Volume CXVIII No. 96
» INSIDE
www.dailycampus.com
Thursday, February 23, 2012
Big East looks to include Temple Owls By Tyler Morrisey Campus Correspondent
SUBOG HOSTS ACOUSTIC AFFAIR Campus musicians performed at open mic night. FOCUS/ page 7
BACKED INTO A CORNER Calhoun’s surgery scheduled for Monday.
The Big East is looking to expand its conference membership by adding the Temple Owls out of the Mid-American Conference, according to MAC Commissioner Jon A. Steinbrecher. The New York Times reported Wednesday that the Owls have been in talks with Big East officials regarding membership in the conference. The addition of Temple would add to the seven schools that were recently added to the Big East, bringing the total number of football schools to 13, and total number of basketball schools to 18. Most of these schools do not plan to start Big East play until 2013, with the exception of Navy, who plans on joining the Big East in 2015. According to the Associated Press, Temple is trying negotiate an agreement that would allow the Owls to join Big East play in all sports by next season. The Owls’ football program began in 1894. From 1991 to 2004 Temple’s football team competed in the Big East. Temple struggled early on, as they did not win a conference game until 1995 and went 14-80 overall in their time in the Big East, which caused the conference to expel the Owls at the end of
AP
In this Aug. 2, 2011, file photo, Big East commissioner John Marinatto speaks to reporters during Big East football media day in Newport, R.I. The Big East is close to adding Temple University to the league for the 2013 season.
the 2004 season. After playing as an independent school, Temple eventually found a home in the MAC conference, where they saw a resurgence and even-
tually won their second bowl game in school history. The Owls defeated the University of Wyoming in the 2011 Gildan New Mexico Bowl. The Owls
also defeated UConn the previous year 30-16 at Lincoln Financial Field, in Philadelphia. Temple’s men’s and women’s basketball teams play in the Atlantic-10 conference, where recently, the men won the conference championship in 2010. The Owls are also ranked sixth all-time in NCAA wins, with 1787. Temple would replace West Virginia, who left for the Big 12 Conference. West Virginia was recently granted permission to leave the Big East early and bypass the normal 27-month long waiting period by agreeing to pay $20 million to the Big East, according to the Associated Press. Temple will also bring a basketball program that has a loyal fan base and that is rich in tradition to the Big East. In order for Temple to leave the MAC they will have to give a 24-month notice to the conference and will have to pay a departure fee of $2.5 million, according to the Associated Press. In a statement released on Wednesday, Steinbrecher said, “Our position on this matter is that we have a contract in place with specifics that will govern and determine how this matter is handled.”
Tyler.Morrisey@UConn.edu
USG supports on-campus spring weekend events
SPORTS/ page 14 EDITORIAL: CITIZENS SHOULD KNOW WHERE TAX DOLLARS GO
By Loumarie Rodriguez Staff Writer
American citizens need to be aware of how their tax dollars are being spent. COMMENTARY/page 4 INSIDE NEWS: CONN. BILL LOOKS TO ADD LABELS TO ENGINEERED FOOD Consumers would be able to know if the food they purchase is genetically engineered.
Colin Neary spoke at the USG meeting Feb. 22. At their meeting, USG passed a statement of position to support on-campus university activities during spring weekend, April 20 and 21.
NEWS/ page 3
By Jimmy Onofrio Staff Writer
» weather THURSDAY AM showers.
High 51 / Low 36 FRIDAY/SATURDAY
High 47 Low 34
High 44 Low 25
» index
Classifieds 3 Comics 5 Commentary 4 Crossword/Sudoku 5 Focus 7 InstantDaily 4 Sports 14
The Daily Campus 1266 Storrs Road Storrs, CT 06268 Box U-4189
Bioscience center to bring economic growth
ZARRIN AHMED/The Daily Campus
The USG Senate unanimously passed a statement of position regarding the university’s moratorium for on-campus events on Friday and Saturday of Spring Weekend, April 20 and 21. The statement cited the Report of the Spring Weekend Task Force, which claimed, “there is no evidence that official on-campus programming has any effect on the unsanctioned events.” USG endorsed full support for “an end to the moratorium on programming unrelated to Spring Weekend” and urged university administration to “allow student organizations to utilize campus space for events” on April 20 and 21. Additionally, a statement of position presented by Senator Connor Mullen and External Affairs Chairperson Ethan Senack was passed urging the creation of a zero-waste policy at UConn. The statement claimed that UConn recycles less than other comparable universities in New England, and
that in keeping with University environmental policies, the administration needs to make more effort in reducing solid waste sent to landfills and incinerators. In other business, Senator Ed Courchaine updated the activity of the Funding Task Force, which is investigating changes in student organization funding policy beginning next year. The Task Force has changed the proposed timeline, moving the deadline for applications from late March to late April, which will give organizations much more time to prepare once the new process has been agreed upon. President Sam Tracy reminded the Senate that neither he, Vice President Lindsay Chiappa or Comptroller Daniel Hanley will be running for re-election this spring, so USG will have completely new leadership next year. He urged students to vote in the USG elections. There will be a presidential debate next Wednesday, Feb. 29, in the Student Union North Lobby at 7 p.m., with a meet and greet beginning at 6 p.m.
Brenna Regan, Chair of the Free Speech Committee, briefed the Senate on the Committee’s findings. After reviewing the USG Constitution, bylaws, and student code of conduct and bill of rights, the committee found a number of areas that could be improved for positively affirming students’ free speech rights. The commission targeted three areas: Residential life, Student Union Policy and USG. They recommended that policies be changed to make dorms more available to USG candidates. In addition, the Union’s restriction on amplified sound (one hour a day, MondayFriday) “inherently infringes upon people’s right to say what they want,” Regan said. The committee recommended that the hours be extended. The last area addressed an issue that arose last semester when Senator Colin Neary was removed from his position on the Multiculturalism and Diversity Committee. The Free Speech Committee recommended that USG change its rules so that, for a committee or subcommittee member to be
removed, the removal must be affirmed by a two-thirds vote of the USG Senate. This recommendation will be presented as legislation at a future Senate meeting. External Affairs Committee Chair Ethan Senack briefed the Senate on a trip Tuesday to the Capitol, where Senack, along with Tracy, Speaker Jigish Patel and committee member Michael Daniels, testified in front of the appropriations committee regarding higher education funding. Senack described it as “actually a productive trip.” The Senate also passed a statement of position regarding free art space on campus, presented by Vice President Chiappa and Senator Brittany Ciullo. The statement supported increasing free art space on campus, which is currently limited to the graffiti wall behind North Campus Residence Halls, and adding “appropriate venues for artistic expression and discussion.”
James.Onofrio@UConn.edu
The renovations on the Bioscience Connecticut Research Center will bring many new opportunities to UConn as well as many other benefits for the rest of the surrounding area. According to their web site, the update promises to bring an economic growth, a higher innovation on technology and more jobs to Connecticut residents. Governor Malloy approved the project in hopes it will jumpstart Connecticut’s economy and generate a long growth in entrepreneurship and commercialization. Aside from providing a research center for the state and the university, the center will provide over 3,000 construction jobs annually between the years 2012-2018. It will also generate a $4.6 billion increase in personal income, according to the Connecticut Center for Economic Analysis. The whole project is a part of Gov. Malloy’s vision to reinvent Connecticut’s economy. This plan will secure the UConn Health Center’s future as a top-tier academic medical center. “But like every initial investment, there comes a time were you have to replace and invest again that discussion has been going on for a while in our state,” said Malloy at a news conference at the health center. “We are creating a research triangle in our little state of Connecticut.” According to their webpage, this renovation will increase research capacity and productivity, which will increase the number of basic and clinical/ translational scientists. There is also an increase in enrollment by 30 percent for the UConn dental and medical school. This well help establish a loan for-
» BIOSCIENCE, page 2
What’s on at UConn today... The Technogenetic Spiral Junior Faculty Forum 3:30 p.m. to 5 p.m. SU, Ballroom Katherine Hayles of Duke University will lecture on the increasing impact of digital media in teaching and research methods.
Graduate Student Seminar 4 to 5 p.m. Chemistry Building, A-203
Edwin Way Teale Lecture 4 to 5 p.m. Dodd Center, Konover
”Part 1: Efforts Towards a Formal Synthesis of Laureatin: An Unexpected NBS-mediated Skeletal Rearrangement” “Part 2: Synthesis of Carbohydrate Modified Alpha-Galactosylceramide Analogs”
Peter Crane is the Carl W. Knobloch Jr. Dean of the School of Forestry and Environmental Studies at Yale University. He will be lecturing on the importance of plants in society.
Disney College Program Information Session 8 to 9 p.m. SU, Ballroom
Are you interested in the Disney College Program? Campus Representatives will be on hand to discuss the program and answer your questions.
-KIM WILSON
The Daily Campus, Page 2
DAILY BRIEFING » STATE
Conn. mom pleads guilty in school residency case
NORWALK, Conn. (AP) — A mother pleaded guilty Wednesday to fraudulently enrolling her son in the wrong school district. Tonya McDowell entered her plea under the Alford Doctrine, which means she does not admit guilt but concedes the state has enough evidence to convict her. She faces about five years in prison and probation at sentencing and will be ordered to pay up to $6,200 in restitution to Norwalk. McDowell, 34, was homeless when she was charged with felony larceny last year. Authorities said she used a babysitter’s address to enroll her son in kindergarten in Norwalk when he should have attended schools in Bridgeport, her last permanent address. Her case drew national attention and support from civil rights leaders and other advocates who wanted the charge dismissed.
Committee hears education financing concerns
HARTFORD, Conn. (AP) — Proposals that would boost Connecticut’s grants to local school districts while requiring them to pay some charter school costs for the first time drew wide-ranging comments at a hearing Wednesday on overhauling the state’s public education system. The proposals, expected to be the centerpiece of this year’s General Assembly session, include $128 million for new programs that range from state intervention in failing districts to creating a rating system to judge the quality of early childhood education services. The package also includes $50 million in state money to supplement the funds it currently provides local districts to help shoulder education costs, plus another $4.5 million in competitive funds for districts that want to kick-start local initiatives. Gov. Dannel P. Malloy, state Education Commissioner Stefan Pryor and other education officials have said the education package is necessary to help Connecticut close the achievement gap between poor and wealthy students, and to reinvigorate the state’s economy by preparing all of its children for college and careers.
Conn. legislators raise death penalty repeal
HARTFORD, Conn. (AP) — Connecticut lawmakers have agreed to take up legislation this session to repeal the state’s death penalty. The legislature’s Judiciary Committee on Wednesday voted 23-to15 to raise the bill for discussion. A public hearing has not yet been scheduled. Committee members are unsure how the bill will fare. Rep. Gary Holder-Winfield, a New Haven Democrat, said he’s been working to gain the support of state legislators who previously opposed repeal. Last year, repeal legislation failed in the Senate due, in part, to the on-going death penalty trial in a fatal Cheshire home invasion case. The two men convicted in the deaths of a woman and her two daughters are now on death row.
Two reported shot at Conn. hospital, one arrested
NEW BRITAIN, Conn. (AP) — Authorities in New Britain say two people have been shot at a rehabilitation hospital and one person is in custody. Mayor Timothy O’Brien said Wednesday night in an interview with NBC30 television that a suspect has been arrested and is a hospital employee. He said he did not know the conditions of the people shot. The Hartford Courant reports that police said a suspect was arrested at about 7 p.m. outside a home on Helen Drive. The shootings took place at the Hospital for Special Care, a private nonprofit facililty specializing in rehabilitation and longterm acute-care. A hospital spokeswoman said Wednesday night she did not immediately have details, and a New Britain police dispatcher said no one was available to comment.
Bristol woman run over by her own car
BRISTOL, Conn. (AP) — Authorities say a Bristol woman is recovering from a serious head injury after being run over by her own car in her driveway. Police say 36-year-old Samantha Ceritello ran after her unoccupied vehicle when it began rolling down her driveway on Tuesday morning. Ceritello tried to get into the car and stop it, but she was knocked down and her head was run over by tires. Authorities say she didn’t lose consciousness and was able to call for help on her cell phone. Ceritello is in serious condition at St. Francis Hospital and Medical Center in Hartford. Police say she’s expected to recover. Bristol police say they’re investigating why the car rolled away. It stopped at the bottom of the driveway and didn’t hit anything else.
Thursday, February 23, 2012
News
Lecture explores Muslim beliefs and the Quran By Russell O’Brien Campus Correspondent On Wednesday, the UConn Muslim Students Association held a discussion in the Student Union on the Muslim narrative of Adam and Eve as well as what Muslims believe in general. The discussion consisted of a reading and explanation of a section of the Quran, followed by a question and answer session. Hussan Almulhim, a Ph.D. student in the Operation and Information Management Department in the School of Business gave the explanation of the story of Adam and Eve. According to the Muslim version of the story, Adam and Eve were created by God and were given more knowledge of the world than any other creature, even the angels. Then they were put in paradise, where Satan tempted them to disobey God’s commandment to not eat from the tree of life. After they disobeyed, they were put on Earth. Almulhim then showed how there are several important theological beliefs in the story. “We are a knowledgeable race,” he said about how humans were created. “Knowledge is very important in Islam.” The story also shows God’s mercy, as humanity was allowed to repent after disobeying. However, the story of Adam and Eve is also a demonstration of the purpose of life and the message of Islam. “We are here for a test. We are going to
face many more ‘apples’ in life,” stated Almulhim. Those who pass that test by following God’s commandments go to Heaven, while those who don’t go to Hell. The story of Adam and Eve is the prototype of this test. Anton Kuratnik, an 8th-semester senior and biophysics major elaborated on this. “When we look at any person, they always follow some kind of moral principle.” Islam, Kuratnik, explained, is the moral principle people are meant to follow and is the meaning of life. “It’s not just some mindless, robotic, repetition of tasks,” he said. Almulhim also pointed out that one of the roles of humanity, other than this test, is to be free. After the explanation, questions were taken from the audience. Question topics included the role of free will in Islam, the Quran’s authenticity and how to pray correctly. The discussion was part of an outreach program by the Muslim Students Association and is intended to be the first in a biweekly series. “The purpose is to try to bring out clarity about what Islam stands for,” said Zabih Mamun an 8thsemester management and Information systems major and the president of UConn MSA. The Muslim Students Association also tables from 1-3 on Wednesdays in the library as a related part of its outreach program. Kuratnik emphasized that the program is not meant to convert anyone. “We don’t believe in Islam that you can force someone to be Muslim. That is the role
» NATIONAL
Police say love triangle led to CA murder-suicide
SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — A 73-year-old gunman entangled in a love triangle shot and killed the treasurer of a remotecontrolled airplane club who police said was having an affair with the estranged wife of the attacker. Before turning the gun on himself Tuesday, Robert Gully chased the woman from a parking lot into the lobby of a building where the club was meeting. He fired multiple times but failed to hit her, Sacramento police Sgt. Andrew Pettit said. Police said Gully and 62-yearold Jerome Votaw of Sacramento were both romantically involved with the 49-year-old woman, whose name was not released. “I was shocked when I knew the suspect was in his 70s and the victim was in his 60s,” Pettit said. The woman was married to Gully, and both also were members of the club, but they were separated. Pettit did not know if she was living with Votaw. “They were definitely in a relationship,” he said. “As far as living together, I can’t confirm that.” A person who answered the telephone at Votaw’s home said the woman who lived there wasn’t taking any calls. Gully got into an argument with Votaw and the woman in the parking lot, drew a gun and shot Votaw multiple times before trying to shoot the woman, Pettit said. He kept firing as the woman ran to the lobby, with bullets shattering a large glass door. “It appears that it wasn’t random, it wasn’t just something he came upon,” Pettit said when asked if the shooting was spontaneous. A security guard was in the lobby, and about a halfdozen airplane modelers club members were in a conference room and came into the lobby
after the shooting took place. Pettit credited the club’s president with calming Gully down and walking him back outside the building. “From what I understand, he did a fantastic job. He was in there taking a lead on this and directing people what to do in that situation,” Pettit said. Police, however, heard Gully shoot and kill himself as they arrived. “It could have been a lot worse, especially with the people in there if he started shooting innocent bystanders,” Pettit said. “We believe those two were his intended targets.” The club’s website identifies the president as John Bigwood, who declined comment when reached by telephone. Gully. a resident of West Sacramento, and Votaw were both part of the 200-member Sacramento Area Modelers club, which bills itself on its website as offering one of the premier flying sites on the West Coast. Its facility southeast of Sacramento features a pit area and runway, snack bar and clubhouse made from a converted semi-trailer. Vice President J.R. Schiager and the club’s secretary, Bob Calvert, said they did not want to discuss the attack. “I think what’s been reported is pretty accurate,” Calvert said. Members of the club fly large, radio-controlled model airplanes and meet monthly at the headquarters of the Sacramento Municipal Utilities District, a large, customer-owned electric company. Members were seen Wednesday retrieving their model aircraft from the building. The utility is looking into its policy on permitting private groups to use its facilities, Utility district spokeswoman Dace Udris said. No employees were involved in the incident, she said.
of God,” he said. “Our job is to present it clearly and correctly from our point of view.” Trevor Morrison, a 2nd-semester psychology major, attended the discussion for a class project. He found the event informative and was impressed by the simplicity of Islam. “You just have to accept Allah is God. It is very easy to convert,” Morrison observed. He was never raised into any faith and is not religious. However, he felt that the lecture was useful as it increased his awareness of a different culture. Not everyone was as satisfied. “I felt that it is kind of a waste to debate this stuff,” said Greg, a 6th-semester communications major who didn’t want his last name published. He was not satisfied with the explanation of why one should take the Quran as the word of God. “I don’t accept the premise so I can’t come to the same conclusion,” he said on why he can’t accept the Islamic interpretation of the meaning of life. Mamun argued that it is important to learn about Islam regardless of whether one believes in it or not. With over a fifth of the people on the planet practicing and a following that is one of the fastest growing of any religion, Islam has a huge influence in the modern world. “You need to understand where all these people are coming from,” he said.
