The Dial, January Edition

The DialVOL. LXXIV No. 1 FRIDAY, JANUARY 29, 2010 WWW.HHSDIAL.COM

HAMDEN HIGH’S OFFICIAL NEWSPAPER ~ FOUNDED 1936

Hope for Haiti: HHS supports victims of quake We’re backThe Dial retruns after

a year and a half hiatus

Since the last print edition of Hamden High’s newspa-per was published in April of 2008, The Dial has been dras-tically overhauled. With new advisors and editorial staff, The Dial hopes to once again be Hamden High’s number one news source by releasing a new edition every two weeks. The paper returned with six on-line “launches” so far this year. A “launch” --when The Dial’s website (HHSdial.com) is set as Hamden High’s homepage-- is when new content is available. Five more launches are planned for this year, on the second Thurs-day and Friday of each month. “When we log-in, the first page that we see is The Dial and most students read articles and seem interested,” said se-nior Elizabeth Amado. The fo

By Marcus Harun Online Editor-In-Chief

By Abbe Smith Dial Staff

The tragedy in Haiti has sparked an international out-pouring of aid. Many across the world have given or done what they can, to help the victims of the earthquake in Haiti. Ham-den High students, too, have joined in with the response, not remaining passive bystanders. The earthquake which shook Haiti on Tuesday, January 12, measured a 7.0 on the Richter scale, and aftershocks reach-ing a 6.1 magnitude have been recorded. The scene on the ground was originally described as chaotic and deteriorating, but foodstuffs and other necessi-ties have begun to reach the af-fected and displaced Haitians. The death toll will be one of the highest for a natural di-saster in recorded history, and many continue to starve, or live off of ration handouts provid-ed by volunteers and service-men. Despite the disaster that turned buildings to rubble, hope has found its way to the streets. The officers of the Human Re-lations Club have decided to ask the whole HHS community to donate what they can to Haiti.

The club will create posters and fliers, and place them throughout the school. Money and goods such as water bottles and other necessities can be brought to Ms. Marini’s room (B207), where they will be collected and then donated to the American Red Cross. Cassie Webb, an HRC officer stated, “Helping out with Haiti is something we should do.”

Hamden High’s DeMaio House (Teams G and H) sponsored the Haiti Water Drive to help vic-tims who may face the dangers of dehydration. Students and staff donated bottles and cases of water. “Everyone’s been say-ing it’s tragic and Hamden High should do something to help be-cause it’s the right thing to do,” said Team H teacher, Mr. Hamid.

Eddie Genao, a senior said, “They are our neighbors and they are in [desperate] need of our help…” Students throughout Hamden High echo his thoughts. The United States, in leading the international humanitarian effort, has pledged $100 mil-lion in immediate aid to Haiti, with more expected to come. A

Continued on Page 4

In the wake of the January 12th earthquake, victims are in need of food, water and medical supplies.Brian Vander Brug/Los Angeles Times/MCT

NBC switch up

HHS Alumni: Our Heroes?Michael Pollard Jr. (HHS class of 2007) serving in Iraq

Submitted Photo

Hamden High School pre-pares us for our future inside and outside of the classroom. Many students aspire to be the next big lawyer, doctor, teacher, or any other career path that will fulfill their dreams. While the majority of the senior class is off filling out college applica-tions, there are a few students each year who take a different path for their lives: the military. We read it in the news every day: the latest on the ‘war on terror,’ or something that went wrong in an army unit overseas. With the most recent news of the Fort Hood shooting, I can’t help but think that I might know one of the people there; we each might

all know someone. There are handfuls of HHS graduates that were brave enough to sign up for the United States armed forces. Andrew Muolo, HHS class of ’09 says, “I have always want-ed to join the military, it’s the only thing I could picture my-self doing when I grew up. I never really did like school.” Muolo joined the army after high school and is currently in the infantry, stationed in Fort Campbell, Kentucky. Fort Camp-bell is the home of the only Air Assault Division in the world, the 101st Airborne Division. Perhaps you remember Car-mine Baldino, one of the football captains from the HHS class of 2009. Carmine joined the U.S. Army, training at Fort Knox, KY.

By Cassie Webb Contributing Writer

Imagine that you are a mid-level but relatively successful employee of one of America’s larg-est businesses and your employer tells you they will give you an enor-mous promotion in five years when another employee retires. Five years pass and you are promoted, but the company decides that the employee who previously had your new job was so successful that he shouldn’t retire just yet; he gets a new position within the company. Despite his numer-ous accomplishments at his old job, he finds very little success at his new one. On other hand, you’re off to a slow start but have a great deal of promise in your new position. However, the company decides that they would rather demote you, take half of your new job, and give it back to the older employee. You feel slighted, and understandably so. Regardless of metaphors, it

By Julian Haller Hamden High Editor

should be clear that the com-pany is NBC, you’re Conan O’Brien, and the other employ-ee is none other than Jay Leno. The headline-sweeping To-

night Show conflict did in fact begin over 5 years ago, when it was announced that Conan O’Brien would be taking over the TV mainstay in the summer of 2009. The switch happened with relatively little fan-fare—or drama—but the controversy began when The Jay Leno Show debuted a few months later. It was a standard one-hour late-night talk show, only it wasn’t late-

night; the new program occupied the 10 PM primetime timeslot instead, typically occupied by a scripted drama or comedy. It was an experiment on behalf of NBC, whose viewers were leaving in droves, and it initially appeared to pay off. But the ratings of The Jay Leno Show rapidly dropped; to make matters worse, the 10 PM timeslot is the leadin program for 11 o’clock news broadcasts. The poor ratings of the new show

O’Brien leaves, Leno to host ‘Tonight Show’ once more

Continued on Page 10

Continued on Page 2 Continued on Page 5

In the hallsThe Dial asks: “What do you

do on your snow days?”

-Alex

Zakiya Harris/ The Dial“I sleep in and catch up on

homework. Meaning... I catch up on homework at midnight

on the snow day.”

-Niamani

Zakiya Harris/ The Dial“Sleep, catch up on school

work, and eat. Basically what I do on a Sunday.”

-Mr. Rizzo

Zakiya Harris/ The Dial“Hit the slopes with my snow-

board.”

Lionel Hahn/Abaca Press/MCT

Conan O’Brien leaves the ‘Tonight Show’after only 8 months as host

In This Issue

melodi2/STOCK.XCHNG

The Dial examines senioritis in a continuation of its series of bilin-gual stories

HHS News... page 2

Going green just got easier: Re-cycling made simple in Hamden

World News... page 4

You’ve heard the hype. Find out if ‘Avatar’ is as groundbreaking as people say

A&E... page 5

Lady Dragons off to a good start! Find out more:

Sports... page 7

Page 2 The Dial www.HHSdial.com Friday, January 29, 2010

Hamden High

The DialHAMDEN HIGH’S OFFICIAL NEWSPAPER ~ FOUNDED 1936

SPORTS EDITORMegan [email protected]

LIGHTER SIDE EDITORMegan [email protected]

ADVISORSSara [email protected] [email protected]

LAYOUT EDITORMarcus Harun

PHOTOGRAPHYBen Asbell

FINANCIAL OFFICERBrad McRoberts

EDITOR-IN-CHIEFAllye [email protected]

ONLINE EDITOR-IN-CHIEFMarcus [email protected]

HAMDEN HIGH EDITORJulian [email protected]

WORLD EDITORBrad [email protected]

A&E EDITORZakiya [email protected]

OPINION EDITORAllye [email protected]

Hamden High School 2040 Dixwell Ave. Hamden, CT 06514STAFF REPORTERSJeremy AngioneNatalie BarlettaKaitlyn CaponeKacey CarletonMichael DiazRachel DickermanCara DiBiancoRachel DoweKate SwannMelanie Wetmore

CONTRIBUTING WRITERSElisia AcostaPeter BaranskiAmber BarnesKimberly ChurchConnor EtterA.J. GemmellBonnie HawkinsIfrah IrfanWesley IskraSarah OppenheimJessica VendittoCassie Webb

In addition to Carmine, Ryan Skinner (class of 2009) also went to basic training at Fort Knox, Kentucky, joining the National Guard. He left for training on September 16th, 2009 after sign-ing a contract on August 26th, 2009. Currently, Ryan is at Fort Gordon, Georgia for A.I.T., ad-vanced individual training. He is a 25c, which is a radio operator and maintainer; he works and op-erates on all the communication equipment. There is a 90% de-ployment rate with his job and he will most likely be going to Af-ghanistan within a year, where he will set up networks on the FOB, or forward operations base. In addition, he says that he will also go out with the infantry as their radio operator. Other familiar names include CJ Keenan and Faheem Hopkins; both 2008 graduates also joined the millions in the armed forces along with Ray Bettley, class of 2008, who joined the United States Air Force. Michael Pol-lard Jr., class of 2007, has been a member of the United States Air Force for two years and Pete Strauss, class of 2009, completed basic training for the U.S. Navy. David Santiago, football captain and HHS graduate of the class

of 2008 joined the United States Marine Corp. Michael Pollard Jr. is one of the HHS graduates who made his decision to join the U.S. Air Force at the spur of the mo-ment. He’s been stationed on 3 different bases, deployed to Iraq for 6 months and is wait-ing for his promotion to E4. Pollard states, “I will be leaving after I fin-ish my time in August 2013, and return home for good. Despite my plans on leaving I do love, respect, and have pride in the US Military and do not regret my decision, because although I wasn’t ready, it was the smartest decision I made leaving HHS.” When I think about the people I know from HHS that are in the service, it brings tears to my eyes. The bravery and commit-ment that these men and woman have is impeccable. Andrew Muolo says, “So far I have only met one person from the East Coast, but no matter where we are from there is one thing every man here has in common; we are

willing to do whatever it takes to protect the guy next to [us], we are all motivated to go overseas and do our part.” Muolo’s unit leaves for Af-

ghanistan, for a year, in three weeks. By scanning the pages of the Hamden High School Venture, I see the smiling faces of the seniors, clad in their fancy clothes in front of the default blue background. I never think of any of these people as he-roes, they seem just like you and me, but many HHS alumni are in the armed forc-es. These valiant men and women are my heroes. What they do for our country is one of the noblest

acts a man can do, and I’m proud to walk down the hallways of the same school they did. Ryan Skin-ner comments, “I would consider everyone who is joining a hero because it’s all volunteer now and they know what they’re get-ting into. They watch the news about all of the casualties and still decide to join.”

