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OPENING EDITION

JOB ON THE LINE? THREE DIMENSIONAL Friedgen’s future could hinge on team’s performance in 2010 SPORTS | SECTION B

Monday, August 30, 2010

This fall’s slate of movie releases deals heavily in 3-D DIVERSIONS | SECTION C

THE DIAMONDBACK

Groups of men rob students near campus

Freshmen get the Loh-down

Six students mugged in two separate incidents

New president welcomes freshmen, says he will make students a priority

BY LEAH VILLANUEVA Staff writer

They were in a group of four, they were sober, and they were in a public place. They weren’t supposed to get mugged.

Senior journalism and government and politics major Marissa Lang said later she knew “muggings can happen to anyone” but wasn’t thinking of herself as a potential victim as she got into a car outside the Clarion Hotel at Route 1 and Ber wyn Road about 12:45 a.m.

Friday.

Then a gunman pulled her out of the car.

Lang and her companions were one of two groups of students robbed in College Park since Friday — five men mugged three students waiting for a bus on Berwyn House Road at 1:34 a.m. yesterday, according to a crime alert from Prince George’s County Police.

In the Friday mugging, three students — all editors at The Diamondback — and a 2009 alumna had just left a karaoke night at the EJ’s Landing restaurant when three men dressed in black approached their Jeep Cherokee, the students said.

Adele Hampton, a senior journalism major,

Our 101TH Year, No. 1

THE UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND’S INDEPENDENT STUDENT NEWSPAPER

BY LAUREN REDDING Senior staff writer

In 1961, incoming university President Wallace Loh was having a rocky start to his freshman year at Grinnell College.

Loh, 65, who was born in Shanghai and graduated high school in Peru before immigrating to the United States at age 15, faced his fair share of chal-

Incoming president Loh during his speech welcoming freshmen Friday. MATTHEW CREGER/THE DIAMONDBACK

lenges amid the cornfields of rural Iowa, such as nearly failing freshman English.

Nearly 50 years later, with a long trail of academic accomplishments behind him, Loh is back to feeling like a freshman again, he told the class of 2014 at a welcome event Friday.

“We are both new,” he said.

see LOH, page 9A

see ROBBERY, page 8A

Faculty raise issue with journalism layoffs at retreat College’s dean gave ‘unsatisfactory’ answers to faculty questions, sources say

BY SOHAYL VAFAI Staff writer

Several students were mugged by groups of men at two sites just off Route 1 last week.

MAP BY SHAI GOLLER/THE DIAMONDBACK

Journalism faculty expressed concern at the college’s annual retreat last week about the recent layoffs of four key employees, in what was the faculty’s first opportunity to approach the college’s dean as a group since the layoffs were announced earlier this month.

JEREMY PINKERTON, 1987-2010

His generosity lives on

BY ADELE HAMPTON Staff writer

In his last act of generosity, Jeremy Pinkerton, 22, donated his heart, lungs, liver and a kidney to patients in need throughout the Mid-Atlantic, saving four lives. Those who knew him said for Pinkerton, that was par for the course.

Pinkerton, a senior computer science major, died after a tractor trailer crashed into his car. He was taken to the University of Virginia Hospital after the collision, but family members said

doctors told them his head injuries were too severe.

After three days in the hospital, Pinkerton died Aug. 15.

“Most people would say he has a smile that could light up a room,” his mother, JoAnn Pinkerton, said. “But he also had a big heart and was warm and generous.

When we were in the ICU, all his family and friends, we like to say that he left a Jeremy-size hole in our hearts.”

On Aug. 12, Pinkerton was driving along Route 66,

TOMORROW’S WEATHER:

Fleeson were laid off in early August due to what Klose called “financial issues.”

Several sources, who asked that their names not be released because they feared reprisal, said Klose gave “unsatisfactor y” budget information at the retreat, which was held in Knight Hall on Thursday. They said he told concerned attendees that he would meet with faculty members indi-

vidually to review the budget if asked.

Klose, who many speculated was hired partly because of his histor y of successful fundraising, said he has raised money during his tenure as dean but declined to give any specific figures, saying it is difficult to fundraise since the college has a deficit,

see JOURNALISM, page 8A

Campaigning on North Campus O’Malley visits with students during move-in

BY KELLY FARRELL Staff writer

Senior computer science major Jeremy Pinkerton PHOTO COURTESY OF THE

see PINKERTON, page 2A

Faculty members pressed journalism Dean Kevin Klose for the college’s budget documents and Klose’s fundraising records since taking the helm about a year and a half ago. Concerns about the journalism college’s finances have mounted since assistant deans Steve Crane and Marchelle Payne-Gassaway, public affairs director Matt Sheehan and fellowship director Lucinda

PINKERTON FAMILY

Sunny/90s

INDEX

As students on the sixth floor of LaPlata Hall rolled out of their beds Saturday morning, some still wearing their pajamas, they were greeted by an unexpected sight: Gov. Martin O’Malley’s extended hand and a league of student supporters, campaign employees, photographers, members of the media and Resident Life staff crammed into the dorm’s hallways.

While some students continued unperturbed past the governor, still wiping sleep from their eyes,

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

others eagerly took the opportunity to shake O’Malley’s hand, pose for pictures and engage him in friendly conversation. As he made his way throughout North Campus about 11:30 Saturday morning with incoming university President Wallace Loh, O’Malley stopped to donate money to a student playing his guitar for Haiti outside the North Campus Diner and humored government and politics majors as they ran up to greet him.

But with the November gubernatorial elections looming and the primaries just around the corner,

FEATURES . . . . . .7A CLASSIFIED . . . . .6A

DIVERSIONS . . . . .1C SPORTS . . . . . . . . .1B

Gov. Martin O'Malley speaks with students near LaPlata Hall. CHARLIE DEBOYACE/THE DIAMONDBACK

it wasn’t all fun and games — he still had a job to do. O’Malley is on the campaign trail.

When a university official announced there was a special

see O’MALLEY, page 2A

www.diamondbackonline.com

2A

THE DIAMONDBACK | NEWS | MONDAY, AUGUST 30, 2010

O’MALLEY from page 1A guest in The Diner, the building went silent. O’Malley stood up on a chair and loudly told students about the importance he said he has placed on higher education, reminding them of the four-year tuition freeze that ended this fall and encouraging them to “be as smart as you can be” in their four years of college.

In November, candidates across the country will duke it out for spots in local, state and federal government. In this state, O’Malley is expected to face a rematch with former Gov. Robert Ehrlich, a Republican who served from 2003 to 2007. In 2006, O’Malley defeated Ehrlich by a 53 percent to 46 percent margin.

As O’Malley shook hands with students eating in The Diner, it was clear every vote counts.

According to a Rasmussen Reports poll, the two have been in a near deadlock since June. In an Aug. 17 poll, O’Malley leads Ehrlich 45 percent to 44 percent, within the poll’s margin of error of 4 percentage points. Only 3 percent favored a different candidate in the race.

With the race still essentially tied, student groups are gearing up to campaign both on and off the campus.

Dan Borman, president of the university’s College Democrats chapter, said the group is planning “get out the vote” efforts for the September primary, but its primary focus will be on helping O’Malley’s campaign for the general election.

The Maryland Federation of College Republicans has officially endorsed Ehrlich in the gubernatorial race. The university’s College Republicans chapter is encouraging students to get involved and will be hosting meet-and-greets throughout the semester with candidates from across the state, according the chapter’s president, Sarah Martin.

“It is a great time, regardless of your political affiliation, to get involved in the political process,” Martin said.

At the federal level, House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer will be running for re-election. Hoyer (D-Md.), a university alumnus who represents College Park, was first elected to the House of Representatives in 1981.

In the primaries, he will be challenged by Sylvanus Bent and Andrew Gall. Four Republicans will compete for the chance to face off with the Democratic candidate in the general elections.

Paul Herrnson, the director of the Center for American Politics and Citizenship and a professor in the government and politics department stressed

PINKERTON from page 1A

“I think it was really beneficial for Resident Life to cut the training down because in previous years, we had large gaps during the day where we weren’t really doing anything,” added senior speech and hearing sciences major Cara Martin, a returning RA in Hagerstown Hall.

And despite the training workshop being stretched thinner, RAs still logged plenty of hours of cutting out giant cartoons, coloring posters and creating personalized nametags.

“Hall decorations are required by Resident Life. We think it’s important to decorate bulletin boards and make door tags to create a very welcoming environment,” Patterson said. “But the primary focus of training is to give them the skills that they need to be successful in the position.”

“The downside to the revised schedule is that a lot of the decorating had to happen for the hallways and floor prep at 7:30 at night, so we’d have to work from 7:30 to like midnight coloring for our residents,” Martin said.

just east of Front Royal, Va., on his way to Capon Springs, W.Va., for a family vacation, when a massive rainstorm materialized, family members said.

His blue Nissan Exterra hydroplaned and skidded across the highway median before an oncoming tractor trailer crashed into it on the passenger side. Emergency responders airlifted Pinkerton to Winchester Medical Center, where he was stabilized. The next day, he was moved to UVA Hospital.

Family and friends gathered around Pinkerton’s room in the hospital’s Intensive Care Unit to pray for his recovery, but the Charlottesville, Va., native died there three days later.

Pinkerton was scheduled to graduate in December and was an active member of the university’s sailing team. Raised in a family of boaters, Pinkerton felt at home on the water.

“He was always up for fun,” university graduate Abby Turner, one of Pinkerton’s close friends and teammates, said. “The first time we went out sailing he said he’d been on boats before. But it slowly became clear that he didn’t know what he was doing. But he just really tried hard and was just really proactive about getting better. ” Transferring after his freshman year from Longwood University in Virginia, Pinkerton adjusted well to a new school.

“He seemed to take off and do well socially and pretty well academically,” said Brandi Adams, one of Pinkerton’s advisers in the computer sciences college. “I think he was really bright, very hardworking, and he seemed to be a very good collaborative worker. When it was time for students to study, he would rally people and make sure they learned the material.

He was definitely not one of those students who was out for himself.”

Friends and family were quick to recall memories of Pinkerton’s love of adventure and mischievous pranks. On an April Fool’s Day morning when Pinkerton was in elementary school, he and his family arrived at church to find no one there.

Jeremy had set the family’s clocks and alarms back an hour.

“He had managed to keep a straight face the entire time, and we bought it,” said JoAnn Pinkerton.

She said laughter tended to outweigh the tears as family and friends in the ICU shared memories. The sailing team was there as well, rushing to Charlottesville after hearing the news.

“That was a rough time for everyone involved,” sailing team Commodore Andrew Rybczynski said. “I know we would have been definitely worse off if we didn’t get to say goodbye.”

egan@umdbk.com

hampton@umdbk.com

Gov. Martin O'Malley and incoming President Wallace Loh speak to students in the North Campus Diner on Saturday. CHARLIE DEBOYACE/THE DIAMONDBACK

the importance of midterm elections, especially this year, and of students staying active in the process.

“The Democrats’ majorities in the House and Senate will most likely be cut significantly,” Herrnson said.

“Control for those chambers may be up for grabs. ... Students who support President [Barack] Obama’s and the Democrats’ agenda should be very interested because a poor showing for the Democrats will slow down or stop the progress on that agenda.”

Borman said that although state and

federal elections tend to garner more media attention, local elections are equally important as they can have a profound effect on local communities.

“I think if students understand how much local politics affects them, then they can begin to get excited about it and get involved,” said Borman.

In Prince George’s County, officials ranging from the clerk of the circuit court to District 21’s delegates will be elected this fall. farrell@umdbk.com

Readying the rooms Resident assistants say shortened training had little impact on quality of work

BY ERIN EGAN Staff Writer

Characters from Candy Land and Rugrats cover the hallways. Bulletin boards decorated with M&M’s and Skittles hang next to Dory and Nemo. What looks like a childhood dreamland belies the late-night labor of the resident assistants who arrive on the campus early to transform dingy dorm floors into inviting, themed environments for students to call home.

The university requires RAs to complete “pre-service training” before the other residents move in. In past years, training was 11 days long — nine days of workshops, roleplay situations and inclass lessons with no obligations on the weekend. This year, due to budget constraints, training was cut to seven days, but those who participated said that amount of time was sufficient.

“Before they shortened the classes, I felt like there was too much talk and not enough info,” said junior government and politics major Neil Costello, a return-

ing RA in Centreville Hall. “This year, I feel like there was a lot more valuable information, especially for new RAs. It was a good refresher for the returning ones.”

Many of the training sessions were cut in half, salvaging only the necessary lessons, said Resident Life Assistant Director Tosh Patterson.

“We shaved it down so they got the essential pieces of that topic but didn’t miss out on anything. We have an RA training committee that consists of [resident directors] who look critically at the training schedule and try to create a training schedule that will serve our needs.”

Although the training schedule has been shortened, Patterson said the RAs have not been deprived of any essential knowledge or preparation.

“They still learn how to respond to different emergency situations, how to deal with different conflicts between roommates, and they get some training from the Help Center on mental health awareness,” Patterson said. “They learn a tremendous amount of information that will not only give them the skill set to deal

with certain situations but also give them the skill set to learn how to build community with their residents.”

Some elements of training were removed altogether, while others were reformatted into online courses the RAs had to complete during the nine-day period. They also completed a 3-credit general RA training class in the spring semester. Officials said the new training procedure should be enough to prepare RAs for their responsibilities.

“I think for students or residents in the halls, it won’t be noticeable that we cut two days of training,” Patterson said. “I think the impact on RAs, especially for returning RAs, will be positive because it forced us to boil down sessions.”

Costello said the shorter sessions did leave him feeling a little overwhelmed.

“For me, there are pros and cons to the shorter training times,” he said. “It’s bad because there’s a stronger demand for performance — I had many sleepless nights, so it really takes a toll. It was good because there weren’t as many days that we had to be here working hard.”

MONDAY, AUGUST 30, 2010 | NEWS | THE DIAMONDBACK

3A

Opposing D.C. rallies ignite activist spirit, but student involvement limited

BY MELISSA QUIJADA Staff writer

It was a tale of two rallies.

Fox News Channel host Glenn Beck and conservative heroine Sarah Palin spoke Saturday on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial to thousands of tea-party supporters in the name of upholding traditional Christian values.

Meanwhile, the Rev. Al Sharpton led political and humanrights activists in a march from Dunbar High School in Northwest Washington — the nation’s first black high school — to the in-progress Martin Luther King Jr. memorial. King gave his “I Have a Dream” speech 47 years ago Saturday.

And while throngs of students flooded the dorms during movein, a few opted to ditch the cam-

pus to join the crowds filling the streets of Washington.

Early Saturday morning, two Black Student Union officials left College Park to follow Sharpton’s marchers. Sophomores Nzinga Shury, a communication major, and Kayla Johnson, a chemistry major, encountered tea-party supporters as they walked among protesters in Sharpton’s much smaller event, called “Reclaiming the Dream.”

“I felt very uplifted. It was a great experience to be a part of,” Shury said. “There was such a positive aura. I feel inspired to go out and ‘reclaim the dream.’”

Elsewhere in the District, College Republicans President Sarah Martin stood listening to Beck, Palin and King’s niece, Alveda King.

“Instead of it being a ‘tea-party

protest,’ it was simply a gathering of people who are both disappointed in our current situation but hopeful in our future,” said Martin, a junior communication major.

But few other undergraduates kept them company — a fact this university’s NAACP chapter President Malcolm Whitfield blamed not just on the events coinciding with fall move-in but also on this university’s culture.

“If we say Jay-Z is going to Stamp [Student Union], with one week to plan, 800 people will come,” he said. “If we have a protest six months from now, I doubt that number will come out. ... We wait too long.”

Whitfield said he did not know anyone from his chapter who attended the Sharpton march,

Marchers with the Rev. Al Sharpton walk to the Martin Luther King memorial site Saturday.

Conservatives Glenn Beck and Sarah Palin spoke at another rally. MATTHEW CREGER/THE DIAMONDBACK

and he was too busy with movein to attend.

“There’s not much of a need in many people’s minds for advancement anymore, unfortunately,” he said.

Former Community Roots coPresident Kelechi Agbakwuru said a few students from Community Roots, an activist group that aims to unite ethnic groups at the university, tried to gather members to travel together to Sharpton’s rally, but plans never materialized.

Jazz Lewis, Community Roots’

MULTIMEDIA View an audio slideshow of the “Reclaiming the Dream” march on diamondbackonline.com. other former president, said he wanted to go Saturday to interview tea-party supporters on video but could not attend because of a scheduling conflict.

The students at both rallies said the day’s events inspired them to become more civically engaged and bring that energy back to the university.

“Today, more than fun, it was about creating a spirit of community,” Martin said. “Beck really stressed the importance of looking toward each other and to a higher power to find meaning in our lives, rather than the government.” quijada@umdbk.com

4A

THE DIAMONDBACK | MONDAY, AUGUST 30, 2010

Opinion

THE DIAMONDBACK

MARISSA LANG 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 NEWS@UMDBK .COM | OPINION@UMDBK .COM

KATE RAFTERY

ANN SUN

MANAGING EDITOR

DEPUTY MANAGING EDITOR

JUSTIN SNOW

KEVIN TERVALA

OPINION EDITOR

OPINION EDITOR

Staff editorial

From the Editor

Level with us, Loh W

hen university President Dan Mote leaves the Main Administration those who desire to speak with him, from Student Government Association PresiBuilding tomorrow at the end of the business day, he will be just dent Steve Glickman to student journalists from this newspaper. As university presianother engineering professor. His 12-year tenure in the most pow- dent, maintaining a high level of accessibility to students will go a long way.

