Today is September 24, 2009, a day that doctors said I would not make through one year ago. Today I thank God and everyone else for their support throughout my injury. I am working hard throughout my recovery, and I know that one day I will be 100 percent recovered. Doctors have said I can only get to 90 percent, but I will push for 100. Throughout my injury I have been to a lot of places, like the White House, and I have received a lot of awards because of how positive I have been since the incident. Once again thank you for all of the support and letters I received while hospitalized. Thank you for keeping track of my injury and progress through the websites and articles which have been published. Thank You!!!!

– James Hilaire

On Saturday Sept. 26, during the pre-game of the Chargers Homecoming game, President Kaplan and Director of Athletics Debbie Chin took to the fifty yard line to start the honorary dedication of the Ralph F. DellaCamera field.

For those who missed it, or anyone who may have been unable to hear the ceremony over the roar of the excited University of New Haven fans, here is a brief synopsis. President Kaplan took the microphone and spoke about the old football program here at the University of New Haven. He mentioned how we were considered a “powerhouse” and the “best football program in the state”.  President Kaplan went on to mention our alumni, head coach Tony Sparano, quarterback coach Chris Palmer, offensive coordinator Mark Whipple, and Jacksonville Jaguars player Roger Graham.  Finally, he brought Ralph F. DellaCamera Senior and Junior onto the field to acknowledge their contributions to our stadium, field, and renewed football program.

Ralph F. DellaCamera Jr., managing member of DellaCamera Capital Management LLC, spoke to all the students, family, and friends sitting in the homecoming audience.  He shared with us monumental pieces of advice: “This world isn’t about how hard you get hit; it’s about how hard you can get hit and keep moving forward. That is how winning is done.”  He urged those in attendance to take hits, keep in stride, and always push for their goals. DellaCamera finished his speech with a heart touching nod to his father, saying “Dad, this field is named in your honor, for teaching and instilling in me the belief that I should never give up and that I should believe in myself.”

President Kaplan finished the field dedication by motioning for a large banner to be pulled from the scoreboard, officially naming the field and the stadium. When the ropes refused to pull and the banner refused to fall, it was as if DellaCamera’s speech was coming true: although life may not always be perfect, the ability to keep going makes you strong.
In an almost iconic moment, members of the new football team (our mascot, a player, and members of athletics) joined together to attempt to bring the banner down.

The banner finally fell during an impromptu halftime ceremony and our stadium, our football field, the return of University of New Haven football, and a renewed school spirit were officially noticed. GO CHARGERS!

On Friday, Sept. 25, the Equinox Diner in Orange sponsored their first Equinox celebration. The diner was unusually peppy and exciting as you walked in the front door. Guests were greeted with balloons, a cotton candy machine, and flowing bottles of champagne.

For those who have never been to the Equinox Diner on Boston Post Road, the small diner is a large step up for traditional dining in the area. Serving high quality food at a diner price, the restaurant serves as a perfect introduction to the “diner” atmosphere. From the traditional eggs and bacon breakfasts to brie and turkey lunches, to seafood stuffed dinners with drinks, the Equinox Diner provides great service and platters to its customers.

On this particular Friday, The Equinox was celebrating the cause of its creation: the fall equinox on Sept. 22. The Equinox, which marks the changing of seasons, was also the day the owner was married and the name which inspired the restaurant. For all the diners that came in on Friday, the owner of the Equinox offered a unique gift: a gift card equal to the amount spent for their meals. They also offered free champagne, lots of cotton candy for anyone under 21, and a promise that proceeds would be donated to Big Brothers Big Sisters.

If you missed out on the celebration: don’t fret! While you missed a really great opportunity for some essentially “free” dining, make sure to check out the Diner next time you’re craving a late night snack! The Equinox is open late just for us college students and provides a never ending menu of delicious breakfast foods. Plus, bring your University of New Haven ID: with it, you are guaranteed ten percent off! Make the Equinox your go-to place for great food, great times, and great events!

To all of the students, faculty and staff who attended the Homecoming game this past Saturday – THANK YOU! Thank you for being such great fans, for being so supportive, and for bringing your UNH pride to the new DellaCamera Stadium.

