SGA Elections - The Recorder

Transcription

SGA Elections - The Recorder
Volume 103 No. 9
http://clubs.ccsu.edu/recorder/
Wednesday, November 1, 2006
SGA Elections
Encounter Problems
Student Denies Allegations of Plagiarism
Christopher Boulay
News Editor
A former CCSU student is feeling
slighted by the school’s disciplinary system
after he was expelled for a form of plagiarism he swears he did not commit.
Matthew Coster, a 19-year-old junior,
was punished for allegedly copying a girl’s
final exam take home paper for Dr. Ronald
Moss’ Western Civilization II class. According to Coster, this is not at all what happened.
“I handed my paper in an hour before
the deadline in my professor’s mailbox. I
double checked that it was in the mailbox and
it was the only one in the mailbox. A week
later Dr. Moss sent me an email saying that
he did not have the paper,” Coster said.
Coster said that he later received a call
from Dr. Moss that said that both Coster’s
paper along with another girl’s paper were
almost identical.
“Moss accused me of plagiarizing the
paper,” Coster said.
Coster believes that Moss came to this
conclusion because he said the girl is an A
student. Coster adamantly denied plagiarizing the paper, and even went to the lengths
of bringing his computer to a forensics lab
to prove that the timestamps of his paper
were true to his side of the story and that no
one tampered with the timestamps, because
his professor doubted the timestamps were
accurate.
“I finished the paper on Sunday night
at 1 a.m. and printed it. I had an exam the
next day at 2 p.m. and then I went home and
proofread the paper. I fixed the mistakes
I had and then went to hand it in. I did not
tamper with the timestamp,” said Coster.
Coster also met with Christopher
Dukes, the University Judicial Director, and
said that Dukes seemed to think that he com-
See Student Denies Allegations pg 2
President Miller Visits
Faculty Senate,
Confronts Criticism
Melissa Traynor
Staff Writer
John Petroski
Staff Writer
The Student Government Association
elections took place last week, and if the low
voter turnout is any indication, hardly anyone
noticed. Of course, that might be a blessing
to the SGA, as the elections were plagued by a
host of problems which culminated in the need
to re-run the elections for resident senators.
The need for a re-run of the resident senator seats was caused by a clerical error. One
candidate who was running for a resident seat
was registered as a commuter, and this was not
noticed until after the elections were already
done. Only 184 ballots were tallied in last
week’s main elections.
Sarah Horrax, a senator on the Elections
Committee, felt that delays in advertising the
elections were partly to blame for the low
turnout.
“There were a lot of things getting in our
way this year,” she said. “We would put in
requests for [advertising] and we would get the
poster, but there would be wrong information
on it and so we couldn’t post it. We would
have to get it redone week after week. It was
hard to get the correct information out there.”
SGA President Christopher Brine made it
clear that no one person was at fault for these
problems.
“The low voter turnout and any other
problems associated with this election were
not the fault of any one person. We have a
unified senate and we will stand together in all
of our actions this year,” said Brine. “There
were things that every person could have done
to help the elections, and for that we are all to
blame. As President I will take my share of
the blame as well.”
Although these elections had their share
of problems, Horrax was optimistic for elections in the future, citing new strategies aimed
at raising voter turnout.
“I think that [SGA elections] will be better in the future, especially in the spring,” she
said. “We want to [offer electronic voting] so
more people know about them and it’s easier
to vote. We [also] want to have some bigger
attractions and have students involved in doing
something while they’re voting.”
Despite the low voter turnout and the
Resident Senator fiasco, the freshmen, commuter and at-large senator races proceeded
without a hitch.
Javier Ceja, Kelley Fournier, Erika Garcia
and Bryan Perri won the Freshmen Senator seats. Maggie Albert, Lindsay Faucher,
Peter Krol, Anita Oile, Andrew Russo, Mark
Rutkowski and Melissa Traynor all ran uncontested for Commuter Senator seats. Darryl
Glover, also running uncontested, took the
at-large seat.
This influx of new blood should prove
beneficial to CCSU as a whole, as the newlyelected senators seemed eager to start working
for their constituents. Erika Garcia, a freshman, hoped to better the school experience of
minority students.
See SGA Elections pg 3
At a Faculty Senate meeting on Monday,
October 23, President Jack Miller addressed
six questions that the Senate had prepared for
him. The questions cited incidences such as
problems in shared governance and disturbances during the Student Affairs reorganization.
All questions were worded in order to
invoke Miller’s own opinions and some more
specifically to ask for guidance and instructions.
Recently criticized for his decision-making process for promotion and tenure, Miller
defended his procedures at the meeting.
“In regards to the evaluation of teaching, the information presented was not distinguishing among individuals,” said Miller of
his findings.
He mentioned four cases in which his
own decisions clashed with every other level
of review. Miller did propose that future
cases should be conducted with the underlying support for faculty in mind.
The Faculty Senate also introduced the
topic of the changes in Student Affairs. In
response to a question inquiring whether
Miller was satisfied with the proposed reorganization, Miller stated that he agrees with
its overall ideals, but does not believe in the
far-reaching qualities of the reform.
“The organizational structure cannot
have great or broad changes. I believe in
the people, the individuals, but I don’t think
any drastic changes should come from this,”
Miller said.
The Senate also drew on concerns for
recreation and posed the question, “What can
be done in the future to assure that services
Source: ccsu.edu
are not interrupted by changes in the administrative structure of the university?”
Instead of suggesting a plan for improvement, Miller addressed the previous
management of recreation.
“The part-time positions that were
responsible for recreation were not enough. If
we did lose something, it was not that good to
begin with,” said Miller.
In response to the same question, Miller
excluded himself from the current situation by explaining that the CSU Board of
Trustees had approved the reorganization
plan originally. In regards to the absence of
a recreation coordinator, Miller said “The
debate period over the plan was the reason
for such a delay.”
Attending to the input desired from the
University Planning and Budget Committee, Miller did however raise the issues of
Central’s graduation rate and the needs of
the faculty. He immediately proposed viable
ways to correct these problems.
In his explanation of Central’s 40
percent graduation rate, Miller said “We
are keeping more students in school, but not
graduating many of them. The best thing to
do is look at role models, for example, the
athletes. These students have people who
make sure that they maintain an acceptable
GPA. They’re called coaches.”
Miller also mentioned that the University has funded 14 new faculty positions and
wants to see improvements made to increase
resources for the faculty. He proposed
See President Miller pg 3
Hairston Rushes Past Record
Flogging
Molly
Interview
Page 7
Movie
Reviews
Page 8
Page 11
News
2
Wednesday, November 1, 2006
The Recorder
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The Recorder is a student-produced
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State University and does not necessarily represent, in whole or in part,
the views of CCSU’s administrators,
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property of the Recorder and may not
be reproduced or published without
the written permission from the Editorin-Chief.
The purpose of the Recorder is to approach and define issues of importance to the students of Central Connecticut State University.
International Human Rights Campaigner Comes to CCSU
Mark Rutkowski
Copy Editor
Professor Chengiah Ragaven, who spent
five years in prison and over a decade in exile for his major role in the struggle to end
apartheid in his native South Africa, has been
nominated as a visiting distinguished scholar
in the Africana Center Studies Program.
Despite having taught all over the world
including England, South Africa, Canada and
the United States, Professor Ragaven is particularly excited about the opportunities he
sees at CCSU.
“My position in the academic world is
not in the ivory tower,” he said. “Sometimes
the job-objective mentality common in universities can emasculate an entire population
of students. But there is a freshness here at
Central; it seems to have a vibration. If this
university continues to develop as it has, I feel
it could become one of the leading educational
institutions in the country.”
Professor Ragaven will be teaching
courses on international human rights and the
rights of women and children in Africa, Asia
and Latin America. Many faculty members
are excited about his visit and the possibilities
it possesses.
“His knowledge is not merely theoretical,” said Professor Evelyn Phillips of the anthropology department. “Chengiah fought
with Nelson Mandela against apartheid in
South Africa. He works to ensure that justice
exists among all people.”
“My courses will look at the current crises in the world,” said Ragaven. “They will
examine political, economic, and social systems and in what ways they present a challenge
to the basic human rights of people throughout
the world.”
Professor Ragaven supports student activism and believes the youth remain an important part of popular movements.
“I still have enormous faith that students
can and will act as a catalyst for social change
as they did in the 1960s and ‘70s. I can see
this already,” he said. “I have been engaged
in student activities all over the world for the
last 50 years; I have seen students protest in
Tiananmen Square in China, in the Ukraine,
in Paris and Mexico and I have been inspired
by them all.”
According to Ragaven, professors as well
as students have a responsibility to take action against the inequalities and injustices of
society.
“That is the hallmark of intellectual
thought,” he said. For centuries educators
have been the harbingers of truth. Our very
profession demands that we challenge any violations of universal moral standards. It’s underwritten in what scholarship is all about. As
Dr. Martin Luther King once said that ‘there is
no neutrality in a moral crisis.’”
From an early age, Professor Ragaven
was focused on the self-determination of oppressed people. One event in particular drove
him to action and helped to solidify his political beliefs.
“I was the head of the Student Union at
Fair Encourages Healthier Living for Students
Christopher Boulay
the University of Natal when the Sharpeville
massacre occurred. 67 innocent protesters
were killed and thousands were injured by the
police. The South African government banned
all liberation organizations including the African National Congress that I was a member
of and which was headed by Nelson Mandela.
This incident awakened the consciousness of
the world against apartheid.”
Professor Ragaven asserts that although
apartheid, a form of racial segregation legal in
South Africa for decades, came to an end in
1994, Africa continues to face problems that
endanger the lives of its people.
“Things have not improved very much
in South Africa. This is due to 500 years of
pillage and destruction of the African psyche.
