MELBOURNE, Australia–Heath Ledger’s family paid a teary tribute to the late actor as they accepted a top Australian film industry award on his behalf.

Ledger was posthumously given the Australian Film Institute’s international award for best actor for his role as the Joker in The Dark Knight.

His father, Kim; mother, Sally; and sister Kate accepted the award.

“It’s been without a doubt the most difficult year, losing such a loved family member,” said Kate Ledger, fighting back tears.

“We are so proud of him and humbly accept this award on behalf of his beautiful daughter, who we will cherish forever,” she said, referring to Matilda, his 3-year-old daughter with actress Michelle Williams.

Ledger’s performance in the Batman blockbuster is regarded as having a solid chance for a posthumous Academy Award for best supporting actor.

“It was this swaggering, psychopathic clown that turned his career into a legacy and the name Heath Ledger into an ongoing inspiration to actors everywhere,” the Australia Film Institute said at the awards ceremony Saturday night, Dec. 6 in Melbourne.

Sally Ledger thanked the film institute for the tribute to her son, who died of an accidental prescription drug overdose in New York in January. He was 28.

“We are immensely proud of him, not only for his professional achievements, but in the way he truly cherished his family, friends and his precious Matilda,” she said.

“Heath was never one to accept mediocrity, he put his heart and soul into achieving what he believed was required and followed his passions with great enthusiasm and an insatiable curiosity,” she added.

LONDON–Madonna, always in fighting shape, has won a round against the British press.
The pop star won a judgment Monday against a British tabloid that she accused of breaching her privacy and copyright by publishing pictures of her 2000 wedding.

Madonna, who says the pictures were stolen by an interior decorator from her home in Beverly Hills, California, is seeking damages in excess of 5 million pounds ($7.5 million) from the publishers of the Mail on Sunday newspaper.

Judge David Eady entered a judgment in her favor but deferred a decision on compensation until the new year.

Madonna and film director Guy Ritchie, who recently gained a preliminary divorce decree, were married at a Scottish castle on Dec. 22, 2000.

No pictures of the event had been published until they appeared Oct. 19 in the Mail on Sunday, said Matthew Nicklin, a lawyer representing Madonna. The newspaper published 11 photographs over the front page and a double-page inside spread.

“She was ambushed, for the simple reason that if the Mail on Sunday had told her what they intended to do, the claimant would have sought and obtained an injunction,” Nicklin said.
Nicklin said the newspaper paid 5,000 pounds ($7,500) for the pictures.

Associated Newspapers, publisher of the Mail on Sunday, had no immediate comment on the court’s decision.

Nicklin said the only photographs of the wedding were taken by photographer Jean-Baptiste Mondino and presented to Madonna as a gift. He said Madonna put the photographs in an album that she kept in her home.

He said an interior designer, Robert Joseph Wilber, “surreptitiously gained access to the photograph album and copied at least 26 photographs.”

Those images, which he said had “essentially been stolen by Mr. Wilber” were sold Oct. 15.

WEST HAVEN -The University of New Haven men’s and women’s track and field teams opened their 2008-09 season on Saturday afternoon at the Yale Season Opener. Team results were not kept.

The men’s team was led by two first-place finishes: one from Tyrone Sawyer who captured the 60-meter dash in a time of 6.91 and one from Alaric Best who won the 800-meter run in a time of 1:59.90.

Other top finishers included Patrick Leach who finished third in the 800 -meter run (2:  00.75), Kevin Downing who finished fourth in the 200-meter dash (22.60) and Justin Smith who finished fifth in the 60-meter dash (7.26).

Be sure to support the team next semester.

WEST HAVEN -The University of New Haven men’s basketball team defeated the visiting and nationally ranked #13 Bentley University Falcons 70-61 Saturday afternoon. The Chargers improve to 3-4 overall and 3-3 in the Northeast-10 Conference, while the Falcons fall to 6-3 overall and 2-2 in the NE-10.

