The Daily Campus: Finals Edition by The Daily Campus

Volume CXVIII No. 71

Monday, December 12, 2011

www.dailycampus.com

FINALS EDITION NEWS: Community Stuffs the Bus for charity.......2 COMMENTARY: Is nice toilet paper too much to ask for .........4

FOCUS: Take some time to relax...........................6 COMICS: Sudokus and more ...... 10-13 SPORTS: Battle of the brothers ......... 16

The Daily Campus, Page 2

Monday, December 12, 2011

News

Community Stuffs The Bus with food and toys for charity

By Michael Corasaniti Staff Writer With the holidays right around the corner and the season of giving almost in full swing, a bus parked outside of Connecticut Commons can only mean one thing: it’s time to Stuff the Bus. As they have been doing for the past five years, Transportation Services is once again asking UConn students and local residents to help all those in need in the Storrs and Willimantic areas. “It’s a way of giving back,” said Janet Freniere, Transportation Services manager. “We have the resources and the buses. We got a lot of donations this year, as there are a lot of good and caring people on campus donating year after year. With that, we have the chance to give back a little bit.” In years past, Stuff the Bus was aimed more towards families of deployed troops and Operation E.L.F. (Embracing Lonely Families) that was established by former Gov. Jodi Rell in 2003. This year, Stuff the Bus will be donating a wide array of items to local and national charities such as Toys for Tots, the Covenant Soup Kitchen in Willimantic and the Rock Hill Veterans Home. Specifically, the event is asking for the classics such as toys for 10 to 15-year-olds, nonperishable food items and clothes

Stuff the Bus is aiming to make donating to the cause as easy as possible this year. Since Dec. 5, the event has been accepting donations at the bus or van it has parked outside of Connecticut Commons. Wednesday, the bus parked between Rome Commons Ballroom and the Nathan Hale Inn to accept donations from students on their way to the Winter Holiday Celebration. Since its inception, the Stuff the Bus donation event has been one of the most successful philanthropic events UConn has to offer. Freniere along with Transportation Services are confident that students and local citizens will once again be able to rise to the challenge of helping those in need at such a critical time. “Like I said, this is just our way to give back. We have been able to collect a lot of good things for a lot of people in need over the years. And with the economy being what it is today, anytime anybody can help is a bonus,” Freniere said. Stuff the Bus will be accepting FILE PHOTO/The Daily Campus donations up until next Wednesday, Transportation Services will be running its fifth annual Stuff the Bus outreach over finals week. Students may bring non-perishable foods, toys for 10 to Dec. 14. Donations can be brought 15-year old childen, clothes for veterans and other goods to be donated to those in need in the Storrs and Willimantic areas. to the bus or van parked outside of Connecticut Commons across for veterans. Stuff the Bus is also Are The Children or Toys for Tots, Rocky Hill Veterans Home,” Freniere from the Co-op or to Transportation very interested this year in collecting the non-perishable food is going to said. “We are also going to donate Services in the Central Warehouse toiletries, socks and underwear for go to the Covenant Soup Kitchen in to WAIM (Windham Area Interfaith next to Parking Services. shelters and homes. Willimantic, and toiletries and most of Ministries) and to the No-Freeze shelMichael.Corasaniti@UConn.edu “Toys are going to go to either We the adult clothes are going to go to the ter in Willimantic.”

UCTV donates cameras to library

By Courtney Robishaw Staff Writer Students now have the opportunity to take advantage of using professional-grade camcorders for academic or personal use in Homer Babbidge Library after a donation from UCTV. Last week, UCTV donated five camcorders, several batteries and chargers to the library valued at over $14,000, according to Amanda Price, a 5th-semester communications major and director of marketing at UCTV. UCTV’s members were not using these older cameras as much after UCTV upgraded its studio to be high-definition compatible and purchased seven high-definition cameras over the past year, according to Mateo Gonzalez, a 7th-semester finance major and general manager of UCTV. Chelsea Miller, productions manager of UCTV, was frequently receiving emails from non-UCTV

members requesting to borrow cameras. However, UCTV has a policy where only members can use cameras after completing a training program. To enable students to be able to use cameras when they need them, UCTV members voted at a meeting two weeks ago to donate cameras to the library, since the library previously only had two cameras available for student use. UCTV is always looking for student-produced content from both non-UCTV members and UCTV members. They will now have the opportunity to utilize these cameras for class projects. “UConn students are always encouraged to submit any video content to UCTV and we’ll play it on our channel, whether it be a class project, short film or a funny clip they may have recorded,” Gonzalez said.

Take a break during Finals Week. Here’s what’s on... Sunday: The Nutcracker 1-3 p.m. & 4-7 p.m. Jorgensen Theater Students: $10 Add a little wonder and magic to the holiday season with Connecticut Ballet’s production of “The Nutcracker” at Jorgensen.

Tuesday: Game Night 6-8 p.m. Student Union, 307 Stop in with your friends and play ping-pong fooze ball or chess; XBOX-Kinect, various board games. Tournaments will be announced.

Thursday: Reading Day All Day UConn On Thursday, students are given a reading day amid the week of finals. Finals resume on Friday morning.

Courtney.Robishaw@UConn.edu

Melanie Deziel, Editor in Chief Mac Cerullo, Managing Editor Brendan Fitzpatrick, Business Manager/Advertising Director Nancy Depathy, Financial Manager Front Desk/Business: Fax: Editor-In-Chief/Commentary: Managing Editor/Photo: News/Sports: Focus/Online:

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Monday, December 12, 2011 Designers: Nicholas Rondinone, Purbita Saha, Matt McDonough, Ed Ryan and Brendan Albetski Copy Editors: Michelle Anjirbag, Ed Ryan, Alisen Downey and Amy Schellenbaum

Brian Zahn, Associate Managing Editor Nicholas Rondinone, News Editor Liz Crowley, Interim Associate News Editor Arragon Perrone, Commentary Editor Ryan Gilbert, Associate Commentary Editor Purbita Saha, Focus Editor John Tyczkowski, Associate Focus Editor Matt McDonough, Sports Editor

Colin McDonough, Associate Sports Editor Jim Anderson, Photo Editor Ed Ryan, Associate Photo Editor Brendan Albetski, Comics Editor Demetri Demopoulos, Marketing Manager Dawn Tarabocchia, Graphics Manager Joseph Kopman-Fried, Circulation Manager Nicole Butler, Online Marketing Manager

Monday, December 12, 2011

The Daily Campus, Page 3

News

University institutes reading day By Katherine Tibedo Staff Writer A resolution passed in the Spring 2010 semester by the University Senate adds a midweek reading day to this fall’s final exam schedule as part of a change in the academic calendar. The reading day will occur this coming Thursday, exactly halfway through the finals week. The change originated as a proposal by student members of the Senate as a way to provide student with time to prepare for exams on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, said University Registrar Jeff von Munkwitz-Smith. In recent years the only reading days provided for fall final exams week were the Saturday and Sunday between the final day of classes and the start of finals. According to von MunkwitzSmith, some students do not feel those days are truly a reading day “Finals week is pretty stressful,” said Alex Clancy, a 1st-semester

communications disorder major. “I mean, the week up to it all you do is study, then you freak out about finals, the idea behind it [the reading day] is good.” Some students questioned the day chosen for the reading period. “I think it would make more sense to be at the beginning of the week, just because you’re going straight from work to exams” said Jaclyn Connolly, a 3rd-semester biology major. “Sounds like a good idea, but I think a day before finals would be better,” said Ryan Wheeler, a 5thsemester molecular cell biology major. Von Munkwitz-Smith expressed a similar idea, saying if it were up to him the reading day would be on Wednesday instead of Thursday because, due to the way the exam schedule is laid out, many students have the majority of their exams on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday. Taylor Cady, a 3rd-semester Animal Science major is one such student.

“I mean, honestly, all my finals are on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, so it doesn’t affect me. It’d be better if it was at the beginning of the week,” Cady said. Last year, the University senate upheld the addition of the midweek reading day after having been asked to review it. Von Munkwitz-Smith expects some people to push for a change in the additional reading day in the future. For now the reading day is being enforced as all departments have been told not to hold exams or makeups on Thursday. Von Munkwitz-Smith said, “The purpose of the reading day is to give students time to prepare for coming exams. Its not fair for to take that away for a makeup exam.” The reading day will more than likely be included in next year’s fall exam schedule unless there is a change in the academic calendar. There will not be a midweek reading day for spring semester’s final exams due to commencement.

