The Daily Campus: April 24, 2012

Volume CXVIII No. 134

» INSIDE

www.dailycampus.com

Tuesday, April 24, 2012

Speakers get ready for graduation

By Stephen Underwood Staff Writer

Bow to the cello master Von der Mehden hall hears final strains from string and piano duet.

FOCUS/ page 7

Bouncing back UConn catcher returns to Huskies after injury.

SPORTS/ page 14 EDITORIAL: END TO EARLY ADMISSION PROCESS A GOOD THING Ridding of early admission will relieve stress for university and applicants.

COMMENTARY/page 4 INSIDE NEWS: PROSECUTORS OPEN WITH HUDSON AT MURDER TRIAL Singer takes the stand with tear-filled eyes.

NEWS/ page 3

» weather Tuesday Partly cloudly/wind

High 55 / Low 41 wednesday/thursday

High 56 Low 39

High 59 Low 43

» index

Classifieds 3 Comics 5 Commentary 4 Crossword/Sudoku 5 Focus 7 InstantDaily 4 Sports 14

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Joette Katz, commissioner of the State Department of Children and Families (DCF) and former Connecticut Supreme Court Justice, has been named one of the commencement speakers for the UConn class of 2012. Katz, a 1977 graduate of the UConn School of Law and longtime public defender who was elected to the Connecticut Supreme Court in 1992, will join UConn President Susan Herbst in addressing nearly 2,700 graduates in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences.

Katz, who left the post of associate justice on the Connecticut Supreme Court after 18 years, was appointed

by Gov. Malloy in 2010 to head the Department of Children and Families.

Beginning her distinguished career as a public attorney, she was the first woman to serve as chief of legal services for the chief public defender.

The dual commencement ceremonies for the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences are scheduled for May 6 in Harry A. Gampel Pavilion. Herbst, who will speak at 12:30 p.m., and Katz at 5:00 p.m., are among the 14 speakers that will address graduates from the various schools and colleges at UConn.

During the Graduate School ceremonies, Dr. Robert C. Gallo, the discoverer of the HIV antivirus (the virus

JIM ANDERSON/The Daily Campus

President Susan Herbst will be one of 14 speakers at this year’s graduation ceremony. She will address the students at 12:30 p.m. that day.

that causes AIDS), will be awarded an honorary Doctorate of Science degree upon commencement.

Gallo, who was the first to identify the HIV virus, also contributed to the development of an HIV blood test in the 1980s, which helped to screen patients for the AIDS virus. Gallo, a Waterbury, Conn. native, is the former

head of the Laboratory of Tumor Cell Biology at the National Institute of Health’s National Cancer Institute and the founding director of the Institute of Human Virology at the University of Maryland. He is scheduled to speak at 1:30 p.m. on May 5.

Other honorary degree candidates include U.S. Rep. John Lewis and

Town council discusses retroactive raises

By Stephen Skudlarek Campus Correspondent The Mansfield Town Council met to discuss several issues affecting citizens during a regular meeting on Monday night.

Chief among the issues raised were problems with the town’s budget and the success dealing with the University of Connecticut’s Spring Weekend this year.

Citizens who spoke during public comment had problems with retroactive raises for town employees in the new budget.

As one concerned citizen, Rick Hossack, said during public comment, “The occurrence of retroactive raises is unfair to the townspeople of Mansfield. Town employees already get paid for doing their jobs, plain and simple.

There’s no need for these pay increases.”

Another Mansfield resident, Betty Wassmundt, claimed that large, unexplained raises had been given to town employees for services rendered.

Some of these raises were in the range of $5,000 to $11,000, and do not take into account the benefits and health care already provided to the town employees in question, Wassmundt said.

“Things are hard enough for people in this town without having to pay taxes for unnecessary reasons. The growth of government thus far in Mansfield is unsustainable,” Wassmundt said.

Matthew Hart, Mansfield’s town manager, said that retroactive raises usually occur after contracts are settled after the expiration of the fiscal year.

According to Hart, the town council attempts to settle contracts before the fiscal year ends on July 1, but this is not

Thomas Pogge, director of the Global Justice Program at Yale University, who will both receive an honorary Doctorate of Laws. Joseph Polisi, a 1969 graduate of UConn’s College of Liberal Arts and Sciences and president of the Julliard School, will also receive an honorary doctorate during the School of Fine Arts commencement.

During the School of Pharmacies Doctoral commencement, Joseph C. Papa, a 1978 graduate of UConn Pharmacy School and CEO of Perrigo Co., will receive an honorary Doctorate of Science. Papa was named by Barron as one of the top 30 CEOs in the world. Richard Valachovic, a 1977 graduate of UConn Dental Medicine and executive director of the American Dental Education Association, will also receive a Doctorate of Science during commencement exercises for the UConn School of Medicine and Dental Medicine.

Some of the other speakers include U.S. Rep. from Georgia John Lewis, who will speak to the UConn School of Law graduates; Stefan Pryor, commissioner of the Connecticut Department of Education, will address graduates from the Neag School of Education at 9 a.m. on May 6; and Denise Merrill (’88, BGS), Connecticut’s Secretary of State, will speak at the commencement for General Studies graduates.

Stephen.Underwood@UConn.edu

» SENATE

UConn looks to improve online course program

By Amy Schellenbaum Senior Staff Writer

JON KULAKOFSKY/The Daily Campus

At Monday’s Mansfield Town Council meeting issues about the town’s budget were discussed. Retroactive raises were among discussion also.

always the case.

“The process of retroactive raises is actually a fairly common practice in the private sector, as well as in the state of Connecticut in general,” Hart said.

Hart also discussed the success of dealing with Spring Weekend at UConn this year.

Normally, UConn’s Spring Weekend is a nightmare for Mansfield residents.

The event, traditionally viewed as a massive alcoholfueled celebration, usually results in large numbers of arrests and injuries, as well as high levels of property damage.

However, this year, there was little-to-no property damage, as well as only eight arrests and two medical treatments for injuries over the weekend, Hart said.

Hart did say that roughly 350 citations were issued by police over the weekend, though mostly for minor

issues such as traffic violations.

Hart commented that elements of law enforcement worked well together over the weekend, and emphasized the cooperation of the university’s students.

“This year ’s Spring Weekend was very different from what we’ve seen in the past. It was very quiet, with little incident. The police, as well as the student body of the University of Connecticut, should be commended for their efforts,” Hart said.

“I don’t believe it’s safe to say that Spring Weekend is completely over yet,” said Mayor Elizabeth Paterson. “I believe we’ll need to monitor Spring Weekend closely for at least another year. In regards to this year, however, on both the university’s side and the town’s, this is a job well done,” she said.

Stephen.Skudlarek@UConn.edu

The University Senate discussed UConn’s plans to bolster, centralize and expand the university’s online courses program at its final meeting of the academic year on Monday.

Interim Vice Provost for Academic Affairs Sally Reiss said UConn aims to be known for the quality of its online options, rather than the quantity. The university hopes to more effectively engage international students and commuters by developing a centralized website for UConn’s so-called e-campus.

“It will never replace faceto-face instruction, it will enhance it,” Reiss said.

For this summer, online courses offered through UConn filled up within 48 hours, Reiss said, and some reached capacity in one hour.

Reiss, an educational researcher, said that the benefits of having a strong online course curriculum include a greater potential for blended or hybrid courses and career readiness. Reiss said she looked at nearly 1,000 studies on online education. She also said that students who take courses online “learn as much or more” than those taking the same class in person.

Members of the Senate mentioned that more online courses might mean more flexibility for students and higher four-year graduation rates.

Online classes also offer more opportunities to highlight faculty research, Reiss said.

The desire to expand UConn’s online curriculum stems from a task force report on the demand and poten-

tial benefits of online courses, which was released in 2009.

Reiss said that there was “minimal progress” in implementing what the task force suggested.

According to Reiss, there are no plans to offer a bachelor’s degree program online.

The e-campus is not meant to make UConn money, Reiss said. However, she expects the program will pay for itself, even in the short term.

“This is not going to be a huge money-maker for the University of Connecticut,” Reiss said.

Reiss said the university is also hoping online courses are an opportunity to “clarify and expand the UConn brand.”

By offering courses online, the university may be able to engage more with out-of-state and international students, she said.

Training programs for faculty interested in offering online courses are being developed, Reiss said.

At Monday’s meeting, the Senate also discussed a proposal to combine UConn’s Institute for Teaching and Learning and the Center for Continuing Studies. The early college experience program, online learning program, the Q and W centers and the continuing studies program will be combined to form the Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning.

“I think it makes a tremendous amount of sense,” Reiss said.

Provost Peter Nicholls could not make the provost’s report because he is recovering from a car accident that cracked his sternum.

Amy.Schellenbaum@UConn.edu

What’s on at UConn this weekend...

Screenshots 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Benton Museum of Art Today at the Benton digital prints will be on display. These prints, from six different artists, focus on the Internet. Admission is free.

UConn LOVE146 Krispy Kreme Fundraiser 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Student Union Love146 is having a Krispy Kreme fundraiser to raise money to prevent child sex trafficking. It’s $1 for one doughnut and $6 for a dozen.

UConn Baseball 3 to 6 p.m.

J.O. Christian Field Join the Huskies as they take on Bryant University. The admission is free.

Doctors Without Borders 7 to 8 p.m.

SU, 410 Doctors Without Borders is having a general body meeting tonight. Stop by if you’d like to join.

– LILY FEROCE

The Daily Campus, Page 2

Tuesday, April 24, 2012

News

DAILY BRIEFING » STATE

Conn. GOP gathers for Ann Romney on eve of primary

STAMFORD, Conn. (AP) — Hundreds of Republicans are gathering in Stamford to hear Ann Romney, the wife of the presumptive GOP presidential nominee, on the eve of Connecticut’s primary.

Ann Romney’s speech marks her first major event since her husband, Mitt Romney, all but clinched the Republican nomination.

The former governor of neighboring Massachusetts is expected to easily win Connecticut on Tuesday.

Monday’s event at the Stamford Marriott, the annual Prescott Bush Awards Dinner, is a fundraiser for the Connecticut Republicans.

Individual tickets are $250 each; $1,250 for a photo reception with Ann Romney and other dignitaries; and $5,000 for a VIP reception.

Organizers said more than 700 people are expected to attend.

A host of state Republican candidates, including those for U.S. Senate, are on hand for the dinner.

Conn. lends millions to 3 firms promising new jobs

HARTFORD (AP) — A business research company and two aerospace firms are set to receive state loans from Connecticut to help create jobs.

Gov. Dannel P. Malloy says the Department of Economic and Community Development is giving FactSet Research Systems Inc. in Norwalk a 10-year, $2 million loan. The company is expected to create 200 jobs over five years.

FactSet is a financial data and software company that provides data to analysts, portfolio managers and other investment professionals.

The state says FactSet employs 641 people in Connecticut.

Malloy also said Beacon Industries will merge with TECT Power of Newington, which will keep 165 employees and create 60 jobs. Both are in the aerospace industry.

Puerto Rican robbery suspect negotiating with feds

HARTFORD (AP) — A graying Puerto Rican nationalist charged in a 1983 robbery in Connecticut is negotiating with prosecutors to try to resolve the case ahead of trial, his attorney said Monday.

The attorney for Norberto Gonzalez Claudio made the disclosure at a bond hearing in U.S. District Court in Hartford. Attorney Richard Reeve said his client could better consult with those close to him on his options if he were released from jail.

“I would report to the court there are ongoing negotiations,” Reeve said.

The judge did not immediately rule on the request for bond, which is opposed by federal prosecutors who say Gonzalez is too dangerous to be released.

Martin Luther King III supports Conn. voting bill

HARTFORD (AP) — Connecticut Gov. Dannel P. Malloy and other state officials are voicing their support for legislation that would expand voter registration and safeguard against voter intimidation in future elections.

The Democratic governor joined Connecticut Secretary of State Denise Merrill, U.S. Democratic Rep. John Larson, and Martin Luther King III to discuss the proposals at a news conference Monday — the day before the state’s Republican presidential primary.

King, the son of the slain civil rights leader, commended the state for its effort to expand voter rights while many other states are considering legislation that he says would restrict them. He spoke of his father’s work in pushing for the Voting Rights Act of 1965, which prohibited discriminatory requirements for voting.

“I would’ve never guessed that after 47 years there would be efforts to restrict the right of people to vote,” he said. “But, Connecticut will lead the nation in expanding and ensuring that access is available for all people.”

Conn. Gov. orders flags at half-staff for soldier

HARTFORD (AP) — Connecticut Gov. Dannel P. Malloy is calling for flags to be flown at half-staff Tuesday to honor a 21-year-old Connecticut-born soldier native killed in Afghanistan.

The Democratic governor made the announcement Monday evening.

Flags will be flown at half-staff from sunrise to sunset Tuesday in honor of Army Specialist Philip C.S. Schiller who was killed last week while he was on patrol. His father lives in Connecticut.

Schiller was part of the 1st Battalion, 23rd Infantry Regiment, 2nd Infantry Division out of Joint Base Lewis-McChord near Tacoma, Washington. He will be buried in Texas, where he recently lived in the Dallas suburb of The Colony.

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The items below list charges filed, not convictions. All persons appearing below are entitled to the due process of law and presumed innocent until proven guilty.

Individual police blotters will be taken off the Web site three semesters after they have been posted.

April 16 Lesaw Kozbinski, 58, of Berlin, was arrested at 7:55 a.m. at the UConn Police Department and charged with larceny in the sixth degree. A warrant was issued for Kozbinski stemming from an incident that occurred at the Co-Op on March 23.

An investigation revealed that Kozbinski left the store with an Apple Magic Trackpad without paying for the item. No bond was set and his court date is on April 30.

April 17 Anthony D. Morlando, 18, of Waterbury, was arrested at 6:36 a.m. on Storrs Road and charged with failure to appear in the first degree. A warrant was issued for Morlando after he missed a court date in Rockville Superior Court on April 10. His bond was set at $100 and his court date was on April 17.

Rene

Irizarry,

21,

of

Willimantic, was arrested at 11:46 a.m. on Hillside Road and charged with breach of peace in the second degree.

Police responded to a call of a disturbance at Wendy’s in the Student Union. Witnesses said the estranged husband of an employee began yelling and caused a disturbance at the restaurant. Irizarry was arrested and transported to police headquarters for processing. His bond was set at $1000 and his court date was on April 18.

April 18 Stephanie M. Winders, 21, of Bristol, was arrested at 9:24 p.m. on Alumni Drive and charged with assault in the third degree and disorderly conduct.

Police responded to a Garrigus Suites report that a female had struck another female. Police found Winders to be responsible and she was subsequently arrested. Her bond was posted at $1000 and her court date was on April 19.

April 19 Daniel A. Caliendo, 20, of North Billerica, Mass., was arrested at 6:13 a.m. on North Eagleville Road and charged with larceny in the sixth degree.

Caliendo was arrested at his residence in Storrs, CT for an active arrest warrant. The warrant stemmed from an incident on Feb. 15, when Caliendo was

found to have stolen a handicap permit. His bond was posted at $400 and his court date was on April 19.