Our continued dependence on new imperialist
economies does not allow for the development
of any independent nations. The World Bank
and IMF policies also continue to exploit Africa.”
Professor Ragaven spent three years at
the new Parliament of South Africa as a Research Associate to the Department of Foreign
Affairs and was head of the African National
Council in Quebec. He has also been a research associate at the Simone de Bueauvoir
Women’s Institute at Concordia University in
Montreal, and has read for degrees from Natal, London, Oxford, Cambridge and McGill
universities.
Student Denies Allegations
Continued from pg 1
News Editor
The CCSU Health Fair took place in the
Student Center’s Alumni Hall last Tuesday to
help promote healthier living.
The fair was sponsored by the Exercise
Science Club as well as The Chickering
Group, an Aetna company that takes care of
CCSU insurance. The hospital was paid for
by the Chickering group as well.
Erin Battista, the President of the Exercise Science Club, helped run the event for the
second year in a row. “This is an annual event
that includes businesses from all over the area
that promote health,” she said.
The event had over 25 vendors participate. This is an increase from previous years.
“This is only my second year involved
with the health fair and last year we only had
15 vendors,” Battista said.
New Britain General Hospital helped
at the event giving glucose and cholesterol
screenings. According to Battista, Jim Pugliese, the NBGH representative, was booked
in the early morning for all of the day’s
screenings. The club is going to attempt
to have more hospital representatives at
the fair next year to try to better meet
the demands.
Regarding the two booths,
Battista said, “These two vendors
were definitely the two busiest
at the event.”
CCSU Health Services
gave flu shots to those
with their own insurance
for $20. For students who had health insurance given by the school, the flu shots were
free. According to Battista, they gave 250
vaccinations.
Blood pressure screenings as well as a
body fat assessment and nutritional information were also offered at the event. Chiropractors and massage therapists were some of the
physical therapy booths that were at the fair.
The wide range of events was able to give
students a balanced look at their health and to
find ways to improve it.
There was a door prize to the person who
could guess the number of candy corn in a
jar, as well as other giveaways, such as CCSU
t-shirts.
Matt Bieniek, a freshman, as well as
Ralph Szczygla and C.J. Palmisano, seniors,
went to the event. All three students said that
they learned a lot from the event’s booths and
presentations.
Bieniek said regarding the alcohol
information he listened to at the fair, “I did
not know five beers is considered binge
drinking.”
The Exercise Science Club is a
group of physical education students
that are interested in the concentration of exercise sciences. The
club sponsors the event every
year, and also takes part in
spring week with an activity or tournament.
mitted the crime. “[Dukes] tried to get me to confess by
threatening criminal charges and emphasizing how bad plagiarism is,” said Coster.
Coster had a hearing two weeks later
with his lawyer, as well as his two roommates, to plead his case. He also mentioned
that the girl involved was there, whom he
calls “Ms. X” because he does not know her
name.
“If I knew her name, it would be pretty
obvious I plagiarized. I have no idea who
the girl is,” he said.
The hearing went on for four hours
because of the large amount of evidence
presented. Two weeks later, Coster received
a call that said he lost the hearing. He was
able to appeal and did so. Before the appeal
occurred, Coster and his family confronted
President Jack Miller to see if he would be
able to attend class until the final decision
was made. Miller allowed Coster to do this
until the results from the appeal came back
and he was then officially expelled.
At this point Coster and his attorney
are exploring legal options and are not sure
what to do.
Coster had a message that he wants
every student to know regarding handing in
papers.
“I want to let people know that papers
handed into a mailbox are not safe. Dukes
even told me before he accused me of committing the crime that this has actually happened in the past.”
Because of legal reasons, Dukes could
not comment on the specific issue of Coster,
but he did say that the CCSU disciplinary
system goes through six distinct steps before
an absolute final decision has been made.
Dr. Moss was not immediately available
for comment.
3
Wednesday, November 1, 2006
SSI Survey Allows “Can You Love God and Sex?”— Answer still up for discussion
Students to Rate Susan Kondracki
Campus Life
Staff Writer
Jessica Carraro
Staff Writer
Students can provide feedback on issues
important to them by completing the Noel
Levitz Student Satisfaction Inventory survey
online November 6-17.
The survey deals with topics such as
advising, safety, campus environment and
student life. It is available at http://www.ccsu.
edu/ssi and can be completed 24 hours a day.
Students can list their satisfaction with several
aspects as well as voice how important these
issues are to them. The results will be reported
back to CCSU, along with the results of similar
four-year universities.
Students have the possibility of receiving
many prizes for completing the survey. These
include 16 reserved residence hall spots, $1,000
towards spring tuition, tickets to the spring
weekend concert and 11 reserved faculty parking spots for the entire spring semester. Two
groups of 32 students will receive lunch with
the President.
Lauren A. Payne, a student affairs graduate intern, and Taj Tsonga, university assistant
to the vice president of student affairs, are
co-chairpersons of SSI 2006. They both agree
that higher education is very data-driven and
students’ feedback can produce hard data so
that changes can be made, especially with the
shrinking budget.
Tsonga said, “The more input, the better
outcome.”
The survey is in the same format as last
year where participation was 29 percent. Some
changes made based on the results were Devils
Den at 10 p.m., the first overnight orientation to experience campus life, a new student
advisory committee for the vice president of
student affairs, and the launch of a new recreation program, RecCentral.
Payne and Tsonga hope more students will
participate in the survey to help give administration a better picture of what students want.
“The survey is very instrumental in helping to address student concerns,” said Payne.
Focus groups will also be used to help
develop strategies for the improvement of
campus life. Tsonga said, “Your opinion really
matters.”
The group has a Myspace page at
http://www.myspace.com/ccsu.4ssi.
The forum entitled “Can You Love God
and Sex” stirred opinions and riled up the
audience with questions about relationships
and religion. While occasionally straying
from civil discourse, the discussion amused
and interested the audience.
The event was put on by the Phi Beta
Sigma Fraternity in the Student Center last
Tuesday and attracted a full house.
When asked what inspired this controversial talk, Phi Beta Sigma president, Steven
Fabius stated, “We were coming up with
different ideas and we wanted to put together
a forum about concepts that people don’t
necessarily talk about.”
This brainstorming period sparked such
topics and questions as, “Why do black men
cheat?” “What are some personal feelings
about relationships?” and the main topic of
the evening, “How does one balance religious
views and sex?” Thus the title “Can you love
God and Sex?” was born.
The talk, mainly consisting of questions
about relationships rather than God and how
religion affects relationships, posed several
thought-provoking questions and certainly
produced interesting, blunt and sometimes
outlandish answers.
For example, Fabius prompted the
Once the ultimate question “Can you
love God and sex?” was addressed, one
could not hear one voice over the other in
the crowded room. The debate went back
and forth projecting both sides of the argument. One student claimed two aspects; it’s
intertwined because an inner battle with
temptation is always there. Others said it was
possible to have sex and love God at the same
time although it goes against the Bible. One
conclusion was a sin is a sin and no one is
sinless.
Although the talk was rather out of
control at times, many people felt it was a
worthwhile event, not to mention extremely
entertaining.
Taryn Bonner found the forum very
diverse, “A lot of different schools were
represented. Zeta Phi Beta from UMass and
Phi Beta Sigma from Wesleyan University
also attended and that gave it a diverse feel.”
She continued on to say that it was great to
see people coming together to share their
opinions.
On the other hand, onlooker Kristy Harrison said, “It was fun, but I thought it was
more disorganized than I thought it would be
and it took them way too long to get to the
main focus of God.”
Author Encourages CCSU’s Black Fraternities, Sororities
Ariel James
Lifestyles Editor
CCSU’s Black Student Union and Phi
Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc. brought Lawrence
Ross, author of Divine Nine: The History of
African American Fraternities and Sororities,
who spoke to students about the importance
of joining black Greek organizations last
Thursday night in Founder’s Hall.
He gave suggestions on what students
should do to get started if they have interest in
Greek letter organizations, and also touched
on things such as hazing.
Since its publication in 2000, Divine
Nine has been the premier resource to learning about black non-pan-hellenic fraternities
and sororities.
Ross, a member of Alpha Phi Alpha
Fraternity, Inc., compiled extensive research
since there weren’t any other books on the
subject and many people don’t know the history of the Greek organizations.
“I figured if I didn’t have much information on African American fraternal organizations,” said Ross. “I figured people on college
SGA Elections
President Miller
“I want to be a Latina with an important
duty and for me that is to represent not only
Latinos but all other minorities as well,” she
said. “I want to make sure [minorities] are
heard in the best way possible while I have
this position.”
Lindsay Faucher hoped to close the gap
between commuter and resident students.
“I truly feel that there is a distance
between commuter and resident students. A
lot of commuters don’t feel as if they are a
part of the CCSU community,” she explained.
Adding, “All students make up our community, and I hope to prove this by putting on
programs that will attract all students in order
for them to meet.”
Although the SGA elections did feature
their share of problems, it would be fair to say
they also served CCSU students well.
This article went to print before the
resident senator elections could be re-run, and
thus the winners were unknown.
that full-time staff take on at least three full
courses per semester, in comparison to the
existing 2.8 teaching load.
“We need to look at how courses and
teachers are deployed. The ideal would be
that a full-time professor would teach three
sections to twenty-one students for three credits,” said Miller.
Miller’s visit at the meeting was videotaped and will be available for viewing soon
on the Faculty Senate website.
Continued from pg 1
female audience with, “What are the good
and bad things about men?” The crowd’s
response was anything but civil.
One female responded with something
to the effect of, “Men are looking for a
counselor, looking for a cook...they want you
to do their laundry, cook their food and on
top of that rub their backs. I don’t have time
for that.”
The banter continued as the men were
asked the same question about women.
