The Dial, February Edition

The DialVOL. LXXIV No. 2 FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 26, 2010 WWW.HHSDIAL.COM

HAMDEN HIGH’S OFFICIAL NEWSPAPER ~ FOUNDED 1936

In This Issue

Nancy Youssef/MCT

Hamden’s Webb takes 6th at SCC Gymnastics Championship

Marcus Harun/The Dial

Lighter Side... page 12A&E... page 8World News... page 3 Sports... page 10

Crossword, sudoku, horoscopes, and more fun ways to procrastinate

The 82nd annual Academy Awards to be announced March 7th

NATO Coalition troops and Afghan forces team up

Sixteen student leaders stood up in front of the Parent Teacher Stu-dent Organization’s (PTSO) February meeting to ask for funding on behalf of their respective student organizations. None of them got the amount that they asked for–they got more.

The PTSO has been sponsoring Spirit Awards for multiple years to “enable groups to fulfill

their missions and contribute to the greater school community.” This year’s bud-

get was not finalized, but it was expected that they would spend $1,250 on spirit awards. It was decided to fully fund all the re-quests, although they totaled

$1,900. As if that wasn’t great enough for

the students, Hamden Board of Education (BOE) representa-tive (and chairman), Michael D’Agostino, proposed that the BOE would match all funds awarded by the PTSO to the

clubs. The organizations were each promised double what they re-

quested in their applications.

$3,800 awarded to HHS clubsBy Marcus Harun

Online Editor-in-Chief

Continued on Page 2

Recently, Toyota, the standard in the automobile industry, was shaken to the core with reported failings in many of its vehicles. Toyota has had to recall 29 of its models thus far, for a variety of problems, including braking issues, a sticky accelerator pedal, and floor mat entrapment. How-ever, the recalls could expand even further to include a steering column problem in some models not yet available in the US. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Admin-istration, an investigation is be-ing launched into the timeliness of the Toyota recalls, as there is mounting evidence that Toyota has been aware of the problems for some time. Toyota has attempted to coun-ter the growing consumer an-ger by airing commercials that

By Brad McRobertsWorld News Editor

Charles Bertram/Lexington Herald-Leader/MCT

Toyota recallsmore than

8 million cars

“We're extremely sorry to have made customers uneasy. We

plan to establish the facts and give an ex-planation that will

take away the custom-ers' concern as soon as

possible."-Akio Toyoda, President, Toyota Motor Corp.

AFP

Pho

to

Continued on Page 4

Technology is making an active lifestyle more difficult for kids

Opinion... page 7

Lady Gaga’s here to stay

Lady Gaga at the MTV Video Music Awards

By Wesley IskraDial Staff

By Brad McRobertsWorld Editor

With every new generation comes a wave of pop music that is incomparable to its previous counterpart. Our decade is just like its previous suc-cessors. A new breed of pop music has been introduced into our mainstream and pop culture. With art-ists such as Rihanna, Nelly Furtado, Alicia Keys and Beyoncé at the forefront, the pop music of today has taken on its own unique look. But could anyone have predicted what was to come next? Enter Lady Gaga. Every generation has its own pop diva and whether you like it or not, Lady Gaga is

yours. Unlike all of these other pop stars, albeit being famous, they are not trendsetters. Gaga has demanded control of the ra-dio waves in not only our coun-try, but across the worldwide music machine. From the west-

ern coast in Califor-nia, to the eastern seaboards in Japan, only one unrivaled sound remains. Since her musi-cal breakthrough in late 2008, and her rapid raise to fame and fortune, Lady Gaga has had to deal with harsh criticism and crazed aggres-sion from the me-dia. With the media constantly attack-ing her eccentric and original ways,

Michael Loccisano/Getty Images

INSIDE List of recalled cars and trucks, page 3

Black Hispanic Student Union aims to unite, not divideBy Allye Vitello

Editor-in-Chief

The students of Hamden High are incredibly diverse. The ben-efit of being exposed to so many different cultures and races in one single place is an advantage not many students have. Accord-ing to the Strategic School Pro-file for the 2006-2007 school year, the population of over 2,100 students is home to a tre-mendous 47% of non-white stu-dents which includes pupils of

African American, East Asian, South Asian, Hispanic, Latino, Middle Eastern and multi-ethnic descent. Some of the languages spoken throughout the hallways include Spanish, Portuguese, Arabic, Chinese, German, Ma-layan, Urdu, and Lao. To some, only 47% of non-white students may not appear to be enough, but compared to many other schools it is an incredible amount and proves that Hamden High is in-deed one of the most diverse

schools in Connecticut. With such a varied amount of backgrounds, it seems obvi-ous to have a place where all students can go to celebrate and learn about their fellow class-mates. The Black Hispanic Stu-dent Union is an example of this. One of the largest clubs in the school, BHSU invites not only Blacks and Hispanics but people of every race, color, and culture. Nevertheless, though, there al-ways seems to be a backlash that

accompanies each strive toward progression. There are those who view clubs such as BHSU as more of a separating force than a uniting one, singling out specific races and shutting the door in the faces of others. The advisor of BHSU, Ms. Henderson, proves that this is by no means the case; “[BHSU] is an inclusive club that promotes the idea that there is only one race, and various eth-nicities and cultures.” BHSU sponsors a great num-ber of activities intended to pro-

mote a sense of oneness, such as community service projects, the beloved Hispanic Heritage Month fiesta usually located in C107 (salsa dancing, anyone?), the Black History Month assem-bly (this year’s will be February 26th, with a theme of “Yes, We Can, and We Will”), and an an-nual trip to Harlem, among many more. Members also tutor math and reading to elementary stu-dents at Shepherd Glen.

Continued on Page 2

Continued on Page 9

Tom Gralish/Philadelphia Inquirer/MCT Erin McCracken/Flip Side Caroline Latham/Sharp Brains

Greece finds itself teetering on the brink of defeat, a possibility that could send the world, or at least most of Europe, spiraling further into recession. The euro is showing signs of weakening in value. The situation began in 2001 when Greece desperately want-ed to join most of Europe in adopting the euro. However, it was unable to meet Europe’s deficit rules while continuing to spend at such a high rate. The Grecian government borrowed billions from the American company Goldman Sachs. The deal was hidden from the public, because it was consid-ered a ‘currency trade’ rather than a loan. In the years since then, Wall Street and Greece have acted in concert to hide Greece’s deficit and borrowing from the eyes of Belgian eco-

nomic overseers. What has become clear from this situation is that the Grecian government’s actions were fu-eled by necessity; once the game had begun they could not eas-ily turn back and massively cut spending. Wall Street, on the other hand, was fueled purely by greed. Goldman’s actions in Greece are comparable to what led to the subprime mortgage cri-

ses in America, and consequently this recession. Europe’s economy hangs in the balance. If the government of Greece is unable to act and they default on these loans, then the value of the Euro will greatly de-preciate. The United States will lose a major trading partner, and the effects of Wall Street’s greed will again reverberate around the world.

Tearing down the walls of Wall Street

The New York Stock Exchange may have Greek architecture but Wall Street has played a large part in Greece’s flagging economy.

Page 2 The Dial www.HHSdial.com Friday, February 26, 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 [email protected]

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 06514203-665-8447 HHSDial.com

STAFF REPORTERSJeremy AngioneNatalie BarlettaKaitlyn CaponeKacey CarletonRachel DickermanRachel DoweKate SwannMelanie Wetmore

CONTRIBUTING WRITERSKimberly ChurchConnor EtterWesley Iskra

Get Hamden High News Updates on your Facebook feed

In the hallsThe Dial asks:

“What was your favorite child-hood cartoon?”

-Emily Lynn

Julian Haller/ The Dial“‘Rocket Power!’”

Julian Haller/ The Dial“‘Pokémon’ for sure.”

-Max Holl

Julian Haller/ The Dial

Julian Haller/ The Dial

“Oh my gosh, that’s hard. Probably ‘Hey Arnold.’”

-Crystal Johnson

Julian Haller/ The Dial“I had a ‘He-Man’ phase... I had

a ‘Transformers’ phase...”

“‘Doug.’”

-Mr. Romano

-Kendall Walker

Text message 203-665-8HHS

(203-665-8447)

with your name, and favorite childhood cartoon. A sampling of comments will appear in the next

online Dial edition at HHSdial.com

How ‘bout you?

Visit facebook.com/HHSDial

Seniors on the cusp of independence

By Kacey CarletonDial Staff

With the year flying by, seniors are anticipating graduating and gaining complete independence. No more having to pick your clothes up off the floor, eat your vegetables, go to bed early, or my absolute favorite…you don’t have to make your bed! Though complete independence sounds tremendous, I often wonder if I will make it out there in the real world. As teenagers, we look at all the pros of being on our own, but often ignore the things our parents do for us that we take for granted. We will have to pay our bills and buy our groceries. When we are sick no one will be there to take our temperature, call the doctor, and run out to get our medicine. Our parents are not leaving our lives completely, but we’re now taking on a lot more responsibility. Also, people like me who are leaving the state, wont be able to rely on their par-ents being there for every crisis. I realize some of us are already extremely independent, and these people will have an easier time. Though, I must admit I de-pend on my parents for a lot of things. While that might not be a bad thing, I’m afraid of how that will affect me being on my own. Overall, we must be prepared and excited for what the future holds.