Katherine.Tibedo@UConn.edu

WYNNE HAMERMAN/The Daily Campus

A group of students study together at the Bookworms Cafe inside the library.

» NATIONAL

College towns draw those Alabama law seeking active retirement limits students’ gifts to teachers

MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) — An tion charges. It was one of the first bills to be Alabama teacher who accepts a Christmas approved by Republican legislators after they ham or a $25 gift card from a student is swept state elections in November 2010. breaking Alabama’s ethics law. The possible Gary Rivers, the principal at Pine Crest, penalty? Up to a year in jail and a $6,000 was troubled by educators being lumped in fine for the teacher who accepts the gift. with elected officials. “I don’t see how you The law, which took effect earlier this can compare lobbyists in Montgomery givyear and is considered one of the toughest ing gifts to elected officials to children givin the country, limits what public officials ing gifts to their teachers,” he said. and employees can receive as gifts to a The Ethics Commission said providing an “de minimis” value, but it doesn’t define exception for teachers would weaken the law. that amount. With most schools about to “The suggestion that it is harmless for a get out for the holidays, the State Ethics school child to give a Christmas gift to their Commission has been flooded with calls teacher ignores the potential for abuse,” the about what students can commission said. give. According to the “The bottom line for National Conference of me is, our teachers are State Legislatures, many being forced to make a states have laws restrictdecision between breaking gifts to public offiing the law or breaking a cials, particularly from child’s heart,” said Amy lobbyists, but none are as O’Neal, a teacher at Pine broad as Alabama’s. Crest Elementary School “I have not heard of pubabout 30 miles southeast lic school teachers being of Birmingham. specifically targeted for In an advisory opinion a prohibition of gifts and Wednesday, the Ethics allowing ones of de minimus Commission said “hams, value,” said Peggy Kerns, turkeys or gift cards with Amy O’Neal director of NCSL’s Center a specific monetary value Ethics in Government. Teacher at forEric are not permissible.” Items Mackey, execuof nominal value, such as Pine Crest Elementary tive director of the homemade cookies, coffee School Superintendents of mugs and fruit baskets, Alabama, said he wished are acceptable. The commission didn’t give the Legislature had kept Alabama’s old a dollar amount for student-teacher gifts. ethics law that allowed holiday gifts under O’Neal said the guidelines were still $100. “It was clear and easy,” he said. vague. She said her four children had The commission said a gift card would be already picked out monogrammed scarves at permissible if the PTA or a classroom para reduced price for their teachers, and they ent collected a few dollars each from sevplanned to give them. She didn’t think that eral students and pooled it to buy the card. would violate that law. Commission staff members suggested each The sponsor of the law, Republican Sen. donation be less than $5. Bryan Taylor, said it protects teachers Taylor, the law’s sponsor, said if there were against accusations of favoritism to students a violation, someone would have to make a who give them big gifts and avoids embar- complaint about a teacher and the commisrassment for low-income students. sion would investigate. The commission could “In every classroom, there is a Tiny Tim handle an inadvertent violation with a small who can’t afford a turkey or ham,” Taylor said. fine on a teacher, but it would likely refer a case The law was passed after the indictment of to a prosecutor if it appeared a teacher accepted four legislators and two lobbyists on corrup- a big gift and then changed a grade, Taylor said.

“The bottom line for me is, our teachers are being forced to make a decision between breaking the law or breaking a childs heart.”

Good luck on finals! We’ll be back after the break.

(AP) – College isn’t just for the young. With many people seeking a retirement that is culturally active and intellectually stimulating, colleges and universities are working to bring retirees to their campuses and towns, offering them free or reduced-rate classes, artistic performances or lectures. Some have partnered with retirement residences in the area. For some retirees, it’s a homecoming: They’re returning to their former campuses with warm memories of the time they spent there as students. Others are moving to be closer to their children, who might be affiliated with the university. For still others, it’s just a new adventure. “People think seniors today are looking for sun and sand and not much else,” said Jill Lillie, director of marketing at The Village at Penn State, a continuing care residence in State College, Pa. “But boomers are focused on new challenges. They want to enrich their lives, write a new chapter.”

Campus life can provide plenty of opportunities to do that. “We were tired of looking at old people, and we wanted to get to a place where there was a little more vibrancy, a little more to do,” said Al Green, a 1947 Penn State graduate who moved to The Village at Penn State after first retiring to Florida. On a recent fall weekend, he was juggling sporting events, a bridge game and drinks with friends. Students cite benefits, too. Vicki Centurelli, an Ithaca College senior from Hingham, Mass., who has volunteered with retirees, says, “Hearing about different experiences allows you to reflect on your own life and see it a little bit differently, which I think is important for college students to do.” Sure, the same types of residential facilities and programming are available in communities around the country, but there’s a preponderance in college towns, said Scott Perry, president of Bankers Life and Casualty Company, which put out a study on the best U.S. cities for seniors. Among the criteria it

considered were social opportunities, including the number of colleges and universities in town. “We can’t underestimate the importance of keeping our minds active as we age,” he said, adding that college communities have the resources to “allow seniors to focus on what they want to pursue in the next stage of their life.” And it’s not just intellectual and social. Typically, he said, many large universities will have teaching hospitals and even dental schools which provide health services for seniors. “They raise the quality of care in the community,” he said. In Ithaca, N.Y., the Longview retirement community offers independent and assisted living, and has a partnership with Ithaca College to promote intergenerational learning. Two or three residents are taking classes at the college, said Breelan Nash, Longview’s recreation and volunteer coordinator. Residents also attend plays and concerts on campus, with transportation provided.

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Monday, December 12, 2011

Happy Holidays from The Daily Campus!

The Daily Campus Ten lessons I have finally learned at UConn Editorial Board

Melanie Deziel, Editor in Chief Arragon Perrone, Commentary Editor Ryan Gilbert, Associate Commentary Editor Michelle Anjirbag, Weekly Columnist Tyler McCarthy, Weekly Columnist Jesse Rifkin, Weekly Columnist

Reading day should be before final exams, not during

t the conclusion of each semester, the week of final examinations is a recurring ritual which causes stress and anxiety for every student. This semester, the university did something about it. Unfortunately, the inclusion of a “reading day” on Thursday, Dec. 15 provides poor timing for students and professors alike. Final exams this year run from Monday, Dec. 12 through Sunday, Dec. 18. The inclusion of a date with no exams whatsoever for any student could potentially solve many issues for those with little time to study between finals. But the positioning of the reading day smack in the middle of the exam week causes more harm than good. For one thing, a reading day only truly serves its purpose by arriving before all exams. In fact, there are many students who will have finished all their exams by the time the reading day arrives. By contrast, there are other students who have all of their exams after reading day. In this way, the reading day seemingly rewards students whose exams – by complete luck of the draw – happen to fall afterwards rather than beforehand. In addition, the absence of any exams on Thursday pushes the concluding day exams are offered back by one. Many students will be required to stay on campus an additional day, which would not be the case if exams were offered on the corresponding day of their class. Most Tuesday classes will have a final exam on Tuesday, most Wednesday classes will have a final exam on Wednesday, but no Thursday classes have a final exam on Thursday. Other comparable public schools in the northeast have arrived at the same conclusion. University of Rhode Island has a reading day on Tuesday, Dec. 13, right before final exams begin on Wednesday, Dec. 14. University of New Hampshire has a reading day on Monday, Dec. 12, while (almost) all exams begin the next day on Tuesday, Dec. 13. Rutgers, the public school of New Jersey, has not one but two reading days on Wednesday, Dec. 14 and Thursday, Dec. 15, right before exams begin on Friday, Dec. 16. Having a reading day in the middle of the exam week only causes unfairness to certain students and confusion to all. For UConn, the official academic calendar for the spring 2012 semester currently lists exam week as running from Monday, April 30 through Saturday, April 5 with no reading day currently listed. If UConn is going to incorporate a reading day next semester, they should do so before the first exam begins.

Where do the “these come from trees” signs on the paper towel dispensers come from? Wait... People actually use Bing!? Shabazz. You’re great and all, but even you can’t pull off yoga pants. I like the swamp that has developed behind classroom building. Studying for finals? More like studying for Skyrim! #noregrets Sorry I’m not sorry that I only have one final that’s on Wednesday. Suck it. Does anyone else notice how that car crammed with junk near the pharmacy building just keeps filling up? ..Now there’s a cat painting squished up against the window. My classmates invited me to a study session. I spent the whole time studying my partner’s rack. Wait, we have finals this week?

