Vermont Cynic Issue 9 2012

TOP 10 COSTUME IDEAS

C YNIC THE VERMONT

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MISSION SOUTH HEADS NORTH

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MEN’S SOCCER CLINCHES PLAYOFF SPOT WITH TIE

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PUMPKINS HAVE FACES

The University of Vermont’s independent voice since 1883 w w w . v e r m o n t c y n i c . c o m

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T h u r s d a y , O c t o b e r 2 5 , 2 0 1 2 – Vo l u m e 1 2 9 I s s u e 9 | B u r l i n g t o n , Ve r m o n t

Alumni wined, dined Katy Cardin Assistant News Editor

PHOTO COURTESY OF RYAN WIKLUND, BARTSOOL SPORTS

First-years Nick Bartlett (left), Brian Killackey (center left) and Sean Riley (center) listen to the DJ at the Barstool Blackout Tour hosted by Barstool Sports at Memorial Auditorium Oct. 19. Out of the 2,400 people in attendence, 16 were sent to detox that night.

‘Blackout’ party banned Barstool concert detoxes 16, mayor voices concern Keegan Fairfield Senior Staff Writer The return of the Barstool Blackout Tour last weekend may have been its last.

Out of a crowd of more than 2,400, 16 people were detoxed after attending or en-route to the Barstool Blackout Tour, a ravelike dance party hosted by Barstool Sports, Oct. 19.

Although that number represented less than one percent of total attendees, it was 16 students too many for Mayor Miro Weinberger, who denounced the event at a press conference Oct. 22.

“I do have a fundamental problem with an event that’s go-

ing to endanger public safety,” he said at the conference. “We could have had someone die on Friday night. We’re lucky we didn’t.”

When the fire department attempted to reduce the crowd in Memorial Auditorium, security guards blocked off bathrooms later into the night, said sophomore Olivia Stewart.

“Girls were crying hysterically outside of the bathrooms saying they were going to pee their pants,” Stewart said. “[The guards] were also making anyone who appeared to be under the influence leave all together.”

In response to claims by attendees that they were not allowed to move freely, Burlington

Fire Marshal Terrence Francis said the fire department’s decisions were made with safety in mind.

“When we have people drinking alcohol and taking drugs and becoming rowdy, we have a situation that affects public safety, and that’s when we get involved,” Francis said.

In the days following the event, Weinberger said the city should not have granted approval without looking into it beforehand, and revisions would be made to the city’s assessment policy for future events.

David Portnoy, president of the tour and founder of the website, Barstool Sports, criticized

“Girls were crying hysterically outside of the bathrooms saying they were going to pee their pants.”

Olivia Stewart Sophomore the mayor’s response in a blog post on the Barstool website.

“This whole Vermont thing is just so preposterous,” Portnoy See BARSTOOL on page 3

Smoked salmon mousse with chive in a brisee barquette and duck confit on a potato crisp with apple gastrique.

That’s what waitresses in white dress shirts and black bowties served to 255 UVM alumni at the Celebrating Excellence dinner Oct. 5.

The Celebrating Excellence event is annually hosted by the UVM Foundation to honor the alumni who have made a large impact on the University, said Jay Goyette, associate director of communications for the UVM Foundation. “[The dinner] is a celebration of the great things that happen when you have a UVM education,” said Rich Bundy, vice president for development and alumni relations. “To show how people are well positioned in the world after receiving a degree from UVM.” About five percent of UVM’s funding comes from alumni donations, Bundy said.

“Last year, donors committed $45 million to the University, and those dollars were used for everything from student scholarships to supporting the research programs and teaching programs,” he said. “These are programs that wouldn’t be funded without private money.”

The methods used to accumulate these donations vary.

“We have what I call a full service fundraising organization with the fund,” Bundy said. “We See EXCELLENCE on page 4

Students call on trustees to divest fossil fuels

Campaign asks University to pull endowment money out of oil, energy stock Devin Karambelas Assistant News Editor In the war on climate change, some activists are targeting the way UVM invests.