Joshua K. Ritchie, 21, of Waterford, was arrested at 9:53 p.m. on North Eagleville Road and charged with failure to drive in the proper lane on a multiple lane highway, unsafe backing and driving under the influence. Police stopped Ritchie’s car on North Eagleville Road for unsafe backing and failure to drive in the established lane.

Police suspected Ritchie may have been driving under the influence. Ritchie was subjected to a series of sobriety tests, which he failed. His bond was posted at $500 and his court date is on April 30.

Brett W. Tynes, 20, of Fairfield, was arrested at 11:26 p.m. on Towers Loop Road and charged with possession of drug paraphernalia and possession of a controlled substance or less than 4 ounces of marijuana. Tynes was arrested after police responded to an odor of marijuana complaint in Trumbull Hall. Police found Tynes to be in possession of drug paraphernalia and 1.52 oz of marijuana. His bond was posted at $500 and his court date is on May 2.

April 20 Michael Mudrik, 20, of

Brooklyn, N.Y., was arrested at 12:34 a.m. on Bolton Road and charged with possession of drug paraphernalia, possession of alcohol by a minor and possession of a controlled substance or less than four ounces of marijuana. Police stopped Mudrik’s car after they found the vehicle’s window tint to be excessively dark. After a brief investigation, police found Mudrik to be in possession of .94 ounces of marijuana, three packages of cigars and a one liter bottle of Vodka. His bond was posted at $2000 and his court date is on May 1.

April 21

George J. Morris, 20, of East Montpelier, VT, was arrested at 6:36 p.m. on Route 195 and charged with possession of less than a half-ounce of marijuana, possession of drug paraphernalia and carrying a dangerous weapon. Police stopped a car in which Morris was a passenger. After a brief investigation, police found Morris to be in possession of a switchblade knife, 2.1 grams of marijuana, a marijuana grinder and a glass marijuana smoking pipe. His bond was posted at $2000 and his court date is on May 1.

April 22

Joshua R. Namnoun, 20, of Meriden, was arrested at 12:45 a.m. in the College Square parking lot and charged with failure to have headlights lit, operating a vehicle with a suspended license and driving while under the influence.

Police stopped Namnoun’s car for failure to have its headlights lit. Police suspected Namnoun was driving under the influence and subjected him to a series of sobriety tests, which he failed. His bond was posted at $7500 and his court date is on April 30.

Now out of jail, George Zimmerman fades from sight SANFORD, Fla. (AP) — George Zimmerman, who slipped out of jail on $150,000 bail in the early morning darkness, went back into hiding Monday and likely fled to another state to avoid threats as he awaits his second-degree murder trial for the killing of Trayvon Martin.

Later Monday, the Sanford City Commission rejected by a 3-2 vote the resignation of Police Chief Bill Lee, who was roundly criticized for not initially charging Zimmerman and had stepped down temporarily in March he said to let emotions cool.

Even though authorities can pinpoint Zimmerman's location with a GPS ankle bracelet, that he must wear round the clock, the public may not see him again for some time. Zimmerman has waived his appearance at his upcoming arraignment next month, so he can stay underground if he wants.

"He's doing well, he's very glad to be out, trying to get settled in, still worried about his safety, but, you know, talking to his family and feeling much better than being in" jail, Zimmerman's attorney, Mark O'Mara, said Monday night on CNN's Anderson Cooper 360.

O'Mara declined to say if Zimmerman was in Florida, only saying his client will travel to several locations for his safety.

O'Mara did not immediately return phone calls Monday by The Associated Press.

Zimmerman already has experience laying low: For more than a month before his arrest, he eluded the media and his whereabouts were not known. His attorney has suggested he had several options for where Zimmerman can stay this time, and a judge indicated he was willing to let Zimmerman leave the state.

Until the next time he must come before

a judge, Zimmerman will have to skip such routine pleasures as eating in a restaurant or taking a long stroll outside, said Jose Baez, a former attorney for Casey Anthony.

Anthony, acquitted last summer of killing her 2-year-old daughter, went into hiding after her release from jail.

"He may be free, but he's not free," Baez said.

First, Zimmerman must limit who knows his whereabouts to avoid the risk someone will give the secret away, Baez said.

"Unfortunately, the people you think you trust, sometimes you find you just really can't," Baez said.

The police chief is on paid leave. Not too long ago, the commissioners gave him a "no confidence vote" that city Manager Norton Bonaparte said still stands. The shooting also led to the local prosecutor recusing himself from the case, and the governor appointing Angela Corey, who eventually charged Zimmerman.

The majority of commissioners on Monday blamed the polarization over the Martin case and its handling by the police department on outside groups. Lee had supporters at the meeting who wore, "Bring Back Billy" T-shirts, though there were detractors as well.

"I'm disappointed but not surprised," said Velma Williams, the lone black representative on the commission who voted to accept the resignation.

The majority of commissioners said they wanted to wait for an outside investigation to conclude into the handling of the case by police before accepting the resignation agreement drawn up by the city manager and Lee. Commissioners in reading from the agreement said Lee didn't want to step down, but thought it was for the best.

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The city is also looking to find a permanent interim chief, perhaps as early as next week, Bonaparte said.

As for Zimmerman, in order to throw off curious onlookers and the media, he could change his look. Anthony went from a long-haired brunette to a bobbed blonde while serving a year of probation on an unrelated charge at an undisclosed location in Florida.

Next, Zimmerman needs to go someplace where he knows few people and they don't know him, said Evan Ratliff, who wrote the book (or at least the magazine article) on how to vanish in the 21st century. In 2009, Wired magazine challenged its readers to try to find Ratcliff, who deliberately vanished with the help of disguises, prepaid phones, fake business cards and software that protected his Internet identity, at least for a while. Ratliff eventually was caught because readers were able to trace him through the IP address of a computer he had used.

"He needs to be where he is not around people who are known to be close to him," Ratliff said. "Not a friend's house. Not a relative's house."

Zimmerman needs to refrain from making any public statements, whether via social media sites like Facebook or Twitter or his own website, www.therealgeorgezimmerman.com, both Baez and Ratliff said.

Zimmerman is using his website to help raise money for his legal defense.

Early indications are that will be tough for Zimmerman to resist. After a judge agreed to release him on bond, a statement placed on his website said, "GZ hopes to be able to update the site in the next day or two, God willing. He sends his thanks for your thoughts and support."

Corrections and clarifications This space is reserved for addressing errors when The Daily Campus prints information that is incorrect. Anyone with a complaint should contact The Daily Campus Managing Editor via email at managingeditor@dailycampus.com.

Tuesday, April 24, 2012 Copy Editors: Liz Crowley, Dan Agabiti, Kristina Simmons, Ryan Tepperman News Designer: Lily Feroce Focus Designer: Purbita Saha Sports Designer: Colin McDonough Digital Production: Kevin Scheller

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Prosecutors open with Hudson at murder trial The Daily Campus, Page 3

CHICAGO (AP) — The trial of the man accused of killing Jennifer Hudson's family opened with the marquee witness, as prosecutors put the award-winning actress and singer on the stand Monday for sometimestearful testimony that may well leave a lasting impression on jurors.

Hudson, wearing a simple, all-black black dress, broke down at one point, stopping to dab her tears and regain her composure, as she testified just yards from her former brother-in-law who prosecutors say killed her mother, brother and 7-year-old nephew in a horrific act of vindictiveness against Husdon's sister four years ago.

To the surprise of many observers, Hudson, the 2004 "American Idol" finalist and 2007 Oscar winner for her role in "Dreamgirls," was the first witness called after a prosecutor and defense attorney for William Balfour finished their opening statements. She had no testimony about shootings themselves but offered moving testimony about her family, including her reaction to her sister, Julia Hudson, telling her in 2006 she was marrying Balfour.

"None of us wanted her to marry him," Hudson said, her voice cracking and struggling to hold back tears. "We did not like how he treated her," she said.

Asked later if she was ever friends with Balfour, whom she knew from junior high school, Hudson answered with disgust.

"Never," she said firmly. "I tried to keep my distance from William Balfour."

Putting the star on the stand first was a shrewd move by

prosecutors, according to one former federal prosecutor.

"It rivets the jury," said Phil Turner, a Chicago attorney. "For better or worse it increases the importance of the case in jurors' minds."

Judge Charles Burns has instructed jurors to set aside any sympathy for Hudson, but Turner said her presence is sure to be noted. And Hudson can now sit through the rest of the trial, in full view of the jury.

Witnesses typically are not allowed to watch trials until they have testified, Turner said.

"Now the jury knows everything about her and that she's in the courtroom only accentuates that this is an important case," he said.

When Hudson's sister, Julia Hudson, testified later in the day about her ex-husband's alleged threats against her family, Jennifer Hudson was watching from a fourth-row bench, clutching a pink bag of tissues. She bowed her head and wiped away tears as prosecutors played a recording of the 911 call her sister made after discovering their mother's bloodied body.

"Oh my God, oh my God," Julia Hudson is heard yelling at a dispatcher, who tells her to stop screaming because he can't understand her. "My momma, my momma!"

Balfour has pleaded not guilty to three counts of first-degree murder in the October 2008 slayings.

A silver and black .45-caliber pistol prosecutors allege is the murder weapon lay on the prosecutor's table not far from where Jennifer Hudson was sitting for much of the day.

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With her hair up in a bun, Hudson at first seemed composed as a prosecutor began asking her questions and even as she leaned around the judge's bench to identify Balfour. But the testimony became increasingly difficult, and she began crying when talking about seeing her family the Sunday before the killings and later when a prosecutor showed her a picture of her mother.

Balfour slumped in his chair, resting his head on this head, but showed little emotion for most of the day.

After more than 30 minutes on the stand, Hudson grabbed a fistful of tissues and walked slowly across the courtroom directly in front of jurors. She then took a seat next to her fiance, David Otunga, best known for his stint on VH1's reality show "I Love New York."

Julia Hudson took the stand in the afternoon, testifying that her ex-husband was so prone to jealousy, he even became angry when her young son, Julian King, kissed her.

"He'd say, 'Get off my wife,'" she said.

She described for jurors the first of many alleged threats

by Balfour. After she rejected his pleas in May 2008 to reconcile, she said Balfour grew agitated.

"He said, 'If you leave me, you will be the last to die. I'll kill your family first," she said, her voice quivering. She said he used precisely the same words at least 25 other times in the months before the triple homicide.

Under cross-examination, Julia Hudson acknowledged she was still having sex with Balfour

AP

In this courtroom sketch, Willam Balfour, second from right, listens as Assistant State’s Attorney Veryl Gambino gives opening statements before Cook County Judge Charles Burns at Balfour’s murder trial Apr. 23 in Chicago.

days before the slayings, The killings happened the day after her birthday. Prosecutors say Balfour became enraged by balloons he saw at the home that he thought were from her new boyfriend.

Defense Attorney Amy Thompson suggested to jurors during opening statements that the killings may have stemmed from alleged drug dealing by Jason Hudson in the impoverished, crime-ridden South Side neighborhood where they lived. Police, she told jurors, pinned the slayings on Balfour because they felt pressured to

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"As soon as that (that a celebrity was linked to the case) became known, they knew coverage would explode," Thompson said. "The police were on the hook. They had to find their man and find him fast."

Prosecutors say Balfour went inside the three-story house around 9 a.m. and used the handgun to kill Hudson's mother, 57-year-old Darnell Donerson, in the living room, and then shot her 29-year-old brother, Jason Hudson, twice in the head as he lay in bed.

He allegedly drove off in Jason Hudson's SUV with Julian inside. Authorities say he shot the boy in the head as he lay behind a front seat.

There are no known witnesses to the slayings, and it's unclear what physical evidence exists, including fingerprints or DNA. During her opening statement, Thompson said DNA found on the gun and fingerprints found in the SUV didn't match Balfour's.

If convicted of at least two of the murder counts, the 30-yearold Balfour would face a mandatory life sentence.

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www.dailycampus.com

Tuesday, April 24, 2012

The Daily Campus Editorial Board

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

» EDITORIAL

End to early admission process a good thing

T

he University of Connecticut has recently made an important change regarding its traditional early admissions policy for accepting high school seniors into the university by doing away with it entirely. Previously students who were sure of their commitment to UConn, or just ahead of the admissions game, could apply to the school as early as Jan. 1. This made it easier for them to be accepted into the Honors Program or receive merit-based financial aid. Students who weren’t able or interested in the early admission date still had a deadline of Feb. 1 to apply to the university. With the new change, all high school seniors hoping to gain admission to UConn must apply by the same date of Jan. 15.

This decision comes as a bit of a double-edged sword for admissions to UConn. The decision was meant to relieve stress on the part of the students applying as well as the admissions office. Students who were waiting to hear back would have to see their friends get accepted and then they would call up the admissions office worried that their acceptance had been lost or rejected when it may not have even been processed yet. A single admission and acceptance date makes things much simpler and cleaner for both sides.

In addition to relieving anxiety about acceptance, the single date makes it so that no one student is more eligible than any other student for financial assistance simply because of the date that they were able to apply to the university by. By having one pool of applicants, these funds can be differentiated amongst eligible students rather than across two tiers of acceptance. This ensures that meritbased aid truly goes to people based on merit and not what is left over after the early acceptance process is finished.

Unfortunately, with the good comes some bad. For one, students who are completely committed to UConn as their school of choice are no longer rewarded for that commitment. Nor are students who have their ducks in a row early enough to manage an early acceptance application.

It is not for this editorial board to speculate on the potential success or failure of this decision. There are benefits to early admission, but there are also benefits to doing away with it. High school seniors are simply going to have to hope, along with the university, that the change has its desired positive effects and will result in a fairer and more level playing field for future Huskies.

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.

Timeflies Tuesday.

Pottermore has made me feel like such a hipster. Beta tester FTW. Nothing says ‘sense of community at UConn’ like having to buy free graduation tickets.... from other students.

I used to think cheating was only for losers. Then I read How to Cheat and Win...

I got invited to a “last-chance-party” today. About time Kappa Sig gave up disguising their intentions.

It’s the freakin catalina wine mixer!

“Wow, that clean shaven man looks so masculine and strong”- said no one ever.

GREATEST DISCOVERY EVER = 20 wings for $8 from Ted’s.

Get the heck up out my dorm room confusing me with questions like, “What’s the square root of x?”

What songs would you include on a graduation playlist? Vitamin C is NOT welcome.

When I drink alcohol I want to pee. Is this weird?

Break ups suck.

“1, 2, 4, 3, none of these chicks look better than me.”

Do you think Chelley every learned how to count?

That horrible time in the middle of the night when your teddy bear falls out of your bed into the middle of the floor, causing your roommate to question the existence of an masculinity in your being the next morning.

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.

Here’s to the beginning, and to the end

A

t the beginning of the year, I waxed nostalgic about starting my last year at UConn, and made a list of resolutions I would supposedly try to keep. I forgot about all of them as soon as my column hit the press; yet, looking back, I seem to have kept some of them in the back of my head.