The key to succeeding with students is recognizing what matters to them. It’s nice erful position at this university will have ended, but the effect he has had on the university and its culture will remain. And as his successor, Wallace to see the university president wearing a Maryland polo shirt and doling out high Loh, visits the campus throughout this semester, readying himself to take the fives at basketball games, but that doesn’t amount to much in the long run. What reins Nov. 1, all we can do is wait and see and guess what sort of impact he will matters is recognizing students’ priorities and recognizing that if there’s anything that drives college students crazy, it’s when administrators have on this university. speak to them like children. Students want to be leveled Under Mote’s leadership, the university went from being a with, and much too often during Mote’s tenure the adminis“safety school” to a top-tier research university. With Mote at tration spoke down to students or glossed over issues. the helm, fundraising skyrocketed. But although Mote has University President Loh That said, Mote did begin to make significant strides in no doubt pushed this university toward the kind of excellence should make communicating the past year. The Budget Central website, which was he has alluded to in countless speeches, he is not without with students a cornerstone launched after a student suggested it during a lunch at flaws. Where Mote performed most poorly year after year, Adele’s, gives a basic outline of cuts in an easy-to-underclass after class, was in simply communicating with students. of his administration. stand format. And Mote’s “fireside chats” showed a commitHis promises to shake every student’s hand and to lunch at Adele’s in Stamp Student Union with any student who requested it were a good ment to communicating with students about serious issues.

This amenability toward talking to students and making the university more transstart. But relating with students isn’t just about chitchat over steak and potatoes. It parent and navigable could serve Loh well. And despite the warm welcome our new has to do with a willingness to talk as well as listen.

Loh, who will not take the helm of the state’s flagship university until late fall, president gave to hoards of freshmen and North Campus residents this weekend, it’s has a long way to go to prove that he is any better at engaging or communicating hard to say whether he will take these connections to heart and make students a priwith the student body, but he has already taken steps to make his presence known ority. When he does finally sit in the president’s chair, he may not remember what it was like to stand in the cramped hallways of LaPlata Hall during move-in. He runs the across the campus.

This past weekend, Loh, who still resides in Iowa, toured LaPlata Hall and the risk of insulating himself with vice presidents and aides, like Mote did far too often.

But for now, all the student body can do is sit and wait. Loh has given us reason to North Campus Diner with Gov. Martin O’Malley during move-in. And the day before, he welcomed freshmen to the university with a speech at Comcast Center be optimistic about his future willingness to connect with students. Hopefully, he that seemed to resonate with many who heard it. He has made himself accessible to won’t let us down.

imbibed basilisk venom and was able to destroy a Horcrux.”

11. “If I sneakily change the thermostat while my roommate is in the bathroom, he or she will never notice, even as frostbite begins to develop on his or her left pinky finger.”

12. “If I leave that full trash bag long enough, it will become its own organism, grow legs and walk to the trash chute by itself.”

You’ll have many roommates over the years: the good, the bad, the ugly and the hideous. The most important thing to learn is that you are always right and should never compromise.

Also, if you only borrow one of their belongings weekly, they’ll probably never notice. It’s almost like you never took anything at all. Enjoy!

Bethany Wynn is a senior sociology major. She can be reached at wynn@umdbk.com.

Marissa Lang is editor in chief of The Diamondback. She can be reached at mlang@umdbk.com.

Editorial cartoon: Ian McDermott

College Park: A stream of unconsciousness

T

CHRISTOPHER

HAXEL

streetlights, hoping to pick off the stray drunk girl. They are a pride of lions hunting for that lonely gazelle, separated from her pack of oblivious friends. Fear the 2 a.m. phalanx of red, white and blue lights slowly encroaching on your night of debauchery. Don’t dance after a Duke loss; you might lose some teeth — or worse. Be careful what you do in front of the cameras; it will all be caught on video. Or not. Maybe University Police will accidentally erase the evidence of Prince George’s County Police beating the shit out of you. Protect and serve.

Feel the bass from Cornerstone Grill and Loft. Collipark, Bubba Sparxxx! Booty, booty, booty, rockin’ ever ywhere. He’s talking about Atlanta, you know. WHAT?! The music is too loud to care what major he is or where she’s from. That’s the point, so you drink more. Buy those drinks, but tip your bartender. Quid pro quo. Didn’t go to private school?

It’s Latin: Google it with your iPhone while you wait in line. Be sure to take some self-pics and tag them on the spot — you are so going to black out tonight.

Taste the booze, and smell the drunk food. Grease drips off pizza by the slice, like hair gel off the sweaty Jersey bros. Ratsie’s is closer, but you can see Vito’s ego from here — his publicist makes sure of that. Eat some kung pao chicken. You can’t taste it during the day either. Everyone is drunk. It’s college! Not 21? No wor-

ries, this plastic rectangle says you are. Now you must drink your age.

Hey broski, two Heinekens. Jagerbombs? I shower in that shit.

Play spot the townie. Find the football player. Where are the out-of-town kids who came to party at a real school?

You are living in Texts From Last Night — stupid hilarity, drunk on debit card happy hour and Edward Fortyhands, free from the judgmental eyes of your parents and high-school friends. They don’t know the college you.

This is my college. There are many like it, but this one is mine. College is my best friend. It is my life. I must master it as I must master my life. My college, without me, is useless. Without my college, I am useless. School is now in session. Welcome.

Christopher Haxel is a junior English major. He can be reached at haxel@umdbk.com.

Roommates: Decoding the code

R

oute 1 is now a hellhole, so I’m going to assume you’re all moved in to your various College Park residences. If you’re living here, you’re either safely ensconced in South Campus Commons; paying $1,000 a month; paying a reasonable price to live in a place akin to the depths of hell; giving your house mom the evil eye on Fraternity Row; or sweating bullets in your dorm room. The only thing that could possibly make your experience better is the soon-to-befelt love/hate relationship you’re likely to have with your brand-spanking-new roommate(s).

To celebrate past years of livingarrangement torture and to prepare you for impending doom, I’ve compiled a list of “Beliefs Your Roommate(s) Will Most Likely Hold.” If you live in a dorm, hardly any of these will apply to you, but some professors give

freshmen pop quizzes on The Diamondback the first day of classes, so you should probably read anyway.

1. “Dirty dishes belong on my desk and should be hoarded in my room.”

2. “Hold on, I just showered” means “Please come in, I am naked for your viewing pleasure.”

3. “The best time to have a techno Miley Cyrus dance party is 3 a.m. on a Wednesday.”

4. “If I use soap on myself when I’m in the shower, that’s practically like cleaning the shower itself.”

5. “If I don’t remember eating my roommate’s food when I was drunk, it didn’t happen.”

6. “Keeping the TV on when I leave is a fun way to eventually inform my sleeping or studying roommate of whether the man on Maury is, in fact, that baby’s daddy.”

7. “It’s so nice how the dishwasher fills, runs and empties itself.”

BETHANY WYNN 8. “I probably shouldn’t bother closing this closet or cabinet door. Ever. In fact, we should probably just remove the door from its hinges because it clearly has no purpose and was attached to this closet or cabinet in some freak accident of apartment construction.”

9. “Dying in a blazing inferno is totally worth passive-aggressively ignoring the beeping fire alarm and not contacting maintenance because my roommate should do it.”

10. “Any cooking mess I leave on the kitchen counter will be imbibed into its material and only make it stronger, just like Gryffindor’s sword

N

othing says “welcome back to College Park” quite like a gun in your face.

Working for The Diamondback for the past three years, I have seen my fair share of College Park crime: Last semester, 10 crime alerts were sent out to the university community. Ten more alerts were sent out this summer. Since 2005, burglaries in Prince George’s County have increased by 2 percent.

Most days, an armed robbery would hardly cause me to bat an eye. But Thursday night, I became a victim of an armed robbery. And when the gun is pointed at you, everything changes.

What no one ever tells you is that when you get mugged, you don’t have time to think — just to act. Everything is over in a matter of seconds.

As I struggled to pull my purse away from my attacker Thursday night, I realized the space between student and crime victim and the space between reporter and subject are closer — much closer — than I had ever realized.

In the flurry of activity that followed, I was, more than once, on the other side of the notebook, being interviewed rather than doing the interviewing. And as I recounted the story to police, to detectives and then finally to a Diamondback reporter, I realized that without a student newspaper, no one would know what had happened Thursday night. This time it was me, but it could have been anyone.

The role of a newspaper has always been to serve, protect and inform its community. If stories like mine were kept under wraps, students would never know where crimes are happening or what police are doing to keep students safe.

Shedding light on stories that may otherwise go untold and giving voice to those that may otherwise be sidelined or overlooked is the ultimate goal of any news organization.

And for the past 100 years, The Diamondback has attempted to do just that.

However, in recent years, news outlets across the country have struggled to continue in this mission.

A slumping economy and the industry’s failure to capitalize on new technologies have made it difficult to continue to do the kind of work their communities deserve. Entire newspapers have shut down. Many that survive are merely a shadow of their former selves.

The Diamondback is not immune to these hardships. Over the last three years, our circulation has dropped from 17,000 to 14,000 and our staff has taken pay cuts. But our dedication to being the kind of custodian this community should have has not diminished in the least.

This year, we will continue to push your newspaper to be the very best it can be. And like many newspapers, we have realized the way to do this is to bring you the news you can’t get anywhere else — hyperlocal news about this university and the city that surrounds it.

The Diamondback will continue to emphasize our print edition, while also expanding our online presence to ensure that when news happens, you won’t have to wait for the newspaper to come out to read about it.

We have also begun to refocus the news blog, Campus Drive. Rather than serving as an aggregator for national and higher-education news, reporters will blog about what they’ve learned and experienced in their pursuit of news that matters to this community.

In our Diversions section, readers can continue to expect the latest on albums and movies but will be presented with stories about on-campus arts events, community-based bands and other stories that hit closer to home.

This is just the beginning of all we’re doing this year to improve. But if at any time, for any reason, you should feel we are not doing the kind of job you want to see from your newspaper, e-mail, call or stop by (see the top of this page for all of our contact information).

Remember: This newspaper belongs to you, not us. And now, having been on both sides of the newsfence, I know I want a newspaper that serves me, as a student and a member of this community. It’s my job to ensure we do just that.

Our View

he intersection of Knox Road and Route 1 is my favorite place in the world. Every year it’s different: new places, faces, smells and sounds.

Santa Fe Cafe is gone, but Street Tacos — what?! How late is it open?

Never mind, let’s go to R.J. Bentley’s!

Look at the girls, with their sundrenched skin and gladiator sandals.

Are you not entertained? Look closer.

Their strange flowery scents tumble behind them, flowing through the tepid night with the unpredictable grace of a side-street tributary. Later, they walk, heels in hand, with their dance-swollen toes warmed by the radiant heat of the sidewalk.

This is a dangerous place. Children in varying degrees of sobriety dart across the road, dodging traffic; the median offers a brief respite from this real-life game of late-night Frogger.

Old Spiced boys strut under the

MARISSA LANG

POLICY: Signed letters, columns and cartoons represent 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.

MONDAY, AUGUST 30, 2010 | THE DIAMONDBACK

5A

Best of the summer

— WMATA spokesman Reggie Woodruff in reference to the closure of Campus Drive.

Aug. 19 | The Diamondback

T

his is a very exciting time to be a student at this university.

If you are a new student, I congratulate you on choosing a college education as your pathway to success. Choosing this university is the first step toward maximizing that opportunity. Now, brace yourself for a challenging, exhilarating and rewarding experience. Make the most of it! Your class is the brightest and most talented in our history.

If you are a returning student, welcome back. Much has happened since you left in May. Wallace Loh will officially take the helm as our new president Nov. 1. During the next few months, Loh and his wife Barbara will be visiting with faculty, staff, students, parents and university friends as they acclimate themselves to the university.

When you see them, take a few moments to give them a big Maryland welcome.

We are very excited to have successfully attracted 75 new teaching and research faculty. Together they represent a wide and very diverse range of backgrounds, experiences and thought that will enhance our intellectual community.

Last fall, we introduced our new Honors College, attracting a new cadre of smart and inquisitive students. This past spring, we piloted a suite of new “I”-Series courses, which will become the signature component of our new general education program.

This fall you will begin to see the visible results of our marketing and communications initiative on television, radio, the web and in print throughout the community. The messages are strong and consistent, and the visuals are compelling.

We hope you agree they capture our renowned Terrapin spirit.

I urge you to become involved in an activity that suits you. Challenge yourself to do something outsidethe-box. The in-class experience is only as good as its out-of-class complement. There are many programs and initiatives to explore — both on the campus and in the community.

Finally, let’s take an opportunity to say thank you to former university President Dan Mote and his wife Patsy. With Mrs. Mote’s active support and dedication, President Mote’s vision and unwavering pursuit of excellence has become a legacy that has not only raised our image of who we are as a university but has also led us to national and international prominence.

Study hard. Get involved. Keep your options open. Make a plan to graduate on time, and revisit it each semester. Take advantage of the myriad opportunities and resources here for you. Use your intellect and adventurous spirit to create the experiences you will enjoy for the rest of your lives. Make an impact.

Go Terps!

— Wallace Loh, newly appointed university president.

Aug. 19 | The Diamondback

—University Police Chief David Mitchell in reference to gifts of Red Bull given to officers during a traffic stop.

Aug. 5 | The Diamondback

Glenn Beck: A whole lot of crazy

From the President

Welcome back

“It was destroyed.”

“It’s time to launch the space capsule.

The Wallace Loh capsule.”

“It worked out, I guess.”

G

lenn Beck and his renegade of sheepish followers descended on Washington this weekend.

They brought with them pomp and parade, bagpipes, ministers, tears, anger, Sarah Palin and righteousness. And the crowd of predominantly white Americans in attendance ate it up.

The “Restoring Honor” rally took place at the foot of the Lincoln Memorial, “two flights down,” as Beck described it, from the ver y spot Martin Luther King Jr. delivered his “I have a dream” speech 47 year ago to the day. Needless to say this little “coincidence” was a jab in the eye to anyone with even the slightest understanding of the civil rights movement. After all, it was King who argued for the same strong central government that Beck so furiously campaigns against. And if that isn’t ironic enough, glowering down on Beck and his comrades was the statue of the man who lost his life for the preser vation of the federal government.

Yet for an event organized by the man at the forefront of the tea party movement, it was a surprisingly nonpolitical affair. Although tea partiers were asked to leave their guns and infamous Barack-is-a-Shaman signs at

JUSTIN SNOW home, the rally’s implications were clear: It’s time for real, red-blooded, Christian Americans to start a revolution with God on their side.

Beck’s evening broadcast on the Fox News Channel looks more like the Histor y Channel, with its use of Nazi rally footage and portraits of the Founding Fathers. But Beck’s conspiratorial arguments and general lack of tact are more on par with Oliver Stone than any of this nation’s founders.

Lest we forget, it was Beck who labeled President Barack Obama a “racist” with a “deep-seated hatred of white people.” It was also Beck who mapped out a conspiracy of liberals consisting of Obama, Al Gore, George Soros, Goldman Sachs and ACORN, among others. And on the cover of his 2009 book, Arguing with Idiots, Beck donned what appears to be a dictator-esque militar y uniform while standing in front of a red background, evoking images of — you guessed it — Nazi Germany. He

labeled Republican former President Theodore Roosevelt a socialist and tagged progressivism — the movement which brought you “separate is not equal,” food and water regulations, public schools, child labor laws and women’s suffrage — a “disease.”

Beck is the ultimate cult personality.

He may have tried to channel King as he stood at the foot of the Lincoln Memorial, but instead he channeled a far different charismatic leader from the same era: George Wallace, the former governor of Alabama and 1968 independent presidential candidate who made a career on state’s rights and segregation.

Beck is a strange cat. He cries. A lot. He has suffered from substance abuse, claims to carr y a handgun when he goes to the movies, is a Mormon but an icon for evangelical Christians and acts more like a revivalist preacher than a broadcaster. There’s an old saying that fascism would arrive in America carr ying a cross and wrapped in a flag, and this may have been just what it was talking about.

King had a dream, but Beck has a nightmare. Let’s hope we wake up.

Justin Snow is a senior history major. He can be reached at snow@umdbk.com.

at issue What do you think of new university President Loh?

“ “

Chase Miller Freshman Aerospace Engineering

Melissa Frohna Sophomore Environmental Science and Policy

He sounds like he’s really qualified. But he moves around a lot. Is he maybe an interim president?”

I have no opinion whatsoever. It really doesn’t matter.”

Travis Pryor Junior Music Performance

“ “

I don’t know that much about him.”

He’s a pretty cool guy. I didn’t have high expectations, but it seems like he knows what he’s doing.”

Molly Brune Sophomore Government and Politics

Nariman Farvardin is the university provost and interim university president. He can be reached at president@umd.edu.

Meh: A reflection on our society

The Editorial Board Staff editorials are the work of the editorial staff: Marissa Lang, editor in chief, is a senior journalism and government and politics major. She has worked as a reporter, assistant news editor and news editor for The Diamondback.

Kate Raftery, managing editor, is a senior journalism major. She has worked as a copy editor, copy desk chief and an assistant managing editor for The Diamondback.

Ann Sun, deputy managing editor, is a senior chemical engineering and mathematics major.

She has worked as a copy editor and an assistant managing editor for The Diamondback.

Justin Snow, opinion editor, is a senior history major. He has worked as a reporter and columnist for The Diamondback, and this is his second year co-editing the opinion page.