Russell.O’Brien@UConn.edu
Texas man gets life in prison in torture case
WEATHERFORD, Texas (AP) — A Texas man who kidnapped his former neighbor and tortured her while holding her captive nearly two weeks was sentenced Wednesday to life in prison. Jeffrey Allan Maxwell, 59, will be eligible for parole after serving 60 years because the judge ordered him to serve two of his three life sentences consecutively. The same jury convicted Maxwell a day earlier of aggravated kidnapping and two counts of aggravated sexual assault. He faced a minimum sentence of probation. After abducting his exneighbor last March, he drove 100 miles away to his Corsicana home, 50 miles south of Dallas. Then he whipped and sexually assaulted her on a deer-skinning device. He assaulted her on his bed, where he kept her chained and gagged during
most of the ordeal. She was rescued when authorities went to question him about her disappearance after her house near Weatherford, about 70 miles west of Dallas, burned down. “I want you to know there is a God, and he answered my prayers to spare my life,” the victim, Lois Pearson, said in court, reading from a statement she prepared as several jurors wiped away tears. “It’s a miracle that I am alive.” The Associated Press generally does not identify victims of sexual assault. But with the trial over, Pearson, 63, said she wanted her identity revealed to share her story of survival. After the sentencing, she told news reporters that she was relieved Maxwell received the maximum sentence. She said she worried he would try to kill her if he ever got out of prison.
Bioscience center to bring more scientists to UConn
from BIOSCIENCE, page 1 giveness program that can attract more graduate students to study in Connecticut. The renovations projects include 238,000 square feet of existing research facilities which should double the bioscience research funding from $100 million to $200 million annually. Another project is creating 28,000 of incubator space to foster new business start-up. The project is a collaboration with St. Francis hospital. As a result, the Medical Center and some surrounding will benefit from some of these innovations. The John Dempsey hospital will receive a new tower for patients as well as the funding of several
new community based initiatives with other hospitals and healthcare providers according to their building projects page. With these collaborations between the medical center and the St. Francis it has established the Connecticut Institute for Primary Care Innovation (CIPCI). According to the bioscience Connecticut website, the CIPCI will help achieve the goal, which is to promote health care in the greater Hartford area and other areas according to the bioscience Connecticut website. “It is a dynamic investment into the future in bioscience, job creation, bringing more scientists to this campus,” Malloy said.
Loumarie.Rodriguez@UConn.edu
Corrections and clarifications The Daily Campus is the largest daily college newspaper in Connecticut, distributing 8,000 copies each week day during the academic year. The newspaper is delivered free to central locations around the Storrs campus. The Daily Campus is an equal-opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of age, race, religion, ethnicity, gender or sexual orientation. All advertising is subject to acceptance by The Daily Campus, which reserves the right to reject any ad copy at its sole discretion. The Daily Campus does not assume financial responsibility for typographical errors in advertising unless an error materially affects the meaning of an ad, as determined by the Business Manager. Liability of The Daily Campus shall not exceed the cost of the advertisement in which the error occurred, and the refund or credit will be given for the first incorrect insertion only.
Melanie Deziel, Editor-in-Chief Mac Cerullo, Managing Editor Brendan Fitzpatrick, Business Manager/Advertising Director Nancy Depathy, Financial Manager Brian Zahn, Associate Managing Editor Nicholas Rondinone, News Editor Elizabeth Crowley, Associate News Editor Ryan Gilbert, Commentary Editor Tyler McCarthy, Associate Commentary Editor Purbita Saha, Focus Editor John Tyczkowski, Associate Focus Editor Brendan Albetski, Comics Editor
Matt McDonough, Sports Editor Colin McDonough, Associate Sports Editor Jim Anderson, Photo Editor Ed Ryan, Associate Photo Editor Demetri Demopoulos, Marketing Manager Rochelle BaRoss, Graphics Manager Joseph Kopman-Fried, Circulation Manager Cory Braun, Online Marketing Manager
Business Hours 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday Reception/Business: (860) 486 - 3407 Fax: (860) 486 - 4388
An in Tuesday’s paper titled “Bruin all up in UConn business” contained a sub-head and a caption that attributed Brett Bovio as the Director of Marketing for the Boston Bruins. He is actually the Promotions Coordinator. Also, in yesterday’s paper, a column titled “Same-sex marriage is an election issue” said that the Obama administration stopped legally defending the Defense Against Marriage Act and stopped enforcing it. It actually kept enforcing it.
Thursday, February 23, 2012 Copy Editors: Olivia Basinger, Tyler McCarthy, Michelle Anjirbag, Jason Wong News Designer: Kim Wilson Focus Designer: Amy Schellenbaum Sports Designer: Andrew Callahan Digital Production: Ashley Pospisil
The Daily Campus 1266 Storrs Road Storrs, CT 06268 Box U-4189
eic@dailycampus.com, managingeditor@dailycampus.com, businessmanager@dailycampus.com, news@dailycampus.com, sports@dailycampus.com, focus@dailycampus.com, photo@dailycampus.com
The Daily Campus, Page 3
Thursday, February 23, 2012
News
Unions to A $1M donor for every presidential hopeful spend big in 2012 election
» POLITICS
WASHINGTON (AP) — Just two dozen ultra-wealthy donors are behind a surge of million-dollar contributions to the new breed of political committees during the presidential campaign. Millionaire and billionaire executives have unlocked their personal bank vaults to write seven-figure checks to support the campaigns of Democratic President Barack Obama and the Republicans vying to oppose him: Mitt Romney, Rick Santorum, Newt Gingrich and Ron Paul. More than half of the $60 million collected so far by the new group of independently run super political action committees supporting presidential candidates came from just 24 wealthy Americans, according to an Associated Press review of financial reports filed by the campaigns. The super-sized checks amount to $33 million, and in some cases, the contributions of $1 million or more represent most of the money that several super PACs have collected. These outsized donations — more than 40 times the amount ordinary Americans can give directly to a politician — are allowed under the landmark 2010 Supreme Court ruling in the Citizens United case. The ruling made it possible for super PACs to raise and spend unlimited sums to support political campaigns. The groups must legally remain independent from the candidates they support, but many are staffed with former campaign aides with intimate knowledge of the campaigns’ strategy. Freed by the Citizens United case and other rulings that allowed unlimited donations with minimal disclosure, the mega-donors are pumping unprecedented amounts of cash to favored candidates. The lavish gifts are stoking
AP
Republican presidential candidate, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney speaks at a town hall meeting at Eagle Manufacturing Corporation in Shelby Township, Feb. 21.
negative campaign ad wars and making mega-donors essential to the tactics and operations of the super PACs. “It’s just so much easier for these people to make large contributions and play a much more prominent role than we’ve tended to see,” said Brendan Glavin, a researcher with the Campaign Finance Institute, a Washington-based nonpartisan think tank. Here’s a list of each presidential candidate’s wealthiest supporters: Even among seven-figure donors, nobody approaches the $11 million that Las Vegas casino billionaire Sheldon Adelson and his family have given to Winning Our Future, the group supporting former House Speaker Gingrich, which has $13.1 million in total con-
tributions. Adelson gave $5 million; his wife, Miriam, another $5 million. The rest came in smaller, but still sizeable amounts from Adelson’s daughters, Sivan Ochshorn and Yasmin Lukatz, and Lukatz’s husband, Oren. Gingrich has said Adelson and his family support his strong pro-Israel statements. Adelson has important business interests in China, and his casino is under federal investigation by the Justice Department and a civil probe by the Securities and Exchange Commission for possible violations of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act. The company denies wrongdoing. Winning Our Future also gained $1 million from Texas billionaire Harold Simmons, a longtime Republican donor who was a key funder of the Swift Boat
veterans’ attacks on Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry in 2004. Simmons, whose interests range from energy to chemicals, so far has donated $12 million — both personally and through his firm, Contran — to American Crossroads, the Republican-leaning super PAC co-founded by Republican strategist Karl Rove. The co-founder of PayPal and an early investor in Facebook, Peter Thiel, has given $2.6 million to Endorse Liberty, the group supporting Texas Rep. Paul. Nearly 70 percent of the group’s money comes from Thiel, a Silicon Valley investor. An ardent supporter of Libertarian causes, Thiel has donated to gay rights and religious organizations and also helped fund the Committee to Protect Journalists. His Facebook investment alone is now reportedly worth $1.3 billion. The chief executive at DreamWorks Animation, Jeffrey Katzenberg, has given $2 million to the group supporting Obama’s re-election, Priorities USA Action, which accounts for nearly half the group’s $4.5 million total. Katzenberg has hosted fundraisers for Obama and has been a longtime funder of liberal and Democratic Party causes. Hotel magnates and brothers Bill and Richard Marriott have given $1.5 million to Restore Our Future, the group supporting former Massachusetts Gov. Romney. Bill Marriott heads Marriott International, while Richard Marriott heads offshoot Host Hotels & Resorts. Romney, whose first name is Willard, was named after the Marriotts’ father, who was close friends with Mitt Romney’s father, George Romney. Mitt Romney also served for years on Marriott’s board of directors.
WASHINGTON (AP) — Unions are gearing up to spend more than $400 million to help reelect President Barack Obama and lift Democrats this election year in a fight for labor’s survival. Under siege in state legislatures around the country — and fearing the consequences of a Republican in the White House — union leaders say they have little choice as they try to beat back GOP efforts to curb collective bargaining rights or limit their ability to collect dues. “People are digging deeper,” said Larry Scanlon, political director of the country’s largest public workers union, the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees. “If Republicans take over the presidency, Congress and enough state legislatures, unions will be out of business, pure and simple.” Scanlon’s union was the biggest overall spender in the 2010 midterm elections, doling out about $93 million to help state and federal candidates, mostly Democrats. This year, AFSCME is expected to spend at least $100 million or more on political action, including television advertising, phone banks and member canvassing. The effort is to help the president, Democrats running for the House and Senate, gubernatorial candidates and key state lawmakers.
Conn. bill looks to add labels to Poll: Obama benefitting from improving economy genetically engineered food
» BUSINESS
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Barack Obama is reaping political benefits from the country’s brighter economic mood. A new poll shows that Republicans and Democrats alike are increasingly saying the nation is heading in the right direction and most independents now approve the way he’s addressing the nation’s post-recession period. But trouble could be ahead: Still-struggling Americans are fretting over rising gasoline prices. Just weeks before the summer travel season begins, the Associated Press-GfK survey finds pump prices rising in importance and most people unhappy with how Democratic president has handled the issue. It’s seemingly no coincidence that Obama this week is promoting the expansion of domestic oil and gas exploration and the development of new forms of energy. It’s his latest attempt to show that he, more than any of the Republican presidential contenders, knows that voters’ pocketbooks remain pinched even as the economy improves overall.
And on that question of empathy, solid majorities continue to view him as someone who “understands the problems of ordinary Americans” and “cares about people like you,” the AP-GfK survey found. There is evidence that the nation is becoming markedly more optimistic, and that Obama benefits from that attitude. Thirty percent in the poll describe the economy as “good,” a 15-point increase since December and the highest level since the AP-GfK poll first asked the question in 2009. Roughly the same share say the economy got better in the past month, while 18 percent said it got worse, the most positive read in over a year. Looking ahead, four in 10 said they expect the economy to get better in the next year and a third said they think the number of unemployed people in the U.S. will decrease, the highest share on either question since last spring. A quarter of those surveyed said they expect the economy to get worse over the next 12 months, while 31 percent said it would stay the same, the
Classifieds Classifieds Dept. U-189 11 Dog Lane Storrs, CT 06268
tel: (860) 486-3407 fax: (860) 486-4388 for Sale
GREAT FOOD, REFRESHING BEVERAGE 7 days a week @ the True Blue Tavern, and The Blue Oak dining room in the Nathan Hale Inn. On campusmenus at; www. nathanhaleinn.com For Rent
AFFORDABLE STUDENT HOUSING: Studio to 5 bedrooms; fully renovated Victorians; available June 1 - May 31, 2013; Willimantic Hill Top Section; www.meyburdrealestate.com or call 860-208-1040 ON CAMPUS HOUSING The Nathan Hale Inn is now reserving Spring
Office Hours: Monday – Friday 9 a.m. – 4 p.m.
For more information: www.dailycampus.com FoR rent
and Fall housing. Excellent location, housekeeping, private bath, pool & spa, fitness center, high speed internet, includes all utilities. Parking option available. Contact missy.diloreto@ihrco.com 860-427-7888 http://www.nathanhaleinn.com TOWNHOUSE/ CONDO--MANSFIELD Luxury living for 4. Beautiful 4-bedroom, 2-private/2-shared baths. Six miles from campus. Quiet/ safe/ upscale community. Inground pool, tennis/ basketball courts. Includes heat, wireless
poll found. As optimism has risen, Obama has received a corresponding bump in his approval rating for handling the economy. Forty-eight percent now say they approve of how he’s handling it, up 9 points from December. Still, for some it’s hard to sense an improvement — or give Obama credit for it — when any extra money is being gobbled up at the gasoline pump. “I give him credit for trying to make improvements, but I don’t believe it’s had that much effect,” said Michael Lee Real of Indianola, Iowa, a city water authority worker who counts himself as a Republican-leaning independent. The cost of gasoline is “one of the big things,” says Real, 58. “It fluctuates so much, it makes it hard for me to budget my money.” Overall, seven of 10 respondents called gas prices deeply important, up 6 points from December. Those who view gas prices as “extremely important” rose 9 points, to nearly 39 percent.
HARTFORD, Conn. (AP) — Consumers at Connecticut grocery stores would be able to know if genetically engineered foods are in the merchandise mix under a bill state lawmakers are considering to require the labeling of such foods. Neither the federal government nor any state currently has a labeling requirement that applies to all genetically modified foods. Connecticut is among nearly 20 states considering a labeling mandate amid health concerns that supporters of the legislation have raised about such foods. Connecticut’s legislation would require clear labeling on any food sold in the state that is completely or partially produced with genetic engineering. Rep. Richard Roy, D-Milford, said he introduced the legislation due to public concern over the issue. Roy co-chairs the state Environment Committee, which heard from supporters and opponents of the bill at a hearing Wednesday.
AP
This Oct. 2, 2002, file photo shows labeling stating no genetically engineered ingredients on a bag of Bearitos Tortilla Chips in San Francisco, Calif.
Roy said his bill has gained bipartisan support, and he expects the committee to pass it, although its fate after is unclear. “We’re not taking a stance on whether GMOs (genetically modified organisms) are good or bad,” said Roy. “What we’re saying is that we have a right
Rates:
Policies:
For ads of 25 words or less: 1 day............................................................................ $5.75 3 consecutive days........................................................ $15.25 5 consecutive days: ...................................................... $26.50 10 consecutive days:..................................................... $48.00 1 month:..................................................................... $88.00 Semester:.................................................................. $215.00 Each additional word: ..................................................... $0.10 Additional Features: Bold ..................................... ...........$0.50
For Rent
internet/ cable, parking, laundry, trash pickup. Professionally furnished. Availability limited/ Act fast. e-mail Rosemary Hoffmiller, shortstemrose@yahoo.com 203457-9370 3 BEDROOM W/ OFFICE AND A VIEW Available 6-1-2012. Large 3 unit house in Willington, 5 mi from campus, 1 mi from I-84. Laundry, big yard, parking, new floors and appliances. Nice@$1200/mo incl heat/hw 860-2129268 CELERON SQUARE APT. We still have units
For Rent
available for the 20122013 academic year! ONE BEDROOM UNITS - may be rented alone or shared by two tenants; TWO BEDROOM LARGE UNITS – may be rented by two or three tenants. Visit our website www.celeronsquare.com, call 860429-3627 or stop by to see Karen, Tina or Paula to discuss details and pricing. STORRS- Clean, quiet, Three and Four bedroom apartments for rent. All close to campus, one year lease begins June 1st. properties@mindspring.com or 860-429-8455
to know what we’re putting in our bodies.” Proponents of the legislation say that genetically engineered foods pose allergy and other health risks and that the labels will increase safety for consumers. Analiese Paik, who runs the Fairfield Green Food Guide website and testified in favor of the labels, said that the Food and Drug Administration has yet to produce a scientific study on whether or not genetically modified foods are safe. Paik pointed to a recent Canadian study that found toxins from genetically engineered corn circulating in the bloodstream of women. “The burden of proof is on the FDA to prove that it’s safe,” she said. U.S. Department of Agriculture spokesman R. Andre Bell, said the USDA, FDA and Environmental Protection Agency regulate genetically engineered crops to ensure they are safe to eat and grow.
