Volume 87, Issue 1
Wednesday, August 27, 2008
YEAR OF THE SUMMER BLOCKBUSTERS Check out this nerd’s view on this summer’s geeky movies.
The student newspaper of the University of New Haven since 1938
FAVRE UN-RETIRES After weeks of press conferences and indecision, Brett Favre is back in the NFL. Find out how it all played out.
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GARFIELD MINUS GARFIELD The Charger Bulletin welcomes the cult comic Garfield Minus Garfield to our Fun & Games section!
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-Celina’s Salacious Celebrity Gossip -Zack’s Wacky Stack of News -UNH Campus Police Log
INDEX
Olympics Shake Summer
By HEATHER BROWN STAFF WRITER
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BEIJING—The number eight is considered a lucky number in Chinese culture because it sounds like the word meaning “prosper” and “wealth.” Keeping this in mind, it was only fitting that the opening ceremony of the Beijing Olympic Games aired in the U.S. on the eighth hour of the eighth day of the eighth month in the year 2008. The show of the opening ceremonies was performed on a scale more grandiose than any other ceremony. Thousands of people from the Chinese community helped make it spectacular. The opening ceremonies
By ZACK ROSEN
Bulletin Board
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Community & Advice Page 9 Editorials
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Fun & Games Pages 12 and 13 National/World News Page 3 New Haven News Page 4 Sports
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WEST HAVEN—I know what it’s like being a freshman, I was one just two years ago. As a returning student last year, I know that it’s easy to miss some really cool and fun events on campus during Welcome Week. So read up, kiddies, and I’ll give you some tips regarding this amazingly fun-filled, feature-packed, and something-something week! For the past few weeks, I have had the pleasure of being a member of the 2008 Welcome Week Committee. The committee, which is made up of both students and staff, has been planning
Buy Books Online: Tips from a Senior
By DAN OSIPOVITCH STAFF WRITER
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showcased many of the beliefs and traditions that are special and important in the Chinese culture. Rather than the traditional march of athletes (in alphabetical order by country), the athletes entered the stadium, dubbed “The Bird’s Nest” because
of its remarkable resemblance, in order based upon the number of brush strokes it takes to write out the country’s name in Chinese. This meant that the U.S. athletes got to enter the stadium a little earlier
since early July. Chaired by our humble Director of Student Activities, Greg “Greg O” Overend, the WWC has planned over $40,000 worth of events, food, fun, and prizes, with over 87% of the funding supplied by our Undergraduate Student Government Association (USGA). Let’s take a lot at what the WWC has to offer this week. Wednesday: Today, the Aug. 27, there will be an “All Day Q&A”–that is, a group of students and staff walking around to help with any questions you may have. Whether you are a new student or current student, feel free to stop any of these Q&A’ers with any question–regardless of how simple you think it
may be! Trust me, as someone who was a freshman not too long ago, it’s best to ask now and not wait until later! From 9:30 a.m. until noon, the lovely staff of The Charger Bulletin will be handing out the first issue of the 2008-2009 Charger Bulletin. But wait, there’s more! There are three hidden “golden tickets,” each worth a $100 gift card from Best Buy. Hopefully you’re reading this in one of those issues! From noon to 4 p.m. you can make your own aquarium in the Residential Quad; this gets so much attention every year, so be sure to get there as soon as
Attention freshmen and your parents: don’t drain your bank accounts by buying the often exceedingly over-priced books sold at the campus bookstore. Be smart, do your research, and shop online. It’s too often overheard on campus, “Wow! I just paid $150 for this stupid book!” “Hah! Well, I went online and found it for $80!” If you follow a few tactics, and read this article, the mystic world of buyingbooks-cheap will become a clear, concise process that should in most cases yield gratifying results every semester. The first major question to ask is whether or not you need the book. Sometimes professors “require” books that aren’t actually needed for the course-this is something you may not know until the first day of class when you get your syllabus and talk to the professor. What’s worse is that sometimes you’ll get halfway through the semester and not even crack open the book and realize you have wasted lots of money buying the book in the first place. The best way to circumvent this is to not buy the book until after the class has started. If you’re leery of this idea and have to
See WEEK page 4
See ONLINE page 5
AN AP/ANDY WONG PHOTO
Fireworks explode during the Olympic closing ceremony on Sunday, Aug. 24.
See GAMES page 3
UNH Welcomes Students with Welcome Week
ASSISTANT EDITOR
Arts & Entertainment Pages 8 and 11
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Campus Events, Etc. The Charger Bulletin | August 27, 2008
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Wednesday, August 27 First Day of Classes All Day Q&A Make Your Own Aquarium Residential Quad, Noon-4pm
Aloha UNH
Residential Quad, Noon-2pm Noon-5pm
Dance Party
Residential Quad, 8pm-12am
Turf Field, 4pm
Block Party
Saturday, August 30
Shuttle to West Haven
Women’s Soccer vs. Adelphi University
1959 Pink Thunderbird Dodds, 9pm
Build Your Own Kite
Residential Quad, Noon-2pm
American Popstar
Residential Quad, 7pm-10pm
Turf Field, 1pm
Build Your Own Kite
Comedians: Craig Carmean and Alex House
Residential Quad, 4:30pm-7:30pm
Men’s Soccer vs. C.W. Post
Thursday, August 28
Sunday, August 31
Trips Off Campus, 1pm-6pm -New Britain Rock Cats -Farmington River Tubing -Mystic for a Day -Palisade’s Mall -Bronx Zoo
Laundry 101
Residential Quad, 7pm
Friday, August 29 Gameshow: Battle of the Sexes Residential Quad, 9pm-11pm
Make Your Own Tie-Dye Tshirts Residential Quad, 11pm-1am
Residential Quad, 7pm-9pm
Residential Quad, 9pm-12am
Monday, September 1 Labor Day Field Day
Residential Quad, Noon-4pm
Labor Day Picnic
Residential Quad, 4:30pm-7pm
Drive-in Movie: Iron Man Residential Quad, 9pm-11pm
Dear Members of the Class of 2012
