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TIGER TAKEDOWN THE RAPPER SPEAKS No. 25 Terps fall to Towson for first time in 34 years

Lupe Fiasco gets political in an interview about The People Speak

SPORTS | PAGE 12

DIVERSIONS | PAGE 7

Friday, December 11, 2009

THE DIAMONDBACK Our 100TH Year, No. 72

THE UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND’S INDEPENDENT STUDENT NEWSPAPER

Students on Univ. Senate votes to save Hillock verge of city’s first co-op housing Wylie: “No idea” what impact overwhelming vote of support will have on decision

BY DERBY COX Senior staff writer

Group has taken steps towards bringing low-cost option to College Park

The Wooded Hillock gained its most significant support so far yesterday when the University Senate voted to save the forest land near Comcast Center from development.

In order to clear space for the 38acre, $900 million East Campus Development that would bring student housing, stores and a Birchmere music hall to Route 1, the university had planned to relocate university facilities to the hillock. The senate’s decision came after a

months-long struggle to save the 22.4 acres of woods from being converted, leaving administrators unsure of what will happen next.

When asked whether the vote would affect the university’s development plans, Vice President for Administrative Affairs Ann Wylie noted the resolution is not binding and said she had “no idea” what its impact will be.

With its 62-12 vote in favor of preserving the hillock, the senate joined the Student Government

see SENATE, page 2

Plant sciences professor Marla McIntosh (right) celebrates after the University Senate passed a resolution to save the Wooded Hillock.

MATTHEW CREGER/THE DIAMONDBACK

Spinning short of a record

BY AMANDA PINO Staff writer

Students looking to bring low-cost, communal housing to College Park are scouring the rental market and finalizing membership contracts as they seek to start the city’s first housing co-operative.

The students are members of CHUM, short for Co-op Housing at the University of Maryland, and after 10 months of working toward securing a property, they hope to kick off their co-op by the start of the next school year.

Since last semester, the group has made significant progress toward its goals: It has applied for incorporation, drafted a membership contract and even met with new College Park Mayor Andy Fellows. But the group has also settled for one big compromise: The students hope to rent — rather than own — their first co-operative house.

Housing co-ops typically depend on members owning a property to provide reasonable rents and utility costs. Even though they plan to rent, CHUM members hope to be able to save money through buying food in bulk and pooling their resources to cover utilities, food, maintenance and other living expenses.

The members could not raise enough money to buy their own home just yet. Still, recent graduate and CHUM founder Rachael Maddox said her visit to a co-op conference in November helped push the group from theory to action.

“It refocused our efforts and helped us realize what needed to be done in order to get the first house for next fall,” Maddox said. “Things weren’t happening [last winter], but they are now. Like a lot of the nuts and bolts: what a business plan looks like, how to fill out a form for nonprofit status, how to establish more concrete bylaws — these are all things discussed at the conference and things we’re doing now.”

Hundreds of students assembled at the Armor y last night for That 70s Hanukkah Party and to attempt to break the world record for the most dreidels spun simultaneously.

The nearly 400 participants failed to break the University of Michigan’s record of 610 dreidels. In

addition to the world record attempt, various Jewish student groups, including Koach and the Jewish Student Union, set up booths with activities ranging from balloon-shaving competitions to blow art.

— Photos and text by Jaclyn Borowski

see CO-OP, page 3

Coping without a computer Though rare, un-wired students still exist

BY LAUREN REDDING Staff writer

A researcher tests a suit developed by aerospace engineering professor David Akin’s team in a bouyancy tank designed to simulate the weightlessness of outer space. PHOTO COURTESY OF DAVID AKIN

Researchers develop shapeshifting space suit “Next generation” suit uses robotic parts to fit astronaut

BY ADELE HAMPTON Staff writer

It’s one small step for a team of university aerospace engineers, one giant leap for space suit evolution.

After eight years of working with space technology, aerospace engineering professor David Akin has developed the “next generation space suit” with his team of undergraduate and graduate stu-

TOMORROW’S WEATHER:

dent research assistants. By infusing a normal space suit with new robotic parts, the prototype can conform to perfectly fit its wearer, making it more cost-effective for space programs and more comfortable for astronauts.

“We found that the current suit, it needed more capability than it has now,” Akin said. “Three-fourths of an astronaut’s effort goes to move their space suit instead of their task.

Sunny/40s

We need to have the suit stay out of the way. You don’t have to fight the suit to do the task you need to do.”

Unlike custom-made space suits used by NASA and other space programs around the world, which restrict movement and often cause injury to astronauts in training, this new prototype allows the astronaut to get in and out of the suit easily

see SUIT, page 3 INDEX

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

For many students, going a week without checking Facebook is difficult; going a week without a computer is inconceivable. But for senior Spanish major Nic Triolo, this seemingly essential technology is a luxury he simply can’t afford.

Last October, Triolo was illegally downloading the most recent M.I.A. album when his computer screen went blank. He had accidentally downloaded a virus. After trying to fix it himself and only making it worse, Triolo came to a devastating conclusion: His computer was dead and he couldn’t afford to buy a new one.

Since then, Triolo has become part of one of the smallest minority groups at the university — the 1 percent of students on the campus who don’t have a computer, according to Office of Information Technology data.

University officials said it is incredibly rare for a student to not have a computer.

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

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

A 2008 OIT student survey found that more than 99 percent of university respondents indicated that they owned a computer, up from 96 percent in 2007, OIT spokeswoman Phyllis Dickerson Johnson said.

Existing at this university without a personal computer hasn’t been easy, Triolo said. He has to plan his days around when the library is open so he can complete his assignments on time.

“It’s really difficult,” Triolo said.

“Basically, I use the library for everything. If I’m writing an essay, I usually have to do it all in one day.”

Triolo said he typically visits the library anywhere from seven to 10 times a week, spending a significant amount of time on the public computers working on homework and checking his Blackboard and e-mail accounts.

“I have to keep my schedule open and think about what hours I can work so I have time to be in the library,” he said.

see COMPUTERS, page 6 www.diamondbackonline.com

2

THE DIAMONDBACK | NEWS | FRIDAY, DECEMBER 11, 2009

www.diamondbackonline.com

ONLINE TODAY

UNIV. SENATE APPROVES FAMILYFRIENDLY TENURE POLICY The University Senate overwhelmingly voted yesterday to allow tenured and tenuretrack faculty to assume part-time positions while raising young children.

Many top graduate students — especially women — choose not to pursue careers in academia because of the challenges of balancing work with family. The policy would allow faculty with young children to cut their workloads by as much as 50 percent, which advocates have said would help to attract and retain talented faculty.

For the rest of Derby Cox’s story, visit www.diamondbackonline.com.

UNIVERSITY IN CALIFORNIA DECLINES TO END IRAQ WAR Students at San Francisco State University don’t like tuition hikes or state funding cuts to higher education. But while students nationwide are complaining about similar issues, no one protests like California.

At this university, protesting means just chanting on the steps of the Main Administration building. According to The New York Times, 26 students were arrested at SFSU yesterday after occupying the building for a full day — refusing to leave until all student loans were forgiven and the U.S. military ceases the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan — forcing the cancellation of classes in the building in the meantime.

The university administration declined to meet these demands, deciding it would be easier to remove the protesters than alter U.S. foreign policy. Police broke into the building through a window to arrest the students.

For other blog posts like this one, visit The Diamondback’s newsroom blog, Campus Drive, at blogs.umdbk.com/campusdrive.

TWEET AT US Don’t forget to check us out on Twitter to keep up to date with what’s going on around the campus and in your community. Visit The Diamondback’s news Twitter page at twitter.com/thedbk, where we post breaking news every day.

SENATE from page 1 Association and Graduate Student Government in opposing construction on the site. But unlike those groups, the senate — which is composed of nearly 200 students, faculty and staff — directly advises university President Dan Mote on policy issues. Mote generally follows the senate’s advice, having gone against the body only once in his time at the university.

“The senate has spoken,” urban forestry professor Marla McIntosh said after the vote. “What is more important to us: Having a better college town, the bells and whistles, or having better educational opportunities for our students?”

Plans to bulldoze part of the hillock have rankled some students and faculty who say the site is academically and environmentally invaluable. At the meeting yesterday, McIntosh and other professors argued rare plant species and gravel deposits make the site a “living classroom.”

“Whereas [biologists, physicists and chemists] have their laboratories to teach their students, this is the equivalent for the environmental science,” geography professor Stephen Prince said.

At least 14 faculty members have used or plan to use the hillock for instruction, and about 1,000 students per year visit the site for class, according to information provided

by McIntosh.

The Wooded Hillock resolution went to a vote in the University Senate before Vice President for Administrative Affairs Ann Wylie was able to voice her final views on the situation. MATTHEW CREGER/THE DIAMONDBACK

“It’s not a vote about the East Campus Development,” McIntosh said before the vote. “It is a vote about a piece of land that once we bulldoze it, we cannot restore it. It can never grow these native [plant] species again. It will not be on the migration path of birds.”

