UMass alum returns to the stage in ‘Merchant of Venice’
OPINION:
Columnists respond to 2014 midterm elections PAGE 4
PAGE 5
THE MASSACHUSETTS
A free and responsible press
DAILY COLLEGIAN
Wednesday, November 5, 2014
DailyCollegian.com
Serving the UMass community since 1890
News@DailyCollegian.com
Republicans take control of US Senate
BAKER REDEEMED
GOP gains six seats to beat Democrats By David Lightman McClatchy Washington Bureau
CADE BELISLE/COLLEGIAN FILE PHOTO
Charlie Baker reportedly won the gubernatorial election against Martha Coakley Tuesday. Pictured: Baker speaks to a group of UMass students in 2012.
Former health insurance exec reportedly bests AG Coakley, who hasn’t conceded By Anthony Rentsch Collegian Staff
In an open letter to University of Massachusetts students, Democratic candidate for governor Martha Coakley did not underestimate how much of a nail-biter the 2014 election would be. “Every single vote will matter in this election,” said Coakley, who has been the Attorney General of Massachusetts since 2007. “It’s been quite a ride,” said Republican candidate Charlie
Baker in a speech at his rally in Swampscott, Mass. around 1:30 a.m. The lead for governor went back and forth all night as each and every precinct across the Commonwealth reported their results. By 1 a.m. multiple news outlets, including WBUR, Associated Press and CNN called the election in Baker’s favor. By 1:16 a.m., Baker was leading in the tallies with 1,015,612 votes (48.4 percent) to Coakley’s 979,949 votes (46.7 percent), according to WBUR.
This election featured dueling storylines of redemption. Baker lost his Massachusetts’ governor’s bid to current governor Deval Patrick in 2010 and Coakley lost a shocker to Republican Scott Brown in the 2010 special election to replace Ted Kennedy in the Senate.
However, the Coakley campaign showed no sign of giving in, even with 98.3 percent of precincts reporting. Boston Globe editor Brian McGrory tweeted at 12:25 a.m. that Coakley strategist Doug Rubin said Coakley wanted all the votes to be counted and had no intentions of conced These results are not sur- ing tonight. prising based on recent polls: Later in the evening Baker defeated Coakley in the Coakley called Baker and told last four major polls, including him she planned to wait until a nine-point differential in an the morning. October 19 to 21 Boston Globe poll. see BAKER on page 2
Two Mass. ballot questions ‘yes,’ two others rejected By David McLellan Collegian Correspondent
Massachusetts voters were presented with four ballot questions addressing the gas tax, recyclable bottle deposits, casinos and paid sick time for employees on Tuesday. Question 1 asked whether or not to repeal a 2013 law that would tie the gas tax to inflation. Voters chose to repeal this law with a “yes” vote, effectively keeping the tax at 24 cents per gallon until future legislation alters it. Voters chose not to expand the 31-year-old Bottle Bill by voting “no” on Question 2. The Bottle Bill, introduced in 1983, requires a 5-cent deposit on bottles and cans containing alcoholic beverages or sodas. When these bottles and cans are recycled, the purchaser makes their 5-cent deposits back; this is the state’s way of providing incentive to recycle. A “yes” vote on Question 2 would have updated the bill to include 5-cent deposits on water bottles, juices and most other recyclable drinks. An updated Bottle Bill would
Voters also chose to guarantee workers’ paid sick time in a “yes” vote on Question 4. Employers with at least 11 employees will now be required to give each employee a paid hour of sick time for every 30 hours worked. have also included increases in the deposit price every five years, despite 5 cents being the deposit price since the bill’s inception. Tuesday’s “no” outcome leaves the current system unchanged. On Question 3, voters chose to keep plans for Massachusetts’ casinos by voting “no.” This “no” vote means the 2011 law allowing the construction of three casinos and one slot parlor will not be repealed. Plans to build casinos in Everett and Springfield are still in effect, and construction of a Plainville slots parlor is already underway. The state also has plans to build a third casino in southeastern Massachusetts. Supporters of the new casinos believe they will boost economic development and create jobs in their
respective cities. Voters also chose to guarantee workers’ paid sick time in a “yes” vote on Question 4. Employers with at least 11 employees will now be required to give each employee a paid hour of sick time for every 30 hours worked. This paid sick time can be accrued only up to a maximum of 40 hours per year to discourage employees from taking advantage of the new law. With the new law in place, employees will no longer have to choose between going to work sick and not getting paid. The paid time can also be used if a family member is sick, or to address the affects of domestic violence on an employee or an employee’s dependent. David McLellan can be reached at djmclell@umass.edu.
WASHINGTON — Republicans seized control of the U.S. Senate on Tuesday, riding a wave of discontent with President Barack Obama to majority power in both houses of Congress for the final two years of his presidency. Re publicans won Democratic-held Senate seats in Arkansas, Colorado, Iowa, Montana, North Carolina, South Dakota and West Virginia, assuring them of majority control of the Senate for the first time since January 2007. They also held their majority control of the House of Representatives and looked to add as many as a dozen seats, which would swell their ranks to a level Republicans haven’t achieved since 1949. The results vividly demonstrated how constituents were frustrated with government, notably Obama, and most saw the country heading in the wrong direction. Democratic efforts to offset the Republican momentum with gains of their own failed. In Kentucky, Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell easily beat Democratic Secretary of
State Alison Lundergan Grimes. The Democrats had hopes for a Republican seat in Georgia, but Michelle Nunn fell to Republican businessman David Perdue. And in Kansas, Democrats appeared to be counting on Greg Orman, running as an independent against Sen. Pat Roberts, a Republican. Vice President Joe Biden earlier Tuesday called Orman “an independent who will be with us in the state of Kansas.” It wasn’t enough. Roberts held the seat. Democrats did hold New Hampshire, where Sen. Jeanne Shaheen turned back a strong challenge from former Sen. Scott Brown. And they stopped the Republicans, at least for now, in Louisiana. Since no one got a majority, Democratic Sen. Mary Landrieu will face Republican Rep. Bill Cassidy in a runoff next month. But the night belonged to the Republican Party, thanks to a favorable electoral map and a president with dismal approval ratings. McConnell, speaking to supporters, was both defiant and conciliatory. “Tonight, Kentuckians said we can do better as a nation,” McConnell said in his victory speech in see
REPUBLICANS on page 3
#1 YES Gas Tax On Tuesday, voters were asked whether or not they wanted to repeal the gas tax link to the consumer price index.
#2 NO Bottles Voters were asked whether or not the state should expand the five cent deposit to apply to bottled water, juices, sports drinks and most other beverage containers.
#3 NO Casinos Voters decided whether to repeal a 2011 law that allowed for three casinos and a slots parlor in Massachusetts.
#4 YES Sick days Voters were asked to decide whether employees should be guaranteed paid sick leave based on the number of hours they work.
Graphic by James Desjardin
2
THE MASSACHUSETTS DAILY COLLEGIAN
Wednesday, November 5, 2014
THE RU N D OW N ON THIS DAY... In 1955, the renovated Vienna State Opera, which had been destroyed in World War II, reopened with a performance of Beethoven’s “Fidelio.”
