February 21, 2008

MOMENTUM CRUSHED

CHOOSE YOUR VANTAGE

Columnist Geremy Bass said the Terps’ crushing loss was a major mistep SPORTS | PAGE 9

Vantage Point is an effective whodunit? thriller with a strong dash of suspense DIVERSIONS | PAGE 7

THE DIAMONDBACK THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 2008

98TH YEAR | ISSUE NO. 90

THE UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND’S INDEPENDENT STUDENT NEWSPAPER

Victim, others dispute stabbing charges Hughes, party attendees defend student charged in attack; police stand by Tues. arrest

BY BEN WORSLEY Staff writer

The victim of a weekend stabbing on Knox Road said yesterday during an interview that he was not stabbed by sophomore Messai Belayneh, who was charged with assault in the incident Tuesday.

Terps football freshman defensive back Trenton Hughes said he

was cut on the chest and stabbed under the armpit by two men he described as Belayneh’s friends during a fight that broke out nearby a party at Belayneh’s apartment. But, Hughes said, “I wasn’t shocked when I heard” Belayneh was arrested “because he was involved in the fight.”

About 20 friends of Belayneh’s also gathered yesterday in a show

Broad support for tuition regulations

of support, some wearing “Free Messai” homemade T-shirts, saying their friend was innocent.

Belayneh’s arrest, several said, was “so ridiculous,” and a majority also questioned the depth of the police investigation.

Maj. Kevin Davis, who commands Prince George’s County Police District 1, defended his department’s handling of the

arrest, saying police were “unequivocally led” to name Belayneh as a suspect.

“I’ve got no doubt about our investigation,” Davis said. “Our investigation is still ongoing and we have every reason to believe we have the right person in custody.”

Please See DISPUTE, Page 3

JAMES B. HALE–THE DIAMONDBACK

Rebecca Bakre defends sophomore Messai Belayneh, who was charged Tuesday with stabbing a football player.

TERPS COLLAPSE AGAINST HOKIES

Bill aims to keep tuition rate flat for 4 years

BY MEGAN ECKSTEIN Senior staff writer

Talk of tuition hikes, tuition freezes and all the ups and downs of state funding for higher education might soon become less of a nagging presence for students.

An impressive 35 delegates are sponsoring a Truth in Tuition Act, which would require the University System of Maryland to announce tuition rates four years in advance, allowing incoming freshmen to plan ahead and know what their tuition will be when they graduate.

“Much like adjustable-rate mortgages are tricky for families, adjustable-rate tuitions

Please See TUITION, Page 2

JACLYN BOROWSKI–THE DIAMONDBACK

SGA President Andrew Friedson delivers his State of the Campus address at the union last night.

ADAM FRIED–THE DIAMONDBACK

Terrapin men’s basketball coach Gary Williams watched in frustration as his team allowed Virginia Tech to launch an improbable comeback in Comcast Center last night. The Terps took an early double-digit lead but failed to hold on and wound up being buried by a weak bench and subpar performances from several starters.

Friedson

Hagerstown fire City may reserve focuses on space for local stores injures one student

Annapolis

BY BRADY HOLT Staff writer

BY MARISSA LANG Staff writer

Citing a looming state budget deficit, SGA President Andrew Friedson urged student legislators to work for college affordability in Annapolis during his State of the Campus speech last night.

The deficit, Friedson argued, threatens to drive up higher education costs in the state and should remain a top agenda item the Student Government Association must focus on if student-friendly bills are to become law in Annapolis this year.

“We need to mobilize and intensify our efforts to ensure that the student voice is

Please See SPEECH, Page 3

Tomorrow’s Weather:

College Park City Council members are calling for the city to subsidize rents for retail space under its proposed downtown parking garage, hoping to attract independent businesses to move in rather than chain stores.

The garage, to be built at the corner of Knox Road and Yale Avenue, is scheduled to begin construction in 2009 and include 5,800 square feet of retail space that officials estimate could fit between one and four storefronts.

Less than a block from the brand-name-dominated Route 1 strip, many council members last

Wintry Mix/30s Index:

night stressed the importance of filling these spaces with independent businesses.

But in a competitive downtown scene where high rents have squeezed out individually-owned businesses while chains have survived, Chris Warren, the city’s economic development coordinator, cautioned that the city’s desire to pursue unique shops could be at odds with its need to finance the garage.

To accommodate independent businesses, Warren said the city would probably have to charge tenants less than $20 per square foot of retail space, just two-thirds of

Please See GARAGE, Page 3

News . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2 Opinion . . . . . . . . . . . .4

BY BEN SLIVNICK Senior staff writer

A small fire broke out in Hagerstown Hall yesterday morning, injuring one student and flooding several dorm rooms, police said.

The fire, which started in a trash can on the first floor of the building at 11:55 a.m., was quickly squelched by sprinklers, leaving one student with burns on his hands, University Police Spokesman Paul Dillon said.

A Resident Life memo sent to all Hagerstown students, however, said there were no injuries.

Dillon could not say what caused the fire because of the uni-

Features . . . . . . . . . . . . .5 Classified . . . . . . . . . . . .6

Diversions . . . . . . . . .7 Sports . . . . . . . . . . . .10

versity’s ongoing investigation.

The fire caused a small amount of damage to the closet doors in one student’s dorm room.

In many rooms, sprinklers soaked carpets, electrical devices and other items. The Department of Residential Facilities removed all standing water by yesterday afternoon and had to pull up carpeting in several cases.

Residential Facilities will continue the process of entering and cleaning rooms during the next several days as a result of the fire, the Resident Life memo said. slivnickdbk@gmail.com

www.diamondbackonline.com

2

THE DIAMONDBACK | THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 2008

Page 2

TODAY

@M

MONDAY | NEWSMAKERS

ARYLAND TUESDAY | OVERHEARD

Meditation

Spring Career Fair

Experience a relaxing period of meditation in mind, body and spirit, 3 p.m., 0121, Eppley Recreation Center

The university's largest career fair open to students and alumni from all majors, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., Stamp Student Union

WEDNESDAY | SCENE + HEARD

THURSDAY | BEST of the BLOGS

BEST of the BLOGS

Admin. split about tuition bill

Scott Van Pelt sighting Andrew Zuckerman

TUITION, from Page 1

Scott Van Pelt has been sighted here at Comcast Center just minutes before tipoff.

Van Pelt, a university alumnus, has never been one to hide his support for the Terps when he’s anchoring SportsCenter. He usually makes it out here for a couple games a season, and Van Pelt usually finds his way into or near the student section, too.

Last semester, WMUC’s Nick Verderame and I had Van Pelt on our radio show a couple of times. He mentioned how this was the first year he was unable to make it back to Comcast Center for the Duke game, and I have not seen him around here before tonight, either.

But because Van Pelt is here, don’t expect any Bentley’s references on SportsCenter tonight.

— POSTED ON TERRAPINTRAIL.COM FEBRUARY 20, 2008

JAMES B. HALE–THE DIAMONDBACK

Graduate students Martin Stolen (left), Barrett Dillow (center) and Shane Jacobs discuss the space suit they have been testing.

Finally, a robot that understands New system promises easy communication with robots in space

BY CHRIS YU Staff writer

BRIEFS

City to unveil new website The city of College Park is in the final stages of developing a new website designed to make it easier to find local businesses.

“Sites like this are to celebrate the rich mix of attractions and events that exist in a destination community in College Park,” said Jim Blakely, the website’s contract developer.

ShopCollegePark.org is scheduled to go up next month. It will show the location of every participating city business, giving each its own page that includes nearby shopping and parking.

The College Park City Council asked the website also include community news, and Mayor Stephen Brayman requested pawn shops be prohibited from having business listings.

— Brady Holt

ANXIOUS? You are invited to attend a lecture on Performance Anxiety by internationally recognized musician and speaker, Helen Spielman Thursday, Feb. 21,2008 12:30–1:45PM Room 2200 (Lecture Hall), CSPAC

A free and delicious reception will be provided!

Ideal for Public Speakers, Musicians, Actors, Dancers, or anyone who gets a little nervous in front of a crowd!

Sponsored by Sigma Alpha Iota

FRIDAY | Q + A

Robots that can understand us and follow commands have been around for a long time in books and movies.

But a team of students has made fiction reality with new technology that promises to allow astronauts the ability to talk directly to the robots working with them through the communications systems in their suits.

Today, robots that operate in space are run by people on Earth using joysticks and remote controls, but that’s a burdensome process. In fact, it can take as long as 20 minutes for a command from Earth to reach a robot on Mars, according to Shane Jacobs, an aerospace engineering graduate student and member of the project team.

With the voice-command system, which should be operational by next year, an astronaut will be able to give direct orders to robots instead of having to rely on ground control. This way, the team says, there will be no signal delay, and the robot will be able to respond almost

immediately, moving from one place to another and assisting in maintenance tasks such as handling tools.

“We are envisioning future space operations,” Jacobs said.

“You want to work with robots like you work with fellow humans.”

