MARKY MARK NOT SO FUNKY IN LONE SURVIVOR
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THE MASSACHUSETTS
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DAILY COLLEGIAN DailyCollegian.com
Wednesday, January 29, 2014
Group takes on Amherst housing
News@DailyCollegian.com
Obama to Congress: Student Help the poor, or I will behavior
improves UMass sees a decrease in off-campus incidents
Coalition aims to increase affordability
By ChanCe Viles Collegian Correspondent
B y Jason K otoCh Collegian Staff
An Amherst citizens group has requested town funds to start a land trust in an attempt to tackle the town-wide affordable housing crisis. The Coalition for Amherst Neighborhoods asked for startup funds from the Amherst Community Preservation Act Committee in a December 2013 proposal. The money would be used to create an Amherst Community Land Trust which would work to purchase residential properties and resell them with deed restrictions, ensuring that they cannot be rented to students in order to level out the housing market. Spearheading the trust is University of Massachusetts professor Maurianne Adams who acknowledged that the land trust won’t solve the problem by itself. “These problems have many facets and need coordinated efforts on several fronts,” she said. The town has received other proposals for funding to address housing issues, some of which came after the release of a townsponsored housing market study done by New Hampshire-based RKG Associates. Working off of the study, the land trust funding proposal states that the plan is intended to stabilize year-round family neighborhoods, redevelop residential communities which have been threatened by the student housing market and increase housing affordability. Still in the early planning stage, the proposal will be under review during a public CPAC meeting at 7 p.m. on Feb. 6 in the see
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Serving the UMass community since 1890
MCT
President Barack Obama delivers his State of the Union speech during a joint session of Congress on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C. on Tuesday.
President addresses inequality, job creation By lesley ClarK and anita Kumar McClatchy Washington Bureau WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama looked to revive his second term in a sweeping speech to the nation Tuesday, outlining an agenda that calls for creating jobs and addressing the widening gap between rich and poor. He offered a mix of new and old ideas in his annual State of the Union address, calling for a “Year of Action” and saying he wants to work with Congress but will act on his own when he can, if necessary. “I’m eager to work with all of you,” Obama said in the speech to a nationally televised joint session of Congress. “But America does not stand still and neither will I. So wherever and whenever I can take steps with-
out legislation to expand opportunity for more American families, that’s what I’m going to do.” Entering his sixth year in office, Obama worked to tie economic woes to a long tide of history rather than his own record. He said that although the U.S. has largely pulled out of the economic recession, the middle class has lost jobs and income from three decades of blows, including shifts in technology and global competition. “Today, after four years of economic growth, corporate profits and stock prices have rarely been higher, and those at the top have never done better,” he said. “But average wages have barely budged. Inequality has deepened. Upward mobility has stalled. The cold, hard fact is that even in the midst of recovery, too many Americans are working more than ever just to get by - let alone get ahead. And too many still aren’t working at all.” He also strived to break away
from Congress, substantively and politically. Obama said he would: - Sign an executive order forcing federal contractors to raise the minimum wage for their low-paid workers - and he challenged Congress to do the same for all workers; - Introduce new retirement savings plans with a guaranteed return for workers whose employers do not offer such plans. - Host a summit to highlight policies that help working families. - Review the federal job training system and work with companies to increase apprenticeships. - Cut bureaucratic red tape by improving the efficiency of the federal permitting process. Despite a host of pressing national security and foreign issues such as U.S. surveillance, Syria’s civil war and see
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The number of off-campus incidents at the University of Massachusetts declined over the last year, down 41 overall incidents from fall 2012, according to a UMass press release. According to the release, an offcampus conduct report released Jan. 16 shows a total of 227 incidents involving 289 students last semester. In fall 2012, there were 268 incidents involving 431 students. According to Associate Editor for the Office of News and Media Relations Larry Rivais, a combination of programs such as UMatter, the OWL program for students moving off campus and joint police patrols may have been responsible for the decrease in incidents and repeat offenders. “The effort has been toward community building ... collaborating with neighbors,” Rivais said in a phone interview. Joint police patrols, established in spring 2013 by the UMass and Amherst police departments, have made a noticeable difference in the amount of incidents off campus, according to Amherst Chief of Police Scott Livingstone. Amherst has 47 police officers, while other communities of a similar size have closer to 55 officers, so the joint patrols help reduce the student incidents, according to Livingstone “It’s not a secret. You work together, that’s when good things happen,” Rivais said. The University has also taken additional steps to educate students about how their behavior can affect their education. The police department now speaks at the freshmen student orientations. “Education is a big part of what we do,” Livingstone said. The overall amount of incidents see
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Gov. proposes new UMass-based climatologist Proposition part of a statewide initiative By marie maCCune Collegian Correspondent Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick proposed the creation of a new climatologist position at the University of Massachusetts earlier this month that is part of his $50 million initiative aimed at climate change preparedness. Based out of the Northeast Climate Science Center (NECSC) located in the Morrill Science Center, the position would be jointly funded at $100,000 per year by the University and the Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs, according to a UMass press release. The proposed language for legislation to establish the position outlines four key responsibilities of the job, according to University Director of the NECSC Dr. Richard Palmer. The responsibilities include gathering and archiving data on climate conditions around Massachusetts,
conducting and fostering research concerning the climate in coordination with the NECSC, educating and informing citizens about climate change and advising all other branches of state and local government on matters concerning the climate and its implications in both economic and scientific matters. “The NECSC is extremely happy for the position to be based here at UMass,” Palmer said. “Extreme weather conditions, especially in recent years, point to the necessity of such a position and a big thanks to the governor and state legislature for recognizing this and supporting the University. It is exciting to have more funds and support for our students doing research in climate science.” The proposition is a result of collaboration between Steve Goodwin, dean of the College of Natural Sciences, Michael Malone, vice chancellor for Research and Engagement and Richard Sullivan Jr., secretary of Energy and Environmental Affairs, according to the UMass
press release. According to Goodwin, the idea of a state climatologist position has been in the works for years. Fortyseven states in the U.S. have state climatologists and many of them are based at the state’s flagship university. “It was only natural that we follow suit, especially with UMass having the NECSC on campus, which works with the U.S. Department of the Interior and conducts tons of climate research,” Goodwin said. He also mentioned that the state geologist already works out of the University. In terms of student research, Goodwin hopes there will be as much interaction as possible with undergraduate and graduate students alike. Goodwin referred to the new position as being part of the “ever increasing research being done to protect our planet” and mentioned the role it would play in bringing more prestige, world class faculty and students and research funds to
the University. Malone expanded on this, saying part of the climatologist’s job is to look into opportunities for research in order to better understand climate change. He also pointed out that the climatologist would “translate” the science coming out of the NECSC and other geoscience programs here at UMass into direct results for Massachusetts. “For example,” he said, “the climatologist could advise municipalities in becoming more energy efficient, drafting safer building and zoning codes, and the like.” Malone said UMass is a prime location for the position, citing the University’s resources, faculty, technology and history in the field of climate science. “UMass Amherst is known for its research on the climate and the environment,” he said. However, this proposal has not come without opposition. The Boston Herald published an article following the governor’s
announcement expressing concerns about state spending and the expanding reach of state government. That same day the Herald also published an editorial by columnist Howie Carr questioning the necessity of the Commonwealth studying climate change in general. “The state is going to hire itself a $100,000-a-year weatherman,” Carr said. He argued “… Deval’s newfound interest in global warming, I mean climate change, is just so yesterday. Niagara Falls has frozen over, the global-warming nuts’ boat is stuck in the Antarctica ice, and Deval is trying to morph into Al Gore.” When asked about the University’s position on climate change, Malone said, “It is the job of the faculty to take a position best supported by the most extensive research and upto-date science and the University’s job is to support its faculty. The best science today tells us climate change is real and needs addressing.” Marie MacCune can be reached at mmaccune@umass.edu
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Wednesday, January 29, 2014
THE RU N D OW N ON THIS DAY... In 1845, Edgar Allan Poe’s first published poem, “The Raven,” was published in the New York Evening Mirror. Poe would end up writing over 70 poems during his life.
