050709 by The Diamondback

SPACE: THE FINAL FRONTIER The USS Enterprise soars again in J. J. Abrams’ sci-fi thriller DIVERSIONS | PAGE 8

THE DIAMONDBACK THURSDAY, MAY 7, 2009

99TH YEAR | ISSUE NO. 142

THE UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND’S INDEPENDENT STUDENT NEWSPAPER

State approves book center contract Grad. rates Officials say Barnes & Noble best equipped to comply with textbook law BY ALLISON STICE Senior staff writer

Barnes & Noble will continue to operate the University Book Center after the state approved a new five-year, $9.3 million contract between the university and the corporation yesterday. University officials said the contract will ultimately lead to cheaper books and that Barnes & Noble is well-suited to handle the provisions of a new state law designed to increase competition in the textbook industry, such as posting

extensive textbook information online and promoting the sale of used books. But the leader of an off-campus bookstore said the company is more interested in making money than providing the best deals to students. The campus bookstore already meets most of the requirements of the state law, which requires ISBN numbers, previous edition information and other details to be posted online three weeks after faculty make their final selection so that students can shop around for best prices. Posting information online is already part of Barnes & Noble’s current con-

tract with UBC and is carried over into the new contract, according to Jim Osteen, an assistant vice president of student affairs. “The decision to continue with a large textbook dealer as the operator for our store on campus is linked to their ability to have greater purchasing power in a variety of ways, particularly as it relates to used books,” Osteen said. “We’ve had a focus on used books and we’ve worked hard to get faculty to adopt textbooks early so we can buy back as many

Please See CONTRACT, Page 3

improving for men’s basketball Team still has lowest APR score in the ACC BY MARK SELIG Senior staff writer

Despite having the lowest score among ACC teams, Terrapin men’s basketball was one of 11 teams on the campus to improve its Academic Progress Rate score — an NCAA tool that tracks student-athletes’ eligibility and graduation rates, and levies penalties to low-scoring schools. Long scrutinized for its failure to graduate players at a high rate, the men’s basketball team received a boost from a score of 906 last year to 912 after James Gist, Bambale Osby and Jason McAlpin — the team’s three seniors in 2007-08 — all graduated. Current lone senior Dave Neal is also expected to graduate in two weeks. “It’s very encouraging,” said Anton Goff, the university’s associate athletic director for

McFadden is on a mission

Please See APR, Page 11

ResLife to launch room swap system

Candidate for Tewaaraton Trophy turning up her game BY KATE YANCHULIS Staff writer

When coach Cathy Reese found out after Tuesday’s practice that Terrapin women’s lacrosse midfielder Caitlyn McFadden had been named a finalist for the Tewaaraton Trophy, given annually to the country’s best lacrosse player, she was unsurprised by the news. “She’s a great leader on the team,” Reese said. “The honor for her is well deserved. I think she’s definitely one of the top five players in the country.” But while the junior co-captain and points leader for the No. 2 Terps (19-0) has been solid all season, only recently has she domi-

nated on the field. McFadden was the only one of the Terps’ top six leading scorers from last season to return. As the most experienced starter left on the team, many imagined she would take over the attack and dominate like Northwestern midfielder Hannah Nielsen does on her team, currently leading the nation with 122 points. But while her statistics are impressive, they aren’t overwhelming or record-breaking, and they don’t reveal the special talent she brings to the field. In fact, it is her teammates who are making history — attackers Karri Ellen Johnson and Sarah Mollison cracked the top 10 in

BY DANA CETRONE Staff writer

When freshman environmental science and policy major Cindy Castro discovered her housing lottery number was higher than 2,000, she knew her odds of getting what she wanted were slim. She originally signed up for a single and was happy when she ended up with a room in Wicomico Hall. But after changing her mind and seeking a roommate, she ended up reassigned to a double in Denton Hall, leading to case of dorm-swap regret. “Even when I tried to return to a single, I still got stuck with Denton, which sucks,” Castro said. “I definitely wanted to try and get Wicomico again.” A new Resident Life Department program would help students, like Castro, who wish to move to a different room other than the one

Please See MCFADDEN, Page 11

PHOTO BY ADAM FRIED/THE DIAMONDBACK

Please See EXCHANGE, Page 2

Taking her turn in the spotlight ‘Shy’ Elise Miller-Hooks will serve as Univ. Senate chair

Professor working on vaccine for emerging illness Staff Writer

Senior staff writer

Please See SENATE, Page 2

TOMORROW’S WEATHER:

Coordinated Agricultural Project at the university, is an expert on avian and swine flu. He has researched the influenza virus since coming to Biology professor Daniel Pérez is the United States from Argentina in caught in a struggle against nature, 1990 and helped concoct a vaccine constantly fighting to keep mutatfor avian flu in 2003. Recently, his ing diseases at bay. focus has shifted to curing and pre“I think nature is a wonderful labventing the spread of swine flu. oratory and always finds ways to “I guess this is the ultimate goal of make things much worse than any scientist working in the area of humans can ever imagine — like DANIEL PEREZ infectious diseases, to be useful to HIV, West Nile, SARS, bird flu and BIOLOGY PROFESSOR society by seeking alternatives that now swine flu,” Pérez said. “It’s all can relieve the impact of diseases,” Pérez said. nature working wonders.” Pérez, who serves as program director of the Prevention and Control of Avian Influenza Please See VACCINE, Page 3 BY JEFF NASH

BY TIRZA AUSTIN Associate Civil Engineering Professor Elise Miller-Hooks is a closet piano player, having never showcased her talents in front of an audience — she says she hates being in the spotlight. “I’m pretty shy,” Miller-Hooks said. But in her new role as the chair of the University Senate, the university’s most powerful advisory body, that’s all going to have to change. From now on, Miller-Hooks will have to take up the microphone in front of an audience of more than

Trying to solve the swine flu

Elise Miller-Hooks, a civil engineering professor, speaks after assuming the position of Senate chair on Monday. MATT CREGER/THE DIAMONDBACK

T-Storm/70s

INDEX

NEWS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2 OPINION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4

FEATURES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5 CLASSIFIED . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6

DIVERSIONS . . . . . . . . . . . .7 SPORTS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12

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THE DIAMONDBACK | NEWS | THURSDAY, MAY 7, 2009

TODAY

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SCHOOL OF MUSIC WIND ORCHESTRA

COGNITIVE SCIENCE COLLOQUIUM

The new Wind Orchestra completes its inaugural season with Stravinsky's Concertino and Mozart's Serenade in B-flat major, 8 p.m., Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center: Dekelboum Concert Hall

Laurie Santos leads a discussion titled "The Evolution of Irrationality: Insights from NonHuman Primates.” At 3:30 p.m., Bioscience Research Building : 1103