The system uses software that takes the words of the astronaut and turns them into instructions that the robot will recognize and understand.

The team, which consists of five graduate students and three undergraduates, started their work last spring, said Martin Stolen, an aerospace engineering graduate student and team member. Dave Akin, director of the Space Systems Laboratory, leads the project.

Besides space missions, the ability to verbally control robots will have more Earth-based applications. The same technology could be incorporated into robots that help in all aspects of life, such as assisting the elderly, Stolen said.

Robots can also be sent to places that are hazardous to humans, such as

JAMES B. HALE–THE DIAMONDBACK

A space suit hangs in the Neutral Buoyancy Research Facility where graduate students test it underwater. earthquake recovery, said Barrett Dillow, an aerospace engineering graduate student and team member. chrisyudbk@gmail.com

are tough for students,” said Delegate Heather Mizeur (DMontgomery), a first-term delegate and lead sponsor of the bill.

Despite the support within the Maryland House of Delegates for the bill, higher-education administrators are split.

Brit Kirwan, the university system’s chancellor, said the bill doesn’t mesh well with the current budget process and could compromise the quality of universities throughout the state.

“I feel that the bill is very well-intentioned, but I have grave concerns about its practicality,” he said.

Kirwan said the university system waits to find out how much money will come from state coffers each year before setting tuition to make up the rest of the budget.

Under the proposed law, tuition would be locked-in before the system could determine what its financial needs are. That may force cuts that could jeopardize the quality of education at state institutions, Kirwan said.

He said to maintain the quality of the universities, the system might have to set tuition higher than necessary just in case state funding is lower than expected, placing more of the financial burden on the students.

Mizeur disagreed with this logic, saying the real goal of the bill is to serve as “backdoor pressure on the General Assembly to properly fund higher education.”

“Politically, the football gets punted to us to provide enough funds,” Mizeur said, because no state legislature wants to appear stingy on

higher education funding.

University President Dan Mote has been pushing for a similar four-year planning model for years but doesn’t want to see legislation rushed.

“We have high confidence this system would work because it worked so well in other states,” Mote said.

Still, Mote would rather wait for a state commission studying long-term funding models for the university system to come out with its report in December. Then, he said, the plan should move forward in a pilot stage.

Mizeur is pushing hard for the Truth in Tuition bill nonetheless. She worked two jobs to put herself through school at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, and she said she constantly worried a tuition hike would push attending school beyond her reach. Shortly after she graduated, Illinois passed a Truth in Tuition bill that Mizeur said “worked to great acclaim in Illinois,” and middle-class families “benefited from the predictability that legislation like this brings.”

Kirwan said he would be willing to reach some sort of compromise, ideally if an escape clause were added to the bill. If state funding didn’t increase with the rate of inflation or some other agreed upon rate, the school system would be able to increase tuition to cover its costs.

Mizeur said if that were proposed in the Maryland House, she would want the compromise to go both ways; if the state provided extra funding, the system should share the funds by lowering tuition. ecksteindbk@gmail.com

SENIOR GRADUATION PORTRAITS

T

he 2008 TERRAPIN YEARBOOK, in association with Carl Wolf Studios, will be taking graduation portraits the week of February 25–29, 2008. Although it is TOO LATE for these pictures to be included in the 2008 TERRAPIN, many of you called to request this portrait session.

There is absolutely NO cost or obligation on your part. Several poses will be taken, both with and without cap and gown, if you prefer. You will then have an opportunity to purchase portraits at a reasonable charge.

You may make an appointment by calling 1-800-687-9327, 8 a.m. - 5 p.m. until Friday, February 22nd, or schedule your appointment on the net! Visit our site at www.cws.ouryear.com using Maryland’s school code: 87101.

Beginning Monday, Feb. 25th, appointments can be made by calling the Terrapin office at (301) 314-8349 between 11 a.m.–7 p.m.

DATES: February 25–29, 2008 • One Week Only!!

TIME: 11am-7pm PLACE: 3101 South Campus Dining Hall (TERRAPIN YEARBOOK Office) PHONE: 1-800-687-9327 or www.cws.ouryear.com School code: 87101

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 2008 | THE DIAMONDBACK

FROSTY THE SNOWMAN

3

Suspect approached police voluntarily DISPUTE, from Page 1

JACLYN BOROWSKI–THE DIAMONDBACK

Facilities Management worker Patrick Walters lays salt on the ground near the Cambridge Community. The weather forecast calls for snow showers tonight and early Friday morning.

During the interview, which took place before reporters interviewed Hughes, Davis said police developed probable cause to arrest Belayneh “based on accounts from the victim and witnesses.” Davis could not be reached following Hughes’ comments to The Diamondback.

“The arrest is not the end of the process,” Davis said. “He’ll have his day in court. This investigation is ongoing; we continue to develop new information.”

A court commissioner said last night that Belayneh had been released on $20,000 bond.

Reached at home, Belayneh’s mother said the family had no comment.

During the meeting of Belayneh’s friends, which also included a cousin, sophomore Spanish major Brittany PerryJohnson said she worked with Belayneh at The Diner on North Campus last semester. She expressed disappointment with the way police handled the arrest.

“When something like that happens, they have to arrest somebody so people are happy,” she said. “I feel like, because it was his party, they just jumped to the conclusion that, ‘Oh, it must have been him.’”

Yamrot Negussie, a sophomore psychology major who

JAMES B. HALE–THE DIAMONDBACK

Brittany Perry-Johnson shows off a shirt she made in support of Messai Belayneh, who was arrested Tuesday for assault. said she was Belayneh’s godsister, called him “a very loving person.”

“He rubs off on people, and it’s like, once people meet him, they love him, they can’t get enough of him,” Negussie said.

Beniam Gebeyehu, a senior communication major and Belayneh’s cousin, said Belayneh went to the police voluntarily in an attempt to help with the investigation.

Acknowledging Belayneh’s

effort to go to police, Davis said it had no bearing on investigators’ decision to arrest him.

“The fact that he’s here to show up under the ruse that, ‘I’m here to help’ is a dime a dozen,” Davis said. “It’s an effort to appear contrite.”

There were also questions yesterday about why the university issued no crime alert email to the campus.

University Police Spokesman Paul Dillon said University Po-

lice defer to county police on whether the crime alert should be sent out.

Prince George’s Police requested no crime alert be sent out because “it could quite possibly hinder their investigation,” Dillon said.

“We’re not just gonna sit back and say we’ve done all we can” to alert students, Dillon said, but “we think we do a good job.” worsleydbk@gmail.com

Friedson lauds univ.’s sustainability efforts RHA takes a step to curtail theft in dining halls SPEECH, from Page 1 heard in the halls of the state house,” he said.

Some unsettled issues closer to home that have drawn attention from administrators and other campus leaders, such as the Purple Line and a Good Samaritan policy, merited little or no mention in his speech. He did, however, spend time highlighting work on other longer-standing local issues such as safety, student housing and the university’s impact on the environment.

The speech, delivered in the Benjamin Banneker room at the Stamp Student Union, began and ended with mention of the SGA’s involvement in the state government. With the state’s legislative session kicking off last month and continuing through April, much of Friedson’s remaining term will be spent lobbying elected officials.

Friedson pointed to rallies, as well as call-in and e-mail campaigns, against future tuition hikes as a sign of progress, saying the efforts helped prompt the Maryland General Assembly to pass the first-ever guaranteed funding for higher education during a special legislative session last semester.

He quickly mentioned the SGA is pushing bills in the state Senate and House of Delegates to improve student voter rights and introduce measures that reduce textbook costs.

Early in the speech, Friedson also highlighted the SGA’s lobbying efforts in D.C., where they urged Congress to pass the College Cost Reduction and Access Act, which will provide roughly $20 billion in financial aid during the next five years.

Friedson then brought the topics closer to home, summarizing the SGA’s efforts in College Park to bring more lighting to the downtown area and increase safety measures in bars frequented by students.

He then narrowed his focus further, praising SGA involvement in on-campus issues such as the housing crunch. He said the group’s work with administrators and local politicians helped spark a partnership with private developers that could

bring thousands of beds to the campus in coming years.

Student safety and environmental sustainability were also among topics Friedson touched on during the speech, as he touted another SGA Safety Walk and praised the university’s ranking

by Grist, an online environmental magazine, as the 15th greenest campus in the world.

“The new Environmental Council we are creating will serve as a long-term advisory board to our organization as well as a force on campus for sustainability advocacy,” Friedson said.

Two issues scarcely mentioned, however, are among the most controversial facing the university: the Purple Line and the Good Samaritan bill.

Despite recent pressure on the SGA to create a resolution detailing their position on the Purple Line, Friedson devoted less than 30 seconds of his 15-minute address to the issue.

Friedson said that SGA’s work has been a “key reason” why the current debate over the Purple Line is focused on which option is best for the campus, as opposed to the project’s potential for federal funding.

“With the Purple Line, we have been an active force behind the scenes,” he said.