AROUND THE WORLD
Mexico MEXICO CITY — Jose Luis Abarca, fugitive mayor of the Guerrero city of Iguala who is accused of ordering the attack on 43 students now missing and likely dead, was captured early Tuesday along with his wife, Maria de los Angeles Pineda, a federal official said. Federal police spokesman Jose Ramon Salinas said via Twitter that the pair was captured in Mexico City, in the densely populated working-class district of Iztapalapa. Television footage showed police vehicles, red lights ablazing, arriving at installations of the attorney general’s office in the pre-dawn darkness, presumably with Abarca and Pineda aboard. There, they will be interrogated. Los Angeles Times
Iran TEHRAN, Iran — The Obama administration has agreed to allow Iran to operate 6,000 centrifuges to enrich uranium, up from a ceiling of 4,000 reported two weeks ago, as part of negotiations for a nuclear deal, according to a website approved by the Iranian government. The claim appeared to be the latest sign that the pace of bargaining is intensifying between Iran and six world powers as they face a Nov. 24 negotiating deadline. The two sides are seeking a comprehensive deal that would lift international sanctions on Iran’s economy in exchange for verifiable limits on Iran’s nuclear program. Tribune Washington Bureau
The Islamic State The Islamic State militant group kidnapped and tortured dozens of boys in Syria this year, beating them with hoses or electrical cables and forcing them to watch videos of beheadings and combat, Human Rights Watch said Tuesday. The youths, ages 14 to 16, were held for months and beaten if they tried to escape, performed poorly during compulsory religious lessons or had a relative in the YPG, a SyrianKurdish militia known as the Popular Protection Units, which has fought the Islamic State, according the rights group. Los Angeles Times
Shaheen bests Brown in NH Senate race Former Mass. senator falters in election By Marie MacCune Collegian Staff
In New Hampshire, a state that is no stranger to swings in the national political climate, Shaheen lost her first bid for the Senate in 2002, but won a 2008 rematch against John Sununu. During the highly competitive race, Brown framed the election as a referendum on President Obama and his policies. However, Shaheen proved successful in promoting her own voting record and service to the state. Brown, a former Massachusetts Senator, moved across the border following his crushing defeat to Democrat Elizabeth Warren in the 2012 election, losing his bid for his first full six-year term. He had shocked the political world in 2010 by winning a special election to fill the seat held by the late Sen. Edward M. Kennedy, a Democrat. Brown would have become the third person to represent multiple states in the Senate and the first since 1879 had he been victorious on Tuesday’s election.
Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D) won her bid for re-election in the New Hampshire Senate race Tuesday. She will return to Washington, D.C., for her second term. “Tonight the people of New Hampshire chose to put New Hampshire first. ... I am so proud to once again be able to represent the people of New Hampshire in the US Senate,” Shaheen said in a victory speech. Despite initial contestation, Republican opponent Scott Brown conceded around 11:45 p.m. “You’ve got no business in politics unless you respect the judgment of the people,” Brown said in his concession speech. “I accept the decision of the voters.” The New York Times reported Shaheen winning with 51.3 percent of the vote. This is Brown’s second loss to a female candidate in two different states. Shaheen, the first woman in the U.S. to ever be elected both governor and senator, relied on her track record in the Senate and well-practiced political Marie MacCune can be reached machine to bring her to vic- at mmaccune@umass.edu and foltory. lowed on Twitter @MarieMacCune.
BAKER
CADE BELISLE/COLLEGIAN
Voters took to the polls Tuesday at Precinct 9, which is Amherst’s Wildwood Elementary School.
CADE BELISLE/COLLEGIAN
“I just wanted to cast my vote, it’s important,” said Andrew Stranberg when asked why he voted Tuesday. The UMass senior said he voted in 2012 and stopped by the polls after class.
continued from page 1
“That’s the way it should work,” said Baker of Coakley’s decision to wait until all of the results are out in the morning. “She put her heart and her soul and every ounce of energy that she had in that race.” Once all of the votes are in and if the margin between the two candidates is less than half of one percent, the candidate who lost in the preliminary count can request a recount. If the margin is greater than this, the candidate has to ask for recounts at each individual precinct. Despite Coakley’s intent to stick this election out, Baker, a native of Needham, Mass., will reunite the GOP and Beacon Hill; the state has had a Republican governorship since 1991, with the exception of Gov. Patrick’s stint from 2007 to present. Baker even received the endorsement of the Boston Globe, which marked the first time that the state’s major newspaper
endorsed a Republican in two decades. Baker will be coming into office with popular support of his stance on casinos. In the lead-up to Tuesday’s election, Baker indicated that he would vote no on Question 3 and that he hoped to start with a casino in Springfield. The people of Massachusetts voted to make no changes regarding the current gaming laws by a wide margin. In terms of higher education policies, Baker plans to focus on ways that families can afford college without increasing state spending. Baker’s proposals include accelerated bachelor’s degree programs, expanded online learning options and co-op programs. If officially declared governor, Baker will be sworn into office and begin serving his four-year term on January 19, 2015. Anthony Rentsch can be reached at
Bay State goes blue once again in midterm elections Dems win senator, treasurer, AG, auditor By Marie MacCune
Congressional District, which includes the town of Amherst. Democrats dominat Democrats also won all ed Massachusetts polls, other Massachusetts consecuring every office gressional races. but governor during Tuesday’s election. Collegian Staff
Constitutional Offices
U.S. Senate and House Sen. Ed Markey (D) was reelected with 62.5 percent of the vote, resulting in the crushing defeat of Republican Brian Herr. U.S. Rep. James McGovern (D) ran an uncontested race for reelection. He will return to Washington, D.C., representing the Massachusetts 2nd
Republican John Miller. Her victory marks the election of the first openly gay attorney general in U.S. history. Suzanne Bump (D) was reelected as state auditor with 58 percent of the vote, beating out Republican opponent Patricia Saint Aubin. Democrat Deborah Goldberg beat Michael Heffernan in the race for state treasurer, earning 55.3 percent of the vote. Incumbent Bill Galvin (D) won secretary of state, defeating Republican Dave D’Arcangelo with 67.7 percent of the vote.
Republicans Charlie Baker and Karyn Polito defeated Democrat Martha Coakley and Steve Kerrigan for the offices of governor and lieutenant governor by a close margin. Coakley had yet to concede at press time. Democrat Maura Healey won attorney gen- Marie MacCune can be reached eral with 61.9 percent at mmaccune@umass.edu and folof the vote, trouncing lowed on Twitter @MarieMacCune.
Jerry Brown wins fourth Calif. gov term By Michael Finnegan
California’s young and quixotic new governor, LOS ANGELES — Forty Edmund G. “Jerry” Brown years after vaulting onto Jr. won an historic fourth the national stage as term Tuesday as the seaLos Angeles Times
soned elder who led the state’s recovery from near fiscal disaster, according to the Associated Press. The 76-year-old gov-
Distributed by MCT Information Services
Correction In an article headlined “Two SGA officers resign during weekly meeting,” Justin Kilian was misgendered. Kilian uses she/her pronouns.
DailyCollegian.com
MANNY CRISOSTOMO/SACRAMENTO BEE/MCT
California Gov. Jerry Brown, along with Anne Gust, left, speaks in front of the California Governor’s Mansion after he was re-elected to a fourth term in Sacramento, Calif.
ernor’s re-election came as two fellow Democrats, both weighing campaigns for governor in 2018, appeared to be coasting to second terms: Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom, 47, and Attorney General Kamala Harris, 50. The early reminders of Democrats’ strength in California contrasted with Republican gains in a national midterm election largely defined by the unpopularity of President Barack Obama. A big uncertainty was whether the foul national climate for Democrats, combined with a relatively dull ballot in California, would deny the party a two-thirds legislative supermajority that would effectively consign Republicans to irrelevance in Sacramento. The Field Poll projected a record-low turnout of 46 percent of the state’s nearly 18 million voters, with
key Democratic groups sitting out the election more than others: Latinos, women, young voters and residents of Los Angeles County. Brown attended a memorial service Tuesday morning for slain Placer County Sheriff ’s Det. Michael Davis Jr., then spent the day working at the state Capitol before an election-night dinner at the historic Governor’s Mansion in Sacramento. His Republican challenger, Neel Kashkari, voted Tuesday morning near his home in Laguna Beach. His election-night party was taking place at a Costa Mesa hotel. In an era of crippling drought, prison overcrowding and substandard schools, Brown’s deep grounding in California politics has helped him maneuver in Sacramento.