@M Senate chair, ResLife predicts jump in room-swap requests chair-elect both women ARYLAND

OVERHEARD

NEWSMAKERS

Q+A

EXCHANGE, from Page 1

SENATE, from Page 1 150 people on a regular basis, present the body’s recommendations to university administrators and act as mediator between the senate’s 14 different committees. Miller-Hooks said when outgoing Chair Ken Holum asked her to run last year she thought, “Me? Why are you asking me?” She said she didn’t think she had a chance. Since 1994, the senate has only had two female chairs, but Miller-Hooks isn’t too worried about being a gender minority in a role typically dominated by tenured male professors. She said her experience in the engineering field has accustomed her to being the only woman. Even in her personal life she has been surrounded by men: Growing up she had one brother and today is married with two sons. But starting with MillerHooks, the senate is about to see back-to-back female chairs, as incoming Chair-elect Linda Mabbs, a music professor, will serve alongside Miller-Hooks next year. “What an amazing statement by the senate,” said Reka Montfort, the senate director, after the appointments were made. Holum said it’s important for both men and women to have positions of leadership in the senate, but added it’s not why he asked Miller-Hooks to run for the position. He said the impressive leadership she displayed during senate executive committee meetings speaks to her leadership abilities, despite her relative youth. “I thought it was important to have someone not so close to retirement,” Holum said. “From year to year things

“From year to year things change, but I wanted to recruit someone who was going to be here for a long time.” KEN HOLUM OUTGOING UNIVERSITY SENATE CHAIR

change, but I wanted to recruit someone who was going to be here for a long time.” Miller-Hooks will face many controversial and important issues next year, including the climate action plan, further implementation of the strategic plan and an academic integrity policy. She now faces the challenge of filling seven open chair positions of committees. MillerHooks modestly admitted she may not be the most experienced person on the senate — she noted her ignorance when it came to senate procedures, such as how to make a motion — but added she is passionate about the university. “I found myself getting more involved and feeling more strongly,” Miller-Hooks said. “I really care, and I’ve found that [the senate] can really make a difference.” But even with daunting legislation lying ahead — including the rehashing of an arbitrary and capricious grading policy, the rule requiring students to take their last 30 credits on the campus and the Good Samaritan protocol — Miller-Hooks said the most challenging thing she has to face may very well be her fear of the microphone. taustindbk@gmail.com

State Del. Joseline Peña-Melnyk (D-Anne Arundel and Prince George’s) speaks at the city council Tuesday. VINCE SALAMONE/THE DIAMONDBACK

City tax credit ruled illegal under state law State Del. Joseline Peña-Melnyk told the city she would sponsor an amendment to state regulations BY BRADY HOLT Senior staff writer

The city of College Park is backing off a plan to offer tax incentives intended to encourage developers to improve Route 1 and other parts of the city after it realized municipalities in Prince George’s County are not allowed to do so, officials said. The proposed revitalization tax credit program would have cut city property taxes for new developments nearly in half over five years if developers could impress the City Council with plans to assemble small properties into bigger parcels or use expensive green building techniques. “It was obvious why we try to guide the development more and get more of what we want,” said District 2 Councilman Bob Catlin, the first council member to push for the tax program. But although Prince George’s County has its own revitalization tax credit, state law does not authorize the county’s individual cities to offer the same sort of incentive, city attorney Suellen Ferguson told the council Tuesday. Cities in Montgomery County are allowed to offer the tax credits, Ferguson added.

The council began discussing the revitalization tax credit program in March, but Catlin said Ferguson didn’t mention any legal hurdle until last Friday. Catlin said he didn’t see the legal challenge as a major setback to College Park’s general plan to spur redevelopment. “I’m sure we will be able to accomplish the same thing in one way or another,” Catlin said. “We can’t call it [a revitalization tax credit], obviously; we’ll call it something else.” Ferguson and city staff members said they would look for other ways to offer incentives for development in College Park, but no officials discussed the specifics of any immediate plans. Alternatively, the city could push for state legislation that would allow it to offer a revitalization tax credit, an idea state Del. Joseline Peña-Melnyk (DAnne Arundel and Prince George’s) — a former College Park council member who was attending Tuesday’s council meeting to discuss another item — offered to sponsor in next year’s legislative session. “That would be my first bill. Consider it done,” she said. holtdbk@gmail.com

they chose during room selection without having to go through the drawn-out process of filing for a room-swap midway through the semester. The new program, which would be live and online, would allow students to view all vacancies left open after room selection. Without any risk of losing the room they originally chose, the program would allow students to browse open rooms and decide whether they would want to make a switch. The new room exchange initiative also allows students to see other students who are willing to switch

BEST of the BLOGS

rooms, so that they can make direct swaps with each other. Resident Life Assignments Manager Erin Iverson said the program was a way to help students reassign themselves without having to wait for the department to process all requests. “We have always given students the opportunity to ask for reassignments,” Iverson said. “But as we migrated room selection online, we wanted to look for tools so students can do the reassigning themselves instead of submitting something to us, not knowing if the room is available, and waiting for approval.” Resident Life is sending out

an e-mail later this week to inform students of the new option. The program was supposed to take effect immediately following room selection, but will instead begin early in the summer, officials said. “Between ResLife’s schedule and finals schedules, we didn’t want to add this into the mix because it might distract students and make them feel like they didn’t have full access and time to concentrate on it,” Iverson said. “We’ve decided to delay putting it out there until early in the summer, so anyone interested will be able to access it without distraction.” Iverson added the depart-

SCENE + HEARD

ment usually gets a few hundred reassignment requests each year, but because of the no-risk online environment where students can shop around, there may be more students this year who chose to switch rooms — Castro being one of them. Castro said she looks forward to opting into the program and hopes to find a better room. “If there’s a spot, that would be perfect,” Castro said. “If not, I’m still happy that I got on-campus housing and I was able to live here this year.” cetronedbk@gmail.com

THURSDAY, MAY 7, 2009 | NEWS | THE DIAMONDBACK

Council criticizes Univ. View plans

Scientist found bird flu vaccine

City officials say confusion could lead to insufficient parking spaces BY BRADY HOLT Senior staff writer