AROUND THE WORLD
Ukraine KIEV, Ukraine — Ukrainian Prime Minister Mykola Azarov tended his resignation Tuesday, as the country’s opposition celebrated its first major victory in an ongoing standoff with the government. Azarov’s resignation comes after two months of mass protests across the country and a week of violent clashes in Kiev in which at least four activists were killed, dozens arrested and hundreds injured on both sides - the worst street violence in the history of postSoviet Ukraine. The announcement came after four days of negotiations between opposition leaders and President Victor Yanukovich. In a statement published on the Cabinet’s official website, Azarov said he resigned to create a possibility for a political compromise. Los Angeles Times
Egypt CAIRO — Egypt’s deposed president Mohamed Morsi was put on trial Tuesday for allegedly orchestrating a prison break in 2011, state media reported. Morsi, who was ousted nearly seven months ago by the army, is facing four separate court proceedings. Although he has been jailed since early July, Tuesday was just his second court appearance. Los Angeles Times CAIRO — Drive-by gunmen on Tuesday assassinated a police general outside his home in the capital, state media reported, in the rare targeting of a senior member of Egypt’s security establishment. The slain man was identified by the state-owned al-Ahram website as Gen. Mohamed Saeed, a top aide to Interior Minister Mohamed Ibrahim, who himself escaped an attempt in September to kill him with a suicide bomb. Although suspected Islamic militants have been launching frequent attacks against security targets such as headquarters buildings and army outposts, the singling out of a particular official for assassination is a rarity. Los Angeles Times
United Kingdom LONDON — In a report released Tuesday on the finances of Britain’s royal household, members of Parliament criticized the state of disrepair of much of Queen Elizabeth II’s considerable estate, saying that nearly 40 percent of it was in subpar condition. The boiler in Buckingham Palace hasn’t been overhauled in 60 years and buckets catch water leaking from the roof inside a gallery where priceless artworks are kept, one lawmaker said. Yet even as urgent home repairs were needed, the world’s most famous extended family spent $74.5 million in 2012-13, going over budget by $3.8 million. The number of people serving them remains unchanged from several years ago. And the household’s rainy-day reserve fund has dwindled to a decidedly less-than-princely sum of $1.7 million. Los Angeles Times
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Popular folk singer Heroin blamed for 22 Seeger dies at 94 deaths in Pennsylvania By Dan Deluca The Philadelphia Inquirer Pete Seeger, the folk singer and social justice advocate who popularized “We Shall Overcome” as an anthem of the Civil Rights movement, wrote “Turn! Turn Turn!” and whose career spanned more than seven decades, has died. He was 94. Bruce Springsteen called him “the father of American folk music.” In a concert at Madison Square Garden celebrating Seeger’s 90th birthday, Springsteen introduced him by saying “he’s gonna look a lot like your granddad that wears flannel shirts and funny hats. He’s gonna look like your granddad if your granddad can kick your ass. At 90, he remains a stealth dagger through the heart of our country’s illusions about itself.” Seeger was a 1939 Harvard dropout who scored hits with the Weavers and was a compadre of Woody Guthrie and Leadbelly in the 1940s. He became a political hero for his refusal to cooperate with the House Un-American Activities Committee in the 1950s and his roles in the 1960s civil-rights and antiwar movements, and he has served as an iconic, banjo playing grandfather figure to the folk community for as long as anyone can remember. In 1998, he told The Philadelphia Inquirer that
he didn’t like think of himself as having a “career.” “That word implies seeking fame and fortune,” the co-writer of “If I Had A Hammer” and “Where Have All The Flowers Gone?” said at the time of the release of a tribute album named after the latter on Appleseed Recordings, which was his label for almost two decades. “I’ve just got jobs to do. My main purpose as a musician is to put songs on people’s lips, not just in their ear” On Tuesday, Jim Musselman, the head of Appleseed, said in a statement: said that Seeger “will live on in the hearts and minds of so many for years to come. His vision of peace and justice and equality for all will live on and continue to influence. Like a ripple that keeps going out from a pond Mr. Seeger’s music will keep going out all over the world spreading the message of non-violence and peace and justice and equality for all. Wherever people are fighting to be free or fighting for equality Pete’s songs and Pete’s vision will be there with them.” British folk singer Billy Bragg once said of Seeger: “Pete is the living link to Woody. But to me, they’re two very different artists. It’s best described by what Pete has written around his banjo, and what Woody see
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Overdoses caused by laced batch By Jonathan D. Silver, Michael a. Fuoco anD liz navratil Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
PITTSBURGH — Federal, state and local drug investigators are working together on multiple fronts to combat the spread of a deadly batch of heroin that has killed as many as 22 people in four counties since Jan. 19 and resulted in nonfatal overdoses throughout Pittsburgh. Despite authorities’ increasing concern, an apparent lull Monday in suspected overdose deaths in Allegheny County provided a glimmer of hope that the worst might have passed. But no one is ready to declare the emergency over. “What we don’t know is, was this a limited amount and has it run its course, or is this just the tip of the iceberg,” said Neil A. Capretto, medical director at Gateway Rehabilitation Center. At least three patients checked themselves into Gateway over the weekend, at least in part because they had become scared for their lives after using the potentially deadly batch of heroin. “All of them told similar stories,” Capretto said. “Dealers warned them this was stronger and to use it carefully.” As the Pennsylvania State Police, U.S.
Drug Enforcement Administration and other law enforcement agencies collaborated on tracking down the drug’s supply chain, state and local authorities treated the overdoses as a public health crisis requiring an education campaign, and street-level detectives tried to ferret out the dealers who sold the bad heroin. In Pittsburgh, narcotics detectives and others working undercover have been asked to reach out to their informants. Narcotics Cmdr. Linda Rosato-Barone said police were following several leads Monday, but she did not go into detail for fear of jeopardizing the investigation. “Everybody’s helping out,” said Detective Tony Marcocci, who is investigating two suspected fatal overdoses in Lower Burrell and Washington Township for the Westmoreland County district attorney’s office. “One of the things that we’ve tried to do is raise the public awareness about this. There is a killer out there, and we want to try to stop people from using it,” Marcocci said. “We are going after the addicts. They can very well supply it to another addict. But ultimately our goal is to go after the source - the actual dealers - whether they be in our county or another county.” Marcocci believes the heroin is coming in from outside Pennsylvania. “The typical pipeline would be from out of state into Allegheny County, and then from Allegheny County it goes to other regional counties,” Marcocci said. Authorities believe that the heroin - likely laced with the potent painkiller fentanyl - is being sold throughout Western Pennsylvania under the street names of “Theraflu,” “Bud Ice” and “Income Tax,” according to Pennsylvania Attorney General Kathleen Kane, who issued a prepared statement that included the 22-death tally. If lab tests confirm the suspicions of Kane and local investigators, the number of overdose deaths would exceed the 18 who died in 1988 in the infamous “China White” case, in which 3-methylfentanyl, a more powerful form of fentanyl, was sold as potent heroin. At least 12 fatalities and dozens of overdoses occurred locally during another national outbreak of heroin laced with fentanyl in 2006 that killed scores of drug users in Detroit, Philadelphia, Chicago, St. Louis and elsewhere. Although authorities with long memories are well aware of the “China White” cases, they are not quite ready to declare the current situation a similar epidemic. “Would I call it the same? Not until we confirm exactly what it’s made of,” RosatoBarone said. Laboratory tests are pending on both blood and urine from suspected overdose victims and on heroin found with the deceased. Authorities cannot conclusively say yet whether fentanyl is involved in all cases, if the three different brand names found on heroin stamp bags contain the same batch of heroin, and whether all 22 suspicious deaths indeed resulted from heroin overdoses. “China White” echoes loudly today. Marcocci, who has worked narcotics and vice cases for 28 years, drew parallels between then and now. “The sad reality is I can remember working with an addict, I was working undercover, what she wanted to
use was China White. That’s just where all the addicts want to go, is to the most powerful stuff. Their belief is it’s not going to happen to them,” Marcocci said. “That’s one of the things that does scare me right now is the media attention to ‘Theraflu.’ I think a lot of people are going to be looking for it.” The current crisis came to light Friday, when Allegheny County Medical Examiner Karl Williams and authorities in Westmoreland County issued alerts about deaths in both jurisdictions, as well as at least one suspected overdose death in Rayburn, Armstrong County, on Jan. 19. At that point, “Theraflu” was the brand name eliciting concern. But on Monday Williams reported that “Bud Ice” and “Income Tax” were also potentially connected to the deadly heroin. Also on Monday, Homestead police announced the discovery of stamp bags of “Bud Ice” when they executed a search warrant Sunday night. Pittsburgh narcotics Lt. Robert Roth said each of the city’s six police precincts had seen at least two overdoses, not all of them fatal. “The ‘Bud Ice’ - we’re not positive if that was ‘Theraflu’ that was just restamped or if it’s the same batch or whatnot. That would have to be confirmed with the crime lab,” Roth said. Victims in Pittsburgh range in age from 24 to 50, Roth said. Six of the city’s cases, including two fatalities, involved “Theraflu.” Two cases, both nonfatal, involved “Bud Ice.” As of Monday evening, Pittsburgh police had not seen any cases involving “Income Tax.” Most of the overdoses, the lieutenant said, involved people who used drugs found in unmarked stamp bags. Often when medics arrive, the victims are unconscious. Sometimes, he said, others have cleaned up the scene, making it harder for detectives to recover evidence. What makes the heroin so dangerous is its ultrapotent high that entices addicts. “Conventional wisdom would tell you that this is really bad and it will kill you and to stay away from it,” said Barry Fox, a retired Pittsburgh narcotics detective who helped break the “China White” case. “Unfortunately, there also is dope wisdom which tells them, ‘If that can kill you, it must be powerful and really, really good. All I have to do is take it slow.’“ The dealers who manufacture and sell the laced heroin are about one thing, Marcocci said: market share. Capretto agreed. “How do you separate yourself to show you have a more attractive product?” he said. “The way you do that is to have fentanyl-laced heroin.” But the downside is enormous. “It’s not like this comes from an FDA pharmacy,” Capretto said. “You don’t know what’s in it. We know that the advice not to use heroin in the first place falls on deaf ears for people with addiction. “If you don’t heed that advice and you are going to use, I would recommend using significantly less because if you don’t, this could be the last time you shoot up.”
