runswick ChronicleThe

All The News That Fits We Print Issue 8: February 2009 Page1

What’s InsideHeadlinesMLKAssemblyByAlexJonokuchi(1,5)SocratesVisitsBrunswickByDiegoGolzalez‐Bunster(1,11)Iceland’sNewPrimeMinisterByOliverSall(1,17.)

Around BrunswickLesMisPreviewByAddisonBennett(P.2)BrunswickBeacon(P.3)ByTheLowerSchoolJournalistsEattheRuntPreviewByGusRuchman(P.4)InterviewWithMr.Kirby‐SmithByAddisonBennett(P.6)

Brunswick Sports/ArtsXCSeasonRevealedByBrianDeAngelo(P.7)BigEastPredictionsByMikeForester(P.8,17)LegendsClashatAussieOpenByWillSeaton(P.9)StarsShineatOscarsByMichaelMarx(P.10)

StudentEditorialsGoodBye,BlagoByOliverSall(P.12)Mid‐EastCrisisByNikhilMenezes(P.13)France’sLaborStrikeByOliverSall(P.14)USGettingSeriousOnEmissionsByDavidBlumenthal(P.15)SoMuchforBipartisanshipBySpencerDahl(P.16)HooliganFansByHenryWelsh(P.18)Re‐InvestinginAmericaByJakeMatthews(P.19)The“CzarofCzars”ByScottMatthews(P.20)

See “Iceland” Page 17

By Alex Jonokuchi ‘10Junior Editor

See “MLK” Page 5

MLK Assembly:Reaching

Beyond Barriers

Iceland Elects First Gay Prime Minister

By Oliver Sall ‘10Junior Editor

Students InterpretSocratesBy Diego Gonzalez-Bunster ‘09Staff Writer

Twice delayed due to snow, this year’s Martin Luther King,

Jr. Assembly at King Street featured a collection of Brunswick students from all

divisions gathered together in celebration of the great American values of diversity and racial equality. Mrs.

Barnum and the Diversity in Action club overcame a

The fi rst government to fall victim to the global economic crisis is about

to yield the world’s fi rst openly gay leader. Following the resignation of Prime Minister Geir Haarde, who resigned due to the collapse of Iceland’s main banks, currency and stock market, Johanna Sigurdardottir is on track to become the fi rst openly gay prime minister.

Sigurdardottir, the 66-year-old minister of social affairs and social security, is on track to succeed the recently-resigned Prime Minister as long as negotiations between Sigurardottir’s Social Democratic Alliance

Party and potential coalition partners are successful.

If negotiations are successful, Sigurdardottir will become interim prime

minister until Iceland next goes to the polls, which must happen by May.

The news is being welcomed by gay rights groups

all over the world. According to Gary Nunn, spokesperson for Stonewall UK, a British gay-rights group, “We really warmly welcome that [development].

At a time when we’ve just seen a black man elected to the highest offi ce in America, it gives us hope that we will see an openly gay prime minister here some day.”

Sigurdardottir has been a member of Iceland’s Parliament for 30 years, and is in her second stint as minister of social

affairs. If the negotiations develop as expected, Sigurdardottir would also become the fi rst female prime

See “Socrates” Page 11

Born several hundred years before Christ, Socrates is one of the great original

thinkers in human history. His

ideas have lasted over 2000 years and are still studied today. At the time of his trial, Socrates was accused of corrupting the youth and failing to acknowledge the

Around Brunswick

The Brunswick ChronicleFebruary 2009

Page 2

Chris Baldock ‘10Addison Bennett ‘12

JP Bowgen ‘10Andrew Camel ‘12

Matthew Cassoli ‘12Thomas Chronert ‘09

Spencer Dahl ‘11Bowen Dunnan ‘10Brian DeAngelo ‘10David Fitzpatrick ‘12

Editors-in-ChiefScott Matthews ‘09

Will Seaton ‘09

Staff Writers and Photographers

Faculty AdvisorDr. Brian Freeman

The

Photography EditorPreston Han ‘09

Website Managing EditorConnor Fitzpatrick ‘09

runswick ChronicleThe Brunswick Student’s News Source

Michael Forester ‘11Michael Furlong ‘09Brendan Gilbert ‘10Diego Golzalez-Bunster ‘09Ryan Hagerbrant ‘11

Joe Hull ‘10Carter Johnson ‘12

Will Jones ‘10Peter Kyriakos ‘09Jake Matthews ‘12

Devin Mehra ‘11Nikhil Menezes ‘11

Tim O’Leary ‘09Zach Lynch ‘10Kyle Radler ‘09

Matthew Savitt ‘12Hank Schless ‘10Sam Waters ‘11Henry Welsh ‘10Jack Williams ‘12

News EditorGates Torrey ‘09

!

Senior WriterTaggie Martin ‘09

Senior WriterConor Kenny ‘09

Managing EditorDan Cassidy ‘09

Political EditorTom Cassidy ‘09

Arts EditorTurner Smith ‘09

Sports EditorCharlie Gerdts ‘09

Les Miserables:A Preview

By Addison Bennett ‘12Staff Writer

Senior WriterSebastian Vik ‘09

Senior WriterPatrick Doyle ‘09

Junior EditorsGus Ruchman ‘10 David Blumenthal ‘10Michael Marx ‘10 Oliver Sall ‘10

Alex Jonokuchi ‘10

I’ll be the fi rst to admit it: I wasn’t expecting much from this year’s spring musical,

Les Miserables. How can a group of high school students pull off one of the greatest musicals of all time? It was too extravagant, too diffi cult, and too ambitious. There was simply no way we could pull it off, and we only had two months to do it.

When our fearless director, Mr. Potter, introduced the show to us, the cast and crew, in December, it still seemed impossible to me. It was diffi cult to grasp exactly what he was trying to express, but he certainly had high hopes for all of us. He explained to us the giant gate/ barricade/ “crazy octopus leg thing” that we, the tech crew would have to build, and he told the actors to learn their lines soon, because Les Mis is an opera, and has no spoken parts, which is an especially diffi cult type of show to act in.

However, my doubts vanished on that fi rst day of rehearsal, when the actors went to the band room to start learning their songs. Despite the diffi culty of putting on a full-scale opera in high school, the singers nailed every aspect of their singing parts. Talent was simply oozing out of the band room, and I knew that Les Mis would be an amazing show.

The show itself has been running in cities across the globe since 1980, when it opened in Paris. It is based upon the novel by Victor Hugo of the same name. It has played in New York, London, Paris, and Madrid, as well as numerous other cities, and has been called the greatest musical of all time by many critics. It is the story of Jean Valjean (Timmy O’Leary ’09), a man from France in the early 1800’s. The curtain opens to reveal a chain gang, on which Valjean has been working for 19 years. He is given parole by the inspector, Javert (Robbie Cortes ’09), but soon Javert becomes

consumed with the idea that Valjean is a criminal, and chases him across France. He refuses to accept that Valjean has changed, despite the many years since his crime. The climax of the show is a dramatic battle scene in the streets of Paris, when the angry poor, led by Valjean, fi ght the French Army. It is one of the greatest stories ever written, fi lled with blood, sex, and love, alongside some amazing musical numbers. Some other cast members include Holly Linneman ’09, Rebekah Lowin ’10, Kyle Radler ’09, Jack Carter ’09, Sarah O’Leary ’11, and Tory Berner ’10.

The technical aspect of the show is just as amazing.

The main set pieces are called “shadow boxes,” which are very tall towers made mostly of steel. Light can shine through one way, but not the other, which will create some very interesting effects, like sudden appearances of characters on stage. The lighting design is sure to be amazing as always, and the tech crew will surely meet the expectations we set during The Hobbit.

The show opens on Thursday, February 26, at 7pm in the Baker Theater at Brunswick School, and has 4 shows throughout the weekend. Be sure to get tickets as soon as you can, because it is sure to be a full house for all four shows.

Around Brunswick Page 3

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The Brunswick ChronicleFebruary 2009

The Brunswick Beacon: LS Paper Impresses Community

Alice in Wonderland Visits LS

!

As you might surmise, every great story is remembered. The Lower School hosted a performance by Shakesperience for Lewis Carroll’s masterpiece Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland. We watched a beautiful adaptation of the original version. It’s amazing how different it is when you watch or read the same play in a different media format. They started off by explaining some points or things we should watch out for in the play. It all started when Alice was listening to her sister Edith read a plain text book. So she started falling asleep and it’s at this point when the story begins…

By Keshav RaghavanOn Friday, January 16, 2009, theater troupe Shakesperience visited the Lower School and put on a Salvador Dali-inspired version of Alice in Wonderland. Keshav Raghavan is a fourth grader.