I did not slow down. I did not apply to graduate schools well before the deadline. I did not stress less, though I learned to handle my stress (marginally) better. I took chances, and applied for things without fear.

I made good use

By Michelle Anjirbag of my time. I made Weekly Columnist time for the people I know I will miss, and made an effort to learn more from the people who are here to teach me. I did not spend any time on things that did not make me happy. I overburdened myself in some regards and have not slept a full night in far too long, but I made some of the best friends of my college career in my final semester.

I met new people. I am going to miss dinners at Whitney with my roommate and my friends. No topic is off limits, or considered “not dinner conversation.” Though no one I eat with now has been known for longer than this year, these are the friends I hope to carry with me after I leave college.

I did not run more; I did not break my four-mile rut for more than a few weeks. I

still have not made it to the school climbing gym or on a single Outing Club trip. I learned to say no – something I have never really been able to do in the past.

“I am going to leave here prepared to have more experiences that will further shape who I am as a person and a professional. And that is ultimately what coming to UConn was about.”

I am going to miss laughing with my roommate until we are rolling in the grass or on the ground, or on the floor of our dorm.

I am going to miss weekend brunch, either at Whitney or in my boyfriend’s dorm. Good people coming together to make a meal, or just enjoy a buffet spread, can turn a bad week around completely.

I will actually miss the crazy weather, and running over and around Horsebarn Hill. I will miss watching a certain bevy of boys dance to “Starships” and the rest of the comprehensive Rihanna and Nicki Minaj playlists.

I don’t know where I will find people to debate social issues and international relations with once I move off-campus. I

will miss hikes in the UConn Forest. I will probably never again hear the words “I am so happy I had time to shave” be uttered by a lanky male cyclist with a full, blonde beard.

I am going to miss the freedom to write essays. I am going to miss having free license to read children’s books as homework. I will never again have relaxation assigned to me by a professor, or by my boss. I will never be afraid to stop doing work again. I will not ever again fear the end of an era.

This column marks the end of three years of weekly columns and editorials. Fourteen columns and editorials a semester for six semesters, with pieces ranging anywhere from 350 words to about 800 words has made this job more work than a W course.

But it has been worth it. I can write for a deadline. I can think critically. I can work collaboratively with a group of people to find common ground on a contentious topic. I am not going to leave with a portfolio of college newspaper clippings; I am going to leave with skills developed further than they were when I came to UConn. I am going to leave with great friends and too many experiences to recount. I am going to leave here prepared to have more experiences that will further shape who I am as a person and a professional. And that is ultimately what coming to UConn was about.

Weekly Columnist Michelle Anjirbag is an 8th-semester English major with a creative writing concentration and an anthropology and indigenous studies double minor.

She can be reached at Michelle.Anjirbag@UConn.edu.

Competing currencies should be legalized

O

ne of the chief economic problems of our time is inflation. The legalization of competing currencies, which was proposed by the Nobel Prize-winning economist Friedrich Hayek in 1976, is a remedy for this problem. If competing currencies were legalized, the government would be induced to provide Americans with a sounder, stabler currency.

The government claims that the annual inflation rate is approximately 2 perBy Sergio Goncalves cent. Perhaps this convinces Staff Columnist many people that inflation is not an important issue at this time. Nevertheless, the economist John Williams points out that the government-reported inflation rate is unreliable because the government is under political pressure to understate inflation.

In fact, notes Williams, if the annual inflation rate were calculated using the same method with which it was calculated in 1980, it would currently be over 10 percent. Furthermore, I fear inflation may worsen dramatically in the next few years. Most of the money the Federal Reserve created in recent years remains in the bailed-out financial system.

When the financial sector begins to circulate the money throughout society, prices will begin to soar.

QW uick

When a central bank creates more money, a few special interests benefit at the expense of the general population. Different prices rise neither at the same rate nor at the same time. Thus, early receivers of the new money, such as government contractors, government agencies and government bureaucrats themselves, get to use it before prices have risen.

In contrast, late receivers of the new money only receive it after many prices have risen. Thus, they are stuck with depreciated currency. To quote the economist Murray Rothbard, “Monetary inflation is a hidden form of taxation or redistribution of wealth, to the government and its favored groups and from the rest of the population.”

One solution to this problem would be the legalization of competing currencies. If competing currencies were legalized, alternative commodity-backed currencies would be allowed to circulate alongside the dollar. Commoditybacked money tends to hold its value over longer periods of time than paper money. Consider the price of gasoline, for example. In paper dollars, a gallon of gasoline costs three times more today than it did in 1990. An ounce of silver, however, would have bought four gallons in 1990 and would buy over eight gallons today.

Currently, the government has

a monopoly on the issuance of currency. The government has no checks on its ability to create money, which suits it because it is eager to finance its everexpanding welfare-warfare state.

Unfortunately for us, this entails a dollar with a continuously decreasing purchasing power. If the government faced competition from private mints, it would have an incentive to strengthen the dollar so as to encourage Americans to use it.

The legalization of competing currencies must necessarily involve the repeal of legal tender laws, which require people to use paper dollars in their economic transactions.

Historically, legal tender laws have often been used to force individuals to accept depreciated currency, and have thereby caused more valuable currency to disappear from circulation. This phenomenon is due to Gresham’s Law, which states that as depreciated money circulates, individuals hoard more valuable money, thus removing it from circulation. In 1965, for instance, the United States government removed silver from its subsidiary coins. The more copper and nickel coins were minted, the more silver coins people hoarded. If people had the option of using an alternative stronger currency, however, more valuable money would circulate

“E leven S ecret S ervice agents are being it has been fired , one resigned , one retired ,

once again.

Additionally, the legalization of competing currencies would require the legalization of private mints. Some may worry that private mints would debase their money, but this fear is unfounded. There would be laws to discourage and punish such fraud.

Furthermore, if a mint developed a reputation as fraudulent, it would quickly go out of business.

Competition from the government and from other mints would keep private mints honest. This would be far superior to our current monetary system.

As Ron Paul and Lewis Lehrman write in their book “The Case for Gold:” “In a system of competing private money, when one goes bad, consumers can always turn to another. But today, when only Washington has the monopoly on money, what protects us when the government debases its currency?”

Finally, legalization of competing currencies would require the repeal of capital gains taxes on gold and silver coins, as these taxes would hamstring efforts to create a strong private competitor to the dollar.

Staff Columnist Sergio Goncalves is a 6th-semester political science major. He can be reached at Sergio.Goncalves@UConn.edu.

investigated . S o far one and the rest are thinking about leaving just because the party is over .” –J immy K immel

Tuesday, April 24, 2012

The Daily Campus, Page 5

Comics

I Hate Everything

by Carin Powell

Stickcat

by Karl, Jason, Fritz and Chan

Monkey Business

by Jack Boyd

Editor’s Choice

by 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 -- Get expert opinions. Discuss with partners to develop the best course of action. You don’t have to do it all ... delegate! Work strategically to handle the flow. Take peaceful breaks.

Taurus (April 20-May 20) -- Today is an 8 -- Okay, now it’s getting busy! The offers are pouring in, and just when you’re really jamming, a romantic invitation tempts. It’s not a bad dilemma.

Gemini (May 21-June 21) -- Today is a 6 -- It’s getting luxurious and lovely and very romantic. For the next two days, pleasures, social life, fun with children and creativity at home sound attractive.

Cancer (June 22-July 22) -- Today is a 5 -- Create a home space that reflects the best of you. Get help from someone whom you admire. Avoid financial talk.

All’s well that ends well.

Froot Buetch

by Brendan Nicholas and Brendan Albetski

#hashtag

by Cara Dooley

Leo (July 23-Aug. 22) -- Today is a 6 -- Share feelings for the next couple of days. Work interferes with play, but they’re both important. Finish tasks first.

Don’t spend recklessly. Reward a job well done with fun.

Virgo (Aug. 23-Sept. 22) -- Today is a 9 -- Avoid shopping now if you don’t want to make an irrational purchase. What you have to say is valuable. Communicate calmly. A partner or mate may be unhappy.

Libra (Sept. 23-Oct. 22) -- Today is an 8 -- You’re the king of the hill, and you know it. You may want to share your triumphs, or it may get a bit lonely.

Use the extra energy to your team’s advantage.

Superglitch

by John Lawson

Scorpio (Oct. 23-Nov. 21) -- Today is a 6 -- You’re entering a two-day planning phase. If you get stuck in your head, use your friends to help you and keep you on the right track. Stick to your principles.

Sagittarius (Nov. 22-Dec. 21) -- Today is a 6 -- A friend could help you clean up messes and resolve misunderstandings.

Accept an acknowledgment gracefully.

The money’s looking better.

Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) -- Today is a 6 -- Find another route. As long as you’re persistent, you prevail. Find strength in others when your own breath falters. It’s okay to change your mind.

UConn Classics: Same Comic, Different Day Rockin’ Rick

by Steve Winchell and Sean Rose

Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 18) -- Today is a 7 -- Step outside your shell and explore the unknown. Travel and fun are favored.

Pleasant surprises are waiting on the other side of the fence. Now go get your hat.

Pisces (Feb. 19-March 20) -- Today is a 6 -- Give yourself some room to be moody. There’s no need to be harsh.

Slow down, breathe deeply and pull through. The obstacles you overcome make you stronger.

Questions? Comments?

Other Stuff? <dailycampuscomics@gmail.com>

The Daily Campus, Page 6

Tuesday, April 24, 2012

Europe’s debt fix falters, rattling markets

FRANKFURT, Germany (AP) — Europe’s plan to fix its debt crisis by imposing budget cuts frayed Monday.

Heavy selling rocked financial markets, uncertainty gripped two governments, and the economic outlook darkened across the continent.

The German stock market suffered its worst day in six weeks. In the United States, the Dow Jones industrial average lost more than 100 points.

Across Europe, the debt crisis appeared at its most perilous point since December, when most of the continent united behind a plan to place strict caps on government spending, a strategy known as austerity, and the European Central Bank made the first of two infusions of cheap credit into the banking system. New governments in Spain and Italy got to work on improving growth.

Now the first pillar of Europe’s approach — austerity — is faltering.

“Europe has not solved its problems, and the austerity programs are making things worse, not better,” said Peter Morici, an economist at the University of Maryland.

Cutting government spending can weaken an economy and result in less tax revenue flowing back to the government. So the goal of cutting the deficit can backfire and make it grow.

And even if a country is reducing its deficit, it still has one, which means the debt is increasing. The European Union said Monday that governments did cut their budget deficits in 2011, but government debt nonetheless rose as a percentage of economic output.

Meanwhile, developments across the continent cast doubt on public support for Europe’s austerity prescription: government layoffs and wage reductions, spending cuts on government programs and higher taxes.

The government of the Netherlands, which has loudly cricitized its European neighbors for inflaming the crisis by losing control of their budgets, submitted its resignation to Queen Beatrix after failing to agree on its own budget cuts.

The Dutch prime minister, Mark Rutte, had hoped to clinch a deal to cut the Netherlands’ budget deficit to within a target range adopted by European countries last fall.

But his most important political ally, populist Geert Wilders, walked out of the talks. He said that slavish adherence to rules set by “the dictators in Brussels,” the headquarters of the European Union, would hurt the Dutch

News

economy.

France headed for a presidential runoff election May 6 after the Socialist candidate, Francois Hollande, took the most votes Sunday in the first round of voting.

Hollande edged Nicolas Sarkozy, the incumbent president. Sarkozy and German Chancellor Angela Merkel have been such forces in setting debtfighting strategy that they have come to be known as “Merkozy.”

Hollande took 29 percent of the vote and Sarkozy 27 percent. The Socialist has said he would push to add measures to stimulate economic growth to the fiscal pact.

If Hollande is elected, it will mean “the end of the common road for France and Germany,” with negative repercussions for the markets and the euro, said Stefan Scharfetter of Germany’s Baader Bank.

Most French polls had predicted that Hollande would finish slightly ahead of Sarkozy in the first round. But the far-right candidate, Marine Le Pen, captured a surprise 18 percent. Where her voters will fall in the Hollande-Sarkozy runoff is uncertain.

Financial markets generally hate uncertainty, and they did not respond well to it Monday.

Germany’s DAX index dropped 3.4 percent, the equivalent of a 450-point decline in the Dow. The benchmark stock index dropped 3 percent in Paris, 3 percent in Madrid and 2 percent in London.

Stocks also fell broadly in the United States, where a resurgence of fear about the fate of Europe has ended the steady ascent that the market enjoyed during the first three months of the year. The Dow fell back below 13,000 and was down a 0.8 percent for the day.

In the bond market, interest rates for U.S. Treasury securities dipped, a sign that investors were seeking safety by pulling money out of stocks and putting money into bonds.

The borrowing rate for Spain, probably the most closely watched thermometer of investor fear about Europe, remained close to 6 percent. Seven percent was the level that forced Greece and Ireland to seek international bailouts earlier in the crisis.

The central bank of Spain said that country had slipped back into recession.

Its economy shrank 0.4 percent from January through March after shrinking 0.3 percent the quarter before. Two

straight quarters of economic contraction is the generally accepted definition of a recession.

Spain’s new conservative government has warned that its economy will get worse. A contraction of 1.7 percent is expected for the year. Spain, struggling after the collapse in 2008 of a housing bubble, emerged from a twoyear recession in 2010.

Suggesting more obstacles to economic growth, an index of the European manufacturing and services industries dipped in April to a five-month low. It even declined in Germany, the economic bulwark of Europe and the country that has most insisted on budget cuts.

When the financial crisis struck in the fall of 2008, governments on both sides of the Atlantic Ocean rushed out big stimulus programs to protect their economies. Governments spent more and cut taxes. The U.S. Federal Reserve and the European Central Bank slashed interest rates.

But the Europeans gave up on stimulus a lot faster than the Americans did.

The European Central Bank, worried about the prospect of rising inflation, raised interest rates last April and again in July, then reversed course and lowered them late last year as Europe slipped back toward recession.

The Fed, by contrast, cut short-term interest rates essentially to zero in late 2008, then in January promised to keep them there until at least 2014 if the U.S. economy remains weak.

The White House and Congress also extended unemployment benefits and tax cuts that were scheduled to expire at the end of 2010, and enacted a separate cut in the payroll tax that pays for Social Security.

In Europe, the bigger, more financially stable countries pushed for firmer limits in a so-called fiscal union agreed upon in December by every country in the 27-member European Union except Britain and the Czech Republic.

For three months, the bond market stayed calm. But recently, investors have worried that deficits will keep rising in Spain and other countries, and that those countries will have trouble financing these deficits by selling bonds. So investors have demanded higher rates, re-igniting the crisis.

The European Central Bank has bolstered the continent’s financial system with €1 trillion in cheap loans to banks, in December and February, but the effects are wearing off.

AP

Spain’s Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy steps out of the Moncloa Palace in Madrid Apr. 23 before a meeting.

Spain is back in recession as the economy contracted 0.4 percent in the first quarter of the year.

Officials from the European Central Bank are resisting calls from the United States and the International Monetary Fund to offer more support to the struggling economies of the countries that use the euro.