One male responded with, “Women push
the relationship idea too fast and they always
carry baggage from past relationships as well
as bring along the drama.”
The societal idea of the double-standard
concerning the sexual behaviors of men and
women was also addressed and at that point,
one could cut the tension in the room with a
knife.
This prompted the question, “Why does
sleeping with several women make men the
almighty hero, whereas women are viewed in
obscene ways if they do the same with men?”
One individual gave a rather forthright
answer implying their simply was no answer.
He basically stated that it is widely accepted
for women to have smaller number of sexual
partners than men.
Continued from pg 1
campuses didn’t have information on African
American organizations either.”
There are five fraternities (Alpha Phi
Alpha Fraternity, Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity,
Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Iota Phi Theta
Fraternity and Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity) and
four sororities (Delta Sigma Theta Sorority,
Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Sigma Gamma
Rho Sorority and Zeta Phi Beta Sorority)
There have been nearly two-million
black college students initiated into the organizations since the millennium and there are
over 600 chapters of each one worldwide.
However, membership into the organizations is currently in decline and Ross does not
know why.
Ross explained that he crawled through
attics and sat with members of black organizations for hours to learn more about them.
Since he is an Alpha, he said that he didn’t
want to have “fraternal bias” when considering the other organizations.
“Fraternal bias is very destructive,” he
said.
Ross stressed that joining an organization isn’t all about parties and “throwing up
signs” at every given chance. Community
service, making friends and paying dues are
equally important to a member’s contributions.
He joked a lot throughout the lecture,
but the hazing issue was no laughing matter.
“Hazing burdens us from one year to the
next,” said Ross.
Ross feels that people shouldn’t be
subjected to hazing because it not only hurts
the pledge but the organization also. “I care
about the actions you carry outside of your
organization,” he said.
Commitment into any Greek letter
organization continues well after a student’s
college career is over.
“You can’t look at it as a part-time job,”
said Ross. “It’s a 24-hour job. Sometimes
you have to take some of the hard work with
the hard tasks.”
Opinion/Editorial
4
Wednesday, November 1, 2006
Editorial
Several weeks ago, the Editorial Board of The Recorder
was presented with the referendum that the CCSU Antiwar
Referendum Committee has been circulating around campus.
During the course of discussion regarding the content of the
referendum, the board collectively chose to reject giving it an
endorsement.
Although The Recorder applauds the committee for its
efforts in continuing to maintain a raised awareness of the
conflict that continues to endanger the lives of our friends,
family and fellow students, we could not help but take issue
with several facets of the document.
The editors showed adamant support of anything expressing both contempt for the policy decision to enter Iraq
initially and support for a strategy that would bring about
the return of our troops in a peaceful manner with minimal
casualties for all parties involved. There was no doubt shown
that the U.S. government entered Iraq with at least a level of
hubris, believing they had the right to engage in a conflict that
ultimately has proven to be flawed in its execution certainly
and in its justification probably.
Nevertheless, both the form and content of the statement
that ARC has chosen shows an equal level of hubris. Both the
manner in which they attempted to establish the validity of
their stance and the stance itself fail to meet the standards to
which the discussion on such a grave manner ought to be held.
First, that they are circulating this as a petition to which
they have sought campus organizations as signatories is circumspect. Every single one of these groups has an absolute
right to express their views on any issue facing society. Similarly, the newspaper has the right to reject their views on the
basis that they lack any qualification for devising such a view.
We simply do not look to Women Involved Now, Christian
Students at Central or Latin American Student Organization
for guidance on defense policy, just as no one on campus
looks to The Recorder for assistance with statistics homework. It is the wrong source for that information. Furthermore, the groups granting endorsement that were comprised
of inherently informed members were largely partisan or
associated directly with members of ARC and, therefore, of
little significance in swaying the opinion of the editors.
To that end, the call for an immediate withdrawal by
such a collection can be taken with a moderate level of seriousness at best. It is certain that there must be a movement
within society constantly pressuring the administration to get
our men and women home as soon as possible. Otherwise
we are at peril of becoming a nation too comfortable with the
idea of sending people into combat. However, to suggest that
this collection student organizations with so little training in
policy development, international affairs or military strategy
could devise a plan so ingenious that it would surely bring
about peace and prosperity for Americans and Iraqis alike
when some of the finest minds of this generation of leaders
cannot is laughable.
The situation is frustrating. People want to see change
and they want to see it fast. So many troops and their families
are sick and tired of being sick and tired. But we have a
responsibility to ourselves and to the world to seek out a thorough and comprehensive solution. Our democracy demands
that everyone be involved in coming up with this solution and
these debates are valuable. However, we cannot lose sight
of the fact that these problems are complicated and simple,
feel-good answers do not help. Once again, The Recorder
acknowledges ARC for the work it is doing, but we think that
they can do better.
Letters to the Editor
To the Editor,
In response to Christopher Hutchinson’s
opinion piece in the October 16, 2006 edition
of The Recorder, “Being Pro-Life in Public
Makes Us Pro-Choice in Back Alleys,” he is
missing an important point: There are two
people involved in this scenario, the mother
and the unborn child. “Being pro-life in
public” means that we stand up for the value of
every human life, including the life of the child
in the womb. Every human life is precious.
Every human life is a gift.
Here in the United States, our founding
fathers sought to preserve this ideal. In the
Declaration of Independence, Thomas Jefferson wrote:
“We hold these truths to be self-evident,
that all men are created equal, that they are
endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty
and the pursuit of Happiness.”
At the most basic level, “unalienable
Rights” are the natural rights possessed by
man under the Laws of Nature. Life is the first
of these rights, and no other human being has
the right to deny another his or her life. Abortion kills a human life.
In his book The American Ideal of 1776:
The Twelve Basic American Principles, Hamilton Albert Long states, “There is a duty, or
responsibility, to God as the giver of these unalienable rights: a moral duty – to keep secure
and use soundly these gifts, with due respect
for the equal rights of others and for the right
of Posterity to their just heritage of liberty.
Since this moral duty cannot be surrendered,
bartered, given away, abandoned, delegated or
otherwise alienated, so is the inseparable right
likewise unalienable.”
An individual does not have the right
to destroy innocent human life, like that of
the unborn child. His article quotes many
statistics about the “back alley” alternatives
if our government were to reverse the Supreme Court’s decision on Roe v. Wade. The
Supreme Court’s decision in this case does
not make the taking of a human life morally
correct. All it does is ease the conscience of
those who partake in the act of abortion. Your
statistics fail to point out what happens after
the fact. Besides ending the life of the child in
the womb, abortion also affects the life of the
mother (and the father) as they begin to realize the moral implications which their action
brings.
Every life is precious. Every life is a gift.
No one has the right to deny another his or her
life. The child in the womb cannot speak, and
so, therefore, we must.
Sincerely,
Sister Anna Rose Kalinowski
In Response to “Older are the Wiser”
Okay, so I read this two-part series in
the archives. It made me realize that older
does not necessarily equal wiser or take
away someone’s naïveté. Unfortunately, for
young adults the only thing that can do this is
actually LIVING a life—not solely through
records or television, but through experiencing the world outside of some self-imposed
bubble.
These are the facts:
1. DJs are paid payola for spin time on
records. The record companies promoting
artists like Clive Barkley will pay enormous
amounts of money to get their songs heard on
pop stations. Essentially, DJs sell out to play
what will get them a few dollars. It’s well
documented, so read about it.
2. Nobody should get this defensive
about artists like Sir Paul, Tom Petty, Bob
Dylan, etc. These musicians have more
money than the college, and I don’t mean
combined. They could care less about how
much airtime they get. In a sense, they have
reached REM status because they have developed a huge, non-commercial audience.
3. Taylor Hicks actually plays several
instruments. He used to be picked up by
alternative radio stations before he tried out
for American Idol for want of things like “eating.” He’s actually an excellent musician. Go
online and check out clips from his CD Under
the Radar. It’s got a new, fresh sound with an
old, bluesy feel. You’d probably love it.
Enjoy life and don’t get so blown away
by what the record companies do. They don’t
run our lives; they can’t make us listen. Just
turn the dial, pop in a CD or plug in your
iPod.
Anonymous
If you have any questions, concerns or comments concerning The
Recorder, please feel free to send a
letter to the Editor at ccsurecorder@
gmail.com
Letters must include a name and
should not be much longer than 200
words. The Recorder reserves the
right to edit letters how we see fit.
In Response To “World Series, Does
Anyone Really Care”
Ed’s Note: This was submitted the morning
before St. Louis won the World Series.
Dear Chris,
Does anyone really care? I freaking do! And I’m perfectly content being
one of the sole pursuers of mlb.com in the
Marcus White Lab. You, for one, as a fan
of baseball, should be content watching the
inexperienced Tigers try to ride their high
of defeating the Yankees all the way to the
championship. Note I said try.
While most of the “experts” sided with
you, who predicted a 4-1 Tigers win, every
single Cardinal fan knew it could be different. The Cardinals may not have had a ring
since 1982, but they’ve come damn close
enough times—making them one of the most
experienced playoff teams. The Tigers as
a team are mere babies. The heart of the
Cardinals team has been playing together
for upwards of five years. The Tigers have
found great pitching in their rookies. The
Cardinals have had a great pitching coach
for years.
If I were an expert, I would have never
called the Cards “underdogs.” But I’m quite
glad that they were. St. Louis has an amazing fighting spirit, especially when they’re
told they can’t do something. Can’t beat
the Padres? Done. Can’t beat the Mets?
Done and done. And barring a repeat of the
1968 series the Cardinals will win their first
World Series Championship since 1982. The
experts will call it an upset, the biggest surprise in October. But to the fans and players
of St. Louis it was just another postseason,
only this time, they will hopefully get what
they deserve.
