the
Have a fun
and safe
Flickerstick's number one fan
chronicles an obsession, page 6
summer:
-the Seahawit staff
Thursday ] April 27, 2006
Serving UNC Wilmington since 1948
Volume LVIII Number 24
Professor
publishes
Fahrenheit 9/11
commentary
Katy Luquire
Staff Writer
Michael Moore’s “Fahrenheit
9/11” was no doubt one of the most
successful and controversial docu
mentaries of all time, and now a
UNCW film scholar has added to
the debate.
History professor Dr. Robert
Toplin wrote the latest of his 12
books about the documentary.
Entitled “Fahrenheit 9/11: How
One Film Divided a Nation,” the
appraisal will be published by the
University of Kansas press.
Toplin explores the truthfulness
of the documentary, as well as the
effects and criticisms of it.
In an interview via e-mail,
Toplin commented on his inspira
tion to investigate the film: "I was
intrigued by the evidence I found.
I discovered that Michael Moore’s
movie was generally well received
abroad and in the United States in
the first weeks, but then people who
disagreed with Moore’s interpreta
tions of political issues mounted
a tremendous effort to discredit
the film. They recognized that the
movie might make a significant
impact in the 2004 presidential
elections.”
Toplin specifically defends
Moore on the criticisms of exces
sive partisanship and using videos
out of context. Documentaries have
a long-standing tradition of parti
sanship, and the videos taken out of
context are only a problem because
of the different ways people inter
pret them, according to Toplin.
“I have written many books that
study the impact of popular film on
public attitudes. Since this move
was enormously controversial, it
seemed a good subject for analy
sis,” said Toplin.
A photo iHustration by Matt Graham I THE SEAHAWK
UNCW is considering changing the basic studies curriculum to include required
freshmen classes and seminars. The new requirements are designed to help
freshmen create stronger bonds with faculty and peers.
UNCW basic
studies curriculum
is in for changes
Benjamin Mahan
Senior Staff Writer
UNCW is set to overhaul its basic studies curriculum pend
ing further investigation into the impact revisions will have on
existing programs and the learning experiences of first-year
students.
The most dramatic format changes found within the Basic
Studies Revision Task Force Proposal Spring 2006 include the
creation of a required Freshman Experience course.
The Freshman Experience courses include a class partner
ing students and academic advisers in a mentoring relationship
called The Freshman Seminar a service learning based course
titled The EDGE, and a seminar designed to help students
develop social and university-based connections known as the
Learning Community Integrative Seminar.
The proposal document, authored by a committee of 10
see BASIC STUDIES page 2
Pollen is in the air and allergy season is here
Katie Wilson
Staff Writer
Sniffling, sneezing and the yel
low film covering virtually every
thing outside serve as constant
reminders that allergy season is now
upon us.
Allergies affect at least 40 mil
lion people in the United States
alone, a number that seems to be
increasing each year, said Terry
Ismert, an adult nurse practitioner at
the Student Health Center.
Allergic rhinitis, or seasonal
allergies, most commonly occur
in the spring and fall. People can
develop allergies at any age, and
their chances of developing allergies
increase with the number of other
family members who also have
allergies.
“If one member of your family
is affected by allergies, your chance
is 50 percent - two members, 75
percent,” Ismert said.
The most common causes of
seasonal allergens include trees,
grasses, weeds and molds, with
tree allergens predominating dur
ing the spring season. Trees can
begin their pollination cycle as early
as February and continue through
early summer months. Grasses pol
linate during summer months, and
mold counts tend to be high during
this time as well. August marks the
beginning of weed season, lasting
through the first frost, Ismert said.
Common perennial allergens,
ones that last all year, include dust
mites, cockroaches and pet dander.
A person allergic to pet dander can
be indirectly exposed through other
people with pets.
“Because allergens are influ
enced by the regions of the country,
students who come from cooler
climates can experience a change
in when their allergies occur, partly
because in warmer climates, there
can be year-round pollen seasons,”
Ismert said.
Symptoms associated with aller
gic rhinitis include an itchy nose,
throat or eyes, runny nose, sneez-
Brett Wilson I THE SEAHAWK
Trees, grasses, weeds and molds
can all cause seasonal allergies.
Trees are the most common al
lergen during spring.
ing, nasal congestion, dark circles
under the eyes and watery, red eyes.
While some of these symptoms are
also present with the common cold,
colds typically last only one to two
see ALLERGIES page 2
Costco: what
impact does it
have on student
commuters?
Amy Tarrillion
Correspondent
Ask UNCW students, and they
may tell you that two of the most
popular apartment communities for
students are the Cape Cottages and
the Hunter’s Crossing condomini
ums. Adjacent to one another off
of College Road on Hunter’s Trail,
these two large housing complexes,
tucked back into a small enclave
off of two of Wilmington’s busi
est streets have consistently been a
popular spot for UNCW students
to live. So did no one let the devel
opers of Costco, the new mem-
bers-only discount store, in on this
before they started their develop
ment in one of the busiest traffic
areas for students?
The intersection of Lennon
see COSTCO page 2