Friedson did not mention what work the SGA has done on the issue, nor did he specify how they contributed to the debate between the Maryland Transit Administration and the administration.

The Good Samaritan resolution, which received unanimous support from legislators at last night’s meeting but has resulted in no action from the University Senate, was not mentioned in Friedson’s address.

He concluded the speech by telling legislators there is still much to accomplish in the remaining 75 days of his term, including continued advocacy for students at both the state and local level.

“This is our year, our moment and our legacy,” Friedson said.

“It is up to us to forge ahead and finish this term in a way that makes us proud.” langdbk@gmail.com

Information about about the consequences of stealing to debut Monday

BY NANDINI JAMMI Staff writer

The RHA is taking the next step to curtail theft in the dining halls: table tents.

The Residence Halls Association’s Dining Services Advisory Board approved the design for a new card to be placed over napkin containers on tables in the North Campus Diner and South Campus Dining Hall. The cards will inform students about the consequences of theft and provide a list of expected student behavior in the dining halls.

DSAB has been tackling the issue of theft in the dining halls since last semester when the committee’s chairman, Bixi Zeng, called for Dining Services to adopt a camera surveillance system.

Yesterday, the group took their first concrete step toward improving the theft situation in a vote attended by 2 DSAB members not including Zeng.

In a one-day study last semester, Dining Services

“I think people see dining tracked four food items, including breaded and grilled halls as an extension of their chicken breasts for sand- home kitchen, and food doesn’t wiches, burger patties and have the same kind of value as a book,” said Hipple. “I chicken tenders. At know some people do it the end of the day, subconsciously; if they found a $623 disyou’re in line for 20 crepancy between minutes.” items sold and items Students expressed paid for. skepticism over the new According to Direcmarketing method, saytor of Dining Services ing that the real probColleen Wright-Riva, lem stems from disconeducating the student tentment about high body about the conseprices. quences of stealing is “It’s so expensive in an essential part of the first place,” said remedying the prob–Bart Hipple Spanish lem.

DINING SERVICES freshman major Jessica Wilmer.

Dining Services When was the last time Spokesman Bart Hipyou paid $8 for a salad? ple said stealing from I know people who’ve the dining hall comes just dropped, like, an in many forms “whether they’ve consumed orange in the bag. You just it,” or “combined it in one con- don’t think about it. No one’s really watching you back tainer.”

Hipple speculated that there.”

Other students said they just because most students eat there regularly, they stop view- don’t feel a sense of guilt when ing the dining halls as a busi- stealing from the dining halls.

“What you’re stealing is ness.

“I think people see dining halls as an extension of their home kitchen.”

really easy to get rid of, so it’s not like you have to go home and look at what you did,” said sophomore Japanese major Ian Smusz.

Despite student skepticism, Dining Services officials remain optimistic about the new measure. “There are examples where people do the right thing,” said Wright-Riva.

DSAB member Samantha Lengyel agreed, “It could make them think twice.”

“We agreed we would do that for two weeks, and then after that if we see issues, we would go to a more strict enforcement.” Lengyel said if the table tents don’t work, they may decide to rework the original message to emphasize potential consequences and punishment.

A DSAB proposal to install cameras in the dining halls has not been forgotten.

“There is nothing that is off the radar,” Hipple said. jammidbk@gmail.com

Rent subsidies could cut into city’s revenues GARAGE, from Page 1 of the typical $30-persquare-foot market-rate cost.

When council members sharply criticized a chain store slated for construction in north College Park earlier in the meeting, District 3 Councilwoman Stephanie Stullich said it would be hypocritical to charge high rents in the garage and attract a similar business.

“I think if we can’t get independent stores in here, we just have to shut up every time a developer says they want chains,” Stullich said. She also asked that the city try to encourage an upscale restaurant and a

used book store to set up shop in the garage.

But as the city finds itself in the role of a developer trying to make good on an investment, some city officials balked at the idea of charging rents below the market rate as the city tries to recover the $8 million cost of building the new garage.

“As the guy who’s got to find out where the money’s coming from, I’m going to find it hard to say that we’re giving retail space away but we’re going to charge the people who actually live here a higher tax,” City Manager Joe Nagro said.

Mayor Stephen Brayman called for a compromise,

“I just want to make sure we want to pay off the garage. We do have a business decision here.”

–Stephen Brayman COLLEGE PARK MAYOR

saying while he thought the city should set its rents below market rate so it can be pickier when choosing tenants, he would not want to go so low as to jeopardize

city finances.

“I just want to make sure we want to pay off the garage. We do have a business decision here,” Brayman said. “But as long as we’re working within the bounds of paying the garage off, I think we can have some fluctuation in the cost.”

Such a compromise may prove infeasible, however.

Warren said he felt a $30per-square-foot rate would strike the best balance between fair lease rates and avoiding added tax burden and rent is well above what he said might be needed to attract and sustain an independent business. holtdbk@gmail.com

4

THE DIAMONDBACK | THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 2008

THE DIAMONDBACK

Opinion

YOUR INDEPENDENT STUDENT NEWSPAPER UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND, COLLEGE PARK PHONE: (301) 314-8200 | FAX: (301) 314-8358 3150 SOUTH CAMPUS DINING HALL | COLLEGE PARK, MD, 20742 NEWSDESK@DBK .UMD.EDU

KEVIN LITTEN EDITOR IN CHIEF

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MANAGING EDITOR

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HADASS KOGAN

DEPUTY MANAGING EDITOR

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BENJAMIN JOHNSON

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OPINION EDITOR

OPINION EDITOR

Amanda Anderson

Staff Editorial

Kelly Knoblauch

Making history

“Give ... acceptance to those you encounter, and notice what happens.”

- Wayne Dyer

More than hot air

I

magine a paradisiacal basketball arena devoid of “scan-andleavers” and bandwagon “fans” only there to socialize. Pair this with games of record-breaking achievements and swift and graceful, yet vigorous, basketball. Here, on this sacred floor, games are never lost.

Alumni, in their dated crew-neck college sweatshirts, and their children are present, along with die-hard fans that have known the Terps, well, much longer than I have.

Now picture this utopia without a jam-packed, fervently cheering student section.

Wait, this place really exists? This setting at Comcast Center is all too familiar to our women’s basketball team. Across the nation, women’s athletics do not get the media exposure and attention of men’s teams.

That is not about to change. Title IX has required administrations to give women equal opportunities and benefits of any program receiving federal assistance; it cannot, however, mandate that equal numbers of students attend games.

To those who have not seen the women’s basketball team play since the Maryland Madness scrimmage, listen up! You have missed a phenomenal season. The Terps are 18-0 at home. The fantastic four have never been better, and the support of off-thebench reserves has become a powerful weapon. Laura Harper recently set the record for career blocked shots; Marissa Coleman is the only player in school history to record a triple-double; Crystal Langhorne is the program’s first 2,000-point scorer, and Kristi Toliver has broken the program’s three-point record. These are just a few accomplishments from a lengthy list of honors these phenomenal athletes have attained.

But pounding you with statistics and player resumés may not be as impressive as the unusual amount of enthusiasm, camaraderie and selflessness this team exhibits. Often you may catch them subtly laughing off a bad call or shot, only to recover with another drive that leaves the other team’s heads spinning. Their smooth style of play allows them to master the other team with incredible passes, spontaneous steals, off-balance shots, constant rebounds and seemingly impossible 3-pointers that get the fans roaring, often inducing standing ovations for a relentless fight that yields just one basket.

Or, at least, the fans who show up.

To about twenty students’ credit, their consistent support has not gone unnoticed. The familiar bellows at men’s games of “You suck!” during the opponent’s player intros are replaced with good-natured shouts of “Who cares?” Their signs cheering on the players like “Fear the Kristi,” accompanied by the scolding of an opposing player for traveling with litanies of “Bounce, step, bounce, step!” are refreshing, and it’s great to know that at least some students acknowledge this team’s greatness. These fans exhibit the true devotion that I once thought all student sports fanatics possessed, and I applaud them for their loyalty.

In August, The Princeton Review bestowed upon this university the honor of being the No. 1 school in which “Students Pack the Stadium.”

While I am proud to attend the school with such a recognition, I question the validity of our ranking after witnessing the dismal number of students attending the games of a team ranked fourth in the nation that has only lost two games.

This weekend, the last regular-season women’s home game is Sunday, Feb. 24 at 2 p.m. against Florida State.

After the game, Crystal Langhorne’s jersey will be raised to the rafters of Comcast Center alongside those of other Terrapin greats. The 2007-2008 senior class is the winningest class of the program, and we students ought to thank them with our presence and enthusiasm for which we have been nationally recognized.

It doesn’t get much better than this, Terps fans. We must help the women “protect this house” for an undefeated season at home. From the players’ introduction to Cascada’s “Everytime We Touch” to them lining up at half court, arms around each other, smiling while the band plays our alma mater at the game’s end, you will not be disappointed. I’m sure you cheered on the men’s team to beat FSU last weekend, so let’s show the Seminoles how great both Terp basketball programs are with a full and energetic student section.