“I was excited that we will be able to create a meaningful con-ference because of the amount of money we received,” Kacey Car-leton explained. She and Cassie Webb represented the Human Relations Club at the meeting. They will use the money to plan a conference to promote com-munity service among Hamden High students. “I’m very grateful that they saw how much the con-ference means to us and the im-pact it will have on the students of the school.” Eight different school groups each appreciated their double funding. Student representatives from Marching Band, Team H, Technology Students Associa-tion, Hamden High This Week (talk show), Human Relations Club, Unified Friends Club, and The Dial made presentations at the meeting. The Dance Team

Continued from front page


was away on competition, so the advisor made a presentation by phone. “The students did a fantastic job in identifying needs, present-ing a proposal, and defending that proposal before the PTSO,” Timothy Nottoli, Co-President of the PTSO, explained in an e-mail. “While we’re not a hostile crowd, it’s intimidating to make such a presentation and [they] performed admirably; yet anoth-er way in which Hamden can be very proud of its students!” “I was very impressed with the student presenters and what they had to say about their particular organizations,” D’Agostino said. “[Students] had to go through the process that’s similar to the one that The Board of Education goes through to request money from the council or the state. I was impressed by the fact that the students had to the do the same thing and did it admirably.”

The Dial is an open forum for the students of Hamden High School.

PTSO and BOE award funding Free Text Alerts

Text “hhsdial”to 41411to get text message updates 24/7 from The Dial.

Snow DaysSchool DelaysBreaking News

...as it happens

...

By Samantha Morton & Natalie Barletta

Dial Staff

“Please remove your hat while you’re in the building.” It is a reprimand we’ve all heard, maybe even on a daily basis. Why, if there is a rule against wearing hats in the building, do so many students continue to wear hats? The Green and Gold Guide states that no hats must be worn inside the building, un-less religious customs state otherwise. The rule is clear; what is unclear is why this rule exists. One reason, according to some teachers, is that hats provide students with a means for hiding things they don’t want others to see, such as weapons and cheat sheets. Another reason for the rule is that hats make identifying students difficult. If some-thing was to happen, the se-curity cameras would not be able see students’ faces with

hats on their heads. Some teachers even believe that the hat rule is important because wearing a hat indoors is considered poor manners. “Wearing a hat in the build-ing when I was growing up was never acceptable. I don’t know when it became accept-able, but somewhere along the way it did,” said security guard Mary Giangrande. “I feel that the hat rule, al-though not thoroughly en-forced, is fair, and I feel that students should not wear hats during school,” said one teacher. While teachers may have lots of reasons for agreeing with the hat rule, the students gave mixed reviews. Some stu-dents believe that they should be able to wear their hats in school because they are for fashion or they are just having a bad hair day. “It doesn’t let students express themselves,” said senior Paul Seo. “It seems like a harsh rule for just an ar-ticle of clothing.”

HHS debates the hat rule

The goal of BHSU is academic excellence with cultural and social development as well as prejudice reduction (it of-ten partners with the Human Relations Club). For those people who believe BHSU to be homogenous, Ms. Hender-

son strongly advises anyone to come to a meeting (Tuesdays after school) and “think out-side of the box itself.” In the past, there have been officers of all races: Hispanic, Black, Caucasian. It is a club that in-vites anyone and everyone to revel in the sense that we are all truly one.

BHSU unifies students of all races

2010 CAPT schedulesMarch 1st: Science I & IITESTING: 7:30-10:05CLASS BEGINS: 10:15

March 2nd: Interdisciplinary Writing & Editing/RevisingTESTING: 7:30-10:05CLASS BEGINS: 10:15

March 3rd: Response to Lit. & Reading for InfoTESTING: 7:30-10:30CLASS BEGINS: 10:40

March 4th: Interdisciplinary Writing II & Science Supple-mentalTESTING: 7:30-10:45CLASS BEGINS: 10:55

March 5th: No testing. Extended 1st, 2nd, 3rd period

March 8th: No testingExtended 1st, 2nd, 3rd period

March 9th: Math ITESTING: 7:30-9:30CLASS BEGINS: 9:40

March 10th: Math IITESTING: 7:30-9:20CLASS BEGINS: 9:30



The Olympic Torch is lit during the Opening Ceremonies of the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver, British Columbia.

World

Friday, February 26, 2010 www.HHSdial.com The Dial Page 3

Harry E. Walker/MCT

Toyota Troubles Toyota Recalls: ‘05-’10 Avalon‘07-’10 Camry‘09-’10 Corolla‘08-’10 Highlander‘09-’10 Matrix‘04-’09 Prius‘10 Prius‘09-’10 RAV4‘08-’10 Sequoia‘05-’10 Tacoma‘07-’10 Tundra‘09-’10 VENZA

Profit Loss: $2 BillionProblems: Steering Column Braking Accelerator

An aerial view shows the aftermath of an explosion at the Kleen Energy Systems plant located along the Connecticut River in Mid-dletown, Connecticut, on Sunday, February 7, 2010.

The offensive in Marjah began as NATO Coalition troops in con-junction with Afghanistan forces looked to push the Taliban out of the region.

Powerplant Explosion

The War in Afghanistan

February in review: a month of Olympics and world troubles

The Olympic TorchThe Olympic Torch was lit in Vancou-ver, British Colum-bia (Canada) at the Opening Cermo-nies. The original plan was for four lighters to light the flame jointly. How-ever, only three of the four structures rose from the floor. The three lighters were: Wayne Gretz-ky, Steve Nash, and Nancy Greene.

Nancy Youssef/MCT

(Bettina Hansen/Hartford Courant/MCT)

(Charles Bertram/Lexington Herald-Leader/MCT)

Page 4 The Dial World Friday, February 26, 2010

Sexism in America has been greatly reduced over the last few decades. However, most Ameri-cans do not realize that sexism still walks on our streets, breathes in our children’s’ classrooms, and still preys on American women everyday of their lives. Sexism is the discrimination against a person because of his or her gender. This discrimination usually goes hand and hand with stereotyping one another. Al-though women in America have come a long way from fighting for their own rights, the fact still remains that sexism crawls in and around American society. According to Harriet Rubin’s article titled “Sexism,” the U.S. Labor Department reported that in 2006, women over 25 years of age only received earnings of 78.7 cents for every dollar a man made. Rubin also said, “In 2007, women held 14.8 percent of board seats in Fortune 500 companies.” Statistics such as these suggest that even in today’s modern world, women still prob-ably face the glass ceiling. The “glass ceiling” is an ex-pression that refers to a situa-tion where the progression of a qualified person within the lad-der of an organization is stopped at a lower level because of some form of discrimination such as sexism or racism. Unfortunately this expression is not too far from the truth. Ste-fanie Thibeault (an internal audi-tor who works at the XL Insur-ance Company in Hartford, CT) realizes too, that discrimination against women still occurs in these times. “In the work place and in the business world, women still face certain obstacles.

Thibeault also said, “On the other hand, if a man gets mar-ried or has a child, the employer is less likely to assume the same with him as opposed to a wom-an. This is because, tradition-ally, men are not assumed as the caretakers of a family, just the providers, which a poor assump-tion to make. So with this type of attitude, men might possibly have better opportunities of ad-vancement than women in some cases.” Sexism still has a strong grip on American life and restricts its vic-tims from all they can be. When asked about if the term the ‘glass ceiling’ still exists, Thibeault said, “I absolutely do believe [it]. Great strides have been made, but there are still inequalities between women and men. Ex-pressions like a ‘glass ceiling’ or ‘sticky floors’ still corrupt the minds of certain businesses and companies to-day.” According to www.r iaapro .org, “Women represent 1.1% of inside direc-tors (those drawn from top man-agement of the company) on the boards of Fortune 500 compa-nies. Out of 1,173, 13 women are inside directors.” The web-site also stated that only 11.2% of corporate officers are women. Statistics such as these support Thibeault’s opinion. Even before women attempt to step forth in the real world, sex-ism also looms in our children’s classrooms. In the article “Are Girls Taught to Fail?” the author (Patrick McCormick) suggests the theory that girls and young women are treated differently in the classroom from boys. McCormick analyzes a book

written by two professors (Myra and David Sadker) called “Fail-ing at Fairness: How America’s Schools Cheat Girls.” This 1994 best-seller explains how Ameri-can classrooms from elementary school through graduate school do not tend to girls’ and young women’s needs as frequently or as much they do to the opposite sex. According to McCormick, the Sadker’s research indicated, “Teachers called on male stu-dents three and four times more often than females, even when the instructors seemed well-in-tention and were personally op-posed to sexism.” The Sadkers also came to another conclusion in their research across this is-sue: girls were treated differently

from boys in three signifi-cant ways; girls usu-ally had less time (when called on) to answer a question and when girls did offer an answer they were less praised as

opposed to their male counter parts. When students had to face a challenging assignment, the boys were encouraged to try harder to work out the problem themselves while the teachers provided the solution for girls who had a diffi-cult time trying to find an answer. As scary as it might be, the is-sue of sexism still happens to thrive in the American way of living. This is a very depressing truth but nevertheless is the real-ity women of all races and ages still face. From the classrooms to the work place, there is sub-stantial evidence that suggests that sexism is alive and well.

The shadows of sexism in AmericaBy Mike Diaz

Contributing Writer

“ There are still inequali-ties between women and men. Expressions like a ‘glass ceiling’... still corrupt the minds of

certain businesses and companies today.”

The US deficit continues to rise, worrying some economists, and attracting greater attention in

Washington.

When the U.S. invaded Iraq, the Ba’ath Party was banned from being a part of the new Iraqi Government. This has come to be considered one of the United States biggest foreign policy mistakes, ever. The Ba’ath Party was not Sad-dam Hussein’s terrorist organi-zation. Rather, it was a group of people who were told that if they didn’t pay earnings to Sad-dam Hussein, they wouldn’t be allowed to maintain their jobs.