Maria Millburg
5
Wednesday, November 1, 2006
Capital Punishment All About Justice
Gerald Liles
Independent Florida Alligator (U. Florida)
Source: aljazeera.com
No war with Iran!
Bring the Troops Home Now, from Iraq and Afghanistan!
Vote “Yes” to CCSU’s Anti-war referendum
CCSU Antiwar Referendum Committee
Fellow students, the current wars in Iraq and Afghanistan are waged under the false pretense of an imminent threat to the United States of America. No weapons of mass destruction have been found even though the Bush administration guaranteed their existence.
Rather than make life safer, the United States’ actions have severely destabilized the
region, opened up space for terrorist organizations and aided the ascendancy of reactionary
fundamentalist leadership. In Afghanistan and Iraq, U.S. troops have not been employed
as liberators hailing democratic reconstruction, but occupiers sent to divide and crush the
population, and enable massive plunder. They have been received as such.
Saddam’s torture chambers have been put back to work. Ethnic conflicts have been
institutionalized within the so-called security forces. Vast sectors of the economy are being
sold to the highest international bidder. Unemployment swells. Women are confined to their
homes. Protestors are shot. Newspapers are outlawed.
What kind of prosperity can be created with bunker busting missiles and depleted uranium munitions? What democracy will come from curfews, check-points and torture? Iraqis
are being robbed of their rights to determine their own future.
$317 billion have been spent fighting the war in Iraq alone. This money could have
supplied over 15 million U.S. students with scholarships for four years to public universities. Most appallingly, the war diverted the levy repair funds, national guardsmen and rescue
equipment that could have prevented thousands of deaths from Hurricane Katrina. If U.S.
operations escalate in Iraq and Afghanistan, including a looming war with Iran, further
funds will be diverted from America’s students and working people in order to fight immoral
wars. Katrina-level disasters will become the norm.
The Lancet recently published an exhaustive study showing that more than 400,000
civilians have lost their lives from the United States’ pursuit of wealth and power in Iraq
alone. Over 3,000 American troops have been killed; many are students who should be at
home attending a university. How many more will die before we learn that the government is
not fighting for our safety or “democracy?”
Proposals for a “phased withdrawal” are tactics employed by the U.S. war-makers to
crush Iraqis and Afghanis more cheaply and effectively while staving off a growing wave of
opposition at home. These proposals inherently assume that the United Stats has a right to
invade and occupy another country. This notion is no different than the notion that a master
benefits his slaves, possesses the right to own them, and to free them at his leisure. Support
for “phased withdrawal” will only allow war-makers more time and authority to divide up
Iraq and install puppet rulers akin to the former U.S. ally, Saddam Hussein. No politician
will end these wars. It will take a mass movement of Americans, especially students, to
bring an immediate end to the wars against Iraq and Afghanistan and stop a potential war
with Iran.
CCSU students must stand together and proclaim, “Bring the Troops Home Now from
Iraq and Afghanistan! No war with Iran!”
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(U-WIRE) GAINESVILLE, Fla. -- Five
days ago, our state government fed a man,
laid him in a gurney, restrained him and
injected a lethal toxin into his bloodstream,
ending his life. Danny Rolling is buried
now -- literally history -- but the debate over
capital punishment is alive and well.
On picket signs and newspaper
columns, many wondered, “What is this
supposed to accomplish?” My answer to that
question would be justice -- but I fear that,
to many, justice is nothing more than a label
for what is useful, efficient or economically
viable.
Most of the arguments against capital
punishment fit one of those categories, and
they are foundationally barbaric. Are we
to base whether or not we kill someone on
finances? In that case, we could emulate
China, where the families of the executed
must pay to claim the body.
Forgive me, Chinese prisons don’t do
that anymore -- they’ve found they can turn a
profit by selling the dead prisoners’ organs.
Supporting capital punishment because
of its preventative effects is a little less reprehensible, but by no means a sufficient reason.
If it were, why not execute drunk drivers
after their first offense? That would prevent
thoughtlessness about finding a designated
driver -- and probably save lives.
Finally, if all licensed psychologists
in the world agreed that killing a murderer
has a healing effect on the victim’s grieving loved ones, that still would not merit
the practice. If you watch five interviews
with parents, siblings and friends of murder
victims, you will see that people cope and recover in different ways. We cannot adapt the
punishment to help the grieving recuperate.
So if we brush away the utilitarian arguments in favor of capital punishment, what’s
left underneath? Something simple and more
essential: a value. I am afraid I have nothing
more compelling to offer.
We tend to see the justice system in
purely practical terms -- putting criminals
in jail so they can’t commit crimes anymore
-- but justice is valuable in its own right, as
a substantive prescription for how we should
punish the guilty. And part and parcel of that
is the belief that an individual person is so
valuable that his or her murder negates the
worth of the murderer.
You might be thinking, “Well, doesn’t
that mean the executioner’s life is negated
too?” No. It is important here to distinguish
between killing and murdering. Killing is
the act of ending someone’s life. Murder, a
subcategory, is to do so without justification.
To deny the difference is to say there’s no
meaningful distinction between an ambitious
drug dealer and a girl defending herself from
rape if they both kill someone.
I recall explaining to my father as a
young boy that he did not have to spank me
for coming home after dark the third time
in as many evenings, because I finally had
a grasp of how short dusk really was. He
assured me that while he completely believed
me, punishment was about more than correction -- it was about justice. And it still is. On
Wednesday, Danny Rolling became the ninth
victim of his actions. Justice demanded it.
Entertainment
6
Wednesday, November 1, 2006
interview
John Legend
Once Again
My Chemical Romance
The Black Parade
Lifestyles Editor
Staff Writer
Ariel James
Ed Gaug
John Legend dazzled us as he tickle the
ivories and almost single-handedly saved
R&B music with his first album Get Lifted,
and he continues to amaze his listeners on his
latest studio album Once Again.
The three-time Grammy winner and
singer/songwriter had a gritty, beat-driven
sound the first time around and it sounded as
though he was desperate to capture a mainstream audience.
On the contrary, Once Again has a more
mellow sound where his piano is the only
other featured musical talent.
He teams up with mega-producers
Kanye West and from the Black Eye Peas,
will.i.am. As well as Raphael Saadiq, from
the group Tony! Toni! Toné!, on bass and
drums, to create a masterpiece with new
essences. Think of the piano version of John
Mayer’s Heavier Things.
In the song “Each Day Gets Better” and
“Where Did My Baby Go,” Legend, whose
real name is John Stephens, channeled late
crooner Sam Cooke, Stevie Wonder and the
Temptations for this feel-good Motown-like
song.
Like any other R&B album, this one is
centered around falling into and out of love
or finding a lost love. In “P.D.A. (We Just
Don’t Care),” Legend speaks on showing his
affections to his girlfriend. “You know I love
it when you’re lovin’ me/Sometimes it’s better when it’s publicly.”
In “Again,” my favorite song, he sings of
a former love that is within his reach, yet so
far away. “Fleeting joy and fading ecstasy/
here we go again/Seeking fruit from the forbidden tree/sweet taste of sin/and I’m doing it
again/yes, I’m doing it again.”
“Maxine” reminds me of a jazzy,
snap-your-fingers-to-the-beat, sit in a dark,
smoky-lounge type of song. “I happened
to notice the girl in the light shade of blue/I
happened to see her/the sight of her leaves me
confused/She may not be you/She looks just
like you.”
Legend may be 27-years-old, but his
sound has matured to well beyond his years.
You can picture him singing every song, and
playing every note flawlessly.
Throughout all of the love, Legend finds
time to write about the hurt. “Stereo” tells a
story about a woman who only loves Legend
because he is famous. “She fell in love with
the radio/It wasn’t really me/So, I had to
let her go/’Cause I knew the DJ back in her
hometown/She likes to get around/As much
as she gets down.”
If you were expecting a Get Lifted part
two, you won’t find it here. Once Again is an
album music fan should add to their collection.
Gerard Way, you aren’t Davey Havok,
Matt Skiba, Freddie Mercury or even Jack
Skellington, no matter how hard you try to
sound or even look like them. You are the
lead singer of New Jersey-based My Chemical Romance, and you just released the awful
album The Black Parade that will no doubt
rule the CD players of every high school
girl that owns a studded belt and black eye
makeup.
My Chemical Romance isn’t anything
new and this is actually their third fulllength release. The one thing you will notice
about this album is how it strays away from
MCR’s usual power-guitar openings and now
features a lot of solo piano openings that are
absolutely pointless. The piano work is brief
and sub-par at best.
The worst offender of this is their number one single “Welcome to the Black Parade,” which starts off with single note piano
playing and then blends in with a marching
band-esque snare drum and Way’s depressing spoken word opening verse, telling of his
fictional childhood as if he was some sort of
super-hero. If you want to do that, go back to
writing comic books and leave music to the
professionals named above, even Jack Skellington voiced by Danny Elfman.
Upon first looking over the CD case
when I bought it, I noticed that they have
a knack for coming up with terrible track
names. To be oh-so-ironic, they start of the
album with a song titled “The End,” which is
an acoustic guitar fronted ballad. Of course
Way couldn’t write a normal ballad, he had
to make it dark and gloomy as if his life is
so awful after selling millions of albums last
year and making millions of dollars.
The rest of the album features some
single-word titles such as “Dead!”, “Cancer”
and “Mama.” I don’t know why this bothers
me so much, but it does.
Another thing that bugs me when listening to this album is My Chemical Romance
can’t stick with a single style of music. Way
changed his voice in nearly every song. You
can definitely hear a huge influence of Queen
is this album as they try to recreate a few stadium-rock epics. I was not surprised to find
out that this album was produced by the same
guy who produced the ever so popular “rock
opera,” Green Day’s American Idiot.