Classifieds are non-refundable. Credit will be given if an error materially affects the meaning of the ad and only for the first incorrect insertion. Ads will only be printed if they are accompanied by both first and last name as well as telephone number. Names and numbers may be subject to verification. All advertising is subject to acceptance by The Daily Campus, which reserves the right to reject any ad copy at its sole discretion. The Daily Campus does not knowingly accept ads of a fraudulent nature.
For Rent
For Rent
CHECK OUT OUR UNITS! Guaranteed Housing! Heat, Hot Water, Cable and Internet Included! 1 and 2 Bedroom Apartments! 888-7248077 www.cedarridgeapts. com www.carriagehouseapartments.net
from Uconn. Smokefree efficiency. Dates negotiable. 860-4295279
OFF CAMPUS HOMES WALKING DISTANCE from campus. North Eagleville Road. Spacious. All amenities. Call 203-7707710 or email upm@ tavar.com
PLAY SPORTS! HAVE FUN! SAVE MONEY! Maine camp needs fun loving counselors to teach All land, adventure, & water sports. Great Summer! Call 888-844-8080, apply: campcedar.com
SUMMER SUBLET with private entrance and driveway. One mile
Help Wanted
BARTENDING! Make up to $300/day potential. No experience necessary. Training available, 18+ OK. (800) 965-6520 ext. 163
Page 4
www.dailycampus.com
Thursday, February 23, 2012
The Daily Campus Editorial Board
Melanie Deziel, Editor-in-Chief Ryan Gilbert, Commentary Editor Tyler McCarthy, Associate Commentary Editor Michelle Anjirbag, Weekly Columnist Chris Kempf, Weekly Columnist Jesse Rifkin, Weekly Columnist
» EDITORIAL
Citizens should know where tax dollars go
T
he state of Connecticut has a system in place in which it balances out election finances for candidates by taking taxpayer money and divvying it up amongst potential candidates in a grant system for those wishing to run for state office. Unfortunately, last week the watchdog agency, set up by Gov. Dannel P. Malloy, made a problematic announcement. The agency said that, while it had the funding to issue public grants to potential state candidates, due to budget cuts, it lacked the funding to properly monitor where that money would be going. This entire system carries several fundamental flaws, not the least of which being that citizen’s taxpayer money is going to a campaign that he or she may not necessarily support or that the current predicament that the state finds itself in is due to the reduction of the positions on the staff of the watchdog agencies due to poor budget cuts. The real problem here is the underlying problem that this entire situation brings up. Americans are often more than willing to complain about how much of their paycheck is taken out for taxes while simultaneously not asking where their money is going. Obviously taxation is a hot button issue in American politics and it does get a lot of attention. However, individuals need to be more mindful of where their hard earned money is going and sometimes take a stand and say “no.” In an already flawed program, the citizens of the state of Connecticut are in danger of having their tax dollars go free into the world with no real idea of how their money is being spent, who it is being spent on and how much of it is going to candidates that they may or may not agree with. The simple fact of the matter is that, although people are very quick to gripe about the amount of money that they pay in taxes, very few individuals are concerned with the specifics of where their money goes or how it is spent. In these high-pressure election months, it is important for citizens to reevaluate how they view taxation and make sure that each and every penny that is taken from their earnings is going somewhere they agree with – or at the very least somewhere they can track. The Daily Campus editorial is the official opinion of the newspaper and its editorial board. Commentary columns express opinions held solely by the author and do not in any way reflect the official opinion of The Daily Campus.
Did you know that your nipples line up with your earlobes? I know where the snake in Grad dorms is mwahaha. I just signed onto AIM for the first time in years. Lo and behold, on my buddy list, InstantDaily is the only one signed online. I just want to live in a world where a buddy and I can put deodorant on and not be judged for what major we chose. Not feeling well, but I might go to the bar for the second night in a row. Alcohol kills germs, right? In case anyone is wondering, U.S. Congressional offices receive a copy of the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Edition. Finally someone came to their senses and named a building after UConn’s most famous professor ... Professor Oak To the girl at Bookworms who looked at the nutrition facts on the Diet Coke, Coke Zero and Coke to ultimately end up going with the regular Coke...what was your logic behind that? Maybe I really do just want something else to get me through this semi-charmed kind of life. There are few things more horrifying than laughing while leaving a serious voicemail, only to realize you cannot stop laughing, and the entire thing devolves into embarrassing laughter. I like seeing ash on people’s foreheads on Ash Wednesday, because it lets me know who is particularly easy to guilt. Hey, I heard the InstantDaily was a wild one. But it’s just what I’ve heard. Has anyone seen my dish washer, Precious?
Send us your thoughts on anything and everything by sending an instant message to InstantDaily, Sunday through Thursday evenings. Follow us on Twitter (@ InstantDaily) and become fans on Facebook.
The art of agreeing to disagree lost online
W
e all like to be right. We all know how hard it is to admit that we are wrong. But we also know how often we are wrong, how many times we get things wrong – birthdays, names, what someone else said, historical facts. It amazes and disturbs me how insistent many people are that they are right, you are wrong and besides, you’re stupid. The ability to offer anonymous and uncensored opinions to the world that is now offered for free by the Internet has greatly increased the By Ryan Gilbert forcefulness with Commentary Editor which more and more people assert their superior knowledge and everyone else’s confusion. But that’s democracy. I like democracy, even though it is messy. I think it is a great advance of human society that we offer so much access to public discussions to so many people. Public debate used to be restricted to the few who possessed great resources of money, celebrity or connections. The rest of us could just read and hear the newsmakers and commentators, maybe wishing we could get in on the conversation. Now everybody is conversing with everybody else. This democracy of access means more democracy in politics. Today the iPhone and the Internet are breaking the state’s monopoly on communication, telling more truth to more people, and ultimately breaking the power of the powerful, as we have seen in the Middle East.
So it’s too bad that universal access also means universally bad manners. Nobody would talk to another person the way anonymous typists send messages into virtual space. Disrespect, condescension, and name-calling have become the normal mode of political discourse. And that makes sense because so many people seem to believe that they are just saying the obvious: I am right. You are wrong. This is a simple issue. So you must be stupid, and probably a liar.
“Not only am I right, but I’ll kick your ass.” It all begins with “I am right.” Immediately the conversation is polarized into true and false, good and bad. There is so much uncertainty in our daily lives, yet so little uncertainty is expressed. That certainty is even more surprising on issues where the writer disagrees with most other people, and most experts, such as those who claim there is no global warming or that evolution is just an opinion or that same-sex marriage leads to bestiality. I think that the nastiness increases when the commenter knows that he is in a minority. Then the language, the anger, the condemnation reach full volume. I say “he” because I notice the pseudo-
macho flavor of so many men’s political expressions. Not only am I right, but I’ll kick your ass. It is amusing to see how much of that bravado exists only on the computer screen. It’s not merely that the tough guys turn out not to be so tough in real life. Tough or not, pounding your chest works well for apes, but is not successful in human society. Having bad manners doesn’t work in most situations. We have all been in groups that are assaulted by the blowhard, the man who is great in his own mirror, but turns out to be a jerk in company. A few glances around the circle when he leaves are enough to demonstrate how ineffective it is to broadcast truth to your inferiors, instead of conversing with your equals. I really do believe that being polite, being interested in what other people think, and being open about ideas is better than being right. I have dinner with my best friend almost every night, and we both bring up issues that we have dissimilar opinions on. Sometimes we are each wrong to the other. Sometimes we might just change each other’s mind. But we won’t call each other names, say the other is stupid, or generally act disrespectful of each other. And in that friendly interchange, we will realize that our firm opinions are unlikely to be the only reasonable ones. If this other good, intelligent person thinks differently, maybe I am missing something. Maybe I could learn from my intellectual or political opponents. Maybe by being a good person, I can get even closer to the truth.
Commentary Editor Ryan Gilbert is an 8th-semester journalism major. He can be reached at Ryan.Gilbert@UConn.edu.
General Motors’ record monthly profit is overblown
L
ast Thursday automaker General Motors posted its largest ever annual profit of $7.6 billion dollars in net income in 2011. Only two years apart from a controversial bailout that is still argued to this day, GM’s comeback has been hailed as one of America’s greatest economic turnarounds post-recession and this profit will surely make its way into By Srivats Satish the political debate Staff Columnist surrounding the bailouts. However, taking politics of the bailout out of the discussion; one can conclude that despite some positives, GM’s business still underperformed this past fourth quarter and the company still has a long way to go in order to truly be deserving of such positive recognition. GM’s stock value declined by nearly 26 percent from February 2011 to February 2012, even with decreased production from competitors such as Honda and Toyota, due to the Japanese tsunami. It still faces problems in regards to its global pension plan that is under-funded by $24.5 billion. GM also struggled in regards to sales outside of North America, as it posted
a $747 million pretax loss in Europe and a $122 million pretax loss in South America, while only earning $1.9 billion in Asia which is down from 2010 sales. GM was also able to write off taxes due to a loss carry over of $46.4 billion dollars and avoided paying the $2.98 billion dollars in taxes they would have theoretically under the 39.2 percent U.S. corporate tax rate. That would have resulted in net income of little over $4.5 billion, hardly a record. GM faces many problems going forward, but their weak sales in China and the excessive optimism reported by the press for baby steps has really blurred the picture of what they are and what they aren’t. A significant chunk of the $7.2 billion profit from last year came from cost cutting measures, specifically wage cuts. New hires at GM face a 50 percent wage cut from what they would’ve earned in the past. Health care benefits for current and retired workers are being cut and the company has frozen pay and shrunk bonuses for all of its salaried employees. To try to soothe investor concerns about their underfunded pension program, GM has also worked to transition future retirement contributions from traditional pension payments into 401(k) plans.
Savings of this nature might bolster short term stock prices and depict an optimistic outlook, but the fact that GM is struggling in international sales bleaks the outlook for their potential growth. They are planning to increase profitability in Europe mainly through factory and job cuts, signaling that they’ve lost that market to better competitors and are in no position to expand. Furthermore, in a world where GM would have to pay back it’s bailout money, have to pay taxes and compete against strong Japanese manufacturers, it’s safe to say that GM’s “record profits” and miraculous recovery aren’t all that they are cracked up to be. The Chevy volt, GM’s supposed innovative attempt at a plug-in electric vehicle has failed to sell, and has even been probed by the government due to a knack for catching on fire. This struggle in innovation hasn’t been remedied two years after the bail out. The hybrid car market is still dominated by Toyota. Throw in Honda’s and Hyundai’s hybrid vehicles and even Ford’s Fusion hybrid, it is very evident that GM faces an incredible deal of competition, and thus far hasn’t been able to outperform its competitors to be considered a top-tier auto manu-
facturer. Although GM has made gains over the past two years that should be recognized, mainstream news titles of “record profits for GM” are misleading. These types of titles are prone to gain more attention than titles such as “GM is improving” and are constructed for easy linkage into politics. GM still faces a great deal of problems. GM over time will either sink or swim depending on its ability to innovate and compete in international markets. Cost cuts, though necessary and beneficial in the short term, are not the panacea to slow overseas growth, and GM’s ability to compete with strong firms such as Toyota will be dictated by their success or failure in innovation and increased sales in the emerging markets. With an improving balance sheet, committed management and increased investment into research and development, GM will have a chance to prove their critics wrong in the future, but lets not call mission accomplished before its actually accomplished. Staff Columnist Srivats Satish is a 2nd-semester finance major. He can be reached at Srivats.Satish@UConn.edu.
Do you have opinions? Do you want to get paid to write about them? Then come to a Commentary section meeting! Mondays at 8 p.m. in The Daily Campus
building.
Thursday, February 23, 2012
The Daily Campus, Page 5
Comics
I Hate Everything by Carin Powell
Side of Rice by Laura Rice
Stickcat by Karl, Jason, Fritz and Chan
Froot Buetch by Brendan Nicholas and Brendan Albetski
Horoscopes by Brian Ingmanson
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 a 7 -- You’re ready to take charge. Make new contacts while filling present orders. Stick to practical solutions. Remember to say “please” and “thank you.” Taurus (April 20-May 20) -- Today is a 7 -- Think it over. You’ve got some things to handle, and planning can save time. Is there anything you can delegate? Complete old stuff to gain space. Gemini (May 21-June 21) -- Today is an 8 -- There’s no point in blaming others. You can dig yourself out of a hole. Use the right tools. Your team can come to the rescue. Thank them and celebrate. Cancer (June 22-July 22) -- Today is an 8 -- Don’t let the stress of the test or challenge get you irritable. You can be very convincing now. Stand up for what you believe in. It could even be fun.
Editor’s Choice by Brendan Albetski
#hashtag by Cara Dooley
Leo (July 23-Aug. 22) -- Today is a 6 -- Your wanderlust intensifies. Travel and romance both look good for the next few days. The challenge: spend the same as you would at home. Day trips satisfy. Virgo (Aug. 23-Sept. 22) -- Today is a 7 -- Your actions could rub someone the wrong way. Don’t let circumstances dim your brilliance. Balance the different aspects of your life. Get plenty of rest.
Monkey Business by Jack Boyd
Libra (Sept. 23-Oct. 22) -- Today is an 8 -- What you’re learning seems to contradict what you already know. You can figure out what works for you and use it to your advantage. Don’t rush. Scorpio (Oct. 23-Nov. 21) -- Today is an 8 -- You’re getting busier, and while that’s a good thing, don’t burn yourself out. Take plenty of breaks to stretch and rest your senses. Breathe deeply. Sagittarius (Nov. 22-Dec. 21) -- Today is an 8 -- Get projects complete around the house, and clean up an old mess. Don’t get into a losing argument. Feed your romantic senses later in the day. Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) -- Today is a 7 -- Your capacity to communicate and concentrate is increased. Listen closely. Today you can solve old riddles. A stroll out in nature inspires.
UConn Classics: Same Comic, Different Day Rockin’ Rick by Steve Winchell and Sean Rose
Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 18) -- Today is an 8 -- Not everything goes according to plan, but that doesn’t stop you from going for it, especially where work’s concerned. Do the best with what you have. Pisces (Feb. 19-March 20) -- Today is an 8 -- Let your loved ones build up your confidence. They have faith in you, even when you doubt yourself. Try some of those moneymaking ideas.
Questions? Comments? Other Stuff? <dailycampuscomics@gmail.com>
The Daily Campus, Page 6
Thursday, February, 23, 2012
News
Researchers American reporter Marie Colvin killed in Syria find flaw in faster-thanlight clocks
» INTERNATIONAL
LONDON (AP) — She was instantly recognizable for the eye patch that hid a shrapnel injury — a testament to Marie Colvin’s courage, which took her behind the front lines of the world’s deadliest conflicts to write about the suffering of individuals trapped in war. After more than two decades of chronicling conflict, Colvin became a victim of it Wednesday, killed by shelling in the besieged Syrian city of Homs. Colvin, 56, died alongside French photojournalist Remi Ochlik, the French government announced. Freelance photographer Paul Conroy and journalist Edith Bouvier of Le Figaro were wounded. Colvin, from East Norwich, New York, had been a foreign correspondent for Britain’s Sunday Times for more than 25 years, making a specialty of reporting from the world’s most dangerous places. The newspaper posted her final dispatch outside the website’s paywall, so anyone could read her account from a cellar offering refuge for women and children. The report chronicled the horrors that eventually took her own life. “It is a city of the cold and hungry, echoing to exploding shells and bursts of gunfire,” Colvin wrote. “There are no telephones and the electricity has been cut off. ... Freezing rain fills potholes and snow drifts in through windows empty of glass. No shops are open, so families are sharing what they have with relatives and neighbors. Many of the dead and injured are those who risked foraging for food. “Fearing the snipers’ merciless eyes, families resorted last week to throwing bread across rooftops, or breaking through communal walls to pass unseen.” Colvin often focused on the plight of women and children in wartime, and Syria was no different. She gave interviews to major British broadcasters on the eve of her death, appeal-
ing for the world to notice the slaughter taking place. “I watched a little baby die today,” she told the BBC on Tuesday. “Absolutely horrific, a 2-year old child had been hit. They stripped it and found the shrapnel had gone into the left chest and the doctor said ‘I can’t do anything.’ His little tummy just kept heaving until he died.” In the 1990s, Colvin worked in the Balkans, where she went on patrol with the Kosovo Liberation Army as it engaged Serb military forces. She worked in Chechnya, where she came under fire from Russian jets while reporting on Chechen rebels seeking independence for their region. She also covered the conflict in East Timor after its people voted for independence in Southeast Asia. She was one of the few reporters to interview ousted Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi in his final days before his death in October. Her mother, Rosemarie Colvin, of East Norwich, N.Y., told
KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) — Clashes between Afghan troops and protesters angry over the burning of Muslim holy books at a U.S. military base left at least seven people dead and dozens wounded Wednesday as anger spread despite U.S. apologies over what it said was a mistake. The demonstrations across four eastern provinces illustrated the intensity of Afghans’ anger at what they saw as foreign forces flouting their laws and insulting their culture. The violence was also a reminder of how easily AfghanU.S. relations can deteriorate as the two countries work to forge a long-term partnership ahead of the withdrawal of foreign forces in 2014. The unrest started Tuesday when Afghan workers at the main American military base, Bagram Air Field, saw soldiers dumping books in a pit where garbage is burned and noticed Qurans and other religious material among the trash. The top U.S. and NATO commander, Gen. John Allen, quickly issued an apology and telephoned President Hamid Karzai and major news organizations to explain that a collection of religious materials, including Qurans, had been mistakenly sent to be incinerated. As
soon as someone realized what they were burning, they stopped and retrieved what was left, Allen said. Four copies of the Quran were burned before the incineration was halted, according to initial Afghan government reports. Anger about the burning spread overnight. A single demonstration outside the Bagram base on Tuesday gave way to three protests in the capital, Kabul, on Wednesday, along with demonstrations in the major eastern city of Jalalabad and in Logar and Parwan province, where Bagram is located. In Kabul, about 2,000 people massed outside a heavily guarded housing complex for foreigners, chanting “Death to America!” as they hurled rocks at the compound’s reinforced walls and set a fuel truck ablaze. The complex — known as “green village” because it boasts security equal to a military base — houses foreign contractors, police and some coalition military forces. Eighteen-year-old Mohammad Shaker said he first heard about the Quran burning on Tuesday, and he and other members of his mosque decided to take to the streets Wednesday after morning prayers. “This is not the first time
AP
In this file photo dated Nov. 10, 2010 the Duchess of Cornwall speaks with journalist Marie Colvin, right, in London. A French government spokeswoman on Wednesday Feb. 22, 2012 identified two Western reporters killed in Syria as American war reporter Marie Colvin and French photojournalist Remi Ochlik. Colvin.
