint behind bars, he is being hired for an important position in his hometown of Waterbury, one that will earn him between $90,000 and $120,000 per year. People who have gone to jail for far less outrageous crimes probably have a little different experience after being released. More often than not, the requirement to identify themselves on job applications as ex-convicts raises a red flag to potential employers and keeps them job-

less. There are post-release job programs set up, many in call centers or cafeterias, to help them gain real work experience and ease their transition back into society. However, John Rowland, who claims to have experienced a “spiritual rebirth” after prison - á la Paris Hilton or Michael Vick - is now being welcomed back into a position of enormous responsibility. He will inherit a position that will bring him back to the Capitol to argue for grants and tax breaks from people that he appointed while Governor. He will once again have to face the temptations that both money and power bring, ones that he has succumbed to before. Mayor Jarjura should take a long hard look at what he is doing with this appointment. Waterbury is a city that has endured political scandal before, with the gross sexual misconduct involving minors of former Mayor Giordano.

Perhaps, once he is out of jail, Jarjura can find him an opening down at the local day care. John Rowland has addressed his critics by saying that he is a new person, and that he wants to make up for his past offenses by “giving something back to the community.” Well John, as soon as you pay back the millions of dollars you stole from Connecticut taxpayers, they might be ready to call it even. The message Waterbury is sending is that it doesn’t matter what you’ve done or what your merits are, but who you know. While minor drug offenders and small-time thieves toil long hours washing dishes because their past indiscretions have left them no other choice, John Rowland – who stole millions of dollars for the sake of free renovations to his lakeside cottage - is once again in public office.

Big Oil Makes Hugo Chavez Look Good Dan Ivers

Opinion Editor As a relatively mild winter begins to turn bitterly cold and oil prices continue to climb (now nearing $100 a barrel), New Englanders face the harsh reality of the cost of home heating. In addition to having one of the harshest winters in the country, one of every two homes in New England burns oil for heat, compared to about one in 20 in the rest of the country, according to the Energy Department. The rising prices prove too much to bear for many families who must choose between heat and other amenities. Luckily, this does not go unnoticed, and both the state and federal government provide a lot of money to give these families energy to heat their homes. Last week, President Bush released $450 billion in federal funds to help keep this problem to a minimum, and this move should be applauded. However, this is still not enough to ensure everyone will stay warm, and this is not a new problem. In 2005, a group of senators appealed to all the large oil companies that operate here in the U.S. for assistance, but only got one reply. Citgo, run by Hugo Chavez of Venezuela, agreed to provide oil to many low-income families at a sharply discounted rate, while all the other major oil companies turned a blind eye. This holds true for this year, even when oil companies continue to rake in record profits. After two major hurricanes ravaged parts of the Gulf Coast in 2006, Citgo was once again alone in providing assistance to the victims. Chavez has been an enemy of this country (or at least this country’s politicians) since he called Bush the “Devil” on the floor of the United Nations a couple years ago. His willingness to help misfortunate Americans when the

government or the wealthy will not is often dismissed as political strategy. He has been a vocal critic of American-style capitalism; called our country the world’s greatest threat to world peace; established a relationship with Fidel Castro in Cuba and the Iranian government; and been accused of trying to subvert American interests worldwide. Many of his critics contend that he doesn’t truly care about those in need, but only that he makes the U.S. look bad. If this is the case, well, mission accomplished. The willingness to help the poor and downtrodden is consistent with Chavez’s populist agenda in his own country. He has set up many social programs to help the lower classes

in Venezuela, one of Latin America’s poorest countries. While the results are debatable, it’s apparent that he does not intend to hoard all of the country’s oil profits for a small group of elites, as previous regimes have done. He has also angered many in the country by trying to alter constitutional laws so that he could run for re-election indefinitely. Whether Hugo Chavez is simply someone whose politics differ from those of the U.S. or a dangerous and subversive aspiring dictator is unclear. He ruffles the feathers of our government but can count many allies and supporters around the world, and he may have won a few more among Americans who have recently

found themselves in need. He has succeeded in making the American oil industry look like cold, arrogant, self-serving capitalists, and this unfortunately reinforces the views of much of the world. It’s not hard to see why many on the lower tiers of American society might agree. The first thing on their minds is how to keep their families warm and healthy, not the international political landscape. Unfortunately to our oil companies, if you are poor in America, it must be your own fault. The oil companies will blame Chavez for making them look bad, but in fact, they’re the ones making him look pretty damn good.