Before Wylie could respond to hillock supporters, the senate narrowly decided to cut off debate and vote on the issue. After the resolution passed, Wylie said the university has limited options for relocation.

“There are simply no good places,” she said. “Every place has a cost. Every place has a negative side.

It’s 14 acres. So we could put it in Lot 1. What would that mean? That

would mean that nobody who lives on this campus can have a car.

There’d be no place for them to park. ... So we came up with a bad solution, but it’s not like there is a good one.”

A few weeks ago, Provost Nariman Farvardin requested that deans provide information to him by Feb. 1 regarding how developing the hillock would impact their departments’ education and research.

Wylie said the hillock would be left untouched until after the provost’s study is complete.

The university faces additional obstacles to construction on the hillock even if it decides to disregard the senate’s decision. In November, Foulger-Pratt/Argo, the

university’s main development partner, pulled out of the East Campus project, taking $15 million in relocation funds with it.

The university is seeking the remaining $25 million from the state to move the buildings, and the legislature approved the first $5 million in the spring. But before the university can use that money, it needs the approval of the College Park City Council. Last week, District 1 Councilman Patrick Wojahn and District 2 Councilman Bob Catlin said they would need to hear more about the project before signing off on the funds. cox@umdbk.com

Dining Services greenlights composting pilots Two free units will go through 60-day trials next semester before one is selected

BY DANA CETRONE Staff writer

Dining Ser vices is moving ahead with two composting pilot programs that the department hopes to unveil outside the South Campus Dining Hall and The Diner at the start of next semester.

Dining Services would acquire both composting units for a free 60day trial before deciding whether to implement either of them on a fulltime basis. The first composting system will be placed outside The Diner and break down food waste into wastewater; the other will

break waste into a soil amendment, or nutrient, on South Campus.

Director of Dining Ser vices Colleen Wright-Riva said both pilot programs are running on schedule to start in Januar y, but if negotiations with equipment vendors take longer than expected, Wright-Riva said the opening could be pushed back later into the spring semester.

“The reality is that this is an element of many tasks, and to coordinate it is a great effort,” WrightRiva said.

Office of Sustainability Director Scott Lupin said there are at least

two vendors with food-to-wastewater composting machines approved by the Washington Suburban Sanitar y Commission. But he added the university is withholding judgment over the composting possibilities until the end of the 60-day trials.

The wastewater method would pump water into the garbage and use an enzyme to break down organic waste into liquid that can be treated by water treatment plants. If this method is selected, it will be one of only a few models in the area.

The second method would cre-

ate a soil amendment or nutrient from the waste that could then be reused around the campus like a fer tilizer in areas such as flower beds and for other landscaping purposes.

Although the university will test both composting methods, Greg Thompson, Dining Service’s assistant director of facilities, said he prefers the soil-amendment system.

“It’s our best bet,” Thompson said.

“It would be useful, and we would not have to use 300 gallons of water a day to use the other method.” cetrone@umdbk.com

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 11, 2009 | NEWS | THE DIAMONDBACK

3

Foreign students face hardships International graduate students cite issues with jobs, housing and on-campus representation

BY MELISSA QUIJADA Staff writer

The university is proud of the fact that more than 40 percent of its graduate student body comes from other countries, saying this supports its mission to promote campus diversity and cultural stimulation.

But many of those same students complain the university nonetheless turns a blind eye to their problems.

Some international students — who are not U.S. citizens and come to this university on student visas — say their lives are plagued by a variety of cultural, housing and financial issues that the university doesn’t effectively address despite its proclaimed desire to help them to get an education.

For many of these students, trouble begins as soon as they arrive in the United States because they don’t start thinking about housing until they receive their university acceptance letter, Graduate Student Government President Anupama Kothari said.

“It’s not easy to get an apartment for international students. By the time they get all this paperwork, they are arriving at the U.S,” Kothari said. “It’s a big issue that’s really unresolved right now.”

Her suggestion to help reduce housing woes for international students — which at one point left 10 students stuck in a one-bedroom apartment as they scrambled to find their own living quarters — was to allow them to stay in unoccupied dorm rooms in late summer while they track down apartments

“It’s not easy to get an apartment for international students. By the time they get all this paperwork, they are arriving at the U.S.” ANUPAMA KOTHARI GRADUATE STUDENT GOVERNMENT PRESIDENT

or homes to rent.

But that wouldn’t solve all international graduate students’ troubles.

Once they do find housing, they may end up with a landlord who takes advantage of their unfamiliarity with their legal rights in the United States, said Anna Bedford, a graduate student in comparative literature from the United Kingdom who was formerly in the international student program. Bedford said she has a friend from China who has complained about unfair treatment from her landlord.

Taotao Liu, an information management graduate student from China, said she and her fellow international students also have trouble finding good jobs in the United States, especially during a recession.

“Most companies are looking for citizens,” Liu said.

“For international students, it’s easier to look for technical positions, like programming and coding.”

But the ease some have finding technical jobs doesn’t help graduate students in other fields of study.

However, some international graduate students say it isn’t all doom and gloom: The university’s Graduate Student Legal Aid Office offers legal advice to international students, and some have been able to find employment to make ends meet while they study here.

Mrinal Agrawal, a telecommunications graduate student from India, said he had some trouble early on adjusting to the structure of classes and the different culture. But it was easy to adjust, he added, because most of his classmates were also Indian.

The university will also hire international students, said Rohan Gupte, who works at the Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center.

“There are many outside jobs that require U.S. citizenship, but you can find them on campus,” said Gupte, also an Indian telecommunications graduate student. “If you look for them you are most likely to get them. You just have to keep trying.” quijada@umdbk.com

University researchers invented a space suit that uses robotic technology to conform to astronauts’ bodies. The suits are tested in a neutral buoyancy tank that simulates the weightlessness of outer space. PHOTO COURTESY OF DAVID AKIN

SUIT from page 1 and move freely while in space.

The team’s model, known as MX-3 — Maryland Experiment Series 3 — was developed with a one-size-fits-all mentality, Akin said. The team is planning to develop a line of three suits to fit just about any body shape.

Space suits typically cost $1 million per suit for a single space flight and are hardwired with out-of-date technology, Akin said. The shape-shifting suits could save millions of dollars for space programs that choose to use them.

“The key is to make a space

CO-OP from page 1 The group is now incorporated and can operate as a legal business in the state, and they have also drafted a membership contract modeled after University of California at Santa Barbara’s co-op housing agreement.

Housing co-operatives at the University of Texas at Austin and the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor also served as an inspiration for the group.

At first, talk abounded about how to purchase a property. Maddox suggested the group solicit loans from national co-op organizations and ask university alumni for donations. But when these ideas didn’t formalize, the group channeled its efforts into renting.

While owning a house is one of the most important aspects of a co-op, members of

suit that fits better,” Akin said.

“Current suits cause harm to astronauts in training, causing them to get rotator cuff surgery at times. They are difficult to get in and out of. Our suit is more adaptable. We designed the suit so it can resize under pressure.”

During space walks, astronauts’ suits must withstand tons of pressure. But instead of concentrating on the mission at hand, many astronauts find themselves distracted and restrained by their suits.

Relief from this burden comes in the form of MX-3’s robotic actuators — a series of motors — and a set of restrain lines, which pull on the suit to give it extensive movement.

Although the “morphing suit” will not be ready to debut until the summer, researchers said the team has gotten positive response from the scientific community, but financial support is still sparse.

“It’s a matter of finding funding right now,” said aerospace engineering graduate student Max Di Capua, who has been on the team for two years. “There’s no active funded research that supports what we’re doing. We’ve gotten positive response, though.

We’ve published papers on our research and have gotten the interest of UMBC and Arizona State for partnership. We do attract quite a bit of atten-

tion, usually.”

The “get-me-down suits,” as Di Capua calls the existing space suits, are used for highly complicated and technical space missions, but there’s still room for improvement.

“What we’ve come up with is just a more complex suit,” Di Capua said. “So far there’s been little development with the current space suit. There was a gap that needed to be filled. We believe human presence in space is very important. It’s a small team, but we have lots of big ideas. ... It’s interesting and that’s why we do it. That’s the fun of it.”

CHUM said that many student co-operatives — such as Co-operative Housing at the University of Virginia, which operates in four rental houses near the university — choose to build a track record as renters in order to secure funds for eventually purchasing a house.

“Not only do we have to establish credit as a corporation, but we also have to establish ourselves as a student-run organization that can operate properly,” said CHUM member Natalia Cuadra, a junior history and classics major.

“Anybody can call themselves a co-op and say, ‘Hey, give us money!’ but we have to prove we’re one by keeping track of meeting minutes, finances and all that.”

CHUM members agreed that there were still benefits to living in a co-op even without immediate ownership.

“I think affordability still comes into play, because it will still be cheaper than liv-

ing on campus, but it’ll have an on-campus feel in terms of being part of a community and being in a space that is governed by certain rules,” Cuadra explained. “But these rules, unlike on-campus housing, are rules that hopefully people will be passionate about.”