THE MASSACHUSETTS DAILY COLLEGIAN
DailyCollegian.com
REPUBLICANS Louisville. “Tonight, they said we can have real change in Washington. Real change, and that’s just what I intend to deliver.” Democrats were defending 21 Senate seats to the Republicans’ 15. Seven of the Democratic seats were in states that went for Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney in 2012 against Obama, including Arkansas, Montana, South Dakota and West Virginia. “This is probably the worst possible group of states for Democrats since Dwight Eisenhower,” Obama said Tuesday on WNPR in Connecticut. In House races, two Democratic incumbents fell: Rep. Nick Rahall of West Virginia and Rep. Joe Garcia of Florida. Rahall, first elected to the House in 1976, was the victim of a GOP surge in a state that’s trended increasingly Republican. A look at key Senate races: – Georgia. Perdue won the Republican nomination campaigning as an outsider who would shake up Washington, but Nunn gained by questioning his business record. Democrats had at least hoped no one would get a majority and the race would go to a Jan. 6 runoff. Instead, Perdue got enough to win outright. He’ll succeed Republican Sen. Saxby Chambliss. –Kentucky. McConnell easily topped Democrat Grimes. Democrats once had big hopes of gaining a seat here, but McConnell
continued from page 1
slammed Grimes as a supporter of Obama policies, which are not popular in the state. Grimes tried hard to separate herself, but among her stumbles was her refusal last month to say whether she voted for Obama in 2012. – West Virginia. Republican Rep. Shelley Moore Capito won election as the state’s first woman senator, defeating Democratic Secretary of State Natalie Tennant in a race that was never considered close. Capito will be the state’s first female senator. – North Carolina. Democratic Sen. Kay Hagan lost to Republican House Speaker Thom Tillis. The race was nasty and costly – the campaigns aired more than 100,000 ads, according to The Charlotte Observer. –Arkansas. Pryor lost after being hammered for supporting Obama on nine of 10 key votes last year, a liability in a state where the president’s approval ratings have hovered around 30 percent in recent polls. – Kansas. The streak continues: No Republican has lost a Kansas Senate campaign since 1932, and though Roberts was seen as out of touch with the state, he was able to overcome the Orman challenge. Roberts worked to define Orman as untested and a closet Democrat, and conservatives who had challenged Roberts rallied at the end to support him. – Louisiana. Two conservatives, Cassidy and Rob Maness, were splitting the anti-Landrieu vote in a state where Obama is deeply
unpopular. Cassidy is the likely favorite in a Dec. 6 runoff. – South Dakota. Rounds won a three-way battle. Independent Larry Pressler, a Republican South Dakota senator from 1979 to 1997, made some inroads but faded. – Colorado. Sen. Mark Udall, a Democrat, thought he could tar Republican Rep. Cory Gardner as a doctrinaire conservative with little regard for women’s rights. That strategy backfired as the affable Gardner retained a sizable following among women. – Iowa. Republican Joni Ernst, a state senator, vaulted to prominence earlier this year with her down-toearth pitch as a mother, soldier and independent. She defeated Democrat Bruce Braley to take the seat being vacated by retiring Sen. Tom Harkin, a Democrat. – Montana. Republican Rep. Steve Daines won the Senate seat easily. Any prospect of a competitive race evaporated when incumbent Sen. John Walsh, a Democrat, dropped out this summer after facing plagiarism allegations. Daines wound up with an easy path to victory. –Alaska. Sen. Mark Begich, a Democrat, is behind in polls but has a ground game that’s a proven success. His race with Republican Dan Sullivan is likely to be close and perhaps not decided for days.
Wednesday, November 5, 2014
3
Survival Center makes home for immigrants Location provides services, programs By Sorelle Mbakop Collegian Correspondent As a Venezuelan immigrant, Niri Azuaje knows that being an immigrant in a country with a different culture and language from that of your native land can be a very frightening experience. Having access to an organization like the Amherst Survival Center helps immigrants integrate into the community. She now calls the center “a second home.” The center has been providing the infrastructure and organization for transforming the community’s generosity into services for those in need for over 35 years. Its mission is to provide food, clothing, health care and community to those who live in Hampshire and Franklin County through volunteers’ efforts. When Azuaje came to America two years ago from Venezuela, not only did the language barrier separate her from the town she lived in, but she also could not afford food, furniture or the necessities to keep herself warm for the winter. Then a friend told her about the Amherst Survival Center. Azuaje said she was “really surprised by the way they actually treat and
receive people.” She was overwhelmed by the love and welcome she experienced during her first visit at the center. Not only did the center help Azuaje meet with many of her needs such as food, clothing and health care, but it made her feel like a part of the community. Mindy Domb, the center’s executive director, said “community is just as important as food to the Survival Center.” “When I say that the community is so supportive of us, that includes the University community. … Students play a role as volunteers: they launch specific donation campaign for us. Fraternities and sororities are always volunteering at the center one way or another,” she continued. Mindy also said when she went to Dash and Dine last year, she “saw hundreds of students running to support the Amherst Survival Center,” something she said was incredible to create community awareness. The center has lunches and dinners that provide food but also give an opportunity for people to come together in the community. Other programs available in the center that are specific to building a community include movie nights, music nights, exercise classes and field trips. It is this community aspect of the Amherst Survival Center that made
the town that felt foreign and cold to Azuaje begin to feel like home. She was so moved by the help she had received that she started helping at the center as a way to show her gratitude for all the many resources the center had given her. Domb hopes the center does a better job to “sustain donation of food.” The center often faces periods of shortage in food, which leads to many of the participants facing food insecurity. An ongoing supply of food throughout the year will help them provide more food to more people, especially parents with children in school, who often face the worst food insecurity without free or reduced price lunch programs during school breaks. As the center’s food pantry coordinator, Azuaje is now working alongside other staffs of the center to implement the recent program, which gives families with school age children extra food during school vacations. This will mean parents of school age students will not have to incorporate meals that were taken care of by the schools into their already tight budgets; this program will lead to less food insecurity among these families when school is not in session. Sorelle Mbakop can be reached at smbakop@umass.edu.
New ID laws may disenfranchise voters Fraud fears persist despite lack of evidence By William Douglas McClatchy Washington Bureau WASHINGTON — With several key elections potentially hinging on razor-thin margins, Americans went to the polls Tuesday in 34 states with new voting laws that critics fear will adversely impact minority turnout and proponents say are needed to protect against voter fraud. The new laws – ranging from photo identification requirements to restrictions on same-day registration – brought increased scrutiny Tuesday from the two major political parties, civic groups, voting rights advocates and the Justice Department, almost all deploying monitors and lawyers to polling stations to look out for voting problems. “It’s the new normal since 2000,” said Richard Hasen, a law and politics professor at the University of California, Irvine, and author of “The Voting Wars: From 2000 to the Next Election Meltdown.” “Some of this is legitimate fear, some of it is a way of getting the base wound up and (to) raise funds.” From the moment polls opened –and in some cases before – reports of voting irregularities began. The Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law’s election protection program reported more than 18,000 calls to its hotline –the bulk of them from Florida, Georgia, Texas, and North Carolina. Georgia and Texas have strict photo ID laws, meaning those who don’t have proper identification can vote via provisional ballots but must provide sufficient identification within days of casting those ballots, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures. In Florida, voters without ID can cast provisional ballots and their signatures can be verified by election officials with signatures on record. “Yes, there are people saying they’re not being allowed to vote,” Barbara Arnwine, the lawyers’ committee’s president and executive director, said with-