The Ba’ath party was full of doc-tors, teachers, and well-educated people. When the U.S. banned them from political participation, many left the country. Due to this, most Iraqi Sunnis chose to boycott the election for the new Iraqi Government. In this election cycle the Ba’ath party is still unable to partici-pate, but there has been progress made. There is still great hope among Iraqis that come next election cycle, the Ba’ath party will be able to participate. For now, the democracy in Iraq re-mains incomplete.

Ba’ath Party excluded from electionBy Connor Etter

Contributing Writer

highlight what it is doing to solve the problems. Additionally, the dealerships are working to repair the problems with the recalled cars as soon as possible. Toyota is working to promote an image of accountability following its quality control failures. The Japanese automaker ex-pects to lose around $2 billion in the process of repairs, advertise-ments, and dealer fees. This es-timate does not include possible profit loss. Some economists ex-pect major fallout from prospec-tive Toyota buyers who now will turn to other car companies, such as rival Honda.

Toyota was thought to be the “golden child” of the auto in-dustry, growing rapidly over the course of the past few decades. According to market experts the “Toyota way,” a collection of ex-cellent quality control standards and engineering perfection, was idolized by many other automak-ers. The days of dominance over the rest of the auto industry have passed Toyota by, and the effects of the rapid growth have reared its ugly head. Economists proj-ect a rough road ahead for the company, one in which the exec-utives will need again to regain the trust of potential car buyers.

Toyota Recalls (continued from page 1)

The 2010 Winter Olympics have almost come to a close. Even now, as I write this article and re-watch the opening cer-emony, it is obvious that this year’s Olympics will be unlike any previous - though whether the changes are positive or nega-tive remains to be seen. Held in Vancouver, Canada, the 2010 Winter Olympic Games

officially began on February 12 opening with a breath-taking cer-emony featuring, among other things, a Canadian spoken-word poet discovered on YouTube. Beyond this ceremony, however, there have been few moments that remain untouched by con-troversy. The first surprise came with the announcement that the figure skating event would fea-ture a new scoring system that rewards technical precision over artistry, leaving many spectators

angry at the resulting lack of aes-thetic appeal in skating routines. Even while the International Olympic Committee (IOC) was drawing fire for this, the Games were shaken by the death of Georgian luger, Nodar Kumari-tashvili. He died on a luge prac-tice run reaching the speeds of 90 mph. Organizers have also had to ex-plain an embarrassing and often dangerous series of mechanical glitches, from an ice-resurfacing

By Megan RowlandStaff Reporter

A Winter Olympics of controversy

Judge releases eight of ten Americans in HaitiBy Juel Rubin

Los Angeles Times (MCT)

PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti - Eight of the 10 Americans jailed by Haitian authorities in late January on suspicion of kidnapping 33 children and trying to take them out of the earthquake-ravaged coun-try were set free by a judge Wednesday. “The judge has taken his decision and he has ordered the release of eight,” said Aviol Fleurant, who identified himself as an attorney for the group. “The world must know that all 10 are innocent!” Fleurant said the investigat-ing judge, Bernard Saint- Vil, decided to keep Laura Silsby, the leader of the group, and Charisa Coulter for further questioning about their report-ed efforts to establish an or-phanage for Haitian children. The lawyer said he expected the judge to release the pair “in a few days.” The eight who were freed,

all looking generally healthy, were escorted from jail to a van by three U.S. Embassy officials. The van soon pulled into a secured area on the grounds of the city’s airport, where a field hospital run by the University of Miami is lo-cated. The release followed the judge’s decision that there was not enough incriminating evidence to justify putting the eight on trial, marking a rever-sal of fortune for the group. The same judge two weeks ago charged all 10 Americans with child kidnapping and criminal association, raising the prospect of a trial and long prison sentences. The suspects were arrest-ed Jan. 29 when authorities stopped a bus carrying the children, five men and five women as they tried to cross into the Dominican Republic from Haiti. Their arrests came amid the chaos and emergency re-sponse to the magnitude 7.0 earthquake Jan. 12 that killed

an estimated 200,000 people in the Caribbean island nation and caused widespread home-lessness and destruction. At the time, group mem-bers said the children, from 2 to 12 years old, were orphans and that the group intended to provide them with shelter and care. However, the group could not provide documents proving legal custody of the children, many of whom later were found not to be orphans.The case became instant fod-der for the hordes of journal-ists who had descended on the nation. The Americans, their intentions unclear, were por-trayed alternately as would-be child traffickers looking to profit from the children or re-ligious do-gooders lacking in common sense. The case turned a harsh light on the staggering poverty and desperation that have long ex-isted in Haiti and become even more severe since the earth-quake.Port-au-Prince, Haiti.

(c) 2010, Los Angeles Times.

malfunction during the speeds-kating event and an accidental flooding during the luge compe-tition to scoring mistakes during the men’s and women’s biath-lons. Despite these errors, these Olympics have also seen the im-plementation of a few redeeming ideas. These are the first Olym-pic Games, for example, to see the creation of the Pride House, which is believed to be the first house at the Olympics specifical-

ly designated for gay and lesbian athletes and their friends, family, and significant others. It is also the first game to see the newly reintroduced event of Skeleton receive widespread acclaim. Whether improvements like these will outweigh detriments remains to be seen, but one thing is clear: with all the changes at the Vancouver Olympics, it is unlikely that anyone will forget these games for a long time.

Friday, February 26, 2010 World The Dial Page 5


EditorialLetters to the editors

Dear Editor,

First of all, I would like to say how happy I am to be able to hold the school newspaper in my hands today. It’s nice to have all the words in my hands instead of having to go onto the website and find my way through the links. But beside the fact that I am now able to hold the school newspaper, I found the articles very interesting. My favorite part of the paper was all the lit-

The Dial staff would like to thank everyone who took the time to submit their feedback. Send your com-ments, questions, and concerns (i.e. love letters/hate

mail) [email protected].

and those who are bring-ing it at this very moment. The revolutionaries of the Civil Rights Movement, soon-to-be high school graduates, contributors to a developing school newspaper—no matter how big or small, peo-ple have and are making their mark on the world for the betterment of oth-ers. In this issue I hope to celebrate those who are a part of that. In my seventeen years of life I have, although not necessarily consciously, been surrounded by so much change. Within the past two years, though, I

Change is such a con-stant factor in our lives that it has often been treated with an indiffer-ent hand, like a bed gone unmade. Forgotten, and only dealt with if neces-sary. We are a part of some-thing great, though; a never-ending movement. And we know we are a part of it, yet it remains one if those “great un-knowns,” some kind of overwhelming mystery. Change. This issue focuses on change: those who have brought it to the world

have not only made my-self aware of that con-cept, but part of it. Every single one of us is a part of this generation that is going to change society, the world, and we’re go-ing to do big things. Nev-er has such a simple con-cept struck me with such sincere honesty: there is change and I want noth-ing more than to be a part of it. Do you?

Best regards, Allye Vitello Editor-in-Chief

Change is the only constant

Dear Editor,

First off, I would like to con-gratulate you and The Dial on your first printed issue since 2008. It is a very good paper and I look forward to reading more issues in the future. Next off, I really liked how you included the article from the Hartford Cou-rant regarding Jim Calhoun and his medical leave of absence. As a fan of UConn athletics, I felt more calm when I found out that he would not be hospitalized, so thank you for that. Also, I would like to thank you for putting my brother's article about the Quin-nipiac Bobcat's basketball team in your sports page. Mom will be so proud of him. In general, I liked the setup of

On the night of De-cember 27, 2009, sol-diers awoke eight sleep-ing Afghan children from the ages of 11 to 17. Seven were relatives, and one was a 12-year old shepherd boy. The children were dragged handcuffed, out of the school where they slept. All eight were executed. The soldiers were either American military, or on military contracts, and the news of that midnight mission has not been cov-ered by US news media. Allegations have arisen that on the night of No-vember 15, 2006, NATO forces tortured and ex-ecuted Sabiha Talib, a 62 year- old Iraq grand-mother. This story has also not been covered by the American news me-dia. Harper’s magazine re-ports that three GITMO detainees, who reportedly

asafesh/sxc.hu

the sports page, going from high school sports, to local sports, and the articles you put in it. My fa-vorite was the article you wrote about Jonathan Quick going to Vancouver with the USA hockey team. Your article drew my at-tention with the metaphor about the diamond in the rough, and how everybody knows about it in minutes. I only knew the basic details about Jon Quick, but not the finer points, such as where he plays in the NHL, or what col-lege he went to. Overall, I liked your page and look forward to reading more of The Dial when future editions come out.

Sincerely, Keegan Etter

tle interviews with the reporters of The Dial. It was nice to learn a little bit about the reporters, even if some of the information received was just about their fa-vorite fruit or type of doughnut. Another article I liked was the one about senioritis. At first I was confused as to why it was partly in Polish but then things started to make mores sense. Finally, I really liked the “In the Halls” section. It was just a fun bit to read between the sad stories of

Superintendent praises Dial

Hello and congratulations on your first print edition of The Dial in quite some time: There are some questions that I have about the environmental story on page two. You begin with an accusation about HHS ‘janitors’ mixing the trash and recycling together. If your reporter would like to let me know whether this is com-mon throughout the building or wing specific I will speak with the offending parties. Also, were there circumstances that may have dictated that these items were mixed (rancid yogurt thrown in maliciously then cov-ered up with paper, vomit in the recycling because the student couldn’t make it to the trash can or any one of a dozen things that a school custodian deals with regularly)? I would also like to invite you and your reporter to tour our loading area where we fill dumpsters and canisters with

separated cardboard, bottles andcans and paper on a daily ba-sis. In paragraph three and four, groups are lauded for their efforts and high minded goals. Is this an implied dig at the ‘janitors’ in paragraph one? Beginning this generally positive article on such a negative note makes one won-der. The school custodians as a whole have worked to promote recycling, and I am going to step out on a limb and invite you to ask [your advisors] if [they] agrees. Speaking personally, my wife Eleanor and I own a Prius (green car) and subscribe to the CT Wind Alliance (we pay EX-TRA for our electricity to subsi-dize UI buying wind generated power). We also recycle at home and work with conservation and human rights groups. Thank you, R J Willis Head Custodian, HHS

Recycling coverage unfair

Thoughts from a sports fan

Dear Editor,

I was so pleased to receive the recent edition of The Dial, Ham-den High School’s newspaper. I understand that although the pa-per has been available on-line, this is the first “hard copy” in nearly two years. I must tell you, it was well worth the wait! The articles in this issue were well-written and informative. Especially moving was the sto-ry on the Hamden High School alumni presently serving our country. We are exceptionally proud of these brave, young men and women who have chosen a career in the military. Your coverage of the devastating earthquake in Haiti accurately described the horrific tragedy experienced by a nation already plagued with extreme poverty.