Kevin Tervala, opinion editor, is a senior art history and history major. Prior to joining The Diamondback, he served two terms as a university senator, including one as chairman of the Student Affairs Committee. He has also served as an SGA legislator.

A

merica is slowly becoming a more pitying, more sympathetic society. Many public school systems have now abolished the use of the letter “F” in assigning grades, believing that directly informing kids of their failure is too harsh. Children are now even rewarded for some of the most basic requirements of public education, such as perfect attendance. In this cultural climate, it therefore came as no surprise to me when rumors spread about adding a “Meh” button to Facebook.

Conversations about a “Meh” button began in response to discussions that arose after the creation of the “Like” button in April 2010. Users wanted an opposing button that allowed them to express their dissatisfaction at content posted by friends.

While a “Dislike” option never materialized, a third party developer did create a “Meh” button that is available for download.

I was initially skeptical about this button, believing it would augment the soft mindset many Americans had grown accustomed to. However, before jumping to conclusions, I thought I should first research exactly what the word “meh” means.

I went to my go-to source for vocabular y lessons, www.dictionary.com. I

DEKUNLE SOMADE mean, if it’s going to be a new button on Facebook’s 500 million-user network, it should at least be in the dictionar y, right? Luckily, it was. Dictionar y.com defined the word as “an expression of indifference or boredom.” However, it was listed as slang.

What I found even more interesting was the word’s origins as a term frequently used by Simpsons character Bart Simpson to express his indecisiveness about issues he faces.

WTF! Am I the only one even a slight bit perturbed by this? You may think I am overreacting at such a trivial matter, but when you take a deeper look at the sociological implications of what a “Meh” button may hold, you’ll be thankful I’m informing you of this injustice before it gets too far. Soon, we’ll be giving awards to kids in athletic competitions for just finishing a race or for coming in second. Wait, that already happens. How can we advance in a society where those who do not meet standards set by leaders are not held accountable?

Where is the motivation to excel when society has told you it’s perfectly fine to be mediocre?

Do you think countries such as China, our competition in practically ever y conceivable industr y, are telling their youth “Yes, we are content with you placing second” and “By the way, here is a giant sculpture of you to show our gratitude”? No! Countries that are now kicking our tails in essentially ever y market strive only for excellence. If you don’t believe that, check the tag on the pants you’re wearing while reading this article. Yes, I know they’re made in China. They’re kicking our butts and then handing us clothes to soften the impact.

Our satisfaction with mediocrity in this, the most powerful countr y in the world, needs to stop. And it starts with my adamant disapproval of this “Meh” button. But if for some odd reason you disagree with the opinions voiced in this column or find it lacking, you can “Meh” me on my Facebook page, for all it’s worth, and I’ll take that as a compliment because for my entire life that’s what I’ve been conditioned to do.

Dekunle Somade is a senior finance major. He can be reached at somade@umdbk.com.

Time for a voting makeover GREG NASIF This is the first part of a two-part column.

A

welcome back column?

No. How about politics?

Forever bitter about the backhanded deal that cost him his first bid for the presidency, Andrew Jackson originally called for the abolition of the Electoral College in his first annual address to Congress in 1829. He declared that the president was the direct representative of the American people and therefore must be handpicked by a majority of the people. More than 150 years after his death, we continue this peculiar method of choosing a leader, but there’s hope this practice will change.

My home state of Massachusetts recently joined Maryland, New Jersey, Illinois, Washington and Hawaii in the National Popular Vote interstate compact, an agreement among participating states to pledge their electoral votes to the winner of the national popular vote for president, effectively neutering the Electoral College. The compact takes effect when the combined electoral vote total of participating states reaches 270 — the minimum needed for a presidential candidate to claim victory.

Change is slow, but it is desperately needed. The Electoral College is the root of most of our country’s major problems and the reason most of you don’t vote. The United States’ survival may depend on its overhaul.

The Electoral College is touted by its few remaining supporters (23 percent of Americans, according to a 2007 national poll) as a safeguard for the voices of rural citizens. They say a direct national popular vote would shift a disproportionate amount of power to urban centers. Supporters of the Electoral College want to preserve what they believe is equality among states. This is based on the outmoded idea that states, rather than the people, should be choosing our president, an idea that should have died in 1787. Power should not be redistributed among states; it should be equal among citizens, and the only way to assure this equality is with a popular vote.

In modern elections, a citizen of the second most populous state, Texas, is screwed. A Texan’s power in a presidential election is roughly 1/730,000 of one electoral vote, the most underhanded in the nation in 2008. A citizen in Wyoming has, astoundingly, four times that, with roughly 1/181,000 of an electoral vote. However, I’m sure the farming families of rural north Texas are satisfied with a system designed to protect them. This is all in theoretical power anyway. Since the electoral results of both states are so predictable, their voters are screwed in reality.

Ever felt like your vote is useless?

Wonder why you’ve never seen a major general election campaign rally in College Park? Yes, when it comes to an actual presidential election, all of the decision-making power is funneled to swing states, namely Ohio, Pennsylvania and Florida, draining the majority of candidates’ time and money. The power is so concentrated that close elections virtually come down to handfuls of people — in 2000, George W. Bush controversially carried Florida by 537 recorded votes. Consider that number. It’s practically the population of Elkton Hall. Ask yourself: Would you want Elkton Hall deciding who our next president will be?

This is all old news. Next time, I’ll detail how the Electoral College is destroying America.

Greg Nasif is a junior history major.

He can be reached at nasif@umdbk.com.

CARTOONISTS WANTED The Diamondback is currently seeking paid editorial cartoonists for the 2010-2011 school year. If you are interested in applying, please e-mail opinion@umdbk.com to request an application.

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THE DIAMONDBACK | NEWS | MONDAY, AUGUST 30, 2010

New DOTS system poses problems License plate recognition system replaces hanging permits but creates different issues for officials

BY ALICIA MCCAR TY Staf f writer

After several delays, Ledo Restaurant opened its doors Aug. 27.

JACLYN BOROWSKI/THE DIAMONDBACK

City eateries face rapid turnover Newly-opened businesses struggle to avoid common problems that plague many newcomer restaurants

BY AMANDA PINO Staff writer

The owners of the Ledo Restaurant pizzeria that opened Friday in downtown College Park have said they expect to be in place for the next 50 years. A new restaurant around the block didn’t last 50 days.

Ledo and Living Well Café are two of several businesses that have come and, in some cases, gone, over the summer.

Bars Santa Fe Cafe and The Mark shut their doors May 23; the Street Tacos restaurant opened downtown; Every Wing’s Good replaced Wing Zone in the Campus Village shopping center; and a Best Buy is scheduled to open Sept. 10 between Shoppers Food Warehouse and the Home Depot on Cherry Hill Road.

Some of the openings have hit a few snags. Ledo, for instance, was supposed to open in July, then early August and then Aug. 23 before it finally accepted patrons Friday. Managers attributed the delay to permit holdups.

Ledo had shut down its 55-year home in nearby Adelphi last month to move closer to the university, selecting a spot in the ground-floor retail space of the

city’s Knox Road parking garage.

On its first day, Ledo’s menu was limited to its traditional square-cut pizza, and when the restaurant was packed to its full capacity of 187 on Saturday, it took up to an hour for patrons to receive their food, managers and patrons said.

Adjusting to the new space will likely stymie employees’ efficiency for at least the next couple of weeks, general manager Bruce Blum said, but they were able to prepare 300 pizzas for take-out alone Saturday.

Yesterday, Ledo didn’t open until 3 p.m., though its regular hours are supposed to be 11 a.m. to midnight daily.

The issues Ledo encountered didn’t compare to some other establishments’ woes.

Living Well Café owner Roman Seyoum opened her smoothie, coffee, sandwich, Ethiopian and Caribbean restaurant in July, changed the café’s name to Geltopia, flirted with adding more ethnic cuisine and never really reopened for business.

Seyoum said another restaurateur had taken over her lease at the former Simply Jerk Chicken location across from the College Park Shopping Center on Route

1. Seyoum said she is now looking into a larger space further south on Route 1, managed by a different landlord, but wouldn’t say what prompted her to move.

Street Tacos, which took over the former Chicken Rico space on Route 1, was serving up burritos, tacos and other Mexican food to a line that was stretching out the door yesterday.

“It’s good,” sophomore letters and sciences major Brent Ascher said. “I’ve come here four times in the past week.”

Owner Troy Thorpe said he hopes the restaurant will remain popular as a more authentic alternative to Chipotle but that he’ll likely need to change its hours, which are currently 7 a.m. to 10 p.m., because sales of breakfast burritos have been slow early in the morning.

Street Tacos and Ledo are also considering longer weekend hours if they sense a strong demand, managers said.

Other retail space in the College Park area that’s still available includes the Santa Fe site on Knox Road and the ground floors of newly built apartment buildings. apino@umdbk.com

Students who tried to access their parking permit information on the DOTS website Thursday morning appeared to be logged on as another student: A department employee who had forgotten to take down the personal information he posted as a test, officials said.

David Wallace’s name and university ID number were posted on the site, and it appeared that students had the option to add or remove cars from his permit account.

Wallace, a senior computer science major, said he was not concerned and no one could have actually interfered with his account.

But this may not be the last issue the Department of Transportation Services will face as it rolls out a new Campus License Plate Recognition system to replace physical parking permits this semester, DOTS officials and University Police said.

The new system, which went live today, will use GPS technology and a license plate scanner to check whether vehicles are parked at the right place on the campus. By no longer issuing plastic hang-tags for vehicles, the department is saving an estimated $60,000 a year, according to DOTS Director David Allen.

Despite Thursday’s information leak, Assistant to the Director Beverly Malone said the transition to the new system has not been problematic.

“It’s really been going ver y smoothly,” Malone said, adding DOTS has been working closely with the Office of

The Department of Transportation Services has switched to a license plate scanning system instead of using traditional parking permits. FILE PHOTO/THE DIAMONDBACK

Information Technology to backup information and troubleshoot possible issues with the new system.

Although Malone said there have been no widespread problems, some small issues with the registrations have already occurred, and she said the possibility for larger problems still exists.

“Any time you have a new program, you have glitches,” she said.

Police said the new registration system is also affecting how they check vehicles entering the campus between 10 p.m. and 3 a.m.

When DOTS used hanging permits, any vehicle with a university parking tag hanging from its rear view mirror was waved through checkpoints, saving time and reducing congestion.

Now, because vehicles no longer bear any visual indication they are registered to a student, ever yone entering the campus in a vehicle will have to show identification, said Lt. Jeff Killion, who oversees the checkpoint procedures.

Police auxiliary workers will not take down license plate information for students who present their university ID cards but will check that

the photo matches either the driver or one of the passengers in the car, Killion said.

Police will continue to log the license plate numbers of drivers who present another form of ID, he added.

This change comes after DOTS and police decided against issuing permit stickers to be placed on their vehicles to let them cruise through the checkpoints, an idea Killion said wasn’t secure enough.

“The problem with [the stickers] was that they were unaccountable, un-serialized,” Killion said.

Although Killion does not expect the new gate procedure to cause traffic on the campus, he said students should consider entering at one of the three other gates besides the main Campus Drive entrance off Route 1.

There are two gates off University Boulevard — at Paint Branch Drive to Comcast Center, and at Stadium Drive. Students can also enter the campus from Route 1 south of the main entrance at Regents Drive.

“They are always a better option than the main gate,” Killion said. mccarty@umdbk.com

----------------

Classified CALL

CLASSIFIED DISPLAY ADS

RATES

• Larger Type • Sold In 1” Increments • One Column Wide • $33.00 Per Column Inch

35¢ per word $3.50 minimum ALL CAPITAL LETTERS........35¢ extra per word Bold letters..............................70¢ extra per word vmA All ads must be prepaid

OFFICE HOURS

DEADLINES

9:30AM – 4:30PM Monday – Friday 3136 South Campus Dining Hall

The deadline for all ads is 2PM, two business days in advance of publication.

SPECIAL Run the same classified or classified display ad 4 consecutive days and get 5th day FREE!

DIAMONDBACKONLINE.COM All Classifieds & Classified Display ads will run online at no additional charge.

301-314-8000 TO PLACE YOUR AD, OR BY EMAIL: ADVERTISING@DBK.UMD.EDU

BY FAX: 301-314-8358

EMPLOYMENT

EMPLOYMENT

EMPLOYMENT

EMPLOYMENT

CHILD CARE

Bartending! $250/day potential. No experience necessary.

Training provided.

1-800-965-6520 x116.

The Holiday Inn College Park

Part-time Position, $10/hour

Office Assistant

Accounting office of prestigious local law firm has position for individual to work 15 hours a week. Located close to campus, flexible hours (schedule around classes). Great experience for accounting or business major. Contact Gail Romine at gromine@jgllaw.com.

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.

AFTERSCHOOL CHILDCARE. 4 days per week (flexible) 4:15-6:30ish. 2 girls, ages 9 and 11. In Laurel, 15 minutes from campus.

Help with homework, meal preparation, and transportation to afterschool activities. $12/hr. Contact Leah at leahmontesano@ yahoo.com.

REDSKINS STADIUM LOOKING FOR VENDORS for Redskins games and two college games. Great part time job. Call Erik at 301-370-9998.

BABYSITTER NEEDED WED. 3-6 Silver Spring family looking for reliable, fun babysitter, pref. w/car. 2 kids, 8 and 10.

Good driving record needed. Duties incl. pickup from bus stop and help w/homework. horocha@msn.com 301-588-6078

OFFICE ASSISTANT P/T Bethesda CPA firm needs office assistants 2 afternoons per week.

Must have office experience, prefer accounting student. $15/hour.

Year-round position. Send resume to ercpalaw@aol.com.

Tutor/Driver/Dog Walker 12 year old son w/ADD and dyslexia needs ride after school few days a week and help w/homework. Easygoing, no behavior problems. Flexible hours. Metro accessible.

Need someone patient, organized, dependable. Please contact JNTDXN@gmail.com.

HELP WANTED- $8.50/HR- UM STUDENTS ONLY. The University of Maryland’s Surplus Property Operation (TERRAPIN TRADER) has openings for warehouse & delivery personnel. Hours of operation are 7:30 am - 4:30 pm. For more information, call Mike Painter at 301-405-5008/ 5267 or stop by the Terrapin Trader located in the Physical Distribution Center, Bldg. #383 on Paint Branch Parkway near the College Park Metro Station. “NO WHINERS ALLOWED”.

Need ASAP a Web designer experienced with “DREAMWEAVER.” Please email Carolyn at buyandsellexpert@gmail.com with your recent experience and availability to meet so we can get started on this project.

Compensation is $15 per hour.

Part Time WORK Excellent Pay * Flexible schedules * Evenings and weekends avail. * Customer sales/service * No experience necessary * All majors welcome All ages 18+, conditions apply

CALL 301-545-1750 www.workforstudents.com

Experienced & Beginning Autism Therapist Maryland State Autism Waiver funded program for behavior therapists under direction of the Center for Autism & Related Disorders. Seeking experienced therapists & individuals to be trained in behavior modification techniques. Successful candidates work 6-10 hrs./wk. as part of a 12 yr. old program located approx. 5 miles from campus. Session available late afternoons M-F, Sat. & Sun. AM/PM, Wed. 1-4 pm.

Call 301-588-6271.

Hiring for: Servers am/pm, Room Service Bus Person am, and Restaurant Supervisor. Candidates must have experience, also be available to work flexible hours and weekends. Applications are available at the Front Desk. You could also fax your resume to 301-441-2471.

CUSTOMER RELATIONS REP.

Holiday Inn College Park

Great Pay, Flexible Hours!

10000 Baltimore Ave. College Park, MD 20740

Near Bethesda Metro. $13/hour. PT or FT. Email resume: bethesdafinancialfirm@gmail.com.

No Phone Calls Please! Thank you.

Coach/Teacher Afternoons (3 pm-9 pm) and Saturdays (9-2)

Silver Stars Gymnastics is hiring for 2010/2011 school year. Experience in gymnastics or dance preferred. Metro access.

E-mail: ssgoffice@gosilverstars.com.

Laboratory Safety Assistant The Department of Environmental Safety is seeking a part-time student employee. Duties include inspecting laboratory fume hoods, making/posting lab warning signs, maintaining computer databases (MS Office software), and other tasks as assigned. Laboratory experience desired (academic or employed). Valid driver’s license with fewer than 6 points is required.

Contact Chris Benas at 301-405-3980 or email cbenas@umd.edu.

PAID INTERNSHIP POTOMAC INVESTMENTS wanted: aggressive, outgoing go-getter to work alongside senior VP, Ed Alzona.

202-861-7773

LEGAL ASSISTANT Part Time Near Silver Spring Metro HIGHLY RATED veteran criminal defense lawyer will teach you exciting essentials of successful trial and persuasion work.

Before APPLYING: Please first visit http://katzjustice.com/JOBS.htm Please only apply if you satisfy our hiring requirements.

Part Time Positions Available in Bethesda Cashier/Lottery Attendant Clothing Boutique Looking for a dependable, upbeat, fashion-oriented individual with strong sales skills.

Must be detail-oriented. Store hours Mon.-Sat. 10am-5pm.

Forward resume to nikki682@aol.com.

Attention Students Sales and Marketing Firm seeks highly motivated individuals to work evenings and Saturday mornings.

Earn $200-$500 weekly working PT. Internships available.

Ask for Dave, 240-473-1201.