A planned third student housing building at the University View has unattractive architecture and doesn’t include sufficient parking, College Park city officials told the project’s developers Tuesday night. University View Village, also called University View Phase III, is planned for Route 1 just north of the existing University View building and the currently under-construction University Overlook building. As planned, the nine-story, 272-unit building would offer 992 student beds above almost 19,000 square feet of retail space, helping to ease a housing shortage in College Park. Developers said they don’t know when they will break ground on the project, which will replace a quick-lube business and a small office building. “Obviously we’re serving a huge need the university has for beds,” said Norman Rivera, attorney for developer Clark Enterprises, which took over the University View last year from original developer Otis Warren. Some city officials didn’t like the appearance of the buildings in the artist renderings submitted in the developer’s detailed site plan, noting the city had previously been shown more attractive renderings. “[This design] probably mirrors the existing architecture too closely. You end up with a very massive, very heavy elevation along Route 1,” said Elisa Vitale, a city planner. “The previous ren-

derings showed more variety… so it didn’t feel like you were going past this superblock of housing.” District 4 Councilwoman Mary Cook echoed these concerns, noting that residents have criticized this style in both the original University View building and the upcoming Overlook project. “I’m very concerned about what this is going to look like. View II [University Overlook] already feels like it’s looming over Route 1 and I’m already getting negative comments about it,” Cook said. “People already hate University View because it’s too tall. They hate View II because it’s too tall and too looming.” City planners also said that confusion over the way developers have counted the number of student beds in all three University View buildings has led to insufficient parking both in the new plans and in the existing building. Without the city’s knowledge, University View projects have exploited a loophole that let them refer to many four-bedroom apartments as having just two bedrooms, planners said, leading the city planning department to demand fewer parking spaces than they otherwise would have. Furthermore, a parking garage in the University View Village project was supposed to make up for a known existing shortfall in the original University View, planners said. Developers said they would also offer a revised parking plan next Tuesday. holtdbk@gmail.com

VACCINE, from Page 1

David Ignatius, a Washington Post columnist and former foreign correspondent, discusses peace strategies in the Middle East at Van Munching Hall on Wednesday. JAMES B. HALE/THE DIAMONDBACK

said Barnes & Noble is one of the worst offenders when it comes to high prices, often charging more than the publisher’s suggested retail price for both new and used books. “The university thinks of the campus bookstore as a revenue stream, which is a conflict of interest,” he said. “Instead of working to increase competition and lower prices, in some cases, they stifle it. They’re not focused on providing the best deals and the best products to students.”

In a study published last week in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Pérez worked with a similar virus to examine how mutated viruses react with vaccines. His findings will be used as his research team works with the National Institutes of Health and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to develop vaccines for the swine flu. In 2003, Pérez’s team created a hybrid bird-human flu virus by using “reverse genetics” technology — when researchers begin with an unknown gene and use molecular analysis to determine its function — and infecting ferrets with the virus. After allowing the virus to mutate and spread to healthy ferrets, his team observed how the mutated viruses responded to the vaccination. Though this research worked exclusively with strains of bird flu, his findings are still relevant to swine flu because both types of influenza involve transmission between people and animals and indicate that, contrary to popular belief, current vaccines won’t be as effective against interspecies-transmitted flu. Although the recent surge of swine flu infections has caught many off guard, Pérez said he wasn’t surprised by the emergence of a flu outbreak. “My work ... has taken on added visibility since 1997 when there was the first reported case of [the avian flu] in humans,” Pérez said. “Since then, not only have these incidents occurred very frequently but they also have highlighted the need for the type of work that I do.” Pérez was surprised the disease was spreading even after flu season ended. Biology professor Siba Samal is confident Pérez has what it takes to combat flu outbreaks. “He has the knowledge and capacity to coordinate a large scientific group to address health issues of national and international importance,” Samal said. Ultimately, despite the serious nature of his work, Pérez’s colleagues extol his lighthearted approach to his research. “He has a great sense of humor,” Samal said. “He provides the staff with their daily booster shot of humor with his ‘joke of the day.’”

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jnashdbk@gmail.com

To view video footage of the Ignatius peace discussion go to WWW.DIAMONDBACKONLINE.COM

UBC revenue expected to decline, student fees may increase as a result CONTRACT, from Page 1 copies as possible and have a good inventory.” Since the university began making textbook information widely available, the sale of new textbooks has continued to decrease, falling by $1.6 million since 2003, according to the UBC contract proposal. Sales of used textbooks have been on the rise, increasing by about $500,000 in that same timeframe. Those figures led to bids that were less than expected when UBC was seeking a new contract, Stamp Student Union Director Gretchen Metzelaars said in a previous interview with The Diamondback. And because they are expected to continue to decline, her department plans on asking the Student Fee Review Board to increase fees next semester to cover Student Entertainment Events programming and other initiatives, which revenue from the

bookstore helps pay for. The Board of Public Works — which consists of Gov. Martin O’Malley, state Comptroller Peter Franchot and state Treasurer Nancy Kopp, all Democrats — approved the contract yesterday. But while the bookstore will comply with state and federal guidelines that seek to provide cheaper textbooks to students, some say they don’t go far enough. John Verde, the CEO of Bookholders, said that while the bill is a good start, the most effective portions — such as promoting the use of older editions instead of newer ones — were mutilated and will hurt competition in the long run. He blamed the university, whose lobbyists worked hard to defeat the Textbook Competition and Affordability Act, for being “addicted to the revenue” that comes from the campus bookstore, instead of being focused on providing good deals to students. He also

“They’re not focused on providing the best deals and the best products to students.” JOHN VERDE CEO OF BOOKHOLDERS

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THE DIAMONDBACK | THURSDAY, MAY 7, 2009

THE DIAMONDBACK

Opinion

KEVIN ROBILLARD EDITOR IN CHIEF

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@GMAIL.COM

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OPINION EDITOR

Staff Editorial

Guest Column

Graduation identification

Questioning Palestine

he purpose of orientation is to mold you into a Terp. You’re For that reason, we’re especially excited by this year’s speaker, Leon handed a pile of turtle-branded pens, T-shirts and lanyards. Panetta. We’re excited because he’s spent his life in public service as a You’re inundated with university lore; you’re told about rubbing congressman, as former President Clinton’s chief of staff and, most Testudo’s nose and bragged to about having the longest mall recently, as director of the Central Intelligence Agency. He is clearly a (Freud would’ve had a field day with that one). Orientation makes you a powerful symbol of our commitment to service, an integral part of our Marylander, but it’s not until the graduation ceremony that we articulate identity as a public institution. What’s not clear is where religion fits into that identity. For the past what that means exactly. First and foremost, this means reflecting academic excellence. In several months, the university community has been debating whether Colonial colleges, commencement ceremonies often included a disputa- there should be a prayer at graduation. We’ve already explained how important commencement is for bringing together the tion, during which graduating students would debate a university community. That’s why we’ve suggested thesis to demonstrate the skills they had acquired. The replacing prayer with a moment of silence, which would argumentation has been dispensed with, but since the late 19th century academic robes have symbolized that same Commencement needs to preserve a space for giving thanks, without an act that’s viewed as divisive and exclusionary. value. The martial-esque stripes denoting rank are not reflect the university’s It’s that view that prompted a group of students to decided on the basis of wealth or power, or even the values. organize a protest of graduation prayer. The protest was length of time spent in an institution; they mark levels of rained out, but demonstrating isn’t the only option. To those who feel academic achievement. But every university has more specific values, and their commence- strongly about prayer, we recommend following the example of some litments reflect them. In the 1850s, the University of Nashville eschewed erary societies in the 1850s. Back then, institutions such as Wesleyan the rituals of Massachusetts’ colleges, instead featuring horse races and University and Williams College were too conservative to bring the cock fights at its commencement ceremony as a reflection of an educa- provocative and controversial speakers the societies wanted. So they just tion more accessible to the “common man.” While we’d welcome an ani- held their own commencement ceremonies and brought speakers like mal showcase, we’re a publicly-funded state school, with a mission of Henry Ward Beecher and Ralph Waldo Emerson. So hold your own seceducating Terps and undertaking research that serves the common good. ular ceremony, and try to get Richard Dawkins to come.