Amanda Anderson is a freshman journalism major. She can be reached at amanda05@umd.edu.

Anti-college College Park

S

Using these residents’ twisted logic, we’d assume that if they ome enterprising College Park denizen should take a look at the site www.ihateyoungpeople.com. It’s a site hated winter sports, they’d move to Aspen. If they hated that features taped interviews with young and old on the tourists, they’d move to Ocean City. The easy answer to resistreets of an uncredited American city. We clicked dents who demand their city officials pass anti-student legislathrough the site yesterday and couldn’t help thinking that with tion is “move away.” But then we’d be as bad as them.

The point is, Molinatto is one of the few city officials who we some web know-how and a digital camera, a similar site could think “gets it.” He said he’s committed to representing those be easily recreated starring the residents of College Park. who don’t always have a voice, and he acknowledges he could Except, of course, with the URL www.ihatestudents.com.

In some ways, the videos posted on www.ihateyoungpeo- get voted out of office for it. But he’s aiming for a bigger cause: ple.com reflect classic generational rifts — not actual hate: community building.

Admittedly, College Park is probably one of the worst college “They have no respect,” one man complains. “They’re loud towns in the ACC. But it doesn’t have to be. and obnoxious,” another woman gripes. In One of the first steps toward making it betanother vignette, a young person says of his ter should be realizing what good students elders, “I think they wake up too early.” Ancould do in the city if they made College other whines, “They think we’re the hoodCollege Park officials their home after graduation. lums of the world.” need to encourage posi- Park Chapel Hill, N.C., home to the University A similar site featuring College Park tive student-resident of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, is a case in residents would, in our estimation, reflect point. According to Daily Tar HeelCity Eda far more acrimonious rift than the more relations and encourage itor Sara Gregory, several elected officials traditional generational divisions. Of acceptance of students. in Chapel Hill are students who stayed course, this is only our educated guess, but there after college, and it’s not uncommon our long-standing suspicions were confirmed yesterday in Diamondback reporter Kellie Wood- for undergraduates to make their homes there, either.

In fact, when confronted with the term “anti-student,” Grehouse’s candid profile of District 1 Councilman Jonathan Molinatto. During the interview, Molinatto told Woodhouse gory seemed taken aback. Sure, there are noise complaints, that some of his constituents “would like to see the students but “At the beginning of every year, the police and studentand lower-income families kicked out so they could see more elected officials go around to a mix of student renters, and they do a lot of outreach, talking about how to be good neighof what they’re used to.”

It’s not surprising that residents in any American town would bors and talk to residents about how to live next to students,” sound the alarms when they see their neighborhoods become Gregory said.

It sounds almost utopian. But it’s not impossible so long as filled with rentals. But in this city, it doesn’t seem to just be about the rentals anymore. A thinly veiled hate of students prevails, College Park’s elected officials reject the rhetoric of studentwhich is even more surprising considering these people chose hating residents who, as Molinatto says, “want to see more of what they’re used to.” to live in a town with “College” as part of its name.

Our View

Editorial Cartoon: Mike O’Brien

Letters to the Editor Effective recycling I think I speak on behalf of a large part of the student body when I discuss the value of “going green” and the values it espouses. However, at the end of the day, you must also realize that the most effective way of accomplishing something on the campus is by making it convenient and easily accessible for students. The recycling program here can utilize this to its full advantage by placing bins for paper recycling on every floor in every dorm, much like the way the infrastructure exists now for recycling plastic bottles and soda cans. When it comes to making a trip to the one token paper recycling bin in each dorm, many feel the “hike” to the paper bin is secondary to comfort. Instead of lobbying for change in attitudes and behaviors, a more effective approach would be to make recycling a more convenient option. I call on the powers that be to change the recycling habits of the student body with this straightforward solution, not just to win the “RecycleMania” competition, but to inculcate its values — namely, effecting positive change in this world.

ALAN PENN FRESHMAN LETTERS AND SCIENCES

Medical amnesty policy As an undergraduate member of the University Senate Student Conduct Committee, I feel the need to defend the report the committee sent to the Senate Executive Committee. In our four meetings, including a three-hour one right before the start of this semester, we had many debates about the issue. One of the common topics was whether it was legal for us to even have a medical amnesty

policy. At a public university, a medical amnesty policy does not grant immunity like at private universities; it would simply make the person attend an alcohol education class. Also, a medical amnesty policy would not immunize students from police prosecution for any violations, as the university has no authority over the enforcement of federal and state laws.

Our main issue was the lack of research on whether students at this university are actually scared of calling 911 for someone with alcohol poisoning because of fear of prosecution from the university or because they didn’t know the signs of alcohol poisoning. To get over the hurdle of a lack of research, we recommended that a professional survey of students be done on the issue.

The recommendation for the business card/magnet and an anonymous hotline were ways of implementing something to protect students while the issue of a medical amnesty policy is still debated. Would The Diamondback and students rather have nothing done on the issue or at least have some forward progress?

After the survey is completed, I am sure the issue will be back on the table, and if the research points toward a need for a medical amnesty policy, I am sure the issue will come before this committee again and the viewpoint will more than likely be different.

No one wants to see another student die because someone was afraid to call 911, but at the same time, did those kids in 2002 let their friend sleep it off like he had previously countless times or were they truly afraid of sanctions from the university in their reason not to call 911?

SPIRO DIMAKAS RHA SENATOR UNIVERSITY SENATE STUDENT CONDUCT COMMITTEE MEMBER

Air Your Views The Diamondback welcomes your comments.

Address your letters or guest columns to the Opinion Desk at opinion@dbk.umd.edu. All letters and guest columns must be signed. Include your full name, year, major and day- and night-time phone numbers. Please limit letters to 300 words. Please

limit guest columns to between 550 and 700 words.

Submission of a letter or guest column constitutes an exclusive, worldwide, transferable license to The Diamondback of the copyright in the material in any media. The Diamondback retains the right to edit submissions for content and length.

POLICY: The signed letters, columns and cartoon represent only the opinions of the authors. The staff editorial represents the opinion of The Diamondback’s editorial board and is the responsibility of the editor in chief.

S

en. Barack Obama has inspired many Americans to believe in his ability to change our nation as it struggles in the midst of war and bitter division. However, his inspiring rhetoric has come with great criticism from cynical skeptics. It is hard to believe in any candidate when we have been let down so many times by politicians who fail to keep their promises. According to his voting record and history, Obama truly is a candidate of change and he can create a safer and more united country.

Obama’s strongest platform is his opposition to the Iraq war. He opposed the war in 2003 as an Illinois state senator, when opposing the status quo was extremely risky for his political future. During his first year in the U.S. Senate, he voted against the National Defense Authorization Act, which appropriated $485 billion to the Department of Defense, a portion of which was used in Iraq. In January 2007, Obama opposed the troop surge in Iraq heavily endorsed by Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.). It may seem out of character that Obama supported the Emergency Appropriations Bill in April 2007, which added more funds for military action in Iraq; however, this bill included a clause establishing a timetable for the withdrawal of troops from Iraq. Yes, the war in Iraq is controversial, but it is irresponsible to send more troops to Iraq without the proper equipment to protect them from harm. As a sister of an Iraq war veteran, my biggest priority in this war is to ensure that our troops return home safely. Attaching a timetable for withdrawal with the increase in funding for the war was a responsible decision. Since April 2007, Obama has consistently supported legislation calling for troop reductions in Iraq.

Liam O’Loughlin asserted that because Obama did not champion a motion to impeach both Dick Cheney and George W. Bush he is not a candidate of change (“More than words,” Feb. 19). A motion to impeach both the president and the vice president was introduced in 2006 in the 109th Congress. However, a serious call for the impeachment of Bush and Cheney would be a dead letter, and lingering on this motion would neither have been proactive or appropriate in a Congress dominated by Republicans during a time of war and bitter division.

O’Loughlin wrongly compared Obama’s prospective policy in Pakistan with Bush’s current policy in Iraq in terms of international law violations. A more appropriate analogy would be the 2001 invasion of Afghanistan. In this case, Obama would target known terrorist organizations in Pakistan, not attacking the sovereign state. Furthermore, Obama never explicitly stated that he would invade Pakistan or any country without the U.N.’s consent. Conversely, in his campaign he has repeatedly stated that he would sit down with any head of state regardless of their relations with the U.S. Obama’s strongest attribute is his ability to bring people together. This was evident last week when he filled Comcast Center and caused vehicular chaos right here on the campus. For the past seven years, the country’s focus has been on the unpopular war in Iraq, Bush’s trickle-down economic policy with tax cuts to the wealthiest 1 percent and other right-wing issues.

Obama’s campaign is bringing the focus back to issues that really matter to Americans such as health care, the economy, education and the environment. His policies reach out to every American, not merely the Democrats.

Pundits have coined the term “Obamacans” as Republicans who have been converted to Obama’s campaign.