Childcare Needed After school Mon.-Thurs. 3:30 to 6:00/ 6:30 in Gambrills, MD. Previous experience and car a must. Assist with homework, meal preparation, transportation to sports. Pay $13-15/hr. Email nseven@include.com or call 301-706-4233.

Sitters Wanted. $12+ per hour. Register free for jobs near campus or home. www.student-sitters.com

Hiring immed. Flexible hours. CLOSED SUNDAYS. Nice environment, family owned & operated liquor store for over 50 years. Students encouraged to apply.

Must be 18 yrs. Call EASTGATE, located on Greenbelt Road, 301-390-6200.

Bethesda Country Club Job openings ranging from Food & Beverage/Culinary and more.

Call 301-365-1700, ask for F&B or Chef’s Office.

Mad Scientists!

Up to $35/Class Hr. Instructors needed to lead fun after-school science clubs for kids in Metro area elementary schools. Experience working with kids a plus and MUST HAVE A CAR. Flexible PT opportunity. Must be available at least 2 days/ week (M-F) by 2 p.m. Paid training. Science background NOT required. $25-$35 per program hour.

Mad Science 301-593-4777 www.madscience.org/DC

GRAPHIC/WEB DESIGNER Part-time for creating and updating URLs, web-site management, e-marketing and advertising print.

Must have proven eye for intelligent web and graphic design. Can do some work from home.

Submit resume and work samples with contact info to Ellen at esiegel@abcdesignandpromo.com.

Located in Olney, MD, only 40 mins. from campus. 301-260-2222.

Part-Time Babysitter Needed 2 afternoons a week 3-6 pm.

Care of one child 18 months old.

Silver Spring area. Salary negotiable. Call Kathleen at 301-681-6058 or email nateandkathleen@hotmail.com.

PART-TIME BABYSITTER WANTED. Fall semester, Tuesday/thursday mornings, in College Park. mothertown3@yahoo.com.

FOR SALE JUST ACROSS STREET FROM UMD. Spectacular 3-4 person units for sale. Prestigious College Park Towers. Price varies.

Call Brenda, 410-547-1150, or email brendabenton@mris.com.

Microsoft Builder Software

Help Wanted – Part Time Word Processor 4-8 hours per week for retired UMD graduate at his home near UMD. Work at your convenience. Must have car. Pay is $15/hour. John D. Emler: 301-439-3540.

Jackie’s Restaurant in downtown Silver Spring is looking for experienced servers (pt/ft), bartenders (pt) and hosts (pt). Please email your resume to Ellen@jackiesrestaurant.com.

Hiring Waiters, Waitresses, Bartenders & Cooks

University of Maryland student discount. Microsoft Server 2008 Standard 5 CALs $189; Microsoft Office 2007 Professional $70; Microsoft Office 2007 Ultimate $80.

www.fcsoftwaregroup.com/um

FOR RENT

Available Immediately Large two bedroom corner unit in College Park Towers. Will fit up to 4 persons. Rent, including standard utilities, is $2600 per month. Contact Mel at 301-806-8674.

HOUSE AVAILABLE 5109 Lackawanna St.

FOR RENT ROOMS FOR RENT NEAR CAMPUS 3 rooms within biking dist./shuttle rt., available immediately. Internet.

Central AC/heat, wash/dryer. $440 and up, util. $60. 240-426-4355 or mentana5811@yahoo.com.

FOR RENT

2 Bedroom Condo $1200/month, heat and water included.

Located in historic Hyattsville. Secure building, assigned parking, extra storage and laundry in building.

Call 240-375-6933. Flexible hours.

Limited Efficiency, close to campus. $500 plus utilities. 410-708-6798, 410-212-5798.

Student house in quiet and SAFEST neighborhood. Behind Frat row and Bentley’s. colleparkhouse@aol.com; 301-471-7981.

House – College Park. 5110 Berwyn Road: 4 bedrooms, 2 full baths. Carpeted, washer/ dryer, dishwasher, disposal, cac, large screened back porch. No pets. $2200/ month. 571-221-6039.

One bedroom apartment. Available Sept. 1. $895/month plus utilities. 7405 Columbia Avenue.

301-431-0067 or email ecb1985@gmail.com.

Rooms for rent in Group House. Neighborhood across Route 1 from UMD. $800/month/person. 301-471-7981. collegeparkhouse@aol.com

ROOMMATES Three bedroom house of mature females has vacancy. Close, shuttle, furnished, clean house. $380/mo. 703-509-7508.

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MONDAY, AUGUST 30, 2010 | THE DIAMONDBACK

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Features HOROSCOPESTELLA WILDER

CROSSWORD ACROSS 1 Hippie attire 6 Dynamic lead-in 10 Ferris wheel 14 Frenzy 15 Hideout 16 Tien Shan range 17 Based on eight 18 Ms. Bombeck 19 Bell sound 20 Relax! (2 wds.)

22 Paint or sculpt 24 Word of honor 25 Climbing device 26 Quiver contents 30 Was very thrifty 32 Dinette spot 33 Anglo-Saxon serf 35 Saint Teresa’s town 40 Feed 42 Expressions 44 Save me — —!

45 Libretto feature 47 Freighter locales 48 Opera set in Egypt 50 Resolute 52 Some pizza orders 56 Hammerhead kin 58 Tropical fruit 59 Drain unstoppers 64 DJs’ gear 65 Speak without restraint 67 Strong point

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Bit of trickery Gael republic “Lou Grant” lead — -do-well Diet food adjective 73 Not those DOWN 1 Campus VIP 2 Apiece 3 Opposed to 4 Watch’s face 5 Pale 6 Kayak user 7 Of baked clay 8 Wheel part 9 Delphi priestess 10 Appraised 11 Trojan War saga 12 Beatrice’s admirer 13 “The — Sanction” (Eastwood thriller) 21 Caravan halts 23 Air traffic gear 26 Magnani or Moffo 27 Joeys 28 Womanizer 29 Green pods 31 Military cap 34 Silvery fish 36 Boundless 37 Aha! (2 wds.)

38 Scrawny 39 D.A. backup

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TUESDAY

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orn today, you sometimes feel that you are being pulled down by the whim of fate — or the stars, as the case may be — and that, try as you might, you cannot fight the influences that you feel all around you.

Perhaps this, however, is your mistake — for fighting can sometimes bring about exactly the thing you are fighting against, and perhaps your energy is better spent trying to work with the influences and circumstances that are shaping your life, rather than fighting against them. Once you realize that you can follow a less resistant path, you are sure to enjoy a good deal of success, and you may even win your heart’s desire.

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You have a great deal of that which used to be called sex appeal — and surely there are those who will follow your every move and hang on your every word simply to satisfy their own craving to be somehow closer to you. You do not, fortunately, fall under your own spell.

Also born on this date are Cameron Diaz, actress; Peggy Lipton, actress; Mary Shelley, author; Shirley Booth, actress; Joan Blondell, actress; Michael Chiklis, actor; Fred MacMurray, actor; Ted Williams, baseball player; Timothy Bottoms, actor; Jean-Claude Killy, Olympic skier.

towel merely because circumstances are making things more difficult than expected. Keep going, by all means.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21) — Image may not be all-important, but how you look and sound can make the difference between success and failure.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21) — The stakes are likely to be higher than expected, and someone you know well may make things more complicated than before.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) — You’ve been jumping to conclusions, and you’ll have to spend some time sorting through a host of erroneous assumptions.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18) — Guesswork can provide the answers you seek, but you may not know it at the time. Further experience makes things clear by day’s end.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20) — Behavioral issues come to the fore. Loved ones provide some important information about your past. Evening brings a surprise.

ARIES (March 21-April 19) — There’s no reason to think that unusual events are caused by anything you are doing — and yet you are certainly exerting a kind of influence.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20) — You’ll begin to notice further similarities between you and someone of whom you are usually quite critical. Meanings are unclear.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20) — You may not believe that a current mystery can be easily solved, but a simple answer may be all that you need at this time — and more.

CANCER (June 21-July 22) — What gives you pleasure is no need for alarm — unless you are unable to focus on the task at hand. Only you can be the judge.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22) — You may require more in the way of professional attention for reasons that center around personal or professional issues — or both.

Copyright 2010 United Feature Syndicate, Inc.

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THE DIAMONDBACK | NEWS | MONDAY, AUGUST 30, 2010

JOURNALISM from page 1A sources said.

When asked, Klose did not rule out the possibility of additional cuts to help deal with the college’s deficit, several sources said.

Klose could not be reached for comment following the retreat.

Because the laid-off employees had many responsibilities, faculty and students have expressed concern about who would take over duties once carried out

by Crane, Payne-Gassaway, Sheehan and Fleeson, and how such duties would be allocated.

At the retreat, Klose said a plan detailing how and what changes will be made to accommodate the recently cut positions will be available by next week, sources said.

Associate Dean Katherine McAdams will tentatively replace Crane in advising graduate students in addition to her other duties, which include undergraduate advising, according to graduate students who had met with Klose to discuss the layoffs.

Graduate students have been especially vocal in their opposition to the layoffs and what some call a lack of transparency at the college.

Multimedia journalism graduate student Kerry Davis created the Facebook group, “Reinstate Steve Crane at the Philip Merrill College of Journalism,” which had 59 members as of last night. On the group’s Facebook page, Davis encourages members to sign various petitions calling for Crane’s reinstatement and greater transparency from Klose.

“After learning about the dismissals of Assistant Deans Steve Crane, Marchelle Payne-Gassaway, Matthew Sheehan, and a fourth staff member, the Philip Merrill student body, current and former staff were shocked and confused by these actions,” one petition reads.

According to documents obtained by The Diamondback, Klose requested names and resumés of possible replacements for existing employees as early as September 2009, although no names were specifically mentioned. This e-mail, along with letters between Klose and Provost Nariman Farvardin, suggested cutting administrative positions as a possible solution to the college’s budget woes.

“Meanwhile back on center court im looking for the pick of the very best young (yes that word) smart swift loyal savvy exec wanna-bees who could fill two slots i’ll gladly empty to accommodate them,” Klose wrote to Emily Hartz on Sept. 15, 2009. Hartz was the incoming assistant dean for business operations at the journalism college at the time.

In her response, Hartz expressed confusion over what two positions Klose had referred to.

Student Government Association journalism legislator Michelle Chan, a junior busi-

LAYOFF TIMELINE April 2009: Klose appointed new journalism dean September 2009: In e-mail, Klose offers to empty posts to make way for new employees January 2010: Journalism school’s new home, Knight Hall, opens August 2010: -Four employees laid off -Faculty members object to dean’s lack of budget transparency

ness and journalism major, said it is “unfortunate” that a permanent plan was not put in place before classes began.

She added that the SGA has heard from concerned students who were upset by the layoffs.

“They were shocked because they didn’t expect it,” Chan said, adding that the college should strive for greater communication between its administration and students. “That’s something the school should definitely work on.”

Journalism students used such wording as a “crushing blow” and “absolutely devastating” to describe the layoffs.

“Marchelle Payne and the others are large spaces of our school and a part of our community,” said Samantha Link, a senior journalism major.

“For them not to be here anymore is depressing and is definitely going to have an impact on the school.”

Link added that Payne-Gassaway helped several of her friends stay enrolled at the university.

Payne-Gassaway and Fleeson have not responded to calls for comment, but Crane said he respects Klose’s decision.

“Budget cuts needed to be made. I understand that.

There were no other options that were any better,” Crane said. “I’m obviously not happy to lose my job, but none of the other options was particularly palatable.”

Sheehan did not comment on the layoffs and instead wished his former colleagues good luck.

“It has been a pleasure working for my alma mater and a place I’ve called home for the last 12 years,” Sheehan wrote in an e-mail to The Diamondback. “I wish my former colleagues all the best in this new era for the journalism school.”

Crane directed the school’s master’s program, oversaw its Capital News Service bureaus, guided this year’s transition into the new Knight Hall building and taught a smattering of graduate and undergraduate classes. PayneGassaway helped recruit, schedule classes and advise students. Sheehan was a parttime assistant to the dean who helped develop the college’s website. Fleeson was the director of the Hubert H. Humphrey Fellowship Program, a Fulbright exchange program. vafai@umdbk.com

ROBBERIES from page 1A said she first saw one of the men approach Lang’s door on the other side of the car, walking up to them with his shirt pulled up over the bottom half of his face.

The man pulled Lang out of the car by her purse, bruising her arm, but she said she fought for it. When he eventually ripped it from her arm and pushed her back into the car, she chased him down.

“Bitch, get back in the car!” she said the man yelled to her.

“F--- you!” she shouted back.

That’s when Lang said the mugger pulled out what appeared to be a gun from under his shirt, placed it against her shoulder and muscled her back into the car.

She said she kicked him in the stomach before he slammed her door as the car pulled away.

“You know how you get that adrenaline rush, and it’s either fight or flight?” Lang said. “I fought.”

Hampton said she was watching Lang’s fight on the other side of the rear seat when she suddenly realized there was also someone on her side tr ying to grab her

leg and pull her out of the car.

She said she kicked and pushed the man away and slammed the door shut.

“It was just surreal,” Hampton said. “The whole time, I was thinking, what the f--- is happening?”

Meanwhile, the third student, who asked not to be identified, said a third man was patting down his pockets and ultimately ripped off a ring he wore around his neck and punched him in the face.

Then the driver — alumna Miri Breitstein, who never had a mugger at her door — pulled away, and the muggers fled down Ber wyn Road, the students said.

Two students called police, and the third flagged down a nearby county police cruiser, they said.

Police told the students that two of the men were

“It was just surreal. The whole time I was thinking, what the f--- is happening?”

ADELE HAMPTON SENIOR JOURNALISM MAJOR, CRIME VICTIM

arrested shortly thereafter, the students said. Police did not respond to questions from reporters this weekend.

The students said police recovered the stolen ring but not Lang’s purse, in which she had her cell phone, camera, wallet — with credit cards, IDs, her driver’s license and $60 in cash — and a poem her mother had given her before she left for college.

“My whole life was in that purse,” Lang said.

In yesterday’s mugging, three students were waiting at a Shuttle-UM stop in the 4800 block of Ber wyn House Road — in front of the University Club at College Park apartment complex — according to the crime alert.

A man approached the students and asked them if they were waiting for a bus, and they said they were, the alert said.

The man left and returned with four other men, who told the students they were being robbed.

It was not clear how much time elapsed before the man returned; police could not be reached for comment yesterday.

According to the crime alert, two of the students ran to the nearby College Park Volunteer Fire Depar tment

“You know how you get that adrenaline rush, and it’s either fight or flight? I fought.”

MARISSA LANG SENIOR JOURNALISM AND GOVERNMENT AND POLITICS MAJOR, CRIME VICTIM

at Route 1 and Lakeland Road, but the third was punched several times in the face. The men fled on foot with an undisclosed amount of his money.

The crime alert described the first man who approached the students as a black man, about 26 years old, 5 feet 10 inches tall, weighing 150 pounds and wearing a blue hat, white shirt and blue jeans.

It described one of his companions as a black man with dreadlocks wearing a green shirt and green hat and the other three as black men.

Police requested that anyone with information about the crime contact them at (301) 722-4908.

Staf f writer Ben Present contributed to this report. villanueva@umdbk.com

Peeping Tom looks in on Old Town resident Police: Woman saw man outside Fordham Lane window at 9 a.m.

BY BEN PRESENT Staff writer

Prince George’s County Police are looking for a peeping Tom who visited an area residence at an odd time last week.

A woman living in the 4500 block of Fordham Lane told police she saw a white Hispanic man, about 35 years old, outside her window about 9 a.m. Aug. 22, Maj. Robert Liberati said. The man, described as wearing a brown shirt and blue jean shorts, fled when the woman called police, he said.

Police knew of no similar incidents as of Sunday, Liberati said.

Liberati would not say whether the victim in this case was a student but said these types of crimes generally happen in the beginning of the year. Many students have to make an adjustment when moving to a densely populated area like College Park, he said.

“Prevention is worth the pound of cure,” he said, adding that students and residents should “keep your blinds drawn or shades drawn when you’re in the bathroom or dressing.”

On the campus, peeping Tom incidents typically involve a man “spooking” a woman in the shower, University Police Capt. Marc Limansky said. Off-campus residents also faced a “cuddler” in 2008 who entered sleeping women’s bedrooms, and police said over the summer that two men may have watched through a basement window as two people had sex in July.

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Limansky estimated that University Police deal with one or two such cases each year. Liberati said county police, who deal with spying incidents more often, take these crimes seriously because the suspects could have a number of motives.

“It could be somebody looking inside to do a burglary,” Liberati said. “It could also be somebody with perverted thoughts. They don’t know.”

He said anyone who sees someone looking into his or her home or around their property should call police and give as many details as possible and include the vehicle the perpetrator was driving and what direction he or she may have fled.

Some students said they usually don’t keep the peeping Tom threat at the forefront of their minds.

Two thoughts occurred to senior economics major Molly Gregoire, who lives in a onestory house with five other girls near the College Park Metro station.

“Unsafe, creeped out,” she said. “I don’t even think about peeping Toms.”

The roommates said their biggest concern was getting mugged in the street late at night. There were two strongarm robberies in College Park this weekend.

Despite the recent peeping Tom incident and the muggings, freshman biology major Meggie Hotard said she isn’t planning on allowing crime to limit her college experience.

“If you go to College Park, you have to know what you’re getting into,” she said. present@umdbk.com

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University Police officers block traffic during last August’s DUI checkpoint. Police typically make nine arrests in each checkpoint; this August, they made 11. FILE PHOTO/THE DIAMONDBACK

Police arrest 11 motorists at Route 1 DUI checkpoint Drivers will also receive sobriety tests after Sept. 18 football game

BY BEN PRESENT Staff writer

They could have turned around.