Send us your thoughts on anything and everything by sending an AOL instant message to InstantDaily. Become friends with the InstantDaily on Facebook and follow the InstantDaily on Twitter (@ InstantDaily).

ow facing just one more semester at UConn, I am reflecting on the top 10 lessons that I should have learned four years ago but have only discovered over the past four months. Contrary to my assumptions, when students become seniors they don’t automatically obtain absolute knowledge about the university. When freshman year finished, I thought that I learned everything I needed to know about UConn. How very wrong I was. So listen up, undergraduates! Keep on reading! You might just learn something that you should have known many semesters ago. Lesson #1: The Beanery, By Arragon Perrone Commentary Editor located on the first floor of the Benton Museum of Art, is one of the coolest and most unappreciated places on campus. From comfy chairs to zany products (hamburger timers, anyone?), the Beanery is a great place to read, study or get working on a creative writing project. Nothing screams “English major’s utopia” like the Beanery. In addition, the Beanery has the best coffee on campus. Mr. Fahey’s Favorite may even beat Starbuck’s peppermint mocha latte. If you doubt this statement, check out The Beanery and see for yourself. Lesson #2: Overlooking the Benton and CUE is the No. 1 study place in Homer Babbidge library, sitting at one of two tables on the third floor, facing north. The view is incredible on clear days. Besides people-watching everyone walking down Fairfield Way, you can see from Horsebarn Hill to the cemetery and the distant hills beyond.

Of course, such a view could prove distracting, but sometimes the daydreaming is worth the procrastination, and the view certainly beats sitting in a cubicle facing a brick wall. Lesson #3: For some students, the studying experience is related to the coziness of the chair rather than the epic view. To find the best chairs on campus, you won’t have to travel to the center of the Student Union. Instead, you will find them in the St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Center, located across from the Chemistry building along North Eagleville Road. And yes, they recline. Lesson #4: All the best things do come after you graduate. Storrs Center will finally bring some life back to the loneliest part of Mansfield. Arjona and Monteith will be fully replaced with two awesome buildings that don’t leak during a storm – or on the clearest of days for that matter. If only President Herbst could come up with better names than Classroom Building and the Social Sciences and Humanities Building. Lesson #5: Hundreds of dollars can be saved by not drinking coffee. But that day will never come. If you want to be scared, keep a record of your coffee purchases. Or ignore the money and buy Mr. Fahey’s Favorite at the Beanery. Lesson #6: The third floor may be the best place in the library and the Beanery may be the best place for coffee, but the hands down best place on campus is on top of Horesbarn Hill. Whether you’re on a hike or on a date, Horsebarn Hill is the place to go. During the winter, the sledding conditions are phenomenal. During autumn, the foliage is breathtaking. And in the spring and late summer, ultimate frisbee games can last for

hours. If you haven’t visited the hill yet, make the trip. You can stop at the Dairy Bar along the way. Lesson #7: Did you know that UConn has many off-campus hiking and biking trails? Some of the best stretch from Gurleyville Road to Mansfield Hollow. For maps, visit Mansfield Town Hall, which is located along Route 195 past E.O. Smith High School. If you make it to Mansfield Hollow, consider visiting the Mansfield General Store on Route 195, where you can catch some good food and maybe even live music. Lesson #8: The most delicious food on-the-go is found at Lizzie’s Curbside Catering, located between Arjona and Monteith. Breakfast is served between 8 a.m. and 2 p.m. and lunch between 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. I would strongly recommend the bacon, egg and cheese on a roll and a hot chocolate. Lesson #9: On an academic note, professors want to know that you care about self-improvement and personal intellectual growth, not just getting an A. Concentrating on grades is important, but showing some general interest in your classes will make some professors’ day. Bringing them a coffee from the Beanery may help, too...Just joking; they don’t like bribery. Lesson #10: No matter how much time, research and tears you spend writing your commentary articles, readers will always care more about the InstantDaily. Thanks for reading and good luck on finals! Commentary Editor Arragon Perrone is a 7th-semester english and political science double-major. He can be reached at Arragon.Perrone@UConn.edu

Is nice toilet paper too much to ask for?

’d like to paint you a scenario. Imagine you’re home. You’re in your wonderful bathroom, on your familiar toilet seat, perhaps reading something good. Point is: you’re sitting on a toilet seat in the comfort of your own home. Once finished with your business, you reach over to the roll of toilet paper and in one fell swoop, the paper magically grafts to your fingers, an appropriate amount is acquired and your posterior is pristine. Better than clean, it feels like it was kissed by the down feathers of an angel’s wing. And that’s By John Nitowski just Quilted Northern. Staff Columnist B u t Thanksgiving is over. You come back to UConn and shudder every time you use the bathroom. The experience is very different: it takes at least three or four times to pull the toilet paper down, because the first few times you pull, the paper rips off into tiny pieces, mocking you with every piece. Finally, you pull the single-ply monstrosity ever so slowly, until you have a “sufficient” amount. As one Daily Campus columnist put it, “I have to cut down a forest every time I use the bathroom.” Finally, you go to wipe and rather than the angelic massage you prefer, an unholy love child of sandpaper and steel wool invites itself to one of the most sensitive parts of your body. It is extremely clear that whoever is in charge of purchasing the toilet paper at UConn does not use it. So it prompts the ques-

tion: why? Why in heaven’s name would someone even make such a terrible product? Now, there may be some of you out there saying this is a “firstworld problem.” Shouldn’t we be thankful we at least have toilet paper? Maybe. But here’s the part I don’t understand: Why is Jim Calhoun the highest paid person in the state of Connecticut, but

“Finally, you go to wipe and rather than the angelic massage you prefer, an unholy love child of sandpaper and steel wool invites itself to one of the most sensitive parts of your body.” the university he works for, the one we pay for and the flagship of the Connecticut education system, gives our asses the finger? And please don’t look too deeply into that last statement. Being an unemployed, middle class college student, I complain about how much college costs. But all that complaining would go away instantly if the university decided to stop delivering every employee and their mother a raise and just shell out for some

Charmin Ultra. Hell, I’ll even take Quilted Northern. Jim Calhoun could live in his multi-million dollar mansion AND buy the whole university two-ply toilet paper. If he did, I’d go to every single basketball game. Ever. And I don’t even like basketball. Now, you, the reader, before you put this paper down, think. Before you open those Christmas presents, think. Before you give up your half-hearted New Year’s Resolution, think. Because by the time you give it up, it’ll be taco night at South, or you’ll be juicin’ for a divinely inspired, delectable burrito at Main Street Market, or maybe you’ll splurge on some Panda Express. Then you’ll be back on the toilet, reaching for the toilet paper and laugh as you remember the phrase “unholy love child of sandpaper and steel wool.” You’ll laugh, sure. Then you’ll wipe your rear with it… and remember the reality. It’s funny, but it’s no laughing matter. In fact, it sucks. My rectum is one of the most sensitive parts of my body. And I like angel kisses. Before I leave you to your quiet monastery of studying (because I KNOW you’re studying), I would like to give you permission to use the Daily Campus… only after you’re done reading it, and just once to compare it with UConn brand toilet paper. This is a pain we can all share together. Staff Columnist John Nitowski is a 5th-semester agricultural resources and economics double-major. He can be reached at Nitowskij@UConn.edu

Monday, December 12, 2011

Happy Holidays from The Daily Campus!

The Daily Campus, Page 5

The Presidential Apprentice?

The US rolls with a really good crowd

THIS DATE IN HISTORY

BORN ON THIS DATE

1913

Two years after it was stolen from the Louvre Museum Leonardo da Vinci’s masterpiece The Mona Lisa is recovered inside an Italian waiter hotel room in Florence.

Page 6

Edvard Munch – 1863 Frank Sinatra – 1915 Sheila E. – 1962 Jennifer Connelly – 1970

Monday, December 12, 2011

Happy Holidays from The Daily Campus!