Thank you to all of the clubs who participated in the BlueOut BlowOut Zone. It was nice to have a space where the many student groups could be showcased in a positive fashion.

The Alumni Office did a wonderful job getting over 300 alumni to come back for the wonderful event. Without their support, homecoming would never have been so successful.

And most importantly, the football players. I want to say great job to all of the players that earned a win on their Homecoming day. It was a very exciting and a proud moment to watch my team march down the field and score a game winning touchdown with 0:21 left on the clock.

I encourage all students to support the chargers this Friday when the chargers take on the Southern Connecticut State Owls at 7:00pm . Wear yellow to the game to show your UNH spirit.

– Christopher Rinck

What, exactly, is racism? I believe everyone, to a certain extent, has some racist qualities and will spread them at some point or another. Whether this means telling a “harmless” joke or actually practicing a hate crime, neither is kind nor moral.

With that said, however, I don’t believe that a banner spotted in the news last week was racist. The banner depicts Obama as Heath Ledger’s grotesque Joker character from The Dark Knight. The president is shown with smeared red lipstick, a white face and darkened eyes. The word “socialism” is spelled out below the caricature.

Now, pause one second. If you don’t know me, ask around and one name that will come to mind when mentioning my name is Barack Obama. I’m a huge supporter, and worked with his grassroots campaign to get him elected last November. Have there been racist comics and comments in the media during the past year or more regarding President Obama? Hell yes. But that doesn’t mean that every one of them is racist.

My personal opinion on this banner? Socialism is all about having the same thing for everyone (among other things). I believe that this poster is simply trying to mockingly define socialism in terms of Obama’s stance on healthcare. I believe that this has to do with the Joker because he, in The Dark Knight, was all about harm and fear for everybody.
I just don’t see any racist context in this message. Does that mean it’s not there? Certainly not; I just find it disconcerting when a word such as “racism” is overused, as it is many times in today’s world. Is there still racism in America? Absolutely. But, at the same time, a word shouldn’t be thrown around without truly knowing what it means.

Perhaps to you, this IS racism. I’d love to hear why…I may even agree with you after hearing your reasoning!

But if the only reason is to get out a message to make people think, regardless of the validity of the message, then you have lost my attention already.

Since I was a freshman back in 2006 (wow that makes me feel old), I have participated in Club Fair’s during open house. I have sat with the Forensic Science and Chemistry Club, Alpha Lambda Delta, and the 5-6-7-8 Dance Team. It has always been interesting to sit and watch prospective students, a role each and every one of us once played, come through in hopes of finding an activity they would enjoy. Every year, the USGA sponsored Club Fairs meet with some sort of scrutiny and this year is, surprisingly, no different.

For the first time ever, I got the privilege of sitting with The Charger Bulletin at one of the big tables. No cramping for me! I got there early for two reasons: first, we were never told as clubs what time to arrive and two, I was up anyway to work on finishing this issue. I set up my poster board, laid out papers, and waited. And waited. And waited. A few clubs stumbled in to the empty Recreation Center, but most of the spots remained empty.

Around eleven, a presentation about The College of Arts and Sciences was given to an impressively large crowd of potential freshmen and their parents. The presentation was actually interesting: they played a video and discussed the options of incoming students. However, most people probably could not hear it over the influx of clubs and organizations attempting to set up their tables. Clubs poured in to do the duties they signed up for every year and yet for the first time they were seen as interruptions instead of helpful upperclassmen. Even I was getting annoyed: and I knew it wasn’t the clubs faults.

After the presentation was over the students left, and I was surprised to find myself waiting. And waiting. And waiting. Does this seem familiar? It should. I waited a lot in the beginning too. I was finally ready to talk to these high school students, and they had just left. They came back eventually, sure, but by this point most club members were frustrated, and easily showing it.  I spent maybe an hour, if that, actually talking to students. Many took newspapers and frisbees, and a couple asked genuine questions. But for the most part, the clubs seemed like more of an inconvenience, and the purpose we have held for my four years here was lost amidst confusion and annoyances.