Welcome! You have arrived and are officially a college student. The past year of applying to colleges, worrying about getting in, being happy By Dan Osipovitch when your acceptance letter came, graduatA weekly recap of the positives & negatives at UNH ing high school and saying goodbye to family and friends as you prepared to come Welcome, freshmen! This is my Students and faculty who were column where I quite bluntly comment here for the summer had access to solely to UNH is behind on the positives and negatives of the week Jazzman’s for food. The reason? Renova- you. here at UNH. Feel free to send me your tions were being done in the Old Café. You are about to observations! Well those summer-long renovations didn’t start until a few weeks ago and start a wonderful new The Bulletin now has beautiful new won’t be completed until October. So adventure. During the stands around campus which, for all thanks for the same basic eight choices next four years, you intensive purposes, are for Bulletin use for the entire summer—I will not be buyonly! You can now obtain your wonderful, ing food from Jazzman’s for quite some will be challenged information-packed newspaper from the academically and pertime. ever-most, aesthetically pleasing stands sonally. which will hopefully appease the presi I must copy a comment I’ve The following are dent from locking away the newspapers heard all over campus. “If only we had the this year. workers who built the new McDonald’s some success stratwork on the new dorm, we’d have it done egies to insure you Some of the renovations on campus, much quicker…” have a good year: such as converting some Put academics old Maxcy class Jazzman’s has been playing the rooms into smart same dang music since my first. College is differclassrooms, were freshman year three ent than high school quite overdue. years ago. Please, Other construction w e ’ r e b e g g i n g and you are here bewon’t be done for you—change it! cause you want to be. awhile. Cheers to Work hard, manage another year of S t o p p r o p fun-filled noise. ping the doors your time well, go with objects that to class, meet deadHip-hip-hooare not meant for lines, utilize campus ray for Dunham propping! This not falling down includes furniture resources, and seek due to construction and the afore- help when you need this summer. mentioned, aes- it. Get to know your thetically pleasprofessors and meet ing newsstands! with your academic advisor on a regular
Positives
Negatives
basis. Your learning will depend on the interest, motivation and discipline you bring to the classroom and your studies. Challenge yourself, explore possibilities, meet new people, discover, and venture outside the UNH campus into the greater New Haven community. Be persistent and don’t give up. Be open to students with different lifestyles and values from your own but also be true to your own values and beliefs. Make good choices and be a community member who treats others the way you wish to be treated. Be sure you understand university policies and the Code of Conduct found in the Student Handbook. Take care of yourself. Get enough sleep, eat well, and exercise. Get involved. Join a club or organization; participate in the many activities, events, sports, community service, speakers and programs offered. Be-
come a contributor to your campus community and actively participate in your college experience. Your first few days at UNH may seem like a whirlwind-meeting new people, adjusting to a new routine, finding your way around campus. You may also feel lonely, homesick, and wonder if you will make new friends and fit in. These are very normal feelings which others around you will also be experiencing. Adjusting means learning how to deal with a multitude of issues and plenty of people are all here to assist you as you transition to UNH. I look forward to getting to know you over the next four years and wish you much success and, a wonderful college experience filled with learning and fun as you prepare for your future. Sincerely, Rebecca Johnson-Associate Provost for Student Affairs and Dean of Students
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National/World News
The Charger Bulletin | August 27, 2008
2008 Games Shatter Records and Make History con’t from page 1
than usual. Once all of the athletes were in and the Olympic torch was lit, the games commenced. Some of the first events of this year’s Olympic Games took place in the Water Cube, the indoor swimming arena so named because if it’s shape and exterior appearance. Over the course of a week, U.S. swimmers won a total of 31 medals in 32 events. Even more amazing, Michael Phelps won eight of the 12 gold medals. Phelps, 23, won seven of the gold medals in world record time and the other in Olympic record time. His eight gold medals brings his total medal count over two Olympic games to 14, more than any other athlete in history. The games also saw him surpass the record of total gold medals won in a single Olympic game, a record of seven achieved by Marc Spitz at the 1972 games. Another landmark was reached by an American swimmer
when Dara Torres, 41, became the first U.S. swimmer to compete in five Olympic Games: 1984, 1988, 1992, 2000, and 2008. This time around she competed in three events and took the silver medal in each. Another noteworthy event was gymnastics, in which the men’s U.S. team brought home a surprise bronze medal
ver in the team allaround competition. In the individual allaround competition, U.S.’s Nastia Liukin won the gold medal and Shawn Johnson took home the silver. At these Beijing Olympics, Liukin has won a total of five medals. Earning the fifth medal ties her with Mary Lou Retton and Shannon Miller for the most medals
AN AP/ AKIRA SUEMORI-POOL PHOTO
Olympic gold medalist Michael Phelps speaks at the handover party outside Buckingham Palace in London, Sunday, Aug. 24.
and the women’s team earned by a gymnast brought home the sil- in a single Olympic game. In track and field, the birth place of the world’s fastest man and woman is Jamaica. Usain “Lightening” Bolt ran the men’s 100m leg in 9.69 seconds, a world record. He also won the 200m dash in world record style, 19.30 seconds. Jamaica’s Shelly-Ann Fraiser won the gold in the women’s 100m dash. U.S.’s Bryan Clay won the gold medal in the men’s decathlon AN AP/ NG HAN GUAN PHOTO competition. The men Philip Dalhausser and Todd Rogers celebrate during the gold medal ceremony for the men’s beach volleyball. also swept the 400m
hurdles and the 400m dash. On a not-so-good note, both the men’s and women’s 4x100m relay teams failed to qualify for the finals in Beijing. Both favored to win gold, but the teams dropped the baton before carrying it past the finish line. In beach volleyball, Misty May-Treanor and Kerry Walsh defended their gold medal title by defeating China in the final match. Todd Rogers and Phil Dalhausser won in the final match to win gold as well. Dalhausser went on to be named the most outstanding player in beach volleyball. The men’s basketball team, the “Redeem Team,” did in fact redeem the “Dream Team” of the last games, which failed to capture gold. In a spectacular overall showing the team of NBA stars won a gold medal. The overall medal count so far stands at the U.S. leading with 36 gold, 38 silver, and 36 bronze medals for a total of 110. China is a close second with a total of 100 medals: 51 gold, 21 silver, and 28 bronze. Finishing out the top five are the Russian Federation, Great Britain, and Germany (in order by total medal count). The Beijing Olympic Games came to a close on Sunday, Aug. 24, but anticipation and training have already begun for the next Olympic Games , which will be held in London, England in 2012.