Continued from front page

HHS alumni serve overseas

A Problem That Knows No Language BarrierA Look at Senioritis in Both English and Polish

By Wesley IskraContribuiting Writer

As every year of high school comes to an end, we all begin to look forward to our summer va-cations and to a time where there are no assignments, no due dates, and most importantly, no more going to classes. However, for the incoming group of seniors that year, a very contagious and frightening disease lurks from student to student. And no, I’m not talking about swine flu. If you haven’t guessed already, I’m speaking about senioritis. For years, scientists have been trying to find a cure for its un-earthly grasp on the young minds

trash on the floors of the room, increasing the cleanliness of the building, and bettering the learn-ing environment. Much effort has been made to bolster the recycling program at the high school, and the recently formed Conservation Club has looked to increase environmental awareness. In turn Hamden High School

of seniors and year after year se-nioritis has remained strong. As recent studies show, senioritis has been on an alarming upswing in schools in the U.S. during the last 4 years. Our school is no dif-ferent, and I am writing about this to warn you of the possible detrimental effects senioritis can cause. If you or a friend suddenly wakes up one morning with a lack of effort to move out of bed, and with a mindset that ques-tions the overall values of going to school, either one of you may be carrying senioritis. The side

Jak co roku, rok szkolny dobie-ga końca, wszyscy oczekujemy wakacji, bez zadań domowych, projektów a co najważniejsze rannego wstacania do szkoly. Tymczasem klasa maturalna i każdy uczeń jest przerażory nowym, nie mówie tu o świnskiej grypie. Jeżeli jeszcze nie zgadłeś, to jest ‘senioritis’, czyli syndrome klasy maturalnej. Przez lata uc-zeni i lekarze próbują znaleźć lekarstwo na tą chorobę. Ten syndrome pochlania alarmującą licebę uczniów. Dotyczy to również naszej szkoły i chcę was

tu ostrzeć o efektach tej choroby. Jeżeli ktoryś z nas obudzi się i nie może zwlec się z łóżka z py-taniem “Dlaczego mam chodzić do szkoły?, to pewnie masz tą chorobę. Skutki uboczne tej choroby, opuszcsanie lekcji, oglondanie nostalgicznych programów z lat 90 tych. Przyjmy tą przestragę do serca. Jeżeli że jesteś zarażony tą chorobą, porozmawjaj ze swoimi nauczycielami niech ci doradzą i pomogą. Wszystkim moim czytelnikom magę tylko doradzić uczcie się i kontynujcie swoją karierę w Hamden High nie wpadnijcie w pułapkę bezcsyn nosci jąk inni przed wami.

effects of senioritis range from skipping classes to sitting on your couch all day watching re-runs of nostalgic 90’s TV shows. Once again, I can only hope that you’ve taken my warning to heart. If you think you may be catching senioritis, you should speak with your teachers about how to reverse its effects. As for all the underclassmen who are reading this, my only advice is to keep doing work throughout your career at Ham-den High, and don’t fall into the trap that has caught countless other before you.

Environmental Issues at Hamden HighBy Brad McRoberts

World Editor

Hamden High School janitors have been seen mixing the trash and recycling together, when emptying the bins. Almost every classroom in Hamden High School is outfit-ted with a trash can and recy-cling bin. The goal is to reduce

administration and Hamden Pub-lic Schools seem committed to making the school greener, albeit implementing resources at a far slower pace that the environmen-tal activists within the student body would like. Environmental Issues: Part 2, next issue: Greener Technology at HHS: What do we have, and what could we utilize?

Meet the HHS News Editor

Michael Pollard, Jr. (‘07) in Iraq

Like what you see?Want to help make the next

issue bigger and better? The Dial is looking for reporters and photographers. No previ-ous journalism experience is necessary. We are especially in need of more sports writers! For more information, contact an editor or advisor or attend a staff meeting—listen to the announcements or check hhsdial.com for meeting times.

Julian Haller is not nearly as interesting as he would like to have you believe. He is a simple man who enjoys eggplant sandwiches and dislikes the sound of styrofoam. He has a strong aversion to Ke$ha and his greatest fear is that she will obtain lasting cultural relevance. He believes that reality TV’s greatest contribution to 21st century society is the phrase “I’m not here to make friends! I’m here to win!” (However, Julian would like to clarify that he is, in fact, here to make friends.) Rumor has it he is a senior at Hamden High, but as of press time this could not be confirmed.

Marcus Harun has a lot of aspirations after high school, most of them relating to the media and journalism. Through The Dial, he’s able to live out many different dreams. He organized Hamden High’s first live broadcast ever, featuring the fall pep rally streamed to The Dial’s homepage. In fact, Marcus created HHSdial.com in 2008 to globally boost The Dial’s viewership. Since then, Marcus has led The Dial’s internet ventures as Online Editor-In-Chief. He also serves as Layout Editor for this magnificent print edition. Marcus is also involved in lots of other clubs and organizations at the school; here are a few: Class of 2010 Treasurer, TSA Presi-dent, Mock Trial Attorney, and Hamden High This Week producer. He hopes to attend either Quinnipiac or Yale University to major in journalism next year.

Meet the Online Editor-In-Chief

Get Hamden High News Updates on your facebook feed

Search “HHS Dial” on Facebook.

World

Friday, January 29, 2010 www.HHSdial.com The Dial Page 3

HAITI in Focus: Hunger

HAITI in Focus: Devastation

HAITI in Focus: Evacuation

HAITI in Focus: Chaos Fifty-two Haitians pack the inside of a converted school bus in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, Tuesday, January 19, 2010. Tens of thousands of Haitians are joining a mass exodus from the city in the aftermath of the earthquake.

Brian Vander Brug/Los Angeles Times/MCT

MCT

MCT

MCT

How to help:1) Donate to the American Red Cross International Response Fund, which is providing both immediate relief and long-term sup-port for the Haitian people. The Red Cross provides supplies, medical assis-tance, and financial relief. At this time, the Red Cross is specifically asking for monetary donations, which can be mailed to the Red Cross’ New Haven chap-ter, or made online at www.redcross.org. For more in-foration, call 1-800-RED-CROSS.

2) Bring in cases or single bottles of water to your first-period class for Ham-den High’s water drive. Because dehydration is such a severe problem in Haiti, the water drive will only last two days, the 25th and 26th of January. Many other school organizations are trying to help Haiti in other ways, so don’t be afraid to ask around and see if there are any other ways you can help.

Wyclef Jean’s Yéle HaitEarthquake Fundhttp://yele.org/

Clinton & Bush Haiti Fundhttp://clintonbushhaiti-fund. org/

Save the Childrenhttp://www.savethechil-dren.org/

Pan American Develop-ment Foundationwww.panamericanrelief.org

UN ReliefWebwww.reliefweb.int

UNICEFhttp://www.unicef.org.uk/

The Salvation Armyhttp://www.salvationarmy-usa.org/usn/www_usn_2.nsf

Action Against Hungerhttp://www.actionagain-sthunger.org/where-we-work/haiti

Rubble left the in the wake of the earthquake.

The streets are packed in Port-au-Prince, as people have no where to go.

Desperate Haitians reach for high protein bars, distributed by the Red Cross.

Population of Haiti: 9,780,064

Government:Weak Democracy

General Facts About HaitiLanguages:English, French

Capital:Port-au-Prince

National currency: Gourde

Size: slightly smaller than Maryland

In 2008, Haiti suffered four tropical storms that further hindered its economy.

Page 4 The Dial World Friday, January 29, 2010

Mayor Scott Jackson is pleased to announce that Hamden resi-dents may now place all recy-clables together in their curbside recycling bin. It is no longer necessary to separate paper and cardboard from other recycling. The Town’s refuse and recycling vendor, TrashMaster, is collect-ing the materials in traditional re-fuse “packing trucks” and deliv-ering them to a recycling facility that allows for a “single stream” processing. The facility has the ability to separate paper products from plastic, glass, metal food and beverage containers, juice/milk cartons and aluminum foil/trays, so all recyclable materials

can be processed together. The hauler had begun a pilot program in the fall of 2009 col-lecting curbside recycling in a refuse truck. The trucks are able to compact the recyclable materi-als, but only to a calculated de-gree so that they may be properly separated at the recycling facility. This led to some confusion with residents who were concerned that their recyclables were being disposed of as refuse. The May-or’s Office met with TrashMaster to request that the trucks collect-ing the recyclables be clearly marked so as to distinguish them from the regular refuse trucks. As a result, TrashMaster has of-

Hamden Simplifies Recycling Program

Every year, 4 million animals are killed because no one wants them. Out of every 10 dogs that enter an animal shelter, 6 will be euthanized, and out of every 10 cats that enter an animal shelter, 7 will be put to sleep. It is easy to close your eyes to the atrocities being wreaked on these unwanted pets, but you can make all the difference. Here are some simple ways that you can help: Spay and neuter your cats and dogs. A cat can have 100 kittens in her lifetime, and most people simply don’t have the resources to care for all of those kittens. This is what leads to the “sur-plus” animals being euthanized in shelters.

Donate food, supplies and your time to local animal shelters. Volunteers and donations are the lifeblood that keeps animal shel-ters running. When getting a pet, seriously consider adoption over buying from a breeder or a pet store. 25% of dogs that enter animal shelters are pure bred, and many pet stores buy from puppy mills, which are uncaring, inhumane puppy “factories” that are more concerned with profit than the dog’s health. If you are interested in getting more involved to help local ani-mals, join PAWS, a new club at Hamden High that meets Mon-days after school in A220 to help fight for animal rights and give every animal the love and care they deserve.

Helping the Animals

In the wake of the attempted bombing on Christmas day, U.S. officials announced that airlines will now subject travelers from fourteen countries to intensive screening procedures before al-lowing them to enter the United States. The fourteen nations tar-geted have been deemed “state sponsors of terrorism” or “coun-tries of interest,” and include Cuba, Yemen, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan. Citizens of these countries, and anyone traveling to or from them, will face full-body pat downs, in-creased luggage scrutiny, and in-spection with whole body scan-ners, which allow officials to look beneath travelers’ clothing for weapons. The announcement of these new security procedures represents a shift away from the even-handed yet harsh security screenings passengers faced im-mediately following the Decem-ber 25 bombing attempt. These new screening guidelines, which predominantly target citizens from Middle Eastern countries, have caused accusations of inef-ficiency and racial profiling. The tensions surrounding these new airline security regulations highlight a growing problem for airline officials and U.S. secu-

rity officials: balancing the need for an effective security system that protects passengers with the moral imperative not to make racially or religiously motivated judgments. A homeland security official was quick to quash criti-cisms of racial profiling, and told The New York Times that the Obama administration does not consider the screenings discrimi-natory or biased, saying, “ad-ditional screening measures are necessary to keep transportation safe.” However, Nawar Shora, the legal director of the Arab-Amer-ican Anti-Discrimination Com-mittee, argues that the procedures unjustly target citizens of certain nations, and plans to file a formal protest about the new screenings. “I understand that there needs to be additional security in light of what was attempted on Christ-mas Day,” Mr. Shora told report-ers. “But this is extreme and very dangerous. All of a sudden people are being labeled as being related to terrorism just because of the nation they are from.” With heated rhetoric coming from both proponents and op-ponents of the security proto-col, many people are simply left wondering how effective these new procedures truly are in de-terring would-be terrorists. For

Tensions rise over new security guidelines

Recently, we sat down with the World News Editor of the Dial, Brad Mcroberts.