With the score tied at the half, UNH came out of the break and fell behind quickly. The Falcons took a seven-point lead (40-33) at the 16:32 mark, but the chargers came back at tied the score at 43 with 12:09 remaining. The Chargers would keep in close for the next two minutes, but Bentley would mount another run and take a six-point lead at 9:22. Over the next 4:06 the Chargers went on a 14-1 run and took control of the game with a 59-52 lead with 5:16 remaining. The Falcons scored a three pointer at 4:57 and then scoring would halt for the next three and a half minutes as the teams exchanged turnovers. In the final 1:29 the Chargers went 9-for-11 from the charity stripe as they sealed their third-straight win of the season.

The Chargers opened the first half with an unthinkable 16-0 run in the first 4:20. In the next four minutes and 20 seconds the Falcons went on their own 14-0 run to put themselves right back in the game. The teams exchanged the lead in the final 10 minutes and Robert Jamerson connected on a non-traditional three-point play to close the half and tie the score at 29.

The Chargers shot 40% from the floor, 30% from beyond the arc and 100% from the line in the opening half, while Bentley shot 33.3% from the floor, 20% from downtown and 61.5% from the stripe. D.J. Sackmann led the Chargers with nine first-half points and five rebounds. Bentley out-rebounded the Chargers 21-16 in the first half, including six offensive boards.
Five Chargers scored in double figures in the game; Darryl Greene led UNH with 19 points, Sackman scored 14, Jamerson with a career-high 14 points, Kelvin Jackson scored 12 and Cassius Chaney scored 11. Greene added a team-high four assists and three steals, while Jackson led the team with seven boards.

The Chargers shot 47.2% from the floor, holding Bentley to 32.8%. UNH also shot 38.5% from downtown and 88.2% from the foul line. Although the Falcons held a 4-15 edge in offensive rebounds, UNH held a 29-25 edge in defensive boards.

The big news around the sports world has been the incident that took place with New York Giants wide receiver Plaxico Burress. Burress was in a New York club when he accidentally shot himself. After the incident, Burress was arrested for not having a license for the gun.
Now, my main question about this whole situation is why did Plaxico find it necessary to bring a loaded gun into a public place? Did he think something might go down and he would need the gun for his safety? Plaxico is not the only athlete that carries a gun. There have been a number of players that have said (before and after this incident) they carry a gun for protection whereever they go.

Yes, these guys are major stars and there is always the possibility for them to be harmed.  But there have to be better ways of handling this type of danger. Instead of bringing a loaded gun everywhere you go, how about these athletes hire bodyguards? God knows that they have enough money to pay for a bodyguard.

It has also been noted that there are athletes today that have come from questionable backgrounds before they turned pro. They may have had to live a lifestyle where they did need a gun to protect themselves. But as soon as these guys turn pro things change. If an athlete comes from a questionable background, the first thing that should be done is for that athlete to get away from the street lifestyle.

Going back a couple of summers ago with the whole Michael Vick situation, you can clearly see that he stuck with people who were troublemakers. He never got away from them and they ended up stabbing him in the back when he needed their support the most. More recently, Adam Jones has been in trouble off the field. He committed crimes that have left him in serious trouble with the league. Jones has a load of talent and he continues to make stupid decisions. Again, Jones is still living a street thug lifestyle even though he can clearly get out of that lifestyle and position himself with better people.

If Plaxico really felt he was going to need to bring a gun to the club that he went to, he should have never been there in the first place. Burress has a wife and a kid at home. He should not have gone to a situation that may have put his life and family in danger.

Athletes who continue to get themselves in trouble should look at someone like Marvin Harrison as a good example on how to conduct their lives as pro athletes. Marvin Harrison has never been in trouble both on the field and off the field. He is a guy that does his job right and is a class act. Pro athletes have to realize that many people, especially kids, look up to them. If kids look up to Plaxico and know he carries a gun, then a young kid may think it is okay to have one.

Not only are Burress, Jones, Vick and many others hurting themselves by putting themselves in bad positions, they are also hurting their respective teams. Yes, this may seem like a small factor in the big picture, but when you are getting paid millions of dollars by a franchise that depends on you to perform, you are expected to stay out of trouble. Teams put trust in these guys, and in return they should honor their teams by staying out of trouble.