My Chemical Romance is going to be
popular no matter how much I hate on this
album and their lead singer. The sad thing is
that there are small parts of guitar and drum
work that aren’t bad, but they are drowned in
horrible vocals.
If you want to check out some music
that has similar dark feeling like this, but
preformed much better, check out Alkaline
Trio’s Goddamnit. Or you can just throw on
some Queen songs and rock out.
Mark Rowan
Editor-in-Chief
Marcus Cole, the bassist of the band
hellogoodbye, will be hitting New Haven
this Saturday, November 11, but unfortunately the show is already sold out.
Mark Rowan: Your official debut
album, Zombies! Aliens! Vampires! Dinosaurs!, came out this summer…but a lot
of the songs on them you guys “released”
ages ago. What was the reasoning behind
that move?
Marcus Cole: Forrest [Kline, vocalist]
just wrote a lot of the songs his senior year
of high school and he just really wanted to
release them. And we were like, “Are you
sure that you want to release these songs?
You don’t just want to write more new
ones?” And he really wanted to release
those songs still. I don’t know exactly why,
but they got released.
MR: This has probably been asked
before; did the band’s name come from
the Beatles song “Hello Goodbye?”
MC: Not really. It came from the idea
of opportunities coming and going.
MR: You’ll be starting your tour
with Reggie and the Full Effect the day
this runs, how pumped are you to be playing with James [Dewees]?
MC: Pretty pumped. I heard, and
I’m not sure if this is true, but I heard the
guy who is playing bass for Reggie is the
guy who plays bass with Slipknot. Pretty
pumped.
MR: That sounds great. Pianos
and keyboards in bands have really been
popular over the last few years or so, do
you think it’s being overdone now or it’s a
nice permanent edition to the scene?
MC: I don’t think it’s being overdone, I
just don’t think its being done well. I think
a lot of people just throw a shitty sense into
a lot of songs, where it probably would have
been better if they didn’t put anything in
there at all or maybe chose a better piano
voice. It just seems like bands throw a piano
in there to throw one in there, and it sounds
crappy.
MR: What are some bands you think
could really do without the piano or keyboard?
MC: I don’t know. When we were on
Warped Tour, I’d just be walking around and
catch one of the local bands and they would
have a keyboard.
MR: Going along with that, what’s
some of your favorite keyboard or pianodriven music?
MC: Um, Ben Folds.
MR: You guys released an EP a couple
years ago, but in an unconventional move
the whole thing was available for download.
What do you think of downloading music
in general?
MC: It’s kind of cool. It’s got its pros;
it’s got its cons. It’s dope because a lot more
people get to hear your music and hopefully
want to come and see you play. Obviously
it sucks because you’re losing some record
sales, but I don’t know it’s so different from
like the 1960s or whatever when record sales
were huge. Now it’s just like whatever, not
that big of a deal anymore. I think bands
make way more money touring and doing
things of that nature as opposed to relying on
record sales to pay the bills.
MR: Your website has this amazing
coloring book thing going on, who came up
with that?
MC: Forrest did. I think it’s just going
along with the whole CD artwork idea. The
CD originally was supposed to be packaged
with a pack of crayons, so that you could
color in that foldout. I don’t know what ever
happened to that. I think he’s just doing that,
making a coloring book on the internet.
MR: What’s the dumbest question
you’ve been asked?
MC: If you were a cereal what kind of
cereal would you be?
MR: [laughs] Wait, that’s a pretty
good one.
MR: Anything else you want to say to
people coming out to the show at Toad’s
Place?
MC: Yeah, tell them to just come naked.
Wednesday, November 1, 2006
7
Lindsay Goldfinger
Staff Writer
activist sites, such as www.savedarfur.org. Do you think it’s
important for bands to have a social conscience, and how
important is that in your life?
Nathen: I don’t think it’s important for bands to do that.
I think it’s important for people as individuals to stand up for
what they believe in and if you happen to be in a band, then
yeah. You should stand up for what you believe in, regardless
of what your job is. To me, just because you’re an artist or an
entertainer or whatever, doesn’t all of a sudden make your
opinion void. If anything, for me, it makes it more interesting because that’s what I like. I like art, I like music and so I
actually want to hear what so-and-so has to say, maybe more
so than someone who I don’t know what the hell they do or
Lindsay: So what made you guys decide to do the new docuLindsay: So how is the tour going so far?
can’t relate to that. So I don’t think it’s the musician’s duty
mentary, Whiskey on A Sunday?
Nathen: So far, so good. The reaction from the
in anyway, because everyone has different opinions and
Nathen: Well, it was a decision presented to me and the band
crowd has been great.
that’s great. So no, I don’t think it’s a responsibility, but I
by Jim Dzuira and some others involved in making it. They’re film
think it’s just your own moral responsibility.
makers and they documented some bands before and I guess they
Lindsay: Do you guys have any favorite places to
knew
the
history
of
the
band
and
us
as
people.
What
we’ve
manperform?
Lindsay: What’s next for the band after this tour?
aged to accomplish with our music, to them, was intriguing and a
Nathen: Yeah, there are a few places where it’s really
Nathen: We have the entire month of November off,
good story. So they kind of presented that to us and we were like,
sweet to go to. As far as for the crowds, in the states, a
which
is awesome, so we’ll just be spending time writing
“Thanks, that’s an honor.” And so basically what it meant for us
place that’s great for us like on the East Coast is Norfolk,
a new album. That’s what next for the band. We’re all gois that we would allow Jim to live with us in a bus and go to our
Virginia. There’s a venue called The Norva. The crowds
ing to probably spend this winter in Maine in a cabin, just
houses and go to the studio and have a camera around for about a
are great; the venue itself is beautiful. We did get some love
get together there and arrange a new album. Then hit the
year and a half, and when he edited it out it was amazing.
there for awhile. They actually played us on the radio, which
studio and record it.
is basically unheard of, for a little while. I don’t know if they
Lindsay: What was it like to have the camera around
still are. We haven’t released a new album in quite some time.
Lindsay: Do you guys have any idea right now
24/7 like that? Was it weird?
Phoenix, Arizona, actually, is huge for us.
what the new album is going to sound like?
Nathen: Yeah, it’s weird at first but Jim was so cool. Jim
Nathen: Some people think in musical ideas as
would literally hang with us. He’d go out, and he’d have the
Lindsay: At this point, do you feel you’re used to tourfar as what they want the album to sound like. I know
camera there, but he’d also be at the bar having a beer and just
ing, or is it still fun and exciting?
Dennis, our guitar player, really just wants to make a
hanging, totally into it and having fun. And more often than
Nathen: I’ve gotten used to the fun and excitement. [laughs]
balls-to-the-wall, kick-ass, thrashy, punk-rock type
not, he wouldn’t have the camera on. He was good about just
It’s still fun. I mean, like today, I’ve never been to Yale and it’s
album. That’s really what he wants to do. He would
making you feel really comfortable. I’ve never had a camera
quite fascinating to me, so I went for a walk. I found on the map
like to see that. I personally would just like to see that
following me around before, only with him and it was not a
the Skull and Bones building and checked that out. That’s really
we keep writing good songs. And just to take it out
bad experience.
interesting to me, to check that out. So it’s still fun and exciting,
there a little bit, but at the same time, you know, I like
sure.
a good thrash. [laughs] So I don’t really know. We
Lindsay: What were your biggest musical influences
just want to make the best effort we can, whatever
growing
up?
Lindsay: What do you do personally to prepare for shows?
that means. It might all be ballads! That might piss
Nathen: I’ve been through stages like most people, so
Nathen: Your whole day is kind of in preparation for the show,
a bunch of people off, but if we think it’s the best
there have been different times in my life where I’ve focused
cause that’s the whole point. And that starts with sleeping in as long
thing to do, then it is.
on certain styles of music or individual artists that I thought
as possible [laughs]. And, you know, sound check and you kind of
were great. Ultimately, I think what stuck with me and rose
schedule when you eat. Like, as soon as I’m done with this, I’m going
to the top was Bob Marley. His message and spirit and music
to this Thai restaurant. So there are certain things you do. You want
are really, I think, the biggest influence. There’s something
your body chemistry to be at its peak, so for me, that means having the
called Punk Stop here, and I was going through all their old
right drinks before I go on, maybe a little stretching. A shot of whiskey.
CDs and I found a Rudimentary Peni album on vinyl, so I
[laughs]
bought that, that was cool. That’s some kind of anarchist
punk rock from England; I was really into that. And The
Lindsay: What’s your craziest tour memory?
Clash records for awhile. I went through a big Cure phase.
Nathen: You know, what’s funny is that’s actually a question that we
I really love music, you know? I love all kinds of music.
get asked, or I get asked, a lot and I always kinda draw a blank because
immediately in my head, I think of a 100 different moments. And to pick
Lindsay: On the Flogging Molly website, you guys
one, I guess it wouldn’t seem that crazy. I mean, [I’ve had] just some really
have some links to voter registration and political
beautiful experiences. We just got back from playing Fuji Rock in Japan.
Flogging Molly’s trademark Irish-infused
We were on the night before the festival started, which is a three night
punk has been getting people into the mosh
festival for the community, so they can all come and it’s a free party,
pits for almost 10 years now. They are currently
and just to watch these Japanese people do this 1,000-year-old ritual
on tour to promote their new CD/documentary,
before they went in…a 1,000 people just walking in a circle with their
Whiskey On A Sunday. The band stopped by
hands in the air, someone once in a while jumping up and, I don’t
Toad’s Place on October 11 to play a show with
know, it was just out there! To get onto the stage, it’s about a 15,000
Providence-based indie band, Zox. I sat down with
capacity tent, there was just a little thin ribbon, which over here people
Nathen Maxwell, the bassist and backup vocalist
would probably just power through it, and no one crossed it. And
for the group, and we chatted about ancient Japanese
they cut the ribbon and literally 15,000 people ran into a tent in 30
rituals, being followed by cameras for a year, and
seconds.
why their next album could piss some fans off.