Our View

Editorial Cartoon: Shai Goller

Adderall: Attention and effects

rregular heartbeat. Dangerously high body temperatures. Cardiovascular failure or seizure. Feelings of hostility or paranoia. Any of these sound familiar? Probably not, but for those of you who are using and abusing Adderall and haven’t been issued a prescription, these are some — but not all — of the potential side effects you can look forward to. I’m not advocating a particular course of action to get your work done. It would be nice and rosy to say, “Manage your work judiciously over the course of the semester.” But let’s be real. College students will be college students. For the most part we waste away the semester, and come finals time, we’ll usually do whatever it takes to get that A. Even if it means buying stimulants at $8 a pill — at least if we think it will make us study harder. At the end of the day, whatever you need to do to ace your finals, to be at peace with yourself really, is your prerogative, but too

OPE

LANIYONU many people don’t know the side effects of non-prescribed Adderall use. An issuance of knowledge to the general public can never hurt. For those of you who don’t know, Adderall is a chemical compound of amphetamine and dextroamphetamine usually prescribed to treat attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and regulate dopamine functioning. The side effects of the drug — the increased focus, the added energy — are what lead the college student to abuse the drug to gain a “study edge.” The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has stated “rapid heartbeat palpitations, increased blood pressure,

restlessness, insomnia, seizures, depression, headache, and stroke” may occur from non-prescribed use. Listed long-term effects include “liver problems, and addiction.” Is it worth it? For some, the immediate answer is “no,” while others say “yes” without question. But at the end of the day, while the pills might give you an academic boost, they’re likely to damage your body along the way. Throw out the academic or social benefits you might gain: From a physical standpoint you’re doing your body harm. You might not feel the immediate negative effects — or longterm effects for that matter — but putting a foreign substance of that nature into your body is only hurting it. I asked a friend of mine why she took Adderall. She said it “helps me focus and perform better on tests normally.” This seems to be a typical answer of any student using non-prescription Adderall. When I asked if

she knew about the side effects, she said, “Other than it makes me not sleep — no.” I told her about some of the side effects and then asked if knowing the possible side effects would prevent her from using Adderall again. “Honestly no,” she said. “It would prevent me from taking it too much, but during finals I’m still going to take it ... I’m guaranteed to do better on those tests, and its just a slight risk of side effects, so yeah, I’m going to take it probably.” Maybe I was unable to change her mind about using Adderall, but at least now she and everyone else knows what can happen if this drug is abused. The rest, really, is up to them. Ope Laniyonu is a junior international business and marketing major. He can be reached at laniyonudbk@gmail.com.

Graduating: In good times, in bad times

n a dark and rainy Monday night, it was with great sadness that I was informed that this column would be my last. How could I possibly touch on all of the opinions I have yet to share, or retell all of the crazy experiences I’ve had over my four years here with only one column left? Well, here is my best attempt: One of the first things to hit me in college was Hurricane Katrina. Since my roommate-to-be decided to switch schools at the last minute, I was fortunate to have an empty bed in my “double” in Wicomico Hall. Not surprisingly, when colleges in New Orleans were being evacuated, I was notified by the Resident Life Department that a refugee would be moving into my empty bed. But in true Resident Life fashion, my refugee never showed up. It would be another month before I got

JONAH

RICHMOND a roommate. It’s kind of ironic that people who were homeless were depending on our university to provide housing for them — something it can’t even do for its own students. I’ll also remember all the businesses that once graced our beloved “livable community” of a college town. There was the College Perk, a pleasant coffee shop where I could get away from downtown’s drunken crowds. Of course there was Wawa, the bar scene’s post-party. My favorite memories of College

Park came the few times I climbed to the top of Byrd Stadium at night. I went with best friends, dates or people who I had just met at the dining hall. With the one gate that was always open, you could always count on bypassing the chained-up stairs by taking the elevator that was never turned off (an oversight by the management, I’m sure). At the top, you could be there with a few other young couples in love, some random smokers who were as high as the clouds and an occasional workout-aholic running up and down the stands. I recently tried to go up there with a friend, but alas, it was completely chained up. People who have been in College Park for the last four years know that each year we have gotten less snow. For our senior gift, we got a total of seven inches of snow for the entire winter. Maybe global warming is happening

faster than we thought. At least our campus is doing its part to help global warming by forcing more students to live off campus and drive to school each day. There have certainly been other highlights in the college experience of this year’s seniors. Having President Barack Obama come to our campus twice, and being legally able to vote for the first time in such an amazing election will probably stand out in many of our memory books. Despite any challenges any of us might have had, we will all be able to choose some good memories to hold on to. Congratulations seniors, and keep the memories alive! Jonah Richmond is a senior environmental science and policy major. He can be reached at jrichmon@umd.edu.

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.

AVISHAI SHUTER Ari Gore’s Tuesday column, “Jordan: A veiled national identity and a lost home” is indicative of an inherent obstacle to peace in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. While I’m sure Gore was attempting to show how Jordanians see themselves and the conflict, he is in fact revealing a much deeper issue within the region and its history. The first fact that needs to be addressed is that although his friends say they are from Palestine, that doesn’t really mean much h i s t o r i c a l l y. Palestine is a region, not a AVISHAI country. Citing it as your SHUTER SOPHOMORE home nation VETERINARY MEDICINE is like saying that you are from North America. Palestine was actually a region that included, at one point or another, what is now Israel, the Palestinian territories AND all of Jordan. Even the name “Palestinian” is a term coined by the British in 1921 to describe anyone living in the region, regardless of ethnicity or religion. Gore’s friends’ — grandchildren of people who once lived in Palestine — connection to the land is loyal and romantic. But it also is an indicator of another issue that continues to be an obstacle to peace. How many people reading this identify themselves being from the country their grandparents lived in when they were children? My grandparents escaped from Poland and Russia at the start of the Holocaust, but I don’t say I’m from those places. To add to this idea, the criteria for a Palestinian to be declared a refugee are more relaxed than for other groups. This creates a situation where it is possible for someone whose grandfather lived in what became Israel in May 1948, and left at the warning of invading Arab armies, to have refugee status. While it is important to help people in trouble, the Palestinian refugee problem is just as much the fault of the Arab countries and the United Nations as it is Israel’s. Everyone needs to start taking a piece of the blame, rather than just passing it on to Israel. So within the correct context, while I can understand why so many people in Jordan call themselves Palestinians, such a mindset serves only to perpetuate the stubbornness. Also, as a final note, Jordanians are only prevented from entering Israel by their own government, or for fear of having an Israeli stamp in their passports. You can simply use Google to find schedules for a number of buses that run from Jordan to Israel and back. Jordanian tourism in Israel has been on the rise since the two countries established diplomatic ties in 1994. To Gore, all I can say is that I hope you are trying to communicate some accurate information to your Jordanian friends which will help clear the lens, through which they view the conflict.