Lower School

by Aicher Hearon and Sam Schwartz

S K O Y S C S R E O T A R R C

B N E A U S M N K P E T A G T

U F N N P R O U E F A H U C G

L P U O H C O G K F T Y O R S

C H F N R S U R R U E L R F T

L S Y F N E G A R U O C Y R M

O F L N P H N T R A G C A R F

O I L G P S K G R N F E A H T

H S A R R L C A I S S N I E C

C H E H U R S E A S S H A S G

S T R O P S K C I W S N U R B

R A M N A T G U B L E R E C C

E N C O R E P R O G R A M M R

T K P R R Y N G R C T K C O E

F R T A A B A R M U S C K R R

A O B O O E E H O R U T R U C

COURAGE HONOR

TRUTH MRS SIGNER

ENCORE PROGRAM GREATAFTER SCHOOL CLUBS FISH TANK

BRUNSWICK SPORTS REALLY FUN

Interview With Mrs. Susan Smith - 3rd Grade Teacher

What do you do on the

weekends?

I run errands, read, and watch football.Where did you grow up as

a child?

I grew up in Massachusetts.Why did you decide to

become a teacher?

I decided to become a teacher because I love to be

around children as they get excited about reading.What is your favorite

childhood memory?

Swimming in Lake Winnipesaukee.Do you like to do any

hobbies in your free time?

I love to go to Broadway shows.Where do you like to go on

vacation?

I like to go to the Outer Banks in North Carolina and Captiva Island in Florida.Is Bloomingdale’s your

favorite place to shop?

Yes! What year did you come

to Brunswick?

I came to Brunswick in 1999.What advice can you give

students to be successful

at Brunswick?

Read, read, and read!Do you have any

predictions on who is

going to win the Super

Bowl?

I want the Steelers to win the Super Bowl, because my friend, Mrs. Dobbs, is a huge fan!

By Danny AxelrodDanny Axelrod is a second grader in Ms. Ostrye’s class. He interviewed a third grade teacher, Mrs. Smith, for the Beacon.

The Beacon’s Best JOKES!

Where do you fi nd a cold

pirate?

In the ARRR-ctic Ocean!How does a football player get

cooled off?

He runs past his fans.

What’s an animal that you

should never play games with?

A cheetah.What do you call a bear that

has no teeth?

A gummy bear.What did the pirate submit to

the Brunswick Beacon? An ARRRR-ticle.

ByMatthewGoodmanMatthewisa*irstgraderinMrs.Barquin’sclass.

!

Inauguration ExperienceBy Aiden KennedyAiden is a fi rst grader in Mrs. Das’ class.On Tuesday, January 20th, I went to the inauguration of Barack Obama, the 44th

president. It was very exciting to see Obama after I got to

meet him this summer. There was a 21 gun salute with loud cannons. George Bush had a frown when he was leaving in his helicopter. There were three and a half million people and our toes were frozen solid.

The Brunswick Beacon is Brunswick’s Lower School newspaper that is published three times a year. The Beacon is written by Lower School students in grades 1-4. Additionally, there is an after school club for students in fi rst and second grades. Boys enjoy writing articles, creating word searches and other puzzles, making art and comics, and contributing jokes! See our latest issue, coming out in mid-February, at www.wicknet.org/chronicle.

Eat the Runt: Farce Is Coming To Massey Theater

Around Brunswick Page 4

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The Brunswick ChronicleFebruary 2009

By Gus Ruchman ‘10Junior Editor

Farce is coming to Fairfi eld County. On February 6th and 7th,

Greenwich Academy and Brunswick Upper School thespians will perform Eat the Runt, a social satire/outrageous comedy that promises to push every hot button.

Ms. Dawn Fuller, Greenwich Academy’s dramatic performing-arts head, directs the Avery Crozier play. According to Fuller, “After reading the script, I found an intelligent, wickedly funny play that deals with myriad social issues.” Cory Harrower, with whom many Brunswick and GA students may be familiar due to his assistance on Mr. Potter’s production of Kiss Me, Kate last year, has created a set of contemporary offi ce spaces and a café, as well as replicas of several modern-art paintings.

Written without gender-specifi c pronouns, the show originally utilized eight actors of various ethnicities and both genders who were capable of performing any of the roles; the audience would choose the cast each night. Thus the play’s theme, and the comedy of race- and sex-related scenes, could be emphasized and magnifi ed by a factor of 40,000 possible variations. Fuller explains that the play’s unique writing “allows for vast creative freedom when casting the show. Relationships can take many different directions,

which, in turn, will affect how the play is received. The possibilities are endless!”

High-school - leve l

theater presents some obvious constraints. Firstly, each student in the current production acts in only one role, rather than memorizing the entire script. Secondly, Fuller and the cast have worked to edit some less-than-appropriate lines in order to open the production to a wider range of age groups. Despite such restraints, Eat the Runt presents a cohesive cast from varied personal and theatrical backgrounds that

effectively convey the humor and underlying tone of the show. Gigi Anderson ’12 emphasizes, “It’s a different type of show

from Ms Fuller’s last show, Anything Goes. Eat the Runt has dry sarcasm and quick wit that make the whole cast laugh during rehearsals.” Annaliese Kirby ’09 comments, “The piece pushes boundaries and challenges societal norms; it’s one of the more progressive, as well as amusing, plays to be showcased at GA and I think that everyone will really enjoy it.”

The plot revolves around the evaluation process

of Merritt, an ambitious interviewee for a grant-writing position at an art museum. Despite Merritt’s seemingly strong presentation of candidacy on paper, each successive interview reveals more of Merritt’s true, and sometimes surprising, nature. However, all cast members have sworn an oath of secrecy to not reveal any of the exciting and unforeseen plot twists that inject the laughter into the farce.

Eat the Runt represents a bold step for Greenwich Academy. It challenges generally accepted notions of race, religion, gender, sexuality, and competition, and in an age of nationally heightened sensitivity to political correctness, illuminates and satirizes social norms and mores. In mature fashion, the cast of eight attempts to evoke a few chuckles about the very fabric of American culture.

Of course, some students often remain skeptical at the prospect of an evening of rollicking laughs and social commentary. To this Annaliese Kirby intriguingly responds, “For those of you with an obtuse appreciation for the arts who have yet to be captivated by this article, there will be lip-lockage. Check it out.”

Eat the Runt will be performed on Friday, February 6th, and Saturday, February 7th, at 7:00 p.m. in Greenwich Academy’s Massey Theater. Tickets are $5 and may be purchased at the door.

Around Brunswick Page 5

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The Brunswick ChronicleFebruary 2009

“MLK” Cont.Continued from Front Page

“…With dreams What are you?

A bird flying high,What are you?

A bird flying high,What are you?

Right into the sky.A bird flying high,Right into the sky.A bird flying high,

Always flying,Right into the sky.

Always flying,Right into the sky.

Rarely crying,Always flying,Rarely crying,Always flying,

Flying higher and higher,Rarely crying,

Flying higher and higher,Rarely crying,

Never going to stop,Until it reaches the top of the

Never going to stop,Until it reaches the top of the

Never going to stop,

top.” –Keith Radler ‘15

top.” –Keith Radler ‘15

top.”

fl urry of wintery weather and scheduling woes en route to a terrifi c presentation.

Allen Louis opened the gathering with a beautiful rendition of “Precious Lord Take My Hand,” an historically meaningful introduction, as Dr. King traditionally prefaced his sermons in the same way. In a skit that followed, members of Diversity in Action depicted the plight of civil rights activists called the “Freedom Riders”— courageous Americans who rode buses through southern states in the spring of 1961 to test the effectiveness of recent Supreme Court mandates that were intended to desegregate public transportation. The Upper Schoolers’ presentation included brief biographical

sketches of such prominent leaders as James Farmer, Diane Nash and John

Lewis, in addition to a

description of their courage in the face of violent Southern reactions, which inspired many to join their cause

and spurred more effective desegregated legislature.

Next, Middle

Schoolers Azario Mastrangelo and Branden Davis spotlighted Langston Hughes, the famed writer whose poetry during the

Harlem Renaissance celebrated African-American culture and described aspirations toward a distant, yet attainable, dream

of racial equality. Then came the procession of Lower and Middle School boys

reading their “Dream Flags,” which included ambitions of becoming everything from professional athletes to penguin scientists, with a smattering of innocently profound hopes for world peace and racial equality in between. Finally, an all-school chorus sang, “We Are the World,” closing out the celebration.