THE MASSACHUSETTS DAILY COLLEGIAN
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SEEGER
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had scrawled over his Martin. Pete’s says, ‘This machine surrounds hate with love and forces it to surrender.’ Woody’s says, ‘This machine kills fascists.’ One of them is a beautiful poetic ideal, and the other is almost a punk-rock attitude.” Seeger made music of unflagging optimism, often singing for children. Songs associated with him like “Old Dan Tucker” were the basis for
BEHAVIOR have decreased and so have the number of repeat offenders. The amount of students involved repeatedly in off-campus incidents has dropped from 18 percent in 2012 to eight percent last semester, according to the release. According to Livingstone, there is also a correlation between the weather and the number of incidents each weekend . Typically, bad weather means less incidents and crimes, and Livingstone attributes the decline last semester to this. “Bad weather is a policeman’s best friend,” he said.
HOUSING
Springsteen’s 2006 album “The Seeger Sessions.” “People often say to me, ‘Don’t you get discouraged? Are you some kind of pollyanna?” Seeger, who frequently broke out into song during interviews, told the Inquirer. “I tell them that I say ‘the hell with it’ every night around 9:30, then I get up the next morning. Besides, if you sing for children, you can’t really say there’s no hope.”
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“We are very encouraged by the decline in the number of reported incidents in the community,” Interim Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs and Campus Live Enku Gelaye said in the release. “That reflects our ongoing efforts to collaborate with town partners and to educate our students about the importance of being good neighbors. Our messaging to students consistently focuses on the value of community as well as the consequences of bad behavior.” Chance Viles can be reached at cviles@umass.edu.
Hampshire College make up an off-campus housing demand of between 4,000 and 4,500 students. UMass students make up the majority of that demand, according to the report, and investors are meeting that demand by buying and converting more and more property in town, changing the face of many Amherst neighborhoods. Amherst Town Planner Jonathan Tucker said approximately one home per month was converted to a rental property in 2012. The conversion of family homes into multi-unit student rentals has other negative effects on the town and its year-round residents. Many of the student housing properties are not owner occupied, and as a result, have fallen into disrepair or become loud party houses. The long-term effects of conversions like this create places like Philips Street along the southern periphery of the UMass campus; a place the coalition calls “a long-term student ghetto.” But not all students move off-campus to party. As students pay higher tuition costs and face unprecedented student
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Farm bill ready for passage By Jim Spencer Star Tribune (Minneapolis) WASHINGTON — The House of Representatives is expected to pass a five-year farm bill on Wednesday after two years of delay and ongoing debate about its key provisions. House leaders of both parties have signaled their support for the 949-page bill, which governs a huge swath of agricultural policy as well as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, better known as food stamps. “In this climate, that’s a good sign,” said Rep. Tim Walz, a Democrat who represents Minnesota’s rural First Congressional District. “There will be fewer defections from the Republican side than people think and fewer from the Democratic side.” The Senate is expected to approve the bill soon after the House. So an approved bill could be in place as soon as late Wednesday or Thursday, depending on procedural steps in both chambers. But in an often bitterly divided Congress, nothing is guaranteed. The House voted down a different farm bill in July when tea party
loan debt, some make the move to save money. UMass housing costs between approximately $2,000 and $5,000 depending on the dorm. The mandatory on-campus meal plan adds an additional $2,200 to $2,600. This does not take into account cost of books, transportation and other necessities that must be paid every semester. In addition to the financial considerations, it’s hard to overlook the fact that Amherst is a college town and has been for years. Living off-campus is for many students an integral part of the college experience. But students don’t exist in a vacuum. As a huge part of the Amherst community, students have a role to play in the town that welcomes them every semester, and Adams said that all should all share in the responsibilities. For now, the proposal is just an idea. Adams concluded, “We will not be the solo players trying to solve this issue, but a CLT has a role that other groups (universities, municipalities) will not take on.” Jason Kotoch can be reached at jkotoch@umass.edu.
farm bill, believes a spirit of compromise will prevail this time. Americans, he said, have run out of patience with a “my way or the highway” approach to governing. Rep. Collin Peterson, the ranking Democrat on the House Agriculture Committee and one of leaders of the conference committee, also believes the House will pass the bill. The positive feedback the House got for passing a bipartisan budget deal recently helped, Peterson said. “The other thing helping is that people just want to get this over with,” he added. “People are ready to quit fighting.” The process has been so grueling and frustrating that Peterson, the senior member of the Minnesota delegation, said he is considering retiring. “It’s just been an unrelenting nightmare,” he said. Peterson said he has made no decision about leaving office and felt the same exhaustion after leading the battle to pass a farm bill in 2008. He said he will take a few weeks to see if things calm down and his spirits rise. Sen. Amy Klobuchar
Republicans and hard line progressives teamed up unexpectedly to tank a compromise measure that would have cut food stamps by $20 billion over five years. The right wing thought the cuts were too little; the left thought they were too much. The $8.6 billion in food stamp cuts now on the table are dramatically less than what the House rejected over the summer, but they are double what the Senate proposed in a farm bill it passed last year. Also up for consideration is a plan to replace $40 billion in crop subsidies with less expensive crop insurance and price protection programs. The controversial sugar price subsidy program considered vital to Minnesota’s sugar beet industry remains intact, and nothing was added to the bill to overturn controversial regulatory requirements that force meatpackers and processors to tell consumers where the animals used in their products were born, raised and slaughtered. Despite continued areas of disagreement, Walz, a member of the House Agriculture Committee and the HouseSenate conference committee that carved out the current
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community room at the police station. Amherst has been struggling with a loss of low and middle income housing for years. Profitseeking landlords, relying on a steady flow of student renters during the academic year, ask for unaffordable rents in a stagnant economy. “Investors and landlords have driven up housing prices so that they are unaffordable for most families,” Adams said. Adams and the coalition are primarily focused on serving year-round citizens, but recognized the need for a balanced approach to housing in town that leaves space for families and students. “Year-round households and families need affordable housing and students need academicyear housing,” she said. UMass data shows that the University provides housing for approximately 60 percent of its underg raduates, and UMass spokesperson Ed Blaguszewski said in an email that UMass has no plans to build any more on-campus student housing. According to the RKG housing market study, students from UMass, Amherst College and
Wednesday, January 29, 2014
of Minnesota, a Senate Agriculture Committee member who also served on the farm bill conference committee, was upbeat. The bill that emerged has debt reduction, as well as conservation measures, crop protection, research funding and workable food stamp cuts, she said. It serves a broad enough cross section of interests that it is hard to see a way for it to fail. If the farm bill passes the House, Klobuchar said, “it’s as good as done” in the Senate, which has already passed similar legislation twice. Sen. Al Franken of Minnesota endorsed the conference committee bill Tuesday and called for its quick passage. Rep. Betty McCollum, one of the House’s more liberal Democrats, announced plans to vote for the farm bill midafternoon Tuesday. “This bill represents a bipartisan compromise at a time when Congress rarely compromises,” McCollum said in a statement. Other members of the delegation did not respond to a request for comment on how they intended to vote.