Staples of co-ops include shared food and meals, and the group hopes to work with the Maryland Food Co-op to purchase food in bulk. Additionally, co-ops are run democratically by their tenants, so every co-op develops its own personality. Some are focused on environmental preservation, vegetarianism or social justice, for example.

Renting is only a first step, group members explained.

“It’s going to be really hard to grow, to get money, without having a place to start,” said sophomore environmental science and policy major Sarah Eisenstein, also a CHUM member. “I don’t see

us making a permanent situation out of renting.”

Last Friday, the group met with Fellows and discussed ways the College Park City Council could help as co-op housing moves for ward. Fellows suggested attempting to secure a loan or finances through the city, because it has historically attempted to buy abandoned or mistreated properties and “turn them over” to better owners. He also encouraged the group to present to Old Town council representatives and its civic association to get advice and support.

Even if CHUM ultimately ends up renting, they’ll continue to work throughout the next year to find ways to buy, Cuadra and Eisenstein said.

CHUM meets Mondays at 5 p.m. near the Food Co-op in Stamp. Eisenstein said anyone is welcome to show up and participate.

hampton@umdbk.com

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4

THE DIAMONDBACK | FRIDAY, DECEMBER 11, 2009

Opinion

KEVIN ROBILLARD

THE DIAMONDBACK

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

KYLE GOON

JOHN SILBERHOLZ

MANAGING EDITOR

DEPUTY MANAGING EDITOR

ROB GINDES

JUSTIN SNOW

OPINION EDITOR

OPINION EDITOR

Staff editorial

Guest column

A passable grade

Up in smoke

I

n the early days of his administration as Student Government Association had instead come to him. He claimed to have known about the issue, and said he president, Steve Glickman gave students — and this editorial board — could have helped. But if Glickman knew Black had been dismissed, he should plenty of reason to wonder if he was really cut out for the job. His priorities have screamed it from the rooftops.

Another example is budget cuts. Glickman has stated that it is part of his adminwere off-kilter, and his knowledge of university affairs seemed suspect.

And his year didn’t get off to a great start. He seemed curiously passive in the istration’s goal to preserve their university’s current resources — funding, tuition face of university budget cuts, and missed a crucial vote on student fees in Septem- and the Higher Education Investment Fund. He will be meeting with some of Gov. ber because he left a meeting early to fly home for Rosh Hashanah. Although he Martin O’Malley’s staff today to discuss this. But Glickman’s plan was again reaccited the holiday as an excuse, he later held an SGA executive board meeting on tive: If major cuts were proposed, he said, he would abandon other goals — including creating a long-term mandatory funding plan for public uniYom Kippur. While the vote was eventually held again, he still versities in the state — and just focus on preserving what the received — and deserved — heavy criticism. university has. While this plan sounds prudent, it also lacks Despite his rocky beginning, Glickman and his administration have made real accomplishments during his first The Student Government ambition.

A lot of the work the SGA has done this semester, Glicksemester. Some of these have been relatively minor: An Association hasn’t failed us man said, has been behind the scenes. There is nothing SGA-sponsored speaker series brought prominent busiwith personal lobbying and arm-twisting, but more nessmen and politicians to the campus, mentoring prothis semester, but it should wrong can be done to involve the student body at large in the probgrams were created for colleges that previously had none take the lead in activism. lems the university faces. Ultimately, the voices of 25,000 and alumni connection programs linked students to graduundergraduates will be a lot louder than the single voices of ates who are already in the workforce.

Others have been more impressive: About 130 students turned out for the Col- SGA members and legislators.

Glickman needs to bring out his inner rabble-rouser. While SGA presidents lege Park City Council elections, and the new council looks to be relatively studentfriendly. Promising progress has been made on some of his other priorities — shouldn’t walk around burning bridges, he could do more to fulfill the promise he including holding a student multicultural fair and making student IDs double as made in his inauguration speech to eliminate student apathy. Steps are being made in this direction, and students’ concern with the inner workings of the university SmarTrip cards.

While these accomplishments are worthy, Glickman seems to think he has seems to be as high as it’s been in decades.

It’s unclear how much of the credit for this should go to Glickman, but the brought his A-game, when he’s actually turned in a C+ or B- performance. When asked what the SGA’s biggest mistakes have been this year, he first couldn’t name amount isn’t a lot. The mobilization of students over diversity, for instance, was a any he thought impacted the student body as a whole. Later, he wished he “hit” the more grassroots affair.

Glickman has good ideas, but to make his leadership exceptional he must adopt city council more, but that it was tough to do so during an election year. This was a the mentality of an activist. He must get out in front of issues like tuition increases, mistake, but it is part of a broader attitude that is concerning.

For much of his tenure, Glickman seems to be doing less leading and more react- budget cuts, transparency, diversity and others that he says are his priorities. But ing. When asked about diversity, Glickman said he wished the 600 students who getting out in front of them doesn’t mean delivering a speech to the few students marched on the Main Administration building over the dismissal of Cordell Black who are SGA members — These are times that call for a picket line and a bullhorn.

Our View

Editorial cartoon: Jenna Brager

English majors: Our week of reckoning

I

’m about to blow your minds, people. For what I’m pretty sure is the first time in my career as a Diamondback columnist, I am actually happy about something. I know you all have come to expect the rantings of a bitter curmudgeon every Thursday — but not this week, I’m afraid. For one, I’m writing Friday. Also, finals week has arrived, and I’m actually in a good mood. So suck it.

Why, you ask, am I so annoyingly upbeat in this most frustrating and stressful time of the semester? Well, you see, finals week is the one week of the year when us world-hating English majors get our reward.

While you all sit in the university’s libraries burying your brains in textbooks, us English folk are all set to take next week off and catch up on

MIKE

DIMARCO some well-deserved sleep.

You see, the beauty of the upperlevel English program is the very common policy of foregoing the final exam portion of the class in favor of the final paper.

True, the last few weeks of our lives have found us staying up until the wee hours of the morning all hopped up on Adderall and coffee, stuffing our faces with Pringles and hoping to God the words we put on paper make any semblance of sense, but for the most part, that’s all

behind us now. All semester long, we have been flooded with reading assignments we sacrificed hours of possible social awkwardness for, but now we’re in the clear. We’ve been burdened all semester, day in and day out, with research that will result in nothing more than some red pen marks and maybe — just maybe — a smiley face or a check-plus, but now we are finally free.

Sure, we have the occasional professor who believes a final exam is a necessary complement to our final papers, or we have to phone it in for our elective finals, but for the most part, English majors have pretty smooth sailing at this point.

We’ve been stressing all year long about those 20-pagers lingering ahead, and now that they’re behind us, we deser ve to relax. The other

day, I spent my final creative writing class eating Ratsie’s and Snickerdoodles, and if Little League soccer has taught us anything, it’s that there is just no better way to cap off a solid campaign than a slammin’ pizza party.

So to all of you out there who have chosen those “real” majors, enjoy your week. I’ve put in my time sweating deadlines and stress-crying all semester long. You can go ahead and tell me English majors have no future, and to tell you the truth, in my case, you may be right. But this week and this week alone, the university is my bitch, and I’m damn sure going to enjoy it.

Mike DiMarco is a senior English major. He can be reached at dimarco@umdbk.com.

Paperless push: Embracing electronics

T

his Christmas, I’m hoping for a Kindle in my stocking.

If you’re like my mother, you have no idea what a Kindle is. In fact, she mixed up different two-syllable words and told my father I wanted a taser for Christmas. You can only imagine the fun that ensued.

The Amazon Kindle is probably the most well-known electronic reading device. It’s basically a tiny, wireless computer on which you can read books, newspapers, blogs and magazines. I’m a humongous nerd, which is why something like this fills me with glee. The thought of wanting to read a book, being able to download it within 60 seconds and immediately reading it is insane.

Being able to carr y around 1,500 books at a time in a cute little device?

My god. So exciting.

Unfortunately, if you’re like pretty much everyone I know, in the “favorite books” section on Facebook

you have something like “I don’t read,” “the Twilight series” or “I actually can’t read.” We are part of a university community that managed to put out of business the only independent bookstore in the area and replace it with some kind of university spiritwear store. Did you know after Charlie and the Chocolate Factory ended, Charlie, his grandfather and Willy Wonka go into space and get attacked by aliens? No? Then you’re probably not enough of a nerd to share my excitement and simultaneous reservations about electronic reading devices, but I’m going to write about it anyway.

There’s something alarming about the fact that my entire library of books could be condensed into something so impersonal. It’s terrifying that you can order magazines and newspapers on your Kindle, essentially negating the need to buy anything tangible, and Google is thinking about creating an entire

BETHANY

WYNN online database of everything ever written sometime in the future. Basically, all our reading material could one day be controlled by Google. I bet we’d lose all of the paper versions of the text, so if some crazy electronic apocalypse happened, we could lose the entire literary history of humanity.

Then there’s the ongoing loss of handwriting ability as time goes on.