Wednesday, January 30, 2008

Parents Need to Stop Putting Teens into Suicide Machines Ryan Yeomans

Staff Writer

Huckabee’s Theocratic Constitution Brian Morache

Staff Writer

The Founding Fathers were not, as many people assume, devout Christians. Many were deists - those who believed in a very distant, disinterested God. If the United States was founded upon any principles, it was those of the Enlightenment rather than any Christian doctrine. When considering the statements of one Republican presidential hopeful, it would be best to keep this history in mind. Mike Huckabee, despite completing only a year in a seminary and two years of college, is a former Baptist Minister and a proclaimed expert on Biblical matters. But from Huckabee’s stated desire to remake the Constitution to “God’s standards,” it becomes clear that he skipped his political science and government courses. “I have opponents in this race who do not want to change the Constitution,” said Huckabee in Michigan, as reported by MSNBC. “But I believe it’s a lot easier to change the Constitution than to change the word of the living

God. And that’s what we need to do—to amend the Constitution so it’s in God’s standards rather than try to change God’s standards so it lines up with some contemporary view.” One has to wonder just how Mike Huckabee is qualified to have such knowledge of “God’s standards” since seemingly every religious denomination has their own interpretation of Christian morality. While the right to religion is stated in the Constitution, nowhere is God specifically mentioned, and this was not by mistake. In ensuring the freedom to practice any religion, the writers of the Constitution intended to embrace all religions rather than endorsing one faith as was practiced in England. In seeking to rework the Constitution to “God’s standards,” Mike Huckabee fails to understand this important aspect of American life and history. There are those in this country who actually believe we are, or at least should be, a “Christian nation.” This would not bode well for anyone of any other faith. Many of these same people are those who speak out the loud-

est against Muslim fundamentalists and Islamic theocracies like Iran. So what is the difference between a Christian theocracy and a Muslim theocracy? What makes one right for America and the other wrong in any shape or form? In embracing America as a “Christian nation,” we proclaim ourselves to be hypocrites and betray one of the founding principles of America. Even more alarming and telling about the state of American politics today was the statement by commentator Willie Geist that if “someone without his charm” said that, “he’d be dismissed as a crackpot, but he’s Mike Huckabee and he’s basically the front-runner.” Does it bother anyone that because Huckabee has some charm and can appeal to a crowd that he can make such ridiculous statements? Haven’t people accepted the ideas of dictators throughout history because they were so skilled at working a crowd? I would like to think that the American electorate is smarter than this, and given what is at stake in this next election, we had all better be.

More Research in Reiki Necessary Amy Roche-Moss

Special to The Recorder It is not often that you can integrate a personal passion into your schoolwork. But on a quest to go back to basics, I have found that it is much more difficult than I imagined. My independent research at CCSU, “Reiki and its Effects on Heart Rate and Blood Pressure” has just come to a close and I have drafted my laboratory report. Working with an automated heart rate and blood pressure cuff, I was able to test the changes in CCSU student volunteers. Using Experimetrix, the psychology department’s website for undergraduate research, I was able to attract many students. I even received interest from students who were not required to use Experimetrix, as well as requests after the study was over. An article featured last semester briefly explained the research with Reiki I have been conducting as well as my overall interest in studying it. Reiki is a hands-on healing method that has been practiced for thousands of years. It goes hand in hand with Therapeutic Touch, healing meditation, and in some cases, massage therapy. It is basically an awakening for the body to initiate innate healing abilities that are really quite easy to tap into. I was luckily placed under the wing of an interesting and knowledgeable professor, Dr. Mark Jackson. We pieced together some thoughts and ideas and my research was born. I am a trained and certified Reiki Master Teacher (RMT). Reiki has forever changed me and I am very grateful to have such wonderful masters. Being a RMT, I have to admit, I was biased going into my research; not in the