University Police gave drivers on northbound Route 1 three spots where they could have avoided the sobriety checkpoint that netted 11 drunk driving arrests on the night of Aug. 20 and the early hours of Aug. 21, police said.

Under state law, police must publicize the checkpoints — which they set up on Route 1 along the edge of the campus three times a year — and allow motorists a chance to dodge them.

“We went above and beyond in giving people the oppor tunity to miss the checkpoint if they wished,” police spokesman Paul Dillon said.

Lt. Robert Mueck, who oversaw the checkpoint, offered theories as to why a drunk driver wouldn’t choose to avoid the police.

“I don’t think they’re paying attention,” Mueck said.

“It’s either because they’re distracted or because they’re impaired.”

Others don’t realize they are impaired despite being over the legal limit, he said, which is a blood-alcohol content level of 0.08 for of-age drivers and 0.02 for drivers under 21.

“Buzzed driving is drunk driving,” Mueck said.

The 11 DUI arrests are a bit above the norm for the Route 1 checkpoint located at the intersection with Rossborough Drive; the average is nine, and officers arrested nine drivers at last August’s checkpoint, Dillon said.

Only a few students were among those arrested at the checkpoint, Dillon added, which he said has been the norm in his two decades with the department.

Dillon said eight men, two women and a juvenile were arrested at the checkpoint, and one of the women failed to stop and then resisted arrest. Mueck said that’s not really what the depar tment wants when it sets up a checkpoint.

“If we had no arrests, we’d consider it a success,” Mueck

“Drunk driving is 100 percent preventable. You cannot get behind the wheel of a car if you’ve been drinking. ” PAUL DILLON UNIVERSITY POLICE SPOKESMAN

said. “The real goal is the prevention aspect.”

University Police have budgeted approximately $20,000 a year to control drunk driving in the area, and Mueck said another checkpoint will stop and check traf fic on Route 1 on Sept. 18, the day the Terrapin football team plays at West Virginia.

Shuttle-UM buses run until after 4 a.m. and students can use NITE Ride until 7:30 a.m., options police said ser ve as alternatives to driving under the influence.

“Drunk driving is 100 percent preventable,” Dillon said. “You cannot get behind the wheel of a car if you’ve been drinking.”

Despite the risk of getting caught, some students said they supported police efforts to cut down on drunk driving in College Park.

Senior bioengineering major Eddie Vogel said he is unlikely to drive after a few drinks in College Park because ever ything is within walking distance.

“The precautions are there but the temptation is still there as well,” Vogel said. “[The] temptation is definitely greater at home.”

Considering the opportunities for intoxicated motorists to avoid the checkpoint, Vogel added he is relieved officers came away with some arrests.

“I support the police,” Vogel said. “With that much of an opportunity to get out of it and they still got caught, they definitively should not be driving.” present@umdbk.com

MONDAY, AUGUST 30, 2010 | NEWS | THE DIAMONDBACK

LOH from page 1A “You’re a new student; I’m a new president. We are excited, thrilled to be here. But we’re a little apprehensive. We’re still clueless; we don’t know where to go yet or where to eat.”

Loh eagerly described his plans to remedy that newcomer feeling, pledging to foster productive student-president relations. He said he will continue outgoing university President Dan Mote’s long-held practice of treating students to lunch.

“We will spend our first year together,” he said. “I want to know your concerns. ... I want you to help me be a president that serves the students of the University of Maryland.”

Loh said his experiences at Grinnell with intensely dedicated college professors shaped his philosophy on teacher-student relationships — and saved his English grade.

Despite a resumé chock-full of impressive titles — he’s served as provost at the University of Iowa, dean of the University of Washington Law School and held administrative posi-

9A

tions at Seattle University and the University of Colorado at Boulder — being voted Outstanding Professor of the Year

by University of Washington students was Loh’s proudest moment, said Provost Nariman Farvardin, who will serve as interim president until Loh takes over Nov. 1.

“Great teachers do not teach,” Loh said. “Great teachers help you learn. ... Faculty members tutored me and believed in me. I was just trying not to fail. Their encouragement became my inspiration.”

Loh said he plans to visit the campus several more times before taking the helm at the university. One of his top priorities is getting a feel for what students think the university needs, he said.

To Student Government Association President Steve Glickman, Loh is already showing he’s dedicated to doing just that. Glickman said upon meeting Loh, the incoming president immediately began asking him about student interests and concerns.

“He cuts right to the point,” Glickman said. “When he wants information about some-

thing, he’s going to ask for it. …

As far as the student body, it will be great to have a president that’s so willing to hear from them.”

Glickman said Loh made it a priority to reach out to the SGA, and the president-designate’s cabinet will meet with the SGA cabinet next week.

“The fact that he and his cabinet will meet with me and mine even before he begins is showing great signs he’s looking forward to working with the students,” he said.

Junior bio-engineering and mathematics major Kaiyi Xie, the only undergraduate to serve on the 19-member presidential search committee that recommended Loh as a candidate to the Board of Regents, said he’s confident Loh is up to the task.

“He has a proven track record of being successful in raising academic standards and inspiring students,” Xie said. “He can bring his own flavor and personality, which is unique. He’s charismatic and shows he cares deeply about students and student issues.”

During the six-month search

New university President Wallace Loh gives Testudo a high five during the freshman welcoming ceremony in Comcast Center on Friday. MATTHEW CREGER/THE DIAMONDBACK

process, committee members held listening sessions where students could voice their opinions on what qualities the next president should have. Xie said the events shed light on issues that mean the most to students.

“We’ve heard a lot of truth come out,” he said, listing transparency, accountability, diversity and sustainability as

top student concerns. “It’s just a matter of proving he can really transform the campus and seeing through on what the university has achieved so far.”

After their first encounter, many freshmen said they have already warmed to Loh and his goal of connecting with them.

Freshman hearing and speech sciences major Daphna

Bemaman said she enjoyed the sense of humor Loh displayed throughout his speech. “He made a joke about coming to visit us in the dorms,” she said.

“He obviously cares about students. And we could definitely connect with him since he’s new, too.” redding@umdbk.com

TREE, MEET CAR Residents of Beechwood Road in University Park lost power Saturday when a tree toppled, bringing down power lines and crushing a parked Lexus at about 10:20 p.m.

“I was watching TV and heard a giant crash, and all of a sudden the power went out,” said John Mackinney, a resident of University Park for 10 years who owned the tree. “It was thunderous. I’m sad to see my tree gone, though. It’s got to be 16, 18 inches in diameter.”

Homeowners within a twoblock radius were out of power,

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and many neighbors were confused as to why the tree fell, given the relative stillness of the night. Both residents and police called the power company, which was unable to estimate how long the power would be out at the time of the phone calls.

“It sounded like a transformer went,” said Susan Piringer, who has lived in University Park for 33 years. “I called the power company, but they couldn’t tell me how long it would take to fix this.”

The Lexus sedan belonged to a resident across the street who

was unaware of the incident until a neighbor gave her a heads up.

“I heard a bang and the power went out and I thought, ‘That doesn’t sound like a transformer,’ and then I rolled over and went back to sleep,” Katherine Andrews, the vehicle’s owner, said. “All of us looked at the tree and were a little mystified. It’s been a pretty exciting night in University Park, a rockin’ Saturday.”

— Photo by Jaclyn Borowski, text by Adele Hampton

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10A

THE DIAMONDBACK | NEWS | MONDAY, AUGUST 30, 2010

Univ. Police officers take cases of energy drinks from a Red Bull delivery car after a traffic stop. FILE PHOTO/THE DIAMONDBACK

The summer in review

BY BRADY HOLT Senior staff writer

Even though College Park largely empties out in May, university officials, the College Park City Council, local business owners and a lively variety of criminals didn’t sit around and wait for students to come back.

Here’s The Diamondback’s annual roundup of what you missed:

College Park loses two of its bars The Mark and Santa Fe Cafe closed May 23, described by their owner as the victim of high rent and students who don’t party enough. Mark Srour, who opened Santa Fe in 1984, had spent years fighting with the city, which wanted him to install a pricey sprinkler system there.

Speed cameras may come to city The city is seeking approval to add speed cameras to some streets, possibly including Paint Branch Parkway and University Boulevard. Officials originally hoped to have the cameras —

which would give out $40 tickets to motorists driving 12 or more mph above the posted speed limit — in place this month but still expect state approval for their plans despite delays.

University Police, students cleared over riot A Maryland State Police investigation found no wrongdoing after University Police lost nearly 90 minutes of subpoenaed surveillance footage of the March 4 postDuke game riot. Additionally, all but five of the 28 people charged in the riot’s wake have had their charges dropped or their cases moved to inactive court dockets in exchange for community service.

Prince George’s County Police, however — who supervised the riot response — remains under investigation for allegations of brutality.

A community vegetable garden on the roof of the North Campus Diner expanded over the summer.

Building will have new state-of-theart labs that will allow researchers move out of aging buildings.

and spring break to minimize impact on classes and operations.

English department looks to add new minor

South Campus Commons management replaced the frontdoor and bedroom locks in six of its buildings after realizing it had misplaced at least one of its master keys that can open any door in a building.

The English department hopes a new minor would encourage students to take more upper-level creative-writing courses. The department will seek approval from the University Senate this fall to add a creative-writing minor.

Porn-star alumnus dies in standoff A former student who threatened to dismember his MATH111 instructor in 1998 died June 1 after falling off a cliff near Los Angeles.

Stephen Clancy Hill performed in pornographic movies under the name Steve Driver until he allegedly killed a fellow actor with a samurai sword. He fell or jumped to his death after police cornered him.

Commons loses master key

Alleged defecator banned from McKeldin A man accused of repeatedly defecating on the floor of McKeldin Library’s fourth-floor bathroom was banned from the building June 14. The man was not charged with a crime for a series of incidents over several months, police said, but if he returns, he could face trespassing charges.

University senior named Miss Maryland

Members of the Maryland Society of Ghost Hunters found no spirits haunting Rossborough Inn. FILE PHOTO/THE DIAMONDBACK

around historic Rossborough Inn on the campus on the night of June 27, but the hunters were unable to confirm the building is haunted.

Research VP steps down

The engineering school may change the hovercraft project that is required for all engineering majors — or drop it altogether. Professors worry the program no longer promotes creativity.

A university student is set to represent Maryland in the next Miss America pageant after winning at the state level. Senior communication major Lindsay Staniszewski was named Miss Maryland on June 27.

The university’s vice president for research left at the end of June for a post at Northeastern University. Mel Bernstein achieved record fundraising and is credited with raising the university’s research stature.

Team finds no ghosts at Rossborough Inn

Architecture gets new dean

$128 million science complex breaks ground

University employees face furloughs — again

A group of Maryland Society of Ghost Hunters members poked

The university began construction on its new seven-story Physical Sciences Complex on May 24.

The $128 million facility next to the Computer and Space Sciences

The university will save $10.2 million by furloughing faculty and staff members for the third straight year. As before, the unpaid days will take place during winter

Engineering school considers hovercraft changes

FILE PHOTO/THE DIAMONDBACK

David Cronrath, a former dean of Louisiana State University’s art and design college took over as

dean of this university’s architecture school July 1.

University flouts water restrictions The university declined to follow emergency water restrictions for five days in early July and did not notify students about strict rules limiting water use. Officials said they needed to maintain the campus’ plants.

Yow bows out Athletics Director Debbie Yow left the university for the same

see SUMMER, page 11A

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SUMMER from page 10A post at N.C. State on July 10 after overseeing a dramatic expansion of her department and publicly feuding with big-name Terps during her 16-year tenure.

City Councilman may step down College Park City Councilman Mark Cook, who represents District 3, said he will leave the council in December if he wins an election to serve on the county school board. If he steps down, the city will hold a special election to replace him.

Summer vandals hit Commons South Campus Commons suffered thousands of dollars in theft and vandalism damage over the summer — more than usual. The losses included smashed doors and windows, stolen furniture and bodily waste cleanup. Management officials said they would need to cut services or raise rent if repair costs continued to mount.

Univ. abandons development work The university could not finance previ-

ous plans to redevelop its maintenance lots at Route 1 and Paint Branch Parkway into a massive mixed-use project, administrators said. University officials hired a new developer in July to devise an alternative plan for the site that can be built in smaller phases.

Best Buy to open in September A Best Buy electronics store is set to open next month in northern College Park near Shoppers Food Warehouse.

Honors adds new programs Students in the university’s Honors College now have two more living-learning options: Entrepreneurship and Innovation and Digital Cultures and Creativity.

Book Exchange site may become student housing A developer hopes to build a high-rise student apartment building on the site of the Maryland Book Exchange at Route 1 and College Avenue downtown. The Book Exchange would be invited to stay in the new building’s ground-floor retail space, the developer said.

Some officials have raised questions

11A

about how much more new housing the city can support. The Book Exchange project is one of many in the planning stage, under construction or newly opened student apartment buildings in the area.

ployee at the journalism college were laid off Aug. 9, a move that Dean Kevin Klose said would address a budget shortfall but that some students have questioned.

nology and criminal justice in 2006 and was working as a security guard.

Roof garden blossoming at Diner

Officers disciplined over Red Bull

A student-run community garden on the roof of the North Campus Diner expanded over the summer, funded by a $2,500 grant from the Student Government Association. Any student is free to access the garden and eat the produce grown there.

A pilot program that shut down a portion of Campus Drive to private traffic for eight weeks over the summer was successful, officials said. The pilot program was intended to evaluate the feasibility of making the area in front of Stamp Student Union into a pedestrian plaza, and the university avoided major traffic issues while the road was closed.

Some students, however, complained of longer walks to their bus stops and of difficulty driving across the campus.

Two University Police officers were investigated for possible misconduct after they took five or six cases of energy drinks from a Red Bull delivery car after a traffic stop. Police said the officers had not received the drinks as a bribe, but they were disciplined for violating the department’s policy on gifts and gratuities.

Campus farmers’ market to return A healthy-living student group aims to host farmers’ markets on the campus Sept.

28 and Oct. 19 and may add others throughout the semester. Success of a previous market day in April encouraged the Wellness Coalition to continue to make fresh produce available to students.

Students protest four layoffs at journalism school Three administrators and another em-

Regents pick Loh University of Iowa Provost Wallace Loh will be the university’s next president starting in November. He pledged to make this university more international.

University President Dan Mote retires this week, and Provost Nariman Farvardin will serve as interim president.

Alumnus charged in semen attack A former student stands accused of squirting a spray bottle full of semen on women in a Gaithersburg supermarket and crafts store. Michael Wayne Edward Jr., 28, graduated with a degree in crimi-

Officials happy with Campus Drive trial closure

Robbers, robbers everywhere Over the summer, various muggers took cash, cell phones and shoes from students, other residents and a Bible study group on College Park’s back streets, along Route 1, in a park and on the campus in Lot 1B. Welcome back. holt@umdbk.com

12A

THE DIAMONDBACK | MONDAY, AUGUST 30, 2010

MONDAY, AUGUST 30, 2010 | THE DIAMONDBACK

1B

Sports

Football season preview Make sure to check out Friday’s edition of The Diamondback for a comprehensive preview of the Terrapin football team’s 2010 season.

FOOTBALL

After a 2-10 season last year, coach Ralph Friedgen, left, could be facing the possibility of his last season in College Park. Offensive coordinator James Franklin, bottom right, is the team’s coach-in-waiting, but his future is also uncertain. The departure of Athletics Director Debbie Yow, top right, could signal even greater change within the program. FILE PHOTOS/THE DIAMONDBACK

FACING THE FUTURE

Miserable 2009 season, change in athletics department make 2010 a pivotal year for Friedgen and Franklin

BY JEREMY SCHNEIDER Staff writer

In his first year on the job, coach Ralph Friedgen reestablished the Terrapin football program among the sport’s giants, winning the ACC regular season title and taking the Terps to the Orange Bowl.

But as Friedgen enters his 10th season, the triumphs of 2001 are a distant memor y.

The Friedgen era, initially one of the most successful in program history, was marred last season by a 2-10 campaign that makes 2010 pivotal for Friedgen.

The first 10-loss season in program histor y has put Friedgen’s job security in question, with rumors of a buyout of his remaining two years raging this offseason.

But his logical replacement — coach-in-waiting and offensive coordinator James Franklin —

had a nightmarish season, leading an offense that was 98th in the country in scoring and averaged 21.3 points per game.

The prospect of another losing season, coupled with a potential overhaul of the athletics department in coming months, has loomed ominously over the team’s headquarters in Gossett Team House. The futures of Friedgen and Franklin seem to be closely intertwined with any success the team might enjoy this season.

By the terms of his contract, Franklin will be owed $1 million if he does not take over as coach by 2012. But after last year’s offensive woes, rumors swirled that both Friedgen and Franklin would be on the chopping block to make way for new blood in the program.

Former Athletics Director Debbie Yow reportedly was the driving force behind the

Stay in the loop Get all the latest Terp news you need to know by following us on Twitter at twitter.com/DBKSports buyout, tr ying to get enough funding to oust Friedgen. The money, and therefore the buyout, never materialized.

Yow left this university for the same position at N.C. State over the summer. With Randy Eaton holding the position of interim athletics director as a search committee considers options for the fulltime job, the direction of the athletics department seems as unclear as the future of its football program.

But Friedgen thinks that having Franklin waiting in the wings is a positive for the team, creating continuity for existing players and future recruits.