The people who can do “joined-up” writing are dropping like flies. In my British elementary school, I had to write with a fountain pen — always in cursive — and if we misbehaved, we had to write 800 lines. The teacher would look over these lines to make

sure the cursive was perfect, and if not, we had to do it again. This probably sounds nothing like your elementary school experience, but British people can be harsh. Once, I farted in class in second grade, and my teacher made me stand in the corner with my hands on my head. But I’m getting off track.

The point is, children are increasingly doing all of their homework on the computer, I can now have books and newspapers wirelessly delivered to me worldwide, and the only time I hand-write anything is when I’m taking notes in class, which a lot of people do on their laptops as well.

I feel like we’re running headlong into a world where my children are going to ask me what paper is.

Ridiculous.

It was made from trees, kids.

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

BROOKE WARRINGTON

I

magine a cigarette that doesn’t produce secondhand smoke or cause cancer. Is it possible? It looks like it might be, and electronic cigarettes may provide the answer.

Electronic cigarettes have significant promise in providing a healthier alternative to smokers and nonsmokers alike. While controversy still remains and traditional tobacco cessation programs are much preferred, these products may provide long-term and chain smokers who would not normally quit with a first step toward complete tobacco cessation. This gateway opportunity can encourage smokers to then pursue conventional, FDA-approved tobacco cessation programs and ultimately eradicate the habit completely.

Due to a significant lack of scientific research, the benefits of electronic cigarettes are still up for debate. However, there is significant promise in these products. Electronic cigarettes create the illusion and feel of smoking but purposefully eliminate the toxins and carcinogens found in traditional tobacco products.

The reusable plastic “cigs” have a lithium ion battery, which can be charged through a computer, wall plug or battery pack, saving smokers money that would otherwise be given to tobacco companies. Refillable cartridges contain a variety of flavors and designated amounts of nicotine. Companies such as Blu Cigs offer nicotine reduction options and even sell cartridges with zero nicotine content. A small light (sometimes an odd color to prevent smoking encouragement) placed at the tip of these electronic devices creates the illusion of actually smoking. Most importantly, electronic cigarettes completely eliminate all second-hand smoke. Rather than producing harmful smoke that carries carcinogens and toxins into the air, electronic cigarettes instead emit a water vapor that slowly dissipates. With the addition of small amounts of propylene glycol, the illusion of smoke is there, but the harmful second-hand smoke and unpleasant smell associated with traditional tobacco products are eliminated entirely, protecting nearby people from possible health risks.

There are some concerns with electronic cigarettes. A lack of approval by the FDA worries some.

While propylene glycol is relatively safe in small amounts, possible effects of nicotine inhalation have not yet been researched. The appeal to non-smokers is a problem too, although proper marketing and awareness could potentially solve this. Companies such as Blu Cigs explicitly state in their owner’s manual and website non-smokers should not use their product and a complete cessation of all tobacco usage is encouraged. Other companies, however, may not be so transparent.

In the end, I want to see the tobacco industry go down. Both of my grandfathers died from smokingrelated illnesses — my paternal grandfather on the morning of the university’s Relay for Life. Maybe if they had used electronic cigarettes in their youths instead of real ones, they would still be here with me.

It is my hope that in the next few years further research can be done.

Electronic cigarettes provide significant potential to change our world and could take down the tobacco industry. I hope others will support a call for the FDA to research these products in the hopes of making this a reputable alternative for smokers.

Brooke Warrington is a senior English and environmental science and policy major. She can be reached at bwarring@umd.edu.

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

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

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.

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 11, 2009 | THE DIAMONDBACK

5

Features HOROSCOPESTELLA WILDER

CROSSWORD 72 Walk in ACROSS the woods 1 One on a string 73 Snow boots 5 Stuck together 74 Yummy 10 Snatch 75 Utopia 14 “The — of the Ancient Mariner” DOWN 15 Theater part 1 Champagne word 16 Fluid rock 2 Ireland 17 Eurasian range 3 Memsahib’s 18 Glossy servant 19 Familiar auth.

4 Clean a diskette 20 Giggle (hyph.)

5 Helium or neon 22 Allergic, maybe 6 Rapper — Kim 24 Warty critter 7 Purposes 27 — spumante 8 Ms. Verdugo 28 Rhythmical 9 Fakes out, 32 Sweater features on the rink 36 Pub pint 10 Window fixers 37 Divvy up 11 Sari wearer 39 Skybox locale 12 Home-products 40 Sheet of stamps brand 42 Veldt grazer 13 Loud sound 44 Skedaddle 21 Geological 45 Puts out heat periods 47 Kind of wave 49 “— Gotta Be Me” 23 Sicily’s erupter 25 Hurt all over 50 Chariot race 26 Started a bettor poker game 51 Prominent people 28 Frolic 53 Brazen boldness 29 San Antonio 56 Mournful cry landmark 57 In a scary way 30 Durable fabric 61 Dogie catcher 31 Bathtub part 65 Monsieur, 33 “C” in C.S. in Bonn Forester 66 Sends a package 34 Scoundrel 69 Zoo transport 35 Overfeeds 70 Oscar’s cousin 38 Provide capital 71 Push forward

Previous Day’s Puzzle Solved: T A F F Y P ADOBE R PER I L E L I S G R OWE R S NEVADA OPEN NO MORN D E T T A YO B L UR ORDEA L LOUSY C DON OG L ESC F A I RT E FRO

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ASE SH VEN HA I T E I R S RSVP AGHAS ANYO SY EMT A HAR NG ORA L YR I C ROANOK OMP D PA T T E EROD O DROS

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41 Knickknack stands 43 Computer info 46 Parka closer 48 Den 1

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64 Word from the pews 67 Granted approval 68 Wily

59 Guitarist — Clapton 60 Shrill barks 62 Bone-dry 63 Have an effect 8

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orn today, you are so fiercely competitive that you’re not likely to do anything in a relaxed, laid-back manner. You can make anything a contest, and in the process you bring out the best in those around you — those, at least, who do not shrink from an inevitable confrontation with you, friendly though it may be.

You thrive on confrontation of all kinds; you will argue any point, and pit your skills against the skills of any other, simply to see how the argument, or the contest, comes out. You don’t have to win, but you certainly have to take part, and give it your best.

B

You don’t take yourself as seriously as others may think you do, and you are often the first to laugh at yourself. This can be quite disarming, and win you friends where otherwise you would find only rivals or outright enemies. Of course, you can laugh at almost anyone else as well.

Also born on this date are Teri Garr, actress; Donna Mills, actress; Brenda Lee, singer; Max Born, German physicist; Carlo Ponti, director.

© 2009 UNITED FEATURES SYNDICATE

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

TODAY’S CROSSWORD SPONSORED BY:

E G E S T

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18) — You’ve gotten yourself into something of a race with others who may be better prepared than you are. Your instincts serve you well.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20) — You and a loved one must work more closely together to heal a rift that has slowly developed over time. Don’t wait for another day to pass.

ARIES (March 21-April 19) — You can afford to be a little more relaxed, accepting, and even curious about what makes others tick. There’s no right answer.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20) — Avoid doing things the fast and easy way if you can help it, for that way danger lies — not today, perhaps, or tomorrow, but soon.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20) — Work closely with a partner to see that no detail is overlooked.

You can’t afford to make a mistake at this critical juncture.

S E N S E

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) — Energy is on the rise, and you see a road that is bright and full of promise. It’s a good time to start making plans.

Y E S

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22) — Face any fears you may have directly, and they’re likely to evaporate before your eyes. Now is the time to say no to what ails you.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22) — You’ve had enough of things that are tense, uncertain and unpalatable. It’s a good day to begin working harder for what is right.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22) — You may feel as though you’ve been sidetracked recently, but already it has been too long. Take the time to get back in the swing.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21) — Your efforts to understand a complicated situation may not work out as you had hoped, but you’ll start the ball rolling, certainly.

Copyright 2009 United Feature Syndicate, Inc.

CANCER (June 21-July 22) — It’s a good day to assume control of

TODAY’S HOROSCOPE SPONSORED BY:

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 12 SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21) — You’re likely to find yourself in a position of dominance, but don’t wield this power carelessly or indiscriminately.

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6

THE DIAMONDBACK | NEWS | FRIDAY, DECEMBER 11, 2009

SGA designates room for stranded student groups Staff writer

As of last night’s grand opening, student groups without permanent headquarters on the campus have access to a resource room in the Student Involvement Suite of Stamp Student Union.

The push for an all-purpose room for university organizations — a Student Government Association objective for years — finally came to fruition after long-term negotiations with the student union.

Last year, the room was a cluttered storage space for student groups cleaning out their offices.

SGA members fixed it up to help student groups with planning and organizational needs.

“Student groups provide a lot of the culture on this campus, and they provide a lot of diverse programming,” SGA Chief of Staff Sumia Ahmad said. “[This room is] facilitating that strong community that student groups provide within the university. It’s giving student groups a necessary infrastructure to have a place to meet and have a place they can call their home.”

The room has two computers outfitted with programs like Adobe Photoshop and InDesign that are net-

Senior criminology and criminal justice major Clyde Thompson explains to visitors the benefits of the new Student Organization Resource Room in the Stamp Student Union. VINCE SALAMONE/THE DIAMONDBACK

worked to a printer and the Internet, as well as a phone and pamphlets of various kinds of information — such as how to reserve a room in Stamp — among other resources.