out providing specific details. “Unfortunately it’s coming from a number of states. We say it’s for two reasons: Some of them are states like Texas where, sadly, the voter ID law has been allowed to proceed. ... The other thing that we’re seeing is that states just didn’t do their jobs of getting to voters the correct information about voter registration status and polling places.” In Georgia, where Republican David Perdue and Democrat Michelle Nunn are locked in a tight Senate race, the secretary of state reported problems with a website that provides poll locations for voters. The technical glitch further angered civil rights leaders and voting rights advocates who have alleged that 40,000 voter registration applications gathered by the New Georgia Project are missing or unprocessed. Georgia Secretary of State Brian Kemp said there are no missing applications. In Connecticut, incumbent Democratic Gov. Dannel Malloy’s campaign filed a complain in Hartford Superior Court demanding that voting hours be extended Tuesday because of delays and other problems at Hartford polling sites. Photo ID is requested but not required to vote in Connecticut. President Barack Obama called “The Colin McEnroe Show” on Hartford’s WNPR on Tuesday and told listeners not to let problems at the polls discourage them from voting. “If people were planning to vote before going to work, and they weren’t able to do it, that’s frustrating,” Obama said. “I want to encourage everyone who is listening not to be deterred by what was obviously an inconvenience.” Republicans railed against Malloy’s extension request. “It’s always the Democrats. It’s always the cities,” state Republican Party Chairman Jerry Labriola told NBC Connecticut. “This is right out of the Democratic playbook on how to conduct elections.” In Maryland, where Democratic Lt. Gov. Anthony Brown is in an unexpectedly close race against Republican Larry Hogan, True the Vote, a conservative–lean-
TIM DOMINICK/THE STATE/MCT
South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley and her husband, Michael, sign in to vote at the Mount Horeb precinct in Lexington, S.C., on Tuesday. ing election watchdog group, said Tuesday that issues with a malfunctioning voting machine in Baltimore County that allegedly switched votes in multiple contests during early voting last month remain unresolved. The group also reported that Texas gubernatorial candidate Greg Abbott’s name was missing on at least one voting machine in a San Antonio precinct. In Virginia, incumbent Rep. Scott Rigell, R-Va., and state election officials reported that nearly 50 voting machines in his Virginia Beach district were malfunctioning. Rigell’s campaign and state Republican Party officials urged the Virginia Beach supervisor of elections to switch to paper ballots in places with problem machines. Midterm elections generally draw fewer voters than presidential-year contests. Still, more than 19.6 million have voted ahead of the official Election Day, according to the United States Elections Project, which compiles voting data. In 2010, 41.8 percent of eligible voters cast ballots, according to U.S. Census data, down from 43.6 percent in the 2006 midterms. The
number of African-Americans and Hispanics voting in midterms has been increasing. In 2006, 38.6 percent of AfricanAmericans and 19.3 percent of Hispanics voted in midterm congressional and statewide elections, according to Census data. In the 2010 midterms, 40.7 percent of eligible African-Americans and 21.3 percent of Hispanics voted. Democrats and aligned groups fear those gains will be eroded by new voting rules adopted by mostly Republican-controlled state legislatures in recent years to secure the voting process against fraud. Voting rights advocates and civil rights organizations say minorities disproportionately lack sufficient government-issued identification. At the White House, press secretary Josh Earnest said “it remains to be seen” what impact the laws will have on voter turnout. All sides of the voting law debate braced for battle Tuesday. The Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, in conjunction with other civil rights/voting advocacy groups, says it has between 1,000 and 2,000 lawyers and non-attorneys on the ground
in 18 states and on telephone hotlines on the lookout for problems at the polls. The Republican National Lawyers Association conducted 60 election law training seminars nationwide. The sessions were attended by more than 1,000 lawyers and volunteers who are available to work if problems arise Tuesday. True the Vote has trained more than 400,000 citizen poll-watchers since 2012 and released a cellphone app to help people quickly report suspected voter fraud. The Justice Department, which has wrestled with Texas, South Carolina and other states over voting law changes, dispatched federal monitors to 18 states for the elections. “This is all focused on the idea that every eligible American citizen should be able to cast a ballot if they choose to do so today,” Earnest said. “Election Day seems to be a unifying day, and I think this is the kind of principle the Democrats, independents and Republicans all agree on.” Lesley Clark of the Washington bureau contributed to this article.
Opinion Editorial THE MASSACHUSETTS DAILY COLLEGIAN
Wednesday, November 5, 2014
“Leadership is not about the next election, it’s about the next generation.” - Simon Sinek
GOP stands to gain from midterm results
While Scott Brown may not have won his senate seat in New Hampshire,
Julian del Prado Republicans will control the United States Senate and House of Representatives in January 2015. Soon-tobe Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell won reelection in Kentucky, and Republicans secured pickups in Arkansas, Montana, Colorado, Iowa, North Carolina, South Dakota and West Virginia. Although it’s too soon to tell where the GOP will stand at the end of the election, it would appear that senate
Little change in Massachusetts, Democrats guaranteed 2016 win While Charlie Baker has been declared winner of the
sure from both Senate and House Republicans who want to keep the status quo. Faced with this pressure, the question is whether they will compromise in the name of the party or continue to stall the government in the name of their constituents. Ultimately, the Republican Party will be forced to deal with the party’s internal problems immediately. Either the GOP creates legislation that can gain public support and then shame the president into signing it, or the party appears completely incompetent due to insurmountable differences among Republicans. Problems will be brought
“Either the GOP creates legislation that can gain public support and then shame the president into signing it, or the party appears completely incompetent.” Republicans will soon have the leverage they so often clamor for. If this is the case, we will finally see the policymaking ability of a GOP-led Congress. We’ll also see how far President Obama is willing to go in the face of a combative legislative branch. A constant theme of Obama’s presidency has been that a minority within a minority blocks any action he presents to Congress. Libertarians like Rand Paul and Republican senators like Ted Cruz have been vilified as stalling the government for the sake of making the president look bad. If the Republicans maintain momentum, that claim will be put to the test. If a Republican Congress is able to present concrete, meaningful policy to the president (publicly), then Obama will have limited options. He may veto bills on party lines to support the new minority Democrats in Congress. Alternately, he could pass legislation proposed by Republicans in the name of government action. In the first scenario, Obama would certainly be criticized for hypocrisy due to his consistent claim that partisanship is both harmful and contrary to the administration’s ideology. But if he does sign legislation proposed by Republicans, then it is quite possible he will face ardent opposition from within his own party. This is especially true considering his status as a lame duck, a president in the last two years of his second term. Not that the president will be the only one tested. The Tea Party is largely responsible for the GOP’s gains in the House of Representatives, and has been primarily blamed for gridlock by the current administration. As such, they face their own test if the Republicans gain control of Congress. Members of Congress affiliated with the Tea Party will face pres-
Editorial@DailyCollegiancom
to bear the issues that have bubbled underneath the surface of the Republican Party, and the way in which the GOP handles these problems will determine their leverage. While Massachusetts has carefully deliberated over the quite nuanced difference between Charlie Baker and Martha Coakley, Florida has been subjected to an election which can be best described as venomous. Partisanship was the least of this election’s problems. After countless attack ads between former Gov. Charlie Crist (D) and Gov. Rick Scott (R), Scott won out in a despicably hateful election. Crist – a Republicanturned-Independentturned-Democrat – has been unafraid to point out Scott’s various indictments and depositions. Scott has been portrayed as a corrupt, unabashed liar who seeks to profit from his political power and run the state according to corporate interests. Unfortunately, Crist didn’t have to look hard to find evidence to support this claim, leaving Republicans with what I feel to be a fairly weak candidate. For Florida voters, however, Scott’s run-ins with the law pale in comparison to Crist’s transgression, having no ideology to speak of. Crist’s bound and leap to the left was easy for interest groups to attack, and sound clips of Crist denouncing Obama were played over a literal embrace between the two men. While it was a close race, there is no doubt in my mind that Scott won because the pool of candidates was of such a low caliber that Floridians chose the devil they knew. Crist, it seems, could not win the support of Floridians regardless of the party he represented. Julian del Prado is a Collegian columnist. He can be reached at jdelprad@ umass.edu.