“ ... although his friends say they are from Palestine, that doesn’t really mean much historically.”

Avishai Shuter is a sophomore veterinary medicine major. He can be reached at ashuter@umd.edu.

AIR YOUR VIEWS Address your letters or guest columns to the Opinion Desk at opinion.dbk@gmail.com. All letters and guest columns must be signed. Include your full name, year, major and day- and nighttime phone numbers. Please limit letters to 300 words. Please limit guest columns to 600 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.

THURSDAY, MAY 7, 2009 | THE DIAMONDBACK

Features HOROSCOPESTELLA WILDER

39 42 43 45 46

Tiny fly Fibs Survived (2 wds.) Hansel’s sister Family mem.

47 48 49 51 52

Previous Day’s Puzzle Solved:

TODAY’S CROSSWORD SPONSORED BY:

S O R T S

T R O O P

Y I P S

A S A P

I D E A

M I N T

P L A T S I E L AN T AURA HERMA P I ONS B AMENS GA DER NEC I L F L UNK E V A I N UMON I CH I ND A L A P S AN T I M I S NOON CE GUNG A S ONE S

V A T URA L EG CA S A A RNE T K MO K I L PO L L I NE S N A T T E T HO L A ER I SNE A

5 14

17 20

30 32

44 48

You’re not the kind to make mistakes — and when you do make one, you are quick to learn from it and move on. Regret and lasting disappointment are of little use to you, and you never wallow in self-pity. You exude confidence and strength — even when the going gets tough.

9 16

orn today, you are one of the best people to know, and one of the best people to have around, when trouble is afoot. You are a quick thinker and quite decisive when armed with the facts; you’re not the kind to vacillate at all, or change your mind midstream when the course you are following is getting you somewhere. You know how to make people tick, and you are able to communicate with others in a way that inspires trust and loyalty. Once someone swears allegiance to you and your plans, you can be certain that he or she will be a lifelong friend and ally.

25 27

Actress — Bonet Kitchen pests Type of molding Quilting social Mav’s foe

Also born on this date are Eva Peron, Argentine leader; Anne Baxter, actress; Gary Cooper, actor; Robert Browning, poet; Johannes Brahms, composer; Johnny Unitas, football player.

63 66

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.

S L O E

FRIDAY, MAY 8

S E N S E

TAURUS (April 20-May 20) — Things aren’t likely to go as planned, though you can make personal adjustments that enable you to get things done regardless of surprises.

R E E K

GEMINI (May 21-June 20) — There’s no need to tell those in the front office everything that you’re doing — as long as what

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21) — You may not have had enough time to yourself lately. Be willing to claim an hour or so to tend to personal issues.

you’re doing is, in some way, part of the job. CANCER (June 21-July 22) — Things may get dicey for you as a result of trying too many things at one time. You can expect a long day to turn into a long night.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) — It may take you longer than usual to make a certain decision — as a result, in large part, of your loyalty to a newfound friend.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22) — You want to call the shots until all is said and done, and you’ll be able to — even though things may change halfway through.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18) — This is a good time to think over what has and hasn’t been done. Putting all the pieces into place in your mind yields a valuable picture.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22) — Don’t keep things from your friends — especially when it has to do with a cooperative effort. Be honest and straightforward.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20) — A slow morning gives way to a lively afternoon — and during evening hours the pace may be absolutely unbelievable. You have what it takes.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22) — A personal issue is likely to rise to the surface, demanding attention. You can trust a loved one to give you the assistance you need.

ARIES (March 21-April 19) — After several surprises over several days, today is likely to offer up the greatest surprise of all — and you can benefit as a result.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21) — Putting your best foot forward may be more difficult than expected if you haven’t taken advantage of the tools available to you.

TODAY’S HOROSCOPE SPONSORED BY:

R.J. BENTLEY’S RESTAURANT • DOWNTOWN COLLEGE PARK

THURSDAY $3 Absolut, $3 Jim Beam, $2 Domestic, $3.50 Stoli Punch, $3.50 Bombs

FRIDAY Happy Hour 4-7 pm: $2 Bud & Bud Light 16 oz. Drafts, 1/2 Price Appetizers

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B L RA E V WE

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35 Bell tower sound 36 Novelist — Ferber 38 Oxygen pipeline (2 wds.)

57 Just touch ACROSS 59 Sweet topping 1 Math course 61 “La — Bonita” 5 Throw hard (Madonna) 9 Second to none 62 Wife, to a lawyer 13 Broadway show 15 Quechua speaker 63 Flavor 64 Jam or pickle 16 — - — -tat-tat 65 Mallard cousin 17 Supports 66 Urn 18 Iffy attempt 19 Horror-film DOWN servant 1 Zoo transport 20 Kettle and Bell 2 “Fancy” singer 21 Fair (hyph.) 3 Currier and — 23 Jaguar cousin 4 Kind of reaction 25 Whey-faced 5 Whispered loudly 26 Abraded 6 Golden Rule 27 Wandered off word 30 Above, in verse 7 TV brand 31 Sharpens 8 Puccini opera 32 Playground (2 wds.) game (2 wds.) 9 Quick 37 Cousin’s mom 10 Boy Scout rank 38 Standing 11 Put up with wide open 12 Dainty pastry 40 Not new 14 Prose pieces 41 Very hot 22 Fiesta cheer 43 La Scala city 24 Find fault 44 Retiree’s kitty 25 LaBelle or 45 Crunchy bar LuPone 47 Druid or shaman 50 Half the checkers 26 — d’etat 27 Q-Tip 51 Rushing sound 28 Week da. 52 Volcano goddess 29 Vegas rival 53 Philosopher 32 Wild spree — -tzu 33 Ghost towns 56 Sentry’s 34 Peace Prize city command

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THE DIAMONDBACK | THURSDAY, MAY 7, 2009

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EMPLOYMENT

DOGGIE DAYCARE Physical Therapy Aide Receptionist/Sales and Dog Handlers Needed FT and PT available 5115 Berwyn Rd., College Park, MD

www.AllDogsClub.com Apply in person ONLY please! STUDENTPAYOUTS.COM. Paid survey takers needed in College Park. 100%. Free to join. Click on surveys.