What is your favorite fruit? Strawberry! Chocolate on Strawberry. Mango on Strawber-ry. Strawberry on Strawberry. Which Jonas Brother do you like most? Good question. It would be tough to answer, but I really can’t stand the Jonas Brothers. At all.

Are you faster than a speeding bullet? Yes. All the time.

What is your most interesting dream?

I have had this recurring dream since I was little. I was flying over the rolling green hills and farmlands of Switzerland , when all of a sudden I began to fall from the sky. The rush of air in my face, and the feeling of the free fall was exhilarat-ing, and ever since then I have wanted to take a trip to Zurich and skydive.

Who is your favorite author? The great George Orwell, who coincidentally shares my birthday.

Is there a theory that you sub-scribe to in life? Find peace and happiness in the world wherever you go, for life is what you make of it.

By Megan RowlandThe Lighter Side Editor

By Bonnie HawkinsContributing Writer

Meet the World News Editor: Brad McRoberts

all that the United States has in-vested into this new system, are travelers any safer? Preliminary analysis is not encouraging. For one thing, the new security requirements are worryingly ineffectual for domestic travel in the United States, since most passengers on domestic flights use driver’s licenses, not passports. Licenses give security officials no way of identifying nationality, meaning there is little chance that any pas-sengers on domestic flights will receive extra attention. Additionally, as security tech-nologist Bruce Schneier notes, “Terrorists don’t fit a profile.” Shoe-bomber Richard Reid was a British citizen flying from Paris, the bombers who de-stroyed two Russian planes in 2002 were Eastern European women, and the Unabomber was a non-descript white American. The FBI’s most-wanted Al Qa-eda suspect, Adam Gadahn, is an American. Though terrorists share many things in common, ethnicity isn’t one of them. And, Schneier notes, “Without an ac-curate profile, the system can be statistically demonstrated to be no more effective than random screening.” Even worse, the new proce-dures can actually make airport

Senator Dodd to Step DownBy Brad McRoberts

World News Editor

Connecticut Senator Christo-pher Dodd will not run for re-election in 2010, accord-ing to a statement he made Tuesday, January 5, 2010.Dodd, a Demo-crat and the current Chair of the Senate Finance Commit-tee, endured a tough year in and outside politics, contribut-ing to a large drop in his approval rating. In 2008 Dodd made his first blun-der, moving his family to Iowa a few weeks before the caucuses. Thus began his rapid fall in the

polls. The economic meltdown and banking crises of 2008, and the discovery of his exclusive

rate with C o u n t r y -wide were the nails in his politi-cal coffin. Dodd also s t r u g g l e d with the loss of his sister and his battle cancer in the summer of 2009.

Dodd’s de-cision to step down

has moved Attorney General Richard Blumenthal (D) into the forefront of the Senatorial race.

Christopher Dodd annonced he is not running in 2010

screening procedures less secure. By announcing exactly who will receive extra attention at secu-rity checkpoints, airline officials are giving airline passengers the choice between undergoing one screening option with more scrutiny, or one with less. Obvi-ously, terrorists will choose the former option, and will be able to easily navigate security systems with the least possible attention simply by traveling through non-suspicious countries. Rather than using the new se-curity procedure, which many argue is racial profiling, many experts advocate what is called “behavioral profiling,” and which instructs airline officials to remain wary of suspicious be-havior, not suspicious ethnicities. Such screenings would also take into account information avail-able from scanning passengers’ travel documents, without con-sidering such factors as a pas-senger’s race, religion, or gender. Sheldon H. Jacobsen, a professor at the University of Illinois who has spent almost two decades re-searching aviation security sys-tems, estimates that such proce-dures could potentially exempt sixty to seventy percent of all airline passengers from unneces-sary screenings, giving airlines the ability to focus more of their

resources on truly worrisome passengers. Whether the U.S. government defends or amends these new air-line security procedures remains to be seen, but regardless of their decision, the threat of another terrorist attack will linger over the airline security officials and the Obama administration for a long time to come.

ficially marked their recycling trucks with the easily recogniz-able triangular recycling logo so that residents can be assured that their recyclables are being handled properly. “Making recycling as simple as possible will encourage our residents to recycle more, result-ing in environmentally friendly cost savings for the Town,” said Mayor Scott Jackson. If you have any further ques-tions, please contact Pamela Roach, Hamden’s Solid Waste & Recycling Coordinator at 203-287-7021 or [email protected]. Visit for updates any time.

Accidents are expensive.

Safety is priceless.

HHS S.A.D.D

HHSdial.com

long list of many other coun-tries has contributed rescue teams, money, and goods for a total numbering somewhere near $400 million, according to United Nation documents. Pledged donation totals (mon-ey promised by countries which has not yet been given), are around $951 million. A major-ity of the money has been given bilaterally, directly from one government to another, or by way of aid organizations such as the Red Cross and UNICEF. Inflatable hospitals have reached Port-au-Prince and there is a large team of Doc-tors Without Borders working

alongside many other trained medical professionals from other countries. The USNS Comfort, a traveling medical center, is operating off the coast of Hai-ti. Military cargo planes have evacuated some out of Haiti, and many of those displaced have built tent cities as a short-term solution to their homelessness. The humanitarian response to this natural disaster is one of the largest in history, encouraged by the benefits of cell phones, the impacts of news videos, and the large numbers of images which poured out of Haiti in the days after the initial earthquake. The Red Cross has received over $20 million in donations by way of “texting in” and this number is

expected to rise, according to In-ternational Red Cross officials. A survey done by the Dial shows that around 35% of the student body has texted in to an aid orga-nization, contributing money to the successful aid effort. Some students have contributed mul-tiple times, and others have en-couraged their friends and fam-ily to support the cause as well. On the rubble-filled streets of Port-au-Prince, the dazed re-action has been replaced with action. The relief effort is un-derway with people of all ages from all nations and places contributing what they can and working hand in hand. Hope shines through the darkness.

Continued from front pageHHS supports victims of quake

Arts & Entertainment


Akin to James Cameron’s “Ti-tanic,” “Avatar” is an epic feast for the eyes that is guaranteed to deliver a fun ride while it lasts. Cameron, who is known for his ability to create believable envi-ronments in his movies, outdoes himself with this latest project. The concept of “Avatar” is noth-ing revolutionary; it seems al-most typical of its science fiction genre. A ruthless businessman and the American military travel to the alien world of Pandora, where they meet the aboriginal race known as the Na’Vi. These large blue dwellers of Pandora are reminiscent of Native Ameri-cans and as such are protective of their land. When the Earthlings want to mine a precious mineral, conflict arises because the cache of rare minerals lies directly be-neath the capitol village of the Na’Vi people. The story’s draw lies with its main character Jake Sully, a paraplegic marine who takes part in an experimental process for diplomacy with the natives. Sully mentally links up with a Na’Vi who is homegrown - meaning that its body was artifi-cially grown in an American lab-oratory - to assimilate into their community and convince them to relocate. Jake’s struggle between doing what he knows is right and remaining loyal to his race adds an extra layer to the otherwise two-dimensional plot. An interesting plot point is that ‘nature’ quite literally acts as one of the main characters. The god that the Na’Vi worship is known as Eywa, who is es-sentially Mother Nature and the life source of Pandora and the Na’Vi. Cameron drives his na-ture theme home by making the world of Pandora so believable by incorporating stunning visu-

als, sprawling environments, unique creatures and the lore behind it all. The story seems to take a backseat to the awe-inspiring visuals, which may not bother those who are just in it for the shiny look of it all. Some might notice a few loom-ing undertones in the film “Ava-tar.” The aforementioned paral-lel to the Native Americans has caused a bit of a stir among its audience. Likewise, the ‘green message’ seems to be the overall theme. It is not a detraction from the film’s quality, but some may feel they are being preached to. The lush, beautiful landscapes and inhabitants of Pandora pick up the slack where the story leaves off. It is apparent where the blockbuster’s $500 million budget went while gazing at its environment and seeing that the majority of it is computer gen-erated. The 3-D version of the movie is nothing too special and does little to serve the story—it almost seems as if Cameron was just jumping on the 3-D craze while it was still popular. In oth-er words, it is nothing more than a gimmick. The acting in ‘Avatar’ is quite good and the cast seems to blend

action film have typically been frowned upon, but after seeing the emotion in their facial expres-sions and fluidity of their move-ment it is hard to deny that the Na’Vi might actually exist. The music of the film helps in driv-ing the scenes and appropriately amps up epic action sequences. The score is just as delightful to hear as the world of Pandora is to see; it almost feels as if the music is introducing you to the planet and its inhabitants. “Avatar” is a big feather in the cap of James Cameron and therefore will be a major player in his legacy. Instead of being known as the guy who sunk a boat and made millions in the process (“Titanic”), he will now be the man who created an entire world. This film also seems to be evidence of a comeback for sci-fi movies, especially in ‘09, the year in which “Avatar” joined the ranks of critically acclaimed “District 9” and the re-imagined “Star Trek.” Although “Avatar” does not re-invent the wheel in terms of science fiction, it does deserve innovation points for its visual precedence and for setting a new standard for all future ap-plicants in the genre.

together well. Sigourney Weav-er plays a veteran scientist and founder of the “Avatar” program. Her presence in the film is nice to see, considering her previous experience working with James Cameron on “Alien.” It is also refreshing to see a fresh cast of faces on such a big project. The stars of “Avatar” are not neces-sarily unknown actors but are fresh nonetheless: Giovanni Ribisi convincingly plays the money hungry business man who makes you wonder if he even has a heart. Zoë Saldana, although she is never seen, voices the fearsome warrior Princess Neytiri. Sam Worthington, who plays lead character Jake Sully, is a ris-ing star who you might recognize from his lead role in “Termina-tor: Salvation” as well as his up-coming role as “Perseus” in the remake of “Clash of The Titans.” Worthington delivers a solid per-formance (both voice and live acting) and it is clear that he is staking his claim in the industry as the next big thing. The best ‘actors’ of the film were the Na’Vi themselves. Characters who are completely computer-generated in a live-

‘Avatar’: So what’s the fuss really all about?By Jeremy Angione

Dial Staff

The breathtaking Na’Vi in their natural habitat.

Meet the Arts & Entertainment Editor

The Grammy Awards air Janu-ary 31, 2010 on CBS at 8PM. Here’s a look at a few of the nominees. Be sure to tune in Sunday night to see if any of your favorites take home a gilded gramopohone!