Jens Weidmann, Germany’s top central banker and a member of the ECB’s governing council, said lower interest rates and more credit for the financial system were not the solution to the debt crisis.

“Monetary policy is not a panacea, and central bank firepower is not unlimited,” particularly within the constraints of a currency shared by 17 countries, he said.

Spain’s most recent budget slashed spending across government departments by an average of 17 percent, froze pay for civil servants and hit companies with new taxes.

That came on top of an austerity package in late December that raised income taxes, froze practically all government hiring and is slowing Spain’s economy.

Spanish finance minister Luis de Guindos calls the austerity vs. growth dilemma a “lose-lose situation”: If you cut spending, you risk slowing the economy. But if you borrow to stimulate the economy, you make the debt bigger.

THIS DATE IN HISTORY

BORN ON THIS DATE

1916

Some 1,600 Irish nationalist – members of the Irish Volunteers – launch the so-called Easter Rising in Dublin.

www.dailycampus.com

» PREVIEW

Nolan goes ‘Batman’ and beyond

By Alex Sferrazza Campus Correspondent

The most anticipated film of this summer is undoubtedly director Christopher Nolan’s third and final installment in his “Batman” trilogy, “The Dark Knight Rises.”

It is a somewhat intriguing and relieving thought, that rather than turn this Batman franchise into a Bond-Esque one with numerous sequels, Nolan is being brave enough to end his story, the story he alone wanted to tell.

“The Dark Knight Rises” follows up on the events of 2008’s “The Dark Knight.” Interestingly, the sequel takes place a full eight years after the previous film’s conclusion in a world where Batman is an outcast having been hunted by the police after he accepted the blame for the murders committed

by Gotham’s fallen White Knight, the late Harvey Dent.

Nolan’s films have a trend of including villains from the Caped Crusader’s rogues gallery that mesh with the realistic take the films had with the Batman character, so fans will be excited to see that Bat-Fans will see Catwoman and Bane on the big screen, especially after the latter’s miserably awful appearance in 1997’s “Batman and Robin.”

Catwoman (a.k.a. Selina Kyle), who will be played by Anne Hathaway, is known in the comics as a thief who maintains a place as Batman’s longest recurring love interest. Bane, who will be played by “Inception’s” Tom Hardy, is known for his brute strength achieved by his use of the super-steroid known as Venom. Bane is also known as a genius, one of the few people to discover the identity of the Batman.

With the exception of possibly the Riddler, these characters constitute some of the best-rounded and human characters found in the Batman books and are sure to astound audiences.

Due to the death of Heath Ledger, the Joker will not appear in the film.

The film has also been graced with a $250 plus million budget, which if the trailer is any indication is sure to provide some spectacular effects. Not to mention, following in “The Dark Knight’s” footsteps, even more scenes in the film were shot with an IMAX camera, making this a must see film for the format.

Tuesday, April 24, 2012

Bow to the cello master

Von der Mehden hall hears final strains from string and piano duet

ZARRIN AHMED/The Daily Campus

Award-winning cellist Samuel DeCaprio and international pianist Hyuan Ju Jang displayed revealed their musical talents under the lights at von der Mehden Monday evening. The pair adhered to a classical repertoire that included Shastakovich, Handel, Prokofiev and Chopin. The next student recital, featuring the UConn Symphonic Band, is tonight at von der Mehden at 7:30 p.m.

By Zarrin Ahmed Campus Correspondent Cellist Samuel DeCaprio and pianist Hyuan Ju Jang impressed an audience at the von der Mehden Recital Hall on April 23, showcasing their talents using different musical techniques.

“I loved tonight’s concert,” said Tyler Palmese, a 2nd-semester history major. “It’s amazing to see someone so young perform at the highest level.

I would’ve loved to hear the ‘Game of Thrones’ theme, but hey, I’m just being greedy....’Pirates of the Caribbean’ would have been sufficient.”

Scholar and musician DeCaprio began his musical career at the age of six on the piano. He started taking cello lessons when he was 13, earning first place in the 2005 New England Solo and Ensemble Festical three years later, and the grand prize at the 2006 Windham Regional Arts Council Competition. Amongst the numerous awards DeCaprio has won, he has also been featured on multiple public radio stations.

Recently, DeCaprio was a winner in the University of Connecticut Concerto Competition, and subsequently per-

formed Shastakovich’s Cello Concerto No. 1 with the UConn Symphony Orchestra in December 2011. In conjunction with his awards in music, DeCaprio has received many scholarships for his diligence as a student, including the Babbidge Scholar Award for maintaining a 4.0 GPA as well as being placed on the Dean’s List for every consecutive semester.

Jang began studying piano at age of five, graduating from Seoul National university and earning her Master of Music degree from Mannes College. In 2006, she received an Artist Diploma in piano performance at the Yale School of Music. Since then, she has been teaching music to young students at the John C Daniels School of International Communication. Jang has also won many awards, including the Seoul national University Concerto Competition, and has performed with numerous orchestras. She was recently named the recipient of the Elizabeth Parisot Prize, awarded to an outstanding pianist by Yale University.

DeCaprio and Jang entered the stage, bowing at their audience and taking their seats in front of their instruments.

DeCaprio faced the stage as Jang sat behind the grand piano, accompanied by a musician that helped Jang with her sheet music as Jang performed.

The duet began with Beethoven’s “Twelve Variations on a Theme from Handel’s oratoria Judas Maccabaues,” a piece that was upbeat and required finger plucking at times. Their next piece, “Sonata in C Major for Cello and Piano” by Sergei Prokofiev, had three different movements, each with a sound and tone unique to the others.

DeCaprio and Jang performed duets that highlighted both musicians’ roles, either together with similar tunes and notes, one right after the other in complementary notes, or playing completely different yet harmonizing tunes at the same time.

Unlike most other von der Mehden events, the audience was not afraid to shout out to the musicians after each song. After a brief intermission, DeCaprio and Jang finished their show with Frederic Chopin’s “Cello Sonata in G Minor.” They received a standing ovation from their audience.

Zarrin.Ahmed@UConn.edu

» DOCUMENTARY

The Dark Knight Rises In theaters: July 20, 2012

Legendary Composer Hans Zimmer will also return. On somewhat of a hot streak, the composer has recently created memorable scores to the likes of the “Pirates of the Caribbean” films, the “Sherlock Holmes” films, and of course Nolan’s “Inception” and prior Batman films. This score will not disappoint.

Creating a great third film in a franchise is a rare feat.

But with the success of his recent films, “The Dark Knight” and “Inception,” Chris Nolan is poised to match the like of “Return of the King” and “Toy Story 3.”

Don’t miss it.

Alex.Sferrazza@UConn.edu

‘Bully’ paints an intense picture, yet offers no answers for society

By Joe O’Leary Senior Staff Writer

If nothing else, “Bully” captures the devastation that bullying in schools can cause, and the resulting anger when things don’t change.

Bullying itself is a difficult topic, and though the documentary has one glaring omission in its attempt to tackle the issue, it’s equally powerful and infuriating as it attempts to show just how horrible the issue has become in today’s schools.

The film follows the lives of five young kids, from the ages of 12 to 16, over a single school year. All of the kids are optimistic and well meaning, despite the way they’re treated by their peers. Alex, for instance, was born premature and acts awkward at times; at the same time, he’s a devoted son and brother, loves to learn and is friendly to everyone he meets. As the school year begins, in the first glimpse of him heading to school, he’s terrified,

shaking and breathing heavily, clearly scared to face the day. When he gets on the school bus, we see why; he’s beaten, stabbed, choked and abused by older kids, one of whom openly and gleefully tells him how he’s going to bring a knife the next day and murder him.

That’s the extent of the documentary. Instead of delving into the topic with a large, over-arching approach to the controversial topic, director Lee Hirsch instead decides to glean the surface of the issue and get to its heart: how brutal bullying is to today’s modern school kid.

It hits hard. Having to see such sights as Alex being bullied to the point where he “doesn’t feel anything anymore,” or watching the parents of a boy who committed suicide in a catatonic state as they prepare to bury their son, “11-years-old forever,” is unbearably awful. It doesn’t offer any relief to the issue. However, it presents these sights without a solution to them.

Bully Directed by: Lee Hirsch

6/10 The main issue of “Bully” is that while it shows just how awful kids can be, it doesn’t have any answers to the problem, simply offering a “Text a number to a number to help stop bullying through The Bully Project” cop-out answer at its conclusion. This is frustrating, but at the same time it makes an important point: there is no concrete, blanket solution to bullying. There is nowhere for a young child to turn when they’re made to feel like they’re unloved or worthless. When Alex tries to tell school adminis-

trators about his problems, he’s made to feel like he’s the problem. Administrators are shown saying they don’t understand the problem, then prove their statement when confronted by bullied youths when they do nothing to change the problem, often unintentionally making the bullied out to be the perpetrator. If nothing else, Hirsch has made a film about bullying that views the issue the same way a bullied youth might, almost without hope.

» CONSCIOUS, page 9

Shirley MacLaine – 1934 Barbara Streisand – 1942 Cedric the Entertainer– 1964 Kelly Clarkson – 1982

The Daily Campus, Page 7

Novels for the dog days

Toward the end of every school year, mainly in elementary and middle school, I remember being informed of my school’s summer reading assignment. In my younger years, we had to read a book from a fiction list, a book from a nonfiction list and a book of our choice. As I got older, summer reading dwindled down to just one book in particular while my summer math packet unfortunately became thicker and thicker. It was the math packet I dreaded completing, though the summer reading assignment was a breeze.

Since I loved reading, I thought that reading one to three books each summer was an extremely small amount and could not comprehend why my peers kept complaining about the assignment. I probably read at least a book or two per week during the summer when I was in elementary school.

As I got older, it took me longer to read books since the ones I was interested in became longer.

Devouring stack after stack of books, it was a lucky thing that I live close to my town’s library since my mom was always taking me there to get new books.

I was always disappointed in the reading list the school made us pick from. I had either read most of the books already, or they did not interest me. I read the books necessary from the list and then proceeded to spend the rest of the summer reading anything else I could get my hands on. For me, summer is the perfect time to read. Without school getting in the way, I could read at all times of the day. I could stay up late to finish a book, wake up and spend the morning in bed reading, read outside in the sun, read on the beach, read in transit on a plane or car, etc. What I’m getting at is that in the summer, the available places you can read and the times you can read greatly expand, as does what you can read.

Gone (temporarily) are the days where you have to reluctantly pick up a dull book for class and force yourself to read it or else be unprepared.

Sell those textbooks back to the Co-op and use the money you get back to treat yourself to a new book. You have four months of textbook-free reading. The choice of what to read is completely in your hands, not a professor’s. I see too many people who dislike the books required to read for their classes and then resort to hardly ever reading. There are books for everyone and every interest – you just have to find what you want and not let books you dislike deter you from reading altogether.

With e-books, reading over the summer is even more convenient than ever. You don’t have to worry about your luggage weighing too much because all of your reads will be stored in one device.

Reading will also prevent your brain from turning to mush since you won’t be exercising it regularly with math problems or regular studying.

Flex your brain and continue the time management skills you developed this year and apply it toward making time to read during the day instead of idly surfing the Internet. With the end of the semester rapidly approaching, curling up with a good book once the summer begins will be a great reward for studying hard. The last question of the semester you will have to answer is: What’s on your summer reading list?

Alyssa.McDonagh@UConn.edu

The Daily Campus, Page 8

FOCUS ON:

MOVIES Upcoming Releases April 27 The Raven Safe The Five-Year Engagement The Pirates! Band of Misfits Bernie 96 Minutes

Over/Under Overrated: Avatar (2009)

James Cameron, I know you like your movies to look nice, and while that’s important, it’s not as important as the story.

“Avatar” has an age old story with a washed out theme. It’s “Dances with Wolves” with the message of “Ferngully.” If you can’t be more original than a mediocre children’s film, you have a problem. The characters are basic, the performances are unmemorable and if the movie doesn’t have something pretty to show you, it gets very dull very quickly. The action scenes are great and the world it creates is interesting, but the people in it are not.

Underrated: 12 Angry Men Remake (1997)

While the original “12 Angry Men” is a masterpiece that can never be outdone, the remake does several things better than the original. The cast is much more diverse which, along with the addition of color, makes it much easier to distinguish between the various jurors. The casting is flawless, with Jack Lemmon as the non-conforming Juror No. 8, George C. Scott as the bias Juror No. 3, and Edward James Olmos as the logical Juror No. 5. The dialogue is almost identical, but the emotion at certain times reaches a deeper level than the original. Moreover, it proves that people talking in a room for two hours can be a great movie even today.

- Brendon Field

Tuesday, April 24, 2012

Focus

Movie Of The Week

Interested in dishing out your cinematic opinion?

Come join the Focus team next semester!

Stay tuned for meeting times...

The Science of Sleep

» FILM CRITICS

Two battlefields, but only one love ‘High School Musical’ actor graduates to tragic chick flick

By Kim Halpin Staff Writer The latest Nicholas-Sparksturned movie project, “The Lucky One,” was released on Friday. The story follows Logan Thibault (Zac Efron), who during his last of three tours in Iraq, found a woman’s photograph amongst the rebel and discovered it to be his good luck charm. After making it home alive, he seeks to find her and say thank you for being his guardian angel.

The plot line is Sparks sweet when the woman in the picture turns out to be gorgeous and everything Logan is looking for. She’s also the perfect damsel in distress to top it off, having lost her brother in Iraq and being under serious scrutiny from her ex-husband, who also happens to be the sheriff in her small town.

There are just a few, but major, plot points that I had to take issue with. First of all, Logan discerns the town where the woman from the picture lives in by Googling lighthouses to match the one she’s standing next too, which seems down right impossible.

The second major issue is that once Thibault finds out Beth (Taylor Shilling) lives in Louisiana, he decides to walk there from Colorado. Yes, she walked to Louisiana.

The third and final plot issue I just couldn’t wrap my head around was Beth’s reaction when she found out that Logan had discovered the picture that she had given to her brother, and that was why he was looking for her. However, there’s the philosophical issue of did he die so that Logan could live, which might make her upset. I still have to take Logan’s side. It wasn’t his fault that he survived, and Beth’s grandma (Blythe Danner) even says that. While it would have been better if Logan

By Brendon Field Campus Correspondent

and a laughable, moronic climax.

From what I’ve heard, the film had to edit a large amount of the violence out to receive a PG-13 rating, and it’s evident with the large amount of cutaway deaths.

“Lockout” is one of those movies that doesn’t really do anything for you as a viewer. It isn’t very engaging, thrilling or suspenseful.

It’s also not dull or aggravating.

Even its stupider moments, which I didn’t even get to the half of, aren’t really that frustrating, likely because they’re practically a staple of present day action films. It’s the kind of film where you walk out the theater saying, “Well that happened… why am I here again?”

The semester is drawing to a close just as a fresh season of films are about to be released.

Here are several films to go see in the summer months.