sense of what the results would conclude but that Reiki has a profoundly positive effect on people. Overall, there were changes in all of the tested areas of the Autonomic Nervous System (ANS), but those changes were not significant. Using my measurements of heart rate (HR) and blood pressure (BP), I compared my results to previously performed experiments. With larger sample sizes and longer durations of Reiki administration, both HR and BP did decrease to a significant degree. I did receive a lot of qualitative analysis from the participating students. I heard a lot of “You should get paid to do this” and “how much do you charge?” Some even expressed, “This is the most relaxed I have felt in my 21 years.” This shows me that more research in this area is both necessary and imminent. I am thankful to all the volunteers whom participated and even came back to me a second time. I have learned and experienced insightful lessons in my years of study with Reiki. The experiences are almost ineffable, so very hard to place words to. Dr. Eleanor Godway, a professor of philosophy at CCSU put it very well in her 2002 paper, “Alternative Ontology in Practice: Experiences with the Lived Body, Intersubjectivity, and Healing.” Therapeutic Touch (a practice that coincides with Reiki) can be described as a “new sense, new organ, a means by reaching and being reached by another, a mode of communication in which I am only beginning to come at all articulate, a way of giving which is always also, a way of receiving, and which defies analysis into components of physical, mental, emotional, ‘psychic,’ or spiritual.” In essence, she has captured the very mystique of Reiki and many forms of energy healing.

Largely, I have learned from such a small scale experiment the passion and drive that keeps researchers moving forward. Even if I have no data to feed you, I have learned a tremendous amount and gained much more insight to my practice of Reiki and its applications in my everyday life. Namasté.

In the past few months, residents of Connecticut have seen multiple accidents involving teenagers and sports cars make the headlines. The most recent crash occurred on Sunday, Jan. 20 in Wallingford. Both the driver, George Mclean, 16, and passenger, Tyler Priore, 15, were killed instantly as Mclean lost control of the Nissan 350Z he was driving and flew head-on into a tree. A third passenger, David Cajas, 15, who was riding on the bench in the back seat of the car, survived the accident and was released from Yale-New Haven Hospital on Wednesday, Jan. 23. The road where the accident occurred is known for its bumps, which allows drivers, with the appropriate amount of speed, to launch their car off the ground, and it is believed that this could be one of the causes of this fatal accident. You may recall another fatal incident that occurred in Wolcott on Oct. 4, 2007. Anthony Apruzzese, a 17-year-old high school senior, was trying to pass a car towing a boat in his Subaru WRX when he clipped the boat and spun into an oncoming truck. The vehicle was instantly crushed, killing Anthony, his 14-year-old sister, Jessica, and her 15-yearold friend, Thamara Correa. According to the New York Times, Captain Angiolillo of Wolcott said that the car was speeding, and he blamed “an inexperienced driver and the fact he was going too fast.” Anthony Apruzzese was no stranger to driving fast. In fact, according to the New York Times, in the one year he had his license he received at least four traffic violations, including a seat belt violation and a citation for running a stop sign. In March of 2007, Apruzzese split his Honda Prelude in two after hitting a tree while under the influence of alcohol. Although he was charged with driving under the influence and his license was suspended for 90 days, he unfortunately did not learn from his mistake. All of these details cause one to question why these teenagers are allowed to drive sports cars that they are too inexperienced to operate properly. Teenage drivers, especially males, are infamously known for breaking the speed limit and other forms of dangerous behavior while driving. Reckless driving by teenagers tends to increase when they have their friends in the car, which is exactly the reason why Connecticut passed a new law within the past few years restricting passengers for the first six months after a teen driver obtains their license. George Mclean was in violation of this law when he wrecked the 350Z he was driving. Fatal automobile accidents involving teens are heart-wrenching because the victims they claim would have had so many great years ahead of them. At the same time, incidents like these two incite feelings of anger and frustration to outsiders because they were so easily preventable. Who’s really to blame for these accidents? In the case of Anthony Apruzzese, it seems that the fault lies upon his parents. What kind of parent allows their 17-year-old boy, who has a colorful driving record and one wrecked car under his belt in a year, to drive one of the fastest sports cars on the street? It is clearly time for parents to start taking responsibility for their actions and to use much better judgment when it comes to trusting their teenage drivers. Hopefully parents can change their habits before we all have to see the saddening news of another teen killed in a reckless driving accident.