News
Briefs
By Associated Press Writers Kidnap suspect calls days with daughter 'glorious' BOSTON—The man who calls himself Clark Rockefeller and is accused of kidnapping his young daughter says he spent "six glorious and wonderful days" with the girl while evading authorities, but he still isn't talking about his life before 1993. Police say Rockefeller is really a German immigrant named Christian Gerhartsreiter. California authorities want to question him about a couple who disappeared in 1985. Gerhartsreiter has pleaded not guilty to charges of kidnapping his daughter, Reigh Boss, on a Boston street during a supervised visit in July after losing custody of her to his ex-wife, Sandra Boss. A Berlin, Conn. family says they believe Gerhartsreiter lived with them in 1980 as a visiting student from Germany. 2 men killed on Hartford street in drive-by shooting HARTFORD—Hartford police are looking for a white car involved in drive-by shooting early Monday that left two men dead. Police Chief Daryl Roberts says two men were walking along Edwards Street about 3:30 a.m. from a pizza restaurant when a car pulled up alongside and somebody inside the car opened fire. Roberts says the victims were aged 24 and 21. He says one victim is black and the other is Hispanic. Each had been shot once. The body of one victim was found in the middle of the street and the other was found on the sidewalk. Roberts says police are looking for a white Nissan that was seen speeding away from the scene. Obama's choice of Biden raises stakes for McCain DENVER—Barack Obama's choice of Joe Biden as a running mate sets the bar for John McCain. The Republican could use his own pugnacious No. 2 to deliver attack lines and a solid debate performance. An appeal to working-class voters also would be a plus, although most political strategists add quickly that running mates historically make scant difference in the outcome of a presidential election. "Highly overrated," said Mike Murphy, a Republican who was a senior adviser in McCain's 2000 campaign. The GOP nominee-in-waiting is in the final stages of deciding who should join him on the ticket, and Obama's selection of Biden — a savvy debater, willing attack dog, and blue-collar champion — is certain to figure into McCain's calculation.
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New Haven News The Charger Bulletin | August 27, 2008
Delta Chi Heads to Vegas
Dear Returning Students
ers from all across The brothers are North America. looking to start the ––––––––––––––––– Every year, the semester off strong International Head- with many campus WEST HAVEN—The quarters awards chap- and social activities New Haven Chap- ters with outstanding already in the works. ter of the Delta Chi Fraternity attended their 56th International Convention this past July in Las Vegas, Nevada, and it was a tremendous eduPHOTO COURTESY OF SAMUEL COX c a t i o n a l Brothers from Delta Chi attend the International Convention in Las Vegas this summer. and thrilling time for chapter operations The brothers will be all the brothers. and New Haven was attending the ALS Juniors James awarded with seven, walk in September at Walsh and Samuel ranging from Out- Salvin Rock. We are Cox were in atten- standing Secretary also looking forward dance as delegates (Samuel Cox), Out- to helping out the and fellow alumni standing Alumni Sec- West Haven commuDaniel Hunt, Anthony retary (Dave Meehl), nity by participating Maisano, and founder Outstanding ABT, and in BINGO nights and Tom Viola were there Outstanding Intramu- volunteering at the as well. They spent ral program to name soup kitchen. four days at the Rivi- a few. The brothers Watch out for signera Hotel and Casino were also among the ups in the student cenattending many busi- top ten chapters in the ter for their Ameriness and education- nation who raised the can Red Cross Blood al sessions in their most money for the V Drive at the German conference halls and Foundation for Cancer Club in October. meeting many broth- Research.
Welcome to the start of the 2008-09 academic year! We are excited about your return to campus and the arrival of our 1400 new undergraduate students. I encourage you to make an effort to welcome the new students and take advantage of the many resources and opportunities UNH has to offer. Sophomores: Sophomore year is a time when you have a number of choices to make as you reconnect with friends, faculty and staff at UNH. Some of you may experience feelings of indecision, being lost or depressed. These feelings are experienced by many students at sometime during their sophomore year so know that you are not alone. If you are feeling a lack of motivation, uncertainty about being in college, continuing with your major or your career choice coupled with a lack
of energy, motivation and difficulty sleeping, it is important to seek assistance from a Residential Life staff member, your advisor, the Counseling Center or a university faculty or staff member. I encourage you to get involved in a club or organization if you didn’t do so your freshman year, meet with your academic advisor to discuss your academic plan and career goals, find a mentor on campus, start planning for an internship or study abroad experience, and update your student success plan with the Office of Career Development. To assist you, we have developed a Sophomore Experience website which can be found at: http:// www.newhaven.edu/ student-life/22802/. This site will link you to the resources that are designed to assist you this year. Juniors: You are already half way
through your college experience and are probably wondering how the last two years went by so quickly. Your junior year is a time to consolidate all of your experiences to date. Some of you have made plans to study abroad next semester, others will take on leadership positions and serve as mentors to freshmen and sophomores, focus on internships, coops or off campus jobs which enhance your learning experience and prepare you for your career. A visit to the Experiential Education Office is a must for all juniors. As a junior, you will be challenged to balance a more demanding course load along with your cocurricular activities. Please be sure to take advantage of the resources offered here at UNH. Seniors: As a se-
5 p.m. to 7 p.m. Although it’s sponsored by the College Democrats, you can register for any–or no–party you wish! And if you think your vote won’t count, you’re dead wrong. From 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. in the quad will be the hilarious Alex House and Craig Carmean. I’ll admit I never saw them last year, but reviews from all around campus gave them multiple thumbs up, so I’m definitely going to be trying to go this year! Closing the night is a block party, hosted by the lovely folks at the Rec Center, outside of Bayer Hall
Saturday: There will be a shuttle running all day, from 12 p.m. until 5 p.m., into downtown West Haven. Besides heading to the beach (don’t forget your kites from Thursday!), it will also take you to the West Haven Green for the Farmers Market and Craft Festival. In the German Club, from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m., be sure to hop over (no pun intended, I swear guys …) to the Dance Party! And don’t forget, New Hall’s awesome Sky Ranch and Pandini’s will be open late! Sunday: Sunday will be a great day to
check out some awesome places in Connecticut. There will be off-campus trips to the New Britain Rock Cats, Farmington River Tubing, Mystic Village, the Palisade’s Mall, and the Bronx Zoo. Don’t forget to sign up Wednesday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. in Bartels! And in case you’re one of the MANY people who don’t know how or need help with laundry, please check out Laundry 101 at 7 p.m. in New Hall. Please. Please. I can’t believe you guys–even upperclassmen!– don’t know how to do laundry! Well, now
there are no more excuses. Monday: Hard to believe it’s going to be over already, but Monday’s the last official day of Welcome Week! Check out the field day activities from noon until 4 p.m. in the quad, the Labor Day picnic and Supermaket Bingo from 4:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. in Bartels, and the Drive-In Movie (Iron Man), root beer floats, popcorn, and prizes galore from 9 p.m. to 11 p.m. in the quad! This may wrap up Wlcome Week this year, but plenty of events lie ahead for UNH this year.