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Iran’s nuclear program, Obama focused overwhelmingly on domestic affairs. He didn’t venture abroad until the final third of his hourlong speech, pointing to the scheduled withdrawal of U.S. troops from Afghanistan at the end of this year as a reason for Congress to lift restrictions that prevent the transfer of detainees from the detention camp at Guantanamo and close the camp. His closing tribute to Army Ranger Cory Remsburg, partially paralyzed by a roadside bomb on his 10th deployment to Afghanistan, prompted a sustained standing ovation. “Like the Army he loves, like the America he serves, Sgt. 1st Class Cory Remsburg never gives up and he does not quit,” Obama said. Back on domestic issues, Obama said he will continue to push Congress to extend jobless benefits and raise the minimum wage to $10.10 for all Americans - a move some Democrats are eager to use to contrast with Republicans on the campaign trail in November. The executive order would raise the minimum wage from $7.25 to $10.10 per hour for employees who work for compa-
nies involved in future government contracts. White House officials said they hoped it would spark other employers to follow suit. Obama said he also wants lawmakers to expand the earned income tax credit, remove retirement tax breaks for the wealthiest while expanding them for the middle class, give women more tools to fight discrimination and protect gay workers. He again pushed lawmakers to rewrite the nation’s immigration laws - which he said could grow the economy $1 trillion over two decades and create thousands of jobs. T he Democraticcontrolled Senate last year passed the most significant overhaul of the nation’s immigration laws in a generation. The Republican-led House of Representatives won’t consider the bill, which provides a path to citizenship for the estimated 11 million immigrants who are in the country illegally, until the borders are secure. But Republican leaders in the House, mindful of the changing face of the U.S. electorate, are expected to introduce their own guidelines later this week for legalizing millions of undocumented immi-
grants. Obama opens his sixth year in the White House after a tumultuous year that prompted some of the worst job approval ratings since he took office. A divided Congress is already turning much of its focus to the November election, and Obama has just three years left in office to make his mark. Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers of Washington, the highest-ranking woman in the House Republican leadership, offered her party’s response, blaming Obama’s policies for stagnant wages and long term unemployment - and not 30 years of economic trends. “Last month, more Americans stopped looking for a job than found one,” she said. “Too many people are falling further and further behind because, right now, the president’s policies are making people’s lives harder. Republicans have plans to close the gap.” And she took a swipe at Obama’s signature health care law, saying it’s not working. “We’ve all talked to too many people who have received cancellation notices they didn’t expect or who can no longer see the doctors they always have,” she said.
Opinion Editorial THE MASSACHUSETTS DAILY COLLEGIAN
“What other people call dark and despairing, I call funny.” - David Sedaris
Wednesday, January 29, 2014
Rebranding an elephant Two of the Cannes Lions just what Obama did weeks advertising awards were before Americans cast their not presented to the luxury votes in 2008. Meanwhile, John McCain was cutting Brandon Sides back on the frequency of his campaign stops and retreatbrand BMW, nor were they ing from the public’s eye. given to the clever market- Obama’s optimistic “Change ers behind Google. Rather, We Can Believe In” and “Yes the judges determined our We Can” slogans in part very own President Barack secured his first victory. Obama to have led the best At the same time, McCain marketing campaign of 2008. focused on depicting his Commentators chalked up opponent as a “shadowy figObama’s 2008 win to a variety ure.” Seligman’s research of factors: his use of social indicates that any negativity, media, his frequent and even if it’s used to attack a favorable press coverage and political opponent, can only the declining public image of harm a candidate’s chances. A Super PAC has already his Republican predecessor, pledged its support for George W. Bush. These reasons, among others, certainly Clinton; Obama has maincontributed to Obama’s victo- tained a steady approval ratry. Another less appreciated ing and Clinton will likely factor was Obama’s mastery borrow from her predecesof branding. His election vic- sor’s campaign strategies. tories reveal that outdated The GOP, on the other hand,
“Without effective marketing, the Grand Old Party will again lose to the better salespeople.” Republican campaigns carry little weight against a powerful pitch. To steal the 2016 win, the GOP needs to adjust for its shortcomings in advertising. In 2007, Internet pages, city walls and television screens were adorned with an iconic image. That image was Shepard Fairey’s “Hope” stencil, and it in part established Obama’s brand. It strikes the viewer as American: the red, white and blue colors immediately render the candidate as a patriot. It’s optimistic, too: he’s looking upward with a determined face that rests atop the word “HOPE.” The stencil was also easily reproducible: designers from all over the Web imitated this image and sold Obama’s pitch for him through social media. Fairey’s “Hope” poster introduced Americans to an attractive optimistic message. It turns out that such a message nearly always captures America’s heart. After Obama’s 2008 win, the University of Pennsylvania scrutinized the media to determine the role optimism played in the campaign. Its Positive Psychology Center discovered that “once again, the more hopeful candidate, Barack Obama, has won election.” Penn’s study grounds itself in Daniel Seligman’s positive psychology classic, “Learned Optimism.” Seligman’s data shows that, nine times out of 10, the public elected the candidate between 1948 and 1984 who conveyed more hope than his opponents. At the time of that 1988 research, Penn’s experts had predicted a victory for the Republican candidate, George H. W. Bush. It appears that Obama has been reading up on his positive psychology, whereas his opponents have barely skimmed the outlines. Seligman’s research predicts that the more optimistic candidate will increase their campaigning efforts right before the election, and that’s
needs a PR makeover. The College Republican National Committee released its 2013 report which urges the party to reconstruct its damaged image. The issue of same-sex marriage “repeatedly came up as one that made young voters wary of supporting the GOP.” A quarter indicated that they wouldn’t vote for a candidate who opposed samesex marriage. The survey’s Latinos and Latinas worried Republican candidates didn’t understand differences between legal and illegal immigration. Only 25 percent believed that Mitt Romney’s policies would stimulate jobs for American youth. It’s likely that a few 2016 GOP candidates do understand differences between legal and illegal immigration. It’s also likely that some wouldn’t interfere with same-sex legislation, as Chris Christie recently did in New Jersey. And perhaps a Romney victory would have brought a surge of jobs to American yuppies. The next Republican candidate may just be a better pick for conservative voters than they’ll be led to believe. But young and other undecided Republicans refuse to support their party because of its brand: a fractured Etch a Sketch board that’s inconsistent on social issues, subservient to big business and out of touch with a new generation. Its image is broken, and its image is preventing it from controlling the executive office. The Republicans need to steal from Obama’s playbook. The candidate who won in recent years followed a very specific formula. He constructed a consistent brand, successfully pitched it and sold it to customers who were eager for a dose of optimism. The runner-ups failed to follow suit. Without effective marketing, the Grand Old Party will again lose to the better salespeople.
Editorial@DailyCollegiancom
Everything I need to know I learned from preschoolers
moments illustrates. In the video, I am approaching my dad with a Christmas candy bar repeating, “Open it, open it, open it,” as my father looks at me dearly, Katie McKenna responding, “What do you say?” looking for his sweet honest with myself when young lady to use her manI remember those days as ners. I then replied, “Now.” ones filled with social strugI didn’t quite get it as a gles, a painfully structured kid, but my sister did, and schedule and endless frus- I wasn’t – and still am not – tration for not knowing how done learning from her footto complete the simplest steps. Somehow, my boss tasks on my own. I craved offered this shy little lady a freedom, and yet it escaped job, and I started working me. Of course, I also craved with the little ones. Cheetos, and yet those If “good cop, bad cop” seemed to escape me as well. were ever appropriate, But I digress. Perhaps because I had some twisted need to revisit my uncomfortable and somewhat regrettable past, a few summers ago I decided to do just that and work as an aide in a pre-K classroom. I really only got the job the way I’ve gotten most it would be so in my own things in my life: through teaching experiences, as my brilliant and always reli- being sentimental and a able older sister, Siobhan. romantic made me always She was an education stu- bend the rules for the kids dent at Boston College, I was “responsible” for, studying to do what she had responsible being a generalways said she would do: ous term. And it showed. “I only want to leave the become a teacher. My sister, a natural-born classroom if I’m leaving leader and role model, men- with you.” “I want Miss Katie to sit tored me growing up and always made meals and took at my table.” Six planned play dates care of our younger brother. In home videos, Siobhan and several marriage prois featured as a star of the posals later (to which I all stage, shining bright and said “yes,” to, by the way, confident. But I am always continuing my aim to please) standing behind her, per- I realized that I meant somehaps not quite as charm- thing to these kids, but the ing and confident as one of reason for that was only my only recorded childhood because they meant someWhile most people remember their earlier school days with fondness and youthful admiration, I like to think I’m being
er than myself. Hey, making mistakes can be a good thing! When I asked Oliver what he wanted to be when he grew up and he said he didn’t know, Jack asked him, “What about working with computers?” and Oliver replied, “Yeah, but what if it buzzes at me?” This taught me to address my fears, to acknowledge them and think about how to move past them. And of course, the most important lesson: to love, fully and honestly. I once had a kid tell me that he “did not like my shorts” but “loved my face.” Another, Fabio, asked a girl in my class at the end of every day if she wanted to hold hands tomorrow. Aging does teach us how to be more independent and think for ourselves, and we do acquire much more of the freedom we once craved, but I’ve also come to understand that time can unintentionally make us forget how to love as well as we can. We forget the simple importance in the busyness of aging, and if we’re not aware, we can become bitter in the process. James Joyce told us that it’s “Better to pass boldly into that other world, in the full glory of some passion, than fade away and wither dismally with age.” Something tells me the kids would agree.
thing to me. It was that simple. I gave love, and I received it in return. That was the first of many simple lessons these kids taught me. All of these things were right in front of our eyes, so easy to discern; it’s as if kids were the only ones with the right prescription to see them. They taught me that I shouldn’t sweat the small stuff, and that sometimes things come out better when you don’t get them exactly right. Charlotte held her orange popsicle stick horizontally and said with a sticky grin, “Look! Look!