Dear Editor,

The Dial was very similar to a real newspaper. I enjoyed every section of it. My favorite section was “The Lighter Side.” This section included the comics, crossword and Sudoku puzzles. When I look through a regular newspaper, these are the things

Your ability to cover a broad range of topics makes this pub-lication appeal to a wide cross-section of readers. As Superintendent of Schools, I want you and The Dial staff to know how proud I am of your ac-complishments. While there are numerous opportunities avail-able, I hope some of you decide to pursue a career in journalism. I am also grateful to your advisors, Sara Whalen and Lisa Stamidis for their role in guiding you in this publication. Once again, I applaud your accomplishments and wish you continued success at Hamden High School.

Sincerely, Fran Rabinowitz Superintendent of Schools

More student work needed in Dial

that I look forward to. So seeing them in the school paper gave me reason to enjoy it. I also enjoyed the “Hope for Haiti” section. Dedicating a sec-tion to the Haitians was a very thoughtful idea. Bringing aware-ness to the students of Hamden High can provide a lot of help for the victims of the earthquake.

Dial’s coverage educates HHS about HaitiThe pictures and general facts give the students an idea of what it’s like in Haiti. Providing in-formation on how to help was a good idea, and hopefully this will motivate students to really help.

Sincerely, Breanna Counsel

Haiti and the NBC late night dra-ma. One thing I didn’t really like was how so many articles were written by professional report-ers. I thought the whole paper was student work and was disap-pointed to see an article from the Los Angeles Times. Other than that, I hope The Dial comes out in print a lot more often after to-day!

Sincerely, Celina Burgueño

committed suicide in 2006, were in fact murdered by interrogators. The sourc-es of that article, a Camp Delta sergeant and a num-ber of military guards who were present say the three were found dead with rags stuffed down their throats. Again, there has been a fail-ure of the US media to cover this story. All these three events were barely covered, if at all by the US media, but received a tremendous amount of international attention. There are more stories like these that have not reached the American press. However, when our armed forces (American or NATO) act in this man-ner, the only international response is anger and frus-

Fighting terror with terror: a hidden war

tration, which brews more hatred. When the question is asked, “why does the world hate us?” the answer can be seen clearly in the stories

like these. Bru-tal American military tactics do not make us safer, and a war hidden from the eye of the media and the American peo-ple only create more confusion when terrorist

attacks are attempted. It is our duty to protest such injustices, such acts of terror. We must all call for change, in both the mainstream news media and in the policies of the military. In the end, though, it is the individual’s responsi-bility to be aware of what’s happening in the world around them.

By Brad McRobertsWorld News Editor

It’s the media’s

responsibility to call

attention to injustice.

Friday, February 26, 2010 Opinion The Dial Page 7

By Rachel DickermanDial Staff

I can still picture it…playing tag in my cousin’s backyard and sprinting all around to avoid be-ing the dreaded ‘it.’ Or running from base to base (or the much-used substitutes like sticks and rocks) while playing a game of baseball. Yet, when I look around at younger kids these days, they seem to spend the majority of their time killing zombies on their Xbox and playing games on the computer. I’m not saying that learning hand-eye coordi-nation at a young age is a bad thing, but this technology boom over the past few decades has re-ally made a dent in the physical activity kids receive. In an experiment conducted by the AAP (American Academy of Pediatrics) in 2005, seventy-

Shouldn’t Black History Month be celebrated every month? This is a question that cannot help but be followed by visions of children of all races shamelessly parading through the world hand in hand. This is a question that compels visions of these same children growing up with equal opportunities de-spite their skin color—and then, later on, each of these children having the same exact chance of getting a job. Truthfully, it is a question that sparks a fantasy world. Black History Month could never be transformed into “Black History Year”—it just could never happen. Call me cynical, but I cannot picture a place in which every single bit of racism—or any prejudice based on gender, sexual prefer-ence, etcetera—does not exist. There will always be pockets in our country, no matter how small, in which a large enough group of people will not feel comfortable teaching Black his-tory as a part of their everyday curriculum. And I feel that be-cause of this, people need a set amount of time to focus primar-ily on Black history. It sounds terrible, compromis-ing the success of millions of hard-working African Ameri-cans because some cannot eas-ily digest the idea of weaving an entirely different culture within

their own for twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week. But when you think about it, it may make awareness easier. Other-wise, the message that the month of February carries (for the sake of my argument, ignore the fact that February is indeed the short-est month of the year) would without a doubt become diluted if stretched across a span of t w e l v e months. This dilut-ing arises b e c a u s e America, as it is com-monly referred to, is a ‘melting pot.’ Therefore, it is easy for dif-ferent cultures to misplace their voices in a crowd of millions. The fact that American history is composed of multiple back-grounds that have coalesced is simply what makes it the history of America. The fact is that no “American history” book ex-ists. There is no way one three-hundred page textbook could contain every piece of European history, which is what American textbooks are often accused of having, let alone Black history. This causes multiple cultures to get lost in the melting pot. And what is this so-called “Black history” anyway? To me, an African American, it is more than just the basics. Almost everyone knows about Martin Luther King Jr., Freder-ick Douglass, and Harriet Tub-

man by the time they reach first or second grade. True Black his-tory delves deeper into the indi-viduals whose names and faces are not known, whose voices have not had the chance to be heard. Sure, some of these Afri-can Americans may have made relatively minor contributions compared with famous speeches,

abolitionist teach-ings, and under-ground railroads, but does that re-ally matter? I can guarantee that in the American his-tory classes I took when I was a bit younger, there are

people I have read about and scratched my head, wondering, ‘And exactly why am I learning about this person?’ I realize now that all of these people—even if they were lost somewhere in between World War I and the Watergate scan-dal—had something important to contribute to American his-tory. This especially goes for all minorities who faced even more barriers to achieve their accom-plishments. And while I would love to have Black history facts flung at me in all directions every single month of the year as they are in February, I do not count on it happening anytime soon. So, I take advantage of these twenty-eight, sometimes twenty-nine days, and feel content that for at least one-twelfth of the year, Af-rican Americans’ contributions are being commended.

Black History Month honors those who would be otherwise forgottenBy Zakiya Harris

A & E Editor

Black History Month could never be trans-formed into “Black History Year”—it just could never happen.

Technology makes active lifestyle a challenge

According to a study taken by the Kaiser Family Foun-dation, the average 8 to 18 year old spends more than

7 1/2 hours using electronics per day.

Guillermo Gallego/sxc.hu

Dear Dial, I am currently dating a black guy. I, to put it bluntly, am white. I see abso-lutely no problem with this. However, my parents seem to remain in a little bub-ble of conservatism from the 1950s and would never approve of my relationship (I haven’t told them yet). I am afraid to tell them and am dreading when they all meet each other. I’ve tried over and over again to explain to them that times have changed, but it won’t go through their heads. What should I do?

-Waiting for Change Hello Waiting for Change,

You need to sit down and be honest with your parents. You also need to be ready to receive their disapproval. But if you think this person is worth the fighting with your parents and you guys not being able to do much then go

for it; stick with that person. Re-member that, just to be ready.

Wish you all the luck, --DDD.

Dear DDD, I’m seventeen years old, and will be leaving for out-of-state college in New York City in about six months. I love the city, but rarely get to go because my mom is never up for it. I’ve been trying to per-suade her for around a few years to let me take the train with a friend or two, because I’m leaving for college in six months! I know she’s all “I want you to be safe a.k.a I can’t let my little girl go,” but she needs to. She needs to let me be an adult and go off on my own. Help?

-Big Kid

Big Kid, You need to sit down with your mother and have a serious one on one to set some boundaries. Or, you need to just do the things you need to do. But here’s one last option that your mother would love—you can spend the last six months with her to cherish every moment and be her little girl. Then, she will most likely have that closure she needs and you will have your freedom in college. Just cherish those last moments with your mom, okay Big Kid?

Signed, DDD.

DDD, why were you created? - Skeptical Fox

Well Skeptical Fox, not everyone has someone to talk to about their prob-lems and not everyone has the courage to ask for help. We were created to help anyone, whether the problem be big or small, serious or not. WE want to help everyone, and welcome everyone with our arms wide open.

Signed, DDD.

I can’t stand the school I am at and my father won’t let me switch. Can you help me?

- Stuck

Stuck, Yes, I can help you. The easy answer is to make the best of where you are now. Eliminate the negative people in your life and start off fresh. I doubt it’s the school you attend; I believe it’s the experiences you’ve had that makes you not want to attend this particular school. I suggest to stay where you currently are at and make new, positive experiences.

-DDD.

Dr. Ben CarsonDOB: 1950-

First doctor to successfully

separate Sia-mese twins.