By SAMUEL COX
DELTA CHI PR REP
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See MESSAGE page 14
Welcome Week Features Wide Variety of Events
you can! After that, don’t forget to check out Aloha UNH from 4:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., and then American Popstar! from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. The evening will end with Elm City Theater Company’s 1959 Pink Thunderbird at 9 p.m. in Dodds Theater. Trust me, you HAVE to check these guys out. Thursday: From noon until 2 p.m., you’ll have the chance to build your own kite in the Upper Student Lounge. Also, if you’re not registered to vote, be SURE to do so at Bartels Hall from
from 9 p.m. until midnight, and then a trip to go bowling from 11 p.m. to 1 a.m. Friday: You forgot something and you just realized it. So catch the shuttle to IKEA (it’s free, of course!) from 11 a.m. until 7 p.m. Pickup is at Maxcy Hall, and they’ll take you promptly to New Haven’s humungous IKEA for those items you forgot to pick up. From 9 p.m. until 11 p.m. there will be a game show in the quad, “Battle of the Sexes.” Be sure to check it out, it’s a great time! HINT: There will be Dippin’ Dots there!
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Online: The Better Way to Buy Books
have the book for the first day of class, then do not open it until you’re absolutely sure that you need it! In addition, make friends with upperclassmenthey can be quite frank when it comes to telling you about professors and/or classes that need books. Also, realize that books are often very expensive because what you buy is the newest edition of the book-sometimes all they do to make a new edition is add a little more commentary, edit a little text, and add a few new photos. The easiest way to save money is to ask your professor before (by way of email, etc.) if you need the newest edition of the book. Sometimes the answer is “yes.” Many times, the professor lists the newest edition of the book just because it’s available, not because it’s essential to the course
material. Buying earlier editions can save tons of money since the demand, and need, for those books dramatically drops when a new edition is released. Once you know you need the book, the next step is to shop for it. The big disclaimer is this: most books are shipped through media mail and may take up to two weeks to receive. Thus, it’s sometimes a gamble if you’re going to really need to rely on the book during the first couple weeks of the course. But have no fear, use the buddy system! Sometimes sharing a book, or borrowing it from an upperclassman can get you through this period while you wait for your book. The major piece to buying your books online is to have the ISBN number for the book that you are buying. This number is located near the barcode
The Charger Bulletin | August 27, 2008
of the book you’re going to buy and is specific to that exact edition of the book-it is like the social security numbers for books. Getting this number is the tricky part. Many people have been scolded by walking into the bookstore and trying to find the ISBN number of the book. ISBN numbers are public information and are available in plain sight on the covers of books. If you can’t escape the bookstore wrath with ISBN numbers, try to at least get the correct title, author, and edition. It’s very critical to be as accurate as possible; having the ISBN number is the most accurate piece of information. Once you have as much information, research is the next big thing. There are comparative shopping sites, such as cheapesttextbooks.com which will compare the price for that specific book
from different sites. The most often big hit sites are half.com and amazon.com, while it’s good to check a lesser-known site called abebooks.com. When price searching, do not forget to add on shipping costs when comparing prices. It cannot be stressed enough how important research is to find books online. Look at the ratings of the sellers to make sure they are reliable. Please, don’t forget to check the bookstore prices! Sometimes they actually do have the better deals! It’s also recommended that you do spend a little bit more to get better editions of books you’ll be using for multiple semesters. Don’t forget that upperclassmen may be eager to get rid of that pesky chemistry textbook or that collection of dry English novels; try to make friends with upperclassmen who are in
a similar major and see if they would be willing to sell, or even donate, those books to you. The most important time in the book market, besides actually using the book for your studies, is selling it back. Do not sell back all of your books! Keep the ones that relate to your major and that you might need to draw information from again, especially if you have your eye on graduate school. But for those books you might be selling back, here are some hearty tips: don’t open a plastic-wrapped book that you don’t need. Also, keep the book in as best condition as you can; avoid writing in books that you feel like you’d be better selling. Many times people walk into the bookstore at the end of the semester and try to sell back their books and get the response “sorry we aren’t buy-
Hello, and welcome to UNH! My name is Louis Eswood III and I am your Undergraduate Student Government Association (USGA) President. The USGA is a student run organization designed to allow students to voice issues or concerns regarding the university and have them addressed accordingly. Every undergraduate student is a member of the USGA and is strongly encouraged to attend our meetings held every Tuesday in the Alumni Lounge (located in Bartels Hall) at 1:45pm. As I mentioned earlier, the USGA is a student-run organi-
zation, and like you, I am also a student. This year I will be a senior, studying Fire Science. In the past two years, I have been involved in several different organizations, which represent just a small portion of the clubs/ organizations we have here on campus. There are over 50 clubs and organizations on campus, including sororities, fraternities, special interest groups, cultural, professional, and even religious organizations. I can assure you that you will find something on campus that interests you. The USGA has a budget of over 1.1 million dollars of your
ing that book back for reason xyz.” Don’t get disparaged. Remember how you bought your book online? Sell it back online! It’s not that hard, and sites like half.com make it quite easy to list it and ship it. It’s not unheard of for a nonreturnable book to be sold for over $30 online. Also, find underclassmen that might need the book after you and try selling it to them-or even donating for that matter. A little kindness every now and then never hurt anyone. While the bookstore might not appreciate this sort of information, its sole purpose is to guide you, the reader, to make more informed choices as a student and as a consumer. College is a learning experience and buying books is no different!