With the recent inauguration of our 44th

president, issues of diversity are more relevant now than ever, and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s life accomplishments and dreams of a truly free America take on a whole new meaning. The half-hour long tribute to the work of this great man, and to that of other civil rights leaders, provided members of the Brunswick community an excellent opportunity to briefl y refl ect upon the unwavering fundamental values of freedom

and equality, the tremendous progress this great nation has seen over the years, and hopes for an even brighter future.

!

Brunswick Sports Page 6

The Brunswick ChronicleFebruary 2009

Exclusive Interview WithMr. Kirby-Smith On Les Mis

By Addison Bennett ‘12Staff Writer

With Les Miserables opening at the end of this month in

Brunswick’s Baker Theater, the tech crew is working tirelessly to make sure the show runs smoothly. The theater’s technical director, Mr. Matthew Kirby-Smith, is in charge of making sure that happens. He directs the entire crew during shows, and has designed the sets, sound and lighting all year. Recently, I had the chance to speak with him in the Baker Theater Control Booth.

Addison: This is your fi rst year at Brunswick. How has the experience treated you so far?Mr. Kirby-Smith: It’s been good. It’s been a big switch for me. Coming into this is my fi rst full-time teaching job at this level. I’m used to instructing college level students and graduate students in technical theater so it’s been a little bit of a change as far as priorities, but all in all, I’ve been having a great time. All of my students are great, and the theater is fantastic, with cutting-edge technology all over the place, so it’s been good. AB: Have you worked with Mr. Potter (Les Mis’ director) before? Kirby: Yes. We’ve both worked

at Glimmerglass Opera over the summers, and have continued to cross paths as mutual friendsAB: Les Mis is a very big show. How have you and Mr. Potter made it possible for high school technicians and actors to do? Kirby: It’s a big show on Broadway, big show touring,

let alone on a high school stage. It’s all about taking the musical or the show that you’re doing and scaling it down. It’s not much different than working for a small production company or regional theater. Coming into this, we take into account the amount of labor we have, which is four of [the members of the tech class], then we take into account how much money the department is willing to spend. We take basic ideas and principles from the show, and prioritize. AB: Have you had to cut anything from the original show? Kirby: Typically in Les

Mis, the barricade unit is a humungous, automated unit that rolls around on stage while transforming into all sorts of different things. Mr. Potter originally wanted the transforming. He’s still pursuing that a little bit, but we need something that can fi t

on our stage, and that doesn’t kill people as it rotates around. AB: Can you give us a preview to the technical side of Les Mis? Kirby: It’s going to be awesome and it’s not going to hurt anybody. We have two units that I built at the shop at Yale University, where I worked for a number of years, which are made out of steel. They will match up with two large stair units, to compile most of the looks in the show. There’s a pile of chairs that we have borrowed from Gotham Chamber Opera. I’ve seen one rehearsal on stage last night, and it looks great. I’ve spent the last week and

a half in the shop, and will continue to work with the tech class on building, painting, and getting the lights set up. AB: Any general comments about your experience so far at Brunswick? Kirby: I have had a fantastic fi rst year. I don’t know what

the interest level is going to be like in the upcoming years compared to this year. We have all of this amazing stuff, and this amazing space, and I would hate to think that it was just me. I would love it for kids to get involved as much as they can, or come talk to Mr. Potter. If you have not been through a musical here, do it once, because the man is insane, and it’s awesome. I just want everybody

to come down here and have a good time.

Les Miserables is being performed February 27th and 28th in the Baker Theater. In one of the fi nest plays performed on Broadway, Les Miserables captures the spirit of the French Revolution in a passionate romantic drama. For those Euro students, it will be a great way to make what you are learning in class come alive on stage and for all others, it will be an incredible story of sacrifi ce, love, and compassion that is sure to get your blood tingling.

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Brunswick Sports Page 7

The Brunswick ChronicleFebruary 2009

“So You Think We’re Crazy?”:Cross-Country Revealed

By Brian DeAngelo ‘10Staff Writer

It is true; Cross Country is a horribly anti-climactic sport. The question I always hear

(and am getting tired of hearing) is why does anyone want to run for an extended period of time around the same place? I don’t know the answer to that question, and neither does anyone else who runs X.C. But many a runner can dance around this question like a good politician and give you a decent answer.

One answer might go like this: “It is nice to be outdoors and get in shape.” This is a bad answer for the following reason: what are we getting in shape for? We’re getting in shape to be able to run more. Or another answer is: “It’s not that bad; we sit around and stretch for a while.” That’s an even worse answer. Football and Soccer both sit around and stretch for a while, too. The answer: “It is nice to talk to people while you run” is bad also. The way the team is split up each day, you’re with the same people every day and eventually you end up “running out” of things to talk about and you can’t just “run away” from an awkward conversation. The last and worst answer of them all is this one: “Well, running isn’t that bad when you’re alone or with people, since you really get a sense of accomplishment.” This is the worst answer because you get that in anything athletic. Any form of exercise clears your mind and you feel better after doing it; running is not the only kind of exercise that does this. None of this makes cross-country special.

Olympic marathoners

run monotonously every day for miles and miles, and high school run teams at almost every school in the country, so there must be some reason why people do it. Perhaps we should look at Brunswick’s team, which is made up of almost forty-fi ve kids. There must be some sort of reason for all these kids to run. I know one thing that answers the

question for Brunswick’s team—as an entire team we do have fun.

Brunswick’s cross-country team has every type of person you can imagine. The team ranges from a computer-hacking freshman to a chill senior whose only motivation to run is because he is good even though he barely practices. Another reason to run here is because of the coach. Polikoff may have scared most kids in seventh grade, but most people remember his humor. Now just imagine his humor at a high school level. The assistant coaches, “Action” Jackson (the nickname was created by Polikoff; the team isn’t sure where it came from - although perhaps some elderly people

might remember an “action fi gure” of that name circa 1973) together with Coach Thorne, who is an athletic superwoman, are both great. Coach Thorne rows every morning before school and then after school has the energy and the desire to run for an hour. Are you still not sold yet? Still wondering why anyone would run at Brunswick? Well the team

has a few geniuses so they could help you with your homework. The team runs with girls, too; ask Yaccobucci about his crush at New England’s. And if you’re a runner on the team you won’t be defi ned as a “meathead.” Finally, in the summer the top runners on the team go to Glen Arbor, Michigan. If you have never heard of that location, go Google it. It is truly an amazing place. We play on the sand dunes and swim in Lake Michigan, which is literally Polikoff’s summer backyard. The waves on the lake are large enough to surf on, and the color of the water is Caribbean-like. And yeah, we do run while were there, nearly ten miles a day. That is not a big deal, though because

the places we run are interesting and ideal, mostly national parks. The food out there is great, too, and provides a great reward to a long day in the sun running and having fun – just ask Tim O’Leary how much he enjoyed the one-pound J-burger.

So, although this article seems out of place it isn’t. Last year the team fi nished 5th in

New England, and we had two runners who placed with all-New England honors (8th and 11th place). The team also fi nished second at the FAA race behind GFA. We had two runners who were all-FAA, and two that attained honorable mention. Losing to GFA is embarrassing even though they have some of the best runners around. They do “affi rmations” at every practice. Just YouTube “affi rmations” and you will know why it’s embarrassing to lose to them. Overall,

I want anyone who reads this article to consider running next year. This is a great team even though it gets little respect, but, truth be told, we had the best record of all the fall sports teams this year—something like 17-3. I write this article now because in order to make a contribution to the team next fall you need to start being active now and continue all summer, unless your name is Michael Pucci. So give the idea of joining the team some thought. If you have any questions talk to Gus Ruchman, Charlie Southwick, or me. All of us know what kind of work this sport entails and all of us approach the sport slightly differently, enabling us to help you decide if this sport is for you.

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Brunswick Sports Page 8

The Brunswick ChronicleFebruary 2009

NCAA Mens Basketball:Who’s #1 In the Big East?