Shoshana JohnsonDOB: 1973-

The first Black fe-male prisoner of war

in U.S. history.

Dr. Daniel Hale Wil-liams

DOB: 1856-1931Founded the Provi-

dent Hospital in Chicago and per-

formed the first suc-cessful open heart

surgery in 1893.

Celebrate Black History

Northwestern University Library

From your very own

Dial advice columnists

Talking to parents about dating life can be difficult

five percent of kids ages zero to six watched television for about an hour and twenty minutes on a typical day. Twenty-seven per-cent of kids five to six-years old were on the computer for fifty minutes a day. Now, I’m also not saying that the nineties were that long ago. Of course there were video games then like there are now. Life wasn’t entirely more low-tech and “simpler.” It’s just that over the course of about fifteen years, there have been major ad-vances in technology. Between computers, television, and video games, kids don’t exactly have the motivation to get up and go outside. There are ads and com-mercials that encourage being active. I’m sure you’ve heard “Get up and play an hour a day!” ringing through the speakers; and where do we see that com-mercial? The television. Within

the last few years, mypyramid.gov has issued a new pyramid, equipped with a person walking up the stairs to stress that exer-cise is just as important as eating right. And even video game com-panies themselves know that be-ing active is important, and target gamers with programs like Wii Active or Just Dance, plus sev-eral sports games. So although steps are being taken every day to increase activity and boost exer-cise among kids (and all people, in general), if you happen to see your little sibling, cousin, niece, or nephew hop onto the couch to watch a show or grab a controller to play a game, encourage him/her to get outside (or even do something active inside for those freezing winter days). And although you may only be a teenager and aren’t far enough into your life to carry around years and years worth of, “When

I was your age…” stories, you have to admit that from the time you were a little kid until now, things have changed.

And you know that playing tag in the backyard will always be your favorite pastime.

busters such as ‘King Kong’ and ‘The Lord of the Rings: The Two Rings.’ While many books do not translate well to the screen, ‘The Lovely Bones’ maintains the same intensity. One can feel the pressure when Susie’s younger sister sneaks into the neighbor’s house while trying to find evi-dence that he killed her sister. The suspense heightens when the neighbor comes home while she is there. She narrowly escapes by jumping out of a window. ‘The Lovely Bones’ stars Mark Wahlberg as Susie’s father (‘The Departed’ and ‘The Happen-ing’), as well as Susan Sarandon (‘Thelma and Louise’).

Arts & Entertainment


Band: NevershoutneverAlbum: What is Love?Release Date: 1-25-10 After releasing the EPs ‘Nevershoutnever,’ ‘Demosh-memo,’ ‘Me and My Uke,’ ‘The Summer,’ and ‘The Yip-pee,’ and in addition to the sin-gles ‘Happy’ and ‘30 Days,’ the band Nevershoutnever has finally released their first full

length a l -b u m , ‘What i s

Love?,’ which contains an ex-cellent combination of catchy love songs such as ‘I Love You 5,’ and ‘Can’t Stand It.’ Other songs discuss much more se-rious matters such as politics and religion; like ‘Love Is Our Weapon,’ and ‘Sacrilegious.’ While listening to ‘What is Love?’ I can conclude that the band’s overall goal is to find their place in the world and to inspire all of those who want to make a change. ‘What is Love?’ is an excellent choice for anyone looking for a song to remind them of that special someone, or to motivate those that want to change the world.

Nevershoutnever shouts for change

By Natalie Barletta Dial Staff

By Brad McRoberts World Editor

By Jeremy AngioneDial Staff

On paper, a remake of the clas-sic 1941 film ‘The Wolfman’ sounds like box-office gold. However, the execution was a different story altogether. Its plot seems to follow the classic tale’s story to the letter, with a few key twists here and there. The movie follows Lawrence Talbot (played by Benicio Del Toro, a Shake-spearean stage actor who returns home in the wake of a great trag-edy. He finds more than he bar-gains for when he is confronted with his monstrous past and a beastly curse laid upon him. ‘The Wolfman’ is an ambitious effort, but one that ultimately falls short. The film has a lot go-ing for it—it has a great cast and an incredibly detailed and im-mersive environment. Yet there are a few things that hold it back from being something that is truly worthwhile. For example, it relies far too heavily on gore and cheap scares (neither of which are used in moderation) as the general crowd pleaser. It is the typical monster flick, complete with blood and guts. With all that in mind—and it must be said—after a while the gratuitous vio-lence and haunted house scares tend to get a bit silly. Some of the scenes actually come off as unin-

tentionally funny. When the action ramps up, ‘The Wolf-man’ is not at all shy about letting cunning acrobatics and a few limbs fly. Director Joe Johnston seems to have placed most of the film’s stock in the wolf scenes, which are few and far between. You find yourself waiting for the next time the beast will show up; the scenes in between aren’t necessarily boring, but they do start to drag after a while. The wolf costume—yes, I said costume, not CGI or “com-puter-generated imagery”— was, in my opinion, a nice touch. However, even though the movie does have one of the best trans-formation scenes I’ve seen in quite a while, with the transition looking befittingly grotesque and painful, the costume can look a bit awkward and clunky at times. All bashing aside, the film does deserve points for choosing a traditional costume in an all-CG era. It also boasts a great cast consisting of Sir Anthony Hop-kins, Emily Blunt, Hugo Weav-ing and Benicio Del Toro. They

all have great on-screen chemis-try and beautifully complement one another. The movie also gets major points for its star; Del Toro is a dead ringer for Lon Chaney, Jr., who donned the original fur and fang sixty-nine years ago. In all honesty, I really wanted to like this movie a lot more than I did. If you want to see this mov-ie, do not expect much more than a blood-soaked monster movie with a love story somewhere in the mix. I personally recommend you grab a few silver bullets and put this pup down.

‘Wolfman’ remake falls short

‘The Wolfman’ causes audiences to howl in agony.

A young girl is followed into a cornfield by a suspicious neighbor. He tells her to come see a club-house that he has made “for the school children.” After attempt-ing to tell him that she needs to go home, the young girl finally gives in. She follows him into his underground lair in the cornfield, a seemingly harmless area where there are places to sit, soda, and little dolls. Susie Salmon was fourteen years-old when she was mur-dered in this “clubhouse.” After she is dead, she does not go straight to heaven but instead to a place called the “in-between.” While she is here, she watches Earth as her family copes with their loss. It doesn’t take long for her father to realize who murdered his daughter--but he has a hard time convincing the cops. ‘The Lovely Bones’ is based on a book of the same title by Alice Sebold. Its director is Peter Jack-son, also famous for big block-

The skinny on ‘The Lovely Bones’ By Shelby Gonzalez

Dial Staff

Director and producer Peter Jackson, right, works with Saoirse Ronan, left, on the set of DreamWorks Pictures’ “The Lovely Bones.”

(DreamWorks/MCT)

Just so you know:K’naan’s ‘Troubadour’

Band: The Cat EmpireAlbum: Two ShoesRelease Date: 2-6-07 The Cat Empire is a band based in Australia, with roots and mu-sic from all corners of the world. The core of the group are six in-credibly talented musicians, able to simultaneously mix many genres, and flow between many more in the course of a few tracks. Hip hop, rock, reggae, Latin jazz, rap, jazz, alternative, ska, pop, its all here. And so in their third studio album, The Cat Empire have found block-buster success in virtually every

western nation, except America, where they have struggled to crack the Billboard Top 100. ‘Two Shoes’ was re-corded in Havana, Cuba at the legendary Egrem Studio (where Buena Vista Social Club re-corded their ground-breaking album two de-cades ago). The Cuban influence is apparent from beginning to end in ‘Two Shoes,’ as the Cat Empire seem to purposefully accent their Latin jazz chops. Besides the core six of percussion, drums, turntables, keyboards, bass, and trumpet (an unusual combination as it is), a

larger horn section is added – the biggest indicator of their locale. The first single off the al-

bum is ‘Sly’ (the album’s first track, as well). It’s made to party and dance to, a feel-good song, and the Aussie croon

punctuates through the lyr-ics “why it’s a pleasure to meet you, you look like wine, incred-ible creature, want to treat you fine… let’s dance and grind, lets get so funky that it’s a crime.” As the album progresses I was

struck by the odd choice of in-strumentation and sound in songs such as ‘Lullaby,’ and ‘The Car Song.’ These tracks seemed out of place on this album, fitting in better with some of the previous albums done by the Cat Empire. Yet from ‘Two Shoes’ on the mu-sic picks up, the Cuban flare re-turns, and TCE brings some of its best to the table. Songs like ‘The Chariot (Havana Version),’ a new version of a Cat Empire staple, add in the Latin vibe and manage to get everyone off their feet and in a partying mood. The Cat Empire ends the album very strongly; ‘The Night That Never End,’ ‘The Rhythm,’ and

‘The Crowd’ are incredibly fun to listen and dance to, in particu-lar, the last two minutes of ‘The Night That Never End’ when they erupt into a salsa that will leave the listener amazed. While The Cat Empire may not delve into any deep issues, (their lyr-ics can be incredibly sexual or slightly nonsensical), Two Shoes is the perfect album to turn up at any party for a change of pace, or just to listen to on a car ride to the grocery store. Their music meshes every major style into an enjoyable mix about having fun. Must Haves: ‘Sly,’ ‘The Chariot (Havana Version)’