USGA President’s Corner Welcome!
Louis Eswood III USGA President money and if you want to have a say in how that money gets spent, I urge you to get involved. Please feel free to stop and say hello if you see me around campus. You can also contact me via e-mail at USGAPresident@newhaven.edu, by phone at x7300, or in my office, which is located on the third floor of Bartel’s Hall. Page 5
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Editorials
The Charger Bulletin | August 27, 2008
Heroes: Just What the Doctor Ordered
Whether you are a superhero movie fan or not, I think everyone can agree that The Dark Knight was mind-blowingly awesome. But besides the acting, action, deaths, promotion, and comic book history, the film holds a clear theme that has consistently appealed to Americans: the idea of the super hero. We have always flocked to heroesthose people that will come and save us in a time of need. While there are plenty of different kinds of heroes (from those as simple as parents to those as complicated as martyrs), the comic book superhero has always been one of the most admired. Maybe it’s due to the fact that they are extraordinary: they can only die if their authors want them to, they always show up
in the knick of time, and they have powers that no normal human could possess (yes, I understand Batman doesn’t actually have powers, but few human beings could do what he does and live to tell about it). The marriage between superheroes and cinema was a match made in heaven. Both rescue ussuperheroes from the bad guys and movies from reality. Once the superheroes are put into movies, they are allowed to rescue us from the bad guys and reality. It’s no surprise then, that this summer has been the summer for superhero movies. Now more than ever, Americans need to be saved from realityeconomic crisis, staggering unemployment rates, booming health care costs, a burst in foreclosures, and an
important wouldn’t and intense it? It was presidenthe perfect tial elecchoice to tion. open out Sure, the sumsuperhero mer, bemovies cause Tony have been Stark is around for the perfect a while, but hero for a this year’s troubled Celina Natola b o o m America- a Editor-in-Chief stands out rich playagainst boy that other sudoesn’t perhero movies. Spi- mind a party. Hancock had a derman blew up the box office, but it was huge opening weekone of the only super- end due to his flaws. hero movies released He was a lazy alcoholic that didn’t feel at the time. On the contrary, this like using his powers summer threatened for good. Ultimately, to destroy the super- most Americans are hero movie industry the same way. We have because seriously, do the ability to be good we really love super- people, but we often heroes enough to go ignore opportunities and see four of them to help others in order during a three-month to help ourselves. Of course, The Inperiod? Apparently we do. Iron Man set a credible Hulk came high standard, but why next and while it
wasn’t that incredible at the box office, it still managed to capture a decent audience. The love of the Hulk comes from seeing similarities within ourselves as wellwhen he gets mad, he turns into a monster. Who doesn’t? Blowing all of the above out of the water was The Dark Knight (as expected). Superhero factor aside, it was a fabulous film. But it still offered us insight into ourselves. The issues of morality and corruption surround us everyday, and sometimes we feel like it’s our job to fight for morality and against corruption. And ultimately, what attracts us to Batman more than anyone else is the fact that he is the dark knight. He’s not our knight in shining armor (America has grown up enough to
know that he doesn’t exist). He’s a rich orphan that doesn’t hide in his depression- instead, he runs around in a black suit almost bragging about it. Each hero is an individual, despite their similarities. But the ones portrayed in films this year made a trio that clearly illustrated our hard times, insecurities, and inadequacies more than ever. We will have to wait in anticipation for next spring, with the release of X-Men Origins: Wolverine and The Watchmen, and then later for the already-buzzed-about Iron Man and The Dark Knight sequels, to see if our heroes continue to cater to our needs or come to push us away. But for now, heroes can prevail because we all just need to be saved.
With all of the political ho-humming going around (is that a real phrase!?), it can sometimes be hard to determine what the plans of various presidential candidates precisely entail. Because I’m an Obama fan, I’m going to be going over a small chunk of Obama’s energy policy. But I do want to make the point that on John McCain’s website, his energy policy is defined by six primary goals: expand domestic oil, break dependency on foreign oil, invest in alternative sources of energy, protect our
environment, promote energy efficiency, and address speculative pricing of oil. Very oily goals; I feel like we need to get him some Neutrogena! Barack Obama’s plan, however, entails providing relief to American families facing pain at the pump. Additionally, he plans to create five million new jobs by investing in a clean energy future, work on saving oil so that there will be more oil in reservations than the amount we currently import from the Middle East, put one million cars on the road that can get
up to 150 miles per fective enough, huh? gallon (in the next John McCain didn’t seven years!), ensure think so, and imme10% of our electricity diately attacked that comes from renewable suggestion. " U n f o r t u n a t e l y, sources by 2012, and reduce greenhouse Senator Obama congas emissions 80% by tinues to oppose off2050. Yes, shore drilllet me spell ing. He that out for continues you. Eighty to oppose percent. the use of Obama nuclear recently p o w e r. suggestThese mised a tiny guided polway that icies would Americans result in could help higher enZack Rosen with en- Assistant Editor ergy costs ergy costs: to Ameribe sure that can families your tires are inflated! and businesses and Sounds simply ef- increase dependence
on foreign oil. We're not gonna achieve energy independence by inflating our tires." That may not seem like anything at first, until you see what NASCAR had to say about tire pressure: “[...] the time is now for drivers to focus on simple things like proper tire pressure to maximize tire performance and increase fuel economy.” But wait, there’s more! The U.S. Department of Energy issued a statement saying, “Keep tires properly inflated and aligned to improve your gasoline mileage by around
3.3%.” That’s right; the United States’ very own Department of Energy agrees with Barack Obama. Also according to the Department of Energy, keeping your tires properly inflated can save you up to 12 cents per gallon. Compare that, Senator McCain, to immediate savings from your coastal and Arctic National Wildlife Refuge drilling plan: instead of an immediate savings of 12 cents per gallon, you would only get half of that with your plan. Stop lyin' and keep tryin', gramps.
Political Pressure vs. Tire Pressure
Get Your Voice Heard!