Sports
8
Wednesday, November 1, 2006
Hairston Halted, Still Surpasses Record
Devils drop out of title contention with defeat
Alex Carr
Associate Sports Editor
The Central Connecticut State
University Blue Devils received a
rude awakening Saturday as they
faced the rival Monmouth Hawks.
Though senior running back Justise
Hairston was limited to 64 rushing yards he managed to become
Central’s all-time single-season
rushing leader at 1,462 yards. The
1,462 yards surpassed former Blue
Devil Stan House’s 1,413 rushing
yards in the 1997 season.
With the loss the Blue Devils
fall to a 6-3 overall record and a 2-3
record in the Northeast Conference.
Monmouth improved their record
to 8-1, 2-3 in the NEC, presumably
dropping CCSU from NEC title
contention for the first time in three
seasons.
The first half of action proved
to be ugly as the Hawks committed three turnovers deep in Blue
Devil territory. Senior cornerback
Stefon Benson added to the chaos for
Monmouth in blocking a field goal
attempt. While errors caused Monmouth to struggle in the first half,
Central failed to gain their bearings
executing on offense and defense.
Though no points were conceded the
Hawks demonstrated their proficiency at moving the ball on many
sustained drives down the field.
The CCSU offense also
struggled after an exceptional per-
formance at home versus Wagner.
Monmouth forced the Blue Devil
offense to punt the ball seven times
during the half. The Devils earned
only one first down in the half and
gained an anemic 45 yards. With the
score knotted at zero, Central had
a lot to be thankful for entering the
half.
At the start of the second half
CCSU contracted the Hawks’ propensity for turnovers by fumbling
on their first possession. Monmouth
quickly took advantage of Central’s
misfortune by nailing a 21-yard field
goal off the foot of Fred Weingart.
The Blue Devils retained possession
before fumbling again on the second
straight possession.
With the team reeling, CCSU’s
defense came up big in blocking
another field goal attempt. The
Devils offense would then attempt
another chance to put points on the
board starting out at their own 20
yard-line. At 5:42 remaining in the
third quarter, junior quarterback
Ryan Holmes threw a 44-yard strike
to junior Josh Vargas cementing
the first touchdown of the day. The
drive lasted a total of four plays for
78 yards in 1:30.
Unfortunately the Blue Devil
lead would evaporate quickly as the
Hawks would tack on another field
goal early in the fourth quarter be-
fore scoring their first touchdown in
the game. Monmouth running back
David Sinisi capped off a 65-yard
drive with a five-yard touchdown
run after the Hawks defense forced
Central to punt.
After failing to convert a two
point conversion, Monmouth maintained the lead at 12-7. With 3:21 to
play in the game, the Hawks capitalized off of their lead on a 14-yard
touchdown run by quarterback Brian
Boland to up the score to 19-7. The
drive erased nearly four minutes off
of the game clock.
With little time to operate the
Blue Devils navigated their way
to the end zone after an 11-yard
touchdown run by Ryan Holmes.
The score was now 19-13 with 1:18
to play. After a failed onside kick
attempt Monmouth drained the clock
to end the game.
Though Justise Hairston became the new single-season rushing
leader at Central, hopes of lengthening his football career may be
over. With a 2-3 conference record,
CCSU’s hopes of capturing an NEC
title have escaped. The Blue Devils
hope to return to form Saturday at
Sacred Heart before returning home
to end the season against Stony
Brook.
Women’s Soccer Clinch
Playoff Spot with a
Victory over Quinnipiac
Blue Devils earn third seed in NEC tournament
Christopher Klett
Sports Editor
The CCSU women’s soccer team
clinched a third seed in the Northeast
Conference tournament for the fourth
consecutive year after stomping away at
Quinnipiac on Sunday with a 2-0 victory.
The game began on a cold and blustery Sunday afternoon in Hamden, with
neither team being able to score a goal
in the opening 45 minutes of the game.
With the high winds and cold temperatures, Central wasn’t able to shoot the ball
much, only attempting one shot in the first
half and could not score. Quinnipiac, on
the other hand was relentless in the first
half, posting five shots, but also unable to
score.
The Blue Devils were determined to
win the match up and spoil Quinnipiac’s
senior day, and were able to put one in
after 75 scoreless minutes. Stephanie
John scored after a pass from Christie
Robinson from the 18-yard box to bring
the Blue Devils up, 1-0.
With only a few minutes remaining
in the game, Jen Scanzano kicked a ball
to Ciara Crinion, who was taken down
in the box by Sarah Lusto. The Bobcats
were issued a penalty on Lusto. Crinion
was able to score with the penalty kick,
making it 2-0 and eventually winning the
game over the Bobcats.
The Blue Devils defense was on fire
Sunday, with CCSU’s Caity Casey making three saves in the victory.
The Blue Devils now march onto
the NEC tournament in the third seed
and will play either Long Island or
Monmouth, with sights and times to be
determined.
Conrad Akier / The Recorder
Senior running back Justise Hairston eclipsed former Blue Devil Stan
House’s single season record of 1,413 rushing yards during Saturday’s
game against Monmouth.
Wednesday, November 1, 2006
Heisman Race Heats Up Blue Devils Bring Home
Who will be crowned the king of college football?
Alex Carr
Associate Sports Editor
While baseball’s World Series, the most significant sporting event of the fall, has come
to an end, sports fans may now relish in the opportunity to divert their attention towards the
luster of college football. Though only two-thirds of the season is complete, the minds of many
sports fans are engrossed in two races. Despite the fact that the Bowl Championship Series
system of ranking teams has clouded the sanctity of the Collegiate National Championship, it
has heightened the awareness for the conquest of the Heisman Trophy.
This season there has been much to consider as to whom will take home the illustrious
title of being crowned the king of college football. Although the road to the Heisman Trophy
has left many Heisman hopefuls broken and defeated, there are some primetime performers
who are still making waves.
Ohio State
Troy Smith, QB
Source: www.SI.com
For anyone to question the leadership
and dominance of Ohio State senior quarterback Troy Smith is almost unthinkable.
Smith has been a force this season to say the
least. In eight games this season the Buckeye
QB has piled up a heap of statistics en route
to an undefeated record. Smith has racked
up an astounding 21 touchdowns and 1,898
yards. Furthermore, Smith has stolen the
show on a team loaded with stars. He has
stepped up big in every key situation thus
far. Above all else, though, it may be Smith’s
poise that lands him as the top Heisman
Trophy candidate.
Clemson
James Davis, RB
James Davis has climbed atop a steep
class of running backs in Heisman competition through steamrolling opposing defenses.
The 210-pound back has terrorized teams
in the Atlantic Coast Conference with a
unique combination of speed and strength, in
leading the Tigers to a 7-2 record. Not only
does Davis dominate but he flourishes with
the greater gravity of the game. Beginning
the season, Davis’ stiffest competition may
have been burgeoning Oklahoma Sooners’
superstar Adrian Peterson and Louisville’s
Michael Bush, who both have subsequently
been eliminated from contention due to
injury. Davis will remain the top candidate at
running back as he looks to improve upon his
gaudy 7-yards per carry, 17 touchdowns, and
151 carries for 991 yards.
Source: www.thetigernet.com
Victory on Senior Day
Women’s volleyball defeats Wagner 3-1
Christopher Klett
Sports Editor
The Blue Devil women’s volleyball team
kept its winning streak alive this past Saturday after defeating Wagner 3-1. The afternoon was especially emotional with seniors
Brynn Good, Ashlee Gonzales and Chelsea
Magee playing their last regular season home
game at Detrick Gymnasium.
The Blue Devils came into this game
with a sweeping 3-0 victory over New Jersey
Institute of Technology this past Friday night,
and were determined to do the same to the Seahawks in their second straight game in a row.
The first match was very tight for the Blue
Devils, despite the Blue Devils hitting .359
against Wagner. CCSU was tied with Wagner
13 times throughout the first game, but a 7-2
Blue Devil run helped Central win 30-25. The
Blue Devils had 18 kills in the first game.
Wagner was determined to not let CCSU
get the victory in game two, and they outscored the Blue Devils for the entire second
game, and eventually won the game 30-26.
CCSU could not catch up, with Wagoner
getting key blocks against the Blue Devil’s
offense.
“We were sluggish on the court and let
the [second] game go by,” said head coach
Linda Sagnelli.
The Blue Devils began game three
struggling to take the lead, and for most of
the match up, the frustration looked to be settling in against the Blue Devils, with Wagner
taking advantage of it. Wagner was leading
21-17, which led to Central calling a crucial
time out to refocus the team. Coming out
more determined to not let this key win slip
by, Central’s Amanda Olmstead serve kept
Central on a 4-0 run, eventually winning the
match 30-26.
“Wagner made some key mistakes at
the end of the match, and we took it back and
won,” said Sagnelli.
The fourth match was Central’s critical
one, needing it to win for the afternoon, and
that they did. Central outpaced Wagner for
most of the match, hitting for .267 with 11
kills. CCSU won game four 30-17, and won
for the afternoon 3-1.
The win was sweet but very emotional
for the three seniors who played their last
home game. For Good, Gonzales and Magee,
their family and friends gathered to congratulate them on their win and to shine in the
spotlight. For senior Brynn Good, this is the
end of a tremendous four-year run.
“It was a very emotional day, and it is
nice way to go out by winning,” said senior
Brynn Good. Good hit the record books at
CCSU by joining the 3,000/1,000 club. She is
the third player in CCSU history to get over
1,000 digs along with her milestone 3,000 assist earlier on in the season.