The Student Climate Culture (SCC), a UVM club, has launched a campaign to pressure the University to remove its funds from all fossil fuel companies.

“I think this could mobilize a cultural change and set UVM in a solid position to confront one of the most powerful and dangerous industries in the world,” SCC leader James Billman said.

But some people worry that greening the University’s endowment — student tuition dollars invested in stocks to make money — could end up shrinking it.

The process of removing University investments in fossil fuel companies, known as divestment, would call for a considerable restructuring of the $360 million endowment that the Board of Trustees controls.

To show the Board of Trustees that they are serious, he said SCC has teamed up with other local and national environmental organizations like Greenpeace

NEWS 1-4 — LIFE 5 — Peyton vows state ‘Rancing’ races to will be off oil soon Burlington

ARTS 6-7 Debussy at 150

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and 350.org to get the word out on climate change.

SCC focused its campaign on removing investments from Blackrock All-Cap Energy Fund, which invests almost exclusively in energy and resource companies, club member Daniel Cmejla said.

This is because student tuition dollars – and 11.8 percent of the University’s endowment, according to 2011 figures – are invested in petroleum and energy corporations such as Exxon Mobil.

See DIVESTMENT on page 3

SPECTACLE 8-9 Slightly Stoopid plays heady jams

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NATALIE WILLIAMS The Vermont Cynic

Author and activist Bill McKibben speaks to students and attendees about Climate Change in the Ira Allen Chapel Oct. 13.

DISTRACTIONS Camp Morning Wood

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OPINION 12-13 We deserve a fair campaign

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SPORTS 14-16 Club football’s final stretch

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NEWS

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 25, 2012

‘UVM Start’ups: Feats filmed by flying robot Katy Cardin Assistant News Editor We are not quite the Jetsons yet, but a small-scale flying robot developed by five students can take videos of anything from weddings to ski jumps.

Senior engineering students Julian Tryba, Cyril Brunner, David Bernstein, Nicholai L’Esperance and David Hinckley have turned their senior project into a company called Eleview Technologies to develop, engineer and sell the robot they’ve created.

The robot will be able to follow and film someone from an aerial perspective that they can control with a smartphone or Android app, Tryba said.

The filming aspect of the robot will be made possible by attaching a GoPro, a small, wearable, waterproof and shockproof camera, to the flying device that will be controlled through the phone either hands-free or manually.

If the buyer already has a GroPro and an Android phone, the buying process will be simpler and cheaper, as these items are the main components of the technology, Tryba said.

“The Android phone is essentially the brain of the robot and will be used for the tracking system, and the GoPro is the camera,” Brunner said. “So if you have the brain and camera, you just need the frame for the camera, which is what we are making.”

Tryba said he first thought of the idea when he was at Jay Peak during a snowstorm the week of Feb. 26, 2012.

“I remember thinking to myself at the end of the day, I wish that something could have captured my experience today,” he said. “I realized it wasn’t really possible with the GoPro, so it got me thinking what you could create that could really show this.”

The team received a $2,000 grant from the College of Engineering and Mathematical Sciences to make the project a reality, and hopes to use funding from the UVM Start crowdsourcing website to cover the remaining

PHOTO COURTESY OF ELEVIEW TECHNOLOGIES

Senior Cyril Brunner works on engineering the robot for their company Eleview Technologies. The company has been developing a robot that could film someone from an aerial view. expenses.

“Our goal is to raise $3,000 through UVM Start, and that money is going to go into making the first prototypes we can sell through the general public,” Brunner said. “Through the money we can start making products and developing an online store, as well as explore all the different markets and try to get our products out there.”

“We are trying to keep our minds open and not limit the people who we market the product to.”

Cyril Brunner Senior After working with UVM Start for a month, the Eleview Technologies team decided they wanted to take the idea further than a senior project.

“Through our mentor Jeff Frolik, we got connected to MITRE [a federally funded research program],” Tryba said. “We are collaborating with them on the technology side, and hopefully the money we get from UVM Start can be invested in creating a product that we can bring to the

mainstream commercial market.”