Submit editorials to the Charger Bulletin by e-mailing them to chargerbulletin@newhaven.edu
The Charger Bulletin | August 27, 2008
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Arts & Entertainment The Charger Bulletin | August 27, 2008
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Summer 2008: Why the Movies Were So Nerdtastic! By TIMOTHY FASANO GAMING GURU
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To all the avid readers of the Charger Bulletin, I welcome you back to another exciting year here at the University of New Haven! In addition, a special welcome to the hordes of new freshman on campus, may the next fours years be fun-filled. Anyway, back to the important matter at hand: the movies! As most of you know, the film industry continues to make movies throughout the year. If you didn’t know that, please remove your head from the hole in the ground and pay attention! Most of you know that the movies that were presented to
us this summer were, pecially because a lot well…awesome. As a of them were right up self-proclaimed nerd, my alley!
coming fad as well, with multiple flicks in the making relating around comic book superheroes. For the most part, DC Comics, the makers of Superman and Batman, have been the creators of the typical juggernaght movies in this field. However, Marvel Comics, those that made Spiderman and the Fantastic Four, truly took the field in most respects. Iron Man and The Incredible Hulk were great films. Both Robert Downey Jr. and Edward Norton’s reAN AP PHOTO spective performances Our new favorite robot, Wall-E, checks out a Rubik’s Cube in Wall-E. As we all know, were very well done. you would know it if you knew me, I have Hollywood was smit- Norton, who seems to the need (nay, the ten with the superhe- be great in every film right!) to put my two ro/comic movie con- he’s involved with, cents in on the sum- cept this summer. It scored big points with mer movie titles. Es- seems like an up-and- his handling as Bruce,
the man behind the big green mean. Meanwhile Downey took
in both movies was spectacular, and the multiple references
the Tony Stark character to another level… being the best man for that job by far, easily bringing the character to life. The action
to Nick Fury and the Avengers really excite those who understand the true comic book
didn’t expect that their experiences at SOAR would lead to bigger things. Now, as their band Diseased Princess looks forward to a string of shows, SOAR has proved to do much more than intended. When Hartmann (lead vocals/guitar) and von Schroeder (backup vocals/guitar) teamed up with
noise.” Experimenting seems to work for Diseased Princess. The band’s rap song “Asian Girl Tongue Ring” blew up with hits in their MySpace page. They also plan on recording a fulllength album, which will have a “dueling realities theme.” “I want it to feel like the line between fantasy and reality is very thin,” said Hartmann, “like a horror movie.” Before they think about recording that album, Diseased Princess needs to make it through a busy month of shows. They are performing at The Space in Hamden on Sept. 18 and then they are celebrating Hartmann’s 21st birthday with a show at the Amity Teen Center on Sept. 26. The next day, they are headed to Club 645 in South
Windsor to support the Murder Junkies with The AIDS. “It’s going to be a bang-up of a time,” said Trieschmann. The band just recently performed in Wallingford, at their “best show ever” and at the 1Loud Street Live Music Festival in Southbridge, Mass. The festival was sponsored by Ground Control, a drunk driving prevention campaign. Diseased Princess was one of over 40 bands that helped support the cause while playing great music. With such a busy schedule, it’s clear that Diseased Princess is bound to find more great opportunities. “We want to reach the kids,” said Hartmann. To learn more about the band, check out their MySpace at www.myspace.com/ diseasedprincess.
AN ACCESS HOLLYWOOD PHOTO
Batman interrogates the Joker during The Dark Knight.
See NERDS page 11
Opportunities Open Up for UNH Band
Luckily, the switch turned out to be the ––––––––––––––––– best move. NEW HAVEN—Who “Yancey fits in knew that freshman great and there’s a orientation would very good creative foster not only a energy between us,” friendship but a band Hartmann said. headed for success? All four members University of New combine their influHaven junior Graham ences from a wide Hartmann and forspectrum from The mer student Miguel Ramones and Modest Alexandro Jones von Mouse to folk muSchroeder II surely sic and organ music at hockey games. Due to the variety of influences, it is hard to categorize the band’s sound. “ We ’ v e been changing a lot lately but the core of [our music] is free-form punk,” Hartmann said, “We’re exPHOTO COURTESY OF GRAHAM HARTMANN perimenting Diseased Princess performs at the 1Loud Street Live Music Festival in Southbridge, Mass. on Wednesday, Aug. 13. with a lot of By CELINA NATOLA EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
Rob “The Janitor” Trieschmann (backup vocals/bass) and Washington D.C. native Yancey Guthrie (drums), Diseased Princess became complete. Guthrie joined the group after the band’s former drummer dropped out right before a tour by deleting himself from the band’s MySpace and Facebook accounts.
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Community
The Charger Bulletin | August 27, 2008
Advice Corner
Q: I just got a new roommate and things just aren’t working too well. L Besides her bad attitude, she also has major hygiene problems. How do I change things so that I don’t hurt her feelings, and we can maybe even become friends?
Need some advice? Send your questions to chargerbulletin@newhaven.edu
A: You should try talking to your roommate about the problems you're having with him or her. Hopefully they will be able to be open-minded about the situation and you'll be able to work something out. If that doesn't work, talk to your RA about the situation, because RA's are there to help you! Maybe your RA can help put things into perspective for both of you. A: So...you have a stinky roommate problem. Nothing is going to change your stinky roommate without hurting her fragile, smelly feelings. I would buy a bunch of those plug-in fragrance things, and invest heavily in Febreeze.