Like many artists, K’naan writes music about his past experiences. Yet this Somali refugee residing in Canada speaks of moments of strife and times of struggle without embellishing the facts. Much of his work is written as a vignette on an individual event or an idea that has greatly af-fected him. In this way, K’naan stands far apart from most of the music industry. While many art-ists write exclusively about mon-ey, love, and other materialistic things, K’naan raps about both social issues and love – with an unexpected twist. In his second studio album, ‘Troubadour,’ K’naan showcases a high-energy delivery, and dis-plays a good taste for the balance of fun tracks and more serious ones. The beats featured incor-porate a full mix of rock, pop, jazz, hip-hop, and Somali influ-ences, adding to the incredible liveliness of the album. The opener to the album, ‘T.I.A.,’ while not the strongest song, gives the listener a taste of what is to come. ‘Trobadour’ tru-ly begins with the second song, ABC’s (featuring Chubb Rock), a story of life as a child in his home country of Somalia. “They only teach us the things that guns do/ they don’t teach us the ABC’s, we play on the hard concrete, all we got is life on the streets.” From there, K’naan speaks of the importance of dreams, and how they enabled him to escape the violence around him, in the song ‘Dreamer.’ With the song, ‘I Come Pre-

pared’ K’naan turns the energy level of the album to a fever pitch, where it will stay for the remainder. Damian Marley gives this song a true Jamaican dancehall feel. ‘Bang Bang’ shifts the focus of the album, as he writes a song purely about relationships. Fea-turing Adam Devine (the lead singer of Maroon 5) the song has a pop rock hook that help make the song standout In ‘America’ K’naan turns to his Somali roots, singing the hook and a whole verse in his na-tive language. Again, he sings of socio-political issues, and talks of the discrimination against him because of his refugee status. K’naan delivers another tre-mendous hook on ‘Wavin’ Flag’ and sings of hope among chil-dren who struggle through a tough life. ‘Take a Minute’ also features a tremendous hook, and some of the most insightful lyrics on the entire album, “How did Mandela get the will to surpass the everyday/ when injustice had him caged and trapped in every-way? How did Gandhi survive the hunger strikes and all/ didn’t do it to gain money or power if I recall.” K’naan is an extraordinary art-ist, and ‘Troubadour’ is another terrific album. There are no low points, and there is something for everyone on this album. This is one of the few releases that one should truly purchase in its en-tirety. Must Haves: the whole album


Cat Empire’s ‘Two Shoes’ blends international genres

Is there a band or singer whose voice you want heard? Come to a Dial meeting to share the

message with HHS!

“Another Earth” was directed by none other than Hamden na-tive Mike Cahill, also known for directing the documentary “Box-ers and Ballerinas.” The movie stars William Mapother, who starred in “Mission Impossible II” (2000) and currently stars in “Lost,” as John Burroughs. The sci-fi movie “Another Earth” fo-cuses on a group of people who find a parallel universe that is similar to the one that we live in today. Numerous scenes of “Another Earth” were shot in areas right in our “backyards” so to speak, including different parts of New Haven, a local home in Hamden, and West Haven High School. Cahill relies on strong dia-logue and storytelling rather than flamboyant special effects to get across his message. Instead, he uses a technique called cinéma vérité, French for “truthful cin-ema.” “I was kind of inspired by the moon landing,” Cahill said. “For most Americans, the night we

landed on the moon, everyone walked out on their front porch and looked up at the moon and felt connected. I want to tell the story from that perspective.” It is evident that both Cahill and his co-writer Brit Marling are molding “Another Earth” into a piece of art to which everyone can relate. Keep on the lookout for the Connecticut-based docu-mentary—it could possibly be-come a Hollywood blockbuster.

By Connor Etter Contributing Writer

A few months ago, Justin Bieber exploded onto the pop music scene, his voice seemingly catching the hearts of many pre-teens off-guard. His first single, “One Time” off of “My World” reached number 20 on Billboard, and received ridiculous amounts of radio play on many main-stream radio stations. The Justin Bieber phenomenon is nothing new, witnessed in the meteoric rise of Disney turned pop stars: the Jonas Brothers and Miley Cyrus. These artists seem-ingly have the advantage over most pop musicians who do not have the behemoth Disney net-work supporting them. The music industry is changing before our eyes (or ears), particu-larly the pop industry. With the foray of Disney into pop music, and its apparent success, Disney will pursue a more aggressive approach. What is already hap-pening is that this pre-teen mar-ket is growing rapidly, and other record labels are forced to mar-

Bieber, Ke$ha represent the fall of pop

ket more music for this young audience. Ke$ha, the 20-year-old singer who seems to have found success overnight is utilizing the same techniques that Disney used to propel Cyrus to stardom. Her voice is very edited and electron-ic, and she uses a toned-down version T-Pain’s autotune also used by Miley Cyrus. It has always been clear that the

By Brad McRoberts World Editor

record labels were more about making money than making good music. However, never be-fore have they sacrificed so much for money. This could signify ei-ther the greed of the executives, or the dire straits the industry is in during the era of illegal music downloads. What is clear is that pop mu-sic will continue to get worse, as long as this trend continues.

New pop sensation Ke$ha (Keshasparty.com)

Hamden native directs new sci-fi film

many people were quick to be judgmental and labeling her as a ‘pop-processed’ artist. Behind all of the fashion and hairstyles, there is immense talent. Lady Gaga has been playing the piano since she was a child, and also has one of the most powerful voices of today. She attended NYU before leaving to begin her music career. Her talent is best displayed in all of her live per-

formances, where she sings all of her hits, works the stage relent-lessly and creates dazzling light and pyrotechnic shows to amaze her fans. The way she is able to mesmerize fans at shows is a tes-tament to her ability to take pop music to the next level. What most people don’t realize is how dedicated and loyal Gaga is to her fans. Instead of spend-ing more money on a mansion or Rolls Royce, Gaga would rather spend the money on an upcom-ing show. Lady Gaga constantly praises her fans across the globe and notes that without them she would just be another face in an-

other New York club. What most people don’t see is that the true posers are the likes of Miley Cyrus and The Jonas Brothers, be-ing made musicians by the Disney market. Lady Gaga was per-forming for years before she was able to become a breakthrough top artist.

She worked hard to get to the point she has reached, and is now looking forward to a lengthy and successful career. Whether you like it or not, she will be the Lady of the hour for a very long time.

On Sunday January 31st, 2010, the red carpet was unrolled. Stars dressed in fancy gowns and ex-pensive jewelry came together to celebrate the 52nd annual Gram-my Awards. The night was filled with amaz-ing performances by artists such as The Black Eyed Peas, Taylor Swift, and Beyonce. In addition to the dazzling performances were the collaborations, notably an amazing and flamboyant duet by Lady GaGa and Elton John incorporating the songs “Your Song,” and “Speechless.” An amazing tribute to Michael Jack-son was also a huge highlight of the night. Beyonce was one of the night’s contenders, having one six awards, one of which was Song of the Year for her hit song “Single Ladies (Put A Ring On It).”Album of the Year went to Fearless by Taylor Swift, who also took home the award for

Country Album of The Year. Other big winners included Lady GaGa, who took home Best Electronic Album and the Dance Recording Award for her catchy song “Poker Face,” which topped the charts in early 2009. Kings of Leon took home the award for Record of the Year for their hit album “Use Somebody.” Other award-winning artists in-clude The Black Eyed Peas, Zac Brown Band, Green Day, and Jay-Z.

Grammy 2010 recapBy Natalie Barletta

Dial Staff

Beyonce at the 52nd An-nual Grammy Awards

(Robert Gauthier/Los Angeles Times/MCT)

Born: March 28, 1986

Real Name: Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta

Birthplace: Lower East Side of New York City, New York

Musical Inspirations: Michael Jackson; Cyndi Lauper; David Bowie

Genre: Electronica; pop; rock

Released Studio Albums: ‘The Fame;’ ‘The Fame Monster’

Hot Singles: ‘Just Dance,’ ‘Poker Face,’ ‘LoveGame,’ ‘Pa-parazzi,’ ‘Bad Romance’


‘Paparazzi’ will follow Gaga

Ah the Oscars. Perhaps the larg-est awards show for movie critics and moviegoers alike; it is always filled with smiling celebrities, perfect poses and an occa-sional what-was-she-thinking-when-she-agreed-to-wear-that. But most of all, it is filled with movies that we all have come to love and, of course, movies that we have probably never heard of. The Academy

How the Oscars have changed (and haven’t) over the yearsBy Zakiya Harris

A & E Editor

(Ladygaga.com)

Friday, February 26, 2010 Arts & Entertainment The Dial Page 9

Awards have been an important staple of American culture since

1929. The 82nd annual Acad-emy Awards, which will air live Sunday, March 7 at 8pm on ABC, have undoubtedly

changed (and yet remained the same) since their debut.

MoolahAt the time, ‘Ben-Hur’ was the most expensive movie ever made at $15 million. And ‘Avatar?’ Well, this pop culture phenomenon cost $500 mil-lion. ‘Ben-Hur’ raked in $75 million; ‘Avatar’ raked in over

eighteen times as much. The reason: Can you say globaliza-

tion? The internet has caused the art of adver-

tising to transcend boundaries.

Location, Location, Location

On April 4, 1929, the Academy Awards were held at the Pantages Theater in Hollywood, CA. It is now held at the Kodak Theater in Hollywood, CA.

Hilarious HostsComedy has always been impor-tant, especially in our society. A very popular comedic icon in his era, Bob Hope snagged the role as host of the Academy Awards in 1959. It seems as if funny guys will always be the best bet for en-tertaining the masses as the bor-ing awards are doled out.

The FacesMo’Nique, who is nominated for Best Supporting Actress for her role in ‘Precious,’ is reminiscient

of her predecessor, Hattie Mc-Daniel, who won Best Support-ing Actress years before it was deemed possible.