Illinois state Sen. Kirk Dillard (R) has praised Obama’s ability to reach across party lines. In Obama’s rallies, debates and even in his book, he is constantly preaching the importance of “we.” Change will not come unless we are united and all work together.

For the past seven years, Republicans have been running the show while Democrats have sat powerless and alienated on the sidelines. This time around it is not just the Democrats’ turn to take the helm of the nation. As Americans, we are all on the same team, and we will not make effective change unless we come together and work for the United States of America.

As advocates of this ideal, we believe that Barack Obama is the right person for the job.

Kelly Knoblauch is a senior economics and sociology major. She can be reached at kknoblau@umd.edu. Lyndsey Van Druff is a senior government and politics and history major.

She can be reached at lvandruf@umd.edu.

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 2008 | THE DIAMONDBACK

5

Features HOROSCOPESTELLA WILDER

Previous Day’s Puzzle Solved: A N O X

S C E N T

T O R A H

L U M P

E P E E

R T MAMB A EW U S E R S NE S T R I P T ENS I V E H T I E DO E E P L E W I N EDS T RAM R WH I L E I L HE AD H E A T ER OP E MEW ER V E E MACAD ON T I DA L L T I NANE T S A I MED

B E S I E G E

A L E C

I S A K

T A M S

S T I E L NE G AM G I E L DE

I C I E R

T H I N S

I L L S

A L A I

10

11

12

13

31

32

33

58

59

16 19

37 40 45

57 63 66 69

orn today, you have a romantic mind and the willingness to work at love and relationships perhaps harder than anyone else born under your sign. Indeed, you have what it takes to make the ideal mate: You are sensitive, patient, caring, generous, always willing to listen and discuss difficult issues that arise, and you can really turn up the heat when the occasion arises. Indeed, when it comes to love, you are not likely to disappoint. On the more practical, realistic side, you have a good head for business, and you combine this with an artistic sensibility that is quite rare.

You are eager to take advantage of opportunities as they arise, but you are wholly unwilling to compromise your principles or standards as you do so. You are hardworking, and you insist that you and others strive to achieve only the best that is possible in any given situation.

Also born on this date are: Erma Bombeck, author and columnist; Edna St. Vincent Millay, poet; Tyne Daly, actress; Barbara Jordan, politician; Kelsey Grammer, actor; Sam Peckinpah, filmmaker.

To see what is in store for you tomorrow, find your birthday and read the corresponding paragraph. Let your birthday star be your daily guide.

B

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 22 PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20) — It is important that you remain levelheaded at all times. The more emotion you put into a certain situation, the less you’ll gain from it.

ARIES (March 21-April 19) — This is no time to sit back and think that everything will work itself out. You’ve got to take a more aggressive stance if you’re to succeed.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20) — Today is a good day to remind those in authority that you have, indeed, paid your dues.

Take care, however, that your demands are realistic.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20) — What begins quickly is likely to take more time than those things you enter into more cautiously. Why? You’re likely to make more errors.

CANCER (June 21-July 22) — You’re likely to attract an unusual sort of person into your orbit. Perhaps it is your own unusual energy, but something strange is going on.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22) — A lasting friendship can prove the source, once again, of a great deal of strength and personal pride. Your priorities are once again aligned.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22) — Things are changing, surely, but you can be certain that they’re changing for the better.

You must be willing to change, in turn.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22) — This is a good day to concentrate on

Recycle

Copyright 2008 United Feature Syndicate, Inc.

TODAY’S HOROSCOPE SPONSORED BY:

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MIKE O'BRIEN NOT FROM CONCENTRATE

NUT BUTTER

self-protection — at home, at the workplace or when traveling over great distances.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21) — You may be seeking something that is currently unavailable to you. Focus on those things close at hand that may provide rewards.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21) — You’re heading down a path that is likely to lead into some rather dark and forbidding territory — yet it very likely can’t be helped.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) — A journey you are currently considering may be fraught with danger — and you know it.

Still, no one will be able to dissuade you.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18) — Improve your foresight by analyzing your own hindsight.

Putting the past together with the present can illuminate the future.

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P A L E

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57 Be thoroughly wet 58 Garr or Hatcher 59 — dunk 62 Opposite of ruddy

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ACROSS 53 Highest point 43 Banishes 31 Trample 61 More blustery 1 Swell, as a river 54 Brought into 44 Stops working underfoot 63 Eggnog time 5 Does dinner being 45 Bonds a filling 32 Divide in two 64 Grant 10 Opened a crack 55 Rani’s wrap 47 Monkey haven 33 Hogs’ homes 65 Locate, perhaps 14 False fronts 56 Collection of 49 Gear 66 O’Hara plantation 36 Parking — 15 Fiber- — cable playing cards 52 — Raton, Fla. 42 Gnaws at 67 Wood choppers 16 Winemaking 68 Laundry room 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 region fixtures 17 Capricorn symbol 69 Read through 14 15 18 Wacky quickly 19 Hints 17 18 20 Swallows up DOWN 20 21 22 23 22 Furtiveness 1 Violent anger 24 Yes vote 2 Click-on item 24 25 25 Ad — committee 3 Bachelor’s party 26 Most beautiful 4 Where river 26 27 28 29 30 30 Peaks meets sea 34 “Dear” 5 Own up 34 35 36 advice-giver 6 Symphony 35 Aviators’ tests or tome 38 39 37 Heck!

7 New York 38 Put down, Giants hero 41 42 43 44 slangily 8 Baby foxes 39 “— Tiki” 9 Grain cutters 46 47 48 49 40 Yalie 10 Tummy soother 50 51 41 Jeannie portrayer 11 Lock up 43 Impede 12 Dr.’s visit 52 53 54 55 56 45 Prehistoric abode 13 Poison-ivy 46 Inhabitant symptom 60 61 62 48 Withdraws 21 Strong alkali 50 Strut along 23 Many millennia 64 65 51 Brokaw 26 Lost color of the news 27 Tolerate 67 68 52 Hollow reeds 28 “Ghosts” writer 56 Short versions 29 Keepsake © 2008 UNITED FEATURES SYNDICATE 60 Fiery gem 30 Sectors

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CROSSWORD

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Fill in the grid so that every row, every column and every 3x3 grid contains the digits 1 through 9. For solutions, tips and computer program, see www.sudoku.com Previous Day’s Puzzle Solved:

Degree of Difficulty: HARD

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THE DIAMONDBACK | THRUSDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 2008

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Earn a 40% commission being a romance products consultant for Campus Delights. For information email contact@campusdelights.com or call 410-945-8164 Summer camp counselors and site leaders at City of Gaithersburg summer camps needed.

Previous experience with youth required. 35 to 45 hours per week. Pay rate $8.00 to $13+ dependent upon experience. For questions please call 301-258-6350 ext. 168

Part Time Eye Doctor’s office clerical position. Reliable transportation and references a must. Located 15 minutes from campus.

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Call 301-595-5959 or email DrNicholsonsOffice@yahoo.com

Located in NY State Camp Pontiac, a premier co-ed overnight camp in New York, is looking for fun, enthusiastic and mature individuals who can teach and assist in all areas of athletics, aquatics, the arts, or as a general bunk counselor.

Interviews will be held on Thursday, February 28, 2 pm-5 pm, Edgar Allen Poe (Room 2101) Stamp Student Union Please email: stefanie@camppontiac.com or call Stefanie at 516-626-7668 to set up an interview.

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Pro E/US Citizen. Start immediately.

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Wanted:

Recreation Program Directors, Asst. Directors, Leaders/Drivers to work with individuals with disabilities in community based recreation programs. Program meeting dates and times vary and are located throughout Prince George’s County.

Summer and year round seasonal positions are available. For more details, contact M-NCPPC, Special Programs Division at 301-454-1480 (voice), 301-454-1493 (TTY).

CHILD CARE WANTED PART-TIME SITTER. ISO a sitter for under 3 hours/day- M/W/F - from 9:30-12:15 on March 7th, 10th, 12th, and 14th. The pay is great!

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SERVICES

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Looking for individuals who are outgoing with strong communication skills and with multi-tasking abilities. One must be able to handle working in a fast-paced and demanding environment.

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To apply, please come in and fill out an application or email your resume to AlchemySalon@verizon.net.

FOR RENT Apartments Sublets & Roommates List & Browse FREE! 1-877-FOR-RENT/ 201-845-7300.

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FOR RENT

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THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 2008 | THE DIAMONDBACK

7

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This week is a big one for movies — catch our reviews of Be Kind Rewind, The Band’s Visit, The Signal and The Counterfeiters exclusively online. Just click the Diversions link at www.diamondbackonline.com.

WEEKEND

MOVIES

LIVING

REVIEW | VANTAGE POINT

AN INTRIGUING POINT OF VIEW

BY THOMAS FLOYD Staff writer

Cue the reel: The president of the United States has been shot, and terrorists have detonated two bombs only moments apart. As Secret Service Agent Thomas Barnes hectically watches a tape of the incident, he sees something that absolutely shocks him — but it isn’t revealed. Instead, the clock turns back, and the mystery is left unresolved as the preceding events are once again played out, but this time, they’re from another character’s perspective.