“We gave some of the earlier game away
due to the fact that we were focusing in on
senior day, which to me was very important,”
stated Sagnelli, “It was a very emotional
game, and the three seniors have contributed
to this program that will be felt for years to
come.”
Central hits the road for the end of its
regular season by visiting Providence on
November 1 for a non-conference game before
visiting NEC conference rivals Robert Morris
and St. Francis (PA).
Men’s Soccer Season Comes to a Close
Colonials hand Blue Devils a 1-0 loss
Christopher Klett
Sports Editor
West Virginia
Steve Slaton, RB
Source: www.msnsportsnet.com
9
Coming off a successful 2005 season
the Mountaineers hoped to continue their
ascent into the elite stratosphere of college
football. Thanks in large part to the blazing
speed and vision of running back Steve
Slaton, West Virginia is knocking on the
door of a national championship. Slaton has
often provided the knockout punch for the
undefeated Mountaineers, though skeptics indicate that the toughest competition
has not yet been faced. On the season, the
tailback has compiled 1,059 yards on 151
rushes and 9 touchdowns. Slaton looks to
prove his abilities against a tough Louisiana
defense when they meet on November 2.
Rutgers
Ray Rice, RB
Like his team, sophomore running back
Ray Rice has had to struggle for recognition.
The emergence of a stout defense along with
Rice’s workman-like ground attack has helped
to reestablish the Scarlet Knights as a force
to be reckoned with. Like Slaton, Rice has
had to endure the murmurs of critics claiming
that his success was the beneficiary of weak
competition. That was, however, until Rutgers
faced Pittsburgh. Rice left the Pittsburgh
defense awestruck leaving a wake of defenders in his dust as he torched the Panthers for
225 yards on 39 carries. Though he has gained
1,124 yards on 201 carries, and 12 touchdowns
in seven games, Rice may find himself on the
outside looking in. Due to the stature of the
team and the improbability of Rutgers’ chances of winning a championship, it is inconceivable Rice will run away with the Heisman.
Source: www.theday.com
The CCSU men’s soccer team visited
Robert Morris University on Sunday, hoping
to keep their season going but failed to do so
losing 1-0 to the Colonials, bringing an end to
their 2006 season.
The Blue Devils hit a rough spot in their
season within the past few weeks, only winning one out of the last seven games played,
and losing to St. Francis (PA) 2-1 in overtime
this past Friday.
The first and only score of the game
came from RMU’s Allan Brown. It was his
first goal of his college career. The goal was
scored on a hard free-kick from Ryan Zabinski, who easily hit it past goalie Paul Armstrong. Despite the goal on the 22-minute
mark, CCSU’s offense failed to get anything
done the rest of the game, with Adam Scott,
Yan Klukowski and Peter Howe failing to
score on any of their shots against the tough
Colonials.
Despite the poor offensive drive by Central, their defense still kept the score low, with
freshman goalie Paul Armstrong making four
saves in the game against the Colonials who
tried for 13 shots. The Colonials would win
the game 1-0, and go on to the NEC tournament in the four seed spot. Robert Morris
would finish out the season undefeated at
home with a 7-0-2 record.
Central will sure be reflecting on their
2006 season on the long ride home from
Moon Township, Pennsylvania, but will have
to wait to play until next season. The Blue
Devils finished the year overall with a record
of 6-8-2, and a dismal record of 2-6-1 in the
Northeast Conference.
Lifestyles
10
Wednesday, November 1, 2006
Ariel’s Celebrity Report
Ariel James
Lifestyles Editor
Eva Pigford, winner of America’s Next
Top Model from cycle three, is hosting her
own model reality show called My Model
Looks Better Than Your Model, according to
Vibe.com. The show takes three contestants
who are assigned a weekly fashion theme.
They each have their own model and they must
style and prep them for the modeling world.
The show airs today on BET-J at 10 p.m.
Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes are
getting married in Italy on November 18, according to People.com. Cruise told the Good
Housekeeping magazine that they waited until
the birth of their daughter, Suri, to marry
because he wanted her to be a part of the
ceremony. She’s seven months old, how much
a part of the ceremony can she be? Giorgio
Armani will be the designer for the wedding.
Jennifer Aniston is starring on Broadway in a limited engagement in the production
The 24 Hour Plays on Broadway. It is a workshop featuring actors, writers and directors
who will compete to produce six 10-minute
plays with just one day devoted to writing,
casting and rehearsing. The production also
stars Matt Dillon, Edie Falco and Erika Christensen. The proceeds of the play will benefit
New York City schools.
Heather Mills McCartney is suing two
London newspapers for making “false, damaging and immensely upsetting” statements
pertaining to her divorce to Paul McCartney,
according to EW.com. Her divorce papers
were leaked to the press with information
saying Paul mistreated Heather during their
four-year marriage. The 13-page document
claimed that Paul stabbed her in the arm with
broken glass, shoved her while she was pregnant and grabbed her by the throat.
Madonna told Oprah that she is surprised
at all of the attention she is receiving for her
recent adoption of a 13-month-old boy from
Malawi, according to Access Hollywood.
The singer blames the media for speaking to
the boy’s father, Yohane Banda, who said he
didn’t realize he was giving away permanent
custody of his son. However, in an interview
with Time magazine, Banda also said he will
not contest the adoption since it would “kill”
his son’s future. Okay, if you were a citizen of
an impoverished country and you can’t provide
for your child, would you object to one of the
richest women in the world is adopting your
child? I think not.
VH1 has decided to give New York, the
twice diss and dismissed contestant from Flavor of Love, her own show, according to Vibe.
com. In Flavorette (the name of the show), 20
men are fighting over New York a.k.a. Tiffany
Patterson. This time she gets to decide who
stays and goes. Apparently, the show has
already been filmed, and New York claims
that she has fallen in love. The men are paid
$100 per day while they are on the show. In
my opinion, that’s certainly not enough to deal
with New York’s crazy antics.
Source: nuts4chic.com
Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes are all set to wed in Italy on November 18
Campus Investigation: Beaver Fever Runs Wild
Nick Cegelka
Investigative Reporter
Recently The Recorder was alerted to the
possible presence on campus of those little
furry aquatic mammals we all know and love,
castor canadensis or as they’re more commonly identified as, beavers. Could there
possibly be a family of beavers on campus? If
ever there were a news story requiring further
investigation, this was it!
My investigation began a few weeks ago
when Mark Rutkowski, a history and philosophy double major, brought up the possibility
that there were beavers living on campus.
“I had first seen the beavers between Copernicus and the library about a year ago and
I thought I had spotted beavers a few times
thereafter, but they may have just been either
small dogs or large cats. They certainly are
baffling,” stated Rutkowski.
Of course, a statement as wild and fantastic as this is going to make people skeptical. Despite my initial disbelief, the thought
that beavers may be living on the very campus
I visit each and every day was enough to keep
this case alive.
All doubt was erased from my mind on
October 19 as I was traveling in a car with
Rutkowski on Hartford Road approaching
the New Britain Public Golf Course and, you
guessed it, we saw a beaver! As soon as the
fuzzy blur passed us by, Rutkowski slammed
on the brakes and pulled the vehicle over. We
attempted to confirm our initial sightings on
foot, but unfortunately, the beaver was too fast
and it escaped to the safety of the woods and
a nearby drainage culvert before it could be
seen again.
The Recorder had no choice but to
look more closely at the possibility of a beaver
infestation on campus. After investigating the
territory surrounding the buildings near the
initial sightings, it was found that there actually was a possible beaver habitat, a wooded
area and a stream that flows through that part
of campus.
Despite staking out the area for several
hours, there were no signs of beaver or any
other furry creatures besides myself. My
investigation had to be taken to the students of
CCSU. It wasn’t long before I discovered that
plenty of other people had seen the beavers.
Amanda Bunce, an art major here at
CCSU, had observed the beavers first hand.
She spoke of a thrilling close encounter, “I
snuck up on one, but I stepped on a beer bottle
and scared it away.” Bunce added, “Beavers
are dangerous! They’re smart! They farm! I
also saw a mongoose once!”
An alarming new side to this story was
now beginning to emerge. Not only are
beavers dangerous but they are apparently also smart enough to farm. There is
no doubt that Bunce speaks the truth, after
all, she did see a mongoose once. Although
it isn’t clear exactly how beavers could be
smart enough to actually plant and maintain
crops, some suspect it may have something to
do with chemical mutations caused by experiments done inside the Copernicus building.
Still, other students remain skeptical. A
source who demanded to remain anonymous
stated, “I would very much like to see them,
yet I have severe doubts that these creatures
are beavers.” This student went on to pose the
question of the beaver’s waffle-patterned tail.
Claiming that the only way to positively identify a beaver is by gauging how waffle-y its
tail is, she then boldly proclaimed that there
was no possibility of beavers living at CCSU.
She suspects the sightings were actually of a
hedgehog or a groundhog.
I interviewed a few of the more learned
members of the CCSU faculty to get their
perspective on this possible beaver invasion. Mike Alewitz, an associate professor
and a self proclaimed “beaver expert, leading
authority and spokesperson,” is a vocal supporter of the beaver community.
“Beavers are informed by their collective
responsibility to create art and architecture
using natural materials and avoiding petroleum products. Given global warming and the
fact that we’re all going to drown, the beaver
may end up being the primary specie; the top
beaver if you will,” said Alewitz.
Sociology professor John O’Connor
echoed Alewitz’s glowing comment saying,
“I’ve got nothing but love for the beaver!”
With the oncoming wave of beaver sightings sure to hit CCSU this fall, be prepared
for the possibility that you too, if you’re lucky,
may one day encounter a beaver. I myself
will continue to patrol the darker corners of
the campus in search of this elusive wet and
furry creature. The Recorder must insist that
its readers make no attempt to touch, or in any
way molest the beavers. Please do try to make
a positive identification of the waffle-y tail and
let an expert such as Alewitz, O’Connor or
myself know about it immediately.