By Mike Forester ‘11Staff Writer

At the start of this college basketball season, many predicted that

the Big East would get a record nine or possibly ten teams into the NCAA Tournament. With seven teams ranked in the preseason poll, expectations were high. At one point this season, there were nine teams ranked in the AP Poll, which is a ridiculous number. More than half of the conference was in the national rankings. As good as the conference is, the question remains: Which team is the best? UConn, Pittsburgh, Louisville, and Notre Dame were all favorites to win the Big East title and possible make a trip to Detroit for the Final Four, but since then, Notre Dame has certainly leveled off. The other three teams are still very much in the hunt for a Final Four. The dark horse in the Big East is Marquette, who, along with Louisville, is the only

remaining undefeated team in conference play, at 7-0. Behind UConn, Pittsburgh, Louisville, and Marquette, there are a number of teams that will make

the NCAA Tournament. They include Notre Dame, Syracuse, Villanova, West Virginia, and Georgetown. Here’s a closer look at each team as we move deeper into conference play:

#1- UConn- The Huskies have lost only once this season, to Georgetown on December 29th. Since then, they are on a 7-game winning streak, with wins over Notre Dame

and West Virginia. The tough part of their schedule is still to come, as they still have to play Louisville, Pittsburgh (twice),

Marquette, and Syracuse. We will certainly learn more about UConn as they begin to play the upper tier in the Big East.

#2- Pittsburgh- Like

UConn, Pitt has lost only once, to Louisville on January 17th. They were the #1 team in the country for two weeks, and they have backed that up with some big wins. Already with wins against Syracuse and Georgetown, the Panthers have established themselves as a favorite. A huge showdown at UConn on February 15th looms, along with a March

4th game with Marquette.#3- Louisville- The

Cardinals were preseason #3 in the country, but started

the season at a mediocre 8-3, with losses against Western Kentucky and UNLV. However, the Cardinals are back on track in conference play, and are 6-0

in conference. They gave Pitt their only loss of the season, and they are finally beginning to look like the team that had such high preseason expectations.

#4- Marquette - The Golden Eagles are led by their version of the Big 3, Dominic James, Jerel McNeal, and Wesley Matthews. These three score a combined 50 points per game. First year coach Buzz Williams has his team in the top 10, and they are coming off a huge win at Notre Dame. They stand at 7-0 in conference, but have yet to play the elite teams, including UConn, Pitt, and Louisville.

#5- Syracuse- Before this season, Syracuse looked to be in a rebuilding year, maybe one year away from a NCAA Tournament appearance. They have shocked everyone this season, with non-conference wins over Memphis and Kansas, and a conference win over Notre Dame. The Orange, barring a major collapse, will

make the tournament after being snubbed last season.

#6- Notre Dame- The Irish have the talent to be a

See “Big East” Page 17

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Brunswick Sports Page 9

The Brunswick ChronicleFebruary 2009

The greatest rivalry in sports is happening right now and its latest

venue was Rod Laver Arena in Melbourne for tennis’ Australian Open. Tennis greats Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal, household names, came together in a fi ve-set stunner that saw Rafa, the raging Spaniard, topple the Mighty Fed for dominance over the hard court season.

In 4 hours, 23 minutes, Nadal defeated Federer 7-5, 3-6, 7-6(3), 3-6, 6-2 in a match that saw huge momentum swings between the two players. Federer was trying to tie Pete Sampras’ record number of Grand Slam trophies at 14. He is currently only one behind and most critics say that the question is “When?” not “If” he will break the record. Unfortunately for the Swiss star, Nadal had a breakthrough year in 2008 and now stands as the ultimate challenge to Federer’s reign.

Roger-Rafa have met 19 times, seven of those times coming in Grand Slam fi nals. Nadal holds the clear edge. He is 13-6 against Roger overall, but more importantly, fi ve out of seven in Grand Slam fi nals. While he lags behind Roger in actual Slam wins, Roger with 13 and Nadal with 6, Nadal has proven to consistently be the one thing stopping Federer from running away with all the awards during the tennis season.

After more than four years of total dominance, a new Federer is being shown. He was once the uncontested king of the sport, winning

three of the four majors in ’06 and ’07 and dominating all who dared oppose his rule. He was totally fl uid as he consistently came up with shots that defi ed imagination. But then, at the mere age of 20, Nadal appeared,

dominating the French Open in his fi rst showing and remaining undefeated there his entire career. Nadal went over a hundred matches on

clay without losing and locked Federer out of contention for a title at Roland Garros entirely. With his vicious spinning forehand and incredibly fast feet, Nadal had as much game as was found in the tour but few thought he could transition that game off of clay.

2008 came and Nadal showed how wrong those people were. Holding the second spot in the rankings for a record number of years behind Federer, Nadal showed up at Wimbledon, the iconic tournament of tennis antiquity.

He defeated Federer there, on Fed’s favorite surface, in another fi ve-setter in fading dusk that had people declaring it the greatest match in tennis

history. Winning Olympic Gold and taking over the #1 spot, Nadal had arrived to be the fi rst man since Bjorn Borg to do the Roland Garros-Wimbledon transition. But Federer remained safe on his second favorite surface, the modern hard courts.

With Nadal’s win at the Australian Open, his fi rst Grand Slam tournament on a hard court, Federer knows he is in trouble. With his last bastion of safety taken from him by Nadal, Federer appeared to crumble in the fi nal set of his match in Melbourne. Uncharacteristic service errors came off of his racket, while his shoulders threw out the message “Why me?” Not only must Federer consider Nadal’s prowess on hard courts now, but also the latest bunch of upstarts have all proven to favor hard courts as well. Novak Djokovic, who won his maiden title at Melbourne last year, the Brit Andy Murray, Juan Martin Del Potro, and Marin Cilic have all given Federer trouble. With Nadal shutting out clay, proving to be a mighty hurdle on grass, and with so much competition on hard courts, Federer has no where to return to if he wants to continue winning Grand Slams. Now, we will get to see how great a champion he could be.

If Federer is able to swallow his pride and admit that he no longer dominates, he stands a chance to make changes to his game that could earn him a few more titles. With hopefully three, maybe four, more years in him, Federer has chances, but they are ever fl eeting. We saw him break down in tears during his runner-up acceptance speech so it is obvious he has the desire to win. But will he be able to get dirty and fi ght like he has never before in order to win? I know I’ll remember these matches as the Golden Years of Tennis.

Legends Clash at Aussie OpenBy Will Seaton ‘09Editor-In-Chief

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Arts Page 10

The Brunswick ChronicleFebruary 2009

81st Oscars: Here Come the Little Gold Men

By Michael Marx ‘10Junior Edior-

Between Obama, I s r a e l - P a l e s t i n e , plane crashes, plane

landings, Pakistan and Bin Laden, The Australian Open, volcanoes in Alaska, Blagojevich and his mess, economic based riots in eastern Europe, The Superbowl, and much, much more, there clearly is a lot to talk about this month in the news. However, there is one topic that stands out among all these issues - one day that separates the men from the boys. An event this big brings together a former President, a priest, some nuns, a rich Indian, a homosexual politician, a wrestler, a joker, a robot, John Voight’s daughter, an old man who grows younger, and over 40 golden little men. That’s right. You guessed it. On February 22nd at 8:00 p.m. the eighty-fi rst annual Oscar celebration will be held and televised around the world.

Grander than all other cinematic award ceremonies put together, the Oscars epitomize cultural achievement and “prestige.” Therefore it is fi tting that the host of this year’s ceremony is none other than Hugh Jackman. An extremely versatile actor himself, Jackman’s career has ranged from action adventure (X-MEN) to Broadway (Boy from Oz) to comedy (Scoop). His plethora of talents on stage and comedic personality render him a smart choice for the envied position of Master of Ceremonies.

Various fi lms this year

awed audiences worldwide. The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, which is nominated for 13 Oscars including Best Picture and Best Leading Actor, tells the story of an

orphaned boy who is born old and grows young. The movie tells the story of his “curious” life, and the interactions he has with various people as he gets

younger. Essentially it reveals an unconventional love story based in the latter half of the

20th century. Director David Fincher uses an effective (Se7en, Fight Club, The Game) Forest Gump-like timeline transgression, as he shows the various historical

events that occur tangent to the main storyline and love-story. Altogether a very good fi lm, it is a favorite for many of the Oscars, especially

Makeup and Visual Effects.Another projected

success story is Danny

Boyle’s Slumdog Millionaire, nominated for 10 Academy Awards. The movie depicts a unique story of an eighteen-year-old boy from the slums of Mumbai, who fi nds himself competing on the popular game show, Who Wants to be a Millionaire? The questions he is posed on the show offer a look back at his life growing up in the slums of India. As with all teenage boys, the main focus of his life’s journey is the love of a girl. Boyle portrays a very sweet, inspiring story, and a cultural look into the harsh conditions of lower-class life in India.