The bottom line is if pro athletes want to stay out of trouble and protect themselves, they have to start thinking clearly and making better decisions. They have to realize they are setting a bad example for kids, affecting their franchise, and more importantly, hurting themselves and their careers.

Oscar season is here, my friends! I have happily kicked off the season with the new Nicole Kidman epic Australia. Side by side with Hugh Jackman, Kidman shines in Baz Luhrmann’s beautiful love story.

Set in pre-World War II Australia, Australia tells the tale of Lady Sarah Ashley, who ventures to the outback to convince her husband to leave their estate and return to England. When she arrives in Australia, she finds her husband dead. She decides to take over their estate, which is used to raise cattle, in order to avenge her husband’s death by defeating their competition: Carney Cattle. Lady Ashley enlists the help of The Drover (Jackman) and they begin herding their cattle across the outback.

Riding along with them is Nullah, a half-Aborigine whose mother works for the Ashleys. Nullah is a smart, loud-mouthed kid whose curiosity leads him everywhere. Lady Ashley and The Drover look after him as they would their own child.

Besides dealing with the usual trials of a trip across a desert, they are also targets of two specific groups. One group is that of Carney Cattle, who is determined not to let them reach their destination. Led by the sleazy Neil Fletcher (David Wenham), they do anything they can (including poisoning the limited water supply and causing stampedes) to halt Lady Ashley’s journey. The other group in search of Lady Ashley’s faction is made up of local officials whose goal it is to place all mixed-race Aborigine children on Mission Island. These officials are desperate to send Nullah to the island, especially once they are bribed by King Carney (Bryan Brown).

Without giving a lot away, the Ashley clan completes their mission and Lady Ashley and The Drover are free to begin a romantic love affair and take in Nullah as their own. Everything is happily ever after. Or so we think. Then the war begins.

Part two of the film begins as World War II starts to come to Australia. As the Japanese were destroying as much as they could of the Pacific area, Australia became an obvious stop. The war obviously complicates things, especially for Lady Ashley, The Drover, and Nullah. The trio struggles to stay together as they are pulled to different places, subjected to warfare, and persuaded to evacuate. As war ensues, their love for each other grows stronger.

This film is epic to say the least. An abundance of themes, storylines, and conflicts saturates the movie at all times. Add to that scenes of war, a trip across a desert, and intrigue and you’ve got yourself one intense movie.

The one downside to all of these elements is that the film is literally about three movies all crammed into one. It’s a love story, it’s a war story, it’s a period piece, it’s a message about race, it’s political, and it’s so much more. The film has false endings numerous times, and at three hours and 15 minutes, those false endings do nothing but trick you into getting ready to leave while so much of the story still remains.

One part of Australia that is undeniably amazing is the photography. Every scene is beautifully photographed with an airy, heavenly aura. Even when the Ashley clan is in the middle of the desert, the landscape is constantly breathtaking. Lurhmann, a big fan of color (as seen in Moulin Rouge! and Romeo + Juliet), still manages to find a way to spice up the bare Australian scenery with vibrant color.

Overall, the acting and cinematography is top notch in Australia. The story drags a little, but if you’re in the mood for an epic love story, I’d give it a shot. I have a feeling this film will get some Oscar attention, if not for its costumes or writing, then certainly for its beautiful photography.

Towards the end of October, Irish alternative and indie rock group Snow Patrol released their latest album, A Hundred Million Suns. This latest album follows the band’s style of catchy beats and fearless instrumental work, but has a new edge to it. Snow Patrol has found a way to combine tried-and-true sounds with lyrics that range from light and celebratory to angst-ridden and poignant.

I truly can’t say it enough, but this is a spectacular album. From the fast-paced (and popularly played on the radio) “Take Back the City” to the slower and more laid-back, yet equally amazing “Lifeboats,” Snow Patrol has covered all of their bases. From acoustic guitar, to synthesizers, to lyrics that simultaneously express an intense joy of life and deep sadness and emotion, each song off of the album is a masterpiece in and of itself. And yet, they continue to surprise listeners.