Page 10 The Dial Sports Friday, February 26, 2010

SportsTrack, dance teams win States

This year, Hamden is bring-ing winter sports to a close with a bang. Not only did the dance team win states yet again, but the boys track team proudly repre-sented our school and won their first state championship. On February 13, 2010, the Hamden Boys track team headed to the New Haven Athletic Cen-ter with hopes of bringing home a first-ever win. With an SCC ti-tle already under their belts, they were both prepared and confident entering the most important meet of the year. The meet began with a first

By Megan CarrollSports Editor

place win in the 4x800 meter re-lay, ran by juniors Patrick Cyr, Kevinn Tran, Blake Gatison, and Matthew Dinnan with a time of 8:12.60. Shortly after, senior Chris Fitzsimons placed first in the 1000 meter run in 2:34.15. In the 600 meter dash, senior Isiah Whiting placed fourth, just .92 seconds behind the leader. Senior Keenen Sims then placed third in the 55 meter hurdles with a time of 8.07 seconds. Nick Saba, senior, took a second place spot in the 1600 meter run with his time of 4:27.23. Barry Abraham, Frank Green, David Hu, and Chris Fitzsimons, with their time of 3:38.05 took first place in the Sprint Medley

Hamden’s Webb places 6th in vault at SCC’s

Relay. Hamden was disqualified from the 4x200 meter relay due to a break line violation. They did finish the meet on a high note, placing first in the 4x400 meter relay. Fitzsimons, Tran, Tevin Moye, and Whiting came in first place with a new state re-cord breaking time of 3:29.69. The meet concluded, and Ham-den beat its biggest competition, Amity, by a mere three points to come away with the state cham-pionship. Hamden had a total of 64 points, Amity placed second with 61 points, and Norwich Free Academy was in a distant third with 51 points. A few weeks earlier on Satur-day, January 22nd, the Boys’ Indoor Track team competed in the New Balance Games at the Armory Track in New York City. Nick Saba, Kevinn Tran, Chris Fitzsimons and Isiah Whiting came in 1st place in the 4 x 800. They are ranked 5th in the coun-try and Chris Fitzsimons came in 1st place in the mile run. Hamden continued to bring home state championship wins when the girls dance team placed first in the state for the fourth consecutive year. Captains Aidan Wildes, Dana Morcaldi, and Jaime Perotti led Hamden to the Universal Dance Association’s National Dance Team Championship in Orlando, Florida. The girls placed 26th in their large varsity pom division.

Hamden has a gymnastics team? It’s true; Hamden High has a two-member gymnastics team, and they’re not half bad. On Thursday, February 11th, the Green Dragons competed in the Southern Connecticut Confer-ence (SCC) Gymnastics Cham-pionship and represented Ham-den High well. Brittany Webb, Hamden’s captain, tied for 6th place in the vault event. Approximately 55 girls from seven high schools competed in the four events: vault, un-even bars, balance beam, and floor. The SCC Championship was held at Jonathan Law High School in Milford, CT. Believe it or not, Hamden was not the smallest team competing; Mercy and North Haven had one repre-sentative from each school. When asked if having a small team intimidates her, Captain Webb said, “It’s a meet, it’s all going to be the same. It doesn’t matter how big your team is, you try to do your best.” Webb has been a gymnast for many years now, and has been wearing the green and gold for

By Marcus Harun Online Editor-in-Chief

the last two. Her vault scored 8.5 at the SCC Championship, with a 31.5 as a total score. “Brittany had her best season so far,” Coach Brian LeRoux said. Brittany Webb and Jazmine Andrews “both did pretty well; they had a strong vault.” Jazmine Andrews is a fresh-man, but is already performing amazingly well. This is her first year competing in gymnastics and she scored a 7.20 on vault, which is great for a beginner. “Andrews had very little gym-nastics skills, but by the end of the season she performed very well. She should do well next year,” Coach LeRoux said. “Competing with one other girl isn’t so bad; it’s just that you have to challenge yourself to do better because the scores you earn are added up as an average. Though it’s harder to compete, we always have to do the best that we can and always be on our A game,” Andrews explained. Both Andrews and Webb plan to continue this sport next year, and hope the team grows. “Hopefully next year more girls join so we can get more well known around the school, and so we can place as a team at SCC’s next year,” Webb said.

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 L 6-22/3/2010 Mt. St. Charles (RI) T 2-22/6/2010 Simsbury W 5-02/10/2010 LaSalle Aca. (RI) Cancelled2/13/2010 South Windsor W 7-32/15/2010 Xavier W 3-22/19/2010 Winchester HS TBA2/20/2010 East Haven TBA2/24/2010 Fairfield Prep TBA2/27/2010 ND-Fairfield 2:30 pm3/3/2010 ND-West Haven 4:00 pm

Winter sports scores & schedules

YOUR AD HERE!Contact [email protected] for more information

Girls’ GymnasticsDate Opponent Results1/7/10 Branford 28.101/9/10 Foran, Branford 35.401/13/10 Daniel Hand 41.601/16/10 Foran, Branford 35.751/20/10 Daniel Hand 36.201/23/10 Branford 37.901/27/10 Jonathan Law 38.102/2/10 Jonathan Law 39.002/11/10 SCC Championship 38.70

Marcus Harun/The Dial

Jenna McPhail/HHS

Ben Asbell/The Dial

Brittany Webb ties for sixth place

Free Text AlertsText “hhsdial”to 41411to get text message updates 24/7 from The Dial.

Snow DaysSchool DelaysBreaking News

...

Call me today to see how much you can save

with Allstate’s good student discount.

(203) 624-6000

Edmonde Bernier Jr. 977 State St. 1R

New HavenEBernierJr@Allstate.

com

Frank Greene sets off at a recent meet.

The Dance Team performs in the November pep rally.

of over two hundred people gath-ered on the Sunday before the opening ceremonies, protesting the millions being spent on the Olympic Games instead of go-ing to the deeply impover-ished community of Vancouver. “Canada is a rich nation,” said Canadian activist Robert Bonner, “but you wouldn’t know it in the Downtown Eastside.”

Don’t blame Peyton

Before the Super Bowl, a party began on Bourbon Street. Af-ter the Super Bowl, the party in “Saint City” had reached fever pitch. The people of the devas-tated city were celebrating the first Super Bowl victory in the franchise’s troubled history. Prior to the kickoff, Peyton Manning was said to be the great-est, if not the most cerebral quar-terback ever. After the game, the one Super Bowl he had won thus far became an anomaly in his mediocre playoff career (9-9). Truthfully, it was not Peyton who lost the game for the Colts; it was their defense. The Saints clocked drives of 60 yards in 6:52 (minutes), 37 yards in 4:14, and 59 yards in 5:00 from the second quarter on re-sulting in scores. They attempt-ed the first ever on-sides kick in Super Bowl history to begin the second half. The Saints simply dominated time of possession in the second half. They wore the Colts’ defense down, who was missing their key pass-rusher Dwight Freeney, out on injury. The Saints even responded to a 94-yard Colts drive, with a long drive of their own. The Colts’ “D” simply could not get the Saints off the field. The saying goes that defense wins championships, which holds true in most games. One must look back only a few years for a clear example: when the

Oakland Raiders faced the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Super Bowl 37, the Raiders high-powered of-fense lead by quarterback Rich Gannon lost to the defensive-minded Buccaneers. This was no ordinary Super Bowl, and the story of the New Orleans Saints is not the least bit common ei-ther. So the saying and standard set by previous Super Bowls is

for naught. The Colts’ defense certainly lost them their Championship. As for the Saints, it was their of-fense and a lucky bounce that fu-eled their victory. In the end the Saints went marching in(to) the end zone and returned back home to “The Big Easy” with a Super Bowl in tow, and a party awaiting them.

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 W 99-791/26/2010 Lyman Hall W 101-822/2/2010 Shelton W 98-832/4/2010 Norwalk/McMahon W 98-882/9/2010 Sheehan L 99-872/19/2010 North Haven/North

BranfordTBA

2/23/2010 Foran TBA


Girls’ BasketballDates Opponent 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. W 33-301/26/2010 West Haven W 35-291/29/2010 Mercy L 38-362/1/2010 Daniel Hand W 58-422/3/2010 Lyman Hall L 64-552/6/2010 Torrington W 52-362/9/2010 Sacred Heart Aca. W 47-272/13/2010 Wilbur Cross L 54-362/15/2010 Jonathan Law L 64-60

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 W 45-271/26/2010 Xavier W 44-371/29/2010 ND-West Haven L 58-552/1/2010 Fairfield Prep W 59-462/3/2010 Shelton W 68-452/5/2010 West Haven W 51-442/9/2010 Foran W 40-242/12/2010 Branford TBA2/16/2010 Career Magnet TBA2/19/2010 Jonathan Law TBA2/22/2010 Lyman Hall TBA

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 TBA2/3/2010 West Haven TBA2/6/2010 Simsbury TBA2/11/2010 Guilford W 2-02/13/2010 Darien TBA2/15/2010 Mt. St. Charles (RI) TBA2/17/2010 Greenwich Cancelled2/20/2010 West Hartford TBA

Winter sports scores & schedulesFriday, February 26, 2010 www.HHSdial.com The Dial Page 11

Quarterback Brees celebrates franchise’s first Super Bowl win.