Director of Student Groups Kaiyi Xie, a sophomore bioengineering and mathematics major, agreed that this was a way for student groups to “have a centralized space to go to.”

“We thought it would be best if all student groups had a place inside the Stamp because that’s where business happens,” Xie said. “Student groups are relatively decentralized. And while that’s great because

it allows them to showcase their individuality, we thought it would be easier if they don’t have to run all over the place. It’s a hub for information, which we really need.”

The last night’s grand opening illustrated the need for a meeting place available to anyone, as members of organizations, in attendance, ranging from the German Club to the Taiwanese American Student Association to MaryPIRG, all said the new room would be a great help in planning activities and collaborating with other students.

“We’ll definitely be using this

Classified CALL

from page 1

room,” said MaryPIRG President Brian Burrell said. “Our office is in the South Campus Dining Hall. It’s so far away from the rest of student life.

It’ll be really nice to have this place to connect to other student groups and have resources here. It’s so much more convenient and more efficient.”

Members of new student groups said they were eager to use the new space to help them generate publicity.

“Since we’re a new organization, it’s really going to come in handy,” said Liz Capowski, vice president of Public Health Engaging and Representing. “We really want to get more people involved, get them coming to our events. Now we can come in here and have a nice place to get the job done.”

Emerging groups that don’t yet have headquarters in the Student Involvement Suite were the initial reason for the creation of a room available to everyone, according to Steve Gnadt, associate director of the student union.

“Too many student groups ask for space that we don’t have for them,” Gnadt said. “This is the student union — we want student groups here, that’s what the building is for. This is what we should be doing always.”

Although Triolo has a Facebook account that he checks, albeit rarely, he says that not having a computer hasn’t impacted his social life negatively — it may have had the opposite effect.

“I have a Facebook, and I check it in the library sometimes,” he said. “I feel like I’ve gotten closer with my really good friends, and I don’t try so hard to spread myself out socially on Facebook.”

Triolo says the worst part of going computerless is not being able to manage his music on his iTunes account. Triolo said he frequently updated his iPod with new music before his computer crashed last year. He now has to go the oldfashioned route — he buys CDs and listens to them on his stereo.

Although he is usually able to work out his schedule to accommodate his workload, Triolo said this sometimes impacts other students, as he reported having difficulties with group projects.

“Usually for group projects it’s a little difficult,” he said. “I take a long time to respond to e-mails, and I can’t use PowerPoint. Usually my groupmates are inconvenienced by that fact.”

However, one of Triolo’s recent group-mates, senior computer science major Stephen O’Brien, said working with him was seamless.

O’Brien admitted, however, he has no idea how his classmate manages in his everyday life without a computer.

“I couldn’t live without this machine, although for a while I did not have a laptop,” he wrote. “I spend four hours a day on my computer.”

Because Triolo is graduating next semester, he said he doesn’t have any immediate plans to replace his fried laptop.

“I just don’t have the money right now to buy another one,” he said. “But I hope to get one after I graduate.”

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redding@umdbk.com

After years of waiting, student groups excited to work in newly established room

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FRIDAY, DECEMBER 11, 2009 | THE DIAMONDBACK

7

Diversions

ALL THE CRAP YOU CARE ABOUT: FROM QUARTERBACK TO CORGAN According to a report on People.com, pop-country songstress Jessica Simpson and Smashing Pumpkins frontman Billy Corgan are dating. The two make an odd pair, considering Simpson has a squeaky-clean image, while Corgan is known for lyrics such as “Despite all my rage/ I’m still just a rat in a cage.” Though that’s probably how Simpson felt when Tony Romo broke up with her.

arts. music. living. movies. weekend.

FEATURE | THE PEOPLE SPEAK

best bets SWITCHFOOT Hot on the heels of its seventh studio album, the Novemberreleased Hello Hurricane, the San Diego-formed five-piece alternative rock band will perform Sunday at the 9:30 Club in Washington.

The show is part of Switchfoot’s national tour, running through Jan. 30.

Switchfoot is known for its high-energy, eclectic concerts, especially thanks to member Jerome Fontamillas, who plays multiple instruments on stage. And Jon Foreman’s wide vocal range can’t be denied, further ensuring a thrilling concert.

Doors open at 7 p.m. and tickets cost $20.

DISTANT RELATIVES When Queensbridge Projectsrepping rapper Nas and reggae royalty Damian Marley collaborated on the track “Road to Zion,”they must have realized fans would want more.

Luckily for eager listeners, the pair is planning to release an album and complementary documentary, titled Distant Relatives, in 2010.

Peep some of the material in advance at the duo’s show at Zanzibar in Washington on Saturday. The event is the after-party for a sold-out panel discussion, during which Nas, Marley and other musicians will discuss the links between rap and reggae at National Geographic.

Tickets cost $25 in advance and $30 at the door. The show starts at 9 p.m.

Throwing history for a Lupe Rapper Lupe Fiasco and film producer Chris Moore discuss their new documentary, The People Speak

BY VAMAN MUPPALA Senior staff writer

It is no secret that acclaimed rapper Lupe Fiasco harbors very strong political opinions. His 2006 debut album contains “American Terrorist,” an exploration of United States foreign policy dating back to the oppression of Native Americans by the pilgrims. His second album, 2007’s The Cool, is a concept record with a heavy bend toward diagnosing societal ills.

Lupe’s interest in government and societal issues led him, along with a bevy of stars — including Matt Damon (The Informant), Viggo Mortenson (The Road) and Marisa Tomei (Amsterdam) — to team up with executive producer Chris Moore (Feast) for the film adaptation of A People’s History of the United States and Voices of a People’s History — books written by noted political scientist Howard Zinn.

The film, titled The People Speak, premieres Sunday at 8 p.m. on the History Channel.

A People’s History of the United States, first published in 1980, is a compilation of various monumental speeches delivered by both leaders and influential thinkers, including Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Eugene Debs, Frederick Douglass and Martin Luther King Jr. The aforementioned follow-up was published in 2004 and follows a similar format. The books have been translated to the screen by actors and musicians (including Lupe) who read out sections they find particularly striking.

Lupe reads “The War on Vietnam,” by the Mississippi Freedom Democratic Party, in the film. He also contributed his song “Ameri-

can Terrorist” to The People Speak soundtrack and participated in the film’s nation-wide promotional tour through eight universities, which wrapped Dec. 4 at the University of California, Los Angeles.

Moore described the process of getting such an ambitious and important film made and broadcasting it to the people.

“There was a group of us. [We] went around to all the different channels saying, ‘Look we want to be on TV because TV is more of the medium of the people.’ As much as I make movies, we thought TV would reach a lot more people. There’s some natural, obvious connection ... They looked at it, and they looked at it and said this is something that’s real histor y.”

Considering the timing of the release of the documentar y almost a year after President Barack Obama was elected, one might be inclined to believe the two occurrences are related.

“I’m not a supporter of Obama’s administration,” Lupe said in an inter view with The Diamondback, putting to rest the notion that the project was motivated out of Obama love.

Lupe went on to explain his broader political views as his rationale for being one of the few in the hip-hop community to not support Obama.

“I’m apolitical, that’s why I don’t support Bush, Obama, Reagan, Carter,” Lupe said. “To me it’s a systemic problem.”

When asked if he supported former President George Washington, Lupe only chuckled and shook his head.

Moore addressed concerns

Hip-hop artist Lupe Fiasco visited universities to promote The People Speak, a new documentary that airs Sunday on the History Channel. COURTESY HOWARDZINN.ORG

about the documentar y’s bias more explicitly.

“It started while Bush was president,” Moore said. “Howard’s book’s been out there since 1980. I think that we definitely found a group of people who were a little bit frustrated and wanted to get the message out there of dissent and questioning authority. So maybe we just got lucky.”

In fact, the central message of the book can better be described as promoting activism rather than any specific agenda. If anything, everyone

involved in the film seems to believe most in the power of populism and the ability of the people to change and influence their government.

“Dissent doesn’t equal radicalism,” Lupe said. “If you feel it’s a problem, then it’s a problem. If you don’t say anything, then it’s not going to change anything ... If they walk away with that — to see that this is ordinary people in extraordinary events — they become extraordinary people. They become superhuman by acting.” vmain13@umdbk.com

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8

THE DIAMONDBACK | DIVERSIONS | FRIDAY, DECEMBER 11, 2009

REVIEW | MICROSOFT XBOX 360 GAMES

GET YOUR GAME ON Microsoft’s holiday lineup features titles for all types of players

BY ANDREW FREEDMAN For The Diamondback

As fall semester concludes, students’ schedules tend to grow more hectic thanks to finals, winter break travel plans and of course, holiday shopping. When pressed to select those perfect gifts for friends and family, consider video games, which are more diverse than ever and can appeal to wide demographics.