Is there a way to fix this? I definitely think so. For one: try to hold the club fair in a separate location from college talks or, if they are needed to be kept together, make sure the clubs arrive either before the lecture starts or after it ends. That way we aren’t seen as interruptions. Also, if clubs are there before hand, keep quiet during the presentation! When you were a freshman, I’m sure you actually wanted to hear what your faculty had to say. And finally, let’s try to be more organized! It never hurts to make sure that everyone is on the same page and aware of what is about to happen.  It keeps people from getting frustrated…and from waiting. And waiting.

Let’s try to make open house club fairs more efficient next time around! The clubs and organizations, as well as prospective students, will all appreciate it!

“You’ll find him.” “He just wasn’t the one.” “We are meant to be.”

At some point or another, all of us have fallen victim to uttering some less-than-creative variation of one of the above statements. While often meant to be comforting, the prospect of having a soul mate is actually rather daunting.

I’m not sure what I believe. As a hopeless romantic who spends her spare time watching sappy TV shows and movies, I can’t help but smile goofily at the thought of each individual being predestined to fall in love with just one other person. However, after living in the real world for over 20 years, I find myself needing a more rational answer.

I am far from a cynic. I believe in fate, true love, karma, and happy endings, but even so, I find it hard to believe that there is only one perfect match for each person. In a world of over six billion people, how would anyone ever single out their one soul mate? In the term “soul mate,” the “soul” being referred to is an individual’s spirit… not “sole” as in just one. However, it is up to you to determine what you believe. There is, of course, no right or wrong answer.

Throughout our lives, we come in contact with thousands, maybe millions, of different people. Some individuals’ roles are fleeting, while others linger, leaving lasting impressions on us. And every now and then, we come across someone who seems to “get” us. Someone who understands our hopes, our dreams, and our feelings. Someone who satisfies our soul. This person isn’t always a significant other – he or she can be a friend, or even a stranger.

There are certain connections we make with some people that simply cannot be explained. These links come in many forms, such as meeting someone who shares and understands your greatest (and most bizarre) fear, or being able to be completely honest with a person you have just met. Regardless of each person’s role in your life, your soul is inexplicably drawn to individuals who can offer you what you desire. Your soul is smart enough to know that you will never find just one person to satisfy all of your needs, and to compensate, it finds many mates for itself.

Obviously, in a more stereotypical way, “soul mate” refers to the one person whom you love and who loves you back in the same intensity. Even for me, a person who has been involved and in love with the same boy for nearly five years, the idea of having just one soul mate is pretty disconcerting. Imagine the distress this misleading term places on individuals who have not yet found their so-called “one true love.”

I’d like to believe that each person has a few soul mates – a few people whom they could truly be happy with. I don’t mean to say that soul mates are a dime a dozen. If you are lucky enough to have found someone who compliments the very essence of who you are, don’t relinquish that in hopes of finding something better.

Sadly, life isn’t like the movies. It’s more complicated, more strenuous, and a hell of a lot more messy… and the only thing we can hope for is to find someone to share that chaos with.

Editor’s note: UNH counselors are available throughout the week if you need relationship help!

From curious passerby to armed police officers to high-priority helicopters, the city of Goldendale, Washington was the site of much media buzz on Sept. 20 as Goldendale-Bickleton Road was flooded with the final seizure of a bizarre scraggly-haired man, the criminally insane killer Phillip Arnold Paul. After three days of escaping from a mental institution en route to the Spokane County International Fair, Paul was discovered lurking around the roadway, trying to hitch a ride.

Phillip Arnold Paul was first institutionalized in Eastern State Hospital as a schizophrenic for murdering a woman named Ruth Motley in 1987. Following orders from alleged voices in his head to kill “the witch,” he proceeded to strangle her, cut her throat, and eventually burn a deer carcass as sacrifice. Despite Paul’s baffling characteristics, Klickitat County Sheriff Rick McComas insists his surrender lacked any peculiar behavior. “He came out of the brush, onto the roadway, as law enforcement officers were going by. His intent was to voluntarily give himself up because he knew we were going to find him,” said a responding officer.