Album of the Year

I Am...Sasha Fierce by Beyoncé

The E.N.D. by Black Eyed Peas

The Fame by Lady Gaga

Big Whiskey and the Groogrux King by Dave

Matthews Band

Fearless by Taylor Swift

Song of the Year

Poker Face by Lady Gaga

Pretty Wings by Maxwell

Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It) by Beyoncé

Use Somebody by Kings of Leon

You Belong With Me by Taylor Swift

Best Female Pop Vocal Performance

Hometown Glory by Adele

Halo by Beyonce

Hot N Cold by Katy Perry

You Belong With Me by Taylor Swift

Best Rock Album

Black Ice by AC/DC

Live from Madison Square Garden by Eric Clapton &

Steve Winwood

21st Century Breakdown by GreenDay

Big Whiskey and the Groogrux King by Dave

Matthews Band

No Line On The Horizon by U2

Best New Artist

Zac Brown Band

Karl Hilson

MGMT

Silversun Pickups

The Ting Tings

By Zakiya HarrisA&E Editor

Just so you know:

52nd Annual Grammy Awards

We chatted with the Dial’s Arts & Enter-tainment editor, senior Zakiya Harris, and asked her a few questions about herself. Here are her responses.Name one embarrassing childhood mem-ory that you have: I walked into a tree when I was in pre-school. The reason why is unnecessary.

If any one of your wishes could come

The poor ratings of the new show meant fewer viewers were tuning in to local news, and NBC affiliates became angered. The Tonight Show, now hosted by O’Brien, was garnering mid-dling ratings but did not nearly match the success of the show when it was hosted by Leno. On January 10th, NBC an-nounced that The Jay Leno Show was being shortened to 30 min-utes and making its return to late-night at 11:30. The Tonight Show would be delayed until 12:05, making it the first time the long-running program had ever not been aired at 11:30. Un-fortunately for its cast and crew, Conan O’Brien’s contract stipu-lated that the program could be delayed until 12:05 at any time; the clause was intended to ac-commodate delays due to sports programs, but in this case it left O’Brien with two options: delay his show, or leave the network. The reaction from view-ers has been strong. Many feel O’Brien has been unfairly treat-

ed by the network and Leno’s reputation has seemingly taken a large hit. Social networking sites were abuzz with Conan support and rallies have even been held across the U.S. Celebrities have by and large sided with O’Brien, and, although attempts by others to vilify Leno seem unfair, as it is NBC that ultimately decided to air his program on late-night, he has been widely criticized for refusing to walk away. Ironi-cally enough, viewership of The Tonight Show had spiked in the wake of the announcement. Re-gardless, Conan O’Brien’s stint as host ended January 22nd, as he did not wish to change the timeslot of what he called “the greatest franchise in the history of television;” nor did he wish to push back the other programs, including the show he used to host, Late Night, any further than was necessary. Conan’s re-lationship with NBC seems to be finished, despite the remain-ing three and a half years on his initial deal with the network.

NBC switch-upContinued from front page

In 2010, Hollywood films will go down the rabbit hole with a Mad Hatter, ascend to the magi-cal realm of Mount Olympus where mighty Zeus still rules, and revisit Sherwood Forest where, this time, a former “Glad-iator” is the one notching the ar-rows. Fans of the fantastic will be able to pick their pack when it comes to werewolves, suit up with a familiar Marvel superhero or watch Angelina Jolie reload in another spy vs. spy adventure.It’s also a big year for sword-fighting with “Percy Jackson & the Olympians” in February, “Clash of the Titans,” starring “Avatar’s” Sam Worthington, on March 26, and “Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time,” starring Jake Gyllenhaal and based on the video game, on May 28. Will one of those magic movies become the box-office heir to “Harry Pot-ter”? That $5.3-billion franchise

is back a week before Thanks-giving with “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part I.” Other returning franchises in-clude “Iron Man 2” (in May, with Mickey Rourke as the villain) and “Toy Story 3” (in June, with Michael Keaton added as boy-toy Ken), “The Twilight Saga: Eclipse” (June) and “Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader” (December).Here is a peek at some of the year’s highlights.

ROBIN HOODCAST: Russell Crowe, Cate Blanchett and William Hurt. Di-rected by Ridley Scott.BACK STORY: He steals from the rich and gives to the poor. Or does he? Scott knows that audiences have their preconceived notions of the Robin Hood legend. “It’s so much a part of the original English culture and everyone

Wonder of Wonderlands: a sneak peek at 2010’s movies

By Geoff Boucher Los Angeles Times

(MCT)

Continued on page 6

true, what would it be? I wish the old episodes of old Nickelodeon shows, like “Hey Arnold!” and “Rugrats” and “Are you Afraid of the Dark?” were still on the air. Oh, and “Doug.” That show was awesome.

What’s your favorite kind of doughnut? I enjoy chocolate-frosted donuts with sprinkles.

Page 6 The Dial Arts & Entertainment Friday, January 29, 2010

By Ann PowersLos Angeles Times

HOLLYWOOD -- In the course of a long goodbye, emotions si-multaneously sharpen and blur. We toast the soon-departed, gob-ble cake at the office party, talk about the good times until those memories grow color-saturated and bright. The other kind, we put aside. The irritations and worse that may have led to this parting become fuzzy, temporar-ily forgotten. Everyone wants to feel good while we’re singing that we had the time of our lives. Simon Cowell’s announce-ment that he’ll leave “American Idol” at the end of this season to executive-produce and judge an American version of his hit English program “The X Factor” was designed to commence one of those extended, heartwarming farewells. What an instant rat-ings booster! Now, even viewers skeptical about the ascent of self-described fans’ representative Ellen DeGeneres to the judges’ table will have to tune in--if only to savor the twilight of Simon’s patented nastiness. Instead of waxing poetic about how Cowell introduced a new generation to the stereotype of the fussy Brit, or listing the five most ridiculous metaphors he used to describe bad singing, or basking in the glow of his whit-ened teeth, let’s talk about some-thing serious. The fact is, Cowell helped change the way Ameri-cans think about popular music. Embodying the role of the music snob while voicing opinions dis-tinctly different from what that character usually expresses, he helped make room for a wider

vision of what great American music can be. Or a degraded one. For many serious music fans, “Idol” has long represented the triumph of puffery and schmaltz over sin-cerity and real skill. The show’s run has coincided with the col-lapse of the conventional music industry, the retreat of “mean-ingful” mainstream rock and the rise of the multiplatform pop star--an era in which the musi-cians making the greatest splash are neither dazzling virtuosos nor rough-hewn poets carrying forth three chords and the truth, but the thinking showgirls of dance pop and the self-made androids of the Auto-Tune revolution. It’s also been a good decade for di-vas, the soaring sentimentalists long scorned (and even feared) by rock purists. Onto this shifting stage came Cowell, who walked and talked -- or rather, sat and furrowed his brow and snarkily quipped -- like a rock snob while expressing exactly the opposite worldview. Here was the very cliche of the arts critic: a stuffy, middle-aged man, somewhat humorless and very sure of himself, who wore his superior opinions like gilt secret society pins affixed to his chest. Simon knows better than you: That’s one key premise of “Amer-ican Idol.” The part Simon plays complements those inhabited by his two original fellows. Paula Abdul, now replaced by DeGe-neres, was the flighty, effusive classic-pop female, part mother tearing up at the school pageant and part teeny-bopper reaching to tear off contestants’ clothes. Ran-dy Jackson, the “real” musician whose background in hair metal

and Hollywood studio work exempts him from the snob position, speaks in the colorful slang of a musician (and, fitting into another designated role, of a black entertainer), and loses authority in pro-portion to his hipness. The addition of judge Kara DioGuardi last sea-son messed with this for-mula and may have prov-en more threatening to Cowell than he expected. Her similarities to Abdul and Jackson were obvi-ous--she’s female, as her bikini-baring stunt on the finale painfully reminded us, and she moves in a younger version of the studio-session scene that earned Jackson his for-tune and his peculiar form of street cred. But she also proved able to judge, in musicianly detail, what makes a pop performance great. Being both com-mercially savvy and aesthetically motivated is Cowell’s shtick, and he seemed to wilt a bit when DioGuardi showed she could do it too. Cowell needn’t have worried. DioGuardi can’t fill his Cuban-heeled shoes because she is a woman, and even though female singers and dancers dominate American pop right now, cer-tain old attitudes persist, includ-ing the one that values men’s thoughts and women’s emotions. (That’s why there are still so few prominent female produc-ers, lead guitarists or rappers--all jobs that call for “masculine” brain power and technical skill.) As last season wore on, Dio-

knows it,” the British filmmaker says. That’s presented the “Glad-iator” director with opportunities and obstacles as he and five-time collaborator Crowe revisit Sher-wood Forest. Scott’s “Robin Hood” carries no small weight on its shoulders. The film represents a steep in-vestment (close to $200 million) for Universal Pictures and Rela-tivity Media, and after Univer-sal’s disastrous 2009 slate, “Rob-in Hood” could help reverse the studio’s fortunes. The more immediate challenge, though, is to breathe new life into a character at the center of countless Hollywood interpreta-tions — including 1938’s Errol Flynn version and Kevin Cost-ner’s 1991 update. “You can ask a child on the street who Paul McCartney is, and they don’t know,” Scott says. “But a child of 8 knows who Robin Hood is.”Scott is setting his film in the late 12th century amid the Crusades, with Robin Hood (Crowe) a mercenary for Richard the Lion-

heart (Danny Huston) returning to England. Like his fellow sol-diers of fortune, the film’s titular archer is without initial purpose. “They have no wives and no kids and no homes, so they become bandits and vagrants. It’s the legacy of war.” Not surprisingly, Robin Hood undergoes a crisis of faith, even as his love life (Cate Blanchett plays Maid Marian) is faring a bit better. “There’s a very strong destiny story in this,” says Scott, who is collaborating with his “Gladia-tor” cinematographer, editor and production designer. “In the first 20 minutes of the film, you’ll start to see a new man — a leader of the pack.”—John Horn

SEX AND THE CITY 2CAST: Sarah Jessica Parker, Kristin Davis, Kim Cattrall, Cynthia Nixon, Miley Cyrus, Pe-nelope Cruz and Liza Minnelli. Written and directed by Michael Patrick King.BACK STORY: “I knew what

I wanted the tone to be before I came up with the idea,” King says. “The first film I felt had to be emotional and epic and have heartbreak in it. This one I wanted to be a big summer party, more along the road pictures of the ‘30s. I thought of the (eco-nomic) depression we’re in and wanted to make a fun escapist movie.” So where do Carrie, Saman-tha, Charlotte and Miranda go on their road trip? Think hot. Think sand, lots of sand. Think ... the Middle East? “You really do re-alize how far apart the Middle East and four New York women are. Hence, my story,” says King, who declines to enumerate any specific plot points, though he notes, “We were in (Morocco) for eight weeks. We filmed on the exact same dunes as they did for ‘Lawrence of Arabia.’” Unlike in New York, where Parker and the gang create pan-demonium every time they step out in character, the Moroccans were a tad less wowed. “The camels seemed to be thrilled, but

Simon Cowell will be a tough ‘Idol’ to follow

there was no one (else around) but us. We were in a Muslim community. It’s not like ‘Sex and the City’ is playing on a loop in a bar there. They know the girls, but it’s covert, wink-wink.”—Rachel Abramowitz

ALICE INWONDERLAND

CAST: Johnny Depp, Mia Wa-sikowska and Helena Bonham Carter. Directed by Tim Burton.BACK STORY: There’s no mis-taking the singular surrealism of Lewis Carroll, but despite the familiar faces on the movie post-ers it would be a mistake to call Burton’s vision a pure adaptation of the author’s 19th century writ-ings or even a live-action remake of Walt Disney’s 1951 animated film. “It’s a completely different and new story, but it has a lot of the same characters in it,” said Wa-sikowska, the 20-year-old Aussie who portrays Burton’s older Al-ice. “It has the same feel of the original stories, but it’s really fun

Guardi scaled back her musical analysis, maybe in response to the backlash that characterized her assertiveness as annoying. On “X Factor,” a show he largely controls as executive producer, Cowell may choose to reunite with his old foil Abdul at the judges’ table. He could regain his balance playing the smart, stern Daddy to her Mama-Baby. But he’ll never have the cultural influence he had as the authorita-tive voice on “Idol” -- not only because “X Factor” is campier and more crass than “Idol,” but because the shift in attitude that he embodies has already taken place. Or has it? Besides negotiating

the deal that’s led to his upcom-ing migration, Cowell did some-thing else of note last season: As a judge on yet another star-making series, “Britain’s Got Talent,” he guided Susan Boyle from the television soundstage to worldwide fame. Boyle, the somehow simultaneously pious and earthy new Kate Smith, is that old-fashioned phenomenon, a massive star whom critics and serious music fans hate. For all of the success he’s had mixing up highbrow attitude with middle-to-lowbrow taste, Cowell still has some work to do. Pop history may still feel the effect of that withering grin.(c) 2010, Los Angeles Times.