The Associated Press that her daughter knew Gadhafi well, and described her daughter as a passionate about her work, even when it got very hard. “She was supposed to leave (Syria) today,” Rosemarie Colvin said, adding that her daughter had spoken yesterday with her editor who ordered her to leave because it was so dangerous. “She had to stay. She wanted to finish one more story.” The eldest of five children, Colvin is survived by her mother, two sisters and two brothers. Rosemarie Colvin invited reporters into her home, fighting back the tears. “The reason I’ve been talking to all you guys is that I don’t want my daughter’s legacy to be ‘no comment ... because she wasn’t a ‘no comment’ person,’” she said. “Her legacy is: Be passionate and be involved in what you believe in. And do it as thoroughly and honestly and fearlessly as you can.” A graduate of Yale University, Colvin had never
planned to be a journalist. She had studied anthropology, later taking the rigorous study of people and places and putting it to good use writing about individuals caught up in suffering to relay the horror of war. “Our mission is to speak the truth to power,” she said during a tribute service for slain journalists at Fleet Street’s St. Bride’s Church in November 2010. “We send home that first rough draft of history. We can and do make a difference in exposing the horrors of war and especially the atrocities that befall civilians.” Colvin’s death comes only days after two other respected journalists died while reporting on the uprising against Syria’s president, Bashar Assad. Twotime Pulitzer Prize-winning reporter Anthony Shadid, a correspondent for The New York Times, died last week of an apparent asthma attack while slipping out of Syria. Award-winning French TV reporter Gilles Jacquier was killed in an explosion in Homs
Quran burning incites deadly riots in Afghanistan
Want to write for news? Come to the meetings: Mondays at 7 p.m. in the Daily Campus Building
AP
Afghan policemen stand guard as black smoke rises from tyres that were burnt by protesters during an anti-US demonstration in Kabul, Afghanistan, Wednesday, Feb. 22.
they’re doing these things. They are killing civilians and taking photos of them. Every day they kill civilians with airstrikes. We can’t accept their crimes in our country,” Shaker said. The demonstrations prompted the U.S. to lock down its embassy and bar its staff from traveling. By nightfall, seven people had been killed — four in Parwan province and one each in Kabul, Jalalabad and Logar province, and dozens were wounded, the Interior Ministry said. In some
cases, security guards or police were accused of shooting protesters, while in others, officials said the shooting started from within the mob of demonstrators. The country’s council of Muslim clerics called the apologies from U.S. authorities insufficient and said military officials should punish those responsible. “Disrespecting religious materials is never acceptable,” the council said, condemning what it called an “un-Islamic and inhumane act.”
on Jan. 11, becoming the first Western journalist to die since the uprising began. His colleagues believe he was murdered in an elaborate trap set up by Syrian authorities — a claim that Assad’s government has denied. Colvin lost the sight in one eye during an ambush in Sri Lanka in 2001 but promised not to “hang up my flak jacket” and kept reporting on the world’s most troubled places. She was matter of fact about the injury during the tribute at St. Bride’s, as she described how authorities will try to keep the truth out of the headlines. “I had gone to the northern Tamil area from which journalists were banned and found an unreported humanitarian disaster,” she said. “As I was smuggled back across the internal border, a soldier launched a grenade at me and the shrapnel sliced into my face and chest. He knew what he was doing.” British Prime Minister David Cameron led the tributes to Colvin, telling lawmakers in the House of Commons that the death of the “talented and respected foreign correspondent” was “a desperately sad reminder of the risks journalists take to inform the world of what is happening and the dreadful events in Syria.” Author Salman Rushdie, who spent years in hiding from death threats, sent a message to his followers on Twitter, noting that it was “dreadful news. A great reporter, fine writer and fearless woman is gone. Her many friends are devastated.” Colvin’s boss, media mogul Rupert Murdoch, described her as “one of the most outstanding foreign correspondents of her generation.” But the tributes also described a woman intent on living life to the full. She was often compared to pioneering war correspondent Martha Gellhorn — gutsy and glamorous, taking each day as it came.
GENEVA (AP) — Researchers have found a flaw in the technical setup of an experiment that startled the science world last year by appearing to show particles traveling faster than light. The problem may have affected measurements that clocked subatomic neutrino particles breaking what Nobel Prize-winning physicist Albert Einstein considered the ultimate speed barrier. Two separate issues were identified with the GPS system that was used to time the arrival of neutrinos at an underground lab in Italy, James Gillies, spokesman for the European Organization for Nuclear Research, or CERN, said Wednesday. One could have caused the speed to be overestimated, the other could have caused it to be underestimated, he said. “The bottom line is that we will not know until more measurements are done later this year,” Gillies told The Associated Press. The results of the experiment were received with great skepticism by scientists when they were published last September because they seemed to contradict Einstein’s theory that nothing can travel faster than the speed of light. That rule is fundamental to modern physics, and breaking it is seen as a step into the realms of science fiction where time travel and warp speed engines exist. Even researchers involved in the experiment cautioned at the time that the measurements would need to be independently verified by other scientists before a genuine finding could be declared. The experiment involved neutrinos being fired from CERN’s site on the Swiss-French border to a vast underground laboratory 454 miles (730 kilometers) away at Gran Sasso in Italy.
THIS DATE IN HISTORY
BORN ON THIS DATE
1945
During the bloody Battle for Iwo Jima, U.S. Marines take the crest of Mount Suribachi, the island’s highest peak and most strategic position, and raise the U.S. flag.
www.dailycampus.com
Thursday, February 23, 2012
SUBOG hosts acoustic affair
By Joseph Kirschner Campus Correspondent For one hour Wednesday night, a microphone in the Student Union South Lobby broadcast the music of various musicians. SUBOG’s Fine and Performing Arts committee member Alivia Rhault hosted the hour-long program. At 7 p.m., Chris Pacileo a 6th-semester chemical engineering major began with a nameless song that he wrote. Pacileo then played “Lunatic” by Andy Grammer, which displayed his ability to make the music come alive. He sang the lyrics to Grammer’s song, “You can do this, you can do this, you are not a lunatic, crazy would be leaving this behind.” A small group of Pacileo’s friends came to watch him play, and said that he is always looking for somewhere to play. Steve Bak, a 6th-semester secondary education and history major took the stage next. He played three songs, one of which he wrote about the loss of a close friend, titled “Wolf River.” The other two were original works from Neil Young and Neutral Milk Hotel’s “Gardenhead.” Soon after, Ethan Ames, a 6th-semester journalism major, took the stage and played a total of four songs, three of which had all original music and lyrics and were “Ethan Ames Exclusives.” The first song of the set had original lyrics but used Neil Young’s music. It seemed effortless for Ames, as he took to the stage with a charming ability to come up with songs on the spot to fill time and perform for the crowd. Ames, who has
Who lights up the big screen each year, has won 21 Grammy’s, seven BAFTA awards, and five Academy Awards? No, it’s not Barbara Streisand or Julie Andrews, but film score composer John Williams. Williams has forty-seven Academy Awards nominations, including two for 2011’s films “War Horse” and “The Adventures of Tintin,” and is the only person other than Walt Disney to receive so many Academy nominations. He is part of the film industry elite and has been since he took center stage in the early 1970s, making a name for himself composing the soundtrack to “Jaws” and “Star Wars.” Between the 1970s and the late 1990s, John Williams was nominated practically every year and won his five Oscar’s in this period. Williams’ success in the film industry primarily stems from his subtle and fitting compositions, which perfectly complement each film. Each piece of Williams’ score is perfectly balanced with the overall theme of the film as well as the plot. For example, what is widely acknowledged as Williams’ greatest work, the theme to “Schindler’s List,” is a masterpiece beyond modern comparison. Not only does the lonely violin, performed by Itzakh Perlman, convey the unspeakable tragedy of the Holocaust, it portrays the conflict experienced by Schindler and the delicate nature of the situation while also giving the listener a sense of the urgency and danger involved in the plot. Williams’ genius stems from his ability to evoke powerful emotions from viewers and his delicate balancing of the themes in the film with the action. Given the inimitable quality of Williams’ compositions it is unsurprising that he has garnered so many awards, what is surprising is that in recent years his work has gone
The Daily Campus, Page 7
Accidental Food Inventions
KEVIN SCHELLER/The Daily Campus
Stephen Bak was one performer at SUBOG”s Open Mic Night. Students of all kinds of majors and backgrounds came together to share a little acoustic music.
six years of experience playing guitar, showcased his talent on a Martin Acoustic impressing the crowd and friend Katherine Peinhardt, who is a 4th-semester marketing and Spanish double major, and who also never heard him play before. During the show there was
even a duet between Bak and Ames, who played Neutral Milk Hotel’s “Two Headed Boy.” Bak and Ames, who met at the event for the first time, both love Neutral Milk Hotel and chose to duet this song because of the way the lyrics speak to them. Ames said
he likes the song because of its conscious poetic aspects, while Bak said that the lyrics are abstract, but they are among the most honest words he’s ever heard. To end the show Thomas O’Neill who is a first year graduate student studying
biochemistry played the song “Crossroads,” which was written by Robert Johnson and has been performed by Eric Clapton. Intrigued by the story behind the song O’Neill said that the author Robert Johnson
Legendary music man nominated for ‘War Horse,’ ‘Tin Tin’
By Kathleen McWilliams Campus Correspondent
George Frederic Handel – 1685 W.E.B. DuBois – 1868 Emily Blunt – 1983 Dakota Fanning – 1994
relatively unacknowledged. Almost 18 years have passed since the hauntingly beautiful theme from “Schindler’s List” earned Williams’ an Oscar. In this time frame, Williams composed the score to the adaptation of the decade’s most popular book series, “Harry Potter,” and exhibited his talent on countless other scores such as “Memoirs of a Geisha” and “Saving Private Ryan.” Most of Williams’ work has been nominated in past years, but has failed to win a prized gold statue, losing to the likes of Disney’s Alan Menken, “Titanic’s” James Horner, and Howard Shore’s “Lord of the Rings” fame. Some people might claim that Williams’ lack of recent success is due to his prime having been during the 1980s. But when Williams did not win an Oscar he often won another award for his work. This is true in the case of “Angela’s Ashes,” “Munich,” and “Saving Private Ryan,” which all failed to win an Oscar but won in the same year’s Grammy Awards. In the same spirit, “Memoirs of a Geisha” won almost every award it was nominated for, such as the 2005 BAFTA’s, Grammy’s and Golden Globes. So will this year be Williams’ golden revival? He has two nominations for Best Original Score, but also contends with some heavy competition. The score to “War Horse” has little competition in terms of creativity and artistic quality, and the best picture buzz floating around doesn’t hurt either. It might be harder for Williams to win with “The Adventures of Tintin.” Scorcese’s “Hugo” was more critically acclaimed in the fantasy genre and received more praise for its aesthetics, including music, than “Tintin. “If Williams does take home an Oscar, it’s safe to say the chances are in “War Horse’s” favor.
» CAMPUS, page 9
Whenever I step foot in the kitchen, I need a serious game plan. There’s no way I can go into that room blindly, hoping to come up with an amazing concoction that came off the top of my head. Yet, that’s exactly how recipe after recipe gets invented, and it made me think far back to the beginning days of cooking and baking. Who knew that mixing milk, butter and eggs (with various other ingredients) would become bread when placed in high heat? Who knew churning cream long enough would turn it into butter? Well, turns out some of our favorite foods are just total accidents that happened to be awesome. For example, Wheaties came into being in the 1920s because a Minnesota clinician spilled hot bran gruel onto a hot stove. The gruel was intended for his patients, but when he saw it sizzle into flakes, he took it to the kitchen to perfect. Maybe Wheaties aren’t your idea of a delicious and totally accidental invention, but I bet potato chips are. One day, the customer from hell walked into George Crum’s restaurant. Instead of being a normal patron and being satisfied with the menu, this devil-customer sent batch after batch of potato slices back to the grill to be sliced thinner. Finally, Crum sliced them wafer-thin, fried them up, and dumped salt all over them. Instead of getting revenge on his irate customer, the guy loved them,
» THE BEST, page 9
PHOTOS COURTESY OF AMAZON.COM
Kathleen.McWilliams@UConn.edu
John Williams has won awards for composing the themes for films as iconic as “Schindler’s List” and “Star Wars.” He is nominated for an Oscar this year for “War Horse.”
The Daily Campus, Page 8
FOCUS ON:
MUSIC Best Covers:
Album Of The Week
“I Can’t Make You Love Me” Bon Iver
“Ex-Factor” Quadron
“Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow?”
Amy Winehouse
“No Hands” Neon Hitch
“No One’s Gonna Love You” Cee Lo Green
“Midnight City” The Knocks
“A Case of You” James Blake
Want to join the Focus review crew? Come to a Focus meeting next semester, Mondays at 8 p.m. Your name could be on the Music page!
Blue
Sleigh Bells’ attitude reigns in latest album By Joe O’Leary Senior Staff Writer
“Knocked Up” Lykke Li
Thursday, February 23, 2012
Focus
The best way to describe Sleigh Bells’ music is to imagine a cheerleading squad being forcefully taken over by a rock group. Their first album, 2010’s “Treats,” was an overproduced masterpiece of screamed and whispered cheers, backed by crushing rock riffs and a drum machine that was pushed past the limit of what a human being could physically play. Their music is so unlike anything else on the popular scene that a new genre had to be invented for it; “noisepop” is the name of the game here. Alexis Krauss and Derek Miller have returned for their sophomore effort, “Reign of Terror,” and while their style has changed a bit, it’s mostly for the better. While “Reign” only has a few of the instant-classic anthems that packed “Treats” from beginning to end, it’s still got enough attitude and heart to be worth a listen or 12.
“Reign” begins with a live introduction from an actual Sleigh Bells concert as the band leads into “True Shred Guitar.” Krauss screams “What the f***’s up!” to her ador-
first single, “Born to Lose,” opens with a machine-gun paced bassdrum beat amid yet more feedback before dropping into a crushing guitar line. Krauss sarcastically
Reign of Terror Sleigh Bells 2/14/12 10 tracks
8.5
/10
ing fans amid distorted guitar feedback before counting into the song itself, led by a destructive riff and Krauss’s half-yelled, half-spoken chants. The whirlwind, minutelong track leads into one of the two peaks on “Reign.” The album’s second song and
implores a suicidal friend to “just get on with it” before making her point in the chorus; “All I know/ You can’t choose/Here I go/Born to lose.” Krauss argues that we’re all going to die, so why worry about trivial problems? Just live your life.