The distinctive plot structure of Vantage Point allows the audience to witness the film’s chaotic events from eight different viewpoints. As the characters’ story lines intersect amid the exhilarating action, the scattered pieces of the narrative puzzle fall together in what turns out to be a well-crafted thriller from first-time film director Pete Travis (Omagh).

Set in Salamanca, Spain, Vantage Point takes place during a

landmark summit designed to put a “stranglehold on terrorism.” But the festive event is thrust into chaos when President Ashton (William Hurt, Mr. Brooks) is shot shortly after his arrival. While Barnes (Dennis Quaid, American Dreamz) and his fellow agent, Kent Taylor (Matthew Fox, Lost), look for the shooter, an undercover Spanish policeman (Eduardo Noriega, Alatriste) desperately tries to warn them of imminent danger.

Howard Lewis (Forest Whitaker, The Great Debaters), an American tourist who thinks he caught the assassin on his camcorder, and Rex Brooks (Sigourney Weaver, The Girl in the Park), a television producer covering the event, also find themselves involved in the immediate aftermath of a shooting that has worldwide implications.

With each character’s account comes new revelations about the attack’s underlying secrets, but it is not until the film’s climax that all of the plot threads come together.

Not surprisingly, Vantage Point thrives on this dynamic, as writer

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AGENT BARNES, DENNIS QUAID

HOWARD LEWIS, FOREST WHITAKER

AGENT TAYLOR, MATTHEW FOX Barry Levy’s first screenplay effectively uses the unique structure to create a gripping story. Howev-

REVIEW | CHARLIE BARTLETT

An unbelievable Bartlett

BY DAN BENAMOR Staff writer

Charlie Bartlett tries to be dramatic and funny. Instead, it achieves the former only when Robert Downey Jr. (Zodiac) is onscreen and the latter only in spots.

Overall, this high school fable of rich kid Charlie (Anton Yelchin, Alpha Dog) fails to nail a realistic portrayal of high school and loses its way before the film’s end.

In the film, ultra-wealthy Charlie consistently gets into trouble in private schools, and he is finally enrolled in a public school. Always the outsider, Charlie begins to make friends by dealing drugs (Ritalin, specifically), and when his initial foray turns a high school dance into a pseudo rave, Charlie sets up shop in the school bathroom.

But Charlie moves on past simple drug dealing and starts to counsel his fellow students, naively assuming reading some psychology books and faking their symptoms to his shrinks in order to score drugs constitutes legitimate therapy. Charlie soon attains his long-sought-after popularity, but the personal cost keeps rising.

One big, fat, glaring problem with the movie’s premise is the inherent danger of Charlie’s actions.

Bartlett certainly wants you to like its protagonist, but by giving kids drugs without proper knowledge, Charlie is endangering their lives.

First-time feature director Jon Poll (long-time editor on films such as Meet the Fockers) defended Charlie in an interview with The Diamondback, saying, “Teenagers make mistakes. … I

think the film has its heart in the right place and so does Charlie.”

But the drugs Charlie hands out so liberally come with many dangers (dangerous side effects, overdose, etc.), and unfortunately, the film mostly sweeps these truths under the rug. These potential medical crises are finally addressed somewhat at the film’s halfway point, but when Charlie Bartlett decides to tackle this issue, it does so half-heartedly.

Newbie scribe Gustin Nash’s script also loses its way once the problems behind Charlie’s therapy service are addressed. The film’s third act meanders, and Nash has to resort to a contrivance to give new direction to the narrative.

And the film’s depiction of high school is laden with clichés — the sort of illusion that exists only in

er, repeat viewings may be necessary to truly appreciate the movie, as Travis places subtle hints throughout that only make sense when a scene is shown again from a different point of view.

Regrettably, the film only clocks in at a brisk 90 minutes, and one can’t help but think that Vantage Point’s complex plot would have benefited from a lengthier runtime. With so many characters to explain and analyze, a simple lack of development reduces several potentially interesting figures to one-dimensional stereotypes.

Despite this blemish, Vantage Point is still an incredibly enjoyable film, partially thanks to the action sequences. Channeling his inner Paul Greengrass (The Bourne Ultimatum), Travis utilizes handheld camera techniques to engage the audience by putting them right into the action.

As for those who expect to see political commentary because

Vantage Point’s premise touches on sensitive subject matter, it is true that antiwar sentiment can occasionally be found in the film.

But by no means is it a predominant aspect of Vantage Point — Travis keeps the focus on the story at hand.

Vantage Point’s influences are directly tied to the 1950 film, Rashômon, in which director Akira Kurosawa presents the same event from four different perspectives. In more recent years, films with similar chronologically jumbled plots such as Quentin Tarantino’s Pulp Fiction and Kill Bill have thrived commercially, further paving the way for the success of a movie like Vantage Point. Although Travis’ thriller may not match the high standards set by those films, there should be little denying that it is still a very respectable effort. tfloyd1@umd.edu

MOVIE: Vantage Point | VERDICT:

movies, where almost everyone is an instantly identifiable member of a stereotypical clique (The Breakfast Club effect). The standard-issue high school feels Hollywood-produced and distances us from the film’s attempted realism, preventing viewers from truly connecting with the film’s drama.

Despite these flaws, Nash does have some intriguing characters, such as Charlie’s strange mom, who, as depicted by Hope Davis (The Nines), alternates between ultra-composed and wacky with equal ease. As Charlie himself, Yelchin displays the same genial naïveté he employed in Alpha Dog, but his character is too stupid and irresponsible to completely sympathize with.

It is Downey who steals the movie and single-handedly elevates it. He never seems to be forcing anything — he feels totally natural both as an easygoing dad and as a depressed alcoholic. As Poll said, “Seeing the reflection and the mirroring of what went on [in] his life a few years ago with what goes on in the film is quite powerful.”

1/2

COURTESY OF MOVIEWEB.COM

Anton Yelchin and Robert Downey Jr. star in the disappointing Charlie Bartlett.

When Downey is onscreen, Bartlett is a working drama; a better film could have been made that focused on his character.

Bartlett is by no means a terrible film; instead, it’s kind of a lazy one. By somewhat ignoring the se-

MOVIE:Charlie Bartlett | VERDICT:

riousness of some plot elements, centering on an unbelievable high school and exhibiting only a so-so third act, Bartlett never gets any better than just OK. dan.benamor@gmail.com

1/2

8

THE DIAMONDBACK | SPORTS | THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 2008

Switching modes Women’s basketball using time off to rest up; team will see Frese

BY GREG SCHIMMEL Senior staff writer

ADAM FRIED–THE DIAMONDBACK

Junior guard Kristi Toliver and the Terrapin women’s basketball team have taken a break from basketball lately in favor of recovery.

MARK SELIG

Terps revert to earlier form SELIG, from Page 10 their opponents every opportunity to steal a win.

“You shouldn’t turn the ball over when you have the lead, because there’s no urgency, you don’t have to force anything,” coach Gary Williams said. “[You] can’t turn the ball over that many times no matter who you play.”

Even when they weren’t turning over the basketball, the Terps had ineffective offensive possessions, which were just as crippling as turnovers. Ten straight times down the court in the first half (a period that spanned more than seven minutes long) the Terps failed to score a point.

It was a truly ugly game — and I’m not referring to Hokies’ guard Dorenzo Hudson vomiting on the floor, either.

And just like the ugly games that the Terps dropped to Ohio and American earlier in the season, there was a lack of respect for the opponent going into the game. It may have caused the Terps to play

less than their best basketball.

“We just have to learn not to take teams for granted,” sophomore forward Landon Milbourne said. “Virginia Tech came in and wanted it more than we did. I think we might have taken them for granted.”

“We weren’t tough,” Vasquez said. “We didn’t play hard in the last two minutes, and they did.

Some of their guards, I never heard of none of them. I guess they made their names today against us.”

Even as the Terps last night were reminiscent of the early-season Terps, the team is still in a favorable position within the conference — something it could not boast months ago.

But now they’ll have to play their way back into a position that won’t make this loss one that might plague their season.

“That game shouldn’t have been that close,” Williams said.

No, it really shouldn’t have.

After jumping out of the gate with a grueling schedule of 14 games in 31 days to start the season, the Terrapin women’s basketball team is pacing itself as it heads down the home stretch.

The No. 4 Terps’ final three regular-season games are spaced out over the last three Sundays of the season, starting with last Sunday’s 76-69 win at No. 12 Duke, and the Terps are taking some extra days off during the weeks in between to stay rested.

“We had this circled on our calendar basically since the beginning of the season,” assistant coach Daron Park said. “So for all the talk of how tough and front-loaded our schedule was, we got through it, and now we’re in a position where we can reap the benefits of a day off here and there.”

The Terps were off Monday, had a light workout and bowling trip Tuesday, practiced yesterday and are taking the day off again today to visit head coach Brenda Frese and her newborn twins at Frese’s house.