Although both Benjamin Button and Slumdog prove to be highlighted movies this year, as they tell heart-wrenching stories of love and loss, no screenplay comes close to that of John Patrick Shanley’s Doubt. Although nominated for only 5 Academy Awards, Doubt was by far the best all-around fi lm of the year. Supported by an all-star cast including, Academy award winner Meryl Streep, Academy award winner Philip Seymore Hoffman, and Amy Adams, the fi lm tells the story of a progressive priest (Hoffman) in a 1960’s Bronx school who is suspected of abusing his young, male students. Coupling tremendous acting with a masterful screenplay, this movie keeps you thinking, analyzing and talking for hours after you have left the movie theater. There is no “doubt” in my mind that it should win all of its nominations.

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Student Editorials Page 11

The Brunswick ChronicleFebruary 2009

“Socrates” Cont.Continued from Front Pagegods of the city. He begins The Apology (which in Greek means a “legal defense” not “saying he’s sorry”) by stating that he will speak nothing but the truth, something Socrates does by examining and explaining himself to the 501 junors. In fact, Socrates operated on a completely different level of thought than the ordinary Athenian citizen. Socrates was sentenced to death in part because his way of thinking and his outlook on life and humanity was so radically different from that of the populace; as a result his words were seen as dangerous to the city itself.

The beauty of The Apology, however, is that it can easily be transferred and applied to our current situation. The ideas are all timeless, involving such questions as what constitutes just behavior; what the proper relationship is between those who are in power and those whom they control; what is wisdom?; whether death is an event to be feared; and whether humans spend far too much time giving attention to how they might acquire possessions rather than worrying about such simple essential truths as virtue, honor, and justice. Socrates believed in the possibility for humans to seek to cultivate their souls in order to reach true goodness. But unlike the views Socrates held, both Athenian and modern society tend to be based on the idea that money provides status and power; to often, as a result, people are misled to pursue things which have no moral or ethical value. As Socrates himself stated: “Wealth does not bring goodness, but goodness brings wealth and every other blessing, both to the individual

and to the State.” It often seems that irtue and goodness have been forgotten and ignored, and that has taken a toll on people everywhere, preventing them from seeing the truth in life, or what truth Socrates saw in life.

The most signifi cant trait that Socrates possessed is that he never stopped questioning

all around him. It was his inability to be satisfi ed with inaccurate or irrational answers that kept him questioning his fellow men in order to overcome his fear of the unknown forces at work in the universe. Socrates poses the question to the jury whether it is wrong that they spend most of their time worrying about the material matters in life rather than occupying themselves more productively with the betterment of their souls. Ironically this is exactly what Socrates is accused of doing—failing to follow society’s narrow conception of what constitutes the good life. It is evident, however, when one reads The Apology, that Socrates appears decidedly arrogant. He claims to be subject to the demands of the god, who

Socrates asserts gave him the assignment of fi nding out to what extent he was truly wise. And so he goes around Athens questioning all he can fi nd in order to discover who is truly wise. But as Socrates explains, he does not wish to embarrass anyone; rather, he wishes to enlighten those around him.

It is interesting, however,

that throughout the ages, whenever an era sees a “great man,” someone who stands out against the regular ideals because they do in fact have a gift, this person tends to be treated with resentment and suspicion by his society. They see things in a different light from those who are stuck in the mentality of the mob that holds society in a fi rm grip. Such people as Jesus, Joan of Arc, Martin Luther King, Abraham Lincoln, and even Socrates, stand out in history because of their desires to better the world they see around them. Subsequently, every time there is a chance for change, the people who are afraid of change all too frequently resort to killing these prophets. It seems that all too many people in the world just are not ready for

ideas so monumental that they might change the very nature of social justice and personal virtue. Essentially, The Apology is Socrates’ ultimatum, giving the people of the jury the evidence to acquit him by laying out the absurdities in his accusers’ arguments, and as result he fi nally offers his last words as a warning to Athens. Either take what Socrates has to offer as his gift, or he will pass on to a better world, to a world where people do not pretend to know what they do not, and where they do not pretend to possess qualities they do not; for him the afterlife is a world where people focus on the goodness of their actions and the virtue of their souls. While Socrates’ outlook and distrust of the common human thinker is decidedly pessimistic, it must be remembered that he was committed to death by the court, facing the possibility that he may never see a new day, something that ultimately terrifi es many.

Of course, Socrates, as an uncommon man, faces death most uncommonly, questioning the very essence of it and leaving open the possibility for his soul’s rising to a higher plane after it departs his body. But not even death can shake Socrates certainty of who he is and what he believes in. Living a life based on fundamental values, Socrates chooses not to do anything wrong in order to accomplish something he neither knows nor believe in. The core values of truth, goodness, justice, and honor should all be treated as the greatest goals, something Socrates denied that most people, even the famous and knowledgeable people, ignored. His message resonates loudly even today, echoing in history because he died for what he believed in.

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Student Editorials Page 12

The Brunswick ChronicleFebruary 2009

Good-Bye Blago!:Illinois Gov. Impeached

By Oliver Sall ‘10Junior Editor

On Thursday, January 29th, the Illinois Senate voted in a unanimous

59-0 vote to remove impeached, embattled Governor Rod Blagojevich from offi ce. Blagojevich was arrested on federal corruption charges in December for allegedly trying to sell or trade the Illinois Senate seat that became vacant after Barack Obama was elected president.

Moments after the initial vote was cast, the Illinois Senate again voted unanimously to prevent Blagojevich from ever holding political offi ce in the state of Illinois again.

While Blagojevich was absent for most of his Senate impeachment trial, the state senators present at the trial heard his voice via several FBI recordings of his phone calls. Four snippets of previously recorded conversation were played during the trial, and all pertained to horseracing legislation. The brief recordings focused on the former governor’s apparent efforts to raise campaign contributions in exchange for a horseracing bill.

After the trial’s conclusion, President Obama stated his welcome for the end of the Blagojevich saga. “Today ends a painful episode for Illinois,” Obama

stated. “For months, the state had been crippled by a crisis of leadership. Now that cloud has lifted. I wish Governor Quinn

the best and pledge my full cooperation as he undertakes his new responsibilities.”

The “Quinn” Obama was referring to is new Illinois Governor Pat Quinn, who

replaced the ousted Blagojevich. After the Senate vote Thursday,

the “welcome” sign that featured Blagojevich’s face, which visitors were greeted with upon their entrance to the state Capitol

in Springfi eld, was quickly taken down. The maintenance crews arrived after the vote and removed the gold nameplate with Blagojevich’s name and later removed the former

governor’s offi cial state picture positioned atop a state outline.

Blagojevich, who has recently been on a whirlwind media tour proclaiming his innocence, stated in reply to the

offi cial decision of the Illinois Senate, “‘I’m obviously sad and disappointed, but not at all surprised, by what the state senate did today. It’s something I knew they would do a long time ago. The fi x was in from the very beginning.”

In an interview with CNN’s Campbell Brown, Blagojevich stated his opposition

to the impeachment process. “…There’s a process going on in Illinois,” Blagojevich stated, “an impeachment process, an effort to remove me from offi ce. I’m the twice elected governor

by the people, but they’re doing it with a process that doesn’t allow me to bring witnesses in, doesn’t allow me to contest evidence and doesn’t require them to prove criminal allegations by bringing witnesses and evidence in.”

To this day, despite the contrary audio evidence, Blagojevich maintains his innocence. In parting words, Blagojevich tried to reach out one more time for an opportunity to prove his innocence, stating, “Whatever happened to the presumption of innocence in America? I said I did nothing wrong. So

give me a chance to show it.”

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Student Editorials Page 13

The Brunswick ChronicleFebruary 2009

Israeli-Palestine Conflict Looms on US Foreign Polcy

By Nikhil Menezes ‘11Staff Writer

For decades now, the confl ict involving Israel and Palestine

has persisted. During George Bush’s reign as president, it has been overshadowed by wars in Iraq and Afghanistan but, almost inevitably, it has returned to the headlines in the past few months. The vast complexity of the hostilities between the Israelis and the Palestinians is something that has to be acknowledged, for it permeates political, social and economic spheres. One thing that has been conspicuously absent, in the United States especially, is a fair, balanced account of what Palestinians want for their people and their country.

Many people see the views of Palestinians as those of Hamas, that Palestine will not acknowledge the existence of Israel and will do everything it can do to destroy it. It is of course understandable that this deplorable view is one that sticks in the minds of Americans. But during a peace process, it is more important to understand why some Palestinians have such strong feelings about their neighboring state.