A sneak peek at 2010 in filmContinued from Page 5

to explore a story that goes fur-ther and imagines what all these characters would be like sev-eral years down the tracks. Alice doesn’t have a recollection of her first visit there. She’s gone back and is discovering this world and finding herself again in this place that she doesn’t even remember.”The script by Linda Woolverton gave director Burton a foothold in a topsy-turvy universe that he always found appealing in imag-ery but also lacking in its narra-tive glue. “Every other version I’ve ever seen I’ve never really connected to because it’s always just a se-ries of weird events,” Burton told The Times last year. “She’s passively wandering through, (meeting) this weird character, that weird character. It’s fine in the books, but the movies always felt like there wasn’t anything underneath them. That’s what we tried to do. Instead of the Hatter just being weird, get some kind of character underneath him.”—Geoff Boucher ———(c) 2010, Los Angeles Times.

‘Chicken Shack’ offers tasty Southern-style cuisine, friendly service


Already boasting a wide array of eateries, Hamden’s thriving restaurant scene has a new, unique addition. Located in the same lot as Primo Pizza and The UPS Store, Griff’s Chicken Shack did more than prove itself worthy of the snowy outing a few of The Dial editors took one night this past December. As soon as we walked in, we

felt as if we had entered some sort of a Poultry Paradise—the color scheme consisted of lime green and a lazy lemon yellow, which contrasted nicely with bold red trim. We were instantly greeted by Scott Griffin him-self, co-owner of the Shack, and within minutes, we were let in on the magic we had only read about in newspapers. And what is the magic, you ask? Well, we are glad to let you in on it as much as we possibly can with just words: A heap-

ing plate of steaming chicken tenders, delicious French fries, and seven homemade dipping sauces. The recipe with which this chicken was made is unique because, unlike Popeye’s and Kentucky Fried Chicken, eat-ing The Shack’s chicken does not feel like a guilty pleasure. It stamps out the common belief that fried chicken must always be greasy and messy, and in-stead is perfectly crunchy on the outside and juicy on the inside. To complement the chicken are phenomenal dipping sauces. These sauces include ‘Sweet

Thang’ (a thick, sweet sauce re-sembling barbecue with a small hint of a smoky flavor), ‘TNT Buffalo’ (very spicy), and, of course, classic and comforting ranch. Alongside these dip-ping sauces are Hickory BBQ, Bobcat BBQ, Doc’s Key West, Tropical, honey mustard and Marinara. Each flavor has its own distinct taste that will leave you wanting more. Alternatives to chicken fin-gers include sandwiches, salads (one of which is called ‘The Shack House,’ consisting of greens, sliced chicken, toma-toes, olives, cucumbers, carrots,

shredded cheese, croutons) and rolled sandwiches (one of which is labeled ‘The El-vis,’ consisting of rolled pork, chicken, cheese, and a sauce). While options are endless at The Chicken Shack, money to spend is not. The Shack acknowledges this, equipped with a menu of items that are at more than reasonable pric-es. The food and atmosphere are excellent, and service is too. So what are you waiting for? Do not walk, do not run, but sprint to Griff’s Chicken Shack and you will definitely not be disappointed.

MCT

Sports


Lady Dragons basketball gets underway

The Lady Dragons’ season is underway and off to a great start! With Mr. Ceneri as their coach and the captains and starting lineup returning again as seniors (Lianna Carerro, Cara Deroy, Molly Deroy, Hannah May, and Rebecca Palmarozza), the season has a great outlook. The varsity record so far is 6-3 with tough losses to Shee-han (56-67), Mercy (39-42), and a close game versus Lyman Hall with a score of 42-47. Hamden will play Mercy again tonight, and will face Lyman Hall again February 3rd, hoping to come out on top this time around. On January 12 at Daniel Hand High School, the Dragons defeat-ed the Tigers, scoring 45 points

By Melanie WetmoreDial Staff in the first half alone. Hannah

May had three 3-pointers, Lianna Carerro scored 22 points, and Cara Deroy had 23 points. Molly Deroy domi-nated the boards on both the of-fensive and defensive end, gaining a total of 15 rebounds for Hamden. On Decem-ber 29th, Cara Deroy, senior, scored her 1,000th point of her high school basketball ca-reer. The Drag-ons faced Guil-

Hamden’s Jonathan Quick heads to Vancouver

ford at Wilbur Cross High School in New Haven, participating in a

local winter-break tourna-ment. Cara needed to score 22 points at the beginning of the Guilford game to reach the 1,000 point mark. She did so success-fully, ending the game with a Hamden vic-tory. The girls will be play-ing their next game tonight in the Hamden

It is not often that a professional athelete is found in a small town like Hamden. Students strutting around in their varsity letterman jackets may seem better than the rest of us, however they usually don’t continute in their glory af-ter high school. When a rare diamond in the rough is found, it seems as if the entire town knows about it in a matter of minutes. For just the second time in Hamden’s history, a local is headed to the olympics. In 1960, Bob McVey packed his bags and headed across the country to Squaw Valley, Cali-fornia. Fifty years later, anoth-er Hamden legend is leaving to goaltend for the United States in the 2010 Winter Olympics. The LA Kings of the NHL are send-ing their goalie, Jonathan Quick, to Vancouver, Canada this Febru-ary. Quick began as most players do, and played for his hometown youth hockey league. His high school career began at Hamden High, and in 2002, he made the New Haven Register’s All-Area Team. Shortly after, Quick trans-ferred to Avon Old Farms where he continued to excel. Quick went on to college at the University of Massachusetts where he shined in net for the Minutemen. He led the team to their first appearance in the NCAA Men’s Ice Hockey Cham-pionships. His total record while playing for the Minutemen was (23-22-6). Within the year of 2007, Quick moved between three different teams, the Reading Royals of the ECHL, the Manchester Mon-

By Megan Carroll Sports Editor

TD Bank Sports Center living up to expectations

I’ve played in many arenas and ice rinks throughout my life, few have been able to match the ame-nities and size of the TD Bank Sports Center at Quinnipiac Uni-versity. On January 5, 2010 the Ham-den High School Dragon’s hock-ey team faced off against the Fairfield Prep Jesuits in the first ever boy’s high school game to be played at the large arena. As the team approached the arena we knew our experience would be like no other. We were ush-ered in through a side door that lead directly downstairs to our locker room. Upon arrival downstairs, we found our massive open locker room waiting for us. Game time was about sixty minutes away and the clock in our locker room began to count down towards the time we would step on the ice. We made our way through the lower hallways of the building, past the training facilities, laun-dry rooms, and equipment rooms towards the massive basketball court on the opposite side of the building. Our pregame warm up began and then we returned back to our massive locker room. From the moment we walked in the door the Quinnipiac staff was very friendly and helpful while assisting us through the massive facility and also giving us information about procedures for the game. Game time soon approached as we convened in

the open space just outside the tunnel to the ice. When the horn went off and the music began we stormed onto the ice. One minor disappointment of the arena was the quality of the ice surface. The ice was soft, making it much harder to skate on. Many of my teammates weren’t satisfied with the quality of the ice throughout the game. Ice is cold and ice rinks should be cold as well; it’s a winter sport. If you can’t take the cold then don’t attend the game! On an average night for the Quinnipiac hockey team, with a large crowd, the arena is even more hot in humid. As an athlete, the heat creates many different problems during the game. The humidity softens the ice which makes it hard to adjust to and play the game. Also, the excess heat along in addition to your own body heat makes it harder to keep hydrated while it tires

you out faster than usual. On a positive note, the benches were large and very accommodating for both teams. As the game pro-gressed, I was given a penalty and was able to experience the QU penalty box. The penalty box was large and all of the men and their co-workers were very friendly. As our time at the TD Bank Sports Center drew to a close, I was left with only a few minor complaints; the ice surface was soft, but this was likely due to how hot it was in the buildings. Overall, I would give the build-ing a 9 for its immense venue, bright lighting and good seating. Also, its amenities for players set it apart from many other lo-cal arenas. As for the ice surface I would rate it a 6.5, fairly aver-age but nothing that matches the bar that was set by the rest of the building.

By AJ GemmelContributing Writer

archs of the AHL, and finally the Los Angeles Kings of the NHL. In his debut season playing for the Kings, Quick played a small total of 3 games, had a (1-2) re-cord, and saved 53 shots. Quick began his 2008-2009 season playing for the Man-chester Monarchs. The LA Kings pulled him back up to the pros just weeks into the season, and he was able to play a total of 44 games in that NHL season. With the 2009-2010 season in sight, many NHL players had high hopes of trying out for and making the Olmypic teams of their home countries. After many of the NHL players re-turned to their home countries in Europe, Asia, and Canada. Team USA tryouts took place, and players eagerly awaited the announcement of the roster. Un-like any other year before, the roster was announced at the third annual NHL Winter Clas-sic at Fenway Park in Boston, Massachusetts. On that January 1st, 2010, Hamden native Jona-than Quick had made it to the olympics. Starting in February 2010, Quick will take the ice dressed in a new Team USA jersey. The first preliminary game for USA will be held at 12:00 pm against Switzerland on February 16, 2010. Hamden will be cheering on their “hometown hero” as soon as the Olympics begin. For the first time in fifty years, a Ham-den resident will be represent-ing both his hometown and his country playing for the USA men’s olympic hockey team.