The Terps will then practice tomorrow and Saturday in preparation for their game

against Florida State at Comcast Center on Sunday.

“It’s definitely a good thing for us,” junior guard Kristi Toliver said. “Obviously we played a lot of games at the beginning of the season and almost had a WNBA schedule.

For now, we can have days off and just be smart about what we’re doing in practice and be extra prepared for game time.”

Today will be the first time the players are in contact with Frese since she gave birth to sons Markus and Tyler on Sunday morning. Toliver said the Terps will probably go in two groups, so Frese and the babies won’t get overwhelmed.

The Terps seemed excited about the trip but didn’t really know what to expect.

“Seeing her in mommy mode, it’s going to be really different from seeing Coach B on the court,” senior forward Crystal Langhorne said. “Her kids are finally here, so it’s going to be an emotional experience.”

In the meantime, the Terps spent a lot of time yesterday at their first full practice since the Duke game, focusing on breaking the full-court press.

The Terps struggled against the Blue Devils’ pressure Sun-

day and tied a season high by committing 26 turnovers.

“Obviously, Duke kind of exposed us in ways that we have to improve as far as breaking the pressure, especially against teams being physical with us,” Toliver said.

Working on a specific shortcoming from a previous game is something the Terps did not have a lot of time for early in the season.

When they were playing games every two or three days, virtually all the practice time was devoted to scouting the next opponent.

The Terps are waiting until tomorrow before they start focusing on how to beat the Seminoles.

“Our focus has shifted a little bit from so much practice time spent on game preparation to more just recovery time, some quick energetic practices,” Park said. “[On Friday and Saturday] we’ll shift back into gameplan mode and make sure we’re ready for Sunday.”

Recovery mode, practice mode, mommy mode, then game plan mode.

Got it. schimmeldbk@gmail.com

Terps set for Patriots despite schedule change

BY KATE YANCHULIS Staff writer

The Terrapin wrestling team doesn’t have a long drive down to George Mason tonight, but competing with the Patriots might be a bumpy ride.

The No. 22 Terps head to Fairfax, Va., for a 6 p.m. Beltway battle against George Mason. The match was moved up to Thursday night from its original time on Saturday because George Mason reported a scheduling conflict.

The move might have caught another team off-guard and unprepared to wrestle. But luckily, this Terps team has been preparing for George Mason since the moment its last win against American on Feb. 13 was sealed.

The Terps (14-4) have been relentlessly practicing for their last two matches. Though they

thought both matches — George Mason and Virginia — would be during the weekend, the schedule change did not faze them; it just made them work harder.

“Put the match away! You’ve been training the whole year for this!” yelled coach Pat Santoro, trying to inspire his wrestlers as they practiced and instill urgency as the Mason match and the postseason approach.

Santoro understands the Terps cannot afford to be laid back against the Patriots.

The Terps won the last two matches and five out of the seven since the annual matchup began in 2001. But this year, George Mason is a formidable opponent.

The Patriots boast a 13-4 record, have tied for the highest win total in school history, and are on a four-match winning streak headed into Thursday’s match.

Though they are 0-2 in their matches against ranked teams so far this season, the Patriots have an extra incentive to wrestle well, as it is their last home match of the season and their Senior Night.

But the Terps are prepared to fight. The team has won 10 of its last 11 matches and wants to close out the season with enough momentum to carry through to the

postseason.

“The year has gone by pretty quickly,” said redshirt junior Josh Haines. “Now we just need to give it a nice ending.”

“We’re peaking right now,” Haines continued. “We just need to get ready for the ACC championships.” kyanchulisdbk@gmail.com

mseligdbk@gmail.com

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STUDENT MEMBERS

WANTED FOR STUDENT PUBLICATIONS' BOARD Maryland Media, Inc., publishing board for the Diamondback, Eclipse, Terrapin, and Mitzpeh, has openings on its board of directors for two full-time students.

The Board of Directors sets general policy, approves budgets and selects the Editors-in-Chief for the student publications. The term of office is one year and begins in May, 2008. The Board meets about once a month during the school year.

For an application, stop by room 3136 South Campus Dining Hall and ask for Maggie Levy.

Applications are due by Friday, February 29th at noon.

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 2008 | SPORTS | THE DIAMONDBACK

9

Terps take a big step back with loss

GEREMY BASS verything was rolling along as planned.

The optimism surrounding the Terrapin basketball team was tangible at game time last night in the media, in the stands and in the players’ minds.

The writer from the Virginia Tech student newspaper told me he expected a blowout in the Terps favor, and no one disagreed. After all, the Terps had won seven of their last nine games and were NCAA tournament bound, while the floundering Hokies had dropped three straight and were vying for a spot in the NIT. But Virginia Tech baffled the Terps, along with their multiplying momentum, in a matter of minutes. A choppy first half tore into a melting Terrapin lead, which all-tooquickly became a giant step in the wrong direction.

“It’s unbelievable. Who can believe this?” guard Greivis Vasquez asked rhetorically in a downtrodden interview after the game. “We were up the whole game and we lost. I

E

ADAM FRIED–THE DIAMONDBACK

Freshman guard Adrian Bowie (left) and sophomore forward Landon Milbourne look on in disgust from the bench during the Terps’ surprising loss last night to Virginia Tech.

don’t believe that. It’s hard beaming will be severely to take it, especially at reduced and the last four games on the docket seem home. I'm shocked.”

Vasquez wasn’t the only much more pressing.

With Clemson’s loss Tuesone. Players vacated the Terp locker room in record day and Duke's defeat last time last night, and the few night, the Terps had a gloriwho stayed behind were all ous chance to continue their thrust to the top of the ACC in disbelief.

Forward Shane Walker in thrilling fashion.

Not so fast. said the Terps “definitely “It’s a big reality check,” took [Virginia Tech] for granted,” and guard Eric Hayes said. “Our confiHayes said the team was dence was at an all-time “counting on winning this high. Letting this game slip away from us just cuts you game.”

But much like last night’s down a little bit.”

As critics and bracketololunar eclipse, the bright gists looked ahead at optimism that the schedule, a loss on came with the the road to Miami or Terps’ 11-point Wake Forest, or a second-half lead defeat at the hands of slowly waned the quality Clemson away. Similar to Tigers was expected. the team’s trouBut Virginia Tech? blesome stretches At home? The loss earlier this seamakes the last two son, an unfounded weeks of the season sense of urgency significantly more — even with the intriguing. And not in a lead — caused good way. turnovers and “You gotta want it,” poor shot selecVasquez said. “We didtion. The Terps’ n't want it at the end.

65 points tied We made a lot of mistheir lowest total –Eric Hayes takes. We’re better in their last 16 SOPHOMORE GUARD than they are and we contests. were leading the whole “It’s still tough game. I’ve never heard to realize that you about none of them and lost this game,” Hayes said. “You may have I guess they made their trouble sleeping and it’s names today against us.”

The loss shouldn’t be probably not until tomorrow when you get back on the blown out of proportion, but court that you’ll kind of for- should serve as a not-sofriendly reminder. The get it.”

Even if the Terps can Terps are capable of great brush this one off quickly, things, but they’re equally the watchful eyes of the col- capable of what happened lege basketball world cer- last night. tainly won’t be so forgetful.

At least for now, the positive gbassdbk@gmail.com

“It’s still tough to realize that you lost this game ... You may have trouble sleeping.”

Bench fails to score in crushing loss HOKIES, from Page 10

ADAM FRIED–THE DIAMONDBACK

Sophomore guard Greivis Vasquez and the Terrapin men’s basketball team showed some shame after last night’s loss to Virginia Tech.

This shouldn’t have happened

MARK SELIG

T

here was a point in the season when the Terrapin men’s basketball team went through tiresome, scoreless stretches, surrendered big shots at the most inopportune times and finished the night with a gloomy postgame disposition in the locker room.

With their new attitude and improved results in the past month, they were finally past that point.

Until last night.

The Terps led by 14 points in the first half, and later by 11 in the second half, and appeared to have had their eighth ACC win well in hand.

After all, the Virginia Tech

was a struggling team, coming off three straight losses.

But the Terps couldn’t put them away. And it sounded like a familiar story from the players after the game.

“We’re better than they are,” sophomore guard Greivis Vasquez said. It was a similar statement to one he made after losing to Ohio in December.

“We’re leading the whole game by 14, 10 points, and then they just outplayed us at the end and they won,” he continued. “It’s hard to take it, especially at home.”

Regardless of who the better team actually is (judging by records and recent play, one would have to still think the Terps), the Hokies are the ones who came out of College Park with a victory, and the Hokies are the ones savoring a season sweep.

Unlike losses against Duke where the Terps fought hard but just appeared to be undermanned, last night’s defeat was well within their control. It’s safe to say the Terps lost the game more than Virginia Tech won it.

With nine second-half turnovers, the Terps gave

Please See SELIG, Page 8

like we were supposed to.”