To understand the deep hostility that some Arabs felt when Israel was created, it is important to put it into an American perspective. Envision a situation, no matter how ludicrous it may seem, where a group of nations stronger

than the United States joined forces to give back much of the U.S. to Native Americans;

the justifi cation being that the Native Americans occupied the country before the current population and therefore needed to be restored as the true owners of the land. One can only imagine the outrage,

defi ance and animosity that most Americans would feel towards these countries and towards the men and women who took their land. This, however, is obviously

a highly simplifi ed scenario for the creation of Israel. The religious and social connection

felt by many Jews towards Israel makes the situation a unique and diffi cult one.

Another aspect of the confl ict that has affected the Palestinian mindset is the deplorable conditions in

Gaza that have happened due to an Israeli blockade. After Hamas gained control of Gaza in 2007, Israel enforced a blockade that, in the words of the United Nations, has

cause “irreversible damage” to Gaza’s economy. Essential supplies such as food, fuel and medical supplies have, at times, been in short supply and practically no exports are allowed out of the region. This has culminated in 95% of Gaza’s industrial facilities closing or operating at minimal levels, hundreds of people dying due to insuffi cient medical organization, shortages in fuel, water and food and almost inhuman living conditions. Israel’s blockade on Gaza, though excessive in severity, is not without reason. A Gaza governed by Hamas, deemed a terrorist organization by the U.S., Israel, the European Union, Japan and Canada, that has attacked Israel with suicide bombings and rocket fi re is a threat to the very existence of Israel. This rocket fi re is what sparked the recent outbreak of combat between Israel and Gaza. The way that religion often intertwines with the politics of this situation is what makes it so unique. In the minds of some people, it is not merely a fi ght between Israel and Gaza, but also a fi ght between Judaism and Islam. This religious element often makes it diffi cult for people to fi nd common ground on the pure basis of humanity. For a true peace to ever occur it is imperative that the mediators realize that both sides have legitimate points to make and it is not merely a battle of good versus evil.

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Page 14Student Editorials

The Brunswick ChronicleFebruary 2009

French Strike Again!By Oliver Sall ‘10Junior Editor

A year after French President Nicolas Sarkozy declared,

“France is changing much faster and much more deeply than we believe. Now, when there is a strike, no one notices,” one suspects that the more than a million French workers who walked off the job Thursday, January 29th, have garnered the attention of at least some in France. Billed as “Black Thursday,” the French strike symbolized the working class’ grievances with Sarkozy’s handling of the economic crisis. The strike turnout was very high, with 23% of France’s fi ve million public sector workers forgoing active work participation. Many in France were upset with the multi-billion euro bailout deal struck with the French banks while other fl oundering industries were left with little help. With the bank bailout and the economic woes at the heart of the mass strike, it is no surprise that many in France fear they will lose their jobs in the crisis they blame largely on bankers and the failures of the market. The striking workers are demanding protection from layoffs, a boost to low wages, and an end to public sector cutbacks all at a time when France’s economy is struggling to stay afl oat. The members of the strike ranged widely from industry to industry, with teacher strikes shutting down hundreds

of schools, forcing many parents to stay home to mind their children, an unintended

ripple effect that leaves many non-striking citizens to be detrimentally impressed.

Despite this ripple

effect, public support for the protests remains high and larger crowds are predicted throughout

the duration of the strike. Offi cial reports place over a third of teachers, a quarter of postal, telecoms and state

electricity workers and 14% of air traffi c controllers on strike. The strike of air traffi c controllers has caused Air

France to cancel up to a third of their short-haul fl ights.

Unions involved in the strike argue that the

government’s stimulus package should focus less on companies and more on workers’ job protection. In a sentiment parallel to that proffered by many in America, the general feeling of injustice, that the common man is paying for the greed of the super-wealthy, is omnipresent.

The unions are not naïve; they don’t necessarily expect the government to solve the credit problem that has plagued a plethora of nations in the past year, but they hope that the mass strikes, which have been called for in nearly 80 different towns and cities across France, will make the government realize that they will not be pushed around by a program of budget cuts and reforms.

What, then, can we expect in the coming days of this French work stoppage? Unemployment rates are likely to hit 10% in the coming year and the French workers are hoping for, nay, demanding, reassurance from Sarkozy that he will drop his cost-cutting reforms and instead turn to focus on the ailing economy. Given the resignation of Iceland’s prime minister, the precedent has already been set this year with regards to leaders of an unhappy working populace and an ailing economy. One can be sure that Sarkozy will seek to keep his name off the list of removed heads-of-state.

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Page 15Student Editorials

The Brunswick ChronicleFebruary 2009

America Getting Serious About Carbon Emissions

By David Blumenthal ‘10Junior Editor

As our new president, Barack Obama signed a number of executive

orders that mark a regime change from the Bush Administration. One particularly notable decision has attracted minimal public attention. The fi rst Sunday after his inauguration, on January 26, President Obama gave orders to federal regulators to allow states to set their own emission standards, free from federal government intervention. Such a bold and important decision, so different from the environmental policies of the past eight years, cannot go unnoticed.

Formerly, emission standards in the United States were of two types: the one prescribed by the federal government, and the more stringent one favored by the state of California. Since the Clean Air Act of 1970, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) had given California singular administration of its own emission standards, pending an application for a waiver. Since then, the state has been continually attempting to tighten regulations through the use of a waiver– a measure that the federal government under the Bush Administration has consistently rejected by denying the waiver application. The most signifi cant reason for such unwillingness was most likely that if California had received a waiver, it would have set a precedent for other states to apply for them, as well.

In 2002, during the early days of the Bush Administration, California was the fi rst state to pass a law requiring its auto manufacturers to set fi xed

standards on the emission of carbon dioxide and other heat-trapping gases. Later, in December 2005, the state was the fi rst to ask the Environmental Protection Agency for a waiver from the federal Clean Air Act of 1970. However, the Bush Administration refused to take action on the waiver, and hoped the issue would lie dormant. This federal course of inaction would

ultimately prove ineffective. In November 2007, fed up with the wait, California sued the federal government, claiming that the White House was obstructing its request for political reasons. The lawsuit also suggested that White House offi cials had even refused to open email messages relating to the possibility of carbon dioxide being a pollutant. Indeed, the Environmental Protection Agency would express its opposition to granting the waiver, denying the application in December 2007. The resulting outcry from Congressional Democrats alleged that the White House had infl uenced EPA Direction Stephen L. Johnson’s decision, among others. Another, more infl uential

consequence of the EPA’s denial of the waiver was the suit against the Bush Administration by California and 18 other states. On January 25, 2009, the Obama Administration would make that controversy obsolete with the decision to open such regulations to the states. However, not everyone greets the decision so positively.

American automakers had been lobbying vigorously

against the measure to let states determine their own emission standards. They contend that the decree would possibly force the auto companies to adjust to almost 50 different emission standards, leading to a rise in production costs as a result. Dave McCurdy, the chief executive of the Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers, called California’s proposal “a patchwork quilt of inconsistent and competing fuel economy programs,” that would lead to “confusion, ineffi ciency, and uncertainty for automakers and consumers.” The Wall Street Journal also argued that such a decree had extremely bad timing, making matters even more diffi cult for the auto industry in a troubling

climate - Michigan Attorney General Mike Cox suggesting that job losses from 60,000 to 100,000 could occur as a result. However, most are not persuaded by this line of reasoning, and say that the industry, itself, deserves the majority of the blame for its current position. Gov. Ed Rendell of Pennsylvania responded to the job-loss allegation, saying “It’s baloney. It’s what the auto industry

has been telling us for years and years.” In fact, Rendell explained, there would likely end up being only two new standards: the one prescribed by the Clean Air Act and the federal government, or the stricter standard favored by the state of California that the other states in the lawsuit would like to adopt.

In any case, the measure is a clean break from the almost embarrassing ineptitude of the Bush Administration on environmental issues. California and other states

will now have the ability to implement guidelines that could result in drops in greenhouse gas emissions of as much as 30%. Members of the media and numerous lawmakers have been applauding the executive order. As Connecticut Attorney General Richard Blumenthal said in praise of President Obama’s decision, “The federal government is no longer fi ddling while our planet threatens to burn. The Obama administration’s order that the EPA reconsider its illegal, irrational waiver denial is a huge step forward in the fi ght against global warming.” Regardless of one’s political persuasion, the signs clearly indicate that a new regime is in charge.