Breathe in and breathe out

Take some time off for rest & relaxation during finals By Jamie Dinar Campus Correspondent During finals, stress is a something all college students must cope with. Ignoring it can lead to serious health and mental problems. While stressed, your hormones are triggered and can cause your heart rate and blood pressure to rise, your muscles to tense and your breathing to become short and shallow. So next time you are nearing your eighth hour in the library, it may be helpful to remember these five tips to relieve those final exam blues: 1) Exercise is the most widely known method to reduce stress. During exercise, your body releases endorphins, chemicals that promote good moods and positive thinking. It also is a good physical outlet for all that stress built up inside of you. With an increased flow of blood to your brain, allowing for more oxygen, your mind will naturally start thinking more clearly, allowing for more productive time at your library cubicle. It is recommended that an average person should spend at least a half hour of cardio three days a week.

2) Meditation is another easy and relaxing way to relieve stress. Normally while breathing, we use our intercostals muscles. However, in times of stress, our breath is short and tampered, so it is important to take in more oxygen by breathing with our diaphragms, a muscle just below the ribcage. To practice, place your hands on your chest and stomach and breathe in. Your stomach should be rising while your chest remains in place. To incorporate meditation, try to imagine yourself in a happy place, whether that is your dorm room, your backyard, the beach, a mountain; any place that reminds you of peace and quiet. Try to remember the smells, the textures and the sounds of this environment. This is just one form of meditation, you can also repeat a mantra, or a repeated word or phrase that serves as a relaxing prayer. You can also practice “mindful meditation,” commonly associated with Buddhism, where you concentrate on the present moment while practicing deep breathing.

» LIMIT, page 8

Nepalese people perform yoga at Swayambhu, a World Heritage site in Katmandu, Nepal. Meditation is often the key to a peaceful and healthy mind. It only takes a few minutes during the day and can be done anywhere, including your dorm room.

Don’t binge on energy drinks Tunes to help kill and rich, expansive meals the study grind

By Jamil Larkins Campus Correspondent

The sun has fallen on Sunday night. That dreaded final exam that has been looming over the entire semester is the next morning. You’ve likely procrastinated all weekend watching football, perusing Twitter or engaging command in Call of Duty. While in your dorm, a plague of yawns suddenly invades your body. “Can’t. Sleep. Must. Study.” These four words have at some point crossed the minds of most college students across the country during the week of finals. Students have looked all around for help focusing and staying up late to study, whether it be through their favorite energy drink, supplement or prescription. But just because final exams are here does not mean you should put your own health at risk. Allow me to enlighten you with some healthy, alternative ways to boot your energy this upcoming week, and some things to avoid. Sleep. In college, we see a classic love/hate relationship with sleep. When

in the way of studying or partying, sleep schedules are often compromised. But, the scarce opportunities for a nap are almost always taken advantage of. During finals week, try to get at least six hours of sleep per night. Schedule your days in advance and allow yourself adequate time to rest. Will yourself to get as much studying done as you can get during the day. Also, after each exam you have, take an hour -ong nap. You’ll wake up feeling rejuvenated and ready to conquer the next task. Food. This is another necessity of living during finals week. Even if you don’t normally eat well, this week, you really should make an effort to do so. Personally, I would avoid starches and fatty meats completely, which will only slow you down and make you even more sluggish than normal. Instead of three large meals a day, opt for many small meals throughout the day. Add more fruits and vegetables to your diet, which can easily become between-meal snacks. Instead of adding sugar to your coffee or

tea, use raw agave syrup. This organic sweetener is much sweeter than sugar, meaning you can use less. Drizzle agave nectar over cereal, fruits, or snacks such as granola to give an added boost of energy. Energy drinks. Simply put, don’t drink them! The crash after an energy drink is real. Though providing a temporary jittery spark, in the long run, energy drinks will only hurt you. The most simple alternative to energy drinks is water. Yes, water. Staying hydrated throughout this upcoming week will be one of the smartest and beneficial decisions you can make. Never been a fan of drinking plain water? Combine water, raw dates, lemon juice, and lime juice into a blender for a natural and healthy energy kick. Here’s another trick to consider: drink liquids 30 minutes before and after meals. Liquids slow down the process of digestion, which consumes a good amount of our body’s energy. Coffee. The closest sibling to energy drinks. Caffeine is one of the most used and abused drugs in the entire world, and I’m

sure that is even more prevalent on college campuses. All I will say about coffee is that if you insist on drinking it, drink it black. Don’t go adding a bunch of sugars or artificial sweeteners to it, which are not good for you in the first place. I would strongly recommend tea this week. On average, tea has a lower amount of caffeine than coffee, but enough to provide a boost if you are “addicted.” Black tea has more caffeine than green, and green has more than white. Don’t sacrifice your personal health over this week of finals. Plan your study and sleep schedule ahead of time, and there will be no need to splurge on energy drinks or other boosters to get through all your studying. Though it may seem “cool” to post an “all-nighter” status on Facebook as you simultaneously check into Homer on FourSquare, it will come back to haunt you. Take this advice as you wish, but everything listed definitely works for me. Good luck on finals and remember, Red Bull doesn’t really give you wings.

Jamil.Larkins@UConn.edu

By Joe O’Leary Senior Staff Writer We’ve hit finals period again, which means another week full of hardcore studying and not much sleep. But while you’re devoting hours upon hours to your studies, whether you’re slogging through political science essays or engineering exams, a little music might help you keep your sanity. Here’s a playlist that’ll hopefully help you get those As. “Intro” by the xx There’s not a song out there that can prepare you for the long task ahead better than this opening track from the xx’s first album. it’s got swagger and an atmosphere that will get you pumped. “Ohio” by Justice This dreamy track off Justice’s recent sophomore release features a killer bassline, one of the better drum machine beats in recent memory and a killer breakdown that’ll amp you up almost as much as a five-hour energy shot. “Kids” by Sleigh Bells Dragging a bit? The noiserock antics on this cut off “Treats” will wake you right up. The song tosses a wall of sound right into your face, and the lyrics are about a vacation… which will be right after your tests.

“Better Things” by Passion Pit You may know it better from the Chiddy Bang song, “Truth,” that samples it, but this Passion Pit deep-cut is poppy and upbeat and features a killer chorus, “Better things are coming / I swear there’s truth in that.” That sums up the finals period as a whole. “Heart of a Lion” by KiD CuDi Maybe this playlist has been too light and poppy so far, so let’s fix that with a track from the troubled genius. It’s not exactly sunshine and rainbows, but it’s got a chorus that’ll hopefully motivate you at those 3 a.m. lulls. “Hateful” by The Clash I really only included this song on here because it sums up just about every student’s opinion about finals, but it’s also a great cut off a classic album with some classic punk attitude. “Minnesota, WI” by Bon Iver It’s not the best cut off the group’s fantastic, newlyGrammy-nominated self-titled album, but it strikes a good balance between the natural fury of “Perth” and “Calgary” and the natural beauty of “Holocene,” hitting a melancholy sweet spot.

» ENERGY, page 8

Happy Holidays from The Daily Campus!

Monday, December 12, 2011

The Daily Campus, Page 7

A silver lining to pulling an all-nighter? By Joe O’Leary and Brendon Field Campus Staff It’s time for finals again and the return of the dreaded all-nighter. While we’ve been told since high school to avoid all-nighters at all costs, sometimes they’re unavoidable. Clumped finals, cumulative exams and impossible assignments will make many Huskies forego sleep for the night. But are they really all that bad? Joe: I, for one, have no problems with the all-nighter. For a lot of us, there’s just not enough time during finals to make anything less than a sleepless night a key to success. Sure, we shouldn’t leave everything

until the last minute, but most of us do it anyway. It’s especially understandable for those of us whose majors center around speedy deadlines. Staying up until 10 in the morning may not be fun, but you know what is? Collapsing into your bed with the knowledge that your work is done at 10:01. Brendon: You know what I don’t find very fun? Getting a D+ because I chose not to finish my work until after 10 hours of sleep-deprived misery. People say it doesn’t matter when you get the work done as long as it gets done, but that’s something I like to call denial. Planning ahead and setting a schedule for work proves beneficial in not only quality of working

but ease of stress. There’s much less anxiety when completing work three days before the deadline than three hours. Joe: Anxiety? I love anxiety. And who doesn’t love getting to be nocturnal for the night! There’s the lack of food after everything closes, the numerous points where you almost fall asleep, that bleary-eyed “I can’t do this” thought at 5:30 a.m... It’s perfect if you want to add some thrills to your finals. Brendon: Oh yeah, the strenuous nauseating tests that have a crucial, practically threatening role in my future as a student and as a member of the crumbling abyss that is modern day society; that’s definite-

ly where I want my thrills. While pulling a successful all-nighter does give a boost to one’s self esteem, failing to complete one or falling apart at the seams attempting to avoid doing so can lead to, among other things: academic failure, dismissal, wasted money, self-loathing, disownment, depression, poverty and a nice stay in the five star hotels known as mental institutions. Have fun with Nurse Ratched. Joe: Until we’re solidly in our majors, we’re taking general-education classes, many of which are tedious, uninteresting or horribly-taught. (I still have nightmares about Oceanography, and I took that four semesters ago.)