“The Avengers:” It’s incredible that “The Avengers” even exists. A crossover of this magnitude seemed only possible in the world of comics, but somehow Marvel studios managed to pull it off. By taking the central characters from various films throughout the decade, “Iron Man,” “The Incredible Hulk,” “Thor” and “Captain America,” all of which succeeded in their own right, “The Avengers” combines them into one star-powered superhero adventure. It’s a project that’s been in the works for about a decade, and with the fragile Hollywood system it easily could been thrown away, especially with the studio creating so many blockbusters in a relatively short amount of time.

Early reviews are positive and with Marvel’s track record, this shouldn’t disappoint.

“Brave:” The newest feature from Pixar takes in the Middle Ages of Scotland. It centers on a young but formidable princess attempting to take back her kingdom after causing it to go amuck.

It takes the classic knights, witches and dragons basis that we surprisingly haven’t seen from animation in a while. The last films to use it were “Shrek” and “Quest for Camelot,” but neither were very good. It’s the first Pixar film to feature a female lead, and it looks to be their first action-oriented film since “The Incredibles.” As for quality, as long as Pixar isn’t trying to make a story out of automobiles, they have a four-star average, and I expect “Brave” to maintain it.

“Prometheus:” The newest film Ridley Scott, “Prometheus” is a science-fiction film in which a crew discovers an ancient society in its search for the origin of humanity, but instead finds an extraterrestrial society that could kill not only them, but the entire human race. It’s said to be a prequel to “Alien,” but reports have stated the film is much more of its own product, although Xenomorph will likely make an appearance. The cast includes Michael Fassbender, Idris Elba and Noomi Rapace, who starred in the original “The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo.” Scott’s last two films were largely considered sub-par, but mostly because of the screenplays. If “Prometheus” is written well, Scott may have his best film since “Gladiator.”

“That My Boy:” The newest film from Adam Sandler sees him trying to be a late life dad of a now grown man he fathered in an affair with his middle school teacher. Yeah, somehow this is supposed to be a family comedy. I just want to say, “avoid at all costs.”

“Abraham Lincoln Vampire Hunter:” Believe it or not, this exists. If the title alone isn’t enough to draw you in, the premise might. In the middle of the Civil War, the Confederate South is corroborating with a legion of vampires, one of whom kills Lincoln’s mother. Lincoln then takes a “Van Helsing” type role and attempts to destroy them all. Combining historical events with horror elements, “Abraham Lincoln Vampire Hunter” is set up to be either one of the greatest, or worst films ever made. Either way, it’s a must see.

Brendon.Field@UConn.edu

Brendon.Field@UConn.edu

Photos courtesy of Rottentomatoes.com

Zac Efron and Taylor Schilling play two strangers who end up falling for each other after war and unusual circumstances bring them together.

‘The Lucky One’ fills out the long list of Nicholas Sparks books that have been turned into movies, many of which have been box-office hits.

told her the whole story sooner, in all fairness, he tried.

But that probably didn’t surprise you. Shilling’s emotion, espe-

The Lucky One Zac Efron, Taylor Schilling

6/10 Despite the serious plot flaws, girls, you better bring your tissues or a guy brave enough to let you cry onto his shoulder because there are plenty of sob fest opportunities in the film.

cially in certain scenes when she is upset about the death of her brother, is very powerful, and the raw grief she feels is likely to pull at your heartstrings.

As is Beth’s son, Ben (Riley

Thomas Stewart), a completely lovable and adorable character.

A little out of place at school, and never enough of a son in the ex-husband’s eyes, its hard not to love him. His triumphs are many times because of the connection that he begins to develop with Logan, which make them all the more endearing.

The last point, one that I would be remised if I didn’t mention, is the beauty of the scenery throughout the film. The book version has the story take place in North Carolina, and while I’m sure it is gorgeous there as well, the early morning shots of Louisiana really add something extra to the movie. Almost enough to make you want to walk there from Storrs.

Kimberly.Halpin@UConn.edu

Same old formula for space-age action

Brendon Field Campus Correspondent Let me try to explain the story of “Lockout.” In the future, there’s a prison in outer space where the world’s most heinous criminals are kept in stasis. The President’s daughter (Maggie Grace) because we need a young, attractive love interest, goes up to investigate the effects of stasis on the brain. They release one prisoner for the interview, the most psychotic of the prisoners they’ve got, and he escapes and releases all the other prisoners by the press of one button. Seriously, did anybody think about this for five seconds?

This has to be one of the stupidest and most forced plots I’ve ever seen.

I don’t expect my action films to have Oscar-worthy screenplays, but some common sense would be nice.

After the described series of events occur, a government agent (Guy Pearce) who was convicted of treason has to go in and rescue her. He’s equipped with several basic weapons and an endless supply of one liners. And that’s the main problem with his character.

become boring before long. I don’t mind smart-mouthed characters, but there needs to be an actual character there, and in this case there’s not.

While Pearce is busy trying out for “The Expendables,” the U.S. Secret Service attempts to negotiate with the de facto leader of the inmates (Vincent Regan). Regan gives a convincing performance, and he creates a strong sense of tension and even fear in his scenes.

He’s also the brother of the psychotic prisoner who began the riot (Joseph Gilgun), who is so stereotyped it takes all suspense out of his performance.

There’s also a subplot about a briefcase and secret information, which is why Pearce is accused of treason. It involves a friend of Pearce’s (Tim Plester), coincidentally also a prisoner in space and also coincidentally suffering the effects of the stasis Grace was investigating. While this is the most interesting part of the film, and it does create a surprisingly good ending, it’s so sporadic you forget it’s relevant.

Lockout Guy Pearce, Maggie Grace

4/10 He’s nothing but sarcasm and witty retorts, and while a decent number of them are pretty good, they

Summer’s star releases

Pearce and Grace do have a decent amount of screen chemistry, and Grace’s character was less annoy-

Photo courtesy of Rottentomatoes.com

Vincent Reagan leads a group of inmates as they try to escape from a prison in outer space in ‘Lockout.’ Reagan’s performance is admirable, though the film is unrelatable and jaded.

ing than I anticipated. Unfortunately, their relationship arc is far too basic.

They don’t get along, then there’s 30 seconds of sentimental dialogue and now they can’t be without each other. If Pearce were James Bond then that may have worked, but he doesn’t even reach the level of the James Bond knockoffs.

Of course, “Lockout” isn’t about story and characters – it’s about action. And I’m willing to take back all my issues if the action scenes deliver. Do they? Well, I can’t really remember any of them, so I guess not. Most just boil down to generic fistfights, gunfights and explosions. Only three are distinct in my head. A zero-gravity fight that was pretty entertaining, a car chase that looked incredibly fake

Tuesday, April 24, 2012

Focus

Trial to begin in slaying of Hudson family members CHICAGO (AP) – A gift of balloons. That, prosecutors contend, is what sent singer Jennifer Hudson’s then brother-in-law into such a jealous rage that he shot dead her mother, brother and 7-year-old nephew in a horrific act of vindictiveness in the home where the Hollywood star grew up.

A prosecutor is expected to tell jurors that Monday during opening statements at the trial of William Balfour. He is charged with three counts of first-degree murder in the Oct. 24, 2008, slayings that generated nationwide headlines because of Hudson’s fame.

The estranged husband of Hudson’s sister, Balfour believed the balloons he saw at the Hudson home came from Julia Hudson’s new boyfriend; driving away for her job as a school bus driver, she glimpsed Balfour in her mirror still lingering outside, prosecutors have said.

They say Balfour went back inside the three-story house around 9 a.m. and used a .45-caliber handgun to kill Hudson’s mother, 57-year-old Darnell Donerson, in the living room, and then shot her 29-year-old brother, Jason Hudson, twice in the head as he lay in bed.

He allegedly drove off in Jason Hudson’s SUV with Julia Hudson’s son, Julian King, inside. Authorities say he shot the boy nicknamed Juice Box in

As a former victim of bullying, to the extent where I had to switch schools to escape being tormented by both students and teachers, “Bully” was both cathartic and incredibly angering.

Seeing the realities of the issue, with real footage of kids’ torment and their des-

» RETROSPECTIVE

A decade later, new hero with same old Spidey senses

By Alex Sferrazza Campus Correspondent

AP

This 2008 file booking photo provided by the Cook County Sheriff’s Department shows William Balfour who is accused of killing the mother, brother and 7-year-old nephew of singer and actress Jennifer Hudson.

the head as he lay behind a front seat. His body was found in the abandoned vehicle miles away after a three-day search.

There are no known witnesses to the slayings, and it’s unclear what physical evidence exists, be it fingerprints or DNA. Prosecutors say gunshot residue was found on

the steering wheel of Balfour’s car.

But the defense says it and other evidence is circumstantial.

A gun, which Balfour allegedly stole months before from Hudson’s brother, was recovered in a lot near where the SUV was found and will be presented as the murder weapon.

Conscious film needs to be more conclusive to be both relatable and informative from BULLY, page 7

The Daily Campus, Page 9

perate reactions, such as two children who commit suicide and a third who brings a gun onto a bus to fight back, proved the gravity of the situation. For parents, and maybe even former bullies, this may be eye-opening and lead to change. At the same time, seeing both a lack of change and an almost apathetic view of the issue itself simply

reminded me of the hopeless situation that nearly led to my own name being among the victims of suicide listed at the film’s conclusion.

“Bully” bullies its own viewers; without giving a way to solve the problem it clearly illuminates, it’s simply emotional battery.

Joseph.O’Leary@UConn.edu

Ten years ago, the summer of 2002 was dominated by numerous blockbuster films.

Despite new additions to powerhouse franchises such as “Star Wars,” “Men in Black” and “James Bond,” the highest grossing and most acclaimed blockbuster of the summer was none other than “Spider-Man.” Director Sam Raimi, best known until that point as the director of the acclaimed “Evil Dead” films, helmed what many consider to be one of the best comic book films of all time.

Following a long list of “dream projects” that were made possible by the advancements in computer-generated imagery in 1993’s “Jurassic Park,” including the “Star Wars” prequels and the “Lord of the Rings” trilogy, by 2001 it became plausible to bring the wall crawler to life.

Tobey Maguire’s breakthrough role came in the film when he was cast as Peter Parker – a.k.a. Spider Man. He was joined by a great ensemble cast featuring Kristen Dunst as his love interest, Mary Jane Watson, James Franco as his best friend, Harry Osborn, and William Dafoe as Norman Osborn (a.k.a. the Green Goblin, arch enemy of Spider-Man in the comics).

The plot was one that people could relate to and one of the reasons that the Spider-Man comics became so popular. Peter Parker is a high school nerd who wants to get the girl.

When he receives his powers, he decides to use them for good. Meanwhile, he still deals with “normal” problems such as trying to sell photographs to the paper. Despite his superpowers, people can relate to Peter Parker.

Of course the film’s real star was the character of Spider-Man himself. Computer imagery made it possible for audiences to see the hero web sling through the skyscrapers of New York City before their very eyes. Some people even felt nauseated by the “realistic” depiction of the heights Spidey was flying over.

The action scenes were all spectacular; from the heroic rescue in Times Square to the final fight, the audience was always on the edge of their seats.

Alex.Sferrazza@UConn.edu

NEW YORK (AP) – Lindsay Lohan will portray Elizabeth Taylor in a Lifetime film about her love affair with Oscar-winning actor Richard Burton.

Lifetime on Monday made official a casting decision rumored for months. The network says Lohan will star in “Liz & Dick,” with production set to begin in early June.

Spider-Man Opened Nov. 1, 2002

The film has a lot of heart. The scene where Peter sees his Uncle Ben die before him remains vivid to all who’ve seen it.

The entire work was complemented by Danny Elfman’s vastly underrated score, which contains the still-iconic and unforgettable main titles from the film.

The vast success of the film influenced the creation of two wildly successful sequels, as well as the development of other comic book films including “Hulk,” “Superman Returns” and “Batman Begins.”

Due to budget issues, this Spider-Man’s story ended with “Spider-Man 3.” However, the wall crawler will return this summer in the reboot “The Amazing SpiderMan,” starring “The Social Network’s” star Andrew Garfield as a younger Spider-Man, still in high school. Other changes include Spidey’s first comic book love interest Gwen Stacy (who had a somewhat different appearance in “Spider-Man 3”) taking center stage rather than Mary Jane Watson.

The villain of the film will be “The Lizard” (an alter ego of Dr. Curt Connors), a fan favorite from the comics.

Despite the fact that the series is being restarted with a new Spider-Man, it doesn’t take away from the many achievements of the 2002 film, which remains equally superb to this very day. “Spider-Man” will always be the definitive take on the character in the hearts of an entire generation of filmgoers.

Lindsay Lohan to play Liz Taylor

The Daily Campus, Page 10

Tuesday, April 24, 2012

Focus

'Avengers' hits screens with a blast AP – The hype has been building for years and it couldn't possibly be more deafening at this point.

After a series of summer blockbusters that individually introduced Iron Man, The Incredible Hulk, Thor and Captain America, all these characters come together alongside several other friends and foes in "Marvel's The Avengers."

And with director and cowriter Joss Whedon, they couldn't be in better hands. He's pulled off the tricky feat of juggling a large ensemble cast and giving everyone a chance to shine, of balancing splashy set pieces with substantive ideology. Stuff gets blowed up real good in beautifully detailed 3-D in "The Avengers" – the area in and around Grand Central Terminal, for example, gets obliterated beyond recognition in an exhausting, climactic battle – but the film as a whole is never a mess from a narrative perspective.

Whedon keeps a tight rein on some potentially unwieldy material, and the result is a film that simultaneously should please purists (one of which he is) as well as those who aren't necessarily comic-book aficionados. He also stays true to the characters while establishing a tone that's very much his own. As he did with the recent horror hit "The Cabin in the Woods," which he co-wrote and produced, Whedon has come up with a script that's cheeky and breezy, full of witty banter and sly pop-culture shout-outs as well as self-referential humor, one that moves with an infectious energy that (almost) makes you lose track of its two-and-ahalf-hour running time.

The back-and-forth between Robert Downey Jr.'s glib Iron Man and Chris Evans' old-school Captain America is electric, while Downey's more low-key, philosophical

exchanges with Mark Ruffalo's Hulk help give the film some intellectual heft. Actually, Downey damn near runs away with this whole thing, a tough feat to pull off in a cast full of personalities who are literally larger than life; it just goes to show once again how irresistibly charismatic he can be with the right kind of writing.

But the film's vibe is never smug or off-putting; these are still comic book heroes full of all the torment and introspection you'd expect. And for a movie that's violent as hell, "The Avengers" ends up being an earnest plea for peace. As in the best of its predecessors, the original "Iron Man" from 2008, it's a reminder that a summer blockbuster can be glossy and entertaining but still have meatier matters on its mind.

And we haven't even gotten to the plot yet: It's your basic bad-guy-wants-to-take-overthe-world kinda thing. But even Whedon seems to recognize what a hackneyed premise that is, so he has a little fun with it.