Student Editorials Page 16

The Brunswick ChronicleFebruary 2009

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So Much For BipartisanshipBy Spencer Dahl ‘12Staff Writer

Barack Obama took offi ce less than two weeks ago with a call

for Americans to come together as one, putting aside political allegiances in order to fi ght our way out of the troubled times facing the country. However, his plea to end the bickering that Washington is notorious for has been largely ignored by those on the right side of politics. Last Wednesday, the house voted 244-188 in support of Obama’s economic stimulus plan. Unfortunately, not one of the 244 congressmen who voted in favor of the bill was Republican. The vote was divided along party lines, proving conclusively that Obama’s call for bipartisanship has yet to succeed. Republicans remain in favor of a package that focuses solely on tax cuts, the same type of economic relief that failed so miserably during the Bush administration. They continue to ignore the evidence presented in the past eight years against tax breaks, remaining entrenched in their beliefs. Obama may have gained support from both sides during the Presidential Race, but so far he has not broken down any political barriers in Washington.

More disturbing than the lack of Republican support for Obama on Capitol Hill is the behavior of the conservative media during the fi rst two weeks of his presidency. First came the reaction of many in the media to the mistake made

by Chief Justice John Roberts during the administering of the Presidential Oath. Many members of Fox News expressed doubt over whether or not Obama actually was the President. Chris Wallace said later on Inauguration Day, “I have to say, I’m not sure that Barack Obama really is the President of the United States, because the Oath of Offi ce is set in the Constitution, and I

wasn’t at all convinced that, even after he tried to amend it, that John Roberts ever got it out straight and that Barack Obama ever said the prescribed words…” This is unacceptable for two reasons, the fi rst being the abuse of the Constitution under the Bush Administration. Between the Patriot Act and declaring war on Iraq without support from Congress, Bush was never one to stick to the Constitution completely. Habeas Corpus was ignored, as was the right of Congress (not the President) to declare war, and Fox never called foul. But now that a liberal is in power, he must follow the Constitution to the letter.

The second reason

could have been prevented if Chris Wallace had perhaps looked over the constitution a little more carefully himself. The Constitution states that the President-Elect becomes the President on noon of Inauguration Day, oath or no oath. Thus, whether Chris Wallace is sure or not about President Obama’s condition as President is irrelevant. He became President fi ve minutes

before the oath was fl ubbed on Inauguration Day and Fox is simply trying to smear Obama however they can.

Another example of the inexcusable conduct of the conservative media came with Rush Limbaugh’s statements on January 16: “I’ve been listening to Barack Obama for a year-and-a-half. I know what his politics are. I know what his plans are, as he has stated them. I don’t want them to succeed…I hope he fails.” Limbaugh is so narrow-minded, he is unable to accept the idea that his policies have failed the past eight years. Limbaugh apparently doesn’t care that our economy is in a horrifying recession or that

we are facing an unwinnable war in the Middle East, his sole care is that the liberal agenda fails. The frightening truth implied by this is that if Obama succeeds and brings the country out of these dark times, Limbaugh would still be bitter, simply because of the method by which he achieved his goals. These are some of the worst times in our countries long history and

we need to forget about political affi liation in order to bring ourselves out of this crisis. Had Limbaugh argued that he thought Obama’s plans were going to fail, his comments would have been acceptable, as he would be merely expressing his opinion. But one would expect that he would at least hope Obama’s plans succeed, that Limbaugh would want to see the country rise above these troubled times

by any means possible. But unfortunately, Limbaugh is not primarily concerned with the well-being of America, he is focused on making sure that his conservative agenda is followed, no matter what the cost. He is more concerned with the methods Obama uses to attempt to save the U.S. than he is with hoping America can escape from the current recession. Now is not the time for petty politics. Regardless of whether we think Obama’s course of action is the best available, we must at least hope that he is able to bring of these dark times. That’s assuming, of course, that he actually is the President.

Student Editorials Page 17

The Brunswick ChronicleFebruary 2009

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“Iceland” Cont.Continued from Front Page

minister in Iceland’s history.After the backwash

from the economic crisis of Iceland, the Social Democratic Alliance was asked to form a new government, but its leader is taking a leave of absence to recover from treatment for a benign tumor. This leave paved the way for Sigurdardottir, known to some as “Saint Johanna,” to be propelled from the social affairs ministry to the spotlight of the Icelandic government and, at least temporarily, the world.

An Icelandic government source informed The Independent, “In opinion polls Johanna has repeatedly

been chosen as the most popular politician in Iceland. She is a good choice, because

one of the problems the government is facing is a lack of trust. Getting Johanna to become Prime Minister was a way of saying trust is an

great team, but they are not playing like the preseason #9 team at all. They currently sit at 12-7, and need to pick it up if they want to secure an NCAA bid. Luke Harangody has amazing numbers, averaging 25 ppg and 13.3 rpg. He will need help from his teammates if his team is to play this postseason.

#7- West Virginia- The Mountaineers are coming off a 17 point beatdown against Georgetown, in which they ran the Hoyas out of their home gym. That is the signature win they will need as we get closer to Selection Sunday. The upcoming schedule is a gauntlet, with games against Louisville (twice), Syracuse, Pitt, and Villanova.

#8- Georgetown- At one point this season, the Hoyas were ranked #8 and stood at a proud 11-1. Now,

“Big East” Cont.Continued from Page 8 they are 12-6, with three

straight losses, including a non-conference loss against Duke. They have gotten the tough part of their schedule over with, but they will need to win

almost all of their remaining games to secure a spot.

#9- Villanova- The Wildcats are the biggest long

shot on this list to make the NCAA Tourney. They already have three conference losses, and have upcoming games with Pitt, Syracuse, Marquette, West Virginia, and Notre Dame, not to mention Georgetown

as well. Look for Villanova to miss out on the Big Dance unless they can come up with some key wins down the road.

Big East Player of the Year RaceLuke Harangody

(Notre Dame) – The reigning Big East Player of the Year is having and even better season this season. He leads the conference in scoring and rebounding.

Jerel McNeal (Marquette) – The senior guard is averaging 19.4 ppg for a Marquette team that is playing better than expected. If he keeps his scoring up, he could dethrone Harangody.

Sam Young (Pitt) – The Most Improved Player in the conference a year ago, the Panther forward averages 18.8 ppg and 5.5 rpg.

Terrence Williams (Louisville) – The senior forward is the most athletic, and most exciting player in the conference, as he throws down dunks every game. He averages 13.5 ppg, 9.3 rpg, and 4.6 apg.

issue. Politicians want a fresh mandate from the electorate and, before they get it, they need to rebuild trust. Choosing Johanna is a way of saying,

‘Let’s bridge this gap, let’s have peace to be able to implement the emergency measures.’”

In comparison to former Prime Minister Geir

Haarde, who endured angry protests for months, had his limousine pelted with eggs, and forced the police to use tear gas to quell riots for the fi rst time in over 50 years, Sigurdardottir’s approval rating was 73% as recently as last November, which made her the only minister of her government whose approval rating improved over the previous year’s score.

While it is unknown whether Ms. Sigurdardottir can retain power after May’s elections since her Alliance party trails the Left-Green movement in recent polls, her accession to power in Iceland is, verily, an incontrovertible milestone for the gay community and progressive individuals alike throughout the world.

Student Editorials Page 18

The Brunswick ChronicleFebruary 2009

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Hooligan Fans: A Product of Professional Sports

By Henry Welsh ‘10Staff Writer

As the Brunswick Hockey season nears it end, we can surely

remember the overtime victory over St. Georges. Hundreds were in attendance, with the student section feeding off its numbers. As the match’s intensity increased, so did that of our fans. Profane cheers and a few “obscene hand gestures” soon ensued. So, how could a group of young gentlemen be so quickly transformed into a group of “soccer hooligans” who easily crossed the line?

It all starts with the examples set by pro and college sports fans: Monkey see, monkey do. The behavior of drunken sports fanatics trickles down to those watching. Most parents wouldn’t even consider bringing their children to visit the “Bleacher Creatures” of Yankee Stadium, or the Eagle’s Nest of Lincoln Financial Field. After a recent football game, where the Seahawks beat the Jets 13-3, the home Seattle crowd hurled snowballs at Jets players as they headed into the locker room. This

sparked an interesting response from Shaun Ellis. He retaliated by heaving a snow-boulder of ice shoved into the stands. Evidently, once the fans crossed the line, so did Ellis, who was later fi ned.

Simply put, fans are

crazy. For many, sporting events serve as a three-hour period of psychotic behavior. Jeering crowds have countless profane cheers at their

disposal. Offensive lineman Dominic Raiola once became so aggravated that he actually fl icked the bird to his own fans. But, don’t acts like this come as a breath of fresh air, proving that pros are truly disappointed when their teams struggle, rather than settling for complacency, satisfi ed with their million dollar contracts? Even Yankee fans boo Alex Rodriguez, despite the grandiose nicknames the media generally apply to him: “A-Rod,” “Lightning Rod,”

“Alexander the Great.” (John Sterling and Suzyn Waldman, two of the most unintentionally funny announcers in sports—are a case of laughing at them, rather than with them). A-Rod won an MVP award with the

Yankees, but his own fans still disloyally choose to boo him.