And although the large wall of titles at the local GameStop or Best Buy may seem overwhelming, it probably includes the three recently released Microsoft titles that are sure to satisfy the entire spectrum of gamers. Here’s the semester roundup of Microsoft’s Xbox 360 titles: For the hard-core gamer: Halo 3: ODST Halo 3’s tagline may be “Finish the Fight,” but the story isn’t over yet. Halo 3: ODST, an extension game to Halo 3, depicts what occurred on earth during the events of the second and third Halo games. Players no longer step into the shoes of Master Chief, a super-soldier

Players operate as an Orbital Drop Shock Trooper in the city of New Mombasa in Halo 3: ODST. COURTESY BEEFJACK.COM

who achieved the coveted rank of “Spartan,” but play as an Orbital Drop Shock Trooper — a space marine without the superior armor and strength exhibited in previous games.

Players explore the ruined city of New Mombasa as the Rookie, an ODST looking for his missing squad-mates after an attack by an alien race known as the Covenant.

Unlike other Halo titles, ODST takes place in one large open world rather than in separate levels that players never

return to again. At first glance, this seems out of place, but it becomes central to the storyline. The Rookie is able to find signs of his teammates, which initiate flashbacks that allow players to discover what happened to each ODST. The game is a bit shorter than previous Halo titles. However, its storytelling is original and its soldiers sport new visors and weapons.

ODST comes with Halo 3’s excellent multi-player modes and all previous download-

ready content on a second disc. Exclusive to ODST is a cooperative firefight mode, in which players fight off hordes of enemies who progressively become more difficult to defeat.

ODST may be brief, but it has a lot of replay value and is an interesting experiment that Halo fans are bound to enjoy.

For the gamer looking for old-fashioned competition: Forza Motorsport 3 Racing simulators are great for pick-up-and-play sessions, and Forza Motorsport 3 is no exception. There is an element of realism in Forza 3, which features more than 400 cars from real-life manufacturers and more than 100 race tracks.

Forza 3 introduces some new elements, such as SUVs and an in-car view for drivers.

Players can choose a singleplayer “season,” in which they compete in a variety of different events, or play online and race against others. Gamers can also share decals and logos online via a “storefront.”

The game looks absolutely stunning. Forza 3 is great for casual gamers who just want to

pick up the controller and race against some friends. Controls range from simple — with the game providing auto-breaks and auto-skidding — to advanced controls for experienced racers. Forza 3 is compatible with Microsoft’s Xbox 360 Wireless Racing Wheel for those who want a more authentic experience, but it can also be played with a standard Xbox 360 controller.

Aside from a limited number of computer opponents to race against (only seven per event), the game doesn’t have many flaws. Players can customize features to their liking, and when they’re done, they can challenge buddies to a match in one of the most realistic and graphically stunning racing simulators in recent memory.

For the casual gamer: Lips: Number One Hits Lips: Number One Hits, a karaoke game released in October, is the sequel to 2008’s Lips. Both titles are great for people who want to try a video game but are skeptical about learning how to play.

The game is meant to be

used with the two wireless, motion-sensitive microphones that accompany the original title.

Both Lips and Lips: Number One Hits offer 40 songs from artists such as Akon, Jason Mraz and Rihanna, but players can import their own music from MP3 players or media centers. However, they are not able to upload the lyrics. Lips: Number One Hits is not particularly difficult, and players cannot fail out of songs. This allows for players of all experience levels to enjoy the game.

Lips also offers mini-games that utilize microphone motion control and rewards for singing on-pitch.

The newer version has a few more features, such as a score multiplier similar to those appearing in Guitar Hero and Rock Band.

The Lips games have eclectic libraries of pop songs and should be entertaining even for those hesitant to try video games. Both the original and sequel are simple and ideal for a laid-back good time. diversions@umdbk.com

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 11, 2009 | SPORTS | THE DIAMONDBACK

9

SCHIMMEL from page 12 games and emerged as the leading candidate to replace Dave Neal this year as the starting center.

Gregor y will help a Terp team that has been outrebounded by an average of 8.3 rebounds in its last four games, but he is not going to make up the difference all by himself.

Plus, Gregor y may be ver y athletic and will also block some shots, but his game has never exactly been well-rounded.

Gregor y has essentially been a non-factor offensively during his Terp career. His career scoring average is hardly impressive, and has never scored more than eight points in a game.

Improving his scoring was going to be one of Gregor y’s focuses heading into this season before his suspension, but this time off without any game action might affect those plans.

Williams wisely does not reveal any information about what his starting lineup might be well before game time, but an educated guess would be that Gregor y isn’t likely to start in his first game back.

It’s certainly possible Gregor y could start, but freshman Jordan Williams has played well enough during Gregor y’s suspension to deser ve to remain in the starting five.

In three of Williams’ first eight games, he has outscored Gregor y’s career high from his first two seasons. Williams has either tied or surpassed Gregor y’s career high of nine rebounds five times.

Williams’ 19-point, 12-rebound effort Sunday against Villanova was a far more impressive performance than anything we’ve seen from Gregor y.

It’s nice Gregor y will be back tomorrow, and he and the Terps should be happy to put this whole situation behind them.

Just don’t expect a savior. schimmel@umdbk.com

Check out the blog ...

For live updates from Saturday’s game and all winter break long, make Terrapintrail.com your destination for Terp sports news.

Dino Gregory, shown last season, will make his season debut tomorrow against Eastern Kentucky after serving a team-mandated suspension. Coach Gary Williams said Gregory should help the Terps’ depth in the frontcourt. ADAM FRIED/THE DIAMONDBACK

GREGORY from page 12 After each of his team’s losses, Williams has mentioned the Terps’ youthful big men and the fact his team was at less than fullstrength.

Gregory’s loss has been magnified because the Terps (5-3) have struggled to rebound and keep their big men out of foul trouble early this season.

They’ve been outrebounded in all four games against power conference teams this season.

“James and Jordan are doing a tremendous job. Don’t get me wrong on that,” guard Sean

Mosley said last weekend. “But having a guy that’s a veteran and knows where he can get his rebounds at and his shots from — having Dino back — is definitely going to be a plus for us.”

Through it all, Gregory has practiced with the team — and sat on the bench in a suit for home games since Williams announced his return date.

Williams praised Gregory for his positive attitude and hard work in practice challenging Padgett and Jordan Williams, who will likely lose minutes with Gregory’s return.

Guard Eric Hayes said that’s what excites him about the prospect of having the 6-foot-7,

230-pounder back in the mix.

“I think we’re all looking forward to Dino coming back,” Hayes said. “He’s showing in practice that he’s going to be out there on the floor a lot.”

There’s been no indication whether Gregory will step right into the Terps’ starting lineup.

Williams recorded his first career double-double in the team’s loss to No. 3 Villanova on Sunday, establishing new career highs in points (19) and rebounds (12). And thanks to the timing of his return, Gregory has five games against small conference opponents to work off the rust before the Terps’ ACC opener Jan. 10.

Williams will address the media today, but usually doesn’t discuss his starting lineup with reporters on the day before games.

No matter what role Gregory takes on in his first real game since the Terps’ second round NCAA Tournament loss against Memphis in March, the Terps will be happy to have him.

“He’ll give us more depth and size on the inside,” Williams said, stating the obvious after the Wildcats outrebounded his team 45-33. “He’s a very good defensive player and rebounder. We need that.” edetweiler@umdbk.com

Gregory was an important defensive presence for the Terps last season. ADAM FRIED/THE DIAMONDBACK

LIVE FROM TERRAPIN TRAIL

Read the Diamondback.

Although the Terrapin field hockey team’s season ended in disappointment, star forward Katie O’Donnell finished on a high note.

O’Donnell won this year’s Honda Sports Award for field hockey yesterday, claiming the award for her dominant play this season. The national leader in points and assists led the Terps to their first perfect regular season and an ACC Championship before falling to North Carolina 3-2 in the National Championship game.

In addition to the award, voted on by NCAA schools, Honda will donate $5,000 to the university’s scholarship fund.

The junior is also qualified for consideration for the Honda Broderick Cup, which is given at the end of the academic year to the nation’s top female college athlete.

The three-year starter dominated on the field, setting the pace for the team through a recordbreaking season. With 31 assists this year, she moved into first place in the ACC in career assists with 74, and she broke the school’s single-season and career points record, notching 87 for the year and 208 overall.

She was also second in the nation in goals with

Field hockey forward Katie O’Donnell won the Honda Award, given to the nation’s best player, for her record-breaking 2009 season. FILE PHOTO/THE DIAMONDBACK

28, trailing just her senior teammate Nicole Muracco, who had 31.

O’Donnell also has prior recognition for her accomplishments this

season. She claimed National Player of the Year honors for the first time and Offensive Most Valuable Player honors for the second straight

season from womensfieldhockey.com.

She is also a first-team All-American and the ACC Most Valuable Offensive Player for the third season in a row and since 2005 has competed at a national level, becoming the youngest player ever to appear in a game for the U.S. Senior National team.

The Terps didn’t need an award to tell them how much O’Donnell means to the team. She often provides the spark on the attack that pushed the team to victory and also made her impact felt with her speed and physical play on the defensive side of the ball.