Sports

Wednesday, January 30, 2008

The Recorder’s Super Bowl XLII Mike Luchene

Preview

Staff Writer

New England Patriots (18-0) New England’s strength is their offensive unit. It is common knowledge that Tom Brady led the league’s highest rated passing attack, but the Patriots also finished 13th in overall rushing yards. There are simply too many weapons to be able to scheme against defensively. Randy Moss and Wes Welker contribute the NFL’s best deep threat and best slot receiver, respectively. Donté Stallworth is a talented speedster that sometimes flies under the radar. The running game features the double-headed monster of Laurence Maroney and Kevin Faulk; Maroney can pound the ball inside, while Faulk is lethal in the passing game. Up front, the Patriots are as good as it gets. Matt Light and company have been even more dominant than usual this year. Defensively, the Patriots’ strength is their defensive line. Richard Seymour, Ty Warren and Vince Wilfork are all former 1st round picks. The team’s linebackers get most of the face-time with the media, but the reason they’re able to make so many plays is because of the big guys taking up blockers up front. The defensive secondary is above average. Asante Samuel isn’t one of the top three corners as many would have you believe, but he is certainly very good. Rodney Harrison is still producing at a high level, despite his age. The Patriots’ key to victory is simply to take what the Giants give them in the passing game. If New York wants to take away Moss and Stallworth deep, then Brady will check down to Welker, Watson and Faulk.

New York Giants (13-6) The Giants’ offense thrives because of their excellent linemen. Brandon Jacobs has been good at times, but he can’t seem to stay healthy. Eli Manning hasn’t turned the ball over for the entirety of his team’s three playoff games this season. Plaxico Burress and Amani Toomer have remained steady, and they are now aided by rookie Steve Smith. The Giants’ defense is led by the two men that bookend their defensive line. Michael Strahan and Osi Umenyiora have made opposing tackles earn their pay this season. Justin Tuck has also come on strong this year. Antonio Pierce is one of the most underrated middle linebackers around, but the Giants are below average at both the weak and strong sides. The Giants’ corners, Aaron Ross and Sam Madison, have been banged up of late, but they will be ready to go on February 3. In order for the Giants to have a chance in this one, they’ll have to win the battle up front. This is where they match up with New England. If they can establish the ground game it’ll keep the ball away from Brady. Meanwhile, prevailing in the trenches defensively would force the all-world QB to get rid of the ball before he wants to.

Wednesday, January 30, 2008

The Recorder’s Super Bowl XLII Predictions

Kyle Dorau

Peter Collin

As much as it pains me, I just can’t find a reason to go against the new Evil Empire known as the Patriots. I wouldn’t be completely shocked if the Giants win thanks to Eli’s maturation as of late. Combine that with the fact that nobody expected them to make it this far, and they have nothing to lose. However, I’ve gotta go with the Pats. Patriots 24, Giants 20.

The Patriots haven’t gone 18-0 to throw out a clunker against the Giants. I would prefer it if this was the first Super Bowl to ever end in a tie, but alas my dream will probably go unfulfilled. It won’t be an easy game for the Pats especially after the Giants tasted blood in December. Their defense is old and the offense is coming back to earth, but like all of their championships, they’ll pull it out by the skin of their teeth. Patriots 24, Giants 21.