Why devote more time to studying for a final than our professors spend on our work the whole semester? When we’re busting our butts to get work in, only for our teachers not to return grades for months, we might as well spend a single night learning the material and then letting it blissfully slip away. Brendon: Yes, blissfully slip away, 10 minutes before the exam because you feel absolutely dead. And as for those horribly taught gen-eds, well you better hope you’re done with them because you’re not getting any bonus points after your professors read this. Anyway, no matter what class it is, it involves lots and lots and reading,

and you always have to account for the possibility of something going wrong in that final cram. All too often Microsoft Word will implode and turn all of my notes to German, my textbook will have fallen down a rabbit hole or I find I can’t read my own handwriting. Planning ahead gives time for organization, and opportunities to work with others. And even if you do get the studying done, remembering it is a whole differently story. Go look up a game show by the name of “Cram,” and you’ll discover that nobody ever won.

Joseph.O’Leary@UConn.edu Brendon.Field@UConn.edu

» BEST FILMS

Five memorable movies that deal with alcoholism

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Charlize Theron’s character in “Young Adult,” a divorced, deluded teen-lit writer, wakes up each morning face-down in her bed wearing the same clothes she had on the night before. Bleary-eyed and dehydrated with a face full of smudged

makeup, she guzzles Diet Coke straight from the two-liter bottle and maybe even remembers to open a can of dog food for her neglected Pomeranian. She clearly has a drinking problem, which she vaguely tries to talk to her clueless parents about, but in truth would

rather ignore and just pour herself another glass of bourbon. It’s a daring performance in a daring film, and it got me thinking about other movies that presented alcoholism in equally vivid, unflinching terms: — “The Lost Weekend” (1945): This was groundbreak-

ing in its day for exploring what was then considered a taboo subject. Long before going through rehab was societally acceptable and even encouraged, people just didn’t talk about alcoholism, and film depictions of drinking were usually glamorous or whimsical. “The Lost Weekend” is anything

but: It’s a nightmarish, sometimes hallucinatory vision of a struggling writer (Ray Milland) boozing and battling his demons of the course of several days. It won four Academy Awards including best picture and best director for Billy Wilder. — “Barfly” (1987): Barbet Schroeder’s film, based on a script by Charles Bukowski (who knew a little something about male torment), may have a romantic, L.A.-noir aesthetic, but it’s piercing in its no-nonsense portrayal of two lonely people who are as much in love with booze as they are with each other. Maybe even more so. Mickey Rourke is a divebar denizen and sometime poet; Faye Dunaway is the classy dame with whom he falls into a quick and convenient romance. They’re a mess together, but they’re made for each other, because they’ll both do whatever it takes to find that next drink. — “Leaving Las Vegas” (1995): There’s a pattern here with these self-destructive writers who drink themselves into a stupor to escape their failure, to escape themselves. As a Hollywood screenwriter, Nicolas Cage wants to escape everything when he travels to Las Vegas to drink himself to death. He’s charismatic, vola-

tile and achingly sad as he dives headfirst into his intentional ruin, and the performance earned him an Oscar for best actor. Elisabeth Shue is excellent here as the prostitute who’s fascinated by him but doesn’t try to save him, and director Mike Figgis doesn’t judge either of them. Rather, he shows us their relationship, and the seedy side of this city, in immediate, intimate ways. — “Bad Santa” (2003): As in “Arthur,” the perpetual drinking is a running joke, but the laughs come from a much darker place. Yes, Terry Zwigoff’s film is consistently funny but it’s also got an unrelenting, unapologetic mean streak. Billy Bob Thornton’s character, Willie T. Stokes, is a miserable guy, a part-time department-store Santa Claus and full-time alcoholic con man. Willie is profane and anti-social, a chain smoker who drinks so heavily, he’s oblivious when he urinates all over himself. He’s an unscrupulous shell of a man with no chance at redemption — not that he wants one. Thornton plays him as if he were a character in a drama, without a trace of caricature, which makes him totally believable.

The Daily Campus, Page 8

Limit the stress and the caffeine when studying from BREATHE, page 6

Monday, December 12, 2011

Happy Holidays from The Daily Campus!

Energy is the key to a solid soundtrack for finals week

3) Drink less caffeine. Doesn’t seem helpful right? How else are you going to stay up all hours of the night studying? Well, it turns out that caffeine is a stimulant that can actually make you feel more stressed out. Also, it can keep you from getting the right amount of sleep, which is very important to keep you focused while studying and to keep your immune system healthy! So try to keep away from large amounts of coffee, tea, energy drinks or any other substances that contain caffeine and will keep you up. 4) Avoid stressful people! Leave the stressful environment! Stress is contagious, and especially during finals when everyone is stressing, it’s important to allow some “you-time” with no one else’s added stress. Maybe take a walk to Starbucks with your iPod, or scope out new books at the Co-op. Whatever it is, just remember as you are clearing your mind that in two weeks it will all be over. 5) Lastly, and most importantly, remember to give yourself – and your brain – a rest. How would you feel if you were physically being pushed to your limits for hours on end? Just like your body, your brain is going to need some downtime too. For every hour that you study, it is recommended that you take a 10-15 break in between. You can watch an episode of your favorite show online, check your email or Facebook, or go down to Bookworms for some food! Whatever it is, remember to take it easy.

“The Book of Mormon” soundtrack Need a quick study break, but don’t want to leave Homer for fear of distraction? Take quick breaks by listening to songs from the Tony-winning musical. Just don’t laugh loud enough to get thrown off the quiet floor. “Never As Tired As When I’m Waking Up” by LCD Soundsystem This song has the feel of a long, sleepless night, which is perfect for when you’re crashing and need to get some sleep at 3 a.m. Just make sure you don’t sleep through your exam. “Amor Fati” by Washed Out Take a breather with this chillwave track, which sounds nearly as soothing as the ocean’s waves. It’ll relax you for a few minutes. “Pon De Floor” by Major Lazer feat. VYBZ Kartel Save this track for the moment you’ve finished your last final. Put it on. Dance. This killer Jamaican dancehall track is the perfect way to unwind after the stress of exams is finally off your back. Enjoy your vacation, but save some of your “bestest wine” for next semester.

Jamie.Dinar@UConn.edu

Joseph.O’Leary@UConn.edu

from TUNES, page 6

Get rid of distractions by incorporating selfcensoring technology By Alyssa McDonagh Campus Correspondent With finals occurring all week, now is the ultimate time to hunker down with your textbook and study, study, study. But, studying for finals can be a very daunting task. The abundance of material you need to master is overwhelming and, chances are, there are plenty of things you would much rather be doing with your time. This is the one week where your focus needs to be at its prime. Becoming sidetracked by distractions will only bring you down and waste the little time you have to prepare. Here are some suggestions for beating distractions and staying focused. Delete Apps on Your Smartphone IPhone, Droid, Blackberry. They all have app stores loaded with silly games and social networking devices that can be instantly downloaded and added to the phone. Yes, it is fantastic to be able to check your newsfeed and see who tweeted you at the simple touch of a finger., but how valuable are these

features when your attention is required? If you find yourself on Facebook or playing Words with Friends and you don’t even remember when you stopped studying, it is time to say goodbye to the apps. As easily as apps can be downloaded, they can be removed. Delete the apps that cause you to lose your focus and you will accomplish so much more throughout this week. Don’t fret! They can easily be loaded back onto your phone when finals are over. Good Apps Exists While the majority of apps out there will distract you, apps that can help you focus do exist. Trying to study and you can’t help but listen to all the conversations that are happening around you? Neighbors violating the quiet hours by blasting their music? If you are too exhausted from studying to move all of your books to a quieter location, download the White Nose Ambience Lite app. It’s free. It may seem silly but this app can really help you focus by eliminating all disrupting background noise. The app comes with 12 different sounds like the sound of a fan, ocean waves, twilight insects, rain on a car and actual white noise. Grab your head phones and listen to your distractions disappear. SelfControl Yes, finals week is the perfect time to exhibit some selfcontrol over your actions and buckle down to study. In this case, though, SelfControl is an OS X application for Macs. It will block websites for certain periods of time. You control what websites it will block and for how long. For example, you can set it to block your access to Facebook and email for three hours while you read the next chapter in your Biology textbook. SelfControl ensures that its users stay focused. Once you set it to block a web-