The album’s other high point is the second single “Comeback Kid,” which follows roughly the same pattern. It’s an inspirational song meant for those points where one hits the proverbial wall; it’s simple, but effective. “You know you try so hard but you can’t even lead/You gotta try a little harder, you’re the comeback kid,” Krauss coos in the chorus. Add in a great beat and a fast pace, and the song becomes a blissful three minutes of pop-rock. While these songs are remnants from “Treats,” Sleigh Bells do expand their sound on their second go-around. “You Lost Me” chugs along a blocky guitar line. Instead of sprinting to the finish line like so many of their other songs, it’s content to jog, which makes the overpowering bridge all the sweeter once it arrives. It’s dark, foreboding and subtle, all of which form a new and exciting direction for
» ‘REIGN’, page 9
‘Careless World’ fails to show genre mastery, uniqueness By Tom Teixeira Staff Writer After a 2011 spent cruising the singles charts with “Far Away,” “Still Got It” ft Drake and “Rack City,” YMCMB’s newest addition Tyga released his studio debut, “Careless World: Rise of the Last King” on Tuesday. Monday, Tyga got some bad news that may have actually helped the sales of his album more than hurt when Best Buy announced that they will not sell the album because the artist neglected to clear a sample of Martin Luther King Jr.’s 1968 Speech “I See The Promised Land” with the civil rights leader’s estate. When I read that an artist had the audacity to sample Dr. King, without permission no less, I couldn’t help but think, “Damn, that album better be a classic.” “Careless World: Rise of the Last King”, unfortunately for Tyga, is not a classic, but rather another Young Money release laced with scattered production, mediocre lyrics, and two baffling excuses for songs for every mundane, but catchy, hip-hop track. Characterized by inconsistent production and thematics, “Careless World” feels more like a mix-tape than an album.
Topics, when they are clearly expressed, vary from scattered babbling on tracks like “Mothafucka Up,” to sincere regret and emotion on “Love Game,” arguably the album’s best. “Carless World” on the whole is an album of noticeable ups and downs. “Love Game” and “I’m Gone” ft. Big Sean are Tyga’s best tracks, in my opinion. Subtle, layered beats provide a solid base for his quick delivery and smooth
some freshman in Buckley who had a few too many made the beat with his 808 machine, a sophomore in North wrote the hook and a high school student recently learned in both profanity and anatomy wrote the lyrics. On the whole, “Careless World,” is a mediocre release, Tyga demonstrates that he possesses some of the ingredients needed to compose more promising music. His flow and delivery are impressive,
Careless World: Rise of the Last King Tyga
2/20/12 21 tracks
4.5
/10
vocals. When he keeps his lyrics focused and his hooks realistic,Tyga cranks out a hiphop track that, though it fringes on pop, is a decent listen. At his worst, Tyga really drops the ball. “Faded” ft. Lil Wayne is little more than composed noise. If I heard this track on Tumblr or SoundCloud, I might expect to learn that
he displays the ability to write complex rhymes, and on a few tracks even shows some willingness to open up emotionally on the mic or flip some intelligent thoughts for a few bars. Though “Careless World” might not be a classic album, or even the best hip-hop album of the month, it reveals potential in Tyga to cook up a quality rap
album in the future. I’m really torn about this album. While some tracks nearly go so far as to insult the hip-hop genre, others are solid, standalone songs. As someone rarely satisfied by pop-hip-hop records, I worry that I might be dismissing “Careless World” too quickly. But I keep coming back to the fact that the album is largely forgettable because it fails to deliver one of the two qualities that can make an album truly outstanding. Some albums are successful because they demonstrate mastery; “Teflon Don” isn’t perfect, but Ross shows a mastery of the luxury rap genre and “Take Care” certainly is flawed, but is emotional, R&B toned hip-hop at its finest. Other albums rise above the pack because of their uniqueness. Kid Cudi’s “Man on the Moon,” for example, brought something entirely new to the scene. The bottom line for me is that Tyga’s “Careless World” comes nowhere close to achieving either goal. While it might be a decent start for an artist who cannot decide whether he wants to be a rapper or a popartist, “Careless World: Rise of the Last King” is a one-time listen.
Thomas.Teixeira@UConn.edu
Still relentlessly upbeat, fun. is back with ‘Some Nights’ “Shelter” Birdy
“Hometown Glory” City and Colour - TREVOR BEGNAL Photos Courtesy Amazon.com
Upcoming Shows Toad's Place, New Haven 3/2 Tyga 8 p.m., $28 Webster Theater, Hartford 2/26 Drake Bell 6 p.m., $12 Calvin Theater, Northampton, Mass. 3/3 Matt Nathanson 8 p.m., $25
By Zach Fisher Campus Correspondent “There are some nights I hold on to every note I ever wrote. Some nights, I say f*** it all and stare at the calendar.” These first two lines of “Some Nights Intro”off fun.’s sophomore effort, “Some Nights,” are the microcosm of Nate Ruess, an eccentric who embraces the up and downs of his nightlife endeavors. Ruess, the former singer and songwriter of the indie rock outfit The Format, which split in 2008, embraces his inner pop star on his band’s Fueled By Ramen debut. “Aim and Ignite,” fun.’s debut album released in 2009, was a perfectly produced set of 10 songs that burst with creativity and popped with Ruess’s sugary hooks. It gave you the rush and excitement of a novelty sound, a hybrid of introspective lyrics that Ruess is known for that were wrapped around an onslaught of horns, whistles, gang vocals and massive harmonies reminiscent of Queen or the Beach Boys. It was a hell of an album
that created its own idiosyncratic world without ever becoming cheesy (though at times it could be just a little overbearing).
West’s co-producer Jeff Basker Emile, who takes the helm for “Some Nights,” fun. creates a massive sounding world that is all their own.
Some Nights fun.
2/21/12 12 tracks
8
/10
So what did Ruess have planned for an album that literally never stopped to catch its breath? Did he create a generic mainstream sophomore slump cliché of an album for his major label debut? Nope. fun. are as over-thetop and relentlessly up-beat as ever. The trio, made up of Ruess, Jack Antonoff of the indie rock band Steel Train, and Andrew Dost of Anathallo, were reported to have been influenced by hip-hop (especially Kanye West) while writing the album. Thanks to
“Some Nights Intro” opens the album with Ruess emoting over a piano ballad that eventually catapults its way into about a minute of operatic harmonies and gloomy violins, and a full on marching band that accompanies Ruess’s notion, “have you listened to me lately, I’ve been f***ing crazy.” “We are Young,” the massive hit single, that was No. 1 on iTunes after the song was featured in a commercial during the Super Bowl, is a great pop song, yet might be the weakest song on the album
“Carry On,” an anthem that progressively becomes an epic feat of 80s hair metal guitar solos, and the biggest chorus on the album. My personal favorite, “It Get’s Better” mixes a pre chorus that is reminiscent of a Drake beat that flows into a power pop chorus that sounds like the ‘70s rock band The Cars golden days. The glimmers of hip-hop that fun. concentrated on bringing to life can be found on the last half of the album. “All Alone” is encompassed by a hip-hop beat that sounds authentic and organic but never finds it’s groove. Where “All Right” and “One Foot” are two incredibly catchy songs that never let up. They are built on massive synths and colossal drum machines that never sound out of place. While the abrasive pop hooks and sugary production may be too much at times, this is a pop record. While weaker pop artists need a few slow songs to build an album, fun. shows that sometime more can be more.
Zachary.Fisher@UConn.edu
From Treadmills to Super Bowl Glory Sometimes I wonder whether OK Go is actually a band or a horde of circus freaks that are coincidentally good at music as well. Damian Kulash, Tim Nordwind, Dan Konopa and Andy Ross have been putting out records together since the beginning of the millennium. But the Chicago natives are best known for their devilish and inventive music videos, rather than their actual songs. In fact, their most recent album, “Of the Blue Colour of the Sky,” went unnoticed by the general public until the video for the single “This Too Shall Pass” was released. The band broadcast two versions of the track: one involving the University of Notre Dame’s marching band and one using an extremely complex Rube Goldberg Machine. OK Go’s stint in the spotlight began with the famous treadmill dance of 2006. The daring video for the song “Here It Goes Again” garnered more than one million views during the first week alone. Prior to this breakthrough, the band had attained marginal success in the UK with a self-titled album in 2002. Three years later, it made its YouTube debut with an absurd, backyard dance for “A Million Ways.” The choreography for “A Million Ways” and “Here It Goes Again” was concocted by the lead singer’s sister. It was her ingenuity that ended up winning the band a Grammy for “Best Short Form Music Video.” When it comes to the meat and potatoes, OK Go is anything but extraordinary. The songs on their sophomore album “Oh No” are standard for an alternative group trying to experiment with synthesizers and overlapping, electric guitars. The preliminary track, “Invincible,” is one of the band’s best pieces, as it couples an explosion of strings with a raging drum line. It is not surprising that the music video incorporates furniture being blown up and a percussion set being lit on fire. Album No. 3 is also not much of a winner in terms of lyrics and instrumentation. The song “White Knuckles” is supplemented by an entertaining display of dogs performing tricks and acrobatics. If it weren’t for the canine talent show however, the track would be entirely forgettable. Kulash has a unique voice that can be considered as too delicate for the rock genre. He generally sings in a strained falsetto that gets drowned out by the racketeering of the background instruments. Plus, the man is in dire need of autotune. It’s too bad that he’s not a rapper; otherwise, it would be perfectly acceptable for his to employ a little computerized help to get on key. On the other hand, the band does seem to be making a few strides in improving its musical capabilities. It’s latest single, “Needing/Getting,”
» OK GO, page 9
Thursday, February 23, 2012
The Daily Campus, Page 9
Focus
OK Go wins ‘Visions’ shows lack of focus ‘Reign’ is for new indie with viral generation videos By Julie Bartoli Senior Staff Writer
from FROM, page 8
features some impressive harmonies and a strong, vocal output by Kulash. But again, the main highlight of the song is its video, which has the band managing to put together a full melody by careening through an obstacle course of homemade instruments in a Chevy hatchback. OK Go keeps taking gambles by pouring all of its efforts and funds into achieving viralvideo status. However, the band members know that the key to sparking public interest is to break all expectations of normalcy. Music is no longer meant to be a one-dimensional, audio experience, and OK Go has proven that by reaping success through their extravagant productions.
Purbita.Saha@UConn.edu
Claire Boucher, a.k.a. Grimes, has more under her belt than the average twenty-three year old. “Visions” is her fourth album in only two years, and she’s made it clear that she does more than just sing. Boucher is a one-woman show, recording from her bedroom with the help of GarageBand, voice pedals, a sampler and a Juno-G Keyboard. She draws her album artwork, models, choreographs and produces her own videos – all with the enthusiasm of a kid on Christmas morning. This overwhelming devotion to every aspect of the craft is a double-edged sword. “Visions” is inconsistent and occasionally halfformed. Pieces like “Eight” and “Visiting Statue” are cut at the two-minute mark, ending before they can truly begin. Their metallic polish and robotic overlay make for a distinct aural experience, but Boucher doesn’t even bother with a chorus. Without a hook, all that
ingenious instrumentality takes an insane amount of listens to actually resonate. “Circumambient’s” vocals are buried so far in the mix that all we can take away is the overt Madonna
gum-pop soaked in psychedelics, with a reccurring baseline that could provide backdrop to a rave. And the second track, “Genesis,” showcases Boucher’s otherworldly falsetto in a way that she could
Visions Grimes
2/21/12 13 tracks
6
/10
influence. “Skin” exhausts the six minutes that should have been used to expand “Eight” and “Visiting Statue;” instead offering a rudimentary synth loop and lulling stereophonic. It’s an unremarkable end to a somewhat unremarkable album. Naturally, though, it has its moments. “Oblivion” is bubble-
never quite achieve on her debut album, “Geidi Primes.” I like the idea of “Visions.” It’s a visceral experience, showing the space between people that were once anything but distant. There’s motion, misfortune and honesty that could only come with an artist who has yet to be jaded. “Skin,” Boucher’s most personal
piece (“You touch me once again and somehow it stings/because I know it is the end”) ties everything together lyrically, but because the song lacks aesthetically it’s still a miss. I appreciate Boucher’s passion, and I genuinely believe she’s a talented singer/songwriter. But, she’s spreading herself too thin. Thematically, this album is a ten, but the aimless synth solos and unfinished ideas take away from the experience. Boucher needs to finish each project individually before throwing herself headfirst into a new task. Considering Boucher is a selfproclaimed “post-Internet” artist, it seems only fair to credit her lack of focus partially on the Internet. She’s always had the ability to seek new opportunities, projects and techniques instantly. With her raw talent, this vagrant cherry picking could sustain her for years. Unfortunately, talent means nothing when you have nothing to truly show for it.
the band’s music. Likewise, “End of the Line” slows its pace with a guitar line reminiscent of “Rill Rill” from “Treats,” and it’s all the better for it. Between the hard-hitting, heavy riffs and Krauss’ hypnotic vocals, “Reign of Terror” is a great poprock effort for a new indie generation. The music’s low-fi, sure, but it works thanks to Miller’s production. His tendency to overproduce every track to its loudest possible volume really fulfills the snotty “high-school cheerleader” attitude the band carries. This attitude clashes beautifully with the positive, life-affirming messages across most of the album, making for wonderful, ear-pleasing schadenfreude, and makes “Reign” one to grab.
Julie.Bartoli@UConn.edu
Joseph.O’Leary@UConn.edu
from SLEIGH BELLS, page 8
Campus musicians will be on The best accidental discovery? display throughout semester Chocolate-chip cookies.
from SUBOG, page 7
sold his soul to the devil in exchange for the ability to play the guitar. As O’Neill played the song he moved the small crowd with his deep singing voice and talented finger picking techniques. O’Neill who practices for an hour a day, played his set on a Canadian made Larrivée acoustic guitar, which he has owned for three years. With amazing talent portrayed by each musician the members of the crowd were a bit disappointed because of the shows hour-long performance time. Laura Joseph, who is
a 6th-semester nutritional sciences major, said she wished it was longer and that more people performed. Joseph, who had attended one of SUBOG’s Open Mic Night’s last semester was hoping for some poetry and other forms of artistic expression but still enjoyed the show. Natalie Smith, an 8thsemester nutritional sciences major, said she would come again. Both Joseph and Smith suggested that there should be more advertising for these events. With no mic to be had on stage, the performers did not have any trouble emphasizing their talents with playing
their guitars and singing. With members of the UCTV team filming and myself taking notes, the host Alivia Rhault, a 3rd-semester pre-journalism major, and her crew Anthony Cunningham, a 5th-semester Italian literary studies major, and Claire Morris, a 4thsemester English major, said they were not expecting all the publicity that was at the show. Rhault said there will be more open mic nights that will have other aspects of the fine and performing arts such as poetry and comedy in the near future.
Joseph.Kirschner@UConn.edu
from ACCIDENTAL, page 8 and thus potato chips were born. Sometimes, even little kids come up with better things than we adults could have ever dreamed of…if you want to call college students adults. In 1905, Frank Epperson was entertaining himself by making soda, when he accidentally left all his equipment out for the night. When he came back the next morning, he realized that the stick he had been using to stir had frozen into what was now a bowl of ice-soda. Nineteen years later, he patented his invention. If you’ve ever added a little zing to your steak or burgers by adding Worcestershire Sauce, you have two pharmacists hired by ex-Governor of Bengal, Lord Marcus Sandys, to thank for that. He wanted them to create a sauce that would mimic the flavors found in Indian food, where he had just came from. Now living in Worcestershire, Sandys and
his pharmacists tried to create something similar to Indian cuisine, and ended up with a disgusting, watery mess. So, they put the jars of their creation in their cellar, only to approach again years later and have a new, tasty substance on their hands. For all those who think it might be a good
“So, budding culinary geniuses, don’t be discouraged when you try recipe after recipe ... some of the best foods happened purely by mistake ... you might one day be so lucky.”
idea to save the horrible mistakes you make in the kitchen, however, take note that this is a special case. Finally, probably the best accidentally spectacular food on this list: the chocolate chip cookie. In 1930, Ruth Wakefield had run out of baking chocolate, so she added semi-sweet chocolate pieces to her dough. Much to her dismay, she realized the chocolate chunks had not distributed evenly in the batter. But, Behold! The end result was incredible, and the creation put her bed and breakfast, The Toll House Inc., on the map. So, budding culinary geniuses, don’t be discouraged when you try recipe after recipe, only to have your hard work come out tasting like barf. Remember that some of the best foods happened purely by mistake, and if you spend enough time practicing, you might one day be so lucky.