Make A Difference! Non-profits are struggling to provide services. Socially responsible individuals are needed to raise funds. Current project is a local children’s hospital. Call David Miller at 301-641-4446 for more information. Compensation is available.

Summer Employment!!!! Excellent Opportunity for School Teachers and College Students!!! OVER $2,000 in 3 weeks!!! Locations available in Baltimore Co. & Anne Arundel Co. Must be 18 years old and willing to work long hours everyday from June 13-July 6. For more info and online application go to www.tristatefireworks.com.

CUSTOMER RELATIONS REP. Great Pay, Flexible Hours! Small financial firm near Bethesda Metro. Excellent communication & analytical skills. $13/hour (negotiable higher based on performance). PT or FT. Email resume: bethesdafinancialfirm@gmail.com.

SUMMER WORK College Pro Painters Now Hiring Full Time Work Outdoors with Students Earn 3-5K 1-800-32 PAINT www.collegepro.com

Office Assistant Takoma Park company seeking self-motivated individual to support small sales office. Business experience preferred. Must be multi-task oriented & dependable. Proficiency with Microsoft Office. Excellent telephone skills. Flexible F/T or P/T weekday hours. Resume to: creativefiling@aol.com. Please include hours available. College seniors, recent college grads, grad students needed to work with high school students as Resident Assistants/Tutor Counselors (RA/TCs) during a six-week summer residential program at the University of Maryland. RA/TCs support instructors in classroom, assist with program activities, and supervise students in dorms. Excellent pay plus room & board! Application and program information available at www.precollge.umd.edu.

Positions Available Lifeguard/Gate Guard $8-9 per hour. College Park/ Laurel area. Apply online at www.lighthouse-pools.com. CAMP COUNSELORS, male and female, needed for great overnight camps in the mountains of PA. Have a fun summer while working with children in the outdoors. Teach/assist with ropes course, media, archery, gymnastics, environmental ed, and much more. Office, Nanny, Bus Driver (CDL requires) positions also available. Apply on-line at www.pineforestcamp.com Earn extra money. Students needed asap. Earn up to $150/day being a mystery shopper. No experience required. Call 1-800-722-4791

William’s American Bistro Is Hiring All Positions Managers, Bartenders, Wait Staff & Cooks Experience preferred. Please apply in person Monday & Thursday 11 am-3 pm for an immediate interview or email resume to hrhe01@gmail.com.

Part Time Sales/ Administrative Asst. Great pay potential ($10 per hour + commission) Will train to develop & implement home improvement services to our existing customers. Flexible hours. Must be an assertive, aggressive, outgoing team player. Call Chris or Pat at 301-384-6290. Lifeguards, pool operators, supervisors. Full time/part time. Competitive pay. Free training. Summer and indoor positions. 301-210-4200 extension 114

LOOKING FOR A SUMMER JOB MAKING $20-$30/HR.? Inc. 500 company is looking to add 5-6 UM students to its marketing team working part time 3-4 days/week. Part-time hours...full-time pay... $20-$30/hour! Flexible schedule; internships available. Call Jon at 301-595-4050 today!

Looking for a Summer Job? Now hiring lifeguards, swim instructors, pool managers, customer service reps and more at pools throughout Prince George’s County. Lifeguards start at $9.30/hr. Email PG-Aquatics@pgparks.com or call 301-249-8880.

Fantasy Sports Company is looking for talented and aggressive people to promote product this summer. Earn huge commissions while having fun! Interested parties please contact: bruce@paythefan.com 423-667-5718 www.paythefan.com Parttime store clerk/stock person needed at beer and wine store near campus. Flexible hours. Call Jim or Ted: 301-277-9271 Bartending! $250/day potential. No experience necessary. Training provided. 1-800-965-6520 x 116 Looking for drivers for Gullivers Moving Company. Please contact Kenneth or Eugene at 301-209-0514

FT/PT position avail. in physical therapy office in Chevy Chase near Metro. Opportunity to continue working during school year. New grads welcome. Paid parking/Metro. Fax or email resume to 301-654-7897 or kibbeyandterlept@verizon.net.

CHILD CARE

Babysitter Seeking dependable, active, mature nonsmoker to care for my 8 mo. old daughter Tu-Th from 10-3 in Takoma Park. Candidates must have reliable vehicle and excellent references.

Robin, 301-704-6683. After-school care for 12-year-old boy, SIlver Spring, 4 days/week. Fall semester. Must drive, non-smoker, references. 202-289-2394

FOR SALE

THE WORLD’S BEST JOKE COLLECTION FOR ALL AGES BY CAROLE LEE. ID #38089. TO ORDER, CALL XLIBRIS CORP. BOOK SALES PUBLISHING DEPT., 1663 LIBERTY DRIVE, SUITE 200, BLOOMINGTON, IN 47403. PLEASE INCLUDE MAILING ADDRESS WHEN YOU SEND IN YOUR ORDER AND PAYMENT. $18.10 (INCLUDES SHIPPING). TO THE ACCT. DEPT. 1-888-795-4274.

FOR RENT 6 Br, 2 Ba house. Very close to campus. Available 6/1. $2450. 202-361-0266 ROOM FOR RENT. Located at 8307 Potomac Ave., College Park. Available now. Close walk campus. $550/month. Call immediately. 301-509-7874 COLLEGE PARK. Houses 4/6 bedrooms, Apartments, 2 bedrooms. 410-544-4438 HOUSE FOR RENT 5 BR, 1.5 BA. Prime location steps to campus. Near fraternaties and sororities. $3200 a month plus utilities. Call 240-393-8252 or flynn2@comcast.net HOUSES/Apartments- Walking distance. 1-7 bedrooms. 301-335-7345. ecb1985@gmail.com Summer Sublet- South Campus Commons. Rooms available in female 4 BR apartment for June-July. Rent $550/month and will pay $100 leave transfer fee. Call 301-908-8782 1 bedroom apartment for single person. Private home, Berwyn Heights. Furnished or unfurnished. $700 includes utilities. 301-474-1773

FOR RENT HOUSE FOR RENT. Newer home. Great location. Walk to campus. 6 bedroom, 2 full bathrooms, huge kitchen. New appliances. Washer, dryer, central AC, big yard, lots of parking. 240-876-8907. John.

7 Bedroom House Lock In for Fall 6705 Baltimore Ave. 3.5 BA, W/D, internet. 7 people max allowed. Recently renovated. 3.5 blocks to downtown College Park. Available Aug. 1. $2800 ($400/rm. avg.).