The preening, effete Loki (Tom Hiddleston), the bitter brother of hunky demigod Thor (Chris Hemsworth), descends to Earth from Asgard, which still has a distinctly '70s cheesiness about its twinkly sci-fi aesthetic. Once here, he steals the Tesseract, the cosmic blue cube that gives its bearer unlimited power, or some such.

The no-nonsense Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson), the head of S.H.I.E.L.D. – which had been entrusted with the safety of said cube – springs into action to reacquire it by assembling a dream team of superheroes and other sundry bad-asses with specialized skills. Nick gets help in this endeavor from his right-hand man, Agent Coulson (Clark Gregg, once again bringing some welcome deadpan humor to this outlandish scenario).

Besides Iron Man, Thor and Captain America, The Hulk's services are needed because the Tesseract exudes a radiation that will help track it, and The Hulk – despite the threat of his gigantic, green volatility – knows a little something about gamma rays. (Ruffalo, stepping into the Bruce Banner role that Eric Bana and Edward Norton played previously in the past decade, brings a sense of wry bemusement and appealing self-deprecation to this dangerous and misunderstood character.) There's also master assassin Hawkeye (Jeremy Renner) and super spy Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson).

But because these are superheroes with super powers, they also have super egos. And so a great deal of time is spent having them talk a lot of trash and square off against one another to prove who's toughest. There's Iron Man vs. Thor, Thor vs.

The Hulk, Hawkeye vs. Black Widow and so on. While they might seem like filler, these showdowns allow each character to have his or her time in the spotlight, and they do build genuine tension. They also happen to represent the adolescent fantasies of every geek in the audience. So in theory, everyone's happy.

Eventually they will all have to come together for one epic battle against their shared enemy in Midtown Manhattan, home of Iron Man Tony Stark's latest dazzling architectural creation, his eponymous highrise, and a cool place in general to stage massive movie destruction. Much of the gadgetry is cleverly detailed, as you'd expect – Tony Stark has devised stunningly efficient ways to get his metal suit on and off – but "The Avengers" is at its strongest in its quieter, simpler moments – when people are actually talking to each other.

» PHILANTHROPY

Actors, artists aim to turn around failing schools WASHINGTON (AP) – Sarah Jessica Parker, Kerry Washington and Forest Whitaker are adopting some of the nation's worstperforming schools and pledged Monday to help the Obama administration turn them around by integrating arts education.

The President's Committee on the Arts and the Humanities announced a new Turnaround Arts initiative as a pilot project for eight schools with officials from the White House and U.S. Department of Education.

Organizers said they aim to demonstrate research that shows the arts can help reduce behavioral problems and increase student attendance, engagement and academic success.

The two-year initiative will target eight high-poverty elementary and middle schools. The schools were among the lowest-performing schools in each of their states and had qualified for about $14 million in federal School Improvement Grants from the Obama administration. The public-private arts initiative will bring new training for educators at the Aspen Institute, art supplies, musical instruments and programs totaling about $1 million per year, funded by the Ford Foundation, the Herb Alpert Foundation and other sponsors.

Schools selected for the project are in both urban and rural areas. They are in New Orleans; Denver; Boston; Washington; Des Moines, Iowa; Portland, Ore.; Bridgeport, Conn.; and Lame Deer, Mont.

Washington, who is starring in the new ABC drama "Scandal," will adopt a District of Columbia school over the next two years. Washington told The Associated Press there are often misconceptions about

the role arts play in school, as if the arts are only the "sprinkles on the icing."

"It's not that the arts are something to put on in the final period of the day once all the real work is done," she said. "Arts are actually how we can help them get the real work done."

For example, studies show music training can help improve student math scores, she said.

Artists from the president's committee, including Washington, will present programs to students and teachers, celebrate their successes, help create community partnerships and raise funds to continue their work beyond the initial two years.

This is believed to be the first federal initiative to examine the role of arts in school reform and will also generate new research looking at how a robust arts program affects students, examining data in each of the eight schools, said Rachel Goslins, executive director of the presidential arts committee.

"It's really hard to find anybody who says arts education is bad for kids," Goslins said. "But there is a huge amount of skepticism that the arts could be an important part of the solution in these schools."

The White House threw its support behind the effort, in part because 15 percent of the nation's schools are responsible for half the dropout rate, said Mark Zuckerman, deputy director of the White House Domestic Policy Council. Research shows arts education can improve graduation rates and school climates, he said.

But a recent Department of Education study said highpoverty schools are 50 percent less likely to offer arts and music classes – affecting millions of students.

"Sex and the City" star Parker will adopt a school in Portland, and Whitaker will work with students in Des Moines.

Artist Chuck Close, cellist Yo-Yo Ma, dancer Damian Woetzel and actress Alfre Woodard also are adopting schools in the two-year program.

In Montana, Lame Deer Junior High School on a Cheyenne American Indian reservation was one of the neediest schools during the selection process. It's a remote area that has trouble attracting strong teachers.

"There's an entire school of kids who have never seen a play and have never been to a museum, ever," Goslins said.

The initiative can help bridge a divide between the school and traditional tribal arts and culture at home, she said.

Some schools will add new arts specialists with their federal grant money.

The Roosevelt School in Bridgeport, Conn., has started a band program for the first time in 17 years.

In New Orleans, the Batiste Cultural Arts Academy began an after-school arts program two years ago to change a culture that had been plagued by violence, said principal Ron Gubitz. Now it plans to extend the arts to the regular school day as well.

Gubitz said his school can prove the arts are an "accelerator" for improvements in reading, math and other subjects.

"We have to give kids' brains an opportunity to synthesize these things we're teaching them at a deep level," he said. "That happens best when arts are present in the school."

James Catterall of the University of California Los Angeles and Susan Dumais of Louisiana State University, who have researched the effects of arts education for at-risk youth, said having White House support could be a breakthrough for other schools. But they both warned it could take years to see measurable improvements.

AP

Thor portrayed by Chris Hemsworth, left, and Captain America, portrayed by Chris Evans, are shown in a scene from "The Avengers." The movie will be released in theaters nationwide May 4.

The dialogue sparkles as brightly as the special effects; these people may be wearing ridiculous costumes but they're well fleshed-out underneath. And so in every regard, this

movie truly fulfills its hype.

"Marvel's The Avengers," a Walt Disney Pictures and Paramount Pictures release, is rated PG-13 for intense

sequences of sci-fi violence and action throughout and a mild drug reference. Running time: 143 minutes. Three and a half stars out of four.

Competitiveness drives Stephanopoulos NEW YORK (AP) – George Stephanopoulos doesn't really get days off. He gets hours.

The co-host of ABC's "Good Morning America" during the week and host of the Sunday political talk show "This Week" has both shows at such competitive crossroads this spring that his bosses are reluctant to give him time off.

"GMA" snapped the "Today" show's 852week winning streak the week before last, an event that set off parties at ABC (and a congratulatory steak and chocolate cake at the Stephanopoulos household). "This Week" is also slowly gaining ground lost in the ratings when Stephanopoulos was replaced at that show by Christiane Amanpour in 2010.

"For him, it's a win-win," said one of those bosses, ABC News executive Jon Banner. "He gets a lot of experiences and is able to dig into what he loves in bits and pieces every day of the week. And try to see his family at some points in between."

It's not a schedule built for the long term, but it's made him the man of the moment at ABC News.

Stephanopoulos compartmentalizes. He's in before dawn on weekdays to prepare for "Good Morning America," and is on the air between 7 a.m. and 9 a.m. Then he takes some time off, maybe goes to the gym. His afternoons are spent on political reporting for "World News" and lining up Sunday guests. Friday afternoon is his time of intense study for "This Week," although that usually spills into Saturdays.

Sunday is the show.

Oddly enough, only a small number of ABC viewers are aware of this schedule.

"In the last three months, I've had all these people come up to me on the street and say, 'I'm so glad you're back at ABC,'" Stephanopoulos said. "That's the Sunday audience. My (weekday) morning audience has no idea that I'm on on Sunday. It's just different worlds. The overlap is very small."

He freely admits he would not be able to handle both jobs if "This Week" hadn't moved the bulk of its operations from Washington to New York since he took over in January.

The idea of moving one of the Sunday public affairs shows out of Washington would have once seemed highly controversial, yet ABC achieved it with hardly anyone noticing. Competitors "Meet the Press" on NBC and "Face the Nation" on CBS remain in Washington. The "This Week" discussion roundtable, which on Sunday included Keith Olbermann, is done in New York. Technology enables Stephanopoulos to conduct interviews remotely. "It doesn't matter where you do the show," Banner said.

ABC's Sunday viewership is up 11 percent over last year, the Nielsen company said. In an election year, "Meet the Press" (9 percent) and "Face the Nation" (7 percent) are up, too.

If Stephanopoulos experienced any buyer's remorse about "Good Morning America," he doesn't say so. He extracted a promise from then-ABC News President David Westin

when named co-host with Robin Roberts in December 2009 that the show would toughen up and become more newsy.

Since then, "GMA" has arguably gone in the opposite direction, particularly during the second hour. With the audience by then more than 70 percent female, Lara Spencer, Josh Elliott and Sam Champion take a larger role with a looser format focused more on pop culture.

"I was expecting different, there's no question about that," Stephanopoulos said. "I wasn't sure how it was going to go. You never can be. But I've been pleasantly surprised that we've been able to make as much progress as we have. It was actually less difficult than I expected it to be to find my comfort zone inside all of it, in part because going in I got to keep on doing the other things I liked doing."

With a looser format, Stephanopoulos said that if he thinks a story is silly he can readily say so on the air.

"George wants to win in the morning, like we all do and George understands that a morning television show has different parts at different times in the morning," said Tom Cibrowski, senior executive producer of "Good Morning America." ''I would contend that the program is just as newsy as it always has been. George has had the opportunity to interview countless presidents and newsmakers since he's been there.

There's nothing he likes more than being able to drive the news cycle with his interviews."

Doing both shows makes it easier to do each one, Stephanopoulos said.

"The great thing about 'GMA' is it's a lot of broadcasting," he said. "You get better by doing it. You learn the rhythms and you're up on everything – even things you never thought you'd be up on. That makes it more fun to dive deep on the 'This Week' stuff. I can relax and have fun with the other stuff on 'GMA.'" Given the trends, Stephanopoulos said he'd been expecting ABC to end the "Today" winning streak this spring, but he had anticipated that moment would come in May. His political instincts were at play last Monday, when preliminary Nielsen numbers indicated ABC had won the previous week. ABC News leaders were cautious in their reaction, waiting for the release of more definitive ratings on Thursday. But Stephanopoulos noticed that "Today" executive producer Jim Bell had issued a congratulatory quote – effectively a losing candidate's concession speech – and issued his own celebratory Tweet that made most stories about the achievement.

Stephanopoulos now generally takes one weekend off from "This Week" a month. But if he anticipated one week's win on "Good Morning America" would allow him to begin regularly taking a day off during the week, he may have to think again.

"You win one week of something," Banner said, "it makes you want to win more."

Tuesday, April 24, 2012

The Daily Campus, Page 11

Sports

» MLB

Written decision on Braun appeal may not come NEW YORK (AP) — There may never be a written decision explaining why Ryan Braun's drug suspension was overturned.

The arbitrator who threw out the 50-game suspension of the NL MVP has been asked by the players' union and management to hold off giving his reasoning while they negotiate changes to their rules for collecting specimens, people familiar with the case told The Associated Press.

If players and owners reach agreement on the changes, the Feb. 23 decision by arbitrator Shyam Das to overturn the penalty for the Milwaukee outfielder could be allowed to stand without any written explanation, the people said, speaking on condition of anonymity because the process is designed to be confidential.

Baseball's labor contract says there should be a written decision within 30 days of an arbitrator's ruling. It appears management has no interest in

a decision detailing how collection procedures weren't followed and the union has no interest in getting an explanation of a decision many believe let Braun off on a technicality.

"It's obviously disappointing because people deserve to know what the basis for the case being overturned is, and frankly the athlete should have that right as well," Travis Tygart, chief executive officer of the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency, said Monday. "Certainly an innocent athlete would want that opportunity."

Meantime, the sides already have made some changes to collection procedures as a result of Das' decision.

Employees of Comprehensive Drug Testing, who take the specimens from players, are now required to drop the samples off at a Federal Express office on the same day they are collected, provided an office is open in the vicinity.

If not, collectors should take

the specimens home rather than leave them in a drop box. The prohibition against using drop boxes already was in the drug agreement between players and owners.

"We hope the parties step back and ensure that the rights of clean athletes and the integrity of the sport are safeguarded through the legal process," Tygart said. "It sounds like the changes are toward that effort and ultimately good for clean athletes."

Braun tested positive for a urine sample he provided at about 4:30 p.m. on Oct. 1, a Saturday and the day the Brewers opened the NL playoffs. ESPN reported the positive test in December. The collector, Dino Laurenzi Jr., left Milwaukee's Miller Park approximately 30 minutes later and followed procedures established by CDT. While FedEx offices were open, there were none within 50 miles of Miller Park that

would ship packages that day or Sunday. Laurenzi took the sealed package containing the sample home, placed it in a Rubbermaid container in his basement office and took it to a FedEx office on Monday.

It was then sent to the World Anti-Doping Agency-certified lab outside Montreal.

Das heard two days of testimony in January. Braun's side argued Laurenzi violated the language of baseball's drug agreement, which states "absent unusual circumstances, the specimens should be sent

by FedEx to the laboratory on the same day they are collected."

Management could challenge a written decision in federal court. However, the grounds to overturn an arbitration decision are narrow, with a side generally having to prove bias or misconduct by the arbitrator, that the arbitrator exceeded his powers or there was corruption involved in the decision.

AP

An official explanation on Ryan Braun's overturned appeal may never come, as the players union and MLB have asked him to hold off while rule changes are negotiated.

» NFL

Saints deny ESPN report alleging eavesdropping

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — The New Orleans Saints denied an anonymously sourced ESPN report on Monday which alleges that general manager Mickey Loomis' booth in the Superdome was wired so he could listen to opposing coaches' radio communications during games.

ESPN could not determine if the system was ever used. The report on Monday's "Outside the Lines" said Loomis would have been able to eavesdrop on opponents from 2002 to 2004.

The report also said the system was disabled in 2005, when the Superdome was heavily damaged by Hurricane Katrina.

Saints spokesman Greg Bensel called the report "1,000 percent

false."

"We asked ESPN to provide us evidence to support their allegations and they refused," Bensel said. "The team and Mickey are seeking all legal recourse regarding these false allegations."

Loomis explained his use of an earpiece and described his gameday setup in the Superdome booth in an emailed statement.

"I have a monitor in front of me in my booth that provides the league issued stats for the game," Loomis stated. "I have a small TV with the network broadcast and I have an earpiece to listen to the WWL-AM radio game broadcast.

"To think I am sitting in there listening and actually ... doing

something with the offensive and defensive play calls of the opposing teams makes this story and the unnamed sources that provided the false information that much more less credible," Loomis' statement continued. "It just didn't happen."

Washington Redskins defensive coordinator Jim Haslett was the Saints' head coach from 2000 through 2005. In a comment the Saints forwarded to the AP by email, Haslett denied knowledge of any system that would have allowed for eavesdropping on opponents.