Meet the Sports Editor

Megan Carroll was inspired to join the Dial when she and friend Melanie went out to dominate every club in the school. She glady became the sports editor, not knowing what she was getting herself into. Megan has been playing field hockey since freshman year and she played hockey freshman and sophomore year. The only thing that has kept her motivated to finish high school is sports, and the Dial, of couse. Her favorite

sport is baseball, devoted to none other than the Boston Red Sox. She spends her free time doing what most other AP American Studies students do, homework. If she’s not doing words to know or typ-ing an essay, you can prob-ably find her looking for re-cruits for the sports section of the Dial. She wishes that you keep the Dial from becoming ex-tinct, stay informed and keep reading.

Boys’ HockeyTimes Opponent Times/Results12/16/2009 Darien W 2-112/23/2009 Conard W 5-112/30/2009 New Canaan W 4-31/5/2010 Fairfield Prep L 2-51/7/2010 East Haven W 1-01/13/2010 Xavier W 4-21/16/2010 North Haven L 5-41/20/2010 ND-Fairfield W 2-11/23/2010 West Haven TBA1/30/2010 ND-West Haven 2:30 pm2/3/2010 Mt. St. Charles (RI) 6:00 pm2/6/2010 Simsbury 2:30 pm2/10/2010 LaSalle Aca. (RI) 6:00 pm2/13/2010 South Windsor 2:30 pm2/15/2010 Xavier 5:30 pm2/19/2010 Winchester HS TBA2/20/2010 East Haven 2:30 pm2/24/2010 Fairfield Prep 6:00 pm2/27/2010 ND-Fairfield 2:30 pm3/3/2010 ND-West Haven 4:00 pm

Winter sports scores & schedules

Melanie Wetmore/ The Dial

Senior Cara Deroy in a recent game against Mercy

The TD Bank Sports Center was completed in January of 2007.Gemmel/The Dial

Call me today to see how much you cansave with Allstate’s good student discount.

(203) 624-6000 Edmonde Bernier Jr. 977 State St. 1R New Haven [email protected]

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Page 8 The Dial Sports Friday, January 29, 2010

Quinnipiac Men’s Basketball Continues to Shine

Over the last few years, the Quin-nipiac Bobcats men’s basketball team has made some very smart moves to improve their program. The program began when they hired Tom Moore as their head coach, along with Sean Doherty

and former UConn and Chicago Bull’s player Scott Burrell as assistant coaches. Tom Moore was an assistant coach at UCo-nn, who recruited a majority of their players. He has always been an outstanding recruiter, which is why so many talented players now want to play for the

Quinnipiac Bobcats. This season, the Bobcat’s record is 11 and 6. More im-portantly, their re-cord is 5 and 1 in the Northeast Conference (NEC). The Bob-cats’ team is lead by seniors Justin Rutty and James Feldeine. It seems as if every game, James Feldeine scores 20 points and Justin Rutty has at least ten rebounds. Quinnipiac also

recruited Tevin Baskin, who had the opportunity to play for Providence, but instead chose to play for the Bobcats. This can be considered one of the best recruits in the Bobcats’ history. In addition, the Bobcats are loaded with young talent, with players like sophomore James Johnson and freshman Ja-mee Jackson. Both these play-ers have much playing time on this very talented team. Throughout the Bobcats’ histo-ry, this is perhaps one of their best teams yet. They currently play at the TD Bank Sports Center in Hamden, Connecticut. They also air on the radio at AM 1220 WQUN, and some of the games are played on NESN. It is high-ly suggested that people come to the games as the Quinnipiac Bobcats look to make their first NCAA tournament appearance.

Boys’ SwimmingDates Opponent Time/Results12/16/2009 Branford L 97-8712/18/2009 Fairfield Prep L 95-8112/21/2009 Jonathan Law W 99-701/5/2010 ND-West Haven L 99-811/7/10 Amity L 106-781/12/10 Cheshire L 98-771/14/2010 Xavier L 98-901/22/2010 West Haven TBA1/26/2010 Lyman Hall TBA2/2/2010 Shelton 4:00 pm2/4/2010 Norwalk/McMahon 4:00 pm2/9/2010 Sheehan 4:00 pm2/16/2010 North Haven/North

Branford4:00 pm

2/23/2010 Foran 4:00 pm

By Connor EtterContributing Writer

Girls’ BasketballDates Opponent Times/Results12/11/2009 Cheshire W 43-3812/14/2009 Sheehan L 67-5612/15/2009 Jonathan Law W 59-4912/17/2009 Wilbur Cross W 56-3912/21/2009 Lyman Hall L 47-4212/23/2009 Sheehan W 63-5812/29/2009 Guilford W 65-571/5/2010 West Haven W 52-381/8/2010 Mercy L 62-391/12/2010 Daniel Hand W 76-501/20/2010 Cheshire W 52-451/22/2010 Sacred Heart Acad. TBA1/26/2010 West Haven TBA1/29/2010 Mercy 7:00 pm2/1/2010 Daniel Hand 7:00 pm2/3/2010 Lyman Hall 7:00 pm2/6/2010 Torrington 7:00 pm2/9/2010 Sacred Heart Aca. 7:00 pm2/13/2010 Wilbur Cross 2:00 pm2/15/2010 Jonathan Law 1:00 pm

Boys’ BasketballDates Opponents Times/Results12/16/2009 Jonathan Hall L 54-5312/18/2009 Lyman Hall W 48-3212/21/2009 Shelton W 47-4212/23/2009 Branford L 55-501/5/2010 Xavier L 41-381/8/2010 ND-West Haven L 61-561/12/2010 Fairfield Prep L 59-511/15/2010 West Haven L 57-511/19/2010 Career Magnet W 51-491/22/2010 Foran TBA1/26/2010 Xavier TBA1/29/2010 ND-West Haven 7:00 pm2/1/2010 Fairfield Prep 7:00 pm2/3/2010 Shelton 7:00 pm2/5/2010 West Haven 7:00 pm2/9/2010 Foran 7:00 pm2/12/2010 Branford 7:00 pm2/16/2010 Career Magnet 7:00 pm2/19/2010 Jonathan Law 7:00 pm2/22/2010 Lyman Hall 7:00 pm

Girls’ HockeyDates Opponent Times/Results12/12/209 Daniel Hand W 4-012/16/2009 ND-Fairfield W 7-212/19/2009 West Hartford W 3-012/23/2009 New Canaan L 3-01/2/2010 Daniel Hand W 4-21/3/2010 Guilford W 3-01/6/2010 Ridgefield W 6-11/9/2010 West Haven W 8-11/13/2010 North Haven T 3-31/16/2010 Fairfield W 3-01/20/2010 Simsbury T 2-21/23/2010 ND-Fairfield TBA1/27/2010 Trumbull TBA1/30/2010 Guilford 6:10 pm2/3/2010 West Haven 4:15 pm2/6/2010 Simsbury 6:00 pm2/11/2010 Guilford 4:00 pm2/13/2010 Darien 6:30 pm2/15/2010 Mt. St. Charles (RI) TBA2/17/2010 Greenwich 8:30 pm2/20/2010 West Hartford 4:45 pm

UConn Coach Jim Calhoun to take medical leave of absence

HARTFORD, Conn. _ Con-necticut coach Jim Calhoun will take a leave of absence for unspecified medical issues beginning immediately, UCo-nn announced Tuesday. A UConn spokesman said Calhoun is not dealing with a cardiac problem or cancer. Also, Calhoun will not be hos-pitalized. “It is my recommendation that Coach Calhoun take a medical leave from his coach-ing position to address some temporary medical issues, none of which involve any previous medical conditions that he has dealt with,” UConn Health Center physician Peter Schulman, Calhoun’s primary care physician, said in a state-ment. Associate head coach George Blaney will coach the Huskies (11-6, 2-3 Big East) beginning Wednesday against St. John’s (12-5, 2-3) at the XL Center. “Our primary concern is Coach Calhoun’s health and his complete recovery,” ath-letic director Jeff Hathaway said. “We will do everything possible to support Coach dur-ing this time. Jim and I both know that the men’s basket-ball program is in very capable hands under the leadership of Associate Head Coach George Blaney.” Calhoun, 67, is a three-time cancer survivor. He had his prostate removed in 2003 and has twice been treated for squamous cell carcinoma, the last time in the summer of 2008. Last summer, Calhoun fell off his bike during a char-ity event, broke several ribs and fainted after the race. Blaney also coached in place of an ill Calhoun at George-town, a loss, in 2006-07 and in last season’s NCAA Tour-nament victory over Chatta-nooga in Philadelphia.

By Mike AnthonyThe Hartford Courant

Calhoun has missed all or part of 21 games in his career due to illness, none so far this season. His departure comes with a contract extension, said to be for five years, all but fi-nalized. Last season, as UConn reached the Final Four and controversy swirled around al-leged recruiting violations by the program, Calhoun briefly considered retirement. But he announced shortly after a na-tional semifinal loss to Michi-gan State that he would return for the final year of a six-year contract that pays him $1.6 million this year. That contract expires in June. Calhoun, in his 24th season at UConn and 38th overall, and

Winter sports scores & schedules

All the fellas on medical leave, put your hands in the air.Chuck Myers/MCT

athletic director Jeff Hatha-way have been working on the details for an extension, the most basic terms agreed upon, but nothing has been made of-ficial. Calhoun has 816 victories, tied with Syracuse’s Jim Boe-heim, for sixth on the all-time list. UConn, unranked this week for the first time this season, has lost three in a row. Blaney, in his ninth season at UConn, was previously head coach at Dartmouth, Holy Cross and Seton Hall. He was coach at Holy Cross for 22 seasons.