“One of the things they’re saying is with the athletic

directors changing and the president,” Friedgen said at the ACC Football Kickoff in July. “My response to them is, ‘You know who the next coach at Mar yland is going to be, whether it’s two years from now or 10 years from now.’

Southern Cal thought Pete Carroll would be there forever, too. You don’t know that at these schools. One of the reasons I agreed to the coachin-waiting was that my staff would know and my recruits would know who the next coach would be, and it would be a smooth transition.”

Franklin has been lauded as a vaunted recruiter — one of the main reasons he was named Friedgen’s heir appar-

ent. But the looming uncertainty surrounding the program has allowed doubt to creep into the minds of some of the Terps’ top prospects.

Stranahan High School (Fla.) defensive back Corey Tindal, a three-star prospect according to Rivals.com who has regularly listed this university as one of his favorite schools, recently told SoFlaFootball.com that he has been scared off somewhat by the program’s now-nebulous future.

Ticket sales are also down for 2010 — one year after the newly constructed suites in Tyser Tower failed to sell out — and the Terps aren’t without question marks as they prep for their season-opening Labor Day battle against Navy in Baltimore.

“I have a lot of faith in these kids,” Friedgen said. “I really think we’re still a young team; we only have 12 seniors. I think the future’s ver y bright

with another good recruiting class. I think they have a chance to be good for some time. We’re losing some quality kids, too, these really quality seniors. ... [But] we’ve got some good kids coming in, too, that are maturing. I think the foundation is pretty good, but we just got to keep building on it.”

Friedgen knows that things will start to get better in the athletics department once the Terps get better on the field.

“I don’t think it’s the easiest situation in the world with the coach-in-waiting and all of that,” Friedgen said in July.

“But I think our coaches and players and whole staff have done a good job. I think it’s ver y important that we start off well. If we start off well, I think recruiting will go well. If we don’t start off well, I think we’ll struggle.” schneider@umdbk.com

NOTEBOOK

O’Brien settles in as No. 2 quarterback Freshman has impressed coaches and will back up Robinson; Friedgen debates need for captains after results of last season

BY JONAS SHAFFER Senior staff writer

Quarterback Danny O’Brien, right, has solidified himself as the top option behind Jamarr Robinson, left. FILE PHOTO/THE DIAMONDBACK

With Jamarr Robinson the unquestioned starter at quarterback for the Terrapin football team, media inquiries regarding the position can tend to focus on the guy who will be wearing a headset, not a helmet, come Sept. 6.

But count coach Ralph Friedgen among those unconcerned with the ability of No. 2 quarterback Danny O’Brien before the Terps’ Labor Day showdown against Navy. The redshirt freshman seemingly has a stranglehold on the backup spot, having distanced himself in recent practices from fellow reser ves C.J. Brown, Devin Burns and Tyler Smith.

“I think Danny’s progressing ver y well. These last four or five days, I’ve been ver y, ver y impressed with him,” Friedgen said. “He did a two-minute

[drill] the other day and I put him with both the first and the second team, and he led both teams down and was successful. For a redshirt freshman, he’s doing pretty good.”

O’Brien led all quarterbacks in yardage during the team’s second scrimmage Monday, throwing for 179 yards and one touchdown on 19-for34 passing.

He nearly saw action last year.

When former quarterback Chris Turner went down with a knee injur y against N.C. State, O’Brien picked up his helmet on the sideline and began to practice — just in case Robinson went down, too.

“He already has the tools that I never had,” Turner said of O’Brien in April. “He has the quickness. The arm strength will come. Most importantly, what he has is he has the brain. He has the mind of a quarterback. … I wish I had the things that

he has.”

CAPTAIN TALK Friedgen’s wariness about avoiding any and all factors that plagued last year’s 2-10 campaign has crept to an unforeseen level: the team’s captains.

Friedgen told reporters Friday that linebacker Adrian Moten, the team’s lone returning captain, had recently asked him whether the team would have captains again this year.

“I said, ‘I don’t know,’” Friedgen recounted, a wr y smile creeping across his face. “‘We were 2-10 last year.’”

Wide receiver Ronnie Tyler, standing nearby in the team’s locker room, popped a question that might have just as well been a suggestion.

see NOTEBOOK, page 6B

2B

THE DIAMONDBACK | SPORTS | MONDAY, AUGUST 30, 2010

SUMMER IN REVIEW: TERRAPIN ATHLETICS

Compiled by Jonas Shaffer Photos: The Diamondback, the ACC and Meridian Surveys

MAY 23 | COTTLE RESIGNS Longtime Terrapin lacrosse coach Dave Cottle resigns after failing to deliver an NCAA Championship. Cottle led the Terps to eight straight NCAA Tournament appearances and no losing seasons during his tenure in College Park but failed to advance to the Final Four for four straight seasons.

The Terps name former Harvard coach John Tillman as Cottle’s successor June 16.

JUNE 25 | YOW LEAVES Athletics Director Debbie Yow leaves behind her office in Comcast Center to take the AD position at N.C. State, capping a legacy of both athletic success with the Terps and rocky relationships with men’s basketball coach Gary Williams and football coach Ralph Friedgen. Senior Associate Athletics Director Randy Eaton is named interim athletics director three days later.

JUNE 25 | VASQUEZ DRAFTED Men’s basketball point guard Greivis Vasquez is drafted No. 28 overall in the NBA Draft by the Memphis Grizzlies.

Vasquez averaged 19.6 points and 6.3 assists as a senior for the Terps, who advanced to the second round of the NCAA Tournament last season.

JUNE | CONFERENCE REALIGNMENT The college football landscape is altered by a summer of change that leaves the Pacific-10, Big Ten and Big 12 conferences with new membership and direction. This university is bandied about as a possible defector to the Big Ten, but the Terps’ allegiance remains unchanged, and the ACC holds strong.

JULY 25 | FRIEDGEN SPEAKS Ralph Friedgen, in the wake of a forgettable 2-10 season in 2009, says his job security “doesn’t really concern me” at the ACC Football Kickoff in Greensboro, N.C.

MONDAY, AUGUST 30, 2010 | THE DIAMONDBACK

3B

4B

THE DIAMONDBACK | SPORTS | MONDAY, AUGUST 30, 2010

VOLLEYBALL | SEASON PREVIEW

Horsmon aiming high in 3rd year at helm

BY JOSH VITALE Staff writer

Five seasons ago, the Terrapin volleyball team was an ACC powerhouse. The Terps had just won their third straight ACC championship and solidified themselves as one of the best teams in the conference.

Since then, however, the Terps have been almost a nonfactor in the ACC. They had their worst season in program histor y in 2008 and struggled to a 14-19 finish last season, finishing 10th in the conference.

After naming Tim Horsmon coach two seasons ago, the program appeared poised to ascend to a spot among the league’s best. But even as Horsmon slowly began to remake the program, little improved in the way of results.

Coach Tim Horsmon and the Terps will rely on a talented recruiting class to help replace libero Sam Rosario, who will miss the season with an ACL injury. FILE PHOTO/THE DIAMONDBACK

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The Terps spent the past two seasons stuck at the bottom of the ACC with a combined conference record of 8-32.

But with a proven group of veterans and a talented incoming class, the Terps might have the players they need to again become a factor in the ACC. “I think we can expect improved play from the last few seasons,” Horsmon said. “This year, our expectations are to move up in the ACC standings, improve our RPI and work toward an NCAA berth.”

The Terps (2-1) have a lot to prove, though. The team is predicted to finish ninth in the ACC, and no Terp made the preseason All-ACC Team for the second year in a row.

“That is probably a fair analysis of where our program has been the last few years, but I do think we are a better team than

ninth,” Horsmon said. “Our goal is to finish in the top half of the conference this year, and in a few years, we’d like to be in the top three or four.”

If the Terps want to turn their program around, this is the season to do it. They return two of their top strikers in junior Maddi Lee and sophomore Kara Bates, as well as their top three setters: sophomores Taylor Jones and Remy McBain and junior Sharon Strizak.

The team did, however, lose sophomore Sam Rosario and freshman Carlisle Abele to season-ending ACL injuries.

“We have some really good players on this team,” Horsmon said. “We’re more organized, more competitive, and I think we’re going to beat some teams this year.”

The returning starters will be joined by a strong freshman

class led by Mary Cushman, a top-100 recruit and two-time New York state Gatorade Player of the Year. Sarah Harper and Caroline Niski make up the rest of the incoming class.

“Cushman may have been the best player on the floor last night, and Harper’s play was unbelievable,” Horsmon said, referring to the Terps’ 3-0 loss to Missouri in their season opener Friday. “Those two will be significant to the team in a lot of ways.”

While the Terps have continued their struggles under their new coach for the past two seasons, a solid group of players and a better understanding of Horsmon’s system seemingly has the Terps on the rise once again. vitale@umdbk.com

MONDAY, AUGUST 30, 2010 | SPORTS | THE DIAMONDBACK

5B

FIELD HOCKEY | SEASON PREVIEW

Familiar foe stands in way of Terps’ rise to the top After winning National Championship last year, North Carolina will again make Meharg’s ‘reloading’ job difficult in cutthroat ACC

BY JACOB ENGELKE Senior staff writer

Forward Katie O'Donnell and coach Missy Meharg are expected to lead the Terps back to the NCAA Championship game, where they lost on a last-minute goal to North Carolina last year. FILE PHOTO/THE DIAMONDBACK

TALE OF THE TAPE TAR HEELS

TERRAPINS

20-2 (4-1 ACC)

23-1 (5-0 ACC)

Returning starters:

7

4

National titles:

6

6

First-place votes in preseason ACC poll:

4

1

2009 Record:

Missy Meharg doesn’t want to dwell on how last year ended.

The Terrapin field hockey coach wants her team to forget about the 3-2 defeat it suffered in last year’s National Championship game against conference rival North Carolina.

Rather than wallow in the past, Meharg wants the No. 2 Terps to focus on one thing: claiming the program’s seventh NCAA Championship.

“We are pretty much over that game. There’s nothing we can do about it. It was unfortunate, but I’m just happy that we have another opportunity this year,” Meharg said. “In 2010, we don’t talk about the loss; there’s no real reason to. It’s not about that game.

“It’s Maryland field hockey,” she continued. “We like to put ourselves in a position to win the ACC Championship and to win the NCAA Championship. Having done that, you always have to believe you can.”

The Terps have already begun the process of erasing any memories of North Carolina lifting the National Championship trophy last November.

They topped No. 11 Drexel, 4-2, on Friday and Villanova, 5-0, on Sunday.

But inevitably, the road to this season’s title will likely go through the Tar Heels, who return seven starters from last year’s championship squad. North Carolina was predicted to finish first in the ACC and claimed the No. 1 spot in this year’s National Field Hockey Coaches Association preseason poll.

“I think it’s logical,” Meharg said.

“That’s the perceived expectation, and I think that Carolina has a little bit more experience in their defense, which is probably why they got that one spot.”

Last year, the Terps were named the preseason No. 1 and held the spot all season long as they extended a winning streak they had inherited from the past season to 35 games. But players said they don’t worry about where they are in the rankings.

“I don’t personally care that much about the preseason rankings,” defender and co-captain Alicia

Morawski said. “We know what we’re capable of achieving, and as a team, we’re going to stick to that.”

No. 3 Virginia, No. 6 Wake Forest, No. 9 Boston College and No. 10 Duke also claimed spots in the preseason poll, showing just how difficult it will be for this year’s team to again make it out of the nation’s best conference unscathed.

The Terps graduated seven starters, including the program’s alltime goal-scoring leader, Nicole Muracco, and goalkeeper Alicia Grater, who won three NCAA Championships with the team.

But Meharg doesn’t think the team is in a rebuilding stage. She likes to think of it as “reloading.”

“I plan on not worrying about replacing [the graduated senior class] but reloading with a different style,” Meharg said. “We’re going to be looking to really, really play out of the midfield more and not as much out of the backfield. We’re looking for a very strong attacking unit, which is very different from last year. When you talk about replacing, you’re really just talking about change.”

The Terps are extremely young this season: Their roster includes 15 underclassmen and just seven upperclassmen. But players said the team’s young talent is good enough to replace last year’s senior class.

“We have six incoming freshmen this year, and they can all fill in the holes and improve to be at the level of last year’s seniors,” forward and cocaptain Katie O’Donnell said. “I don’t think we’re that worried about having any holes in our lineup this year.”

O’Donnell is another reason why this year’s team warrants optimism.

The 2009 Honda Award Winner and reigning National Player of the Year spent her spring and summer training and playing with the national women’s field hockey team, and she believes that experience improved her game.

O’Donnell had a program-record 87 points last season en route to reaching the top spot on the school’s careerpoints list with 208, and Meharg said her impact this year will be the same, if not greater.

“She’s played a tremendous amount

“In 2010, we don’t talk about the loss [to North Carolina in the 2009 title game]; there’s no real reason to. It’s not about that game.”

MISSY MEHARG TERRAPIN FIELD HOCKEY COACH

of hockey, and she knows how to play the game in both the front line and midfield line,” Meharg said. “So that’s a real strength for us.”

Meharg said she hasn’t decided on a starting lineup yet, and besides the team’s four seniors and preseason AllACC midfielder Megan Frazer, many of the spots will be up for grabs.

“We’re not in a position to even look at starters versus non-starters yet,” Meharg said after the team’s preseason scrimmage against Penn State.

“We might not have a designated starting lineup until we get more into October or even into playoffs because I think we’re deeper than we’ve been [in the past].”

Despite last year’s national championship loss, the Terps still expect to end this season with a win. The program is one of the winningest in NCAA history — the Terps’ six NCAA Championships tie them with North Carolina for the second most ever — and this year’s team wants to write a chapter of its own. Chances are it might mean beating the team that dethroned the Terps last November.

“There’s always a little bit of motivation behind it when you have a loss like that,” Morawski said. “For the girls returning, it’s still somewhat there, but it just kind of pushes you a little harder. The incoming girls know that this is a championship program.

We know we can build from that and have a chance to win it all again. … In the end, everything leads up to the National Championship, so we’re working toward that.” jengelke@umdbk.com

6B

THE DIAMONDBACK | SPORTS | MONDAY, AUGUST 30, 2010

NOTEBOOK from page 1B “You need new captains?”

Tyler asked.

Friedgen said he hasn’t decided either way yet, but he indicated one option could be naming senior members of the team’s Terrapin Council, a leadership group, as captains

throughout the season.

“The council that I have, I really like them a lot,” Friedgen said. “They’re very demonstrative and not afraid to tell me what they think and what I should do, which is kind of how I like it.”

ODDS AND ENDS Replete with talent and tar-

gets just two weeks ago, the Terps’ tight end position is now starkly shallow.

Tight end Devonte Campbell, who entered the summer as the team’s top option at tight end, will miss two to four weeks because of an MCL strain suffered Monday.

Junior Lansford Watson underwent season-ending knee surgery Tuesday after an

examination of his knee revealed a torn ACL in addition to a partially torn MCL the team already knew about.

An earlier injury to Will Yeatman, who broke his finger during the opening week of practice and will be out until late September, leaves the team with just two healthy scholarship tight ends: sophomore Matt Furstenburg and redshirt freshman

Dave Stinebaugh. The duo has a combined one reception for nine yards in their careers.

Kicker Nick Ferrara, meantime, has been hobbled by a pulled groin. Punter Travis Baltz, who started for his high school team as both a kicker and punter, has filled in for the ailing sophomore and performed well. Friedgen said Baltz nailed seven of nine field

goals Friday, with one miss glancing off the goal post.

Ferrara, a first-team freshman All-America selection by the Football Writers Association of America, made 18 of 25 field goals last season. His timetable to return is unclear.

Said Friedgen: “I’m healthier than he is.” sports@umdbk.com

MONDAY, AUGUST 30, 2010 | SPORTS | THE DIAMONDBACK

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WOMEN’S SOCCER | SEASON PREVIEW

Wave of success introduces new set of standards for Terps in 2010 Wins are expected, not hoped for, after breakthrough 2009 season

BY CONOR WALSH Staff writer

BRIAN PENSKY TERRAPIN WOMEN’S SOCCER COACH

Winning — it’s the goal for any team, in any sport. Tactics might differ, players might change, but in the end, it all comes down to who wins and who loses.

And for the first time during coach Brian Pensky’s six-year reign in College Park, the No. 14 Terrapin women’s soccer team finds itself in an unfamiliar position: The Terps are expected to win — and win often.

After entering the 2009 season unranked, Pensky and the Terps battled their way through a rigorous ACC schedule, reached as high as No. 8 in the national rankings and advanced to the Sweet 16 in the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2004.

With eight starters returning from last season’s squad, this team no longer has to prove it belongs.

“In years past, we’ve been coming in feeling like we’ve got

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to prove to ourselves and other people out there that we can win,” Pensky said. “Now, we expect to win.”

The Terps are living up to their expectations early in the season.

After another weekend sweep, they are 4-0-0, having scored 16 goals in the four matches.

“This year, we know there’s a target on our backs,” said forward Ashley Grove, who leads the team with four goals.

The Terps’ torrid offensive start comes as no surprise. They return their two most potent scorers in forwards Jasmyne Spencer and Grove, as well as junior midfielder Lydia Hastings, who had five goals as a freshman but suffered through a goalless sophomore season in 2009.

Led by Grove’s early production, the group has combined for nine of the team’s 16 goals.

“Confidence is high,” Pensky said after the Terps’ 3-1 victory at Tennessee on Friday. “But the first thing we talked about after the game was that this is nothing. This game can be cruel if you take it for granted.”