"At no time during my tenure as head coach with the New Orleans Saints did Mickey and I discuss monitoring opposing

» NBA

Wizards hand Bobcats 21st straight loss

WASHINGTON (AP) — John until Charlotte's Tyrus Thomas Wall had 16 points and 14 assists, was ejected with 3.6 seconds Nene scored 18 points and Jan left for throwing an elbow at Vesely had 16 points on 8-for- Washington's James Singleton.

8 shooting and the Washington He was assessed a flagrant 2 foul.

Wizards handed the Singleton made two Charlotte Bobcats their free throws.

21st straight loss, 101It was part of a 73 on Monday night.

16-0 run that gave the Wizards 101 Wizards a 37-21 lead It gave the Wizards with just over 10 mintheir first four-game Bobcats 73 utes remaining in the winning streak since Dec. 9-13, 2007. The 28-point second quarter.

Washington shot nearly 63 permargin of victory equaled their cent from the field in the first half largest in the season.

The Bobcats were competi- in taking a 63-39 lead.

The Wizards led by as much as tive for most of the first quarter

NBA

75-45 in the third quarter.

Gerald Henderson had 19 points for the Bobcats, while D.J. Augustin added 15.

If Charlotte (7-57) loses its final two games, they will finish with the worst winning percentage in NBA history. They play at Orlando on Wednesday before closing the regular season at home Thursday night against New York.

In the first part of the season, the Bobcats had a better record than Washington. On Jan. 14, the Bobcats were 3-10 while the Wizards were 1-11.

team coaches communication, nor did I have any knowledge of this," Haslett said. "To my knowledge this concept was never discussed or utilized."

If the Saints had installed a system allowing them to listen in on their opponents it would have violated NFL rules and also could have infringed on federal wire-tapping laws.

"We were not aware of it," league spokesman Greg Aiello said. "We have no knowledge of the allegations."

FBI spokeswoman Sheila Thorne said the agency's New Orleans office was aware of the situation, but wouldn't comment further.

U.S. Attorney Jim Letten

in New Orleans also said his office had been told about "general allegations" involving the Saints and possible wiretapping, but he did not elaborate. Letten declined to discuss who made the allegations, and whether they involved Loomis or any other Saints officials.

For the Saints, the report in itself added to a slew of recent bad publicity, which began in early March when the NFL released a report describing a crunch-for-cash bounty system that provided improper cash bonuses to defensive players who delivered hits that hobbled targeted opponents.

Commissioner Roger Goodell has suspended head coach Sean

Payton for the entire 2012 season in connection with the bounty probe. Loomis was suspended for the first half of the regular season and assistant head coach Joe Vitt was suspended six games.

The team also lost its secondround pick in this week's NFL draft and was fined $500,000.

Goodell took away the Saints' second-round pick in 2013 as well, but has said he may lessen that punishment if he is satisfied with the club's cooperation in the ongoing investigation.

The NFL still has yet to hand down punishment to between 22 and 27 current and former Saints defensive players whom the league has said participated in the bounty program.

» NHL

Rangers force Game 7 at MSG

OTTAWA (AP) — Brad Richards scored the go-ahead goal and Derek Stepan had a goal and two assists as the top-seeded New York Rangers staved off elimination with a 3-2 victory against Ottawa Senators on Monday night.

The series heads back to New York Thursday night for the first Game 7 in any sport at Madison Square Garden in 17 years.

Not even the return of Daniel Alfredsson, who missed three games with a concussion, in front of the fired-up home crowd at Scotiabank Place could

help the eighth-seeded Senators Neil was planted at the edge complete the upset. of Henrik Lundqvist's crease Carl Hagelin returned to the along with teammate Zack Rangers lineup after sitting out Smith when Ottawa's power a three-game suspension for his play put it ahead 1-0 at 7:05. elbow on Alfredsson Sergei Gonchar's The Rangers broke point shot deflected through in the second in off Neil's skate as with three goals after Rangers he tried to jump out of 3 the going six straight periway.

Senators 2 That got the frenods without scoring.

Chris Neil gave zied towel-waving Ottawa a 1-0 lead in the first crowd into a lather that only with a power-play goal and increased when Neil answered Jason Spezza cut it to 3-2 with Brandon Prust's challenge for a 39 seconds left to play in the fight eight minutes later. third.

NHL

The Daily Campus, Page 12

Tuesday, April 24, 2012

Sports

» LACROSSE

Huskies win first Big East games of season

By Danny Maher Campus Correspondent The UConn women’s lacrosse team swept a pair of road games over the weekend against conference foes Cincinnati and Lousiville. The Huskies improved to 9-5 overall and 2-4 in the Big East with a 17-8 win at Cincinnati on Friday and a come-frombehind 10-9 victory at Louisville on Sunday.

UConn scored eight unanswered goals over a span of 18:38 in the second half to beat the Bearcats (3-11, 0-7 Big East). The Huskies were powered by a trio of hat-tricks from midfielders Jordan

Christopher, Lauren Kahn and Kacey Pippitt. Christopher and Pippitt also added an assist each.

Junior Morgan O’Reilly and senior Kiersten Tupper both notched a pair of goals, bringing their season goal totals to 10 and 27, respectively. Tupper has averaged 3.23 points per game this season, which makes her No. 8 in the Big East.

UConn outshot the Bearcats 37 to 24 including scoring on 5-of-9 free position shots.

Junior goalie Brittney Testa made 11 saves to earn the win.

Testa was even more impressive in the Huskies’ win over Louisville (3-12, 1-7 Big East) on Sunday.

She held one of the country’s top

goal scorers, Nikki Boltja and Louisville, to only two goals in the final 35 minutes, allowing UConn to mount a comeback after trailing 7-4 at halftime.

She finished with 11 saves which raised her goal total to 112 and save percentage to .465 for the season.

A pair of first-half goals from junior Mackenzie Rainone kept the Huskies within striking distance as she would score twice more in the final 30 minutes as part of a 6-1 Connecticut run that sealed the victory.

UConn leading scorer M.E. Lapham only registered one goal against Cincinnati, but she could not be kept quiet against

Louisville, scoring three goals and dishing out three assists.

The victories gave Connecticut its first two conference wins of the season and matched its nine-win total from last year. The Huskies are ranked No. 34 in the latest NCAA Women’s Lacrosse RPI. With only two games remaining at home against Villanova and No.14 Loyola (Md.), the Huskies have been eliminated from Big East tournament contention due to head-to-head losses to both Georgetown and Rutgers. But UConn still has an outside chance at receiving a bid to the NCAA tournament.

Daniel.Maher@UConn.edu

ED RYAN/The Daily Campus

Lauren Kahn tries to get past several Notre Dame defenders on April 14.

Softball team loses series at Pitt Pavone's hard work is an

By Brendan Prescott Campus Correspondent

ASHLEY POSPISIL/The Daily Campus

The UConn softball team lost two out of three games this past weekend at Pittsburgh.

The UConn softball team continued its road woes as the Huskies lost two out of three games in Pittsburgh. The Huskies lost their first game of the two game doubleheader 6-0 and came back in game two to win 10-5. Once again the Husky offense failed to deliver, losing to the Panthers by a narrow margin of 1-0.

In game one, the Huskies had their only opportunity to score in the second inning, when seniors Amy Vaughan and Christina Duclos hit back to back singles.

After an error by the Panthers, UConn was set up to score with runners on second and third and only one out. However, Pitt’s starting pitcher, Servilla, worked out of the jam with a strikeout and groundout.

Pittsburgh finally broke the 0-0 tie in the 5th inning, by exploding for five runs off of two hits, including a home run by Servilla, and one Husky error. The Panthers sealed the deal in the 6th by scoring an

insurance run, taking a 6-0 lead.

Game two featured a lot more offense for the Huskies. Despite a 1-0 lead by Pitt in the 3rd, UConn had a strong inning of their own, scoring five runs off of three hits and two costly Pittsburgh errors.

Big games were had by Vaughan, who recorded one hit and two RBIs for the day, and Andrea Hulsenbeck, who also had one hit two RBIs. Game three was mostly a pitching duel. Junior Kiki Saveriano took the mound for the Huskies while Savannah King pitched for the Panthers. The Huskies were unable to capitalize on their opportunities, leaving 10 runners on base through the first six innings of play.

The winning run for Pittsburgh came in the 6th inning off of a hit and error by UConn.

The Huskies fell to 21-20 on the season and 9-8 in Big East play, and the Panthers improve to 25-22 and 8-11 in the Big East. UConn continues its road trip this Thursday against St. John’s.

Brendan.Prescott@UConn.edu

» ROWING

UConn shows improvement at Holy Cross

By Jimmy Onofrio Senior Staff Writer The UConn women’s rowing team traveled to Worcester, Mass. on Sunday to take on Holy Cross. Both varsity boats lost in close races by under two seconds, while the varsity four boat won by about 10 seconds.

The varsity boat showed great improvement over last weekend, when they lost to Holy Cross by 15 seconds in the Knecht Cup. Sunday they finished in a time of 6:41.1 to Holy Cross’ 6:40.8.

“Although we lost, I think that this race gives us a lot of confidence moving into

the weeks preparing for Dad Vails,” said Caitlin Swallow, a junior from Glastonbury, Conn.

The second varsity also lost a close race, 6:49.2 to 6:50.8. “The two crews raced bow ball to bow ball pretty much the whole way, and Holy Cross pulled it out at the very end,” said coach Jen SanfordWendry. She was impressed with the varsity boats’ ability to stay in the race even after falling behind.

“Our coach always emphasizes having a positive mental attitude, which I think is important for success. You need to have a positive attitude especially when you come off the start and are down,” Swallow said.

Diana Filipek, a senior from Sewell, N.J. who rows on second varsity, said. “We were all able to leave the lake that day with a little more confidence, a definite positive regarding the upcoming regattas.”

The varsity four boat won with a time of 7:50.2, with Holy Cross finishing in second at 8:01.6 and UConn’s second boat in third at 8:03.5. The novice eight boat won by around 30 seconds in an untimed race, with the second UConn novice boat about 10 seconds behind that.

The Huskies will have a few weeks of rest and practice before a weekend of competition in mid-May. On May 11 and 12, they will compete

in the well-known Dad Vail Regatta on the Schuylkill River in Philadelphia, before traveling to Princeton for the Big East Championship.

Looking to practice for the next few weeks, Swallow said, “We have confidence in our sprint, so we need to realize our strength and beat crews in that last 500 meters.”

“This week will be the final attempt to make a few lineup changes to gain more speed in the varsity eight. We’re looking forward to having two weekends off in preparation for Dad Vail and the Big East Championship,” SanfordWendry said.

James.Onofrio@UConn.edu

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example to teammates

from BOUNCING, page 14 Now, he has continued to swing the bat well, as he is currently hitting .290 during this year’s campaign while splitting duties behind the plate with freshman Alex DeBellis, and coach Jim Penders thinks his stay in Chatham is a big reason for the continued success.

“With him it was a greater confidence,” Penders said. “He went down there and I think he was expecting to kind of be a No. 2 catcher, he wound up hitting really well and becoming a Cape Cod League All-Star. You do that at that high level and you know you can play with anybody in the country.”

In addition to his on the field play, Penders has been impressed with Pavone off the field in his time at Connecticut, and how he has grown into a leadership role on the team.

“He’s done a really good job of handling adversity and

I think he’s set a very good example for our guys on how to work…He leads by example,” Penders said. “He’s also not afraid though if he sees something, you know, he does it in a quiet way. He’s not into embarrassing a guy, but he’ll bring him on the side and talk to him afterwards. He’s been very helpful with our freshman catchers too…He’s just an oldschool Western New Yorker who knows how to work hard.

He’s a great student too; he leads us in the classroom.”

Pavone has missed the last several games, including a series against Rutgers this past weekend, due to a hamstring injury, but Penders seemed certain of one thing: he’ll work hard to get back into the starting lineup as soon as possible, that’s just the kind of kid he is.

Matthew.Stypulkoski@UConn.edu

dailycampus.com/donate Help save The Daily Campus #savethedc

TWO Tuesday, April 24, 2012

PAGE 2

What's Next Home game

April 27 Louisville 6 p.m.

April 28 Louisville 1 p.m.

Tomorrow St. John’s 3 p.m.

» That’s what he said – New Jersey governor Chris Christie on the Nets’ move to Brooklyn.

April 29 Louisville 1 p.m.

May 5 Cincinnati 3 p.m.

April 26 Hartford 4 p.m.

April 28 Syracuse 12 p.m.

April 28 Syracuse 2 p.m.

April 29 Loyola 1 p.m.

Lincecum, Giants beat Mets

Chris Christie

» Pic of the day

Peace out Pudge

Men’s Track and Field TBA UNH/ UMass All Day

May 4 Big East Champs All Day

Women’s Track and Field April 26 April 27 April 28 Penn Relays Penn Relays Penn Relays All Day All Day All Day

April 29 Brown Invite All Day

May 4 Big East Champs All Day

Rowing May 11 Dad Vaiil Regatta All Day

May 12 Dad Vail Regatta All Day

May 13 Big East Championships All Day

Can’t make it to the game this week?

Follow The Daily Campus on Twitter for live updates: @DCSportsDept @The_DailyCampus www.dailycampus.com

Tweet your answers, along with your name, semester standing and major, to @DCSportsDept. The best answer will appear in the next paper.

» MLB

AP

May 3 Big East Tournament TBA

April 26 April 27 April 28 Penn Relays Penn Relays Penn Relays All Day All Day All Day

“How many games will the UConn men win next season?”

The Daily Roundup

Lacrosse (9-5, 2-3) April 27 Villanova 4 p.m.

Next Paper’s Question:

–Courtney Hudson, 6th-semester allied health major

“My message to them is goodbye.”

Softball (21-20, 9-8) Tomorrow St. John’s 1 p.m.

The Daily Question do you feel about Roscoe Smith’s announcement to Q : “How transfer?” further ruining UConn basketball’s reputation but he’s got to do A : “It’s what’s best for him.”

Away game

Baseball (23-17, 11-4) Today Bryant 3 p.m.

The Daily Campus, Page 13

Sports

AP

Former Texas Rangers catcher Ivan Rodriguez fights back tears during an introduction for a news conference announcing his retirement as a baseball player on Monday.

NEW YORK (AP) — Tim Lincecum posted his first win of the season despite another uneven performance, Nate Schierholtz and Buster Posey homered and the San Francisco Giants beat the New York Mets 6-1 Monday in the first game of a doubleheader.

Slightly over 1,000 fans were in the stands when the opener began on a windy, raw afternoon better suited for the Bay Area and perhaps 10,000 were bundled up at the end. A rainout Sunday forced the twinbill.

Madison Bumgarner was set to pitch the second game for the Giants against Dillon Gee. San Francisco had won seven of 10 overall.

Battered in his first three starts, Lincecum (1-2) allowed one run in five innings and struck out eight, often throwing his fastball past the Mets. The twotime Cy Young winner also walked five and gave up four hits in lowering his ERA from 10.54 to 8.20.