(c) 2010, The Hartford Cou-rant

Who are Hamden’s Acclaimed Atheletes?Scott BurrellNBA-Chicago Bulls

MLB-Seattle Mariners

Richard DianaNFL-Miami Dolphins

Jonathan QuickNHL- Los Angeles Kings

Anttaj HawthorneNFL-Oakland Raiders



Opinion

You can’t put a price on education….or can you?By Kaitlyn Capone

Dial Staff

When I began my college search, I wasn’t sure of much. I wasn’t sure of which school I wanted to go to or what I want-ed to major in. I wasn’t sure if I wanted a school with an open campus or a school in the city. I definitely wasn’t sure if I wanted a big university or a small one. What I was sure about, though, was that I didn’t want to be in Connecticut. My dad would often encour-age me to apply to UConn, but I quickly brushed off the idea, insisting that I wanted the whole “out-of-state college experi-ence.” I wanted to go to school where I wouldn’t know anyone; where I would finally have the opportunity to branch out and meet new people. As I began to look at colleges, the cost never seemed like an important factor. To me, it was a mere number written on my pro/con list, such as the size of the dorm and whether or not the school had a swim team. When I began visiting schools, my mom would often comment on how expensive they were. I never paid her much attention, assuming that we would somehow work it out. My parents never discour-

aged me from applying or look-ing into any schools because of the price. However, they did inform me that price would be a deciding factor in where I at-tended. Just as my parents had done for their college education, I fig-ured I would just take out loans. It wasn’t until after I was done applying that I began to truly understand the value of money. I added up the tuition, room and board, and book costs for each school that accepted me. Even with one school’s scholarship money, the cost still averaged between twenty and thirty thou-

sand dollars per year. I began to compare my college choices with some of the in-state schools my friends had applied to—just one year worth of tuition was comparable to three years at an in-state school. After all, is it worth it to attend an expensive school to only end up in debt after graduation—and make the same starting salary as someone that attended a less ex-pensive school? The expectation of finding a well-paying dream job immediately after graduation is unrealistic. In addition, there is also graduate school which can be even more important to

$1.25 For your thoughts: a cafeteria conundrum I remember it like it was yester-day: it was the first day back at school after winter break. I was walking up to the snack line, my eyes locked on the sole purpose for my trek across the chaotic cafeteria: a water bottle. As I reached for the $1 bill in my pocket, you can imagine my surprise as I saw a sign on the barrel of water that read (more or less): “As of January 4th, 2010, wa-ter will be $1.25.” I stopped dead in my tracks, ig-noring the fact that my shoe was now in something sticky that had made the cafeteria floor its final resting spot. $1.25? What? That was a dollar and a quarter—or so I’d been taught in elementary school. This bothered me for many rea-sons. My initial concern was that I would now have to bring an ex-tra quarter to school whenever I wanted to buy a water bottle. My second thought was, as I walked back to my lunch table utterly distressed, that the slight price increase in general was slightly ridiculous in the grand scheme of things.


Honestly, if there was ever more of an incentive for a per-son, especially a teenager, to buy a certain type of food, it would be not only because of the food’s taste but also its price. Just take a step back and look at our cafete-ria for a second. The most popu-lar item is inarguably French fries which, during most periods, seem to barely touch the silver trays on which they are served to hoards of hungry students and staff. While these golden pieces of potato are appealing to most because they simply taste good, I also can’t help but think that their popularity has something to do with their price. There is nothing easier than stuffing a dollar bill in your pocket when you’re about to miss the bus. A dollar and a quarter? Now that’s a bit more difficult, especially when you could do so many other things with that quarter. On the other end of the spec-trum are salads, fruit, yogurt, and sandwiches—all of which are de-licious but still relatively costly. This makes me wonder about the concern of health among adolescents. It seems like every other month there is something on the news about teen obesity:

why are the numbers so high? What should be done to fix this? Sure, school cafeterias all over the country have tried respond-ing with healthier choices such as baked potato chips, which are only $.75 in our cafe. But you can't make a lunch out of just that or the other relatively cheaper items in the snack line. Recently, McDonald’s has been advertising their new dollar breakfast menu. The specials on the menu include hash browns and the sausage burrito. Enough said. It is understandable that re-gardless of how well or poorly our economy is doing, prices are going to always be changing, and probably not for the best. It is also understandable that there is now a five cent return deposit on Poland Spring water bottles in Connecticut and therefore the price of water bottles as a whole have increased. But by the same token, a bottle of water in our cafeteria now costs more than fries. There's something wrong with this picture, I think. How do we fix it? Well, for now there are two options: Get milk, or take a sixty-second trip to the water fountain. Take your pick.

The outrageous cost of college has left many in debt.Ben Asbell/ The Dial

On January 4th, cafeteria water bottle prices were increased by twenty-five cents.

Ben Asbell/ The Dial

Meet the Opinion Editor

part of Hamden High for seventy-four years. Still, starting from scratch left most of us pretty clueless on where to begin. I’ll save you the gory details, but we did it. It was not an easy feat. Without the fer-vor of the staff, advisors and supporters, The Dial would have been long gone. We overcame hav-ing absolutely nothing, and I hope that today will forever mark the begin-ning of our own Glorious Revolution. So that’s it. Were back. Finally! I’ve been look-ing forward to this day for months. The Dial is

Remember us? It’s been a while—nearly two years to be exact—since we’ve last been around, so it’s alright if you don’t. As a matter of fact, half of you in this entire school most likely had no idea what The Dial even is. To be straightforward, we were faced with some troubles. There were two options left for this paper: work our fingers to the bone and abandon everything once held dear (for the sake of journalism!), or face the threat of extinction. Believe me, we weren’t going to just give up on something that has been a

proud to carry the voice of HHS; the voice that rep-resents so much diversity and culture, so many ideas and innovations. You, dear reader, may see this in a completely different light (“Man, this girl is lame”). But that’s what we’re here for. We’re here for you—not only to inform you, but to enlighten you. We’re here to spark your curiosity and get you to ask questions. This paper is yours. I hope you enjoy the is-sue. Best regards, Allye Vitello Editor-in-Chief

cus of The Dial staff, which has been the production of the online version of The Dial for the first half of the year, has now shifted to the print edition. “I’m very excited to see The Dial return,” said Ms. Whalen, co-advisor of the school pa-per. “I’m very impressed with how hard the staff has worked. They’re an amazing group of people.” The online edition has sparked the interest of students, espe-cially underclassmen who have yet to see a print edition of The Dial. Print editions will now be distributed monthly, on the last Friday of the month. “I’m still in shock that we’re actually getting this done. This is definitely one of the top high-lights of my four years at Ham-

den High,” Allye Vitello, Editor-In-Chief of The Dial explained. As you can tell, The Dial has completely changed format to a more professional look. It has transitioned from a tabloid page to a broadsheet page. This gives the staff much more freedom to express themselves and to cover the news of the school. “The Dial is just going to get better,” said Megan Rowland, Lighter Side Editor for The Dial. “It’s nice to be able to feel like you’re actually doing something for the school.” “I want my classmates to re-member that they do have a voice in the school and that voice can be heard in The Dial. The Dial speaks for everyone that’s a part of Hamden High and beyond,” Vitello said. Hamden High, The Dial’s here to stay.

The Dial returnsContinued from front page

Hello Hamden High,

employers rather than where a basic undergraduate bachelor’s degree was received. I still plan to attend an out-of-state college; I believe it is worth it to experience living some-where new and different. How-ever, I do wish that I had consid-ered cost more when originally looking at colleges. Although it is important to attend a college you truly love, it is equally im-

portant to choose an affordable one. Would you rather spend the extra money for an “experience” but have that well-known col-lege on your resume? Or would you rather attend a local college to save money, but possibly miss out on the opportunities that an out-of-state school can offer? In the end, how you want to spend the money on your future is up to you.

Allye Vitello was drawn to her first Dial meeting out of her own curiosity, oblivious to the fact that she would soon give up any de-cent sleep pattern once had for your democratic requests (but who needs sleep?). Vitello finds herself over-using and abusing parenthe-sis, italics, and hyphens on a daily basis. She has an undying love for PB&J sandwiches. Most off all, she loves a different point-of-view and wants to hear what you have to say.

Ben Asbell/ The Dial

Send any questions, comments, or con-cerns to [email protected].

Friday, January 29, 2010 Opinion The Dial Page 11

A sad tale of steroids, a stalled confession and a tainted recordredeem himself in the eyes of those who assumed the worst about him when he declined to tell all to a congres-sional committee in 2005. McGwire didn’t deny anything that day, as others on the panel did. But by trying to avoid legal ramifications, on the advice of his lawyers, he paid a hefty public relations price. It turns out that McGwire want-ed to confess five years ago--and did so to leaders of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, accord-ing to The Associated Press. The most amazing factoid accompa-nying this week’s disclosure is that what he told those congress-men apparently never leaked in all this time. Another revelation is that then-Attorney General Alberto Gonzales could have facilitated truth-telling but nixed the idea of immunity from prosecution. Did the Justice Department _ or the American people _ gain anything

by reserving the right to pros-ecute McGwire? Wasn’t there more value in having him talk? To those who cheered him as a player, McG-wire disappoint-ed but hardly surprised when he acknowl-edged using ste-roids off and on

during a large swath of his career of 15 seasons (plus 18 games in 1986). He told Bob Costas on the MLB Network that he mainly used them to recover from and prevent injuries that nagged him in the mid-1990s. But because that included the fabled 1998 season, when he outraced Sammy Sosa to set a single-season home-run record of 70, McGwire can’t erase ques-tions about whether he would have reached that height other-wise. Those questions might be unfair, even uninformed: McGwire was a long-ball hitter from his rook-ie season, when he hit 49 home

runs. And the ability to smack the ball out of the park requires more than brute strength: it takes natural talent, quick hands, good eyes, sturdy legs, uncommon fo-cus and sharp timing. Steroids provide none of those, and might even impede them.How laughable that MLB Com-missioner Bud Selig praised Mc-Gwire for having “confronted his use of performing-enhancing substances.” Selig took over as acting com-missioner in September 1992 and could have confronted play-ers’ steroid abuse much sooner. It took the commissioner and play-ers union until 2005 to get seri-ous about drug testing and until 2006 to adopt meaningful sanc-tions. Only after the congressional hearing did Selig ask Mitchell, a former senator and federal judge, to investigate a problem that had festered more than a decade. McGwire’s contrition will probably lose news value quickly as he transitions to his new job as St. Louis Cardinals hitting coach. But it’ll come up every year when members of the Baseball

Writers’ Association of America vote on the next crop of Hall-of-Famers. McGwire, who retired in 2001, sits eighth on the all-time home-run lists, tied with A-Rod, who owned up to steroids only after Sports Illustrated revealed he tested positive in 2003 while playing shortstop for the Texas Rangers. I live in a loyal Cardinals base-ball household, so it pains me to say this. If surreptitious steroid use is cheating _ and I’ve said it is _ then McGwire, like any-one else who partook for some kind of edge, shouldn’t get the same Hall of Fame recognition as players whose achievements weren’t artificially assisted. (Not that the hall doesn’t already have its share of cheaters and scoun-drels.) But if some juicers get a pass into Cooperstown and McGwire doesn’t just because he waited too long to come clean publicly, then the writers who ignore oth-ers’ cheating ways are disserving the fans just as much as the play-ers who were deceiving us.(c) 2010, MCT

By Linda P. CampbellMcClatchy Newspapers

Here’s what Mark McGwire didn’t do Monday when he ad-mitted having taken steroids during his home-run-record-set-ting pro baseball career. McGwire didn’t ludicrously claim he thought the clear sub-stance his strength trainer gave him to ingest was flaxseed oil and the cream he used was to ease his arthritis. Barry Bonds did that. McGwire didn’t adamantly in-sist that his former trainer only gave him vitamin B-12 shots and that the guy lied in telling baseball investigator George Mitchell and Congress the shots were steroids. That was Roger Clemens. And McGwire didn’t tell Ka-tie Couric he was never even tempted to use steroids and then, when the truth came out, falsely accuse the reporter who exposed his secret of stalking him to get information. That would be Alex Rodriguez. McGwire also probably didn’t

American generosity shines in Haiti disaster

McClatchy-Tribune News Service (MCT)

The pictures of devastation and the horrific numbers of dead and injured only begin to convey the depth of suf-fering caused by last week's cataclysmic earthquake in al-ready impoverished Haiti. Perhaps that's what broke through Americans' preoc-cupation with their own hardships this winter and inspired them to reach out. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton announced that more than one million Americans have used text messages (text HAITI to 90999) to donate more than $10 million so far in what she described as "the single largest mobile donation campaign ever." Sadly, it's only a start. The Red Cross is seeking $100 million to help rebuild Haiti over the next three years, on top of the $100 million the federal government has pledged and $500 million coming from Europe. President Barack Obama quickly rallied American re-

sources after the quake, uphold-ing the American tradition of helping others in time of need. It's one of our most important qualities, as former Presidents George W. Bush and Bill Clinton pointed out in their joint fund-raising appeal. Haiti long has been a politi-

cal and humani-tarian disaster. Some see that as a reason to turn their backs on the country now. But for most, it just makes this tragedy more compelling.