The Terp backline was a much bigger question mark entering the season. After graduating former All-ACC goalkeeper Mary Casey and steady

wide backs Brittany Cummins and Megan Watson, all of whom were paramount to last season’s success, the Terps had the unenviable task of reconstructing their defense.

And while defense might remain a concern as the season progresses into ACC play, goalkeeper Yewande Balogun has performed well, as have wide backs Caitlin McDowell and Megan Gibbons.

The Terps have surrendered just three goals in their first four games, a positive sign considering the potent offenses of Tennessee and Missouri, the latter of which the Terps came from behind to beat, 3-2, on Aug. 22.

“Our backs and our goalkeeping have been under some intense pressure,” Pensky said.

“I feel good about the fact that we’ve shown that, individually, we can defend and, collectively, we can defend.”

The road is going to only get tougher. Despite their high ranking, the Terps are merely the fifth-highest ranked team within the ACC and one of seven conference squads ranked in the top 16. And it should come as no surprise that the conference is headed by No. 1 North Carolina, the king-

pins of women’s soccer. The Terps have never beaten the 21time national champion Tar Heels, who knocked the Terps out of last year’s ACC and NCAA tournaments.

“Every team in this conference is an absolute bear,” said Pensky, whose program has never won more than four ACC games in a season.

“I think there are people out there who are still underestimating us, assuming last year was a fluke,” said Spencer, who was one of 44 players nationally to be named to the preseason watch list for the Hermann Trophy, women’s soccer’s most prestigious award. “We’re using that as our motivation. We’re here to show people that Maryland is here to stay.”

For now, the Terps hope to continue their hot start as they round out their nonconference schedule with four more matches against unranked opponents.

“We need to play with the fear that we could lose every game,” Pensky said. “If we don’t focus on our responsibilities, we’re going to get bit. We can’t lose our humility.” cwalsh@umdbk.com

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THE DIAMONDBACK | SPORTS | MONDAY, AUGUST 30, 2010

MEN’S SOCCER | SEASON PREVIEW

With pieces in place, Terps again have title aspirations Talented attack and healthy corps of starters should give team plenty of options in championship pursuit

BY CHRIS ECKARD Senior staff writer

Sasho Cirovski will admit he’s a confident guy, especially when it comes to his men’s soccer program.

But entering the 2010 season, the 18th-year coach hasn’t been reluctant to spout out superlatives about a team that returns nine starters from an Elite Eight appearance last year.

He hasn’t had to run a single conditioning drill during training camp because this year’s team is the fittest he’s ever seen report to camp. He said these Terps make up the deepest squad he’s ever coached.

And he believes forwards Jason Herrick and Casey Townsend could be the best scoring tandem he’s ever put on the field.

“I’m a confident person,” Cirovski said.

His players have noticed the transformation.

“He’s actually been very nice to us, which is surprising from Coach Sasho,” goalkeeper Zac MacMath said.

“He knows that this team has what it takes and he trusts us a little more.”

The No. 6 Terps dodged early departures, obtained a medical redshirt for a sixthyear player, returned several injured starters and brought in yet another top-five recruiting class to chase a third national title in six years.

Last season, those championship dreams were derailed by a handful of devastating injuries.

Townsend suffered a lingering ankle injury, keeping him out for a month. A hip injury limited midfielder Matt Kassel throughout the second half of the season, requiring surgery at the end of the year. Midfielder Doug Rodkey broke

the metatarsal bone in his right foot, ending his senior season just seven games in.

He later received a medical redshirt that allowed him an additional year of eligibility.

Starting defender Alex Lee brought the team’s emotional roller coaster to a climax in the second week of October when he was struck by a car in Washington and required season-ending skull surgery.

Townsend, Rodkey, Kassel and Lee have all returned to training camp healthy and ready for this year. Even Lee, who has battled hamstring and ankle issues of late, scrimmaged during the preseason.

Add in MacMath, who could have left school early to play professional soccer, and the loss of only two starters from last season’s team, and it’s obvious there’s reason for Cirovski’s optimism.

After his team fell to Virginia, 3-0, in the Elite Eight last season, Cirovski said the defeat would sit with him until the team won its next national championship.

Getting back there hinges on the Terps’ ability to score goals. Last year, after scoring 13 goals in their first six games — seven of which came in an offensive blitz against Duquesne — the Terps matched the same number in the 13 games before the NCAA Tournament.

When Townsend came back from injury, he felt disconnected with Herrick up front.

The two started to gel in the postseason but faltered against a Cavalier team that held the Terps scoreless in three games.

Cirovski has set a goal for the team to score two goals a game. Last year, the team averaged 1.39.

“We’ve got to play together

Midfielder Patrick Mullins celebrates the second goal in the Terps’ 2-1 exhibition win against Georgetown on Saturday.

Mullins could start in a Terp midfield that has both talent and a history of injuries. MATTHEW CREGER/THE DIAMONDBACK

all summer,” Townsend said.

“We are a lot more technical and mature this year, so we should be able to keep the ball together.”

At midfield, the Terps return Kassel, Rodkey and Kaoru Forbess, and Cirovski is still deciding who to start at left midfield. Either freshman Patrick Mullins, who enrolled a semester early and led the team in goals in the spring, or Billy Cortes, who started 16 games last season in place of Rodkey, will fill the void.

Cirovski expects goals to come not only from Townsend and Herrick but from all over his midfield, as well.

“We’re going to be a much better attacking team than we were last year,” Cirovski said.

Last year’s brand-new defense returns nearly intact.

Sophomore mainstays Taylor

Kemp and Ethan White will lead a backline that is again expected to feature Lee, while senior Greg Young and freshman Gordon Murie will battle for the final spot vacated by graduated starter Kevin Tangney.

With a corps of returning starters and a recruiting class that includes Mullins, Murie and top-10 prospect Sunny Jane, the Terps look capable of meeting Cirovski’s lofty expectations.

“Last year, our identity became a ver y resilient, proud team,” Cirovski said.

“We have the makings of a very special team.”

Cirovski, never lacking in confidence, added, “We’re very much a team that knows what we’re capable of.” ceckard@umdbk.com

Forward John Stertzer, right, leaps for a header Saturday night.

The Terps kick off their regular season Friday at home against No. 24 Michigan State. MATTHEW CREGER/THE DIAMONDBACK

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MONDAY, AUGUST 30, 2010 | THE DIAMONDBACK

Diversions

INSIDE: FALL MUSIC PREVIEW Not to be outdone by Hollywood, the everfloundering music industry also has an impressive slate of fall releases in store for music fans. Inside, you’ll find a preview of the season’s most anticipated albums. Those include discs from Taylor Swift (right), Neil Young, T.I., Weezer and Kanye West.

arts. music. living. movies. weekend.

opening edition.

PREVIEW | FALL MOVIES

GET YOUR GLASSES

BY REESE HIGGINS, ANDREW FREEDMAN AND ZACHARY BERMAN Staff writers

It seems as though almost every movie genre has been affected this year by Hollywood’s 3-D movie craze, from Clash of the Titans to Toy Story 3 to Step Up 3D. Cinephiles will face no shortage of 3-D films this fall, with Saw 3D, the latest Chronicles of Narnia adaptation and the new TRON film, among others, set to release.

But don’t worry, 2-D purists — you can take solace in dramas such as The Social Network, Black Swan and The Fighter, and those are just a few of moviegoers’ many options this fall. Here are some of the most interesting films set to come out over the next few months.

see MOVIES, page 2

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THE DIAMONDBACK | DIVERSIONS | MONDAY, AUGUST 30, 2010

Autumn’s cinematic highs and lows MOVIES

Buried (Oct. 8) from page 1

The Town (Sept. 17) Lest we forget “Bennifer,” Ben Affleck (Extract) has been the center of more than a few jokes during his career. This fall, by teaming with two rising actors — Jon Hamm of AMC’s Mad Men and Jeremy Renner of The Hurt Locker — for a film about violent bank robberies in Boston, Affleck is tapping into the badass he never knew he could be. With any luck, The Town will have a tangled web of a plot and real, emotional characters instead of devolving into a lukewarm actioner with a half-hearted love story as the trailer suggests. — Zachary Berman

Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga’Hoole (Sept. 24) It’s strange to think a movie about a world ruled by anthropomorphic owls is somehow weirder than the normal computer-animated film fare, but it’s hard to get over the fact that the filmmakers want their viewers to believe in a world where birds are the only form of natural wildlife. Sure, audiences should suspend disbelief as the cute owl heroes fly in a race against time to find the mythical Guardians and save themselves from evil, but how far is too far?

Perhaps strangest of all is that the film is directed by Zack Snyder, director of the homoerotic gorefest 300. As great as the action and computer cinematography (including 3-D viewing) might be, there is a point where a concept might just be too silly to hold viewers’ attention. — Z.B.

The Social Network (Oct. 1) Based on the book The Accidental Billionaires by Ben Mezrich, The Social Network tells the tale of Facebook’s conception and the difficulties it faced in its first few years. Founder Mark Zuckerberg will be portrayed

by Jesse Eisenberg (Zombieland), and the movie will also feature new Spider-Man Andrew Garfield (I’m Here) as business partner Eduardo Saverin and Justin Timberlake (The Open Road) as entrepreneur Sean Parker. David Fincher (The Curious Case of Benjamin Button) directs. — Andrew Freedman

A hit at the Sundance Film Festival, Buried is a thriller starring Ryan Reynolds (Paper Man) as Paul Conroy, a truck driver who wakes up in a buried in a coffin underground with nothing but a knife, a lighter, a cell phone and amnesia. Limited oxygen, terrible reception (even Verizon can’t save you six feet under) and fear are obstacles to his ultimate goal: getting out of that coffin alive. — A.F.

Oh, and this time, a baby and a cute dog are among those in mortal danger. Be very afraid. — Z.B.

Saw 3D (Oct. 29) The seventh and allegedly final installment in this torture-porn series offers all the blood and gore the franchise’s fans enjoy, but in an extra dimension. The serious tone the Saw films attempt to convey looks to be diminished with the 3-D effects. See for yourself when it hits theaters. — R.H.

Stone (Oct. 8)

Megamind (Nov. 5)

Gerald “Stone” Creeson (Edward Norton, Leaves of Grass) is in jail for covering up the murder of his grandparents, and a parole officer played

by Robert De Niro (Everybody’s Fine) is set to review his case weeks before Stone’s parole hearing. Milla Jovovich (Resident Evil: Afterlife) plays Stone’s wife, who sleeps with De Niro’s married character in an effort to help Stone’s case. And, of course, everything goes as planned — not. — Reese Higgins

Leave it to DreamWorks to satirize the superhero craze (in 3-D, natch).

Megamind (Will Ferrell, The Other Guys) may be the most brilliant villain in the world, but he has been engaged in a lifelong rivalry with superhero Metro Man (Brad Pitt, Inglourious Basterds). When Megamind takes reporter Roxanne Ritchi (Tina Fey, Date Night) hostage, the villain’s view on life changes drastically, changing Metro City forever. Hopefully, the excellent voice cast can elevate this movie to a level DreamWorks hasn’t found before. — A.F.

Red (Oct. 15) Bruce Willis (The Expendables) is Frank Moses, a retired blackops CIA agent living a peaceful life.

After an assassination attempt, he pulls his old team (Morgan Freeman, John Malkovich and Helen Mirren) out of retirement for one more mission. Based on DC Comics’ miniseries of the same name. — A.F.

Paranormal Activity 2 (Oct. 22) One might think big Hollywood scams only work once — if audiences are smart enough, they’ll catch on that Hollywood is bombarding them with hype to go see a bad film. The Blair Witch Project set the stage years ago — a super-low-budget, foundfootage-style film touted as a scary descent into psychological fear that wasn’t really terrifying at all. Now, Paranormal Activity, which was effectively the same movie and had a similarly staggering gross, has a sequel.

With a decidedly bigger budget that now allows for multiple camera angles in a new house, audiences should be prepared for more long, drawn-out setups and extremely small payoffs.

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Due Date (Nov. 5) It would be hard for viewers to pack any more Zach Galifianakis (Dinner for Schmucks) into their collective film-pipes, but among the numerous movies in which he is slated to star, Due Date looks to be one of the most promising. Galifianakis is paired alongside resident self-destruction comebacker Robert Downey Jr. (Iron Man 2) for buddy-style road trip comedy in nearly the exact same vein as Planes, Trains & Automobiles, but with a modern edge. Directed by Todd Phillips (The Hangover), Due Date has the potential to be one of the funnier movies of the year. — Z.B.

127 Hours (Nov. 5) Director Danny Boyle (Slumdog Millionaire) is behind the camera for this screen treatment of Aron Ralston’s real-life stor y of survival. Ralston (James Franco, Eat Pray Love) becomes trapped under a boulder while exploring the canyons of Utah.

The outdoorsman reflects on his life as he weighs his everslimming options. Boyle usually delivers, so this is one to watch out for. — R.H.

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1 (Nov. 19) After all this time, it seems the

Robert De Niro, left, and Edward Norton star as a parole officer and a prisoner, respectively, in Stone, set for an Oct. 8 release. COURTESY OF MOVIEWEB.COM

Harry Potter film series has begun to grate uncomfortably against its viewers just like the shallow Twilight saga is. Finishing the behemoth narrative in film form should feel like finishing a railroad — a huge, useful accomplishment.

Instead, will viewers be left with the same incomplete, Swiss cheese narrative that has plagued the last three Harry Potter films, this time drawn out over two movies in a lastditch effort to keep the series alive?

Certainly there will be some grandiose, fulfilling onscreen moments in the film for even the most jaded or blasé of fans because The Deathly Hollows truly is Warner Bros.’ last chance to get the Harry Potter story onscreen in an acceptable fashion. Though ticket sales won’t be an issue, it’s going to take a lot of real magic to get these last two films back to the quality of the first few in the series, if not surpass it. — Z.B.

Black Swan (Dec. 1) Natalie Portman (Brothers) and Mila Kunis (Date Night) star as competitive rivals in the world of New York City ballet. Darren Aronofsky (The Wrestler) directs this psychological thriller. If the bizarre trailer is anything to go by, this will be one freaky night at the movies. — R.H.

The Fighter (Dec. 10) Six years after the flop of I Heart Huckabees, David O. Russell returns

with a directing credit for this film, a product of star Mark Wahlberg’s passion for the project. Based on a true story, the film follows boxer “Irish” Mickey Ward (Wahlberg, The Other Guys) and his trainer and half-brother (Christian Bale, Public Enemies), who helped him turn pro in the 1980s. The studio is pinning its Oscar hopes on this one. — R.H.

The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader (Dec. 10) The already-tired film adaptations of C.S. Lewis’ classic Christianthemed novels — about an alternate world found inside a piece of furniture — sails into theaters with its third installment. The Narnia gang boards the royal ship, the Dawn Treader, for a high seas adventure to the end of the world. Catch this in 3-D at participating theaters. — R.H.

TRON: Legacy (Dec. 17) In the 3-D sequel to the 1982 film Tron, Sam Flynn (Garrett Hedlund, Death Sentence) is constantly thinking about the disappearance of his father Kevin Flynn, formerly the world’s leading video-game creator (a role reprised by Jeff Bridges, Crazy Heart).

When Sam finds a strange signal emanating from his father’s arcade, he is pulled into the digital world where his father has been trapped. Together, the two will fight a threatening virus that prevents their escape. Expect tons of special effects. — A.F. diversions@umdbk.com rhiggins@umdbk.com afreedman@umdbk.com

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MONDAY, AUGUST 30, 2010 | DIVERSIONS | THE DIAMONDBACK

all the crap you care about WESLEY SNIPES ALMOST WENT TO SPACE... ...By being a cast member on Star Trek: The Next Generation. According to a memo found by Blastr.com, Snipes was considered for the role of Lt. Geordi La forge, which was eventually brought to life by milquetoast Reading Rainbow host LeVar Burton.

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REVIEW | SOMEONE STILL LOVES YOU BORIS YELTSIN

From Russia with love Long-named band’s latest is perfect for the last few nights of summer

BY KYLE LUCAS Staff writer

BRISTOL PALIN IS SHAMELESS Although the new cast of Dancing with the Stars won’t be announced until tonight, word on the street is Bristol Palin will be on board.

It just goes to show you that you could be an entirely worthless waste of space and still use a famous parent and an unwanted pregnancy to achieve whatever constitutes “fame” these days. But that’s kind of a downer. Maybe she’ll wear pretty dresses!

COURTESY OF MUSICREMEDY.COM

Besides having one of the best band names in music, Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin has been one of the most consistent producers of solid indie pop since its 2006 debut, Broom.

The Springfield, Mo., four-piece is also a blogosphere favorite, which has only increased expectations for its newest album, Let It Sway.

Well, it’s safe to say Let It Sway will not disappoint.

On the album, the band’s third full-length, the music is tight, the lyrics are solid and, with the steady hand of Death Cab for Cutie’s Chris Walla behind the boards, it has a certain shine that the band’s previous efforts have not.

That said, the record drags a bit at times, and there is a handful of filler sprinkled in, but overall, Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin seems to have found an area it is comfortable with and willing to explore.

The album begins with “Back in the Saddle,” which serves its purpose as a solid opener. Philip Dickey’s soft and easygoing vocals hang in the forefront while a guitar quietly strums and a piano is heard in the distance.

About a minute and a half into the song, though, the band turns it up a little bit with a catchy guitar riff and dueling vocals that make the track one of the album’s best.