But that doesn’t mean they don’t believe she deserves it or that they are not proud to have one of their own atop the country, even if their team couldn’t be.

O’Donnell’s win marks the continuation of a new Terp tradition. Four Terps in five years have won the Honda Sports Award, including Susie Rowe, O’Donnell’s teammate last year, and Paula Infante in 2005 and 2006. If she performs at the same level next year that marked her play this season, she could pull a repeat herself.

—Kate Yanchulis

10

THE DIAMONDBACK | SPORTS | FRIDAY, DECEMBER 11, 2009

TOWSON

SCHEDULING from page 12

from page 12

against George Mason in a home-and-home series — wherein two teams alternate host sites each year — earlier this decade, taking one from the Patriots in Fairfax, Va., in 2005 before doing it again at home in 2006.

They met James Madison in 2007 and 2008, when they again swept their local rival by an average margin of victory of 10 points.

And this season, they capped a home-and-home matchup against Old Dominion with an 84-67 win in College Park after escaping Norfolk, Va., last year with a 7465 victor y.

“We give our fans a chance to go play somewhere else,” said Director of Basketball Operations Rhet Wierzba.

“Not only that, but we’re playing against a good team on their floor. It’s nice getting a good road game in against a competitive team. There are a lot of competitive teams around the area, so we’re going to go and play there and tr y to get that road atmosphere and get that out of the way before you get to conference.”

But the benefit is not just one-sided, Frese said.

“I think it’s great,” she said.

“Rivalries — you want these kind of battles.”

Among national powers, the scheduling strategy isn’t limited to the Terps.

Since the 2005-06 season, Connecticut and Massachusetts neighbor Holy Cross

only louder.

As they did earlier this season in a blowout loss at Mississippi State, the Terps’ road issues took center stage. The team couldn’t hit layups, missed open threepointers, overthrew passes and struggled to keep BakerBrice (25 points, seven assists) within their sights.

At times, it seemed even the Tigers couldn’t believe their luck. Late in the second half, Terp for ward Tianna Hawkins missed a shot from in close.

She reached for the ball, but Towson for ward Katrina Wheeler was there first, tying up the loose ball for a Tigers offensive possession.

As the two players separated and the crowd rose to its feet, Wheeler beamed, a hint of delightful surprise in her eyes.

“We didn’t compete for 40

Dara Taylor defends a Towson guard in the Terps’ 67-55 loss yesterday. ALLISON AKERS/THE DIAMONDBACK

“I think it’s great.

Rivalries — you want these kind of battles.”

BRENDA FRESE TERP WOMEN’S BASKETBALL COACH

have met regularly in their home-and-home series. And after hosting Middle Tennessee State last year, Tennessee visited the Blue Raiders in Murfreesboro this year for a road date.

Academy Stadium Theatre Week of December 11th 6198 Greenbelt Rd. Center Court of Beltway Plaza Mall

ADVENT & CHRISTMAS CONCERT

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FRI-SAT 2012 12:20 Twilight Saga: New Moon 12:30 Invictus 12:25 Brothers 11:45 Armored 11:20 1:30 Princess and the Frog 11:10 1:20 Precious 11:45 2:30 Ninja Assassin 11:10 1:20

3:30 3:50 3:45 2:30 3:45 3:35

6:35 7:05 7:00 5:15 6:10 6:00 5:15 3:35 6:00

7:50 8:20 8:20 7:50 8:20

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ALL SHOWS STARTING AT 11:59 AM OR EARLIER ARE PRICED AT $5.00 PER GUEST – “EARLY BIRD SHOWS” ALL SHOWS BETWEEN 12 PM AND 4:59 PM ARE MATINEES ALL SHOWS STARTING AT 5 PM OR LATER ARE REGULAR PRICE Children $6.00, Seniors $6.50 Adults $8.50, Students $7.50 G PG-13 PG-13 PG-13 PG-13 R R R

2012 Twilight Saga: New Moon Invictus Brothers Armored Princess and the Frog Precious Ninja Assassin

12:15 3:25 7:00 12:30 3:50 7:05 12:25 3:45 7:00 11:45 2:30 5:15 7:50 11:20 1:30 3:45 6:10 8:20 11:10 1:20 3:35 6:00 8:20 11:45 2:30 5:05 7:50 11:10 1:20 3:35 6:00 8:20

MON-THU 2012 Twilight Saga: New Moon Invictus Brothers Armored Princess and the Frog Precious Ninja Assassin

12:15 12:45 12:45 12:10 12:20 12:10 12:10 12:10

3:25 3:45 3:45 2:35 2:45 2:25 2:35 2:25

5:15 5:05 4:50 5:15 4:50

7:00 7:30 7:30 7:40 7:30 7:20 7:40 7:20

shaffer@umdbk.com

UNITED CAMPUS MINISTRY CHAPLAINCY PRESENTS

SUNDAY, 2009 SUNDAY,DECEMBER DECEMBER13, 9, 2007 8:00 7:30 pm, Memorial Chapel

University of Maryland, College Park Featuring: EVERYONE IS WELCOME!

Maryland Palestrina Choir ✶ Janet Hagelgans, Director Followed by Holiday Reception Femmes de Chanson ✶ Katelyn Aungst, Director Männermusik ✶ Joseph Shortall, Director Featuring:

SUN

301-220-1155

Princess and the Frog 2012 Twilight Saga: New Moon Invictus Armored Precious Brothers Ninja Assassin

Wierzba said the financial considerations in playing away from College Park are negligible, but playing close to home certainly doesn’t hurt the bottom line.

“It might be a little cheaper to come play here than to go and play down at Mississippi State,” Wierzba said. “That might play a minor role, but it’s something even before all the budget crisis came up. We always liked to do it anyway, tr ying to go out and play on the road.”

minutes,” said Kizer, who finished with just seven points in 17 minutes.

It didn’t matter what the Terps did to slow the game down or speed it up. Down nine points with more than five minutes to go, the Terps fouled Wheeler for a oneand-one free throw.

Wheeler’s shot drew iron, but Dr yver again somehow found the ball, drawing another foul in the process and only prolonging the Terps’ agony.

On the next possession, Bjork refused to allow Baker-Brice by her.

It didn’t matter, of course.

With the shot clock ticking down to zero, Baker-Brice launched a three-pointer from almost behind her head that somehow found its way in.

“I felt like we didn’t really have a go-to player on the floor,” Frese said. “That’s a tough thing.”

Ballena, Pianist • Debut of theDavid Maryland Palestrina Choir,

•

Soloists from the University Maryland performing Renaissance motets byofPalestrina, of Music, including: Victoria, andSchool Sweelinck Janet Hagelgans, Director Rameen Chaharbaghi, Baritone Farah Padamsee, Mezzo-Soprano Femmes de Chanson David Travis, Tenor Julie Thomas, Director • Julie Thomas, Gillian Kraus-Neale, Alicia Waller EVERYONE (Soprano Soloists) IS WELCOME! No(Harp) Charge for This Event • Cara Fleck • Reception Eliza Ching (Piano) to follow in Chapel entryway

A•free-will be taken for S.O.M.E. (Socarols Others Might Eat) Singoffering your will favorite seasonal

For For more more information: information: Contact Chaplain Contact Chaplain Holly Holly Ulmer Ulmer at at (301) (301) 405-8450 405-8450 ulmer@umd.edu, www.ucmcollegepark.org ulmer@umd.edu, www.ucmcollegepark.org

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 11, 2009 | SPORTS | THE DIAMONDBACK

11

No. 7 Terps face shorthanded Penn team tonight at Comcast Pavilion Wrestling team expected to dominate Quakers in second home meet

BY MICHAEL LEMAIRE Staff writer

With the first quarter of the season almost over, the Terrapin wrestling program will receive an early holiday gift today when they host a once-dangerous Pennsylvania team now limping toward the break.

Although they are off to a 2-1 start, the beginning to the 2009 season has been tumultuous for the Quakers.

Entering the preseason, Penn had high expectations: They were ranked No. 24 in the country and returned a solid nucleus of talented wrestlers.

But after just one team event, their lofty expectations took a hit when three of their seniors and best wrestlers were arrested and charged with aggravated assault on Nov. 16. The arrests stemmed from an incident that occurred Oct. 3. The university responded quickly, suspending Matt Dragon, Cesar Grajales and Roger Peterkin, and severely limiting coach Rob Eiter’s options.

Terp coach Kerry McCoy said he knew of the suspensions but added he probably wouldn’t ask Eiter, who is a

good friend, about the status of the trio anytime soon. Dragon, Grajales and Peterkin entered the season ranked No. 17, No. 7 and No. 6 in their weight classes respectively, and their absence gives the No. 7 Terps a decided advantage tonight. McCoy admitted the Terps should win, but also downplayed the talent disparity between the two teams.

“It’s gonna hurt them to not have three of their top wrestlers, but we just have to stay grounded and prepared,” McCoy said. “They are a team that can really sneak up on people, and there is still talent there. So hopefully our guys will come out fired up.”