Page 10 By JOHN OKO
Sports
The Charger Bulletin | August 27, 2008
Brett Favre Tries On a New Shade of Green
SPORTS WRITER
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What was probably the biggest sports story over the summer months was the Brett Favre situation. The whole Favre saga in fact started on Mar. 4 when Favre announced his retirement. A very emotional Favre gave a press conference and through many tears announced he was done playing in the NFL. There were however some people that believed that Favre was not really done and that he would have a change of heart and be back playing by the time the first kickoff had begun to start the new
NFL season. What got some people to believe this is that Favre said himself that he had been willing to play another year, but he felt that another season would only be successful if he led his team to another Super Bowl victory. Favre said the chances of that happening were very small. Close to four months later on July 2, Favre made contact with the Packers regarding a possible return to Green Bay. The Packers had informed Favre that they were ready to move on without Favre and give long time backup quarterback Aaron Rodgers a shot at starting. The Packers said if Favre would like
he could come back, but he would not be guaranteed the starting role. He would have to compete for the job against Aaron Rodgers. Many fans in Green Bay felt this was a slap in the face to the Packer legend. On July 11 Favre contacted the Packers asking for his release from the Packers so he could go play for another franchise. On July 15, in an interview with Fox News, Favre said he did in fact have intentions of playing in the NFL in 2008. On July 29, Favre officially filed for reinstatement with the NFL. The petition was granted by Commissioner Rodger Goodell which would become effective as
while the Falcons received 12 first-place votes. UNH enters their first season as a member of the Northeast-10, but have regularly played a number of their NE10 opponents in previous seasons. The Chargers went 9-0 against NE-10 opponents last season, including two fourgame victories over the preseason favorite Falcons. "We're excited to begin our inaugural season in the Northeast-10," said head women's volleyball
coach Robin Salters. The Chargers first NE-10 match comes on Wednesday, Sept. 17 at 7 p.m. when they travel to Southern New Hampshire. The chargers open their NE-10 home schedule on Friday Sept. 19 at 7 p.m. against Le Moyne. The volleyball team will open their regular season with a trip to the Bentley College Invitational from Sept. 5-6. The team opens their home schedule at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 10 when they host Post University.
Women’s Volleyball Picked to Finish Second
CHARGER PRESS RLEASE
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SOUTH EASTON, Mass.—The University of New Haven women's volleyball team has been picked to finish second according to the 2008 Northeast-10 Conference Preseason Coaches' Poll. The Chargers, who lost in the East Coast Conference (ECC) Championship game last year, finished with 201 total points, 20 behind preseason favorites Bentley. The Chargers received two first-place votes,
AN AP/ MORRY GASH PHOTO
of Aug. 4. Favre then went to the Green Bay Packers training camp where he held a meeting with Packers head coach Mike McCarthy and Packers general manager Ted Thompson. All three came to an agreement that it was time for Favre to move on to another team. After talks with both the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the New York Jets, the Packers traded Favre to the Jets on Aug. 7. Favre will now come into the 2008 season still wearing green, but for a different NFL franchise. It still remains unclear how well Favre will do in an offensive system under the bright lights of New York.
Favre pouts after throwing an interception for the Packers in Dec.
Women’s Soccer Picked to Finish Sixth in NE-10 Preseason Poll
ference. Franklin Pierce headlined the women's soccer preSOUTH EASTON, season poll with 218 Mass.—The Univer- points and eight firstsity of New Haven place votes, one more women's soccer team then the College of has been picked to fin- Saint Rose. ish sixth in their first"I think the Northever Northeast-10 east-10 is the best Conference Preseason women's soccer conCoaches' Poll. ference in the counThe Chargers fin- try," said head womished with 128 points, en's soccer coach just 13 points out of Brendan Faherty. fifth place. The wom- "We're excited to be en's soccer team fin- a member and placing ished last season 12- sixth in the preseason 7-2 overall and 8-2-0 poll is very respectful in the East Coast Con- to the program." CHARGER PRESS RLEASE
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The Charger women's soccer team opens their NE-10 schedule on Tuesday, Sept. 9 against the preseason fifth-ranked Saint Anselm at 4 p.m. on Kayo Field. The Chargers start their schedule officially on Thursday, Aug. 28 at home against non-conference opponent Adelphi at 4 p.m. For a full NE-10 Women's Soccer Preseason Coaches' Poll log on to www.northeast10.org.
Do you like sports? Then become a sports writer for the Charger Bulletin! Attend campus games or report on the biggest news in national sports. E-mail chargerbulletin@newhaven.edu for more info.
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A&E Continued
The Charger Bulletin | August 27, 2008
Nerds Recover from Summer Movie Heaven con’t from page 8
origins…like me. Other comic book movies like Hellboy 2 and Wanted (didn’t know it was based off a comic did you?) also did well. I never saw the original Hellboy, so the majority of this film was spent making jokes about innuendos and other possibly “that’s what she said” moments. Although I will give it the fact the graphics and CGI were amazing…it seemed a little too Pan’s Labrynth-ey. Wanted was fun and action-packed, but seemed at a lot of points repetitive. Again, the CGI and bullet effects were stunning, but some of the sequences were long and some points of the movie seemed like it was trying too hard to grab your attention. Another superhero movie that seemed like a surefire hit was Hancock. Will Smith performed well once again in a role we normally aren’t used to seeing in him: a boozed-up immortal superhero…right. Either way, it was funny, but not nearly as humorous as I thought it would be. It also
E. Despite having literally less than 20 minutes of human dialogue in the movie, I loved every second of it, from Wall-E’s hum as he made garbage cubes to the noise of a Mac booting up when he recharges his solar batteries. I think the best part of the movie was the big issues it brought forth, without putting them in to your face. The issues of our over dependence on technology, how we are destroying the planet, and our ever-increasing sedentary lifeAN AP PHOTO style, are all big selling points, and they really hit home. All in all, this movie is something that is getting bought on DVD when it comes out, because it is sure to be another classic. Those are all the movies I have deemed worthy of you to see this summer, with the exception of the Mummy sequel and Death Race. Have a great first week back!
had some good action scenes and tense moments. All in all a decent movie, it just might not win an Oscar this year. Did you think I forgot about it? You did, didn’t you! Why so serious? Ok, I’m going to admit…I had been waiting for The Dark Knight since I saw the Joker’s card at the end of Batman Begins. By far, Christopher Nolan has done it again, and DK is easily the best movie of the summer…in sales, in acting (despite batman’s serious case of a hoarse throat), and in action. Besides all that, it almost perfectly followed the comic line, and brought the Batman franchise back to its darker roots. I’m sorry, but the upbeat George Clooney/Adam West Batmans are hopefully a thing of the past. With that said…Heath Ledger was freaking amazing! He kept us guessing and played the part perfectly. You can disagree, but I swear I will find you and pencil trick you… yeah that pencil trick. Don’t be messing with this Joker. Ledger’s performance was funny, real, and scary
chapter. George Lucas, in his infinite wisdom, has created both an Indy and a Star Wars flick for the summer season, and both were disappointing on various levels. Don’t get me wrong, I watched them multiple times, but they still lacked some of the magic the old ones had. Indiana Jones had some great action, and Harrison Ford can still
nerisms and acting seemed very similar to Transformers, and I was really hoping for something more from him. Either way, the movie played on classic jokes, and created some great new touches to the Indiana Jones legacy. For the legacy of the stories from a long time ago in a galaxy far, far away…more disappointment fol-
voices for the major characters are from Episodes I, II, and III, but are from the new animated series coming out. While the action scenes were fun and the battles are always exciting, The Clone Wars left much to be desired. Disney and Pixar always put out the quality movies that are fun for all ages. They did it again with Wall-
Next Door, Wilkinson openly boasts about her love for Olive Garden delicacies such as the breadsticks and chicken parmesan. The Olive Garden marketers, however, are not pleased with the free publicity. The family-friendly chain feels that Wilkinson’s controversial lifestyle is contradictory to the values the restaurant continually strives to embody.