Rebecca.Radolf@UConn.edu
The Daily Campus, Page 10
Thursday, February 23, 2012
Focus
» OSCARS
AP critics pick 'The Artist' for top Oscar wins LOS ANGELES (AP) – Associated Press movie writers David Germain and Christy Lemire are boringly in lockstep on their picks for this season's top Academy Awards categories, depriving them of their usual snide debate over who's going to win. Both predict the silent film "The Artist" will win for bestpicture prize and for director Michel Hazanavicius. They also expect "The Artist" star Jean Dujardin to claim best actor, with "The Help" costars Viola Davis and Octavia Spencer earning the actress honors and Christopher Plummer taking supporting actor for "Beginners." Here are their thoughts, with both sounding off on best picture, Lemire offering their take on best actor and supporting actress, and Germain giving their opinion on best director, actress and supporting actor. BEST PICTURE Nominees: Best Picture: "The Artist," ''The Descendants," ''Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close," ''The Help," ''Hugo," ''Midnight in Paris," ''Moneyball," ''The Tree of Life," ''War Horse." GERMAIN: The buzz began at Cannes, as last May's crowd considered the prospects of "The Artist," a lastminute addition to the world's most-prestigious film festival competition. Here's what the Cannes festival program promised for this throwback to silent cinema: "Hollywood 1927. George Valentin is a silent movie superstar. The advent of the talkies will sound the death knell for his career and see him fall into oblivion. For young extra Peppy Miller, it seems the sky's the limit – major movie stardom awaits." Before "The Artist" premiered, Cannes critics asked one another, "Do you suppose it's really silent?" And they thought: "How unlike the usual Cannes snoot-fest. This one actually could be fun." Well, "The Artist" has been great fun ever since, winning Jean Dujardin the Cannes best-actor prize as George, launching him and fellow Oscar nominee Berenice Bejo to worldwide celebrity, and charming fans with its grand black-and-white visuals, its sweet comic melodrama, its rich score and sound effects, its show-stopping dance numbers, and its adorable canine co-star Uggie. Writer-director Michel Hazanavicius delivers a glorious dose of nostalgia with hip, modern flair, creating what will be the only silent film to win best picture since the first year at the Oscars 83 years ago. For the principals of "The Artist" – Hazanavicius, Dujardin, Bejo, Uggie – major movie stardom no longer awaits. It's here. LEMIRE: I am not nearly as enamored of "The Artist"
In this film publicity image released by The Weinstein Company, Jean Dujardin portrays George Valentin, left, and Berenice Bejo portrays Peppy Miller in a scene from "The Artist." Associated Press movie writers David Germain and Christy Lemire are boringly in lockstep on their picks for this season's top Academy Awards categories, depriving them of their usual snide debate over who's going to win. Both predict the silent film “The Artist” will claim the best-picture prize and its director, Michel Hazanavicius, will be named best director. They also expect “The Artist” star Jean Dujardin to win for best actor, with “The Help” co-stars Viola Davis and Octavia Spencer earning the actress honors.
as Dave is. I think it's a very lovingly crafted, meticulously detailed gimmick. It's sweet but it drags; the dog is the best part. But everyone in this town is clinging to the nostalgia this film offers, pining for the moment in history that it captures, so I'm just going to have to surrender to the juggernaut and acknowledge that it's going to win best picture. For a little while last year, it looked like "The Descendants" was your front-runner; many consider it Alexander Payne's best film. If it were up to me, "The Tree of Life" would win; Terrence Malick's gorgeous meditation on the origin of the universe is the real accomplishment here – gorgeous, ambitious and challenging. I'm just happy it was nominated. "Hugo," Martin Scorsese's first film in beautifully immersive 3-D, is a great visual achievement and should do well in the technical categories (it leads all films with 11 nominations). The heavyhanded "Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close" doesn't even belong here. BEST DIRECTOR Nominees: Michel Hazanavicius, "The Artist"; Alexander Payne, "The Descendants"; Martin Scorsese, "Hugo"; Woody Allen, "Midnight in Paris"; Terrence Malick, "The Tree of Life." GERMAIN: At the Screen Actors Guild Awards, Kristen Wiig and her "Bridesmaids" co-stars Maya Rudolph and Melissa McCarthy came up with a funny drinking game involving the last name of Martin
Scorsese, whose pronunciation they hilariously debated. Good thing awards season has given presenters plenty of chances to practice pronouncing the name of the directing front-runner Scorsese's up against. Michel Hazanavicius (ha-zahn-aVISH'-us) has gone from solid success at home in France with his "OSS 117" spy romps to international innovator for his crazy little idea to resurrect the silent film. Hazanavicius came up with a lovely story lovingly told, combining sumptuous music, stylish costumes, gorgeous black-and-white images and only the barest whisper of spoken dialogue into an experience that's nothing short of transporting. Charles Chaplin continued making silent films well into the sound era, and Mel Brooks scored a comic hit with his spoof "Silent Movie." But no filmmaker of modern times really took silence seriously until Hazanavicius, who bucked every trend of kaleidoscopic color, ear-shattering sound and digitized 3-D visual spectacle to make old Hollywood fresh and new again. For that, and for the great film he made, he'll get his Oscar. BEST ACTOR Nominees: Demian Bichir, "A Better Life"; George Clooney, "The Descendants"; Jean Dujardin, "The Artist"; Gary Oldman, "Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy"; Brad Pitt, "Moneyball." LEMIRE: A month ago, I would have picked George Clooney to win this. His performance as a father struggling to raise his two daughters
while their mother is in a coma — while also accepting the revelation that she's been having an affair and deciding how to handle an important land deal that will alter his family's royal Hawaiian legacy — felt like a rare regular-guy role. He was finally an ordinary, middle-aged man dealing with ordinary, middle-aged problems, and it's some of the best work of his eclectic, sterling career. But then Jean Dujardin won the Screen Actors Guild Award for best actor — beating Clooney, among others — and the tidal wave of love that showered over him that night was an indication that this town is firmly behind "The Artist" in every way. It is an impressive performance in a demanding role, and Dujardin is undeniably charming; he's got this young Gene-Kelly thing going. And so a win for Dujardin will be part of a big night for this little black-and-white movie. (For the record, I'd love to see Brad Pitt win. His performance as Oakland A's general manager Billy Beane in "Moneyball" allows him to show everything he can do in one place, and he's due.) BEST ACTRESS: Nominees: Glenn Close, "Albert Nobbs"; Viola Davis, "The Help"; Rooney Mara, "The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo"; Meryl Streep, "The Iron Lady"; Michelle Williams, "My Week With Marilyn." GERMAIN: It'll be sad to see Meryl Streep go home a loser again. The performer with a record 17 acting nomi-
nations has won twice, but it's been 29 years since her last victory, and Streep's impeccable transformation into former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher looked like her best shot for a third Oscar. Likewise, Michelle Williams' remarkable embodiment of Marilyn Monroe is her own best chance after three nominations and an opportunity for Hollywood to pay some respect-by-association to Monroe, who never was nominated for an Oscar herself. But Viola Davis will mop up Sunday night. Davis, Streep's co-star and fellow nominee for 2008's "Doubt," brings boundless grace, humor, fierceness and resilience to her role as a black maid in the 1960s Deep South who joins other housekeepers in sharing tales of life with their haughty, racist white employers. Critics could snipe that Hollywood hasn't come that far since Hattie McDaniel became the first black to win an acting Oscar — for playing a maid — in 1939's "Gone with the Wind." Yet Davis and co-star Octavia Spencer, the supporting-actress favorite, stamp an unforgettable human face on "the help" — a class of people typically treated as drab and anonymous by Hollywood yet elevated here to nobility. SUPPORTING ACTOR: Nominees: Kenneth Branagh, "My Week With Marilyn"; Jonah Hill, "Moneyball"; Nick Nolte, "Warrior"; Christopher Plummer, "Beginners"; Max von Sydow, "Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close."
GERMAIN: When Christopher Plummer was quoting "Hamlet" in the "original Klingon" 20 years ago in "Star Trek: The Undiscovered Country," the esteemed Shakespearean actor clearly had a grand time hamming up the Bard in outer space. Yet with Plummer's bumpy Klingon cranium and eye-patch riveted to his skull, he looked like a guy resigned never to earn his critical due in Hollywood. "Star Trek" may pay well, but it's not all that kind to an actor's reputation. After a nearly 60-year career that includes roles in such Oscar winners and contenders as "The Sound of Music," ''The Insider" and "A Beautiful Mind," Plummer finally picked up his first Oscar nomination two years ago as Leo Tolstoy in "The Last Station." At 82, Plummer is set to become the oldest acting winner ever for "Beginners," a down-to-earth role that's worlds away from the Klingon empire. Plummer is joyously genuine as a widower who lived the lie of straight family man most of his life but comes out as gay for a few twilight years of fun, frolic and finally connecting with the son who never really knew him growing up. The film's a testament to Tom Robbins' line that it's never too late to have a happy childhood. And for Plummer, that it's never too late to earn your due as one of the class acts of the big-screen. SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Nominees: Berenice Bejo, "The Artist"; Jessica Chastain, "The Help"; Melissa McCarthy, "Bridesmaids"; Janet McTeer, "Albert Nobbs"; Octavia Spencer, "The Help." LEMIRE: It would be a complete hoot to see Melissa McCarthy win. A longtime standup comic and former member of the Los Angeles improv theatre The Groundlings, she would give an acceptance speech we'd never forget. Plus it would be nice to see the Academy acknowledge the difficulty of doing this kind of comedy right; McCarthy is a complete scene-stealer as an inappropriate, brash bridesmaid, taking the role to dangerous and unexpected places. But Octavia Spencer is the favorite here, and justifiably so. In an ensemble cast of strong women (including fellow nominees Viola Davis and Jessica Chastain), she shines as a putupon maid who dares to tell the truth in the 1960s South. Spencer's very presence radiates joy and grace, humor and heart. Her scenes with Chastain offer the possibility of healing and redemption during an ugly, tumultuous time. And given that she's been winning pretty much every award leading up to the Oscars, we know she'll give a memorable speech Sunday night herself.
Cyndi Lauper's musical 'Kinky Man's childhood comics fetch $3.5M Boots' heads to Chicago NEW YORK (AP) – A new musical bringing together Tony Award-winner Harvey Fierstein and rock icon Cyndi Lauper will put its best foot forward in Chicago this October. "Kinky Boots" will make its world premiere at the Bank of America Theatre in October ahead of a possible Broadway transfer, producers Daryl Roth and Hal Luftig said Wednesday. The musical is based on the 2005 British movie about a failing shoe factory that's struggling following the death of its founder until it finds new life in fetish footwear. Fierstein, known for his witty musicals like "La Cage Aux Folles" and "Newsies," pushed to have Lauper make her theatrical debut with music and lyrics for "Kinky Boots." "She has one of those bigfat-all-over-the-place-youcan't-hide-it-hearts," he said.
FILE PHOTO/The
In this Feb. 12 file photo, Cyndi Lauper arrives at the 54th annual Grammy Awards in Los Angeles. A new musical bringing together Tony Award-winner Harvey Fierstein and rock icon Cyndi Lauper is to high-step it to Chicago this fall.
"There are just some people that you can't hide it with at all, and she's one of those people." Lauper, the singer-songwriter behind such hits as
"True Colors" and "Girls Just Want to Have Fun," jumped in with a full score that will surprise people, Fierstein said. "There was a lot of chasing her around because that woman works," he said. "Her musical vocabulary is wonderful. Each character has their own sound." The musical will be directed and choreographed by Tony winner Jerry Mitchell. Casting and specific dates haven't been announced yet. Fierstein said the story teases out the relationship between Charlie, the shoe factory's new head, and a sassy drag queen performer named Lola. "It really amplified what, for me, the story was about," he said. "Here are two people who couldn't be more different who realize that, in their minds, they're complete failures to their fathers. They find each other and heal each other."
DALLAS (AP) – Billy Wright plunked down dime after dime for comic books while growing up in the late 1930s and early 1940s, caring for the collection he started around the age of 9 until his death more than half a century later. On Wednesday, most of that collection sold for a whopping $3.5 million. Wright's 345 comics, nearly all of which were published from 1936 through 1941, included many of the most prized issues ever, including Detective Comics No. 27, which features the debut of Batman, and Action Comics No. 1, in which Superman's first appears. Experts say Wright's collection, which included 44 of The Overstreet Comic Book Price Guide's top 100 issues from comics' golden age, was remarkable for its number of rare issues, but also because it was compiled by a single person in childhood who kept it in good condition until his death in 1994 at age 66. "This really has its place in the history of great comic book collections," said Lon Allen, the managing director of comics for Dallas-based Heritage Auctions, which oversaw the auction in New York City.
The copy of Detective Comics No. 27, from 1939, drew the highest bid Wednesday, selling for $523,000, including a buyer's premium, Allen said. Wright's Action Comics No. 1, from 1938, sold for about $299,000; Batman No. 1, from 1940, sold for about $275,000; and Captain America No. 2, a 1941 issue with Adolf Hitler on the cover, sold for about $114,000. "It was amazing seeing what they went for," said Michael Rorrer, who discovered his late great uncle's neatly stacked comics in a basement closet while cleaning out his great aunt's Martinsville, Va., home after she died last year. Most comics from the golden age – the late 1930s into the 1950s – fell victim to wartime paper drives, normal wear and tear and mothers throwing them out, said J.C. Vaughn, associate publisher of Overstreet. Of the 200,000 copies of Action Comics No. 1 produced, about 130,000 were sold and the about 70,000 that didn't sell were pulped. Today, experts believe only about 100 copies are left in the world, he said. "The scope of this collection is, from a historian's perspective, dizzying," Vaughn said.
There were 227 of the collection's comic books sold on Wednesday for $3,466,264. The remaining comics, which are of lesser value, will be sold in online auctions Friday and Sunday and are expected to fetch about $100,000. Rorrer, 31, said he didn't realize how valuable the comics were until months after returning home to Oxnard, Calif., when he mentioned them to a co-worker who mused that it would be quite something if he had Action Comics No. 1. "I went home and was looking through some of them, and there it was," said Rorrer, who then began researching the collection's value in earnest. He reached out to his mother, Lisa Hernandez, who still had half the comics at her home in League City, Texas, that she intended to give to his brother in Houston. They then went through their boxes, checking comic after comic off the list. Hernandez said it really hit her how valuable the comics were when she saw the look on Allen's face when the auction house expert came to her house to look through the comics.
Thursday, February 23, 2012
» FUTBOL
The Rise and Fall of Fernando Torres
By Miles DeGrazia Futbol Columnist With Chelsea FC trailing 3-1 to Napoli Tuesday during a misty night in Naples, under fire manager André VillasBoas went to make a 70th minute double substitution in order to give his team a glimmer of hope in progressing to the Champions League quarterfinals. Needing goals, the obvious choice is Fernando Torres, the only striker on the Chelsea bench. Torres was at one point the most feared striker on the planet; he had helped Liverpool torch Manchester United in an historic 4-1 victory at Old Trafford and scored the winning goal for Spain during the Euro 2008 Final to lift their first trophy in 42 years. After diligent deliberation Villas-Boas bypass Torres and brought on Frank Lampard and Michael Essien. This may just be one substitution during one match, but this overlook of Torres signaled rock bottom in what has been possibly the greatest collapse of talent ever seen. Torres signed his first professional contract with his boyhood club Atlético Madrid right after an under-15 tournament in which Atlético Madrid won and Torres was named the best U-15 player in Europe. Torres’ professional football life had begun with a level of hype that would accompany him throughout his career. It took Torres two years before he started getting first team minutes with Atlético and his breakthrough to the first team came toward the tail end of the 2001 season in Spain’s Segunda División. The next season he made 37 appearances for Atleti, and the side won promotion to La Liga. Torres then spent five seasons with Atlético in La Liga, making 200 appear-
The Daily Campus, Page 11
Sports
ances and scoring 83 times, during which he was named Atlético captain at just 19 years old. Torres became an international superstar when he joined Liverpool in the summer of 2007. Torres hit his peak while at Liverpool becoming the fastest player in club history to score 50 goals. While at Liverpool, Torres was named in the FIFPro World XI (best starting XI in the world) and the PFA Team of The Year (Team of the Year for club players in England) in 2008 and 2009. He also came in third place in the 2008 FIFA World Player of the Year voting just behind Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi. During the summer of 2008 Torres played a major role for the Spanish national team during the Euros starting five of six matches including starting over David Villa in the final. In the final versus Germany, Torres scored the solitary goal and in doing so was named man of the match. Everything began to go downhill for Torres during the end of the 2009-2010 season and this became increasing clear when his poor form continued during the 2010 World Cup. Torres started just four of Spain’s seven World Cup matches and never really looked up to par with the rest of the Spanish attacking players and ultimately found himself as a sub for the semifinal and final. After the World Cup, Torres returned to Liverpool and began to work under new manager Roy Hodgson. Under Hodgson Torres showed glimpses of his old goal scoring form netting nine goals in 23 appearances, but during the January transfer window Liverpool sold Torres to Chelsea for £50 million making him the most expensive player in Britain. Torres’ Chelsea career started in horrific fashion when it
took him 903 minutes (and some help from a puddle) to score his first goal for the London side. Torres made 14 appearances for Chelsea during the 2010-2011 season and scored just the lone goal against, West Ham the team that finished last in the Premiership. Torres’ 2011/12 campaign began with equally lackluster play, failing to score in his first five matches. It is at this point that events began to take on a comic feel for Torres. On Sept. 18 against Manchester United Torres finally did score, but ended up on the front pages across Europe for a hapless miss on an empty goal, which provided an iconic picture of a grief stricken Torres knelling on his knees staring into the Old Trafford abyss. Torres again scored in Chelsea’s next match but again was in the headlines for the wrong reasons as he went in twofooted and got his first red card in English football and subsequently was suspended for Chelsea’s next three domestic matches. Since scoring against Swansea Torres has played in 25 matches and only scored two goals, both coming in the same match when Chelsea played Belgian Champions Racing Genk in the Champions League. It seems almost poetic that Torres’ rise and fall materialized in the land of William Shakespeare. Just like a protagonist in a Shakespearean tragedy, Torres was idolized and admired across the world for his playing ability, but it was this ability turned sour that soon swayed the fans and media against him. But alas, in all great tragedies the hero is presented with one last challenge, a final chance at redemption that will determine his ultimate fate.