It's frustrating that agencies have been slow to get food, wa-ter and medical help to the peo-ple who need it. But the degree of destruction, combined with the street gangs that even before the quake ruled vast sections of Port-au-Prince, present huge barriers. The Unit-ed States and the United Nations have to quell the violence before they can safely distribute aid.The long-term challenge will be helping Haiti rebuild. But for now, helping the survivors stay alive is what's important. Keep on texting.

Surely, a popular series of nov-els glorifying possessive and controlling behavior, the idea that women are always damsels in distress, and that the goal of every woman should be mother-hood wouldn’t exist in the 21st century. Alas, it is so! Despite having been written in the latter half of the 2000’s, the “Twilight” saga feels at home in a Victo-rian library. Edward and Bella’s relationship is portrayed as the love of every girl’s dreams, yet the hallmark of a movie about abusive relationships is a couple who behave much like Edward and Bella! We laugh at the clas-sic silent movie scene where the pretty girl is tied to the train tracks and then falls into the arms of the strapping man who unties her. Yet, Bella, whom so many girls envy, is constantly the dam-sel in distress. Since when has the philosophy that women should be ‘barefoot, pregnant and in the kitchen’ come back into vogue? Apparently, according to Stephe-nie Meyer, a woman’s purpose in life is to have children. They say we are a post-feminist society—Bull! Edward is always keeping track of Bella. He follows her, “keeping tabs on Jessica. . . randomly searching through the thoughts of people on the street. . .so I would know where you were.” Edward also eavesdrops on Bella’s friends’ thoughts to find out what she really thinks about him. Speak-ing of invasion of privacy, he also comes into her room and watches her sleep almost every night without her knowledge, let alone consent. Bella tries to be angry, but for some reason, she just can’t be angry with him for

it. “‘You spied on me!’. . .I was flattered.” Edward is controlling. Nobody likes someone who is controlling, except Bella. For in-stance, in “Twilight”, Bella gets a little faint from watching blood get drawn at school. Edward in-sists on driving her home, being so persistent and forceful that she eventually gives in, though she really doesn’t want to go with him. In “Eclipse”, she wants to go to a camp-out with the Quileutes, whom she regards as family. He lets her go, though insisting that he drop her off and admitting that he’ll “be here,” as in, where he parked the car, “30 yards away.” Not only that, but Edward must hand her off to Jacob. Bella ad-mits to this experience being de-grading. “‘It’s like when I was a kid and Renee would pass me off to Charlie for the summer. I feel like a seven year old.’” Jacob actually tells Bella in “Eclipse”, “Is he your warden, now, too? I saw this program on the news last week about controlling, abu-sive teenage relationships and-’” As is the fashion of a girl in an abusive relationship, she denies it, cutting Jacob off and pushing him out the door.

Bella is dependent on men. Edward saves Bella so many times that he admits, “Keeping you safe is beginning to feel like a full time occupation.” In fact, Bella’s so accustomed to hav-ing him save her, that when he’s not there in “New Moon”, her subconscious produces an Ed-ward to try to save her. Speak-ing of “New Moon”, why does Bella not find happiness again until she finds another man? She “felt much healthier with Jacob.” There are a whole bevy of ac-tivities that have been known to ease the pain of a loss, but Bella has to wait until she finds an-other man. So, why exactly does Edward need to save her all the time? Edward takes it upon him-self to protect her because she is a danger magnet, he always feels obligated to save her because “If there is any trouble within a ten mile radius, it will invariably find you.” Meyer is specifically trying to make her the damsel in distress. When Bella tries to be help-ful in her own rescuing, she is denied. “Both fights were too close. Seth was about to lose his, and I had no idea if Edward was winning or losing. They needed

help.” Of course, her plan was unnecessary; the men had it un-der control. Edward tells her that, “‘Seth was only feigning that he was hurt, Bella. It was a trick.’” He also tells her not to do that again. So Edward would like for Bella to never try to help again. It’s not just Edward and Bella, though. Women must have children. These novels insinuate that a woman’s life culminates with motherhood. Apparently nothing else matters; most of her major characters show angst over their sterility. Esme ‘makes due’ with her adopted children, but it’s not the same. When her human son died, there was nothing else to live for, so she jumped off a cliff! In fact, it is even implied that Esme’s special gift is mothering instinct. Her instinct is so strong, it’s as if it were carried over and amplified. Now there is Leah, the were-wolf. Nobody knows why she’s so upset, until she explains to Jacob in “Eclipse”, “‘I’m a ge-netic dead end and we both know it!. ..I’m twenty years old and I’m menopausal!’” Then there’s Rosalie. When Rosalie explains her history, Bella asks, “But you still don’t like me. . .Would you

tell me why?” to which Rosalie responds, “You have a whole life ahead of you—everything I want…pretty babies.” She even chose Emmett as her mate be-cause he reminded her of her hu-man friend’s son, her desire to have children. Apparently, Bella’s philoso-phy is that a woman shouldn’t live if it means the death of her child. Renesmee is killing Bella, and she doesn’t care. Jacob yells for Edward and the rest to “‘Get it out of her!’” but apparently “‘She won’t let us.’” Apparently, “‘She’s ready to die to have a child.’” Motherhood is more im-portant that her own life, since being a mother is a woman’s pur-pose. Think of the consequences of these novels. A whole generation of girls will grow up thinking that this twisted sense of femininity is the ideal! Of course, if they act this way, men will be quick to take advantage, and we’ll be right back where we started, hav-ing to push for equality where it is not welcome. The worst part is that nobody is noticing what these books are really doing—undermining the image of the healthy, self-sufficient woman as attractive.

Bella needs a fella: Sexism in ‘Twilight’By Sarah Oppenheim

Contributing Writer

Edward stares hynotically into his lover’s eyes.Kimberley French/Summit Entertainment/MCT

The Red Cross is seeking $100 million to help rebuild Haiti over the next three years.


The Lighter Side

A recent Dial poll suggests that seventy percent of Hamden High students have Facebook pages. As this is a fairly large number, we at The Dial decided to create a list of some of our suggestions* for making the Facebook experi-ence a little bit less painful for everyone.

The Nine Commandments (Of Facebook)

Thou shall not update your status every hour, on the hour! No one wants to know that the jalapeño sandwich from your last update gave you digestive issues.

Thou shall not participate in Farmville! Not the application, of course, but the constant invitations, sugges-tions, and pictures of your virtual farm. Please, spare us.

Thou shall not spam! The previous suggestion applies to all applications. Your spam is just downright obnoxious.

Thou shall not advertise your misedeeds! If you’re going to break the law, don’t put photos of it all over Facebook.Whoever pioneered this idea should be shot.

Thou shall stop fighting like two year olds! Feuding on Facebook is not only pointless, it’s immature. If you are going to disagree in the first place, at least be an adult about it. Seriously.

Thou shall not be a creep! Don’t friend people you don’t know. That’s common sense.

Thou shall make real-life freinds. Spending hours on Facebook daily accomplishes nothing. It just shows that you have no life.

Thou shall not stalk. Commenting on everyone’s profiles, pictures, statuses, and videos all the time is just slightly stalker-ish, don’t you think? Really, this is just more proof that you have way too much time on your hands.

Thou shall add the group: The HHS Dial.

* After reading this article, we strongly encourage you to follow our guidelines. Violators, we will hunt you down. And we will fight fire with fire and spam the spit out of your Facebook with our Farmville suggestions. You have been warned.

Kate Swann/The Dial

Meet The Lighter Side Editor Megan Rowland was born in a small, obscure town in Connecticut that no one has ever heard of. She is cur-rently attending an equally obscure public high school, where she gets by on Diet Coke, sarcasm, and the kind-ness of strangers. She is known, if at all, for starting The Etymology Club. This is her first year as the editor of The Lighter Side, and she enjoys finally having a platform for her subver-sive, snarky rants. As an editor, she has also discovered that she has the power to make people feel like incmpe-tent morons by pointing out their hideous grammar. She finds this very satisfying.

Be sure to check out The Lighter Side for all your school-approved cynicism needs!

Megan Rowland

Lighter Side Editor Megan Rowland hard at work on an issue of The Dial. The Clark Kent glasses prove that she’s saying something intelligent.

Please Spare UsBy Brad McRoberts

Dial Staff

Crossword by Megan Carroll with Wes Iskra

ACROSS1.Actress Watson5. Bee’s home9. Bad Cholesterol12. ______ canal13. Single quantity of measure-ment14. Dubai’s country15. Sinister religious group16. Nasal mucus17. Cable news initials18. Action20. Tasted, as a popsicle22. Singer Keys 24. Nurses’ group25. Zero26. Single person or thing28. Broad smile31. Howdy _____33. Birthday (abbr.)

35. Again37. Underwater coral area39. Annoy41. Mai _____42. Noah’s vessel44. Indianapolis NBA team46. Our team49. Russian emperor50. Inventor Whitney51.Half of53. Cut56. Camping vehicles (abbr.)57. Cylindrical food container58. Relating to aircraft (prefix)59. Cereal grain60. Basketball player LAMAR61. RBI, e.g.DOWN1. Computer shortcut2. Part of loose Hawaiian dress

3. American author Herman4.Early Mexican Empire5. Wife’s spouse6. Lodging space7. Violin type instrument8. Ziegfield Follies star Ruth9. Good fortune10. “Great” dog11. To give for temporary use.19. _____ di Janiero21. A John + Kate sextuplet22. Whichever23. Untruthful person27. Long, long time29. Web30. Close, not far32. To guide34. Religious sacrament us-ing water36. Green Bay state38. Art of painting on moist plaster40. Fuel 43. Shape dough45. Houses- to Juan46. One that shows great cour-age47. Mid name Thomas Edison48. A fine, moist spray52. Trio following L54. A savings account55. Vessel used for cooking

Answers to The Lighter Side Puzzles and Games can be found on our website: HHSDial.com.

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50 51 52 53 54 55

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Documents

The Dial, January Edition