11
Wednesday, November 1, 2006
Movie Review
Marie Antoinette
Jennifer Tirado
Staff Writer
Sophia Coppola’s Marie Antoinette is an
unconventional period film documenting the
daily trials of the infamously decadent queen
played by Kirsten Dunst.
The movie opens with a young, teenage
Marie Antoinette who gets sent away from
her home in Austria to marry the Dauphin
Louis XVI, played by Jason Schwartzman, in
France. When Antoinette makes it to her new
home she is greeted callously, getting Mops,
her puppy that she had been holding protectively during the long carriage ride, taken
away and then told to put her life in Austria
behind her.
Throughout the movie, Antoinette’s
loneliness and trouble fitting in is obvious, yet
the viewer is constantly reminded by needless
scenes of Dunst pensively lying down by herself or looking out of windows in an attempt
to appear angsty and out-of-touch.
The dialog is also either too minimal or
too tedious. For a main character, Antoinette
hardly says anything at all. While Aunt
Victoire, who is, strangely enough, played by
Molly Shannon, spouts off ridiculous, clichéd
lines coupled with half-ass acting. The film
might have actually improved a bit without it.
Many of the scenes are excessively
drawn-out and repetitive to the point of being
tiresome to watch. A few instances include
Antoinette’s shopping and partying scenes,
many of the shots of shoes and dresses are
redundant and unnecessary. Whether or not
Coppola was intending to use such tactics as
a comment on the boredom and repetitiveness
of Antoinette’s life is unclear, although it is
blatantly apparent that she could not pull it
off.
Despite ineffective direction and dialog,
the film’s soundtrack is noteworthy in its
originality, capturing both the traditional
chamber music that reflects the specific
period and 80’s New Wave from the likes of
Gang of Four and Bow Wow Wow.
The unconventional tracks gives the film
a quality that makes it more relatable to an
audience that is nearly 300 years removed
from the actual historical occurrences. It
almost makes the viewer more forgiving of
the slow, drawn-out scenes that dominate the
movie’s entirety.
If done with more precision and some
much needed brevity, this film could just have
easily had been about an hour long. Here’s a
good way of saving 10 bucks and two hours of
exasperating boredom: don’t see this movie.
Movie Review
Flags of Our Fathers
John Petroski
Staff Writer
“Based on a true story,” now there is a
laughable phrase whenever Hollywood insinuates it. Braveheart, The Patriot, and even
films made by supposedly sane people, have
traditionally butchered historical events to
a point where it would take more generosity
than a room full of rolling ravers to call them
“accurate.”
“Based on a novel by” is an equally preposterous phrase. Unless, of course, you feel
Jurassic Park had dinosaurs and so that is
good enough. So now the question becomes
what are we to make of a film that is supposedly based on both a true story and a novel?
Well, we might be forgiven for assuming it
too would fail to match that claim. But if we
were talking about Flags of Our Fathers, our
assumption would be dead wrong.
Clint Eastwood’s Flags of Our Fathers
is the first historical film I have ever seen that
actually gets things right. Having read James
Bradley’s book, on which it was based, and
thus having prepared for this film to butcher
it, I was delightfully surprised to find the film
exactly as I remembered the novel.
There were no great divergences from
the plot, there were no extra love stories
thrown in to appease a date, and there was
absolutely nothing unhistorical that I could
really criticize.
It was a great relief to see that this film
accurately retold the true story. For those of
you who don’t know, Flags of Our Fathers
is the tale of the six flag raisers from that
famous picture taken atop Mount Suribachi,
Iwo Jima – the same men from the statue
right down the road from CCSU.
Though the film is basically a collection
of flashbacks, whereas the book followed a
straight path, all the little details that stuck in
your mind are eventually there: the lack of adequate artillery preparation, the B-29 making
an emergency landing and the very different
attitudes of the flag raisers.
Traditionally, a huge gripe with “historical” films has been the addition of a love
interest to “spice up the plot.” The affair is
usually fictional, does nothing to the story
save completely alter it, and is often nonsensical to boot. Anyone remember the scene from
Enemy at the Gates where the two lovers are
rolling around naked outside during a cold
Russian winter? As such, I was relieved to
see that Clint Eastwood elected to just tell the
story as it was, with disregard to “date night”
ticket sales.
It is also traditional that I’m the annoying history major who watches World War II
films and then complains about the slightest
error. Well, that’s not really possible here.
The uniforms, weapons and scenery were
spot on.
Many people who have actually been to
Mount Suribachi have expressed how real the
film’s scenery looks. Based on the photographs I have seen, I would say that is a fair
assessment. Still, I feel it is my role to find
some petty detail to whine about, so here it is:
the Corsairs didn’t whistle. Well who gives
one?
Flags of Our Fathers is perhaps the most
honestly filmed war movie of our time. It
does great service to the men who fought and
died at Iwo Jima and does so without taking
poetic license and diverging from the book.
Then again, it doesn’t need to. This story can
stand on its own without Hollywood’s “help.”
Movie Review
Saw
III
The pieces come together
Angelina Morais
Staff Writer
Jigsaw, played by actor Tobin Bell, is
back in Saw III with a more intricate plan
to terrorize his victims and frighten viewers. Released in theaters October 27, Saw III
comes out just in time for Halloween. Jigsaw
gives a horrifying performance. This time, on
his death bed he leaves it up to his accomplice
Amanda, Shawnee Smith, to torment their
victims.
Doctor Lynn Denlon, Bahar Soomekh,
finds herself in a chilling dilemma when she
is captured by Amanda and forced to keep Jigsaw alive in a creepy abandoned warehouse.
It is imperative for Doctor Lynn to tend to
Jigsaw, who suffers from a brain tumor, for
the sake of her own life.
Meanwhile, another victim passes various tests to ultimately come face to face with
the killer of his eight-year-old son, who was
murdered three years earlier. Doctor Lynn
must keep Jigsaw alive until the second victim
Jeff, Angus Macfayden, completes his tests.
At the completion of his tasks, Jeff makes
a daunting discovery and is forced to make
a life-altering decision, but is unaware of the
true consequences of his choice.
While Saw III is just as gruesome as the
first and second, it successfully wraps up an
elaborate plot in an exciting way. The identity
of the true victim stays unknown until the final scenes, while the other players in the game
learn the value of life, love and forgiveness.
This piece of the trilogy tends to focus more
on the connection between the victims and the
realization of the true test subject, as well as
Jigsaws real intentions.
I absolutely recommend this movie to
those who have enjoyed Saw and Saw II and
long for the ending to this heinous game.
With a CCSU ID, students can gain admittance to this film at Crown Theater located on
New Park Avenue in Hartford for only $5.
Source: rottentomatoes.com
12
Wednesday, November 1, 2006
Mark Rowan
Editor-In-Chief
Just as I was saying all St. Louis Cardinal
fans were about as white and dull as Mr.
Roger’s underwear, this guy comes driving
down the street with a bottle of champagne
as if God himself sent down an angel to save
this city’s style.
This picture is used by terrorists around
the globe to fuel their hatred for the United
States. Look at it long enough, it really
works.
If Jeff Foxworthy had sex with a pumpkin
(giving him the benefit of the doubt he didn’t
already) I would like to think this is what
their children would look like.
Winning the World Series isn’t just a reason
to celebrate; it is also a reason to let your
children fear an untimely death! Go Cards!
Budget Book Helps You Look Good For Less
Ariel James
Lifestyles Editor
What does it take to be a fashionista? A
great wardrobe is a must. Should you choose
a Chanel skirt, a Gucci bag or Christian
Louboutin pumps? Not necessarily. Kathryn Finney, author of How to Be a Budget
Fashionista, lets ladies know how to get that
high-end look for less.
What is a budget fashionista? According
to Finney, that is “someone who effortlessly
combines personal style with financial savvy.”
She gives over 30 tips on how to achieve this
fashionista status without breaking the bank.
Begin with a realistic budget. Make
a chart of all your necessities, such as rent,
groceries, tuition, etc., and total them. Then
add your debt (school loans, credit cards) and
extras (cell phone, cable, dry cleaning). Subtract your monthly total amount owed in bills
from your monthly income. The amount you
have left, if there is any, should be the amount
you save, so you can spend on shopping later.
Also, Finney makes a point to cut back
on things such as eating out or something as
simple as not buying a cup of coffee everyday.
Find your own personal style. When you
do this, you won’t waste time buying clothes
you don’t need. She makes six categories:
sporty, trendy, conservative, socialite urban
trekker and romantic. Finney provides a quiz
so the soon-to-be fashionista can determine
which style she prefers. Based on the results,
there is a list a clothing stores that would cater
to every fashionista’s tastes.
Create your own signature piece. This
may be a style or a dress, a pair of shoes or
even a haircut to distinguish yourself form
everyone else.
A very important tip that Finney give is
that women should pick a celebrity look or
style that they can identify with. But please,
be realistic! If you look like Rosie O’Donnell,
don’t choose Keira Knightly as your style
icon. It’s just not going to happen for you.
This may sound ridiculous, but develop
a “look book.” Take note of all your favorite
fashions and place them in a book or binder
because it gives you, and possibly a sales
associate at a store, a clear visual of what you
want.
Now we’re ready to shop.
Finney says the budget fashionista’s best
resource is to shop online. It’s the best way to
compare a designer’s prices so you can get the
most reasonable deal.
She credits Asos.com (the British version
of Forever 21), Bluefly.com, Coco-delilah.com
(which can take up to 60 percent off retail
prices) and Yoox.com, as the best websites
you can shop from.
If you have to shop in a store, which can
be easier because you’re able to try on clothes
and return them, bring all of the resources
you’ve learned and find your perfect outfit.
Embrace your inner fashionista!