Gene, 301-779-7768 KNOX BOXES. For rent. Fall semester. 301-918-0203. 3 ROOMS Available for ‘09-’10 school year and summer ‘09 at TEP Fraternity House (4603 College Ave.), 2 blocks off campus, right by off-campus restaurants, $610 a month including utilities, Internet, cable, and maid service. Groups welcome... Call Eugene at 443-255-8104 or e-mail tepmanagement@gmail.com

You can find a job in The Diamondback Classifieds!

SERVICES

FAX SERVICE Send / Receive Local / Long-Distance Diamondback Business Office 3136 South Campus Dining Hall PHONE: 301-314-8000 Mon.-Fri. 9:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m.

GOT EXTRA STUFF? ARE THE PERFECT PLACE TO SELL YOUR EXTRA STUFF.

Knox Box Apts. One Block from Campus 2-3 BR from $1200-1900 301-770-5623/24 Email: gosia@pinstripeproperty.com Houses: 3-4 bedroom, off Route 1. From $1200. 240-210-1503. landwardmd@gmail.com LARGE MASTER BEDROOM WITH FULL BATH IN 6 BEDROOM HOUSE. SUBLET FOR SUMMER, AVAILABLE FALL ALSO. OFF ADELPHI WITH SHUTTLE. $750 + UTILITIES. JENNIFER 301-367-9948 Apartments, Sublets & Roommates. List & Browse Free! 1-877-FOR-RENT/ 201-845-7300

Quiet Neighborhood 5+ bedroom, 3 bath house with large fenced backyard. On bus line. $3200/ month + utils. 4429 Underwood St., University Park. Available late August. Email manager@waterstreetmanagement.com for info and appointments. House for rent. Cherokee St. 4 bed/2 bath. Steps to Shuttle UM. Available in July. 240-888-2758 UNIVERSITY VIEW- REDUCED FOR SUMMER. CALL PETE 410-279-1499 TIME’S RUNNING OUT. ACT NOW. AVAILABLE JUNE 1st . Adelphi Road, very close to campus, easy walking distance. On shuttle & Metro bus route. 5 bedrooms, 2 full baths. $2,850/month. $600/room. New ac, large private yard, washer/dryer, lawn-care provided, lots of off-street parking. Early signing bonus. Contact Dr. Kruger 301-408-4801.

5 BEDROOM HOUSE Walk to campus. $2995.

443-336-1742 KMGinfo@gmail.com Hartwick Towers 2 br/1 bath. $2025/3 people. Available June 1st/12 month lease. 443-745-5446. E-mail: cvbleab@aol.com

Individual Rooms or Entire Houses Available 8817 Patricia Court 5 bedroom/3 bath, behind Comcast Center 8514 Edmonston Road 4 bedroom/2 bath, completely renovated Contact Lisa for more details: 301-704-1342, terprealestate@comcast.net 4 br/2 bath home with 2 living rooms; modern kitchen; dining room; cac; garage and large lot several blocks from Campus Drive on Adelphi Rd. Easy walk or shuttle. $2500 + utilities for up to 5 people. 443-745-5446. E-mail: cvbleab@aol.com New Carrollton — nice basement/1 bedroom furnished apartment. Private entrance, near UMD shuttle route/metro. Nonsmoking, no pets. $700 including utilities. One car parking. Call 301-577-8062 WALK TO CAMPUS Nice 5 bedroom houses. Summer and Fall availability, 301-918-0203

301-314-8000 M-F 9:30-4:30

United Campus Ministry Chaplaincy Presents

SPRING CONCERT Sunday, May 10, 2009 8:00 pm, Memorial Chapel University of Maryland, College Park Featuring:

• Maryland Palestrina Choir Janet Hagelgans, Director

• Ma¨nner von Musik

1-4 BR. Large apartments. Beside South Commons/Business School. Starting at $900. 301-770-5623. Email: gosia@pinstripeproperty.com.

DOWNTOWN COLLEGE PARK. Single family, 6 bed house for rent. Half rent in June. Asking for $3,995/month and $2,000 security deposit required. 13 month lease beginning July 4h. Call 240-678-8700

3136 South Campus Dining Hall

(international not available)

THE DIAMONDBACK CLASSIFIEDS

HOUSE FOR RENT 4 BR, 1 BA Prime location. Near fraternaties and sororities. $2800 a month plus utilities. Call 240-393-8252 or flynn2@comcast.net

Advertise in the Diamondback and get your money’s worth. FREE Classifieds. Place a classified ad for four consecutive days, receive the fifth day free.

NEED MONEY FOR RENT?

10 Steps to Campus

Rooms for rent in student housing, 1 mile to University for SUMMER only or FALL/SPRING. From $475. Call 240-281-3145. babakh84@gmail.com

OVER 20,000 PEOPLE READ THE DIAMONDBACK DAILY!

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Clothing Rummage Sale 12-8 pm 4412 Knox Road Next to Santa Fe

Barry & Steve’s Clothing Exchange PREGNANT? Free confidential pregnancy testing & CARING COUNSELING HELP: 800-521-5530. 800-533-0093. Continue education & career. The Gabriel Network. 800-ANGEL-OK

Joseph Shortall, Director

• Femmes de Chanson Katelyn Aungst, Director Victoria Requiem 1605, Renaissance and contemporary works sung by the University of Maryland’s three select student-led vocal chamber ensembles. Gifted soloists from the School of Music also performing: Rameen Chaharbaghi, Baritone Alicia Waller, Soprano Katherine Sanford, Soprano Gillian Kraus-Neale, Soprano Farah Padamsee, Mezzo-Soprano Julie Clark, Pianist David Ballena, Pianist

This is a FREE concert For information, please contact: Rev. Holly Ulmer, Chaplain Phone: 301-405-8450 Email: ulmer@umd.edu www.ucmcollegepark.org

THURSDAY, MAY 7, 2009 | DIVERSIONS | THE DIAMONDBACK

Diversions

MORE ONLINE: If you’ve checked out our Star Trek review and interviews on the next two pages and still haven’t had your fill, then you’re in luck — we have even more Trek coverage online. For additional quotes from director J.J. Abrams and actors Chris Pine and Zachary Quinto, just click the Diversions tab at:

WWW.DIAMONDBACKONLINE.COM

arts. music. living. movies. weekend.