Wilkinson’s admiration for the Olive Garden extends far beyond the good food and familial atmosphere. She has currently embarked on a search for the sexiest Olive Garden employees. Wilkinson reasons that the people working at these establishments are “usually really hot.” In an attempt to distance themselves from the problem, Olive
Garden officials have declined the invitation to discuss their unwanted spokesperson. However, the restaurant’s lack of attention has done little to dissuade the playboy bunny from speaking her mind. Wilkinson claims that unless the Olive Garden pays her to stop saying she loves the restaurant, she has no intention of withholding her opinion.
Wilkinson (left) poses with her Playboy posse at a party in 2006.
as hell. He should be winning an Oscar this year, and it is truly a tragedy to have lost such a true talent. Indiana Jones holds a special place in my heart, as does the entire Star Wars
really play the part well, and the flip to Russian bad guys in the 1950s worked out well. However, Shia Labeouf, in my opinion, ruined that movie. There were multiple parts where his man-
lowed. The thing that really made me dislike this movie a bit was the unorthodox way of going about the introduction, and the changing of all the character’s voices. Almost none of the
A very old Harrison Ford stands up against an angry bunch of Russians in the new Indiana Jones.
Playboy Bunny Love Goes Unappreciated
By MELANIE ROVINSKY STAFF WRITER
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LOS ANGELES— Playboy model and one of Hugh Hefner’s live-in girlfriends, Kendra Wilkinson, has recently stirred up trouble by declaring her fondness for the Olive Garden restaurant. Whether it be on her MySpace page or on her reality TV series, The Girls
AN AP/ DANNY MOLOSHOK PHOTO
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Fun & Games The Charger Bulletin | August 27, 2008
Check out our new features! Look for solutions to this week’s puzzles online at www.chargerbulletin.com Page 13
The Charger Bulletin | August 27, 2008
The Charger Bulletin | August 27, 2008
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Charger Bulletin Board
The Charger Bulletin | August 27, 2008
The Charger Bulletin The student newspaper of the University of New Haven 300 Boston Post Road West Haven, CT 06516 Phone (203) 932-7182 Fax (203) 931-6056 ChargerBulletin@newhaven.edu
——————STAFF—————— Editor-in-Chief Celina Natola Assitant Editor Zack Rosen Staff Writers Mia Becker, Krista Bianchini, Heather Brown, Jonathan Cascio, Kat Cowley, Brittni DeHart, Erin Ennis, Timothy Fasano, John Kritzman, Sara McGuire, Dan Osipovitch, Melanie Rovinsky Staff Photographer Dan Osipovitch Staff Sports Writer John Oko Staff Gaming Guru Timothy Fasano ————ADVERTISING————
A Message to Returning Students
con’t from page 4
nior, you are beginning to prepare to leave the university and this year will be filled with “last times” as you move toward graduation and membership in the UNH Alumni Association. Your courses will be even more demanding, many of you will have an internship requirement to fulfill, and you will finalize your resume and begin the job search or apply to graduate school. As leaders in the residence halls, student government, athletics, clubs and organizations and in
the classroom you will serve as a mentor other students. Senior year is a time to bring closure to your college experience and reflect on all that you have learned both academically and personally. All of you no doubt have noticed a number of changes on campus since you left in May. The new residence hall is rising quickly and you are invited to a topping off ceremony on September 25th at 11a.m. The ATM on campus will change to a Wachovia Bank ATM at the end of September.
Please go to http:// www.newhaven.edu/ student-life/ for information on the new parking regulations, lot designations and how to get your 200809 validation sticker. We have expanded the shuttle service and all resident students will have access to the Connecticut Transit bus system. The Campus Center underwent a renovation last spring and you will find new furnishings, a fireplace and an information desk which will be staffed by students. The Dining Hall has received a fresh
coat of paint and is currently undergoing a renovation which will be completed by mid-October. When the renovations are finished, there will be booth seating in the alcoves, new tables, and electrical access for laptops. The Dean of Students Office is always available to assist you with any question or concern you may have. Best wishes for a successful year. We are glad you are back! Sincerely, Rebecca Johnson-Associate Provost for Student Affairs and Dean of Students
The Charger Bulletin accepts advertising from outside sources. Ad rate sheets are available upon request by calling (203) 932-7182 or via email at ChargerBulletin@newhaven.edu. Advertisements must be either submitted on disk by mail, fax or in person, or preferably sent via email. All advertisements must be received by noon on the Thursday prior to scheduled printing. Due to school sanctions, The Charger Bulletin is unable to accept advertisements from establishments that serve alcoholic beverages. The Charger Bulletin reserves the right to refuse any advertisements. Advertisements within The Charger Bulletin are insterted by outside sources identified in the advertisements themselves and not by the University of New Haven. Advertising material printed herein is solely for informational purposes.
—LETTERS TO THE EDITOR— The Charger Bulletin welcomes letters to the editor. Letters can be sent via email to ChargerBulletin@ newhaven.edu, dopped off at the Charger Office or left in our USGA box. All letters must include the writer’s full name and phone number for verification and can be withheld upon request. The opinions expressed in letters to the editors, poems, columns or other submissions are not necessarily those of The Charger Bulletin staff. The Charger Bulletin has the right to refuse to print any letter or submission. Final decisions are made by the editors.
———OPPORTUNITIES——— Students are strongly encouraged to write for The Charger Bulletin. Visit us on the third floor of Bartels Hall for more info.
—————MEETINGS————— Mondays at 2:00pm in the Bulletin Office on the third floor of Bartels Hall.