Miles.DeGrazia@UConn.edu
Does Pujols make the Angels AL favorites?
AP
Los Angeles Angels' Albert Pujols answers a question during a news conference after a spring training baseball workout, Monday.
from WHO, page 14 Moore, who looked phenomenal in the postseason. Mix in Jeff Niemann (11-7 record last season, 29 years old) and Wade Davis (11-10, 25) and you’re looking at a starting rotation that instills a whole lot of fear. Mike: Tampa pitching looks nice, but it’s going to be nothing more than batting practice for Anaheim. Where the lineup lacks power, it makes up for in efficiency with Howard Kendrick, Alberto Collapso and Erick Aybar. Where they lack batting for average, they make up with Torii Hunter and Vernon Wells. And did I mention Pujols? Because in case anyone forgot, the guy hit 99 RBIs, 37 home runs and hit for .299. And that was in one of the worst seasons of his career. The Rays’ line-up just can’t compete with hitters like this. TJ: Pujols is going to produce, no doubt. But Hunter and Wells are both entering the twilight of their careers, so counting on them to do well might be a little risky. The Rays lineup might be young, but they have been battle-tested more than a few times. MVP-candidate Evan Longoria still clubbed 31 homers last season after missing just about all of April. The
Rays also have an ace in the hole in Desmond Jennings who will finally play a full season. It also should be mentioned that DH Luke Scott hit 27 home runs in his last full season (2010) and Ben Zobrist and Matt Joyce are both solid OPS guys that should continue to produce after Longoria. Mike: There's no doubt Desmond Jennings is going to be a good player, but it's tough to call the guy an ace in the hole when he's only played 63 major league games and has battled injuries all throughout the minor league process. The future looks bright for Tampa, but the time is now for the Angels. They have one of the best rotations (with a No. 2 and No. 3 that would be the stud in most places), one of the most potent offenses (including a Vernon Wells who in his twilight hit 25 home runs and drove in 131 in his first season as an Angel last year) and not to mention, a pretty good future set aside for them themselves (if you haven't heard of Mike Trout yet, you will very, very soon). And in a league right now with two time defending champs (Texas), a very good team with a new manager out for vengeance (Boston), and a team that will just never stop making the playoffs (do I need
to say it), the Rays aren't even one of the biggest threats. The Angels are winning the pennant, but even if they get stopped along the way, it certainly won't be by Tampa. TJ: The AL is definitely stacked with six different contenders (I’d throw Detroit out there, too) vying for one pennant. And just for the record, Wells had a .248 on-base percentage last year; 25 home runs certainly won’t be enough to even out that clear shortcoming he brings to the lineup. Tampa is one of those teams that isn’t going to be a sexy pick to win a ton of games, but year after year they seem to prove everybody wrong. One of the smartest moves the Rays made this offseason was signing Jose Molina. Although the 36-year old has never been much of a hitter – his career-high in homers is six – but he’s regarded as one of the best catchers in the bigs at handling a pitching staff which will turn out to be crucial to a young, but certainly formidable Rays rotation. The Angels, Yankees, Red Sox, et al. might have the well-known names, but don’t be surprised when Joe Maddon’s unorthodox style of managing brings Game 1 of the ALDS to the pennantwinning Rays.
The Daily Campus, Page 12
Thursday, February 23, 2012
Sports
» NCAA BASKETBALL
» BEYOND THE NUMBERS
No. 2 Syracuse edges South Florida SYRACUSE, N.Y. (AP) play, and Joseph added two — Scoop Jardine scored 15 putbacks of his own misses points to help No. 2 Syracuse to seal the win in the game overcome a 13-point first-half of runs. deficit and beat South Florida South Florida took advan56-48 on Wednesday night. tage of Syracuse's cold shootKris Joseph had 12 points ing by opening an 18-5 lead and nine rebounds for the 10:25 in when Augustus Orange (28-1, 15-1 Big East), Gilchrist hit a 10-footer. After who matched school records going 2 for 14 from the field, for most regular-season and the Orange scored 26 straight conference victories — both points. set in 2009-10. The run began Anthony Collins with Dion scored 16 points Waiters scoring 56 in the post to cut for the Bulls, who Syracuse endured a 12:33 South Florida 48 the Bulls' lead to stretch without 18-7 with 9:19 a point spanning left in the first halftime. South Florida (17- half. It ended with Jardine 11, 10-5) had a four-game scoring in transition 2:05 into winning streak snapped the second half to put the and dropped to 1-9 against Orange ahead 33-20. Syracuse. The Bulls weren't done. The game was decided in After missing 13 consecuthe final 5 minutes, with the tive shots from the field, Hugh Orange leading 47-46. Robertson finally scored 2:33 Jardine was fouled mak- into the second half. South ing a layup with 4:04 left. Florida eventually cut the lead He completed the three-point to five points twice before
NCAAB
A closer look at the OKC dynamic duo
going on a 9-0 run that was capped by Collins hitting a 10-footer with 6:25 left. This marked only the second time this season the Orange trailed by double digits. And the only other time that happened came in a 67-58 loss at Notre Dame on Jan. 21. C.J. Fair finished with 13 points for Syracuse, which has won eight straight since that loss. The Orange wore their onetime only Nike-designed uniforms, designated for teams who have won a national title. The jerseys were gray — officially, platinum — with an orange stripe down each side. Down 24-20 at halftime, South Florida held an opponent under 30 points in the first half for the 24th time in 28 games. And yet it was their lack of offense that cost the Bulls, who finished 20 of 52 from the field after opening 9 of 11.
No. 20 Notre Dame tops WVU AP
Oklahoma City forward Kevin Durant, right, gets a high-five from Russell Westbrook after scoring against the Sacramento Kings on Feb. 9th
By Chris Zielinski Campus Correspondent
AP
Notre Dame guard Scott Martin, left, drives the lane as West Virginia guard Kevin Jones defends in the second half, Wednesday.
SOUTH BEND, Ind. (AP) — Jerian Grant scored 20 points and No. 20 Notre Dame extended its winning streak to nine games with a 71-44 rout of West Virginia on Wednesday night. Scott Martin added 15 points and Jack Cooley and Eric Atkins had 13 each for the Irish, who shot 61 percent. They outscored the Mountaineers 41-16 in the second half after leading by just two points at the break. The Irish (20-8, 12-3 Big East) have not lost since Jan. 16 at Rutgers and are 15-1 at the Purcell Pavilion. It's the first time in program history Notre Dame has won nine straight Big East games. The Mountaineers (17-11, 7-8)
have lost six of their last eight. Grant took off on a dunk Kevin Jones had 15 points for attempt with just less than 10 West Virginia, which shot just minutes to play and lost the ball 31.5 percent and made only 6 on his way to the rim. But he of 27 field goal attempts after hustled and came up with the ball halftime. in the corner and hit a 3-pointer Notre Dame's to give the Irish a quickness began to 58-35 lead. show in the first 5 Just to show minutes of the sec- Notre Dame 71 how things have ond half after the going for 44 been Irish led 30-28 at West Virginia the Irish, Cooley halftime. tossed up a shot Atkins' three-point play, a steal after a timeout had been called leading to a dunk by Grant and and it swished through late in the Grant's 3-pointer after an offen- first half. He scored nine of his sive rebound built a 10-point 11 points in the final 5 minutes of lead. After a timeout, Atkins hit a the first half as the Irish shrugged jumper and Martin connected on off a sluggish start and took a a 3-pointer and the 17-4 run put two-point lead behind 63 percent the Irish up 47-32. shooting.
from I LOVE YOU, page 14
I love the fall away three-pointer to beat the buzzer in the driveway, with no one watching, no one else caring and the crowd going wild just because you said so. I love the lists. Your top 10, my top five, the debate over those considered ‘elite’ and ranking the worst of the worst. I love the Super Bowl. I love the newborn baby sporting a little Red Sox cap, one-piece and impossibly cute socks. Thanks, Mom and Dad, for a lifetime of crushed hopes and dreams. I love the cathedrals of the game that fight the tests of time: Fenway, Wrigley, Lambeau, Madison Square. I love going for it on fourth down. I love storming the court or floor. The most planned, anticipated, predictable ‘spontaneous event’ in the sporting world is awesome and I’ve thankfully been a part of it twice. Now, some people unfortunately suck at this and/or misuse it– I’m looking at you, Seton Hall and Providence. I love the Little League World Series. I love that I don’t have to love your team and you don’t have to love mine. I love the Hall of Fame broadcasters who weave tales, paint
NCAAB
Callahan: Remembering why we love sports
players who starred in Hall of Fame moments years ago still revered and discussed. Take Carlton Fisk, who infamously waved the ball fair in game six of the 1975 World Series is a Beantown legend. Even now, 20 years removed from the game, “Pudge” could step into any Boston-area nursing home and take home more Grammys than Adele. Write it down. I love the undying effort of the underdog. I love the unifying effect they have over hundreds of thousands of millions of people. I love the alternate jersey. The laundry that gives us a break from the monotonous gray and white uniforms and usually looks a hell of a lot cooler. I love that LeBron James still hasn’t won a ring. I love the finality of the NCAA tournament. I love the continuity. Every spring brings baseball. Every fall ferries football. Every eve of winter bestows basketball and hockey. If any of these were to change it’d be like your mother counting down from two; something’s up and really wrong here. I love the fall away three-pointer to beat the buzzer.
“I love that the answer to 'Do you believe in miracles?' was 'Yes!'"
word-pictures and honor the extraordinary moments with equally extraordinary calls. I love the walk-off in extras with the rain pouring down, true fans still scattered in the park, rewarded for their faith. I love the flood of camera flashes going off during the kickoff of the Super Bowl. I love the and-one play. I love the spirited bar conversations held worldwide about “How the #$%& could he miss that?” I love the picture perfect tackle. I love the drama. You can keep your General Hospital, your “I think I’m, like, totally in love with him” and your “Oh my God, she like, legit said that?!.” I’ll take bottom of the ninth with two outs or two minutes left in the fourth quarter, or a shoot-out, any day of the week. I love the World Cup and that I can barely say I like soccer. I love that even though I wasn’t around to see what Jack Buck couldn’t believe what he just saw, it is still one of my favorite sport moments–ever. I love the regular writing and broadcasting sports affords me, even as a student. I love that this list could go on for hours. I love that Syracuse is going down in two days at the Mecca of college basketball. Suck it 'cuse. You can follow Andrew on twitter at @ACallahan24.
Andrew.J.Callahan@UConn.edu
Sports are composed of an array of aspects. From the tangible qualities, such as speed, jumping ability, height, and weight to the intangible qualities such as leadership, determination and mental toughness, no one individual entity defines athletics in their entirety. Saving the debate on which of the two aforementioned qualities is more critical to sports, I instead introduce a simple constant that permanently permeates sports and how they are perceived. Ultimately, sports boil down to the ability, or lack thereof, to perform on the world’s biggest stage. Faced with pressure situations, fans and analysts alike strive to interpret the play of athletes. Politics, emotion, and personal bias often blur these interpretations. Nonetheless, a light at the end of the tunnel exists. Simply put, statistics are the one objective gauge of the true performance of an athlete in any sport. With an emphasis on numbers in mind, a subsequent conclusion soon arises. Without a doubt, we recognize that there is a difference between the level of performance. On one hand, we witness the forgetful performance; those which are glaringly below-average and which leave no impact on us. Of course, on the other hand, we have those performances that stick with us; games that are remembered years down the road. Separating these two ends of the spectrum, we see the plain average performances, which provide us with exactly what we expected. Focusing on the upper echelon of performances, the need to distinguish between the good
performances and the historic performances becomes apparent. Many examples come to mind, but the recent performance of basketball’s hottest duo helps illustrate the concept vividly. The described duo, Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook, have thrust the Oklahoma City Thunder into NBA Title contention, currently leading the Western Conference. Strong combined performances between Durant and Westbrook are nothing new; rather, with both players blossoming, they have become rather frequent. However, in Sunday’s 124-118 thriller against the Denver Nuggets, the teammates not only led their team to victory, but rewrote history. Led by Durant’s 51 points and supported admirably by Westbrook’s 40 points, the tandem combined for 91 points. According to ESPN, the last teammates to accomplish the same feat were Denver’s Alex English and Kiki Vandeweghe, who combined for 98 points during the 1983 season in a triple overtime game. That’s right, Durant and Westbrook accomplished the same feat in 40 fewer minutes. Moreover, the 50-40 feat was something that even Jordan and Pippen, commonly regarded as the best duo ever, failed to accomplish. It is almost ludicrous to consider the word failure and Michael Jordan in the same sentence. The fact that Durant and Westbrook accomplished something “His Airness” did not only speaks volumes to the historic nature of the performance. Further analysis only identifies additional aspects of the performance. For instance, Durant and Westbrook shot a combined 61.4 percent from the field, demonstrating their overall triumph over
the Denver defense. This figure becomes even more impressive when considering that 12 of these shots were three–point attempts, of which the tandem made eight. Along the same lines, Serge Ibaka added to the amazement of the game by pulling in a triple double, becoming the first trio to go for 50-40 and a triple double. In similar fashion, Durant and Westbrook also worked to fill up the stat sheet, and not focus strictly on scoring. On one hand, Durant pulled in eight rebounds, while Westbrook dished out nine assists. Most importantly, according to ESPN, seven of Westbrook’s nine assists went to Durant, which epitomizes the telepathic connection between the two on the night. All in all, the shift from impressive to historic is a tough determination to make when it comes to sports. Often times, it is best to err on the side of caution, as throwing out the “legendary label” too often only detracts from the performances which actually warrant such a label. Nonetheless, when it comes to Durant and Westbrook’s performance, no pumping of the breaks is needed. Their performance was bonafide historic, and will not soon be forgotten. Yet, perhaps the most impressive accomplishment of all is not something the two did on the court, but the statement they delivered for the future. In clear, bold fashion, the dynamic tandem suggested to the basketball world, the best is yet to come. So don’t shut the history books so quickly, Durant and Westbrook are just getting started.
Christopher.Zielinski@UConn.edu
» GOLF
Huskies prepare for Nutmeg Classic
By Timothy Fontenault Campus Correspondent After a successful trip to Florida last week to begin the Spring 2012 season, the UConn golf team returns to the Sunshine State on Saturday for the Nutmeg Classic. The Nutmeg Classic is a oneday stroke play event where the current members of the team hit the links with alumni of the program. The Classic has been held annually since the arrival of coach David Pezzino, who began coaching the Huskies in 2007. While the event is for friendly purposes, Pezzino says it is also an important tool for his team. “This is an opportunity for us to get in some great practice time before our season officially begins,” Pezzino said. “It gives us some stroke play practice before our stroke play.” UConn has yet to play stroke play this season, but did very well at their opening event, posting a 2-1 record during the Big
East Match Play competition last week, where UConn won against Seton Hall and Loyola-Chicago with ease despite a loss in the first round to Central Arkansas. Two Huskies led the way, as senior Matthew Dziubina and junior Brian Hughes each finished the first competition with 3-0 records. Freshman Chris Wiatr also impressed at Reunion Resort in Orlando. After earning half a point for UConn in his opening round match by splitting with his opponent, Wiatr recorded two impressive rounds and earned two victories for the Huskies. Seniors Matt Carroll and Adam Vaccari each went 0-3 during the two-day competition, but the Huskies were able to overcome. The weather in Storrs has been uncharacteristically warm for this time of the year and it has allowed the team more outdoors time in the preseason, something Pezzino is thankful for and believes was important to their strong start at Big East
Match Play. “I’m real proud of the guys,” he said. “Having the ability to get outside as much as we have has been a real blessing.” Hughes picked up where he left off from the Fall 2011 season and is feeling good after the quick start to the spring. “I was fortunate to get off to a great start after going 3-0 individually,” Hughes said. “It was great to compete again since our last event in the fall and to see results early is encouraging. I am looking to building from that experience and continue to perform throughout the rest of the season.” UConn will be looking to keep their good form going at the Nutmeg Classic. The Huskies don’t have a regular season competition again until the Farms Invitational, hosted by the University of San Diego, begins on March 12 in Rancho Santa Fe, Calif.
Timothy.Fontenault@UConn.edu
TWO Thursday, February 23, 2012
PAGE 2
What's Next Home game
Away game
March 3 Pittsburgh Noon
» That’s what he said
Women’s Basketball (25-3)
Jason Varitek
» Pic of the day
Up, up and rejected!
Men’s Ice Hockey (13-17-3) March 3 March 10 March 16 Tomorrow Feb. 25 Atlantic Hockey Atlantic Hockey Atlantic Hockey AIC AIC 7:05 p.m. 7:05 p.m. First Round Quarterfinals Semifinals
Men’s Swimming & Diving March 9 NCAA Zone Diving All Day
Women’s Swimming & Diving March 9 NCAA Zone Diving All Day
Baseball (1-2)
Softball (1-2) March 2 Wisconsin 9 a.m.