One song that follows their style less rigidly is “The Golden Floor,” which is a combination of their same soulful and heartbreaking lyrics with an almost tribal beat and acoustic guitar. It’s an auditory experience that is unique, strange, and yet still pleasurable. Following this piece on the album is a more familiar soundtrack in the form of “Please Just Take These Photos From My Hands.” This track is like an old friend in that it contains the same energy and pace that can be found in their previous albums. Yet still this piece is subtly different from their previous work.

As soon as I purchased this album, I couldn’t stop listening to it. It’s unbelievable. What’s great about the album is that it’s really an album for everyone. It’s not too obscure in sound and provides lyrics and tones that are invigorating and soothing. I highly recommend this album. If you don’t at least like it upon first listening, then give it a week or two. It will definitely grow on you.

Polar bears are the world’s largest terrestrial predators that have been threatened by the unfortunate consequences of global warming. Due to the accumulation of gases trapped in the earth’s atmosphere, a large portion of the ice, especially from the Hudson Bay area, is thinning and breaking apart.

Polar bears usually settle themselves on packed ice during the winter to become closer to their food source, which includes seals. However, according to the World Wildlife Fund Organization, the sea ice is melting earlier in the spring, leaving these large carnivorous land animals to travel back to land. Without enough fat reserves stored after hunting, polar bears become thinner, which therefore affect there ability to procreate.

There is currently an estimate of 22,000 polar bears living today in the Arctic Region. Based on the research of the Environmental News Service, for the past 20 years, the population has declined a total of 22% in Hudson Bay. They also claim that a decrease of 30% will occur in another 35 to 50 years if this global pollution continues.

As some of you may know, I work at the Center for Learning Resources at night as a tutor in the computer lab. Which, as a side note (or is it really a side note if I haven’t even gotten into the article yet!?), is a fantastic place to get help on Microsoft Office, SPSS, and any other computer-related problems or questions. Additionally, be sure to check out the writing lab for help on essays and papers, and the math lab for help on anything from basic math to physics.

But I digress.

One night, as I ventured out of the CLR on a break for something from the vending machines in Maxcy (the ones located near the Communication Department and the stairs to WNHU), I noticed a problem with my plan: the vending machines were gone. “Well that’s good,” I thought, “Maybe the university is finally replacing them with newer ones!”

The next evening, the doorway to Maxcy near the Communication Department was blocked off. “Well that’s good,” I thought. “Maybe they’re putting in some fancy card readers so that students can get in with an extra security precaution!”

At my next venture I noticed those ugly and, frankly, dangerously constructed blue stairs heading up towards the physics and math department being renovated. “Wow!” I exclaimed, “They’re finally fixing those!” I don’t know how many times I have seen people trip on them, myself included.

Other days I started noticing nice tiles being placed in Maxcy, bulletin boards with student activities posted were taken down, and walls and ceilings were repainted. “Jesus! UNH is finally making Maxcy look good, and replacing the bulletin boards with nicer ones!”

Then, it hit me. The Board of Governors was coming onto campus. And without a doubt, they would be visiting the brand new (and beautiful) Vlock Center.

I have nothing against the Board of Governors. What I do have a problem with is those at UNH who prepare for the Board of Governors. Why does it take their presence to make Maxcy look better? Shouldn’t we, as students, deserve a nicer looking building without the presence of the BOG? Why does it take their presence to make those formerly ugly blue stairs actually SAFE to use? It’s disgusting that the university administration thinks we don’t notice, because we do. It’s also extremely offensive to both staff and students.

Beyond Maxcy, I noticed some things happening in Bartels. Light bulbs were replaced, dirty ceiling tiles were cleaned–those that were stained were even spray painted. I witnessed a student studying in the Upper Student Lounge the night before the Board of Governors was to arrive, who was yelled at to get out immediately because that room was reserved. The worst part, however, is the kick in the ass the university gave to every single club and organization on campus. No tables were allowed in Bartels Lobby while the Board of Governors was on campus.