In fact, this isn’t the first time Paul has escaped from Eastern State Hospital. In 1991, he made a short-lived escape to Medical Lake on another trip in which he was convicted of first degree escape and second degree assault after attacking an officer during booking procedures. This time around, a more probable and premeditated escape seems plausible since nearly all his belongings at the hospital were packed, including $50 from a Social Security check. Paul had allegedly been bragging to a friend about a release from the hospital for months and, after a clean break from the hospital, went to see the friend who provided him with supplies and a ride out of town. However, after learning of the escape on Saturday, the friend called police, tipping them on the location of the last place he left Paul.

As of now, Phillip Arnold Paul is set to receive a checkup and then make a court appearance in Yakima County Superior Court on a sanction from Motley’s murder before being reinstated to the hospital.

NEW YORK – Saturday Night Live has started the season with a bang, or, more precisely, an F-bomb.

Newcomer Jenny Slate let the dreaded word slip during a parody of a talk show by biker women. Called “Biker Chick Chat,” the sketch was laden with tough talk from its participants, played by Slate, Kristen Wiig and guest host Megan Fox.

But the most objectionable word was substituted, with rapid-fire comic frequency, with an inoffensive stand-in for that vulgarity.

Then, midway through the sketch, Slate slipped and said the word she meant to avoid.
“You know what? You stood up for yourself,” she declared, “and I (expletive) love you for that.”

She puffed her cheeks, perhaps realizing her error, but the sketch continued with no interruption or further flubs.

Slate is an actress and comedian who this summer appeared on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon, and is perhaps best-known as half of the comedy duo Gabe and Jenny — until her memorable Saturday Night Live debut this weekend.

NBC declined to comment on the incident, other than to say the word had been restored to the intended “freakin’” for the show’s replays in western time zones.

The sketch aired live at about 12:40 a.m. Eastern, well after prime time, when use of expletives can be punished by the FCC.

It wasn’t the first time this particular word had been heard on Saturday Night Live. Cast member Charles Rocket made the slip in 1981.

But less than two weeks ago, a veteran New York City news anchor created a sensation by accidentally dropping an F-bomb during a newscast while bantering with the weatherman. The clip was soon an Internet favorite. Ernie Anastos of Fox affiliate WNYW apologized on the air the next night.

Editor’s note: The clip is online if you are curious about it.

“My name is Tucker Max, and I am an asshole. I get excessively drunk at inappropriate times, disregard social norms, indulge every whim, ignore the consequences of my actions, mock idiots and posers, sleep with more women than is safe or reasonable, and just generally act like a raging d*ckhead. But, I do contribute to humanity in one very important way. I share my adventures with the world. They are known as: The Tucker Max Stories”

According to the promotional website, I Hope They Serve Beer in Hell, the movie, is the story of an impromptu bachelor party gone horribly awry thanks to a midget. A tireless and charismatic novelty seeker, Tucker (Matt Czuchry) tricks his buddy Dan (Geoff Stults) into lying to his fiancée so they can go on a legendary strip club across Texas to celebrate Dan’s last days in proper style. Tucker drags their misanthropic friend Drew (Jesse Bradford) along for the ride, and before they know it Dan is in serious trouble with both the law and his future wife. The blowout leaves Tucker uninvited to the wedding. If he wants back in, he’ll have to find a way to balance the demands of friendship with his own narcissism and selfishness.

I Hope They Serve Beer in Hell, Tucker Max’s best-selling comedic journal of true adventures hit a select twenty-five theatres this past weekend, one of which was our very own Bow Tie Cinemas in New Haven on Temple Ave.

This film was great for adventurous males and the women that love them. Through the adventures, lies, and more carnal knowledge than was ever needed in an hour and a half, the true comedy was wielded as if it were standup. Now for the women who question the sexist outpour of trash talk and skillfully wielded mating calls from Max: fear for our standing as women, despite anything you might see in the film.

For those of you that aren’t fans of Tucker Max yet, all of his adventures are true and posted for the world to know on his website www.TuckerMax.com. His first book I Hope They Serve Beer in Hell made success as a book and a movie, and we can only hope the same happens when his second hits shelves later this year. Stay tuned to The Charger Bulletin for more!