March 2 Kansas 11 a.m.
AP
New Jersey Nets center Brook Lopez, right, attempts a shot against Orlando Magic center Dwight Howard during the first quarter of an NBA basketball game on Wednesday, Feb. 22nd 2012.
» NBA March 3 Charles 11 a.m.
March 4 Kansas 1 p.m.
March 9 San Diego St. 2:30 p.m.
The Daily Campus is more than just a paper. Twitter: @DCSportsDept @The_DailyCampus www.dailycampus.com
Twitter: @DCSportsDept
The women’s soccer program announced its 2012 recruiting class, which brings 10 new players into the program. The class includes four forwards, four midfielders, a defender and a goalie. Among the more notable additions is goalkeeper Monica Dahlgren from Danbury, Conn. Dahlgren was a New England All-Star for four years and was named one of the Top 20 Goalkeepers in America by PDA Champions ESPNHS.com. She is expected to compete for the starting job right away. Newcomers Samantha McGuire and Liana Hinds could also contribute early up front. McGuire was a standout at John Jay High School in Fishkill, N.Y., where she led her team to two state championships and earned numerous accolades, including a 2010 ESPN All-American selection and a 2011 NSCAA All-American. Hinds, from Hartford, was an All-New England selection as a senior and was a member of the Trinidad U-17 National Team in the 2010 U-17 Women’s World Cup, where she scored goals against Chile and Nigeria. Also coming to Storrs is midfielder Allison Gallo, who was a standout player at nearby Tolland High School. She earned All-State, All-Conference and All-Courant honors in 2009 and 2010 and led her team to two conference championships. Three UConn football players are in Indianapolis this week to participate in the NFL Scouting Combine, which began yesterday and runs until next Tuesday, Feb. 28. The three players invited were defensive end Kendall Reyes, wide receiver Kashif Moore and kicker Dave Teggart. Reyes started in all 12 games as a senior and started 33 games over the course of his career. He was also a First Team All-Big East selection as a junior in 2010 and a Second Team All-Big East selection this year. Moore was a four-year starter at receiver and a two-time captain. Teggart was a First Team All-Big East selection as a senior and is the school’s alltime leader in field goals, extra points and points scored. ESPN College Gameday is coming to Storrs this Saturday, and the athletic department has announced a white out for the event. All students are encouraged to wear white to Gampel Pavilion, and signs will be permitted into the event. Doors will open at 8 a.m. in advance of the 10 a.m. and 11 a.m. shows on ESPNU and ESPN respectively. Following the ESPN broadcast, all fans will be required to exit Gampel until the doors open for the game against Syracuse at 6 p.m. The game will then tip off at 9 p.m.
Michael.Cerullo@UConn.edu
» NBA
Pacers hand Bobcats another loss, 102-88 CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Tyler Hansbrough had a seasonhigh 22 points and nine rebounds as the Indiana Pacers continued their dominance of the Charlotte Bobcats with a 102-88 victory Wednesday night. The Pacers have now beaten the Bobcats nine time straight times, including twice this week. This game was much closer than the 35-point rout Sunday in Indianapolis — at least for three quarters. The Pacers led by 10 after three quarters but began to pull away in the fourth. Danny Granger had 12 points and A.J. Price, Paul George, Dahntay Jones and Darren Collison also scored in double digits. Lou Amundson had a seasonhigh 11 rebounds as the Pacers won for their fourth game in a row to remain in second place in the Central Division at 21-12 overall. Corey Maggette scored 20 points and D.J. Augustin had 15 for the Bobcats, who’ve lost 18 of their last 19 games. The Bobcats got an encouraging game from rookie center Bismack Biyombo, who finished with nine points, 10 rebounds and
Women’s soccer unveils recruiting class By Mac Cerullo Managing Editor
TBD Feb. 27 TBD Feb. 25 TBD Big East Big East Marquette Notre Dame Big East 9 p.m. Tournament Tournament Tournament 5 p.m.
March 2 March 2 Feb. 25 Feb. 26 Charleston Rhode Island Lipscomb Mississippi St. 5 p.m. 11 a.m. 2:30 p.m. 6:30 p.m.
Tweet your answers, along with your name, semester standing and major, to @DCSportsDept. The best answer will appear in the next paper.
» QUICK HITS
Home: Gampel Pavilion, XL Center
Tomorrow Xavier 1 p.m.
“What will the final score of Saturday night’s game versus Syracuse be?”
The Daily Roundup
– Red Sox pitcher Josh Beckett on former Boston catcher Jason Varitek.
TBD Big East Tournament
Next Paper’s Question:
–Max Silbart, 6th-semester business major.
AP
Home: Gampel Pavilion, XL Center Feb. 28 Providence 7 p.m.
The Daily Question Q : “Are you going to ESPN College GameDay?” I’d otherwise have to watch on cable and I’d like to avoid roadside A : “Since ditches, stray animals and grandsons with dog collars – Yes. Yes, I’m going.”
“I don’t think you’re going to find anybody in there who has played with him who says they’re not going to miss him.”
Men’s Basketball (17-10) Feb. 25 Syracuse 9 p.m.
The Daily Campus, Page 13
Sports
six blocked shots. But the Pacers were again simply too much for Charlotte. In what’s been a repetitive theme this season for the Bobcats, they were manhandled on the boards and outscored in the paint. If didn’t hurt that the Pacers made 27 of their first 30 free throw attempts. On Sunday, the Pacers jumped out to a 21-2 lead against the Bobcats and never let up beating them inside the paint. The Bobcats seemed determined not to let that happen again. Charlotte ran out to a 19-10 lead before the Pacers began to chip away. Indiana went on a 12-2 run to close the first half and take a 50-42 lead at the break behind 12 points from Hansbrough. Before the game, Pacers coach Frank Vogel said he liked the way his guys were playing as a team and it showed again as they used a balanced scoring attack to get the victory. Hansbrough, who played his college basketball a couple of hours up the road at North Carolina, seemed to relish his homecoming game, jumping out to a quick start
Ex-player Crittenton jailed for speeding RIVERDALE, Ga. (AP) — Former NBA player Javaris Crittenton is back in jail. Out on bond on charges that he killed a woman in an August drive-by shooting in south Atlanta, authorities said he was jailed on Wednesday after being pulled over for speeding and refusing to get out of his Porsche. The former Washington Wizards player was pulled over for going more than 60 mph in a 45-mph zone, said Riverdale police Maj. Greg Barney. The former Georgia Tech star initially refused to get out of his “fairly new” black Porsche and refused to sign the speeding ticket, forcing the officer to call for backup, Barney said. “He was very argumentative,” Barney said of Crittenton, 24. “Initially, he just did not want to cooperate with the officer.” A message left for Crittenton’s attorney, Brian Steel, was not immediately returned Wednesday night. Police have said the former first-round draft pick for the Los Angeles Lakers in 2007 was retaliating for being robbed of $55,000 in jewelry when the
Aug. 19 shooting happened. He is accused of killing Jullian Jones, a 23-year-old mother of four, outside her house. A trial date for that charge has not been set. Crittenton was with the Wizards in December 2009 when he and Arenas had a dispute over a card game. Two days later, Arenas brought four guns to the locker room and set them in front of Crittenton’s locker with a sign telling him to “PICK 1.” Crittenton then took out his own gun. Crittenton pleaded guilty in January 2010 to a misdemeanor gun charge and received a year of unsupervised probation. Arenas entered a guilty plea on Jan. 15, 2010, and served a short time in a halfway house. For most of his career, Crittenton played little with Los Angeles, the Memphis Grizzles and Washington. After the Wizards declined to re-sign him, he signed a non-guaranteed contract with Charlotte last year but eventually was waived. He then played five games in China for the Zhejiang Guangsha Lions, averaging 25.8 points.
» INSIDE SPORTS TODAY
P.13: Women’s soccer unveils recruiting class. / P.12: No. 2 Syracuse edges South Florida. / P.12: No. 20 Notre Dame beats WVU.
Page 14
Thursday, February 23, 2012
www.dailycampus.com
BACKED INTO A CORNER
I love you, sports
Calhoun’s surgery scheduled for Monday
By Carmine Colangelo Staff Writer
Andrew Callahan Here’s a hard hitting, Maurypaternity-test-kind of truth for you: When it comes to sports, you and I root for laundry– and that’s about it. Players and coaches change with time and yet, rarely do our affections for our teams. Even when they leave or times get rough, we stick to the clothes we feel closest to. See, if you counted yourself a UConn fan one week ago, and still do today, you’ve just proven my point. Glance back to last weekend. Baseball was about to kick off another promising campaign, men’s basketball possibly notch a signature win at home without Jim Calhoun and the women’s team undoubtedly further another all-time record. What actually ensued, went like this: “Oh boy”, “Uh oh” and then “Oh sh*t”. Oh, and both hockey teams went winless too. Now, when a marriage is in trouble, licensed counselors will never advise their clients to try to immediately think of all the positive things about their partner. But because sports will never say “I love you” back or complain about failing to take out the trash, we can keep Dr. Phil on hold. For the moment I give you a sort of pick-me-up as a look at why sports, an Italian supermodel and I will live happily ever after. You should too, so here goes nothing. I love sports because… I love the shared memories. Pouring out of Gampel Pavilion last year after the national championship with thousands of other Husky faithful was incredible. The storybook season that brought us all there was even better. I love the first crack of the bat on Opening Day. I love bracketology. I love Game Six. Game Sevens rarely live up to the hype, but game sixes seem to always do the trick. One team is against the wall and the other, just minutes from bliss. It’s do or die time and if we as fans are lucky enough, sometimes we even get a “take two.” I love the healthy hate. I love the warm-up song. I love that in 1980 the answer to “Do you believe in miracles?” was “Yes!” I love the legends of the game that never fade away; the
» CALLAHAN, page 12
AP
Connecticut head coach Jim Calhoun sits on the sideline during the second half of the men’s NCAA Final Four college basketball championship game against Butler, in Houston.
On Monday UConn men’s basketball coach Jim Calhoun will undergo surgery for spinal stenosis, the cause for his medical leave of absence this season. The surgery will require Calhoun to remain hospitalized for up to two nights after the medical procedure. He will then return home for more recovery time. His coaching status will be evaluated day-today during the recovery process. No timetable on his return has been released. “I’m glad we have finally determined the best course of treatment to deal with the problem,” Calhoun said. “I’m looking forward to having the procedure done, hopefully recovering as quickly as possible, and putting it all in the past.” Calhoun will not be able to coach this Saturday against Syracuse or this Tuesday at Providence, making it eight games the Hall of Fame Coach will miss due to his medical leave of absence. During the six games that Calhoun has missed, the Huskies have gone 3-3 under associate head coach George Blaney. Blaney’s first game was a 69-46 home victory against Seton Hall. The Huskies would drop their next two games by a combined differential of 39 points losing 80-59 at Louisville and falling to the Orange 85-67 at the Carrier Dome. The Huskies would return home for two games, beating DePaul 80-54 at Gampel Pavilion and losing 79-64 to Marquette at the XL Center. On Tuesday the Huskies pulled off a 73-70 overtime victory at Villanova as point guard Shabazz Napier hit a 29-foot shot with 0.6 seconds left to win the game. Shooting guard Jeremy Lamb set a new career-high with 32 points in the game. The Huskies are 17-10 this season entering Saturday’s game against the Orange, the second and final time these teams will play in the regular season. The Huskies are 10th in the Big East standings with a 7-8 record in conference play. The Orange is first in the rankings with an 11-3 record, clinching a bye to the Big East quarterfinals. Blaney will resume his duties as associate head coach during Calhoun’s absence with assistant coaches Kevin Ollie, Karl Hobbs and Glen Miller.
Carmine.Colangelo@UConn.edu
» TRACK AND FIELD
Huskies head to New England championships
By Michael Corasaniti Staff Writer After solid performances at the Big East Championship meets from both the men’s and women’s track and field teams, UConn is ready for another strong weekend and a shot at a seventh straight New England Championship team title for both teams. This Friday, the Husky men and women will be heading up to Boston for the New England Championship meet as the teams head deeper into championship season. The men were unable to defend their Big East Indoor Championship title this past weekend after falling to Notre Dame by less than 30 points. However, solid performances across the board are giving the team a good
indication of a victory this week- of 2.19m) and senior distance end. The men have currently won runner third Husky to claim gold 17 of the last 18 New England at the Big East Championship Championship meets, and a 19th meet Tim Bennatan (who took would certainly move the Huskies the 1,000m with a 2:29.96). The towards the ranks men will also be of being a “national relying on junior recognized team,” distance runner as associate head Joe Clark, who has N.E. coach Rich Miller been consistent all Championships season and most put earlier this season. recently finished Boston, MA Some of the aththird in the mile Friday letes who helped the at the Big East Huskies get to this Championships point in the chamwith a 4:08.32. pionship season include junior Last season the Huskies domicaptain Jake Waruch (who won nated the field at New England’s and set a meet record in the hep- for their sixth straight title, gaintathlon last weekend with 5,460 ing 119.5 points, almost doupoints), junior Noel James (who ble the score of second place dominated last week in the high Rhode Island who finished with jump with a personal record jump 61.5 points. This year, UConn’s
TRACK/FIELD
main competition will probably continue to be Rhode Island as well as the teams from Central Connecticut,Northeastern and UMass Amherst. After a sixth place Big East finish on the women’s side of the track, a few keypieces of the puzzle will be relied on if the Huskies want to grab a seventh straight New England championship themselves. Some of those pieces include junior highjumper Ilva Bikanova (who was the lone Husky to take gold in her event last weekend with a jump of 1.78 m), senior Heather Wilson (who took second last weekend in the mile with a very fast 4:47.50) and junior Brigitte Mania (who took the silver in the 800m with a 2:06.15). Also important this weekend will be sophomore All-
American Celina Emerson, who took second in the 400m dash with a time of 54.56 at the Big East Championships. Action will begin this Friday up in Boston for both the men’s and women’s track and field teams and will continue on throughout the weekend. The men’s team will then continue on through championship season the following weekend up in Boston again which will then be followed by the NCAA Championships the following weekend at Nampa, ID. The women will be competing in the ECAC Championships next weekend (also in Boston) and then the Women’s NCAA Championships the following weekend in Boise, ID.
Michael.Corasaniti@UConn.edu
Who will win the American League Pennant? Los Angeles Angels By Michael Corasaniti Staff Writer If 2011 and the major offseason acquisitions are any indications, then the Los Angeles Angles of Anaheim have the 2012 AL pennant locked up. Their pitching is just downright scary, they’re returning most of a line-up that was just five games short of the playoffs, and they also acquired one of the best hitters, if not players, of our generation. You may have heard of him. His name is Albert. And as long as the Angels are able to get past those pesky Rangers (whose rotation lost C.J. Wilson…to the Angels), there is no telling what this team will be able to do. Can Pujols catapult LA to the series...
AP
Michael.Corasaniti@UConn.edu
» POINT/COUNTERPOINT Mike: Then starting rotation for the Angels is stacked. C.J. Wilson, who would be the dime of any other team’s pitching staff, is the No. 3 starter behind Jered Weaver and Dan Haren, who were both at the top of the AL in WHIP last season. And speaking of Weaver, the guy only led the American League in strikeouts to walks ratio. He’s a rock. And if Ervin Santana and Jerome Williams fill in the rest of the order, that’s five starting pitches with an ERA under 4 (an average of 3.116). Very few other teams have a rotation that strong. And as far as the Angels bullpen goes, they were second in the league last season with a 3.52 ERA. The only blotch in this area is Jordan Walden, who saved 32 games in 2011 but blew 10. But the guy still has a 100 mph fastball and a
career of consistency to make up for his rough season. TJ: You’re really reaching for straws there with Jerome Williams – there’s a reason why he went four years without a Major League start, and it wasn’t because his arm was tired—and it’s hard to say a 24-year old rookie has a career of consistency. It’s hard to deny the Angels pitching staff, but they lack the depth the Rays’ rotation possesses. James Shields had 11 complete games last season, David Price’s WHIP was a scant 1.14 and is only 26 years old, and Jeremy Hellickson, 24, and his sub-3 ERA took home Rookie of the Year in 2011. Not to mention that Tampa has the best pitching prospect in the Majors in Matt
» DOES, page 11
Tampa Bay Rays
By TJ Souhlaris Campus Correspondent
The Tampa Bay Rays have the best chance to win the pennant in 2012. Although teams such as the Angels, Tigers and Yankees made louder noises this offseason, the Rays for the most part stayed put. With future household names such as Desmond Jennings and Matt Moore about to begin their first full season and complement Evan Longoria, James Shields and David Price, there’s no reason why Tampa can’t eclipse 91 wins from a year ago. And as long as the Majors best manager, Joe Maddon, is still running the show, the Rays have all the tools to bring the pennant back to Tampa Bay.
Thomas.Souhlaris@UConn.edu
...or will the Rays rise again in the AL?
AP