“All of these things values were right in front of our eyes, so easy to discern; it’s as if kids were the only ones with the right prescription to see them.”
I’m eating cob on the corn! Look!” When Dylan looked at my sister and me, he looked back and forth a few times, over to Siobhan, back to me, back over to Siobhan, and finally over to me, announcing, “You guys have the same head.” A preschooler’s version of “you guys look like sisters.” Another version of that same sentiment had Addie asking constantly, “Where are those two Katies going?” They taught me to always pay attention and ask questions, even if they were asking me, “Is that your Dad?” Katie McKenna is a Collegian columwhile referring to a camp nist and can be reached at kemckcounselor two years young- enn@umass.edu.
Letters tothe edItor
Editorial@DailyCollegian.com
“I’m stalking you,” has
the age of 25, according
become a joke line. “Real”
to the National Center for
stalking is not cute, funny
Victims of Crime.
for various reasons, but
as minor. Law enforcement has a challenge of connecting
ultimately, their goal is to control the victim. Leave
or romantic. It can be
Stalking is about instill-
the dots in a stalking case,
deadly. At best, it leaves
ing psychological terror,
because it is a “course of
behind a tornado’s path of
and unless you’ve been
conduct” crime. If you are
emotional ruin – extreme
stalked, you don’t get it. If
being stalked, it is critical
If you’re stalked, for
distress, sleep and eat-
you know someone who is
that you document each
help with coping and a
ing disturbance, lost time
being stalked, avoid using
interaction
safety plan, contact the
from work, depression and
terms like, “You’re over-
stalker and present it to
more.
reacting.” It is, in fact, the
police in a comprehensive
National
perception that stalking
manner – no matter how
Awareness
incidents are not “impor-
insignificant you believe
(that serves both genders)
tant” enough to report to
the incident to be. Stalking
at 413-545-0883.
police that leaves many
is a crime in all 50 states.
January Stalking
is
Month. Rates of stalking among
with
your
contact with your stalker up to law enforcement.
UMass Amherst Center for Women & Community
For
more
college students are high-
victims
about
One myth of stalking
er than in the general
calling 911. Many victims
is that if you confront the
public. More than half of
don’t report stalking to
stalker, that person will go
female victims and more
police because they think
away. It is actually inter-
than a third of male vic-
police won’t be effective,
action that the perpetra-
Susan Ashline
tims were stalked before
or will see the incident(s)
tor is craving. People stalk
Class of 1988
Brandon Sides is a Collegian columnist and can be reached at bsides@ umass.edu.
unsure
tion
on
informa-
stalking,
visit
StalkingAwarenessMonth. org.
Letters to the editor should be no longer than 550 words and can be submitted to either to Editorial@DailyCollegian.com or to DailyCollegian.com We regret that, due to space constraints, not all letters will be printed but can be found online.
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The Massachusetts Daily Collegian is published Monday through Thursday during the University of Massachusetts calendar semester. The Collegian is independently funded, operating on advertising revenue. Founded in 1890, the paper began as Aggie Life, became the College Signal in 1901, the Weekly Collegian in 1914 and the Tri–Weekly Collegian in 1956. Published daily from 1967 to 2013, The Collegian has been broadsheet since January 1994. For advertising rates and information, call 413-545-3500.
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Arts Living THE MASSACHUSETTS DAILY COLLEGIAN
Wednesday, January 29, 2014
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FILM REVIEW
A welcome return to form for Disney’s animated movies ‘Frozen’ is a great way to chill out By NathaN FroNtiero Collegian Staff
What a nice surprise. Childhood years overfilled with Disney movies have left me feeling queasy at the slightest mention of the brand. However, after seeing “Frozen” on a whim, I’m glad I gave the company another chance. Co-directors Chris Buck and Jennifer Lee have crafted a fresh, fun film, loosely based on Hans Christian Andersen’s “The Snow Queen.” In “Frozen,” we do meet our snow queen, of sorts, in Elsa (Idina Menzel). Elsa was born with the power to make pretty ice and snow appear out of nowhere, but after a childhood accident involving her younger sister, Anna (Kristen Bell), the two are separated, and Elsa’s power kept a secret. The musical numbers, penned by Robert Lopez and Kristen Anderson-Lopez, are great overall, and songs like “Do You Want to Build a Snowman?” offer exposition without feeling forced. That song in particular creates a neat, heartbreaking and completely seamless transition through Anna and Elsa’s childhood and adolescence. It works wonders to set up the divide between the two. Some of the foreshadow-
ing is a little heavy-handed (the film opens with a song called “Frozen Heart”), and the cutesy humor often feels familiar, but the plot is simple and easily enjoyable. “Frozen” was a film released for the holiday season, and in that respect it’s a harmless, light-hearted escape. The story and twists can get predictable, but there are some great moments when typical fairy tale tropes are subverted. For example, an amusing amount of time is spent knocking some sense into Anna, as variations on the line “you can’t marry a man you just met” become a running gag. Many have lauded the film as one of Disney’s best animated musicals in over a decade, and as mentioned, the numbers here do not disappoint. The best of them is “Let It Go,” an award-bait anthem that Menzel belts to the snowy heavens. The song is both an immense moment of release for Elsa and an affirmation of Broadwayveteran Menzel’s ideal casting. Kristen Bell has decent singing chops herself, and holds her own, especially during an impressive reprise of “For the First Time in Forever,” in which she and Menzel launch dueling vocal fireworks. Josh Gad is hilarious as the talking snowman Olaf, and his gleefully misguided and vibrato-laden tune “In Summer” is priceless. Also charming is the gos-
LOREN JAVIER/FLICKR
“Frozen” has now successfully surpassed “The Lion King,” having grossed $810 million so far worldwide. pel choir-infused “Fixer Upper,” a wonderfully frank love song in the latter half of the film. Aesthetically, Walt Disney Animation Studios delivers the magic once again. “Frozen” is not just a musical wonder but a visual one as well. The characters are vibrant and expressive without constantly looking like obviously
FILM REVIEW
animated characters, and the snow and ice visuals are especially lovely. Story aside, Disney’s animation is consistently gorgeous. Even scenes that may not be meant to be especially breathtaking are nonetheless very easy on the eyes. “Frozen” is a welcome return to form for Disney. A charming twist on the fairy tale backed by some knockout musical numbers,
the film is easy to love, and it may very well join the ranks of the company’s beloved classics. It holds in some respects to the formula that keeps audiences coming back to Disney, but thankfully gives us two female leads with realistic conflicts of identity and self-acceptance, and offers a poignant glimpse at the estranged bond mended between these two sisters.
The film is wrapped up neatly and the denouement is admittedly unsurprising, but even some of the more common elements are livened up a bit. The story has a few holes, but it feels fresh and the film is a joy to watch. Pardon the atrocious pun, but “Frozen” makes you melt. Nathan Frontiero can be reached at nfrontiero@umass.edu.
FILM REVIEW
New take on an old genre A hyper-modern love story ‘Lone Survivor’ deserves a medal By ryaN Sacco Collegian Staff
“Lone Survivor,” directed by Peter Berg and starring Mark Wahlberg, illustrates the courageous and heartbreaking story of real life Navy SEAL Marcus Luttrell. Luttrell’s account and Berg’s direction combine to make this film into a gripping and harrowing depiction of four Navy SEALS and their struggle for survival amidst a Taliban ambush during an illfated covert mission to assassinate a high-ranking Taliban member. “Lone Survivor” is not just another war film to attract action junkies, but a film with something to say about courage, valor, survival, sacrifice and much more. This movie is a difficult one to watch, not only because of the fact that this is a true story, but because of the impressive direction by Berg, the cast’s impressive performance and the shocking on-screen visuals. Wahlberg’s portrayal of Luttrell is perhaps his best work as a dramatic actor. He does a phenomenal job illustrating the heartbreak, pain, anguish and determination that Luttrell went through during his battle for survival. The entire supporting cast
does a fine job here and their chemistry makes you believe that all four men are brothers, as they are in real life. This was a great collective effort by the actors and directors in trying to illustrate what these four SEALS went through both physically and mentally during this doomed mission. This film is fast-paced and brutal, making for an extremely tense movie going experience. It was one of the most difficult movies I have watched, because of how tragic, merciless and blunt the events were, both on screen and in actuality. The editing in the film creates an incredible amount of tension and apprehension for viewers, reminiscent of the opening scenes of “Saving Private Ryan.” As an audience member you feel as though you are up on the rough terrain in Afghanistan with these SEALS as they struggle to survive against 30 or so trained Taliban fighters. This film brings their mission to life and shows us just how fortunate we are to never have to experience the horrors of war. RPGs, gun fire and grenades litter the screen during the ensuing gun fights. The impressive training that the Navy SEALS possess is on full display here. Their precision, quickness and skill is incredible and humbling to witness. The violence is gory
and hard to stomach at times, but never overly gratuitous. The action and gore are actual depictions of what went on for the four SEALS, making it that much more difficult to watch. You are seeing wounded men suffer horribly, while on the brink of death, all the while still being relentlessly pursued by a number of hostiles. What propels “Lone Survivor” out of the mold of traditional films of the genre is the moral dilemma at its center. The decision these men have to make is ultimately the cause for their conflict with Taliban soldiers. Regardless of whether or not you agree with their decision, it will make you that much more invested in the battle even as you question your own morality. This film is shocking and very difficult to watch, but it’s an important film to experience. It tells a story of courage, sacrifice and survival that should not be missed. This is not some action film out to glorify war, nor is it one with a political message. It was merely created to inform the world of these four SEALS’ courage, and to show that their sacrifice is neither forgotten nor taken for granted. Ryan Sacco can be reached at rsacco@umass.edu.