IPhone apps can be both helpful and dismal to a hard-working student during finals week. But SelfControl is an effective method for staying focused during study sessions.

site, this action cannot be undone, even if you restart your computer. Users must wait for the timer to run out. Other websites are accessible though. This is an advantage to SelfControl and important if you want to look up a concept you do not understand. Get a Friend to Help! If you have a friend that is just as determined as you are to study, help each other out by preventing one another from getting distracted. Make a deal with them that if they see you daydreaming about your crush or doodling all over your calculus notes, they

should call you out on it. Sometimes all it takes is for someone else to scold you for getting off task and your focus can be restored. It is important, though, that this friend won’t make you even more distracted by talking to you. That will be detrimental to both of you. Make promises that if both of you don’t get distracted during a study session, you will go to the Dairy Bar for an ice cream. Make it a game and see who can get distracted the least. Either way, you’ll be motivated to stay on task.

Alyssa.McDonagh@UConn.edu

Monday, December 12, 2011

Happy Holidays from The Daily Campus!

The Daily Campus, Page 9

Dreaming in white and navy

The Daily Campus, Page 10

Toast by Tom DIlling

Happy Holidays from The Daily Campus!

Monday, December 12, 2011

#hashtag by Cara Dooley

Royalty Free Speech by Ryan Kennedy

Monkey Business by Jack Boyd

Editorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Choice by Brendan Albetski

Froot Buetch by Brendan Albetski and Brendan Nicholas

Nothing Extraordinary by Thomas Feldtmose

Procrastination Animation by Michael McKiernan Stickcat by Karl, Jason, Fritz and Chan

Monday, December 12, 2011

Froot Buetch by Brendan Albetski and Brendan Nicholas

Side of Rice by Laura Rice

Happy Holidays from The Daily Campus!

The Daily Campus, Page 11

Mensch by Jeff Fenster

Pundles by Brian Ingmanson

Stickcat by Karl, Jason, Fritz and Chan

Pundles by Brian Ingmanson

Thanks so much for reading this semester! Good luck on finals! <dailycampuscomics @gmail.com>

The Daily Campus, Page 12

I Hate Everything by Carin Powell

Happy Holidays from The Daily Campus!

Monday, December 12, 2011

Horoscopes To get the advantage, check the day’s rating: 10 is the easiest day, 0 the most challenging. Aries (March 21-April 19) -- Today is an 8 -- You’re learning quickly. Don’t throw your money around, or give advice unless asked. Invest in efficiency, and plug a leak to stay in the race. This could be fun. Taurus (April 20-May 20) -- Today is a 9 -- Friends are glad to lend a hand and a strong back or two, if needed. You would do the same. There’s unity in community; the quest is unimportant. Gemini (May 21-June 21) -- Today is a 9 -- Move quickly to take advantage of an opportunity for profit. It’s a good time to apply for a raise. Show the value you can provide. Gather it all up. Cancer (June 22-July 22) -- Today is a 9 -- Someone far away, even a character from a story, inspires you to a journey or adventure. You can go farther than expected. Reach out and touch someone. Leo (July 23-Aug. 22) -- Today is an 8 -The money’s available once you agree on the action. Follow a hunch, and put this into a plan that excites everyone. Pay down a debt. Celebrate with friends and treats. Virgo (Aug. 23-Sept. 22) -- Today is an 8 -- Be prepared, so you can move quickly when necessary. A friend’s help is appreciated, and gatherings tempt. Your new social connections open doors. Libra (Sept. 23-Oct. 22) -- Today is a 9 -- Do what’s required with some alacrity, and the rewards are great. Tap into abundance. There’s more work coming, so keep the pedal to the metal. Scorpio (Oct. 23-Nov. 21) -- Today is a 7 -- Just because you failed before doesn’t mean that it’s not worth trying again. Revise your measurements, and get the team fired up. Use a different angle. Sagittarius (Nov. 22-Dec. 21) -- Today is a 9 -- You’re a powerhouse when it comes to getting things done. Work may be getting more intense, but you’re earning brownie points. Rest after the big game. Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) -- Today is an 8 -- New ideas come to fruition with the help of a partner. The love you take is equal to the love you give. Don’t be afraid to express your feelings. Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 18) -- Today is a 7 -- A little bit of extra effort goes a long way. A lot takes you farther. Your family holds the answer. Solve difficult problems now. Keep your eyes on the future. Pisces (Feb. 19-March 20) -- Today is an 8 -- Begin a marketing campaign that brings long-term rewards. New opportunities are there, if you look. There’s time for romance. Go ahead and indulge.

Monday, December 12, 2011

Royalty Free Speech by Ryan Kennedy

Happy Holidays from The Daily Campus!

The Daily Campus, Page 13

Editorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Note: The answers to some of the crosswords on this page are contained in the other crosswords. Be careful not to spoil anything for yourself!

The Daily Campus, Page 14

Happy Holidays from The Daily Campus!

Monday, December 12, 2011

NBA returns to action with Christmas contests By David Marinstein Campus Correspondent After 149 long, tedious days, the NBA has returned. The players and owners agreed to a collective bargaining agreement in which a 66-game season would occur beginning on Dec. 25. Christmas Day, which usually has a headline of NBA games, will be even more exciting this year as it will be the first time fans will see NBA basketball in over six-and-a-halfmonths. Boston Celtics @ New York Knicks – 12 p.m., TNT The return of basketball means that the duo of Carmelo Anthony and Amar’e Stoudemire will finally get a (almost) full season together. The “Mecca of Basketball,” as Madison Square Garden is referred to, is sure to be electric on Christmas Day, when the rival Celtics come into town. Many are picking the Celtics to have a great year this season as the shortened game schedule will benefit the veteran–stacked team. Although Boston does have a deeper team at this point, when the Garden is rocking, it’s very difficult for an away team to override the momentum of a fresh Knicks team. This should be a very exciting, backand-forth game. Miami Heat @ Dallas Mavericks – 2:30 p.m., ABC The second game on slate is a rematch of last year’s exciting Finals. Miami’s “Big Three” will get a chance to redeem themselves after a hype-filled season ended with a Finals loss. Dirk Nowitzki and crew will receive their rings and look to win yet another game against the Heat. Free agency within the next few days will determine the depth of each team, in particular at the center position. This will be another great Christmas Day game, so be sure to at least watch in the fourth quarter to see what LeBron James has done to improve his game.

Chicago Bulls @ Los Angeles Lakers – 5 p.m., ABC Every Christmas, the Lakers seem to steal the spotlight from other teams and always put on a great performance. With a rejuvenated, healthy Kobe Bryant, the Lakers should give last year’s regular season Eastern Conference champs some trouble. 2011 MVP Derrick Rose won’t let the Bulls go quietly into the “Silent Night,” though. This game could end up spectacular shootout between the two superstars. Expect another great Christmas Day game from the City of Angels. Orlando Magic @ Oklahoma City Thunder – 8 p.m., ESPN This will be an intriguing matchup to see if the bigs of OKC can stop the best center in the NBA, Dwight Howard. If the likes of Kendrick Perkins and Serge Ibaka can defensively keep Howard under control, the Thunder will be able to exploit the many mismatches they create for opposing teams. Superstar Kevin Durant and point guard Russell Westbrook are athletic freaks of nature that are not easily stopped. You can bet the raucous Oklahoma City crowd will be out and ready to cheer their team to victory. Los Angeles Clippers @ Golden State Warriors – 10:30 p.m., ESPN The last Christmas Day matchup premieres some of the league’s brightest upcoming stars. Blake Griffin will lead the Clippers into Oakland to take on Stephon Curry, Monta Ellis and the Warriors. Between the amount of dunks from Griffin and shooting prowess of the Warriors’ backcourt, this could turn into a very high-scoring affair. In Mark Jackson’s head coaching debut with the Warriors, it will be interesting to see if Golden State can excel on something they’ve struggled with in recent history: defense. AP