Staff Writer

Mike Luchene

Staff Writer

The Patriots are a much better team than the Giants. With that said, Randy Moss cries like a baby if he isn’t happy and the only NFL game I’ve attended was the “tuck rule” game. You know, the game that started New England’s dynasty. Brady admits he fumbled and it was so blatant that he actually had both hands on the ball before Charles Woodson knocked it free. Go Google it if you don’t believe me! Oh, and go Giants. Brian Morache

It seems that the New York-Boston rivalry has transcended baseball and has made it to the big stage: the Super Bowl. Boston has supplanted New York as the Evil Empire in the sports world, first with the Sox, the Celtics and of course it all began with the Patriots. What this means is that the Giants are now the enticing underdog. The Giants have the tools for the big upset, but the Patriots have that killer instinct. It was a close vote but The Recorder seems to lean toward the dark side with a close vote of 5-3. Here’s why:

Blue Devils Lose Second Straight in Final Seconds on Saturday The Central Connecticut men’s basketball team dropped its second straight game and fell to 9-12 overall and 5-5 in Northeast Conference play with a last-second 73-72 loss on the road at St. Francis (PA). The Blue Devils gained the lead 72-71 on the fourth three-pointer of the game by senior Tristan Blackwood but the shot by Bassirou Dieng with under six seconds to play won the game for the Red Flash. Blackwood finished with a game-high 21 points including four threes, giving him 299 for his career. St. Francis (PA) hit their first three three-point attempts in the first four minutes of the game and led 9-5 with 16:10 to play. The Blue Devils responded with 9-2 run over the next two minutes to take a 14-11 lead. The lead reached 10 at 32-22 with 5:25 to play before the break but the Red Flash would cut it to 34-30 with an 8-2 run in a five minute span. A pair of Blackwood freethrows right before half made it a six point game. The Blue Devils led 36-30 at the half and shot an impressive 59.1 percent (13-of-22) from the field and hit on 6-of-12 from three. They turned the ball over just five times and dished out nine assists before the break. They hit on 7-of-10 shots from inside three. CCSU hit 12 of their first 15 shots from the field and finished the half just 1-of-7 from the field. Blackwood led the Blue Devils with 11 points at the break and also dished out

Staff Writer

The Patriots will beat the Giants in the Super Bowl, not because the Giants are a bad team or don’t deserve to be there, but because the Patriots are overall a better team than the Giants. Bill Belicheck will have the Patriots prepared and since they have been ignoring the hype of a perfect season, they will weather the storm of Super Bowl week. It will be a great game, but another Patriots victory! Patriots 35, Giants 27.

five assists. Freshman Shemik Thompson added nine points on a career-high three three point baskets in the half. Junior Marcus Palmer had seven points and led all players with five rebounds. The lead reached eight twice in the first minute of the second half but the Red Flash continued to chip away and eventually tied the game at 50-50 with 11:07 to play and then took a 51-50 lead less than a minute later. The lead would change six times in the final 10:22 including twice in the final 13 seconds. With the game tied at 69-69 following two free-throws by Blackwood, the Red Flash used a jumper in the lane by Cale Nelson to take a 71-69 lead with 33 seconds to play. Following a Central Connecticut timeout Blackwood hit his fourth three of the game from the left corner to give CCSU the one point 72-71 lead. Dieng’s shot with six seconds to play iced the win for the Red Flash as a final three-point attempt by Blackwood was off the mark. In the second half the Red Flash shot an impressive 69.2 percent (18-of-26) from the field including 14-of-16 from inside three. Central Connecticut hit 11-of-20 shots from three-point range and shot 49.0 percent (25-of-51) from the floor in the game. They hit on just 12-of-29 (41.4 percent) from the floor in the second half and 11-of-15 from the free throw line in the game. Blackwood finished the game with 21 points and seven assists while Palmer added 17 points and nine rebounds. Freshman Ken Horton added 14 points while Thompson had 12 and four assists. The Blue Devils return to action next Saturday hosting Wagner at 4 p.m. at Detrick Gymnasium.

Victoria Wall

Sports Editor

Staff Writer

Nick Viccione

The New York Giants will defeat the New England Patriots for the simple fact that this team works well together. The NYG have solid, consistent players who work well together. From Eli Manning, to Jeremy Shockey, to Lawrence Tynes who made the game winning field goal in overtime against the Green Bay Packers. Super bowl XLII will be an exciting game to watch this year! Giants 39, Patriots 20.