Have your heart broken by ‘Her’ By LaureN romag Collegian Correspondent Although “Her” is advertised as a love story between a socially awkward man who writes beautiful handwritten letters for strangers and an artificial intelligence, it proves to be so much more. While following the relationship of Theodore Twombly (Joaquin Phoenix) and Samantha (Scarlett Johansson), an operating system that he falls for while in the process of separating from his childhood sweetheart, “Her” is the universal equalizer for dry romantic comedies and sci-fi dramas everywhere. In its use of subtle effects, the near-future timeline is established without it being shoved down your throat. Sure, the concentration of high-waistline pants is a little overwhelming at times, but there’s a sense of belonging in the quasi-sterile, kinky, hipsterdominated world to come. There are very few films that can get so much right, and director Spike Jonze’s attention to detail makes this movie stand out among a box office that includes the likes of “Inside Llewyn Davis,” “August: Osage County” and “American Hustle,” truly making it a worthwhile watch. It’s mainly the small things
like the placement of audiodevoid flashbacks played to a character’s verbal reminiscence, Phoenix’s calculated pushing up of his hornrimmed glasses at the most opportune moments, the score that so perfectly reflects the mood of each scene and the aesthetically pleasing use of space to portray the protagonists’ crowded world and their isolation from those around them. There isn’t a single character whose potential is wasted. All maximize their significance without overstaying their welcome. “Her” feeds on our universal longing to be accepted and understood all while bringing phone sex to a level that no one is quite yet ready to deal with. It loves to pose the question of whether or not a nonphysical, humanoid entity can be satisfactory in longterm companionship, but isn’t afraid to include the misuse of a dead cat. It’s a shame that Johansson’s role, in all of its devastating beauty, did not qualify her for an Oscar nomination. Theodore’s heart isn’t the only one that’s stolen as her breathy, unassuming voice metaphorically fills the screen without a second of being on the other side of the camera. Samantha proves to be the supporting character necessary for the film to progress as a beacon for showing the inherent need for interpersonal contact. She makes this
movie. It’s her, in more ways than one. Secretly, you may muse that the “Terminator” series is a natural epilogue for this film. Maybe you hope that, as the credits for the upcoming “Transcendence” movie plays, they pause to inform you that the true title was “Her 2.” Nonetheless, you leave the theater content. Or, at least as content as you can be after Jonze’s creation mercilessly rips your bleeding heart from your chest and laughs as you try to fill the hole in your thoracic cavity that these past two and a half hours have left you with. Regardless, “Her” is a pleasant surprise: a highly anticipated film that actually delivers. It’s “Lars and the Real Girl” and “Synecdoche, New York” re-imagined, all the while retaining its originality. You don’t expect to become emotionally invested in a socially awkward, stubbornly sentimental, middle-aged man who can’t let go in this haunting, mildly unsettling cinematic masterpiece. You don’t believe that a relationship between a man and an operating system can be heart wrenching or draining. But, lo and behold, “Her” leaves you utterly defeated and psychologically wasted as the credits roll. Lauren Romag can be reached at lromag@umass.edu.
6
Wednesday, January 29, 2014
THE MASSACHUSETTS DAILY COLLEGIAN
Comics Prancercise. Lift
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those sPirits high!
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B y d avid m alki
aquarius
HOROSCOPES Jan. 20 - Feb. 18
“Mac & Cheese” has the potential of being your most successful folk–rap project ever.
pisces
Feb. 19 - Mar. 20
leo
Jul. 23 - aug. 22
Twenty–plus degrees: Synonymous with the ever elusive long lost childhood friend.
virgo
aug. 23 - Sept. 22
When life gets you down, try covering everything in dog stickers, but for the love of all things holy, stay away from glitter.
Dinner would be far more enjoyable if it were renamed “Wine and Cheese.”
aries
Mar. 21 - apr. 19
libra
Sept. 23 - Oct. 22
scorpio
Oct. 23 - nOv. 21
99 percent of your daily problems can be solved by never leaving your mattress and comforter.
The fine line between mom jeans and fashionable high–waisted jeans is almost thinner than a strand of hair.
taurus
apr. 20 - May. 20
Keep in mind that “You only believe that because your parents do” is the most frustratingly excellent comeback.
Your Christmas spirit and winter cheer is keeping the season young and holding everyone else back.
gemini
May. 21 - Jun. 21
sagittarius
nOv. 22 - Dec. 21
Raspberries are boring because you can eat them by sticking them on your fingertops. It’s been done by bugles already, guys.
Jazzercise sounds like a lot of work with moody instrumentals. Try prancercising instead.
cancer
capricorn
Jun. 22 - Jul. 22
Ah, to wake up and breathe in that cold, raw, nose–bleed–inducing fresh air.
Dec. 22 - Jan. 19
Don’t be too disappointed when you find out that your Swiss Roll is not actually cream cheese rolled in swiss cheese.
THE MASSACHUSETTS DAILY COLLEGIAN
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BONNIES
TRAVEL
“I think it’s a humbling moment for us as a team at this moment because some of us may have gotten a little too big-headed.” Chaz Williams, UMass guard won’t radically change their approaches. Ultimately, energy level and confidence are the two most crucial elements to a winning formula. “The reality of it is if you’re a guy who is changing exactly how you play at this time you’re probably not doing your team a huge service,” Kellogg said. “I think they know what we’re doing, we understand what they’re trying to do.” The Minutemen also took
note of their stock in the national landscape. UMass dropped eight spots in the Associated Press Top 25 poll, moving from No. 13 to No. 21 following a 58-55 loss to Richmond. “It’s a setback for a major comeback as we see it in our eyes,” Putney said. “We’ve proved that we’re a basketball team that can win games down the stretch because of the maturity of the players we have on our team.”
Williams, the unequivocal leader of the team, took the news in stride. He noted that the team wasn’t paying much attention to the drop in stature, but didn’t shy away from the motivational aspect either. “I think it’s a humbling moment for us as a team at this moment because some of us may have gotten a little too big-headed,” he said. “With where we were ranked and how things were going, maybe that’s why we were getting into tight games.” Tipoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. Mark Chiarelli can be reached at mchiarel@umass.edu and followed on Twitter @Mark_Chiarelli.
continued from page 8
Minutemen routed Fordham by 38 points. While it was nice for UMass to come back home and play in front of a sold out crowd, the stop wasn’t long enough for Kellogg and the Minutemen. “I would’ve like a longer pit stop,” Kellogg said. “It was really just put your feet down in your own bed and your own house for a night and then move on to the next one. It’s a tough stretch, but every team in the country is going through a similar stretch at some point.” Consistently playing on the road over the course of three weeks is enough of a challenge, but on top of that, UMass now knows that it’s going to get each team’s best challenge now that it’s in
BONNIES
the national spotlight. “Everywhere we go, everyone just wants to beat UMass because we have a name to us now,” freshman Seth Berger said. “So to be on the road is really hard because playing in another gym is never easy and conference games are never easy.” So far the Minutemen have lived up to the challenge of the grueling schedule. They went 3-1 in the first four games of this six-game stretch including 2-1 on the road. With the final two stops coming against two teams that it narrowly beat earlier in the season, UMass knows that these games will show what exactly it’s made of. “This is going to be a
TAYLOR C. SNOW/COLLEGIAN
UMass veterans enjoy a light moment on the bench. great test,” Carter said. “They’re going to show our toughness, our leadership skills. It’s going to show how we can fight adversity
together.”