Fans hope they can alter the outcome of a game. Maybe they can provoke a

freakish reaction from an opposing player, changing a minor penalty into a fi ve minute major, giving the home team a longer power play, increasing their chance to win, for example, during the St. George’s-game fi nish. Fans hope that getting into an opposing player’s head will have negative effects on his play—just as our student section’s good friend and Kent Hill’s starting goalie, Brian Fleming. Still fans can go too far, for example when Temple University fans in a basketball

game against Duke. Fans held up pictures of J.J. Redick’s mother to get into Redick’s head. Clearly fans are unethical and immoral, but why do they partake in such hooliganism?

People love sports. We can comment on and debate

them for hours. They’re a chance to drop everything and simply be entertained. On holidays, sports give an escape from the sometimes-boring conversation with those relatives. Think of Thanksgiving, a holiday that for many revolves around Football. And sports are America. Our country gets to watch the most talented athletes every day, a luxury no other nation has. The NBA, NFL, MLB, NHL, and of course, the WNBA. All major sports (I’ll skip soccer for the sake of the argument) have their top leagues based in America. We get to watch the best, we are the best; how could America not love that? And we love sports because sports are what defi ne us. Sports are competitions among those who combine teamwork with physical and mental attributes to gain victory. They are also a chance to try to prove a fan’s team is superior to another’s. All this love and passion is built up for sports, and that is why fans so often go too far. Sports are games of code and unwritten rules, so they give no excuse for fans

to continually cross the line, losing their pride and class. The views refl ected in this article are solely those of the author and do not refl ect the positions of the Brunswick Chronicle, the Chronicle Staff, or Brunswick School.

Student Editorials Page 19

The Brunswick ChronicleFebruary 2009

!

In 2005, the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) estimated that it

would take $1.7 trillion to repair America’s infrastructure. That number is now up to $2.2 trillion in just four years. America’s infrastructure is collapsing, and this can be seen to be a major cause of the economic slowdown in America. One in four bridges in America are faulty; leaking pipes lose approximately seven billion gallons of clean drinking water a day; it would take $100 billion to repair America’s levees; bad highways cost the American economy $78.2 billion; only approximately a third of America’s 254 million tons of solid waste is recycled or recovered; nearly half of American families do not have access to transit systems; and billions of gallons of untreated wastewater is discharged into U.S. waters every year. Obviously, America’s entire infrastructure needs a massive overhaul.

On Barack Obama’s website, it states that President Obama and V.P. Joe Biden want to create a National Infrastructure Reinvestment Bank to help rebuild America’s national transportation systems and our economy. This bank is meant to “expand and enhance, not supplant, existing federal transportation investments.” The bank would receive $60 billion over 10 years to fi nance the “transportation infrastructure projects across the nation.” The website claims that the National Infrastructure Reinvestment Bank will “create

America Looks to Re-Invest In Infrastructure

By Jake Matthews ‘12Staff Writer up to two million new jobs

and stimulate approximately $35 billion per year in new economic activity.” President Obama has not yet created this

infrastructure bank, though, so all of the bank’s possible bright results are still in the future.

In his fi rst full week in offi ce, however, President Obama has gotten $40 billion directed towards rebuilding/repairing America’s

infrastructure through his $819 billion stimulus bill, known as HR1. Thirty billion dollars is allocated to rebuilding roads and bridges, nine billion dollars is allocated to rebuild public transit, and one billion dollars is allocated to rebuild inter-city rail. Overall, though, less than

fi ve percent of this spending bill is directed towards America’s infrastructure. The ASCE calculated that it would take roughly $1.1 trillion to repair

our nation’s infrastructure. Much of the infrastructure amendments in Obama’s bill have been removed to make way for tax cuts to appease Republican leaders. Many projects, because they were not considered to help America’s

economy fast enough, were considered wasteful spending, and consequently taken out of the bill. Unfortunately, despite Rahm Emanuel’s warning to “Never let a serious crisis go to waste,” it seems that President Obama and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi are sacrifi cing

the opportunity to help rebuild America’s failing infrastructure signifi cantly, are hurting future generations, and are failing to give our present economy the advantages that sound domestic infrastructure has to offer.

Congressman Jim Oberstar of Minnesota, Chairman of the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, noted three possible solutions to our nation’s growing infrastructure defi cit in a testimony in June 2008 before Congress. Congressman Oberstar stated that the U.S. government could “Make a large down payment on our infrastructure defi cit as part of a new economic recovery program, establish a national infrastructure bank and supporting regulation, or establish a federal capital budget.” President Obama largely ignored Congressman Oberstar’s fi rst suggestion, because, as was stated above, only $40 billion in HR1 were allocated toward national infrastructure. President Obama hopes to act on Oberstar’s second suggestion in his plan to help our nation’s infrastructure, but has yet to act on his goal. Congressman Oberstar’s third suggestion is to simply prioritize certain aspects of our nation’s infrastructure, and allocate adequate sums of money to repair those certain items. Congress and the President have also largely ignored Oberstar’s third suggestion, however. Whichever method they choose, Congress must repair America’s infrastructure swiftly and effi ciently in the near future.

Student Editorials Page 20

The Brunswick ChronicleFebruary 2009

Obama: The “Czar of Czars”By Scott Matthews ‘09Editor-In-Chief

As President Barack Obama completes his first week in office, he has begun

to fulfill his campaign promises to increase the efficiency of government, to streamline executive agencies, and to return the electorate’s trust in the government. It is clear that a major portion of his strategy to cut down on government waste will be to designate a “czar” for inefficient programs that trouble our government. Throughout the campaign and his first full week in office, the President has either named or publically thought about naming many “czars” to the executive branch to oversee programs and operations. My fear, however, is that these “czars” will command power at an unprecedented level, effectually making the Obama Executive Branch the most powerful administration in United States history, easily surpassing the imperial Presidency era of Nixon or the power hungry Bush-Cheney administration that has but recently vacated the office. Overall, while President Obama is looking to modernize the United States Government, he may be creating the blueprint for an administration that will be nagged by turf wars inhibiting the stream of important information that must make it into and out of the Oval Office throughout this President’s tenure. My major fear regarding this administration is the high concentration of power held by those who occupy the coveted “West Wing” offices, notably because they have the ear of the President. President Obama has

appointed or mentioned a “czar” position for many critical tasks, including “czars” for drugs, climate change, the economy, technology, energy, education, performance,

bailout, homeland security, and intelligence. Perhaps I’m wrong, but the position of “czar” is never

mentioned in the Constitution, and the definition of such a position is foggy at best. For example, wouldn’t a “homeland security czar” have similar operational duties as the “intelligence czar,” the

Director of National Intelligence, the Director or the CIA, the Director for the FBI, and the National Security Advisor? Furthermore, wouldn’t the “climate czar” have

similar operational duties as the Secretary of the Interior, which is a cabinet level position)? And

won’t turf issues arise between the “education czar” and the Secretary of Education, between the “energy czar” and the Secretary of Energy,

between the “WMD czar” and the Secretaries of Defense and State, and between the “bailout czar” and the Secretaries of the Treasury and Commerce, and oh yeah, that pesky CONGRESS? If you ask me, it won’t be long before we need a “czar of czars.” I don’t know exactly what the operational duties of the “car czar” or any other “czar” might be because they are not enumerated in the Constitution, but I imagine that they will surely conflict with the purview of the appropriate cabinet secretary. It seems to me that rather than shrinking the size of government or cutting out wasteful positions in order to save taxpayer money, the President is creating “czars” to oversee the

entire government, resulting in another layer of bureaucracy above that of President Obama’s Cabinet but still clearly below the President. In the past, the media, the “fourth branch of government,” has been the public’s watch dog, whistle blower, and private investigator, and it has only cost the citizen the 50 bucks for TV service, or the dollar for the New York Times. Now, however, it seems that the President is taking away the operational duties of his most trusted advisors and giving them to other experts in the field. It seems to me that the President is creating his own “Jacksonian” kitchen-cabinet of un-confirmed citizens who potentially could set federal policy on key issues. Overall, it is important for the people to have their say concerning who serves in the government, and consequently an important watch must be kept on Obama’s new “kitchen cabinet.”