David.Marinstein@UConn.edu

» NCAA

Sandusky’s wife defends husband in sex abuse case

STATE COLLEGE, Pa. (AP)— The wife of ex-Penn State assistant coach Jerry Sandusky said Thursday her husband is innocent of the child sex abuse allegations made against him and that his accusers are making up their stories, including one suggesting she was home while Sandusky attacked a boy who screamed for help. Dottie Sandusky’s comments defending her husband were the first she has made since Sandusky was arrested last month and accused of molesting boys he met through a charity he founded for troubled youth. He faces more than 50 charges and has maintained his innocence. She released the statement through her husband’s lawyer a day after a grand jury report detailed claims of two new accusers, among them the testimony of one who said he cried out for her help while Sandusky assaulted him in a basement bedroom. “I am so sad anyone would make

such a terrible accusation which is absolutely untrue,” she said. “We don’t know why these young men have made these false accusations, but we want everyone to know they are untrue.” Dottie Sandusky, who has raised six adopted children, said she has been “shocked and dismayed” by the claims. “I have been devastated by these accusations,” she said. “Our children, our extended family and friends know how much Jerry and I love kids and have always tried to help and care for them. We would never do anything to hurt them.” Earlier Thursday, Jerry Sandusky was released after a night in jail when he posted bail stemming from the latest child sex abuse charges filed against him. Sandusky secured his release using $200,000 in real estate holdings and a $50,000 certified check provided by his wife, according to online court records. A judge has ordered him subject to electronic monitoring.

NBA player LeBron James throws a football before the NCAA college football game between Oregon and Southern Call in Eugene, Ore., Saturday, Nov. 19.

Monday, December 12, 2011

Happy Holidays from The Daily Campus!

The Daily Campus, Page 15

» NCAA FOOTBALL

BCS Bowl pick ‘em: Will LSU beat ‘Bama? By Danny Maher and TJ Souhlaris Campus Correspondents Rose Bowl, Jan. 2, 5 p.m.: No. 5 Oregon vs. No. 10 Wisconsin

Danny: Expect this battle for the roses to be a shootout as Oregon ranks third in the country in scoring offense while Wisconsin ranks fourth. This is also a matchup of two of the top running backs in the country; Wisconsin’s Montee Ball leads the country with 32 rushing touchdowns and 1,759 rushing yards. Oregon’s LaMichael James is first in the nation with 149.6 rushing yards per game. Wisconsin 38, Oregon 31. TJ: This is a matchup between two teams that know how to run the ball and score points. The biggest difference is that Oregon’s defense has been suspect at times, giving up 78 points combined in their losses, while ‘Sconny has been more consistent on defense. I also think Russell Wilson is the more dynamic of the two quarterbacks in this game. Badgers take this one. Wisconsin 41, Oregon 35.

Cardinal do not. Sometimes it’s that easy. Cowboys win. Oklahoma State 45, Stanford 35. Sugar Bowl, Jan. 3, 8:30 p.m.: No. 11 Michigan vs. No. 13 Virginia Tech Danny: I do not believe either of these teams should even be in a BCS game. Virginia Tech’s 11-2 record is impressive, but not when the Hokies only beat one ranked team, Georgia Tech, who’s not ranked any longer. It should be Kansas State and Boise State. I’ll take Denard Robinson and Michigan. Michigan 24 Virginia Tech 14. TJ: First of all, congratulations to the BCS for giving us this crappy game instead of Boise State and Arkansas. You always do a great job. Anyway, Tech looked absolutely terrible in the ACC championship game. Shoelace Robinson and the Wolverines take it in a game that I surely won’t watch. Michigan high score, Virginia Tech not as high score.

Fiesta Bowl, Jan. 2, 8 p.m.: No. 3 Oklahoma State vs. No. 4 Stanford

Orange Bowl, Jan. 4, 8:30: No. 15 Clemson vs. No. 23 West Virginia

Danny: The Fiesta Bowl will pit two of the nation’s top-scoring offenses and top quarterbacks, Oklahoma State’s Brandon Weeden and Stanford’s Andrew Luck. But it’s not just about the quarterbacks. Stanford tight end Coby Fleener leads all tight ends with 10 touchdown receptions and Oklahoma State’s Justin Blackmon is top 10 in the country in virtually all receiving categories. There is no way Luck goes out without a win. Stanford 52, Oklahoma State 38. TJ: In what’s essentially a game between two future NFL quarterbacks in Luck and Weeden, the Fiesta Bowl is sure to be a high-scoring affair. The Cowboys will be playing with a chip on their shoulder after getting shafted by the BCS, like many other teams in college football. But this game will come down to Blackmon – the Pokes have Blackmon and the

Danny: Two fairly weak defensive teams will match up in the Orange Bowl. West Virginia is on a bit of a roll now winning three close games to make it to Miami. Clemson lost three of four before cruising past Virginia Tech in the ACC championship game. West Virginia 27, Clemson 24. TJ: Although this is a ACC-Big East game, I think it will be pretty entertaining. The Moutaineers don’t instill me with confidence, especially after getting spanked by a 5-7 Syracuse team. Led by sneaky good quarterback Tajh Boyd, the Tigers win. Clemson 31, West Virginia 17. BCS National Championship Game, Jan. 9, 8:30 p.m.: No. 1 LSU vs. No. 2 Alabama Danny: The rematch of the game of the century is between the two

LSU head coach Les Miles speaks to cornerback Tyrann Mathieu (7) late in the second half of the Southeastern Conference championship NCAA college football game against Georgia, Saturday, Dec. 3, 2011, in Atlanta. LSU won 42-10.

best defensive teams in the country, Alabama and LSU. Compared to LSU’s 9-6 win in overtime on Nov. 5, I expect more of an offensive game. Look for Heisman hopefuls Alabama running back Trent Richardson and LSU punt returner/corner back Tyrann Mathieu to be deciding factors in who

takes home the crystal ball. Roll Tide. Alabama 20, LSU 17. TJ: In a rematch of an ugly-butexciting 9-6 game in November, the Tigers and Crimson Tide will battle in what’s basically a home game for Tigers. LSU is too talented for ‘Bama on defense, led by Heisman-

hopeful and special teams stud Tyrann Mathieu. The Tigers will hoist the Coaches’ Trophy when it’s all said and done. LSU 24, Alabama 10.

Daniel.Maher@UConn.edu Timothy.Souhlaris@UConn.edu

Whale Watch: Is Hartford ready to support an NHL team? By Tyler Morrissey Featured Columnist “Ladies and gentlemen, here are your Hartford Whalers,” is a phrase that has not been heard out of the XL Center’s public address system since the Whalers played their last game against the Tampa Bay Lightning on April 13, 1997. From 1974 to 1997 the Hartford Whalers (previously the New England Whalers) were the only major professional sports franchise to call Connecticut “home.” The Whalers got their start in the World Hockey Association before joining the NHL in 1979. In 18 seasons the Whalers made the playoffs a total of eight times and won only one playoff series against the Quebec Nordiques, which inspired the team’s infamous nickname, “the forever .500’s.” After a series of poor trades that sent fan favorites like Ron Francis away and poor moves by ownership, it was clear that the city might lose the team. In 1997 that’s exactly what happened. The team relocated to Carolina to become the Carolina Hurricanes where they would eventu-

ally capture the holy grail of hockey, the Stanley Cup, in 2006. Since the Whalers left, Hartford has been the home to the American Hockey League, which is the minor league for the NHL. The Hartford Wolf Pack were established shortly after the Whalers left to keep hockey alive in Connecticut. The Wolf Pack made the playoffs for 12 straight years dating back to ‘97 and won the Calder Cup, the AHL’s championship, in 2000. In November of last year the former owner of the Hartford Whalers, Howard Baldwin, took the job as head of marketing for the Wolf Pack and announced that the team would be rebranded as the Connecticut Whale to pay tribute to the departed NHL franchise. This name change was to garnish support for the team and rejuvenate the Whaler brand in Connecticut. With the rebranding came events, such as Whaler Hockey Fest that included a reunion of former players as well as outdoor hockey at Rentschler field that saw the Connecticut Whale take on the Providence Bruins. Also, the UConn men’s and women’s hockey