Harry E. Walker/MCT

Tom Fox/Dallas Morning News/MCT

The 2010 Winter Olympics be-gan on February 12th in Vancou-ver, British Colombia, Canada. However, preparations for the games started as early as 2005. Former Vancouver mayor Sam Sullivan received the Olympic flag during the closing ceremo-nies of the Winter Olympics in Turin. It was then put on display at the Vancouver City Hall until the Olympic Opening Ceremo-nies this month. The famous torch relay began in Olympia, Greece on October 22, 2009, traveling up across the North Pole and through to Cana-da’s west coast. It was carried by nearly 12,000 Canadians, includ-ing famous torchbearers such as Michael Buble, Shania Twain, and Wayne Gretzky. The torch traveled approximately 45,000 kilometers through Canada over

a period of 106 days, making it the longest relay route through a single country in Olympic history. The preparations weren’t just lim-ited to Olympic tradition, howev-er – the projected cost of hosting the 82 participating countries in Van-couver reached nearly six bil-lion dollars by the beginning of February. The cost of security for the Games ballooned from $200 million to $1 billion, while renovations to just the BC Place Stadium (the site of the opening and closing ceremonies) spiraled upwards of $150 million. Predictably, not all of the prov-ince’s citizens are thrilled about the massive spending – a crowd

By Kimberly ChurchContributing Writer

A look behind Vancouver 2010

The Olympic torch is lit on February 12, 2010. (Harry Walker/MCT)

After a nearly four-year inves-tigation that expanded from one sport to another and involves some of the most prominent names in its storied sports his-tory, USC finally goes before the NCAA infractions committee Thursday. The 10-member committee convenes to determine whether alleged violations in USC’s foot-ball and basketball programs took place and, if so, whether they constituted a lack of institu-tional control. “My understanding is this one might be a pretty long deal,” Tom Yeager, a former NCAA infrac-tions committee member, said of the hearing. USC has already self-imposed

sanctions against its basketball program for violations that oc-curred during O.J. Mayo’s one-season stay with the Trojans in 2007-08. The school also faces allegations about its football program that were first reported in 2006. Athletic Director Mike Garrett, the university’s compli-ance director and faculty athletic representative, attorneys, and school President Steven Sample are expected to be among USC’s contingent at the hearing. For-mer basketball coach Tim Floyd plans to attend, his attorney said; former football coach Pete Car-roll also is expected to appear. The NCAA investigation began in March 2006, when reports sur-faced that the family of Heisman Trophy-winning tailback Reggie Bush had lived in a San Diego area home that was owned by a would-be marketer who planned to be part of a group that repre-

sented Bush when he turned pro. Bush also is alleged to have received thousands of dollars in cash and benefits while playing for the Trojans. Bush has said that neither he nor his family did anything wrong. The Mayo inquiry began in May 2008 after a former associ-ate told ESPN that the star player received cash and other benefits from Rodney Guillory, an event promoter who helped guide Mayo to USC. USC officials and the NCAA have declined to comment spe-cifically about the case or the hearing. USC’s stature as one of the most successful programs in college sports will not influ-ence how the committee treats the case, infractions committee chairman Paul Dee said. “Every school thinks it is high profile,” Dee said. “There is no difference.”

By Gary KleinLos Angeles Times

USC set to go before NCAA infractionscommittee


The Lighter Side

Answers to The Lighter Side Puzzles and Games can be

found on our web site: HHSDial.com.

CancerThe dating scene this month will bear a suspicious resemblance to the stages of grief, with denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and grudging acceptance mak-ing their debuts in equal, horri-ble measure. The only solution for this will be to join a convent, spend copious amounts of time weeping in the fetal position, or some combination thereof. LeoYou set your sights too high. It’s time to lower them in order to find true love. Just be aware that marrying your pets is not allowed in most countries. In your work life, a comedy tie will ignite office politics and set tensions to a boiling point by the middle of the month. But thanks to Venus’ calming influence, your bitter hatred will settle into a respectful disgust by the end of the month, leaving you free to research Connecti-cut’s animal husbandry laws.VirgoTerrible envy will soon be yours, all for the low price of walking into a very expensive car showroom. Use that nega-tive energy to summon up dark spirits, which will come in handy when your love interest spurns you.LibraAnd you thought Cancers had it bad this month. First off, screaming loudly only serves to wake the neighbors. They’ll only investigate once they’re sure you’re dead and the mur-derer has left the crime scene. Secondly, until that happens you’re going to be riding an emotional roller coaster roman-tically. The phrase “Oedipal complex” will recur with sur-prising frequency, making you wish for better, simpler times.ScorpioOne word that could sum up

PiscesTerrible consequences will occur when you fall out with someone this month. Make sure you avoid that situation by giving in immediately and giv-ing them whatever they want, regardless of practicality or whether it’s physically possible. Panic. Or at least flail your arms about. The future does not look good, rosy, happy, or full of pix-ies dancing and prancing. AriesIf you’re having problems with your sweetie, now’s the time to air your dirty laundry in the most dramatic, confrontational way possible. As a fire sign, you would be totally justified if you dealt with your gripes in a tempestuous, lamp-throwing way, so be sure not to hold any-thing back. Watch out though- cheating is going to occur shortly thereafter, although it is unclear who is at fault. It could, actually, just be in a game of cards.TaurusAll of your materialistic whims will be fulfilled if you do abso-lutely nothing to achieve them. In fact, you would be well-ad-vised to vehemently shun these things, as this will allow even better things to find their way to you. This will be difficult, since at least one of the things you de-sire will be nailed to your locker by an anonymous well-wisher, but resist the temptation. It will all be worth it when Edward Cullen appears below your win-dow and blasts 80’s love ballads from a boom box.GeminiLove hides in strange places, especially for you. It could be hidden bound and gagged in the larder, for example. There are some strange things that go on in larders.

this month for you: floccinau-cinihilipilification. This word is apt because it is confusing, difficult to get through, and ultimately useless. Want to know the difference between the word and your month? The word actually means something.SagittariusOil in your lamp may keep it burning until the break of day, or it could spill over and set fire to your new shoes. This is just an analogy to some part of your life which is not en-tirely clear or important to me.CapricornDid you know that you are the effeminate, introverted sea goat of the astrological world? While this means you can occasionally be malodor-ous, it also means that you have a better-than-average un-derstanding of yourself. And fashion. This month, both of these stores of knowledge will be taxed to the breaking point when you face an exis-tential crisis: if you are truly the rebellious firebrand you claim to be, why do you find yourself fantasizing about the feel of a striped cotton polo against your bare skin? AquariusThe only way for you to sur-vive the month without deep psychological scars- the kind chicks don’t find impressive and sexy- is to flirt outra-geously with every living hu-manoid you encounter, much to your mother’s chagrin. This will protect you from everything except embarrass-ment. Which reminds me, you should probably invest in some brown-colored pants before end of the month, when Mercury’s planetary motion will lead to all kinds of surprises.

Crossword

Across1. Hit bottom?6. Irritate10. Excessive elbow-benders14. Put down15. Sandy color16. World’s largest furniture retailer17. Fibs20. Author LeShan21. “Bad” cholesterol letters22. Scrooge creator23. The first film it aired was “Gone with the Wind”24. Inauguration Day events25. Seductive peepers29. Barnyard sound32. A car with this is often easier to resell33. What quibblers split35. Asian on the Enterprise bridge36. Deadens39. Spanish hand40. Seagoing mil. training group

42. Montgomery native44. His, to Henri45. Like large cereal boxes48. Online suffix with Net49. Some dashes50. Like test papers awaiting grading53. __ chi ch’uan54. Swell, slangily57. 1963 Elvis hit with the lyrics “You look like an angel ... but I got wise”60. Leave out61. Signaled backstage, per-haps62. “The Da Vinci Code” star63. Shake, as a police tail64. TV’s tiny Taylor65. Typical O. Henry ending

Down1. Black Friday store event2. Term paper abbr.3. Excel input4. Part of i.e.5. Easily heard herd leader

6. Feeble cry7. German “I”8. “Dragnet” sergeant9. Useless10. Jockey’s wear11. Steinbeck migrant12. Suffix with four, six, seven and nine13. Say freshly18. __ Dantès, the Count of Monte Cristo19. PayPal “currency”23. Brook fish24. On point25. Cap’ns’ subordinates26. Make used (to)27. Apollo’s birthplace, in Greek myth28. __ culpa29. Home of the Hurricanes30. Cuban-born TV producer31. United34. Pile up37. Mideast political gp.38. No different from, with “the”41. De Beers founder Rhodes43. When “They Drive,” in a 1940 Raft/Bogart film46. Cat of many colors47. Demand from a door pounder48. Vindictiveness50. Superstar51. Pixar clownfish52. Alamo competitor53. Ocean motion54. Done, to Dumas55. Questions56. “__ in Show”58. __ gratia: by the grace of God59. Mich.-based labor group

Billy O’Keefe/Tribune Media Services

Not Everything You See On TV Is True

A New Monthly Snippet By Kate KruseContributing Writer

Barely Edited by Megan Rowland

February TV Lie: Older single women are desperate, lonely cat ladies, while older single men are eligible playboys with bachelor pads.

As Seen On: Sex and the City, Desperate Housewives, and anything on E!

The Horrible Truth: Men have infinitely lower standards than women, and women are naturally more attractive than men. If a woman decides to stay single, it actually is a deci-sion: otherwise, she would have settled down with a nice playboy years ago. In reality, an older single woman is a cougar, a fox, or some other carnivorous predator. An older single man is a lecherous old coot (we’re looking at you, Hugh Hefner).

Got a TV myth you’d love to have us mock? E-mail The Lighter Side at [email protected]. Your suggestions could be featured in next month’s issue of The Dial!

E-Music Television

February Horoscopes

SUDOKU

Fill all the blank squares with the correct numbers in a 9 by 9 Sudoku game.

* Every row of 9 numbers must include all digits 1 through 9 in any order.

* Every column of 9 numbers must include all digits 1 through 9 in any order.

* Every 3 by 3 subsection of the 9 by 9 square must include all digits 1 through 9.

SUDOKU

3 4 6 7 5

7 4 5 9 6 2 6

6 8 7 4

8 5 2 7

9 6 7 1

5 2

9 1 6 8

Documents

The Dial, February Edition