Healy’s seventh doubledouble of the season, the Bonnies extended their winning streak to four games with a 53-48 road win against Richmond. Both teams struggled offensively in the first half. The Spiders’ Amber Nichols converted on a buzzerbeating 3-point shot to give Richmond a 27-25 advantage heading into the half. With the game tied at 44 in the second half, the Bonnies went on a 9-2 run to take control of the game. St. Bonaventure (16-6, 5-2 A-10) held Richmond (9-11, 3-4 A-10) to just 1-of-12 from
the field over the last nine minutes, while shooting 60 percent in the second half. Healy led all players with 15 rebounds to go along with her 10 points. Nyla Rueter led the Bonnies with 14 points, while Hannah Little chipped in with 12 points coming off the bench. St. Bonaventure will look for its fifth consecutive win when it hosts Fordham on Saturday. Richmond will travel to La Salle on Wednesday.
Patrick Strohecker can be reached at pstrohec@umass.edu and followed on Twitter @P_Strohecker.
continued from page 8
found itself in an 18-0 hole. The trend continued as the Patriots’ defense could not slow down the Rams’ shooting and went into the break trailing 67-40. George Mason (6-14, 0-7 A-10) played a much better second half, outscoring VCU 46-45. However, a 15-point deficit was the closest it would come as the Rams already had the game out of reach. Taylor Brown finished with 16 points, two rebounds and five assists in 25 minutes for the Patriots. Forward Sandra Ngoie led all Patriots’ scorers with 21
points. VCU (17-4, 5-3 A-10) never trailed in the game. Its 112 points tied a school record for points in a game set earlier in the season against Massachusetts. George Mason looks to secure its first conference victory on Wednesday when it hosts the No. 1 team in the conference, Duquesne. The Rams will travel to Saint Joseph’s on Saturday.
Bonnies win again St. Bonaventure continued its recent string of success on Saturday. Behind forward Katie
Marc Jean-Louis can be reached at mjeanlou@umass.edu.
S U P E R B OW L
Lynch rathers his play do the talking Seattle back snubs Super Bowl media By Brad Biggs Chicago Tribune
NEWARK, N.J. — With the hood of his windbreaker pulled over his head and sunglasses on, Marshawn Lynch reluctantly emerged from curtains on the floor of the Prudential Center to take part in Super Bowl XLVIII media day Tuesday afternoon. Sort of. For 6 minutes, 21 seconds, the Seahawks running back who is on the far side from mercurial answered questions after hinting the day before he would consider paying a $100,000 fine to skip the scheduled 60-minute session. “Man, I appreciate this,” said Lynch, gazing into the rafters at a sea of football fans and banners hanging for the NHL’s New Jersey Devils. “This is love right here, straight up. They came to watch people get interviewed? This is amazing right here, man.” From there, the running back known as “Beast Mode” gave a handful of short answers to a variety of football questions, saying he respects the Broncos
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disruptive defense force within the paint. Putney, who led the Minutemen with 17 points in the win, noted the need to improve in transition and in rebounding. Both teams also saw their respective leading scorers struggle. Williams and St. Bonaventure guard Matthew Wright scored eight points apiece and combined to shoot just 4-of-13 from the floor. The Bonnies haven’t defeated a ranked opponent at home since Jan. 15, 2000 when they defeated No. 23 Temple. With the fairly quick turnaround between games, UMass coach Derek Kellogg noted that outside of a “few intricate details,” most teams
Wednesday, January 29, 2014
defense. He couldn’t adequately explain why talking about being on the game’s biggest stage is more bothersome than an afternoon of Oklahoma drills. He has been through some difficult times, raised in the projects of Oakland, Calif., by a single mother with three siblings. He has caused some of his own issues with legal entanglements early in his career in Buffalo and a DUI arrest a year and a half ago. But Lynch has become wildly popular because of his violent running style and uncanny ability _ at 5-foot-11, 215 pounds _ to move piles of defenders against their will. He is the most formidable weapon in a zone running scheme orchestrated by offensive line coach Tom Cable, who gives major props to Lynch for his ability to adapt. The Seahawks are 4-2 in Lynch’s six career playoff games, and in all four victories he rushed for more than 100 yards. His 40-yard touchdown run in the NFC championship game broke a thirdquarter tie with the 49ers, and he has 249 yards and three touchdowns in this postseason. “I’m just about action,” Lynch said. “You say, ‘hut,’ and there’s action. All the
unnecessary talk, it don’t do nothing for me. I appreciate that people want to hear from me, but I just go to work and do my thing. Chilling. You feel me?” It’s unlikely the NFL will come down on Lynch for his begrudging approach to an obligation that is in his contract. Focusing on the paucity of words the man shares would distract from examining the dimension he could bring to this game. In Super Bowl history, there have been 20 100-yard rushers, and their teams are 16-4. The 49ers lost with a 110yard effort from Frank Gore last year, and so did the Bears with 112 from Thomas Jones in Super Bowl XLI. Lynch could be the Seahawks’ answer to Peyton Manning in a game of keepaway. The last time the Broncos lost was Dec. 12, when the Chargers’ Ryan Mathews ran for 127 yards on 29 carries in a 27-20 upset in Denver. Lynch exploded in the postseason three years ago, when the Seahawks got in as a 7-9 champion of the NFC West. In perhaps the greatest run in NFL history, he broke eight tackles on a 67-yard touchdown in a wild-card victory over the defending champion
Saints. It has been dubbed “The Beast Quake” for the seismic activity fans caused at the stadium. Lynch stiff-armed cornerback Tracy Porter into oblivion to dodge one tackle. Former Bears defensive end Alex Brown missed a diving effort just shy of the 15-yard line. “That sucked being on that field,” Brown said. “That was just awful. It’s been three years since he made that run. Still, watching it over and over, I am hoping that one of these times when I watch that damn film that I actually make the tackle. It never turns out that way. “The demoralizing part about playing him is you can have him wrapped up, but the guy always falls forward and he’ll get those 2 yards and keep drives alive. As the game goes on, he seems to get stronger, and he can run. He has that burst where he can get to the secondary in a heartbeat, and then no one in the secondary wants to tackle him.” So Lynch will keep quiet until Sunday, when he’ll try to be the difference-maker the Seahawks need against the NFL’s No. 1 offense. Right now, he just wants to get to game day.
VCU duo tallies 61 in 2OT win Dukes, Richmond find winning ways By Tyler Fiedler Collegian Staff
The combination of junior Treveon Graham and senior Juvonte Reddic led the Virginia Commonwealth men’s basketball team to a crucial double-overtime road win on Saturday against La Salle The duo combined for 61 points and 27 rebounds to lead the Rams to a 97-89 win. Graham set a career-high with 34 points and helped VCU (16-4, 4-1 Atlantic 10) erase a sixpoint deficit with a minute to go in regulation. Reddic chipped in with 27 points of his own while grabbing 15 rebounds, 10 of which came on the offensive side. VCU held a commanding 11-point lead in the first half but in the final 50 seconds, Tyreek Duren and Steve Zack of La Salle (11-8, 3-2 A-10) helped cut the lead down. Both teams traded buckets before the Explores went on an 11-2 run with nine minutes, 56 seconds remaining in the game. With 5:15 left, La Salle pushed the lead to double digits, but that would soon be relinquished when Graham went to work. With VCU trailing, Graham made it a two-point game with a couple made free throws and a spinning layup off a turnover. After La Salle missed the front end of a one-andone, Graham led the Rams down court and hit a gametying field goal to send the game into overtime. Neither team could get a hold on the game in the first extra period. Tied at 80-80, the game went into a second overtime where VCU finally pulled away. Thanks to a monster putback by Reddic and two 3-pointers by Rob Brandenberg, VCU maintained a steady lead throughout the second overtime.
Duquesne wins at buzzer
give the Dukes an 83-81 win over St. Bonaventure (12-8, 2-4 A-10). In a game that saw two ties and five lead changes in the final minute, there was nothing but excitement throughout. The Bonnies maintained their steady lead until Ovie Soko converted a big threepoint play for Duquesne (9-9, 2-4 A-10) with under a minute to play. Soko finished with 27 points, 19 of them coming in the second half. Following a timeout, St. Bonaventure guard Matthew Wright hit his fourth 3-pointer of the game to put the Bonnies back on top. With 21.1 seconds remaining, Soko was fouled on a drive to the rim and converted both ensuing free throws. St. Bonaventure guard Charlon Kloof answered with a drive of his own that resulted in Soko fouling out. Kloof made both to provide an 81-80 lead. But Colter followed with the biggest shot of his collegiate career, leading Duquesne to victory.
Richmond stays hot Richmond, fresh off its upset of No. 13 Massachusetts, continued its winning ways with a 77-62 victory over Saint Joseph’s on Saturday The Spiders (14-6, 4-1 A-10) won their fourth straight game while snapping the Hawks’ (13-6, 3-2 A-10) four-game win streak. Junior Kendall Anthony led Richmond with 19 points in front of a sellout crowd at Robins Center. Four other Spiders chipped in with double digits in scoring. Richmond maintained constant control of the game, as Saint Joseph’s had no answers in a game of runs. A 3-pointer from Hawks guard Langston Galloway capped off a 13-2 run that got them within eight with 2:22 remaining. They would not get any closer as the Spiders converted 9 of 10 free throws over the final 1:25 to seal the victory. Richmond senior Cedrick Lindsay scored 16 points and sophomore Trey Davis scored a career-high 14 along with 12 rebounds for his first double-double.