teams played games as well. So this poses the question, is Hartford ready to support an NHL team again? Hartford would not be the first city to lose a team and get one back years later. This year is the first season back for the Winnipeg Jets who originally relocated in 1996. With lots of support from their city and its fans Winnipeg got their franchise back when True North Sports bought the Atlanta Thrashers and moved them this past summer. Many hockey fans in Connecticut say if Manitoba can do it, why not us? After all, the newly built MTS Center in Winnipeg seats only 15,004 for hockey while the XL Center holds 15,635. The problem is not necessarily how many seats your arena holds but how many seats you actually fill. Currently the Connecticut Whale average 4,700 fans per game and are 16th in league attendance according to theAHL.com. Compare this to the Manitoba Moose who were formed in Winnipeg after the Jets left, they ranked second in attendance in the AHL during 2009. This past Tuesday only 2,000 people were in atten-

dance to see the Whale take on the Hersey Bears in a game where the sons of hockey hall of famer Ray Bourque faced each other for the first time. Baldwin released a statement to the Hartford Courant stating ,“We have great faith that there is more than enough interest and passion in the sport of hockey in Connecticut to make it the top market in the American Hockey League.” Without the support of the fans the dream of an NHL franchise returning to Hartford is not possible. In a lecture that Baldwin gave last year on the UConn campus, he said, “You have to put people in the seats.” Another major factor in securing a team is the current economic situation in Hartford and Connecticut. Last month Baldwin pitched his idea to business leaders in Hartford for not a new arena, but a renovated XL Center. His plan called for $105 million dollars from the public to help cover renovation costs. Also he outlined plans for a downtown that included shops and restaurants, which was part of the attraction to Whalers games during their hay-day.

The plan for the updated XL Center also includes events other than hockey such as concerts and family oriented shows. Baldwin told the Hartford Courant, “What I like the most is updating the ambience of the place, when you walk through those doors it’ll feel like an entertainment zone.” UConn has also showed some interest in renovating the XL Center since they are one of the major tenants. With the shaky economy, it will be tough for tax payers to cover the cost as well as support from major companies in the area such as Travelers Insurance, among many others. There is still tons of debates left, but as it stands today, the future for a team in Hartford is still very much in the air. As for now, the next time you walk into the XL Center look high to the rafters and see the retired numbers that still hang and remember the names like Francis, Gordie Howe and Kevin Dineen, for the next generation of Whaler greats may be just around the corner.

Tyler.Morrissey@UConn.edu

Page 16

Tis the season to be a Husky

Monday, December 12, 2011

Happy Holidays from The Daily Campus!

BATTLE OF THE BROTHERS

Colin McDonough It’s Christmas time, which means the basketball teams are ready to have their annual “Secret Santa” exchange. Jeremy Lamb and Alex Oriakhi get each other so they just exchange snapbacks. DeAndre Daniels pulls Jim Calhoun’s name out of the hat and makes a freshman mistake. The Los Angeles native gives the Bostonian a Lakers shirt for a present. Calhoun tosses it in the trash, only to have Enosch Wolf find it in the bowels of Gampel Pavilion and keep it. Wolf gives Roscoe Smith a new Oriole fitted hat with the cartoon bird on it. Smith draws Niels Giffey and makes him delicious Maryland crabs. Unfortunately, the crustaceans don’t sit well in Giffey’s stomach so Michael Bradley, a former prepharmacy major, prescribes the right treatment to calm down an upset stomach. Ryan Boatright goes deep into his attic to dig out an old Halloween mask for Andre Drummond to wear. He’ll be even more imposing inside the paint now. Shabazz Napier, the best dancer in the Big Dance last year, gives the entire women’s basketball team a trophy for their performance at First Night. Since their trophy case is packed, the women’s team hands the dance trophy to Ethan Waite, who would occasionally jump into the dancing circle prior to men’s games last year.

“DeAndre Daniels pulls Jim Calhoun’s name... and makes a freshman mistake.” Tyler Olander treats the team to a night of caroling and camaraderie at his home in nearby Mansfield. The Christmas spirit is alive and well as Brendan Allen, P.J. Cochrane and Kyle Bailey dress up as the three kings for the party. Ben Stewart, who hails from Denver, brings “Rocky Mountain Oysters” to the shindig. Smith never tasted seafood like that before. On the women’s side, Maya Moore already gave Kaleena MosquedaLewis her No. 23 jersey, so KML is in the giving mood this time of year. She buys the whole team tickets to Anaheim to celebrate New Year’s Eve in Disneyland. Stefanie Dolson buys a Minnie Mouse costume, to wear herself. Bria Hartley uses the money she’s saved up to give Texas A&M 20 points. UConn still wins by double digits. Kelly Faris escorts her teammates to see the play, “The Music Man.” The play gets the team ready for their trip to Disneyland. In the end, both programs come together and show the solidarity of the season by sending out a Christmas card together. But these gifts aren’t as good as what UConn as a whole should send up the road to Boston College: a lump of coal.

Colin.McDonough@UConn.edu

Left: Courtesy of Fairfield athletics Right: KEVIN SCHELLER/The Daily Campus

Senior captain Ryan Olander (left) and Fairfield will visit sophomore forward Tyler Olander (right) at the XL Center in Hartford on Dec. 22 at 7 p.m. The Olander brothers grew up in Mansfield.

UConn-Fairfield game in Hartford will be family affair for Olanders By Matt McDonough Sports Editor On Dec. 22, the Olander family will leave the XL Center winners. And they’ll be wearing the shirts to prove it. As Skip and Tracy Olander watch their sons– Ryan of Fairfield and Tyler of UConn– play each other in Hartford, they’ll be donning neutral shirts. The front will say “FairConn” in red and navy lettering. Ryan’s red No. 34 will be on the right sleeve and Tyler’s blue No. 10 will adorn the left sleeve. The back of the white t-shirt will have the name “Olander” with the phrase “Either Way We Win” below. The Thursday night matchup between brothers will tipoff at 7 p.m. and will be broadcasted on SNY. Although the contest at the XL Center is a prime location for fans from both in-state schools, it would’ve been more fitting to hold the game at Gampel Pavilion at Storrs. After all, Ryan, a 7-foot senior center for the Stags, and Tyler, a 6-foot-9 sophomore forward for the Huskies, grew up just miles from the UConn campus in Mansfield. Ryan

said it would’ve been nicer to have transfer Rakim Sanders eligible, the the game close to home, but he’ll Stags are poised for an NCAA tournament appearance this spring. An upset settle for Hartford. “The XL Center is a great venue,” against the defending NCAA national Ryan, a team captain, said. “There champion isn’t too daunting of a task should be a good crowd there so it’ll in the Stags’ minds. “We go into every game trying be a lot of fun.” to win,” Ryan said. “It’s going to be a “We’re not intimifun, fun time playing dated by the name against my brother,” on the front of the Tyler said. “It’s cool jersey or the last to be playing against names on the back my brother.” that were highly Fairfield sported a recruited.” 5-4 record through Ryan said the Dec. 7. The Stags, coaching staff prealready with wins over Quinnipiac, pares the team well Holy Cross and for every game and Arizona State, were stresses the need to Ryan Olander cut down mistakes selected as the preseason No. 2 team Fairfield captain against the UConnin the MAAC. caliber teams. Fairfield, who fin“I definitely get ished with a 25-8 record, won the excited to play tough competition,” regular season conference title last Ryan said. “I always am excited to play no matter who it is.” season and appeared in the NIT. The Olander brothers, who were With former Princeton coach Sydney Johnson taking over for teammates at E.O. Smith, have only Ed Cooley after he departed for played against each other in their Providence, and Houston transfer driveway. Ryan, who is averaging Desmond Wade and Boston College 11.8 points and 4.2 rebounds per game

“After the game, when the horn sounds, we’re still brothers.”

this year, will take on Tyler, who is averaging 7.8 points and 6.6 rebounds through eight games, for the first time on the hardwood. Ryan said that games of one on one in their driveway would be physical and intense. “It’s going to be real memorable for all my family and friends,” Tyler said. Three days later, Ryan, Tyler, along with their sister Morgan, who plays basketball at E.O. Smith, and their parents will celebrate Christmas. Will there be bragging rights at the dinner table? “Oh yeah,” Ryan said. “The other one can’t really say much. He’s already got a couple on me with the Big East and national championship. I’ve got to get this to have something to hold over him.” Ryan said it’s likely no words will be shared between the two prior to tipoff and he’ll wait until after the game to talk with his brother. “Between the lines, he’s my brother but he’s also another player,” Ryan said. “After the game, when the horn sounds, we’re still brothers.” And winners.

Matthew.McDonough@UConn.edu