Zac Bears Massachusetts governor’s race at press time, statewide politics are unlikely to change with a Baker governorship due to Democratic supermajorities in the legislature and Democrats holding most statewide offices. But the GOP’s senate victory guarantees a Democratic landslide in 2016. The effects of the 2010 Citizens United decision opening up the financial floodgates in politics are finally being felt in Massachusetts. In this election, the Republican Governors Association (RGA) spent $12.4 million this year, outspending the rival Democratic Governors Association by a margin of 9 to 1. The RGA’s spending figure is greater than all of the outside money spent in the 2010 governor’s race. It spent more in the last week of the election ($3.75 million) than Coakley has during her entire campaign ($3 million). Six out of every 10 dollars spent in the 2014 governor’s race “came from an outside PAC,” according to Commonwealth Magazine. In 2010, Baker and the Republican Party spent more money than Deval Patrick and the Democrats, but outside SuperPAC money boosted the Democrat’s finances. This year, Republicans and rightwing PACs outspent Coakley, the Democrats and left-wing groups, further compounding Coakley’s fundraising disadvantage. She also faced a lack of support from the national Democratic Party with more competitive races siphoning off funding. Maura Healey, who will become the first openly gay attorney general in the United
States in January, is the highlight of the Massachusetts Democrats’ victorious candidates. A young prosecutor, Healey fights for the underrepresented and will use the attorney general’s office as a people’s advocate. She is also a nimble politician who transformed a close primary victory against long-time Democratic operative Warren Tolman into a general election blowout. The Massachusetts ballot questions also highlighted the divided nature of the
had a strong year in the Senate, picking up a majority, the U.S. House increasing their majority, while losing only a few governorships across the country. While Tea Partiers and Rush Limbaugh will argue that this is a national referendum on President Obama (which has been said about various elections in 2010, 2011, 2012 and 2013), but the Republican victory stems from larger political trends. First, Republican candidates do better when voter turnout is low, as it usually
“Statewide politics are unlikely to change with a Baker governorship due to Democratic supermajorities in the legislature... [And] a senate majority is an opportunity for the GOP, but also an arduous test.” Commonwealth’s electorate. “Yes” voters on Question 1 repealed the indexing of the gas tax to inflation by the smallest margin of any ballot question. The push to expand bottle deposits to non-carbonated beverages failed steeply, 72.8 percent against, in the face of corporate spending on television, radio, print and online advertising. A repeal of legalized casino gambling was also on the ballot as Question 3, but lost, meaning projects in Springfield and Everett will continue unabated. Finally, the liberal electorate enacted a statewide guarantee of paid sick leave for all people who work for more than 30 hours per week. Any observer will note that those results do not line up with the standard, left-right political ideologies. Voters seemingly conservatively attacked the gas tax and bottle deposit expansion, while taking a more libertarian view on casinos and a liberal view on paid sick leave. Nationally, Republicans
is during the midterm elections. Second, the president’s party does badly in the midterms. Since World War II, every president who has been able to lose a senate majority in their sixth year has lost it. Also, as senate terms last six years – most of the seats up in 2014 were last won in 2008, Obama’s first election and a very strong year for Democrats. In 2016, Republicans will be defending more senate seats than Democrats. Most of those seats will have been won in 2010 – a midterm year that was good for Republicans – and they will be running in a presidential election year, when turnout is higher and Democrats do better. Not only will Democrats have a structural advantage in the senate election, but they will also be running after two years of Republican rule in Congress. While a senate majority is certainly an opportunity for the GOP, it is also an arduous test. Already dealing with significant inter-
nal fragmentation between Tea Party conservatives and establishment moderates, the GOP must take decisive, united action on public policy, which may be impossible if moderates will not support radical Tea Party plans that will hurt Republican changes in the 2016 election. The saddest reality of the election is the doom spelled for Obama’s last two years in office. Facing not only a Republican House but Senate as well, the White House will be almost entirely unable to articulate policy priorities in Congress. While I doubt Sen. Mitch McConnell, future majority leader, will be able to control Ted Cruz, Rand Paul or the other extremist conservatives in the senate, further legislative disempowerment of Obama is a loss for all Americans looking for someone to lead the country through domestic and international crises. The close nature of the Massachusetts governor’s race and the victory of the Republicans on the national level show that increasing voter turnout for midterm elections is essential. When a campaign has more visibility, such as a presidential election, more people vote, and when more people vote, Democrats do better. GOP operatives know this, and Republican state governments are now instituting voter ID laws and sharing their voter lists to suppress Democratic turnout. Even though the Democrats will win the 2016 election, they will still face policy stagnation and government shutdowns if they can’t increase voter turnout in future midterm elections. Zac Bears is the Opinion & Editorial Editor. He can be reached at ibears@ umass.edu.
Election doesn’t solve D.C. gridlock
The tables turned in American politics Tuesday
Isaac Simon night as the Republicans took control of the United States Senate for the first time in eight years. With only 51 seats needed for a GOP majority, meaning six pickups in order to have control, Republicans had already picked up seven seats at press time. Whether it be CNN or MSNBC, a variety of political strategists have been using the mid-term election results as a pre-text for President Obama’s job performance. Now, as it currently stands, the president’s job approval rating is at 44 percent, roughly equivalent to that of President George W. Bush when he was starting his sixth year in office. Approval ratings aside, the question should be asked: what do the midterms really forecast? Based on the current political makeup of the elector-
ate, the country seems pretty split between Democrats and Republicans. Historically speaking, how common is it for a blue state to become red and a red state to become blue? Wendy Davis received a lot of national attention ever since she put herself on the map as being at the forefront for women reproductive issues. She lost the Texas governor’s race to Republican Greg Abbott. According to a poll reported on the CBS Evening News on Nov. 5, only 19 percent of the country has a favorable opinion of the job being done by Congress. It should follow from this that incumbents would face an uphill battle throughout the midterm election. But, in fact, probably somewhere close to 90 percent of incumbents will be reelected. Why? Either voters are not that unhappy with Congress or the built advantages of incumbency – gerrymandering districts, superior campaign funding – make it almost impossible for the will
of the people to be expressed at the polls. If, as much of the media is suggesting, Republican victories are tied to voters’ personal dislike of Obama, it doesn’t necessarily follow that any of that sentiment will carry over to hurt Hillary Clinton’s chances in 2016. Exit polls suggested that the key issue for most voters was the economy. How does this translate into antiObama vote given that unemployment is down and the stock market up? Obviously, Americans are not thinking back to Bush’s economic policy. If they did, they would remember a great recession and high unemployment. Maybe it is because wages are flat even though unemployment is up. People are just not making enough to make ends meet. But how is that Obama’s doing? Except for minimum wage increases, when does the president have control over what companies pay their workers? If people are frus-
trated with their wages, they cannot remove their bosses so they translate that frustration into voting against whoever is in the White House. Strategists for Clinton will be looking at the numbers behind the numbers. That is, they will want to see poll numbers for key demographics for her – How did women vote? How did African-Americans and Hispanic-Americans vote? These will be important constituencies for her if she hopes to win in two years. Those are numbers that we won’t learn about tonight but that will have to be studied over the next week or so. In other words, the only way to reverse this trend amongst voters is if the electorate changes as well. To respond to political approval polls is one thing; to channel that anger into the voting booth is another. Isaac Simon is a Collegian columnist. He can be reached at isimon@umass.edu. A full version of this column can be found on DailyCollegian.com.
t h e m a s s a c h u s e t t s D a i ly C o l l e g i a n BUSINESS
NEWS
News Editor - Aviva Luttrell News Producer - Christina Yacono
NEWS ASSISTANTS Jaclyn Bryson Catherine Ferris Marie MacCune
GRAPHICS
EDITOR IN CHIEF - Nick Canelas MANAGING EDITOR - Patrick Hoff MANAGING EDITOR/DAILYCOLLEGIAN.COM - Conor Snell
Business Manager - Omer Sander Advertising Manager - Andrew Carr Distribution Manager - Nick Gorius Advertising Production - Nick Damren
Production Manager - James Desjardin Special Issues Manager - Randy Crandon
SOCIAL MEDIA
Social Media Coordinator - Ariel Kallenbach
OPINION & EDITORIAL
ARTS & LIVING
SPORTS
PHOTOGRAPHY
COMICS
Op/Ed Editor - Zac Bears Op/Ed Producer - Claire Anderson
Arts Editor - Cory Willey Arts Producer - Robert Rigo
Sports Editor - Mark Chiarelli Sports Producer - Marc Jean-Louis
Photo Editor - Cade Belisle
Comics Editor - Tracy Krug
O p /E d ASSISTANTS
ARTS ASSISTANTS
SPORTS ASSISTANTS
PHOTO ASSISTANTS
GRAPHICS ASSISTANTS
Steven Gillard Ian Hagerty Kate Leddy Maral Margossian
Alex Frail Jackson Maxwell Sarah Robertson
Anthony Chiusano Andrew Cyr Ross Gienieczko
Araz Havan Robert Rigo Christina Yacono
Noa Barak Avery Campbell Caroline O’Connor
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 2014, The Collegian has been broadsheet since January 1994. For advertising rates and information, call 413-545-3500.