Sophomore Derrick Colter’s 3-point buzzer beater helped Duquesne snap a four-game losing streak on Saturday. Colter, who missed a pair of free throws five seconds earlier, made up for it when he drove it down the court Tyler Fiedler can be reached at and hit the game-winner to tfiedler@umass.edu.
FIELD TRIP The Minutewomen will most likely enter the game once again without junior forward Paula Tarnachowicz. The transfer student from Panola College suffered an ankle injury in last Wednesday’s loss to Dayton and Dawley said her status is currently day-to-day. Another player trying to get back into top shape for UMass is Nola Henry. The sophomore guard caught the flu earlier this month and has not played more than 20 minutes of a game in the team’s last three matchups. Dawley said Henry is still not at
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full strength yet, and the team is gradually working her back into the lineup. “Nola was out for quite a while. It was a flu that she couldn’t kick, and then on top of that, she wasn’t able to eat for quite a few days,” she said. “So, she’s very weak right now. We’re hoping that as her strength increases, and she’s back to normal, that her minutes will go up.” Tipoff for the game is set for 11:45 a.m. Jesse Mayfield-Sheehan can be reached at jmayfiel@umass.edu and can be followed on Twitter @jgms88.
THE MASSACHUSETTS DAILY COLLEGIAN
Wednesday, January 29, 2014
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MEN’S BASKETBALL
TAKE TWO
UMass prepared for 2-game road stretch starting at St. Bona By Mark Chiarelli Collegian Staff
If the No. 21 Massachusetts men’s basketball team has accrued frequent traveler points this season, it may soon want to cash in. The Minutemen (17-2, 4-1 Atlantic 10) return to the road yet again on Wednesday to play their fourth road game in the past five. Awaiting their arrival is a familiar foe in St. Bonaventure (12-8, 2-4 A-10), a team which nearly played spoiler at Mullins Center almost three weeks ago before falling to UMass 73-68. In that game, the Minutemen needed a Trey Davis 3-pointer with one minute, 22 seconds remaining to finally take the lead 69-68. They trailed by as much as 13 in the game and had trouble generating consistency. As UMass heads to the Reilly Center on Wednesday, where the Bonnies are 8-1 this season, there’s a sense of urgency to steer clear of trouble the second time around. “We weren’t really focused with what we wanted to do on offense,” senior forward Raphiael Putney said. “(St. Bonaventure) slowed it down with the zone (defense) a little bit, (and) we rushed a lot of stuff. I think we need to be more focused on what we need to do to win a basketball game, especially in a tough gym.” The Minutemen have spent much of January on the road, an exhausting proposition for a nationally ranked team attempting to thwart potential spoilers. For guard Chaz Williams, maintaining a level of focus necessary to win continues in the gym. “Sometimes you just have to go watch extra film or pay extra attention in practice,” Williams said. “Just ask coach for extra help, because losing focus sometimes takes away from what you want to do.” There’s a sense of familiarity between the two teams, a common theme in a tightly contested Atlantic 10 Conference. In the first meeting, Bonnies center Youssou Ndoye blocked five shots and was a see
BONNIES on page 7
By PatriCk StroheCker Collegian Staff
It’s no secret that once conference play begins in college basketball, the schedule becomes every team’s biggest enemy. Teams have very few days off and usually play twice, sometimes three times a week. But, mix in the idea of having five out of six games on the road and that’s exactly what the Massachusetts men’s basketball team is dealing with. UMass kicked off Atlantic 10 Conference play on Jan. 8 at home against Saint Joseph’s. It then followed that game with another home contest against St. Bonaventure. Then the Minutemen hit the grueling stretch of games that could wind up defining their season. Beginning with George Mason on Jan.15 and ending with this Saturday’s game at the Hawks, UMass will have played six games in a span of 18 days with five of them on the road. Even for an experienced team like the Minutemen, that many road games can be hard to overcome. “Five out of your six on the road is always a tough schedule, especially in a league like ours,” UMass coach Derek Kellogg said. “We’re just trying to stay the course. Really, worry about one game at a time and I think we’ve done a decent enough job of just staying day-to-day and not worrying about the prize that may be at the end of the tunnel.” Traveling comes as part of the job for UMass, but even for a guy like Sampson Carter, who’s done it now for the better part of five seasons, it’s something that is tough to get used to. “You can’t really get used to it,” he said. “Honestly, it’s a different type of game at home and on the road.” The stretch of games was broken up into two separate road trips, the first being a three-game trip down south to Virginia and North Carolina and then these next two games being played in ALEX ARITAN/COLLEGIAN New York and Philadelphia. In between was a brief stop back Maxie Esho finishes a dunk during UMass’ 90-52 victory over Fordham on Sunday. The Minutemen return to the road for a pair of rematches this at Mullins Center where the week, the first coming at St. Bonaventure on Wednesday before they go to Saint Joseph’s on Saturday. see
WOMEN’S BASKETBALL
Minutewomen expecting large crowd for Field Trip Day affair UMass hosts Colonials “Usually we don’t have too many fans in here. So havin rare morning affair ing a couple thousand screaming kids, it kind of gets us By JeSSe Mayfield-Sheehan Collegian Staff
Morning games typically mean smaller crowds for most sporting events. But when the Massachusetts women’s basketball team hosts George Washington on Wednesday morning, it will be expecting a larger crowd than usual as hundreds of children from local elementary schools come out for the team’s annual Field Trip Day game. On Field Trip Day, students in kindergarten through eighth grade can come to the game for free, resulting in a big turnout from the local schools. At last year’s Field Trip Day against La Salle, there was an official attendance of 1,682, more than three times the team’s average attendance for that season (452). “Usually, we don’t have too
Minutemen dealing with difficult travel
hyped up and we feed off the energy.” Emily Mital, UMass guard
many fans in here,” junior captain Emily Mital said. “So, having a couple thousand screaming kids, it kind of gets us hyped up and we feed off the energy.” Mital added that the Minutewomen (3-18, 0-7 A-10) are hungry for a victory as they approach the midway point of Atlantic 10 Conference play still looking for their first conference win. “Every game, we’re like, ‘It’s going to be this one, it’s going to be this one,” she said. “That’s kind of the only attitude that we can have.” The Colonials (13-7, 4-3 A-10) won their first three conference games but has since lost three of their last four. UMass defeated the Colonials last year at the Mullins Center by a score of 62-58, but coach Sharon Dawley said the focus right now is on the present.
“I don’t really look that much on last year, to be honest,” she said. “We’re going on the scouting report and what we were able to find and key matchups for us, and I think we match up pretty well against them.” This year, GW boasts the third best offense in the conference, averaging 76.3 points per game. The team has four players averaging at least 10 points a game and is led by Danni Jackson, who is averaging 12.4 points and 5.5 assists per game, and Jonquel Jones, who averages 13.2 points and 10 rebounds per game. “All of them, we really have to remember the scout, and we really know their tendencies,” Dawley said. “They’re all very, very talented and very different from one another.” see
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TRAVEL on page 7
A-10 WOMEN’S BASKETBALL
Dayton falls to Hawks, VCU rolls Flyers can’t outdo St. Joe’s in rematch By MarC Jean-louiS Collegian Correspondent
The Dayton women’s basketball team entered Sunday’s matchup against Saint Joseph’s riding a 23-game regular season winning streak against conference opponents. But in a rematch of last year’s Atlantic 10 championship semifinal – a game in which the Flyers fell to the Hawks 61-54 – Dayton yet again came up short, losing 75-63. Saint Joseph’s (16-4, 5-2 Atlantic 10) overcame an early 11-point deficit to win. The Hawks were led by strong offensive guard play from Erin Shields and Ciara Andrews, who scored 15 points apiece. Both teams traded points to begin the second half as neither team could put the other away. After being down by seven early in the second half, forward Sarah
Fairbanks (14 points) helped Saint Joseph’s finally take the lead with 12 minutes remaining Dayton hung in with the Hawks for the next seven minutes, cutting the lead to as close as a single point. But the Hawks went on a 9-0 run over the course of the next three minutes, sealing the victory for good. The loss marks the first time this season Dayton (12-5, 5-1 A-10) lost when leading at halftime. The Flyers were held to just 33 percent shooting from the floor, tying a season low. Saint Joseph’s will host Saint Louis on Wednesday. Dayton returns home on Saturday to face George Mason.
VCU rolls over Patriots Virginia Commonwealth convincingly beat George Mason 11286 despite a strong second half from the Patriots on Saturday. George Mason began the game by committing seven turnovers in the opening four minutes and see
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