Lincecum got help on his 108th and final pitch. With the bases loaded, one out and the Giants ahead by five runs, Ike Davis hit a grounder up the middle. Second baseman Emmanuel Burris stopped the ball and made a backhanded flip with his glove to shortstop Brandon Crawford, who barehanded the toss and turned a terrific double play.

Lincecum won his fourth straight start against the Mets, never permitting more than one run in any of them. Shaky in the first inning this year, he struck out three of the first five batters.

Miguel Batista (0-1) lasted only 3 2-3 innings in a spot start. The 41-year-old righty began the game by pitching out of the stretch — fittingly, the Giants had runners on base against him all day.

Pablo Sandoval hit an RBI single in the first, but was thrown out trying to stretch it into a double. Posey followed with his home run.

Schierholtz hit a three-run homer in the third, set up by first baseman Davis’ twoout, none-on error. Schierholtz also tripled and singled and Crawford added an RBI double.

Mike Baxter doubled home the Mets’ run in the second after a two-out walk.

The Mets lost for the fourth time in five games. A bright spot for them: Jeremy Hefner, promoted hours earlier from Triple-A Buffalo, pitched three scoreless innings in his major league debut.

» MLB

» MLB

Yanks win in Arlington Sox take care of Twins ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) in six innings.

— Derek Jeter had four hits to Holland is 0-5 with a 9.26 ERA stretch his hitting streak to 13 in seven career appearances (six games, Alex Rodriguez belted starts) against New York. career home run No. 632 and Rodriguez hit a three-run the New York Yankees beat the homer, his third of the season, Texas Rangers 7-4 on Monday in the fifth for a 6-1 lead. The night.

Rangers hadn’t given up more CC Sabathia (2-0) struck out than five runs in a game before eight over eight innings for his that, and Jeter added an RBI 11th career win against the two- double in the sixth. time defending American League New York went ahead to stay champion Rangers, who won when Curtis Granderson blooped their first five series this season. a two-run single into short rightThe big left-hander was pitch- center with two outs in the first. ing with an extra day of Jeter led off the game rest after the Yankees’ with an infield single scheduled series finale and Robinson Cano at Boston was rained Yankees 7 also had a single. out Sunday night, a day It was the 42nd 4 career four-hit game after New York over- Rangers came a 9-0 deficit for a for Jeter, who is bat15-9 win over the Red Sox. ting .450 (27 for 60) during his Mariano Rivera worked a per- current hitting streak and raised fect ninth for his fourth save. his season average to .411.

New York has won 10 of 13 All of his hits came in the since being swept in three games first six innings against Holland at Tampa Bay to start the season. before he struck out in the ninth Josh Hamilton homered for the against Koji Uehara.

Rangers.

No. 9 batter Chris Stewart Derek Holland (2-1), the drew a leadoff walk in the 25-year-old left-hander who Yankees fifth and scored on Nick signed a $28.5 million, five-year Swisher’s sacrifice fly. Rodriguez contract extension this spring, homered later in that inning, the has never beaten the Yankees. He ball landing in the reconfigured gave up seven runs and nine hits visitors’ bullpen just beyond the with four walks and one strikeout left-center wall.

MLB

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — first base, and Bard retired two of Cody Ross homered twice, tying the three batters he faced sandthe game with a two-run shot in wiched around an intentional the seventh inning and giving walk to Justin Morneau. Josh Boston the lead with two outs Willingham greeted Bard with in the ninth to snap a five-game a sharp line drive, but it zipped losing streak for the Red Sox and straight at third baseman Adrian beat the Minnesota Twins 6-5 on Gonzalez for the second out.

Monday night.

Then Ross put the Red Sox Starter-turned-temporary- in front with his drive off Matt reliever Daniel Bard (1-2) Capps (0-1). recorded two critical outs in the After a rainout on Sunday eighth after the Twins put the gave the rotation an extra day leadoff runner on third. Alfredo of rest, Red Sox manager Bobby Aceves picked up the save, his Valentine put Bard in his strugthird in five tries, and gling bullpen for a few all was right with the days amid fan calls for reeling Red Sox for at the young right-hander least one night. take over for Aceves Red Sox 6 to Aceves gave up a as the closer. But Bard 5 and Valentine insisted one-out single and Twins a high drive to the the move was merely warning track in left-center to temporary, and Bard is still on Trevor Plouffe, but Denard Span track to make his next start on bounced back to the mound to Friday. end it.

“I still view myself as a starter, Ryan Sweeney misplayed and they said they do, too,” Bard Jamey Carroll’s single into a said before the game. He said he two-base error that put him at “asked a lot of questions” about third with none out in that pivotal what the team’s goals were with eighth, after the ball bounded the decision.

Bard gave the relievers some down the right-field line, ricocheted off the padded facade of relief, but the starters still need the seats in foul territory and some, too. Jon Lester allowed six hits, five runs and four walks skidded away.

But Franklin Morales got Joe over seven innings. He struck out Mauer to ground out weakly to four but wasted a 3-0 lead.

MLB

» INSIDE SPORTS TODAY

P.13: Giants beat Mets. / P.12: Lacrosse wins first conference games at Cincy. / P.11: Saints deny eavesdropping allegations.

Page 14

Tuesday, April 24, 2012

BOUNCING BACK

Loss for words

UConn catcher returns to Huskies after injury

By Matt Stypulkoski Staff Writer

Matt McDonough This is my final column for The Daily Campus sports section.

And I don’t know what to say.

Should I tell you how much I appreciated all of you who took the time to read this?

Everyone who took the time to comment, contact me or tell me in person how much they loved my columns will always have a place in my heart. You made me feel like I was doing a good job, like I was on my way, like I had a voice. Should I tell you how thankful I am?

Should I tell you how helpful the feedback was? Good and bad. How you getting emotional enough about a column written by a college kid that you felt the need to take the time and tell me about your feelings was very flattering.

How people disagreeing with me is the whole point. How people emailing me telling me how much of an idiot I am and saying how bad they want to punch me in the face is humbling. Not humbling enough that it made me change my stance, but humbling in the sense that people getting so worked up over something I wrote made me feel, for a brief moment, that I was a professional sportswriter, and not an amateur.

Should I tell you how great it was to have this platform for two years? How much I wanted this since freshman year (when I looked like the above picture) and how lucky I felt writing a column each week for this sports department. How nice it was to have this space each week, and how I only rented the side of Page 14 on Tuesdays because great people came before me and even better people will come after.

Should I tell how you much I enjoyed waking up in the morning, smelling the fresh manure roll off of Horsebarn Hill and while sitting down in class, seeing some of you were opening up a newspaper to this column?

Should I tell you how uncomfortable it is to have newspaper print cover your fingertips all day?

Should I tell you how much I enjoyed your company? How it felt like you were there with me when I was writing. How I tried to connect with all of you and find the true pulse of this campus and student body. Should I tell you that this wasn’t for me, it was for you?

Should I tell you how great everyone in the UConn community is? From the faculty to athletic department staff and most importantly, the athletes and students. Should I tell you how special it was to have my friends and family along for the ride with me? Especially my Mom and Dad. Happy Birthday Dad. And should I tell you how badly I wanted to end my final column with a stellar last line?

With something deep and profound. With something you all can take into the future, wherever that may be.

Should I tell you how bad of a sucker I am for last lines?

How much I wanted this one to be perfect. And how after digging deep, trying to think of one, nothing seemed to fit.

Because after four years, I’m at a loss for words.

Matthew.McDonough@UConn.edu

www.dailycampus.com

ROB SARGENT/The Daily Campus

For red-shirt senior catcher Joe Pavone, it has been a roller coaster to reach this point in his career, and right now it looks like the ride is on its way back up.

Pavone, who is from Rochester, N.Y. and recently finished his master’s degree in accounting, sat out all of last year’s historic campaign due to a knee injury, as the 2011 Huskies were the first team from the school to ever make it to the NCAA Super Regional stage – the Sweet 16 of baseball.

“It was tough but it was good to watch us win,” Pavone said. “And it was really exciting to at least be a part of it. Coach let me be in the dugout and everything like that so that was awesome to be part of it, but you obviously want to be in there, everyone wants to play.”

Prior to the knee injury, Pavone was a solid bat for the Huskies and a fantastic defensive player behind the plate, as he hit .273 during his junior season in and fielded at a .988 clip while splitting the catching duties with red-shirt junior Doug Elliot.

Those numbers and the ones he posted in his first two seasons in a UConn uniform earned Pavone a trip to Cape Cod, as the Chatham Anglers of the prestigious Cape Cod Baseball League offered him an invitation to play in the summer of 2010, an opportunity he relishes.

“I thought it was really cool I mean, you’re facing some of the best kids in the country every night on the mound so you had to be that much more locked in to play, and I got to hit a little bit,” Pavone said.

Pavone did more than just a little hitting in his time on the Cape, as he managed a .290 average in the wood bat league – a number that was good enough to earn him a trip to Boston’s Fenway Park for the league’s All-Star Game.

“It was really cool. You get to see it on TV, but you appreciate it much more when you’re on the field playing,” Pavone said of playing in the historic park.

Joe Pavone celebrates a home run with Jon Testani against Seton Hall on April 1. Pavone has returned to the team after injuring his knee last year.

» PAVONE’S, page 12

» BASEBALL

UConn looks to rebound vs. Bryant

By Matt Stypulkoski Staff Writer

The UConn baseball team will look to regroup from its blowout loss to Rutgers this past Saturday against Bryant on Tuesday afternoon at J.O. Christian Field.

The Huskies took both games of a doubleheader from the Scarlet Knights Friday, but Saturday afternoon at Dodd Stadium it was a different story. The pitching for UConn struggled mightily in the game and received no help behind them in the field or from hitters at the plate as they fell 15-0.

Against Bryant, coach Jim Penders knows things will have

to go much differently in order to unsure of which of his two pitchers—Butler or Dettmann—would come out with a win.

“They’re not going to be in awe make the start for the Huskies, of us for sure, nor should they but did say that the Bulldogs may see a number of difbe,” Penders said. “I ferent pitchers take the think we have to come mound throughout the out and we’ve got to game. Penders also said throw strikes first of that Ryan Fuller—who all and [possible startvs. Bryant played third base last ers Pat Butler or Jared Dettmann] has to estabseason has spent most 3 p.m. lish that right off the of this year playing at bat. I think we’ll be able J.O. Christian first for UConn—may to get our bats going in see some time at third Field time but they’re going base on Tuesday, as to compete, they’re not 91.7 WHUS the Huskies look for an going to make a lot of answer at that position. mistakes.”

Freshman Jon Testani As of Saturday, Penders was has held the position as of late, but

BASEBALL

is not a natural third baseman and has struggled in the field as a result.

Sophomore Mike Friel saw some time at third against Rutgers over the weekend, but has not swung the bat particularly well this season, hitting at just a .206 clip.

Fuller has swung the bat well of late, and earned a spot on the Big East Honor Roll after hitting three home runs last week.

This is Bryant’s final year of a transition process to Division I competition. The Bulldogs—who play in the NEC—are postseason ineligible this season as they have been for the past several years during the transition period.

Despite being new to the

Division I landscape, Bryant has had quite a bit of success early on, including an NEC regular season championship in 2010. This season, the Bulldogs are 17-3 in the conference and 25-15 overall, and are currently riding a five-game winning streak including a fourgame sweep of Quinnipiac this past weekend.

The Huskies are 23-17 on the year heading into the matchup, including an 11-4 record in the Big East, which puts them in a tie for first place in the conference. They have won four of their last five heading into today’s game.

Matthew.Stypulkoski@UConn.edu

Husky basketball has given me irreplaceable memories

Ryan Tepperman My journey to UConn goes back a ways, much further than when I applied as a high school senior.

I remember watching the NCAA tournament for the first time in 1999 – before I really had a rooting interest – when UConn pulled off one of the great upsets in national championship history, knocking off Duke, 77-74, for the Huskies’ first title. The following year, I remember watching the women team’s (more specifically, I remember watching Sue Bird) beat Tennessee for its second championship.

By that point, I knew who my favorite team was.

Flash forward eight years,

and I was on campus in Storrs, Conn., moving into a tiny McMahon dorm room for my freshman year.

Whenever people ask me why I chose UConn over UMass (sorry, Mom and Dad, for choosing the state school that would cost you $30K more), I always joked that it was because of the basketball team. While that wasn’t the (only) reason, I can say, after four years, that UConn basketball has made my college experience a whole lot more fun. In fact, some of my best memories revolve around the Huskies.

Last year, I went to UMass for their Homecoming weekend when their football team was taking on its rival, UNH. My friends and I went to the tailgate Saturday morning, which was an absolute blast – although slugging Keystones at 9 a.m. isn’t – but when the game was about to begin, everyone went home to take a nap.

I found that pretty funny at the time, but it also reminded me that not everyone has great

athletics teams to root for and that not every school has a team that can unite an entire campus like the Huskies did during their 2009 and 2011 NCAA tournament runs.

After a disastrous 2009-10 season, I remember my roommates and I talking about how we would probably never be at school for a better team than the ’09 Final Four squad. The Huskies lost every key player not named Kemba Walker or Alex Oriakhi from a team that missed the Big Dance, and lost out on all their big recruiting targets as well. UConn wasn’t ranked to begin the season and was picked to finish 10th in the Big East preseason poll.

Then, Dream Season 2.0 happened.

It all started with the Maui Invitational, which I watched on my couch during Thanksgiving break (thankfully, after a decade of having the same 32-inch TV, my parents had finally decided to join the 21st century and get a big screen). And after UConn upset then-No. 2 Michigan

State – led by Kemba’s second 30-plus point effort in a row – I distinctly remember a text from one of my roommates: “The best player in the country might be No. 15 on UConn.”

The rest, as they say, was history.

As a sports fan from Massacusetts, my teams have had quite a bit of success since the early 2000s. I saw the Red Sox become the first team to erase a 3-0 series deficit – against the Yankees, no less – en route to breaking an 86-year curse. I also remember the Patriots winning three Super Bowls in four years and the Celtics’ return to glory with their first championship in over two decades.

From a personal standpoint, none of those moments hold a candle to UConn’s run last season. Being on campus with over 10,000 united fans as the Huskies reeled off 11 straight tourney wins – including five in five days in the Big East tournament at the world’s most famous arena – well, that’s

something that will always stick with me.

Each year, only 1.2 percent of men’s college basketball teams make the Final Four. I got to see UConn do it twice.

(When you have good friends who go to Syracuse and Villanova, those bragging rights become extra important.)

When I graduate from UConn a couple weeks from now, I get to say that I was in the same class as arguably the best player in UConn men’s basketball history. I was also privileged to be at the last Gampel game for Maya Moore, a top-two player all time for the women, and didn’t see the women’s team lose a game until halfway through my junior year.

There are a lot of memories that are going to stick with me long after I graduate from the University of Connecticut.

The basketball teams’ success will certainly be near the top of that list.

Ryan.Tepperman@UConn.edu