PRODUCTION CREW on staff for this issue NIGHT EDITOR - Nick Canelas | Patrick Hoff COPY EDITOR - Zac Bears WEB PRODUCTION MANAGER - Robert Rigo NEWS DESK EDITOR - News Staff O p /E d DESK EDITOR - Zac Bears ARTS DESK EDITOR - Cory Willey SPORTS DESK EDITOR - Ross Gienieczko COMICS DESK EDITOR - Tracy Krug GRAPHICS DESK EDITOR - James Desjardin | Noa Barak
Arts Living THE MASSACHUSETTS DAILY COLLEGIAN
Wednesday, November 5, 2014
“I’m fancy! One time I had coffee flavored ice cream.” - Jake Peralta
FILM
Arts@DailyCollegian.com
TELEVISION
Vlad the not-so-bad impaler ‘Brooklyn Nine-Nine’ gets ‘Dracula Untold’ is back on its comedic beat all about the action By Matthew Hlady Collegian Correspondent “Dracula Untold,” directed by Gary Shore, provides an interesting synthesis of Bram S t o ke r ’ s original “Dracula” and the history of Vlad Draculea, upon whom the novel was based. The film depicts the origins of Vlad Dracula (Luke Evans), his conflict with the Ottomans and his resulting decision to become a lord of the night. While I was expecting to walk into a major flop, I found that the movie was entertaining, interesting and deserving of more praise than it has received. I am a fan of stories that put a new spin on classic villains. I believe that no person is born evil and thus enjoy stories that show how one digresses into corruption and malice, especially if it’s a well-known master of darkness and magic. However, I walked into the cinema prepared with lines to describe a truly awful film. By the end I had crossed them out. This was by no means a spectacular movie, but it was certainly an engaging one. The pro-tagonist’s depiction as a flawed yet virtuous hero, rather than the typical, egregious belief that Vlad Dracula was a psychopath, was engrossing. However, the historical inaccuracies regarding the Ottomans were as distracting as the lack of character development and the cardboard cutout villains were disappointing. Evans portrayed Vlad as a conflicted ruler who bat-
tles with the guilt of letting all that he loves perish. Though he tried valiantly to display depth and selfreflexivity in the character, Evans did not have much to work with, as no significant character change was scripted. Vlad Dracula remained much the same throughout the film except for gaining a pen-chant for vengeance toward the end. I was glad to see the director recognize that Vlad was a local hero who staked his ene-mies as a form of psychological warfare rather than for sadistic pleasure. On the other hand, the Ottomans were demonized and came off as cruel, arrogant, and a little idiotic. They were uninteresting conquerors and villains. We saw nothing of their fascinating culture, none of the archers and musketeers that made them famous, and none their cultural awareness. The real Ottomans weren’t monsters, as this film would have us believe. The real monster in the film, known only as the Master Vampire (Charles Dance), who we see for only a few minutes, was probably the most captivating character in the whole film. Dance underplayed this imprisoned demon of shadow, not resorting to stereotypical malevolence. His presence exuded confidence despite his frail appearance, which was intimidating, and he spoke softly and reasonably. Too seldom do we see villains and demons portrayed in such a way. Dance’s small performance here excites me to see the sequel in which he will play a major role. The film was visually arresting in every way, from the costumes and the special effects to the mix
of realistic and fantastical fight choreography. The cinematic landscapes of the film seemed like a gothic version of Middle Earth and, when watching the marching enemies, many of the sweeping shots and camera angles were reminiscent of films like “300.” While the battle scenes borrowed from similar films, Shore brought his own flair to them. During the first major battle in which Vlad exercised his newfound powers, the camera transitioned smoothly between slow and stationary shots to fast and fluid panning shots before snapping back to tracking closeups of the action. One of the standout sequences of the film featured the reflection of the battle in a dying soldier’s sword as it flew from his hand. Through the shimmering blade we watched Vlad slaughter dozens of enemies, each turn of the sword reflecting a new, interesting angle before Vlad picks it up himself. Between Evans’s acting and Jason Schwartzman’s cinema-tography, Vlad’s demonic viciousness became a tangible sensation. “Dracula Untold” made no pretense about being a hard-hitting drama and it fulfilled all of its promises as a dark, over-the-top fantasy-action popcorn movie. However, it deserves more appreciation than what it has received from critics and “Rotten Tomatoes,” as it should not be taken as a reinterpretation of the classic book or history.If you’re looking for a fun action flick, then “Dracula Untold” will surely slake your thirst. Matthew Hlady can be reached at mhlady@umass.edu.
First episodes show a return to form By Jack Nichols Collegian Correspondent
The first season of “Brooklyn Nine-Nine” proved to be a wild success as Andy Samberg seamlessly transitioned from “Saturday Night Live” superstar to goofy NYPD officer Jake Peralta. Complimented by brilliant screenwriting and solid camerawork, main actors Andy Samberg, Andre Braugher and Melissa Fumero attracted a cult following. Receiving incredible reviews across the board, the first season of the show ended in a promising cliffhanger. Peralta was “fired” from the force and was sent to the FBI to investigate and infiltrate a crime family. In the down time between the finale of season one and the premiere of season two, hype for “Brooklyn NineNine” continued to rise. The show racked up a hefty set of awards including an American Comedy Award, a Critic’s Choice Television Award, two Golden Globes and a Creative Arts Emmy Award. Review sites like Rotten Tomatoes, Metacritic and IGN praised “Brooklyn Nine-Nine” for its ingenuity and endless humor. With such a high bar set by the first season, is it possible for season two to garner similar widespread support? Looking at the first two episodes of the new season, it appears that “Brooklyn Nine-Nine” has already hit its stride. Despite this potential, the premiere episode
“Undercover” starts off on a relatively disap-pointing note in terms of narrative. Peralta has served his undercover time since last season’s finale and the viewer is introduced to the show with no description of his experience. From a viewer’s standpoint, it appears that the writers shot too high with this plot line and needed an easy way out. What this episode lacked in story was quickly made up for in humor, character re-lations and beautiful acting from all members of the cast. From Terry’s impression of an unat-tended backpack to Peralta’s quick kisses with the crime boss, the episode is sure to keep the viewers attention based on humor alone. However, the writers made up for the poor storyline by reaffirming the hilarious relationship between the stoic Holt and the not-so-stoic Peralta. The episode ends on a serious note of character develop-
the undercover plot story in favor of the elements that made the show successful originally. The episode adopted the incredibly diverse range of humor inherent to “Brooklyn NineNine.” The show proved their worth in this episode as they offer character development and backstory from two angles. You learn a great deal about Holt’s backstory and beginnings as a detective as you simultaneously witness the progression of Peralta and Terry’s friendship. In a minor subplot, Boyle and Diaz resume the friendship that was missing at the end of the first season. The new character roles offer promise for the rest of season two that will hopefully keep the show from simply recreating the first season. The first episodes of season two offer the possibility for a new and yet equally amusing season of
From Terry’s impression of an unattended backpack to Peralta’s quick kisses with the crime bosses, the episode is sure to keep the viewer’s attention based on humor alone ment as Jake reaffirms his feelings for Santiago, which makes the viewer wonder if season two will elaborate on this possible relationship. If nothing else, this confirmation of feelings will certainly add a new dynamic to the duo throughout this season. Episode two, “Chocolate Milk,” brings the audience back to the critically-lauded “Brook-lyn Nine-Nine.” It completely disregards
“Brooklyn Nine-Nine.” If viewers can get over the discarding of a promising plot, the show has offered humor equal to that seen in the first season with unrivaled character develop-ment indicative of writers who will continue to create masterpieces throughout the second season. Jack Nichols can be reached at jnichols@umass.edu.