As I stated already, I have nothing against the Board of Governors. I actually believe they would love to see students at tables with their clubs while they are present–students running a bake sale to raise money for cancer research, students registering other students to vote, students raising money for the war in the Congo. The university, however, does not want the Board of Governors to see the students in action. They have never said they aren’t proud of us, of course, but that’s exactly what is being expressed by the university administration. In my eyes, and most of our eyes, the university is not proud of its clubs and organizations.

Next time the BOG is on campus, I ask the university administrators to reconsider the way they have been treating us. It’s unfair and offensive.

Who is more important: students that pay to attend UNH or old men (for the most part) that visit the school about once a semester? Well, if you’re a student you probably chose the former. If you are an administrator, you have clearly chosen the second option.

For four years now, I have seen the school pretty much shut down in preparation for the Board of Governors (let’s call them the BOG). Suddenly, everything is painted, broken things are fixed, and students have limited access to things they need.

I have two problems with this ridiculous system. One is a matter of priorities. The other is my effort to put myself in the shoes of the Board of Governors.

To begin, I must repeat myself from former editorials. I do not feel like students are ever considered this university’s first priority. When President Kaplan went to a USGA meeting last year to ask our opinion about what color the new turf field should be, the decision was already made- a blue field would get our returning football team more attention. The ideas that we would merely be Boise State copycats, that the uniforms would blend into the field, and that the color would be too bright to handle were pushed aside and barely heard. And this is only one example of UNH’s goal of glory (the new residence hall is another one, but I won’t get into that).

We as students are often barred from using our own facilities when the BOG rolls into town. But why? Is it really that dangerous to let us use the Alumni Lounge at night when the BOG isn’t actually there? Are we really that destructive? Does is really look that bad when organizations have tables in Bartels fundraising or raising awareness about issues? There is no reason why we should not be allowed to have access to facilities just because the BOG is coming.

What is truly sad about the situation is how obvious it is that administration does not care about the condition of our facilities until the BOG is coming. Those blue stairs in Maxcy? Well, they were good enough for us students but they were much too hideous for the BOG. The whole library-end of Maxcy was painted, retiled, and carpeted just because the BOG was going to be in Maxcy looking at the new media center.

Maintenance was also busy all week painting over stains on the ceiling tiles of the Alumni Lounge. Again, the eyesore of stains is fine for students to look at, but certainly not the BOG. Someone actually said to me, “We should point something out to them [administrators] right before the Board of Governors comes just so it will get fixed.” Not a bad idea since they have cemented their pattern of fixing things for them and not us. Budget cuts have lead to a prioritization of work orders, leaving many things consistently broken (like the mirror on the corner of Sheffield that is necessary for cars to see if other cars are coming). Instead, the budget is being spent on painting ceiling tile stains. Great.

Let’s take a look at the other hand. If I was on the BOG, I can’t imagine that I would want to see anything but how the school really is. I wouldn’t want one end of Maxcy to be fixed right before my arrival. I’d want to see what kind of conditions the students go to school in. I’d like to know that when students first arrive, the soles of their shoes become stained from the painted floors. I’d like to know that there are stains on the ceiling tiles (especially when the roof of Bartels still hasn’t been fixed all semester as it was supposed to be). I’d like to be able to read the student newspaper to get the students’ perspective on the school. If I’m donating my time and money to this school, I want to see it as it is.

I apologize if anyone feels like I am being overly cynical or whiny. However, it is clear to many students (as well as faculty and staff) that here at UNH the BOG is more important than the students. Every time the BOG comes to visit, I feel as though I should hide. Because if all the eyesores are being fixed for their arrival, us useless students might as well be hidden as well. We only go here. We only live here. We only pay to be here. Why should we matter at all? Why should anything be fixed for us? Why should we be able to use programming space? It’s a terrible feeling to know that you are last on the list of someone’s priorities.