I can guarantee one thing: the final line that Vegas will give this game will be too high. It will be hard to believe that the Patriots could make it this far without losing a game and then completely waste a perfect season with one game left. With both of those being said, I think the Patriots will wrap up a perfect season with another close Super Bowl victory. Patriots 24, Giants 20.

Christopher Boulay

Staff Writer

Ed gaug

Managing Editor

Entertainment Editor

The Giants are on a mission right now. Since the end of the season close loss against the Patriots, the Giants have played on a level not seen by fans in years. With Eli possibly coming into his own and establishing himself as a top quarterback and the defense playing as good as they have all year, the Patriots might have finally met their match. The weather will be warm and they are not playing at Giants Stadium, so the G-men might pull the shocker. Giants 28, Patriots 10.

This game will answer any questions if the New England Patriots are a true dynasty. After two weeks of talk about whether Tom Brady will play due to his injured right ankle, the Golden Boy will lead the Pats to a fourth Super Bowl championship in seven years and the Boston-area to their second title this year. Patriots 35, Giants 14.

Wade Registers Double-Double in 64-59 Northeast Conference Road Loss Sophomore P.J. Wade had her third double-double of the season, mathcing a season-high with 16 points while grabbing 10 rebounds, to lead Central Connecticut (3-17, 2-7) in a 64-59 Northeast Conference road loss versus St. Francis (PA) (6-13, 3-5). Freshman Kerrianne Dugan added 11 points and six rebounds for the Blue Devils. Freshman Alexzandria Dowdy ended a six minute, game-opening field goal drought for the Blue Devils with a fast break layin, and sophomore Emily Rose followed with a three-pointer to highlight a 7-2 run and cut CCSU’s deficit to 15-11. The Blue Devils would cut it to three when Wade followed her own miss with a short jumper. The margin was three, 24-21, with less than five minutes remaining in the opening 20 minutes, but SFPA went on an 8-0 run to reach its largest lead, a 32-21. Central Connecticut responded with five straight but went to the locker room trailing 34-26. Wade paced the Blue Devils with eight points and six rebounds in the first half. Senior Emily Bollinger had 16 points to lead St. Francis (PA). The Blue Devils outrebounded SFPA, 20-13, but turned the ball over 11 times. The Red Flash scored nine points off the miscues and out-shot Central Connecticut, 50 percent to 28 percent. CCSU hit all 10 of its free throw attempts. Freshman Justina Udenze scored six points to spark an 11-0 Blue Devil run over the

opening four minutes of the second half. The stretch gave Central Connecticut its first lead. St. Francis (PA) tied it at 45 but CCSU stayed in front until junior Shawna Scott hit a three with 6:20 left. The Red Flash went up 54-51. Wade tied it with a jumper and one and Central Connecticut forged back ahead with a 5-0 run. However, the Red Flash scored the game’s final eight points to earn the victory. The Blue Devils shot 53.2 percent in the second half and finished the game with a 36-26 rebounding advantage. Udenze had six points - all during the start of the second half - and nine rebounds for CCSU. Dowdy added nine points, while Rose totaled seven points, four steals and three assists. Bollinger, who was held to two points in the second half, finished with a game-best 18 points and led St. Francis (PA) with five boards. Sophomore Britney Hodges had 14 points and five assists. Scott ended the game with nine points and seven assists. Central Connecticut will head to Moon Township, PA for its next contest. The Blue Devils face Robert Morris at 7 p.m. on Monday, Jan. 28.