THEATER
Stephen Driscoll returns in ‘The Merchant of Venice’ UMass theater alum reprises favorite role By Ruthann Barry Collegian Correspondent The UMass Department of Theater’s production of William Shakespeare’s, “The Merchant of Venice,” gives audiences a vibrant and hilarious portrayal of the famous comedy, and the unparalleled talent of an exceptional cast made it an impossible production to miss. The play centers on the Venetian merchant Antonio, played by Cory Missildine, who must finance his friend’s romantic endeavors by borrowing money from Shylock, a Jew forced to live in the ghetto and who faces constant discrimination, as reprised by UMass alumnus Stephen Driscoll ’73. As Antonio falls short on his loan, Shylock demands in a bond an equal pound of flesh. The ensuing trials and trickery of the play’s characters promote the audience to question the nature of the justice of law and the pangs of prejudice. Amongst the cast, comprised of students, is Driscoll, aUMass theater legend.. Driscoll performed in countless plays during his years at UMass, many of which were in the Bartlett and Bowker audi-
toriums as the Fine Arts Center under construction. After battling cancer for the past six years, Driscoll chose to spend this past summer at the British American Drama Academy in Oxford in search of fulfillment. It was his experience this summer and the looming uncertainty of cancer that prompted him to return to the UMass stage. Driscoll looks back on his UMass years quite fondly. “From the day I left here I think I was nostalgic about it. I always thought to myself, ‘I would love to come back and just spend some time, to be on campus, and feel what it was like all those many years ago,” he said. “I remember it as one of the most productive and creative periods of my life.” Driscoll’s experience with the character of Shylock began at quite a young age, during his years in junior high school. He impressively rewrote Shakespeare and played the part Shylock nearly fifty years ago at the age of fourteen. “There was something about the role of Shylock that grabbed me by the throat, and by my heart. I just said, ‘Okay I know who this guy is, I can feel him, and I want to play him.’” Driscoll said, “So, over the
Christmas holiday, I went home and condensed the play, and was absolutely determined to do it.” Driscoll’s portrayal of Shylock plays upon the character’s villainy, while simultaneously evoking sympathy from the audience. His moving performance is welcomed back eagerly to UMass by the production’s cast and crew. “We’ve become a really tight knit group. There are some really talented young actors in this group,” Driscoll said, “and some haven’t done Shakespeare before, which is really remarkable that they were able to do this in three weeks.” The cast emphasizes the provocative comedy of Shakespeare that is much better represented in live performance than simply reading the text. The humor carries itself well throughout while mingling in aspects of tragedy and drama that underline the themes of the play. Having seen many productions of “The Merchant of Venice,” Driscoll finds something special and different in each, individual performance, especially in his collaboration with Simotes. “I was working with a director who had never done (this play) before. I came in with all these preconceptions and bubbling
COURTESY OF UMASS DEPARTMENT OF THEATER
Featuring one of the more famous lines from the play, the poster reads, “All that glistens is not gold.” ideas,” Driscoll said, “To see him wrestling with it and to pick out something I never considered was a revelation and helped me a lot.” “In fact I’m playing some scenes that I don’t think if somebody had told me a year ago that I’d be interpreting that particular scene that way I would say ‘no I wouldn’t do it that way.” With arts funding in a
continuous decline for the past thirty years, Driscoll stresses the importance of the function of art as something that promotes an understanding about culture and people. “One of my fraternity brothers, I will never forget it, told me forty years ago that my performances here as a student enriched his life, I never forgot that. What more as performers could we possibly ask for
than to enrich someone’s life?” Driscoll said. “The Merchant of Venice” is surely one of Driscoll’s most fulfilling and enriching performances. The production encompassed the vast talents of many student actors and the unique interpretations of Simotes. Ruthann Barry can be reached at rbbarry@umass.edu.
6
Wednesday, November 5, 2014
THE MASSACHUSETTS DAILY COLLEGIAN
Comics
DailyCollegian.com
WE WANT YOUR COMICS! Put your comics in front of thousands of readers. Questions? Comments? Email us: comics@dailycollegian.com
My lack of touch with reality is evidence in capricorn.
D inosaur C omics
B y R yan N orth
Salty fresh!
W ondermark
B y D avid M alki
aquarius
HOROSCOPES Jan. 20 - Feb. 18
leo
Jul. 23 - Aug. 22
Looking for an RSO to start? Why not “Pogo”? Forget fresh! Shelf stable milk ensures that your morning breakfast will never be ruined by spoilage and chunks.
pisces
Feb. 19 - Mar. 20
virgo
Aug. 23 - Sept. 22
It’s just creepy when you call your mini–fridge Sodium? More like “Sodi–yum!” your “hidey hole.” Please stop.
aries
Mar. 21 - Apr. 19
taurus
Apr. 20 - May. 20
gemini
May. 21 - Jun. 21
libra
Sept. 23 - Oct. 22
scorpio
Oct. 23 - Nov. 21
If you’ve tasted buttermilk, you’re implying I know you have a pension for sodium, but that the idea of buttery milk was an intriguing you should never think it’s a good idea to idea to you. describe your detergent as “salty fresh.”
You have desperately good control of your life If someone gives you a balloon, they are if your grocery list involves a quart of milk, a really giving you a small amount of their air cantaloupe and a pepper shaker. which is the greatest gift of all.
sagittarius
Nov. 22 - Dec. 21
Ironically, perhaps the most shelf–stable thing in your pantry is your shelf.
Having a due date for a paper is usually synonymous with “do” date.
cancer
capricorn
Jun. 22 - Jul. 22
Dec. 22 - Jan. 19
Hotdogs should always come refrigerated, Capricorn–on–the–cob, am I right? unless they’re wrapped in cornbread, in which case they should inexplicably be frozen.
THE MASSACHUSETTS DAILY COLLEGIAN
DailyCollegian.com
SENIORS
CLUB
continued from page 8
“Matt is a wonderful player and hopefully he can catch a break and play at the next level,” UMass interim coach Devin O’Neill said. “He gives us so much on the field, but I love how he works so hard in practice and in the offseason. He really has been a leader since the day he arrived and it will be sad to see him go.” On the other side of the field stands the 5-foot-6 Schwartz. The forward has amassed 17 goals and 10 assists in his four-year tenure and has served as a versatile attacking threat. As a player, Schwartz is comfortable playing up top with a strike partner, but also gave the Minutemen valuable minutes by dropping deep – taking on the role of a playmaker. Popping up on either wing or through the middle,
his ability to run in behind and use his speed gave the Minutemen a direct attacking option. In addition to being a vertical threat, his skill and vision allowed the attack to flow with short quick passes on the ground. Schwartz spoke about the upcoming game. “Hopefully it’s going to be a great game and my plan is to enjoy it,” he said. “It’s sad for it to be over because soccer is a release for me, and has been so important in my life.” In addition to finding success on the field, they have both worked extremely hard in the classroom in their respective academic fields – Keys is studying sports management; Schwartz is pre-med and plans on attending medical school after graduation. O’Neill praised the seniors,
saying, “They are going to be sorely missed, and losing them won’t be easy. This week we want to go out and play for them as a thank you for everything they have done for the program, but it’s going to be sad when it ends.” Win, lose or tie, the final game of the season – Saturday at home against St. Bonaventure - is an opportunity for Schwartz and Keys to represent the maroon and white of UMass one last time. Without a chance of qualifying for the playoffs, UMass will have to play for pride and for its seniors. More importantly though, the team will play because they love it – which at the end of the day, is what the game is all about. Nick Casale can be reached at ncasale@umass.edu.
Wednesday, November 5, 2014
7
continued from page 8
since”. Many different factors have to be at work for a team to improve so quickly. It starts with the guidance of leaders like McGinnis, fellow senior captain Nikki Wrin and other players on the club like Nicole Noonan. Another major factor, according to Noonan, is the guidance of their club sports advisor, Brian Arnold. “(Arnold) has helped through the whole way,” Noonan said. “Usually we can’t practice on the turf fields, but he puts in a good word for us and we really need to play on the turf, and we wouldn’t be going to nationals without him.” Strong recruiting is also one of the pillars the team is built on. UMass takes
advantage of the Activities Expo every year, but for members of the team, recruiting goes beyond that. “We try and find friends of friends on campus, people we know that came from a good high school (field hockey program), and a lot of us are from around the area so we know where the good players are coming from,” Wrin said. At the end of the day, once the roster is put together, Wrin said the team still has to show up and be willing to put the work in to improve. “We have been stressing how important it is to be down (at the field) practicing everyday and playing together so we can connect as a team, and that
has been one of the biggest things that has helped us succeed is having a lot of people showing up at the practices,” she said. While the varsity field hockey team finishes its practice at Garber Field, the club team waits patiently for its turn. Four years ago, before they regained their charter, it would have seemed unlikely the club team would have access to the same field Division I athletes play on. It would have seemed more unlikely UMass would turn into a national title contender. But through the hard work and dedication of its members, that’s exactly what happened. Nick Souza can be reached at njsouza@umass.edu.
THE MASSACHUSETTS DAILY COLLEGIAN
Wednesday, November 5, 2014
Sports@DailyCollegian.com
@MDC_SPORTS
MEN’S SOCCER
For the love of the game
TENNIS
UMass shines in weekend tourny Minutewomen cap “What we showed, I strong fall season think, is that we’ve By Philip Sanzo Collegian Correspondent
COLLEGIAN FILE PHOTO
Matt Keys started all but one game in his four years with the UMass men’s soccer team.