It was the second time this season that the Terps (17-10, 7-5 ACC) played poorly against the Hokies. In fact, it was arguably their worst game since the loss to Virginia Tech (15-11, 6-6), which came Jan. 12.

Virginia Tech’s Dorenzo Hudson vomited during a Terp free-throw attempt, which delayed the game for about 10 minutes, but that wasn’t even the ugliest part of the first half. That award went to the Terps during a stretch where they failed to score on 11-straight possessions.

The Terps went 7:08 without scoring, and scored just three points in the final 9:17 of the first half. Their 28-14 lead was down to 31-29 at halftime.

Along with the big firsthalf lead, the Terps were also ahead by 11 with 13:53 to play in the game. But that lead also quickly evaporated, and with 3:32 left, Virginia Tech took its first lead, 5351. After a Greivis Vasquez 3-pointer put the Terps back on top, the Hokies went on a 7-0 run and then made 8-of12 free throws down the stretch.

“You want to be tough enough to put teams away,” coach Gary Williams said.

“But tonight we couldn’t do it. We’ve been doing a good job in the second halves in conference play, but we couldn’t get it done.”

Cliff Tucker, the team’s top reserve, missed his second straight game due to the flu.

Williams said he had recovered from the illness but did not practice enough during the week. It proved costly, as the Terps didn’t get a single point from their bench.

“Our bench gotta step up,” Vasquez said. “They gotta step up. I give you guys [the media] reason to talk about me if I turn the ball over a lot, but if you don’t have anybody to help you, how can you score? That should tell you something. I’m not saying we’re not capable, but everybody has to be a man and step up, and say, ‘You know what, I’m gonna do my part, too, so we can win.’

This is a team. This is not me, not James, not Boom.

This is a team, and if we want to make it, we gotta make it as a team.”

Vasquez called it the toughest loss since he’s been

ADAM FRIED–THE DIAMONDBACK

Sophomore guard Eric Hayes (left) and sophomore forward Landon Milbourne admitted after the Terrapin men’s basketball team’s loss to Virginia Tech that the Terps may have underestimated the Hokies entering the game. with the team, but by no means was he ready to write the Terps off.

“It’s not like I want to kill myself. I’m ready to fight again, man,” Vasquez said.

“I’m from Venezuela; I’m not from a rich country and a rich neighborhood.

I’m ready to fight tomorrow and get ready. My confidence is good; I don’t care what anybody else is going to say, and

I just gotta translate that to my team. We should be OK.” If the Terps end up being OK, they didn’t do themselves any favors last night.

They remain tied with Clemson for third place in the ACC, but Virginia Tech is now just one game behind with the luxury of having the tiebreaker.

Along with that, Miami (56 ACC) and Wake Forest (6-

5) are both still in the middle of the pack, and each team is still awaiting a home game against the Terps.

“We have to want it,” Vasquez said. “We’re not running away. We never run away. We’re going to come in tomorrow ready to practice, but it’s tough losing at home like that.” zuckermandbk@gmail.com

10

THE DIAMONDBACK | THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 2008

Check out the latest on Terp sports on Terrapin Trail

Sports

Senior forward Crystal Langhorne wants the women’s basketball team to receive more coverage in this newspaper. Read beat writer Greg Schimmel’s post at www.terrapintrail.com.

SportsCenter anchor and university alumnus Scott Van Pelt was in attendance at yesterday’s men’s basketball game. Read beat writer Andrew Zuckerman’s post at www.terrapintrail.com.

THE UPS &DOWNS THE

TERPRECAP

VT 69, TERPS 65

HOKIES CRACK TERPS’ LEAD

FREE-THROWS The Terps had been shooting it well from the line this year, but last night’s 6-for-14 showing was not good.

MORE INSIDE:

JANITORIAL STAFF Big props to the clean-up crew, which had to deal with some messy vomit on the floor courtesy of Hokie Dorenzo Hudson.

JAMES GIST

Columnist Geremy Bass views the Terps’ loss as a huge misstep in the wrong direction with the NCAA Tournament coming and the nation watching. | SEE PAGE 9

For everything Gist has done right lately, last night was not one of his better games — seven points, five turnovers and only eight shots attempted.

VIRGINIA TECH TERRAPINS

29 31

40 ——————69 34 ——————65

VIRGINIA TECH (15-11, 6-6 ACC) PLAYER MIN FG FT Allen 30 6-15 2-6 Witcher 18 1-2 1-2 Vassallo 38 5-11 6-7 Washington 32 4-10 3-4 Delaney 32 4-7 1-1 Bell 1 0-0 0-0 Hudson 21 3-8 0-0 Thorns 19 1-2 2-4 Diakite 9 0-4 0-0 Team TOTALS 200 24-59 15-24

O-T 4-14 2-5 0-3 1-7 0-2 0-0 2-3 0-3 1-1 2-2 12-40

A 2 0 2 5 0 0 1 4 0

PF 3 2 3 3 2 0 1 2 1 1 14 18

TP 14 3 19 12 9 0 7 5 0 69

PERCENTAGES–FG: 40.7 FT: 62.5 3FG: 35.3 3-POINT GOALS–617 (Vassallo 3-7, Hudson 1-4, Washington 1-3, Thorns 1-1, Allen 01, Delaney 0-1). TURNOVERS–14 (Delaney 5). BLOCKED SHOTS–5 (Allen 3). STEALS–11 (Thorns 6).

TERRAPINS (17-10, 7-5 ACC) PLAYER MIN FG Milbourne 35 3-6 Gist 29 3-8 Osby 28 8-12 Hayes 34 2-8 Vasquez 36 11-22 Walker 10 0-0 Dupree 7 0-1 McAlpin 4 0-0 Bowie 11 0-0 Neal 6 0-1 Team TOTALS 200 27-58

FT 1-3 1-2 2-5 2-2 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-2 0-0 0-0

O-T 1-4 1-9 1-4 1-3 2-9 0-3 1-2 0-0 0-0 0-1 0-1 6-14 7-36

A 1 2 4 3 5 0 0 0 0 0

PF TP 5 8 4 7 2 18 3 7 4 25 3 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0

15 22 65

PERCENTAGES–FG: 46.6 FT: 42.9, 3FG: 35.7 3-POINT GOALS––5-14 (Vasquez 3-7, Hayes 1-3, Milbourne 1-2, Gist 0-1, Neal 0-1). TURNOVERS––18 (Vasquez 6). BLOCKED SHOTS––5 (Osby 3). STEALS––7 (Vasquez 2).

ADAM FRIED–THE DIAMONDBACK

Sophomore guard Greivis Vasquez and the Terrapin men’s basketball team fell flat against Virginia Tech last night

Men’s basketball loss comes at crucial point

BY ANDREW ZUCKERMAN Senior staff writer

This was not the time for a clunker.

But that’s exactly what happened last night in a game that the Terrapin men’s basketball team probably didn’t have any business losing. Virginia Tech entered the

BY THE NUMBERS

TECHNICAL FOULS––0. ATTENDANCE––17,950 (17,950).

game losers of three straight, but came into Comcast Center, overcame two double-digit deficits and left with a 69-65 win.

For the Terps, the loss will almost certainly have negative ramifications in their NCAA Tournament quest. But until the regular season ends, it won’t be known just how costly this loss ends up

0

0

1

Consecutive first-half possessions during which the Terps failed to score a single point

Points from the bench, a trend that has become more pronounced as the season has progressed

Fouls called on Virginia Tech in the final 11:46 of the game

Win for the road team in this series since Virginia Tech joined the ACC

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Please See HOKIES, Page 9

Columnist Mark Selig argues the Terps underestimated the Hokies last night and were often their own worst enemy in the rough loss. | SEE PAGE 9

11

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being. Either way, the Terps left the arena last night with a sour taste.

“I think we might have took ‘em for granted,” sophomore forward Landon Milbourne said. “I’d say we came in kind of laid-back instead of coming in here fired up

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OPENINGS FOR EDITORS OF STUDENT PUBLICATIONS Maryland Media, Inc., the independent publishing board for student publications on campus, is accepting applications for editorships for the 2008-2009 school year.

The following positions are open: 1. Eclipse editor-in-chief (salary $2,000) 2. Diamondback editor-in-chief (salary $17,000) 3. Mitzpeh editor-in-chief (salary $2,000)

Application forms may be picked up in the Diamondback business office, room 3136 South Campus Dining Hall. Applicants will be notified of an interview time and date.

The deadline for applications is noon on Friday, February 29, 2008.

Application Forms for the Adele H. Stamp Memorial Award Are Now Available LOCATION 3100 Stamp Student Union DEADLINE Completed applications must be returned by Noon – March 3, 2008

Criteria for selection include affiliation with the Union or student organizations that use the Union, 3.0 GPA for undergraduates or 3.5 for graduates , demonstrated leadership skills , and active involvement in the life of the campus community.

The recipient of the award will be recognized at the University Annual Awards program on May 4, 2008, with a plaque and a cash prize and have his/her name inscribed on the permanent plaque in the Union lobby.