It should help that the Terps finally get to wrestle on their home mats for the first time since the opening dual meet of the season more than a month ago. Tonight is Greek/Campus organization night, and the team is going to great lengths to market the matchup, but Comcast Pavilion should be rowdy regardless.

Many of the Terps said they actually feed off of the crowd’s energy when they are on the mat. McCoy stressed the importance of getting off to a quick

start and having aggressive, highenergy wrestlers like 125-pounder James Knox and 141-pounder Alex Krom to set the tone. That could make the difference in the match, especially with a home crowd behind them.

“I love it all, the cheering, the heckling, it’s all such a fun environment to wrestle in,” Knox said. “It’s really nice to get to come back home and we are all excited to have the crowd behind us once again.”

The Terps (6-1, 1-0 ACC) have the chance to end the first leg of their season in great shape before the schedule gets more difficult. The team will get Christmas off, but will be back to work right before the New Year when they travel to the Midlands Championship, a tournament always loaded with talent and depth.

Just as last Friday’s shutout victory against North Carolina included a taste of vindication for the Terps, the team will be looking for revenge in this meet as well. The last time these two squads met two seasons ago, Penn needed a shutout victory from the now-suspended Peterkin at 125 pounds in order to knock off the Terps.

Coach Kerry McCoy is expecting 133-pound wrestler Steven Bell to get off to a quick start against an undermanned Penn team tonight in the Terps’ second home meet of the season. ALLISON AKERS/THE DIAMONDBACK

Hudson Taylor, the Terps’ starter at 197 pounds, thinks that alone should keep the Terps from getting complacent this time around.

“We really wanna crush them,” Taylor said. “They are a good team, and

we need to be wrestling our best like last week. But the guys who are still around aren’t interested in losing to Penn again.” lemaire@umdbk.com

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12

THE DIAMONDBACK | FRIDAY, DECEMBER 11, 2009

Sports

Stay up to date while studying Follow Diamondback sports between study sessions on

Twitter at http://twitter.com/DBKSports for news on the men’s basketball team and all Terp sports.

The return of DINO

MEN’S BASKETBALL EASTERN KENTUCKY PREVIEW

Forward Dino Gregory will make season debut tomorrow afternoon against Eastern Kentucky

BY ERIC DETWEILER Senior staff writer

Dino Gregory answered reporters’ questions and posed for a team photo at the Terrapin men’s basketball media day in October.

Dressed in his white game uniform, the junior forward talked about his improved offensive game and his excitement for the Terps’ early season trip to Maui.

Gregory hasn’t appeared publicly in that uniform since.

His absence from the lineup should end tomorrow afternoon. Gregory, who has been suspended for the team’s first eight games due to an unspecified team rules violation, is expected to make his season debut against Eastern Kentucky at Comcast Center.

After pushing through the toughest part of their nonconference schedule with a young and short-handed frontcourt, the Terps should get a needed boost against the Colonels (7-2) with the addition of the forward who averaged 2.6 points and 3.2 rebounds last season coming off the bench.

“I honestly feel that the last two months — February and March — last year he was as good defensively as any inside player in the ACC — in terms of blocking shots, rebounding, being able to play good inside players,” coach Gary Williams said. “Not having that the first eight games has changed the way we could play.”

Williams acknowledged that Gregory, who participated in the Terps’ open scrimmages before the team released news of his suspension minutes prior to its Nov. 3 exhibition, would’ve started the Terps’ season opener. Instead, the 21st-year coach has been forced to rotate freshmen Jordan Williams and James Padgett in the spot. The team has not commented on the nature of the suspension, citing federal privacy laws.

Since Williams cleared up some of the mystery surrounding Gregory’s suspension by announcing the forward’s expected return date Nov. 19, the coach has clearly been looking forward to Gregory’s return.

Don’t get carried away with Gregory’s debut GREG

SCHIMMEL

T

2008-2009 STATS

PPG 2.6 RPG 3.2 BPG .97 2008-2009 FINAL FIVE GAME STATS

PPG 3.8 RPG 5.2 BPG 1.0 PHOTO BY ADAM FRIED/THE DIAMONDBACK

he big day is finally almost here. Can’t you just feel the excitement? After more than five weeks of rumors, speculation and unanswered questions, Dino Gregor y will return to the court tomorrow afternoon for the Terrapin men’s basketball team’s last game of the semester against Eastern Kentucky.

Terp fans ever ywhere will rejoice.

The Terps announced Nov. 3 that Gregor y was suspended indefinitely for an unspecified violation of team rules. Athletics Department officials declined to elaborate on the situation ever since, only saying Gregor y will be reinstated Dec. 12.

While coach Gar y Williams and his players have been extremely tight-lipped about the circumstances surrounding Gregor y’s suspension, they have not been as shy about how much they are looking for ward to getting him back.

The intrigue created by the perceived shadiness surrounding Gregor y’s suspension, combined with the hype of his impending return, has led to perhaps the most anticipated return of a career 2.1 pointper-game scorer in the histor y of basketball.

Let’s try to keep this in perspective.

Gregor y’s return is certainly not going to hurt, and if nothing else it will provide the Terps some muchneeded frontcourt depth and simply another big body on the court.

But, to expect much more from Gregor y, especially right away, is just unrealistic.

His urban legend has grown a little during this suspension, but Gregor y was really just a role player at best during his first two seasons with the Terps.

It’s been awhile since you’ve seen him, so perhaps you’ve forgotten, but Gregor y really didn’t find himself until ver y late last season when he played well down the stretch, especially in the ACC Tournament.

Gregor y averaged 6.0 rebounds in those three conference tournament

see GREGORY, page 9

see SCHIMMEL, page 9

No. 25 Terps fall to unranked Towson Terps lose 67-55 in shaky effort

BY JONAS SHAFFER Staff writer

TOWSON — For 34 years, the Towson women’s basketball program had been chasing the Terps.

Last night, the Tigers somehow flipped the script.

Before a near-capacity crowd at Towson Center Arena, Towson notched its first win against the Terps since 1975, 67-55, dominating their intrastate visitors in the same way the Terps had managed for a more than a quarter-centur y.

In a forgettable night, the Terps shot 34.4 percent and committed 18 turnovers, falling for the second time in as many road trips.

“We never got into any kind of groove,” coach Brenda Frese said. “I thought that they punished us in ever y aspect of the game. … It was obviously a ver y difficult night.”

After taking a 20-18 advantage almost 14 minutes in, the Terps never held the lead again.

Saddled by early foul trouble, center L ynetta Kizer finished with just four points in eight first-half minutes as she watched the Tigers reel off a 14-7 run to close the half.

Still, it wasn’t down low where the Terps were hurting.

Towson guards Shanae BakerBrice, Jaleesa Dr yver and Simona Petronyte combined for 23 of the Tigers’ 34 first-half points on 9-of-14 shooting, and

GUARD-LESS PLAY Towson dominated the Terps in the backcourt last night, leading to coach Brenda Frese’s second loss in as many road contests: Towson guards Shanae Baker-Brice, Jaleesa Dryver and Simona Petronyte combined to score 43 points on 15-of26 shooting from the field.

Terp guards Anjale

Barrett, Lori Bjork and Kim Rodgers combined for just 23 points on 7-of-24 shooting.

Lynetta Kizer (left) and Anjale Barrett can only sit and watch during the Terps’ 67-55 loss yesterday.

the Terps’ counterparts couldn’t match. Point guard Anjale Barrett and shooting guard Lori Bjork had just four points at intermission.

“I felt like we were defeated already at halftime,” said Frese, whose Terps went a combined 10-of-29 from the field in the first 20 minutes. “[Towson] played with a confidence level that we’re used to playing with.”

The second half wasn’t much different. As the Tigers continued to keep their visitors at bay — the Terps never crept closer than five in the second half — a raucous Towson crowd became

see TOWSON, page 10

ALLISON AKERS/THE DIAMONDBACK

Road games at local nonconference foes not rare Terps regularly schedule games such as last night’s for road experience

BY JONAS SHAFFER Staff writer

TOWSON — It was a road trip to forget, but the Terrapin women’s basketball team’s 6755 loss at Towson Thursday night wasn’t the product of a scheduling quirk.

Although last night’s game marked the first between the two in-state foes since 1996, the Terps haven’t

shied away from making the trip away from College Park to do battle with the state’s lesser programs. “[Coach Brenda Frese]’s always been out of the box,” Towson coach Joe Matthews said. “You don’t find a lot of national championship-caliber programs that will go on the road and play at a midmajor school. … I think that’s great for women’s bas-

ketball. I think that’s great for basketball across the country.”

The Terps also made their way up Interstate 95 last season, when the Terps beat Loyola (Md.) 83-52. The Greyhounds made the return trip this year, but the change in venue didn’t change much — the Terps won by 13.

Although the Terps’ series

with the Greyhounds is a relatively long one by regional standards, they’ve all largely ended up with the same result on the scoreboard. In the last two meetings, the Terps have trounced Loyola by double digits — once in Comcast Center, and once at Loyola’s Reitz Arena.

The Terps squared off

see SCHEDULING, page 10