REVIEW | TYSON

Discovering Tyson James Toback talks about his documentary on the deeply troubled boxer BY DAN BENAMOR Senior staff writer

Mike Tyson was a tornado in his younger days. But now at age 42, it seems enough time has passed for him to look back with some measure of calm and insight. The picture that emerges from Tyson telling his story is both tragic and fascinating. Most people these days consider Tyson a joke with an out-of-date punch line. When examining his life with more than an uninformed generality, though, one finds there is a compelling story to be told. In Tyson, Iron Mike himself is the storyteller around the campfire. Forget the silly lisp

— this is a man who knows how to captivate a listener, and because it’s so personal, half the intrigue lays in his representation of his life. Tyson is at times seemingly insightful about his own actions, such as how his rough upbringing and the bullying he faced as a child contributed to making him the person he is. At other times, he seems practically in denial, often excusing his horrific actions through age (“I was only 19,” he says repeatedly throughout the film, occasionally varying the age). He also talks of blacking out multiple times during important events in his life, such as when he beat up boxing

promoter Don King. In an interview with The Diamondback, writer-director James Toback (an Oscar nominee for his Bugsy screenplay and friend of Tyson’s for 25 years) said, “I think some people are fairly predictable after a while. … There’s nothing that [Tyson] says or does that would surprise anyone who knows him at any given moment.” The fighter discusses how boxing mentor Cus D’Amato turned his life around, and it seemed this father figure’s death was Tyson’s real downfall. But the boxer suggests several other contenders for that title, including his rape conviction (he denies he did

Director James Toback humanizes Mike Tyson by exploring the first 42 years of his life, including discussion of the boxer’s rough upbringing. COURTESY ALLMOVIEPHOTO.COM

it), his divorce from Robin Givens and his difficult childhood. As a speaker, Tyson’s voice is very unusual. He is sometimes eloquent but will shift into dirtier language. A good example is when he describes King, calling him a

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“Reptilian Mothaf---a.” Just as his language is contradictory, so are the elements of Tyson’s presentation in the film. There is little doubt the man is capable of monstrosity, but the triumph of Tyson is the humanization of this figure. Viewing a well-dressed Tyson calmly relating his life in a tranquil setting, it seems unbelievable he is the same man who was convicted of rape, bit a man’s ear and said he wanted to eat the children of boxer Lennox Lewis. But numerous portions of the film make Tyson relatable. For example, when he starts to cry and coughs aggressively to prevent it, you see a vulnerable man afraid to express his emotions. At one point in the film, there’s footage of Tyson responding to a heckler with a furious series of violent threats. It’s actually shocking to watch and try to reconcile with the figure speaking to the camera for much of the movie. As Toback said, “You just have to take the parts for what they are and not try to have it make sense, because it won’t.” Tyson acknowledges he refuses to back down from a fight, but a big part of how he’s humanized in the movie is his description of how he

was bullied as a child. This relates to a comment from Tyson that Toback said was “the key.” While discussing his realization that no one was going to mess with him again, Tyson has difficulty breathing, saying, “Oh, I can’t even say it.” As the viewer, you expect some sweet comment about how D’Amato taught Tyson selfrespect, but the boxer instead says, “Because I would f---in’ kill ‘em.” At times frightening in his admissions, the Tyson who caused so many problems and destroyed numerous marriages and lives does occasionally emerge. One of the more interesting contrasts, though, is his demeanor after losing to Kevin McBride toward the end of the film. He openly admits he fought for money, has no more passion for boxing and wishes McBride luck in his career. Tyson calls it a miracle he has made it to age 42, and given his wildly spiraling patterns of rise and fall in both boxing and his personal life, it’s difficult to predict what will become of this complicated person for the next 42 years. That will probably be a hell of a documentary too. Dan.benamor@gmail.com

MOVIE: Tyson | VERDICT:

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THE DIAMONDBACK| DIVERSIONS | THURSDAY, MAY 7, 2009

REVIEW | STAR TREK

J.J. Abrams takes Star Trek to new heights BY THOMAS FLOYD Senior staff writer

Quite simply, J.J. Abrams can do no wrong. A never-ending supply of creative energy and stylized storytelling, Abrams is the man behind the curtain responsible for creating the serialized cult-favorite shows Alias and Lost, producing the enthralling monster-thriller Cloverfield and directing the fast-paced adventure of Mission: Impossible III. Taking on the challenge of revitalizing the Star Trek franchise, though, has to be Abrams’ most ambitious task to date, especially as an admitted non-devotee to Gene Roddenberry’s universe of deep space, warp speed, phasers and mind melds. He did, however, have Star Trek aficionados Roberto Orci and Alex Kurtzman (Transformers) penning his script, and the end result of meshing the 42-year-old director’s fresh, imaginative vision with his scribes’ fanboy zeal is overwhelming. It’s the type of film that reminds you why movies play such a large role in popular culture — a take on Star Trek Abrams’ predecessors should have been striving for all along. While this is the epic the diehards deserve, it’s also an ideal entry point for one to learn about the USS Enterprise. The film pays due homage to the extensive Star Trek canon, with lines from the original show among other off-hand references. But in telling the subtext-laden origin stories of the rebellious starship captain, James T. Kirk (Chris Pine, Bottle Shock), and the infallibly logical Vulcan, Spock (Zachary Quinto, Heroes), Abrams brings the saga back to square one. By visiting these characters in their youths and focusing on the hardships that haunt them from birth, Star Trek ensures its protagonists feel genuinely relatable. This awe-inspiring introduction should spark a new generation to immerse itself in the layered mythology of the Enterprise and its crew. Speaking of those iconic figures,

they’re all along for the ride. Classic characters such as Uhura (Zoe Saldana, Vantage Point), McCoy (an against-type Karl Urban, Pathfinder), Chekov (Anton Yelchin, Middle of Nowhere), Sulu (the ass-kicking Jon Cho, Harold & Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay) and Scotty (Simon Pegg, How to Lose Friends & Alienate People) all appear and have an ample opportunity to shine. As for this installment’s villain, the Enterprise must fend off the unstable Romulan Capt. Nero (Eric Bana, The Other Boleyn Girl), whose travels from the future are driven by a vendetta against Spock and the United Federation of Planets. From Star Trek’s action-packed, emotionally charged opening minutes, Nero changes the course of history, creating an alternate timeline for our heroes to live through. This plot device cleverly raises the stakes, as the audience can no longer count on certain characters surviving merely because the film is a prequel. Although the time-travel element allows the legendary Leonard Nimoy (Fringe) to dawn the pointy ears of Spock one last time, his extended cameo is no crowdpleasing gimmick. Abrams works in a glimpse of his famed nonlinear narrative form, using flashbacks to connect the dots and explain the fateful events that brought the older Spock and Nero back in time. Early in the film, Abrams introduces us to the Enterprise, first seen under construction in Iowa and later in its full glory amid the stars. These shots, coupled with composer Michael Giacchino’s (Lost) understated take on the Star Trek theme, are enough to send chills up one’s spine. Still, they merely hint at the jaw-dropping visuals this special effects team has in store. Abrams paints the galaxy with brush strokes both broad and nuanced, including several unforgettable images of a Romulan attack on the planet Vulcan. During that sequence, Kirk and Sulu es-

MOVIE: Star Trek | VERDICT:

SUMMER