One of the strengths of Let It Sway is the ability of the group to change tempos flawlessly in the middle of tracks, which is especially on display during the standout “Everlyn.”

The drumming on the song is a little more noticeable than on other tracks, with the beat essentially mimicking the guitars for the verses, and Dickey crooning “Oh Everlyn / Won’t you let me in?” All the ingredients mix for a terrific, toe-tapping three minutes.

“Critical Drain” also impresses as the band uses a rare uptempo beat for the entire song. It’s a very catchy pop gem in and of itself, but on an album that consists almost entirely of slower songs, it’s an enjoyable change of pace.

“Sink/Let It Sway,” however, is where the band’s pop pedigree comes out in full force, undoubtedly fed by Walla’s talents. The hook is the strongest of any on the record, with the guitar riff and bass coming out just as catchy as the vocals.

There are also some expertly-placed oohs and ahs, which make the song all the better.

But even with those very good songs, there are a handful of low points. “Banned (By the Man)” and “Phantomwise” are decent songs but about 30 seconds longer than they have to be.

The biggest gamble the band takes is also the biggest fault on the record: “Stuart Gets Lost Dans Le Metro.” It’s a mostly instrumental song that, while showcasing the band’s excellent musicianship, just doesn’t have much substance. While it will most likely be a favorite of some listeners and was surely intended as a break from the rest of the material, it seems out of place and unnecessary.

But Let It Sway, all in all, is quite a good record. It moves slowly at times and there are a few instances where the band lets its early Weezer influence shine a bit too brightly, but it showcases all of what’s good about Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin — a strong pop sensibility coupled with great musicianship.

And while it may not be a groundbreaking record of any kind, it’s still a nice and catchy little album to occupy the waning days of summer. klucas@umdbk.com

ALBUM: Let It Sway | VERDICT:

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DIVERSIONS’ MINIATURE GUIDE TO FALL 2010 TELEVISION Craving even more entertainment-based stimuli? Fair enough — here are a few of the most exciting television prospects set to premiere this fall season. Make sure to try and venture beyond the normal network trappings, if you can — there might be some very rewarding TV on cable.

Boardwalk Empire (Sept. 19, HBO) HBO has faltered just a tiny bit since the game-changing The Sopranos went off the air, but it seems like the channel is looking to reclaim its former glory with this sprawling, Atlantic City, N.J.-based Prohibition drama. Steve Buscemi, who has a lot of acting talent behind that bizarre face of his, stars in the show, which is produced and occasionally directed

by Martin Scorsese. Early word is extremely positive.

Hawaii Five-0 (Sept. 20, CBS) For whatever reason, CBS decided to fire up the remake machine to churn out a wholly unnecessary successor to Hawaii Five-O, which ran for 12 seasons starting in 1968.

The show is a crime procedural that will probably be the exact same thing as every other crime procedural on CBS, except this time there will be more bikinis per capita.

Running Wilde (Sept. 21, FOX) So, OK, it’s not Arrested Development part two, but we’re all going to just have to come to terms with the fact that the Bluth family will never hit the small screen again. However, Running Wilde stars Will Arnett and Keri Russell, whose respective rich jackass and humanitarian personalities go toe-to-toe with each other. Mitch Hurwitz, creator of Arrested Development, also put this show together.

Maybe that’s a glimmer of hope.

No Ordinar y Family (Sept. 28, ABC) A normal family becomes super-powered after a freak accident and then has to balance living a suburban life with coming to terms with its abilities. It kind of seems like Heroes combined with some gooey, sentimental slice-of-life dramedy. However, if the show doesn’t lapse into cuteness too often, it might turn into solid fall fare.

The Walking Dead (Oct. 31, AMC) Not only is this show set to premiere on surprise drama powerhouse AMC, it’s based on an immensely popular comic and produced by Frank Darabont, of The Shawshank Redemption fame, who also directed the first episode. The trailer looks fittingly exciting, with some gorgeous shots and fantastic makeup and special effects. Oh, and did we mention it’s about a zombie apocalypse?

COURTESY OF MTV.COM

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THE DIAMONDBACK | MONDAY, AUGUST 30, 2010

THE DIAMONDBACK | DIVERSIONS | MONDAY, AUGUST 30, 2010

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PREVIEW | FALL ALBUMS

THE COMEBACK KIDS This fall’s album slate promises old stars trying to rekindle their careers

BY REESE HIGGINS AND ZACHARY BERMAN Staff writers

Hurrah! It’s fall album season again! The charmingly sour smell of used, torn college textbooks that pervades the basement of the Maryland Book Exchange should be preparing us all for school and other activities as the weather gets a bit cooler.

What better way to celebrate than by listening to new music?

The end of 2010 promises to be a powerhouse of major releases, with everything from Taylor Swift to Weezer and Sufjan Stevens to Ice Cube.

To offer a helping hand in sifting through the wealth of new LPs, here’s the Diversions fall album preview, which highlights some of the most anticipated and decidedly strange records expected to drop in the coming months.

Weezer — Hurley (Sept. 14) Why bother, right? Weezer is back with yet another album with yet another ridiculous cover — this time, it’s Lost actor Jorge Garcia’s entire face (he played a character named Hurley on the show).

The masses who enjoyed last year’s lame Raditude might gobble up the new full-length, but discerning listeners might want to steer clear of this potential garbage.

There’s always a chance this record could bring the band back to Pinkerton-era brilliance. But what are the odds? Only in dreams.

— Reese Higgins

Grinderman — Grinderman 2 (Sept. 14) Australian postpunk rock band Nick

Cave and the Bad Seeds have had a career spanning four decades and a wealth of musical styles, all leading back to the gravelly voice and imaginative lyrics of frontman Nick Cave. Grinderman is a sort of side project, consisting entirely of members of the Bad Seeds, including Warren Ellis, violinist of post-rock trio The Dirty Three.

In the grungiest way possible, the group’s first record, Grinderman, brought the blood and grit of the Australian outback. Although there are claims that the band’s new album will have a somewhat different sound, audiences should still expect the razor-blade intensity of the first album and the violent and dark emotion of Cave. — Zachary Berman

John Legend and The Roots — Wake Up! (Sept. 21) The middle-of-the-road R&B singer teams up with the grossly overrated late-night band (“Legendary”? Already?) for an album of covers. Wake Up! will be a collection of 1960s and ’70s songs, with one original song from Legend, “Shine.” In a May interview with Rolling Stone, Legend said the songs are “about social uplift.” — R.H.

John Legend (center) and The Roots are just one of the many groups with new records out this fall. Legend and The Roots will be releasing an album of covers Sept. 21. COURTESY OF COLUMBIA

Neil Young — Le Noise (Sept. 28) The 64-year-old Canuck hopes to win back fans irritated by his 2009 LP inspired by his ecofriendly car with this new solo album, produced by studio wiz Daniel Lanois (U2, Bob Dylan).

If the black metal-looking album art is any indication, this disc will be a rocker for the ages.

— R.H.

Ice Cube — I Am the West (Sept. 28) Stigmas are hard to overcome. Ice Cube has done it once already, making the jump from N.W.A gangsta rap and a G-funk-powered solo career to a career in acting and family entertainment.

While it might not be too hard to lose your edge and star in movies such as The Longshots and Are We There Yet?, it might be quite a challenge for Ice Cube to

reclaim his former glory.

This album goes beyond Ice Cube simply regaining his composure — right in the title itself, Cube refers to himself as the amalgamation of all things West Coast hip-hop.

This claim will be up for discussion as the album is received, but it’s safe to say Ice Cube won’t be trying to emulate some of the more lackluster modern rappers who emulate him.

— Z.B.

T.I. — Uncaged (Sept. 28)

King

T.I., one of this year’s Virgin Mobile FreeFest headliners, delivers his first fulllength since being released from prison in March. The first single from the album, the Keri Hilson-assisted “Got Your Back,” is faring well on the charts, and the LP looks to satisfy his eager fans. Still unknown is whether his evil twin T.I.P. will guest on the album. — R.H.

Ciara — Basic Instinct (Oct. 5) R&B songstress Ciara can, in many ways, be seen as the paradigm of modern success.

The singer has ridden to stardom on the back of multiple popular singles and wellpicked guest spots on other wellregarded recordings. Though her newest record’s title implies she will be going on a black widow-style killing spree à la the 1992 Michael Douglas film of the same name, her true intentions are far more recognizable to an audience desperate for a stronger female presence in R&B than just Alicia Keys. For Ciara, the idea behind Basic Instinct is cliché enough: bringing her music back to its urban roots.

Though the concept has been used before, fans can expect Ciara to deliver an album similar to past releases. — Z.B.

see ALBUMS, page 8

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THE DIAMONDBACK | DIVERSIONS | MONDAY, AUGUST 30, 2010

REVIEW | KATY PERRY

Not Dreamy Katy Perry’s newest album, Teenage Dream, is average at best

BY KYLE LUCAS Staff writer

Damn the sophomore slump.

After her successful debut — an album full of pop-rock gems — Katy Perry has changed her sound. The result doesn’t capture the same magic she has been able to cull in the past.

This time around, Perry has mostly abandoned her old sound, which she

used perfectly on One of the Boys in songs such as “Hot N Cold,” in favor of a more dance/pop sound.

However, Perry just doesn’t have a full enough grasp of this genre to make a cohesive record.

Still, Teenage Dream is far from a disaster.

The album is entirely listenable, but it’s mediocre and not worth revisiting.

The title track is one of the only true pop gems,

ALBUM: Teenage Dream | VERDICT:

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and “Peacock” is perfect for Perry as it displays her off-kilter personality and goofiness.

But beyond those standouts, nothing is particularly great. Perry sounds especially out of place singing over synthesizers and drum machines on “E.T.” and “Who Am I Living For?” The album is far from awful, but if Perr y wants to keep her career going strong, she needs to stop hanging out with Timbaland and go back to Dr. Luke. klucas@umdbk.com

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The latest Katy Perry album, Teenage Dream, would have been much stronger had the singer stuck with the formula that made her famous in the first place. COURTESY OF 1920X1200.NET

THE DIAMONDBACK | DIVERSIONS | MONDAY, AUGUST 30, 2010

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REVIEW | THE SWITCH

Everything we’ve seen before The Switch is nothing but a lame, tired romantic comedy snoozefest

BY MARRIAM SHAH For The Diamondback

Using toys to spice things up in the bedroom is not uncommon. Getting it on with a turkey baster is just disturbing. Add some liquor to all that, and you have the premise of The Switch.

In the film, Kassie Larson (Jennifer Aniston, The Bounty Hunter) and Wally Mars (Jason Bateman, Couples Retreat) are lifelong pals.

Larson is a 40-something single woman living the dream. She works at a TV station, lives in a fancy New York apartment and has killer legs. The only thing she wants is a child, and all she needs to get it is one measly sperm.

The big secret is that Wally loves Kassie. Naturally, he feels vulnerable and expendable when he meets her sperm donor, Roland (Patrick Wilson, The A-Team), who looks like a real-life Hercules. So he does the only unpredictable thing in the whole film: With the help of Diane Sawyer’s magazine cover, tequila and a professional turkey baster, Wally fathers Kassie’s child without her knowledge.

The Switch is predictable. The entire plot is revealed in the first 20 minutes, and the conflict is avoidable and frustrating.

MOVIE: The Switch | VERDICT:

No help comes from Bateman’s and Aniston’s characters; for instance, in one scene, they go to a restaurant and order a fully cooked duck. The dead bird stole the scene.

There is a silver lining: Kassie’s son, Sebastian, played by the lovable Thomas Robinson (Heroes). Neurotic and bossy, Sebastian would rather spend his time self-diagnosing on WebMD than playing with Legos.

While Bateman seems bored by his role, Aniston plays her part effortlessly, probably because she has played the same exact character in every film she’s been in. In short, the little kid should be giving acting lessons to his 41-year-old co-stars.

Many of the film’s funny moments are related to reproduction, and the humor becomes tired by the third scene. The parts of the movie without Sebastian are unbearable as cliché dilemmas come to the fore.

So, of course, Roland wants a relationship with the child and the mother, and he and Wally compete for attention. Roland is romantic and chiseled and likes to whisk Kassie away for weekend vacations. Wally is quiet and wears sweater vests. Guess which guy Kassie will choose. diversions@umdbk.com Jason Bateman, holding a sperm sample cup, plays Wally Mars alongside Jennifer Aniston’s Kassie Larson in the new romantic comedy The Switch. Unfortunately, a predictable plot derails the film. COURTESY OF THETVREALIST.COM

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THE DIAMONDBACK | DIVERSIONS | MONDAY, AUGUST 30, 2010

ALBUMS from page 5 Belle and Sebastian – Belle and Sebastian Write About Love (Oct. 12) The kings and queens of the pretentious monochrome record covers are returning this fall, this time under a delightful light purple album sleeve. Throughout the years the Glasgow, Scotland, band has become a critical indie-pop darling and an international success.

It’s been four years since the band’s last album and nearly 14 since the group formed. So it’s starting to become questionable whether the group can keep the youthful spirit of its music alive or if it will begin to turn toward its golden years.

A better question is whether listeners even want the band to evolve. Either way, the band’s eighth studio album stands to be one of the more interesting listens of the fall. — Z.B.

Sufjan Stevens – The Age of Adz (Oct. 12) It seems like only a few weeks ago Sufjan Stevens was renouncing music as an art form, memorably describing his disinterest in the point of a

song. Then, almost without warning, Stevens dropped All Delighted People, an hour-long EP. Now, fans are eagerly anticipating his first full album of new songs in five years.

The album was apparently created without a strong conceptual basis, and after five years, his recently released EP is the only indication of what the new sound will be.

While the EP features the big strings and choirs of previous recordings, other sources claim The Age of Adz (pronounced “odds”) will have a more electronic focus. One thing is for sure, though: After the success of his last full album, Illinoise, critics and fans alike will be flocking to this record. — Z.B.

Kings of Leon – Come Around Sundown (Oct. 19) After years of setting European markets ablaze, Kings of Leon have grown into a fullfledged major international act in the last two years.

Only by the Night became one of the biggest albums of the last few years, and its singles can be heard on nearly any Top 40 radio station at nearly any time of day. So it stands to reason the band’s next record will burst onto the scene with a big debut week. The real question be-

comes whether the group can write songs as catchy and appealing as it did last time. — Z.B.

Taylor Swift – Speak Now (Oct. 25) The 20-year-old songstress is unleashing her third album with cover art that could not get any more girly (Swift in a sparkly purple dress against a white backdrop). If the demographic-baiting art gives us a sign, it’s a bad one.

But Swift’s 2008 LP, Fearless, was the year’s most charming collection of upbeat pop songs and sincere lyrics — not to mention one of the year’s best-selling, with almost six million copies sold to date, according to Nielsen SoundScan. Hopefully, Swift will stick to what she does best and deliver another knockout.

— R.H.

Kid Cudi – Man on the Moon II: The Legend of Mr. Rager (Oct. 26) He’s back — Kid Cudi, the musical man-boy who erupted into the world of hip-hop-pop last year, has returned with his sophomore album and a desire to make this college semester as catchy as the last.

Reportedly, the new set of songs will bring listeners out of the nightmare world and into Cudi’s supposedly “dark” reality, all while remaining a respectably eclectic batch of tunes.

Cudi’s 2009 debut album, Man on the Moon: The End of Day, was a smash hit of sing-along emo-rap, and if the leaked track “Mr. Rager,”

The newest album by Top 40 rockers Kings of Leon, Come Around Sundown, is set to come out Oct. 19.

produced by Kanye West, is any indication, the new album will be just the same. In fact, it may well be exactly the same. — Z.B.

Good Charlotte – Cardiology (Oct. 26) There must be something in the air — Gin Blossoms, No Doubt and now angst-ridden whinerockers Good Charlotte are all planning new albums this year, even though they all became irrelevant long ago. On top of the overbearing “Does anyone even care anymore?” syndrome that most old bands’ new albums have, Good Charlotte will also have to deal with the fact that the far more respectable Blink-182 is back together. — Z.B.

Kanye West – TBD (Nov. 16) While the promo video for his new single “Power” may pompously invoke West as a god of either Greek myth or mystical Animism, it doesn’t change the fact that, in many ways, he is the current king of pop. Let’s hope West isn’t unnecessarily building himself one big Tower of Babel after all he’s created. West’s fifth album promises both a strong return to hip-hop and a look at what many rappers will be emulating in the year to come.

Though very little information has

COURTESY OF VOOBYS.COM

been released, listeners can look forward to songs more in the style of the big, bold sounds of Graduation. All fame aside, West, re-energized after the tepid 808s & Heartbreaks, seems to be prepping himself to get even just a little bit bigger. — Z.B.

Nicki Minaj – Pink Friday (Nov. 23) This self-proclaimed “Barbie” rapper is banking on the strength of her debut album to silence her naysayers. Though her overt use of sex appeal may cloud the quality of her vocal skills, there’s no doubt her loyal fans will help get the unfortunatelynamed Pink Friday into a comfortable spot on the Billboard album charts. — R.H.

Cee-Lo – The Lady Killer (Dec. 7) The Gnarls Barkley vocalist and Goodie Mob member has been burning up the Internet lately with his viral hit “F--- You.” It’s a catchy, old-fashioned ditty but nothing too revolutionary — Cee-Lo’s witty lyrics and catchy choruses usually save him when he’s in danger of mediocrity. The new solo album from the Atlanta-bred singer/rapper sounds promising. — R.H. rhiggins@umbk.com, diversions@umdbk.com