Keys, Schwartz set to play final match By Nick Casale
I
Collegian Staff
nside McGuirk stadium, 30 minutes before practice, raindrops can be
felt. Inside an unzipped bag, a paper on atomic structures wilts as the drizzle changes to a steady rain. But organic chemistry is far from what is currently in the mind of the soccer player standing only a few feet away. He puts his foot on the ball and flicks it up. Tick, tick, tick, tack – soggy pellets are sprayed, some annoyingly into his synthetic leather shoes and the ball sails 40 yards to his teammate standing at midfield. The other has his hands in his pockets and instinctively picks up his foot up, and gently brings the ball back down. He has it now, forgetting for the moment about a lecture on supply and demand in relation to sports marketing. Tick, tick, tick, tack – it’s returned,
but misses the target by five yards and slams into the fence narrowly missing the bag. A misplaced pass a half hour before a practice means nothing to the fan, nor to the coach, and in truth, not even to the player. Instead, the motion of striking and receiving a ball is but a microcosm of a physical process, one that has been repeated so many times that the steps have become hardwired into the cognitive workings of soccer players. For Massachusetts seniors Matt Keys and Josh Schwartz, this kind of exercise is a reflection of the love and loyalty they have for the game of soccer. Unfortunately, it is the last week they have to spray the ball around the field as student athletes. “Knowing this is my last game hasn’t really sunk in yet. I am just going to go out and do my best and try and enjoy it, but I’m sure it will be emotional when it’s over,” Keys said. Keys, the 6-foot-4 central defender and captain, has
JUDITH GIBSON-OKUNIEFF/COLLEGIAN
Josh Schwartz leads the Minutemen with four goals this season. started all but one game in his UMass career. Along the way he has notched nine goals, four assists and led his team to 11 shut outs in his career, but his impact can’t be accurately captured with numbers alone. Whether it’s a header or a slide tackle that needs to be won, you can bet that Keys was going to be there to deliver. If the Minutemen needed a goal or an attacking threat, Keys was willing to move up top and become the center forward. But center back is
where he made his mark, and he showed that the position is about much more than being a “destroyer.” Indeed, center back is a position that combines eloquence with aggressiveness, and requires a player to be tactically aware, skillful, dominant in the air and communicative. Over four years, Keys has displayed all of these qualities and because of his consistency and attributes, has made a strong case to the next level. see
SENIORSon page 7
WOMEN’S SOCCER
The Massachusetts tennis team’s fall-season finale was a resounding success, as the Minutewomen claimed a number of key victories at the Big Green Invitational. The Minutewomen shined in the three-day tournament in which they competed against Boston University, Minnesota and host-school Dartmouth, winning seven of their 10 doubles matches along with nine total singles wins. “It was outstanding,” UMass coach Judy Dixon said. “We competed against three really tough schools” Ana Yrazusta Acosta and Carol Benito highlighted the weekend for the Minutewomen with their efforts in the doubles matches. The duo went undefeated in their three matches by knocking off each opposing schools’ top doubles teams. Dixon praised Acosta, a freshman, saying she “continues to be the one of the stronger players in the conference.” In singles play, Acosta lost to Taylor Ng of Dartmouth, who earned second team All-Ivy League honors last year, in what Dixon called “a really tight match.” Acosta bounced back with a win over Minnesota’s Caroline Ryba in her next match. Acosta’s emergence has been one of the biggest surprises for UMass this fall. In fact, Dixon even went as far to say that Acosta is “probably one of the most talented players I have ever had on a team.” “We knew she was good,” Dixon said, “but we didn’t know she was that good” Along with Acosta, senior Chanel Glasper turned in an impressive performance over the
taken huge strides to become one of the top teams in the northeast. We had a great fall and really finished on a high note.” Judy Dixon, UMass coach
weekend. Glasper went 3-0 in both singles and doubles play, teaming up with Anna Woosley in the doubles portion. Though she struggled throughout the fall, Junior Ariel Griffin finished the season off strong going 2-0 in the Big Green Invitational. “(It is) absolutely positively is such a great way for her to finish the fall,” Dixon said. Overall, Dixon was thrilled with her team’s performance this weekend and throughout the fall in general. “I couldn’t be happier with how this turned out. … It really bodes well for the spring,” Dixon said. In the NCAA, matches don’t start counting toward standings and rankings until Jan. 1. As a result, Dixon said the fall season is a time for teams to get their players acclimated to playing tennis on the collegiate level, and working out all the kinks before the spring season starts. “What we showed I think is that we’ve taken huge strides to become one of the top teams in the northeast,” Dixon said. “We had a great fall and we finished on a really high note.” UMass will begin its spring season on Jan. 30 in Providence, Rhode Island, when they take on Brown in a dual match. Philip Sanzo can be reached at psanzo@umass.edu.
CLUB FIELD HOCKEY
UMass ready for A-10 tournament Strong leaders UM to play La Salle revive club team in playoff rematch By Tom Mulherin Collegian Staff
Despite ending the regular season with a 2-0 loss to Richmond and a scoreless draw against Davidson, the Massachusetts women’s soccer team did enough to qualify for the final seed in the Atlantic 10 Tournament, which begins Thursday in Dayton, Ohio.. The Minutewomen (5-8-5, 3-3-2 A-10) faced a tough task just two weeks ago, when they sat three points out of the final playoff spot. But home wins against St. Bonaventure and Duquesne along with the season ending tie put UMass back in playoff position. Now that they have qualified for postseason play, the Minutewomen face an even tougher task: a matchup against top seed La Salle Thursday in the first round of
the tournament. It will be the second year in a row the two teams square off in the A-10 tournament. “They’re just a good complete team,” UMass coach Ed Matz said of the Explorers (12-4-2, 8-0-0). “We played them last year in the semi-finals so they want to beat us, and we want to beat them. They have one of the best – if not the best – players in the conference in Kelsey Haycook. …Our focus is to help (each other) on defense.” Haycook leads the A-10 in total points in 39, and goals (18). Facing a player of that quality, the Minutewomen will have to be on top of their game defensively. However, that has been a problem for them on the road. UMass is a measly 1-6-3 record on the road, and in those games, surrendering 15 goals in 10 games. In contrast, UMass only allowed six goals in seve games at home, Matz, however, downplayed the sig-
nificance of those numbers for Thursday’s neutral-site matchup. “We have struggled on the road, but not too much,” Matz said. “It’s not more of the location, it’s more of the opponent that I think we will have trouble with. The playing surface will be equal for both teams.” The Minutewomen went all the way to the semifinal round in last year’s postseason before falling to to La Salle in overtime on a controversial penalty kick that clinched the win for the Explorers. This year, Matz hopes UMass can go on a similar run, saying the Minutewomen will need to beat La Salle anyways if they want to make some noise in the tournament. “We hope that we can repeat (last year’s success) this year,” he said. “I think the conference tournament is a little bit deeper this year, there’s a lot more parity amongst all the teams. Last year we were the fifth-seed and we got to play
the fourth-seed, but this year is a little bit different because we have to play the one-seed. We’ll see how the girls play. “La Salle is the favorite to win the A-10 Tournament, they are the regular season champions,” Matz continued. “You’re not going to win a championship without playing them. Whether it’s the first round or second round, we have to play them anyways.” UMass will have some extra motivation in their preparation this week. After the dramatic loss to the Explorers in the tournament last year, the Minutewomen have been itching for a chance to avenge the loss. “All of the upperclassmen remember how we lost last year in overtime,” Matz said. “That’s what drives them right now; we’ve been waiting a year to play La Salle. Hopefully we’ll do our best.” Tom Mulherin can be reached at tmulheri@umass.edu.
Seniors spearhead
program turnaround By Nick Souza Collegian Correspondent It was no accident the Massachusetts club field hockey team made it back to the National Field Hockey League championship for a second straight year. It’s what happens when a strong group of leaders come together and everyone around the team buys in. While UMass didn’t end up winning the tournament, its accomplishments as a program should not go unnoticed. Not long ago, the club didn’t exist, and in a short time they have shaped themselves into a national title contender.
With a record of 9-13, UMass entered the National Championship tournament as the sixth overall seed in a group with in-state rival Northeastern and top-seeded North Carolina. The team was looking to improve on last year’s performance, when it lost the first two games of pool play. The journey to that point wasn’t an easy one. Senior captain Shaina McGinnis reflected on how far the program has come since her freshman year. “Four years ago (the University) let the team go (as a chartered club), and my freshman year they brought it back,” McGinnis said. “Our first year was a little rocky, but we’ve been improving ever see
CLUB on page 3