- ccsubluedevils.com

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Wednesday, January 30, 2008

Devils Down Hawks Kyle Dorau

Staff Writer

CCSU 9 Hawks 1 The CCSU Men’s Ice Hockey Team had stumbled over winter break, going 0-2-1 in their last three games, all road contests. It turns out all they needed was some home cooking. It had been 48 days since Central had played a game at the friendly confines of Newington Skating Center, but they didn’t show any rust in their return to home ice. The Blue Devils destroyed the Montclair State Red Hawks 9-1 Friday night thanks in large part to the offense provided by sophomore forward Joe Dabkowski and junior forward Mike Diclemente. “We added a couple of new guys, second semester players to the lineup, and that takes a little bit longer to jell,” said Central head coach Jim Mallin. “Getting home, we couldn’t wait for this game.” The action was very physical, but began sloppy, as neither team generated quality scoring opportunities until 2:41 mark of the first period. CCSU sophomore forward Mark Nine charged down the right wing, and was able to place a shot over the left shoulder of MSU netminder Kevin Fox to get the Blue Devils on the board, 1-0. Just five minutes later, sophomore forward Joe Dabkowski played the puck behind the net and found junior forward Mike Diclemente in the slot for a goal, increasing the lead to 2-0. CCSU (13-6-3) held strong during an impressive penalty kill that saw blocked shots by the defensive pairing of juniors Kevin Butler and Sean Cunningham. Sophomore goaltender assists from freshman forward Adam Goldstein and sophomore forward Ryan Paglinco to make it 9-1 and complete the rout of 5th ranked Montclair State University. Mallin was pleased with the collective effort of his team. “We had a lot of guys finishing for us; it wasn’t just one line tonight. We had a lot of guys stepping up their play and that’s what we’re going to need the rest of the way.” Central remained on track as they defeated Bryant College the following night, 5-2. Craig Height made 32 saves in the win, and Dabkowski continued his hot streak, netting a hat trick. CCSU has nothing but home games remaining on the schedule until postseason play, and they take to the ice on Friday, Feb. 1 against University of New Hampshire at the Newington Skating Center at 9 p.m.

Photos by Stephanie Bergeron

The Recorder

Carmine Vetrano denied J.T. Baxter of MSU on a breakaway as the first period was winding down. With Montclair State’s Joey Frasciello in the sin bin for contact to the head, CCSU would cash in, as sophomore forward AJ Maulucci dangled the puck around a Red Hawks defenseman along the left wing, buying some time for Dabkowski to get in position at the far post and find the back of the net to make it 3-0. CCSU got its first shorthanded goal of the season after some aggressive, physical forechecking by Mike Diclemente that sent Dabkowski on a breakaway. Dabkowski faked out Fox and stuff the puck forehand for his second goal of the evening to put the Blue Devils up 4-0. “We controlled the game once we started to hit,” said Dabkowski, who praised the fans who

came out for helping the team get energized. “When the crowd gets excited, we get excited.” Central kept the pressure on defensively, as junior defenseman Brett Holmes put his body on the line, throwing himself in front of a shot to squelch a 4 on 2 breakout by the Red Hawks. Montclair State (13-10-1) got on the board at 13:16 of the second frame, as Baxter banged home a rebound that Vetrano could not corral. That would be the only tally Montclair State would get, but CCSU was far from finished offensively. The Blue Devils answered right back to once again increase the lead to four. Freshman defenseman Ryan Beaulieu fired a low wrist shot on net, which senior forward Shawn Nutcher redirected past Fox. The Blue Devils chased Fox from the game as junior forward Craig Prema scored his third

goal of the season, assisted by Nutcher and junior forward Matt Williams to make it 7-1. New Red Hawks goaltender Charles Kemmelin was not treated any kinder by the Blue Devils offense, as Mike Diclemente took a nice feed from Maulucci and deposited it into the back of the net to earn the hat trick, and raise his goal total to 16 on the year. Despite the huge lead, Vetrano held down the fort back at the CCSU cage, making his best save of the night as he moved quickly to his left and made a kick save and firmly held the post with his left skate. The Central Connecticut net minder made 34 saves on the night to pick up his tenth win of the season Sophomore forward Dane Anderson and the Blue Devils put an exclamation point on the game as Anderson scored his second goal of the season with just seven seconds left with

Top: Junior defenseman Brett Holmes is mobbed by teammates after scoring a goal against Bryant Saturday night. Left: Sophomore forward Mark Nine celebrates after scoring a goal against Bryant.

MENS HOCKEY UPCOMING GAMES 2/1

Univ. of New Hampshire