Although the idea was initially thought of solely for skiing purposes, the technology could also be used for viewing commercial real estate, mountain biking, self-shot films, farmers reviewing their land and different forms of cinematography, Tryba said.

“We are trying to keep our minds open and not limit the people who we market the product to,” Brunner said.

When the project reaches the selling point, between February and April 2013, they hope to make it available for under $1,000 and as simple to use as possible, Tryba said.

“We want to make it so userfriendly that you can buy one of these from us and have no experience with electronics or anything, and you can just turn it on and click ‘go’,” he said.

The team said they plan to constantly improve the technology.

After developing a robot that is stable in flight and a tracking system that connects to a phone, they will then move on to more complicated things, Tryba said.

“The next things will be object detection and more complex things like doing dynamic camera sweeps around someone, maybe going off a jump skiing so it can fly around you,” he said.

Crashing into cops Nick Shigo Staff Writer An intoxicated student crashed his SUV into a Burlington police cruiser and totaled both vehicles Oct. 20.

Junior Michael Wandel, 21, failed to stop at the South Union Street traffic light and struck the patrol car traveling on Pearl Street at 1:24 a.m.

After Wandel struck the patrol car, his SUV hit a nearby building where it caused property damage, the official police report stated.

Wandel and the two offi-

Crime log Lauren Drasler Staff Writer

Oct. 17, 8:41 p.m.

Hall staff in Coolidge Hall reported seeing fireworks near the Marsh/Austin/ Tupper complex.

An officer reported to the scene and spoke with students on the basketball courts on Athletic Campus. The students informed the officer that the fireworks appeared to be going off near the Redstone Lofts.

Upon investigation, no fireworks were seen and the source was never discovered.

9:12 p.m.

Hall staff called police when they smelled marijuana in Buckham Hall.

When an officer arrived, they found a student with marijuana and mushrooms, who was criminally charged for possession of hallucinogens and cited to appear in court.

Oct. 18 11:36 p.m

Hall staff from Harris/Millis reported students smoking in the amphitheater. One student had some marijuana and LSD and was criminally charged with possession of LSD.

cers, Jacob Seller and Anthony Brown, were treated at Fletcher Allen Health Center for minor injuries, according to the report Wandel has been issued a citation for a DUI and is scheduled to appear in court Nov. 8.

“My lawyer told me I’m not really supposed to talk about the accident,” Wandel said.

Burlington police Crash Reconstructionist Cpl. Michael Hemond is investigating the incident, which he said is ongoing.

“These things usually take a few weeks to put together,” Hemond said.

Oct. 19, 3:01 a.m.

A student passed out in Harris/Millis.

When brought to consciousness, the student had scrapes, the student was noticeably intoxicated and also had scrapes, cuts and what the officer called “road rash” on the side of their face. The student said they rode their bike back from a party on East Avenue and wiped out.

Officers located the bike, but the student had no recollection of how they got from the road to the dorm. The student was taken to the hospital for both the excessive alcohol consumption and injuries.

11:49 p.m.

An officer on Main Street and University Place came across two students wrestling. Upon investigation, the officer discovered that there was no harmful intent and it was two roommates goofing around.

Oct. 20, 1:35 a.m.

A UVM student was found unconscious on the lawn outside of one of Champlain College’s buildings. The student had a blood alcohol content of .169 and was transported to corrections for detox.

1:56 p.m.

A person not associated with UVM called Police Services after saying they could hear a female screaming on the Redstone Path. The source of the screaming was never found.

Grant helps cancer center bounce back from decade decline

Chair of biochemistry Gary Stein gets $2.1 million for research on changes in gene function Steph Beland Staff Writer The Vermont Cancer Center recently received a $2.1 million grant from Pfizer, the world’s largest research-based pharmaceutical company.

This grant has gone to the UVM chair of biochemistry Gary Stein, who plans to use the grant to further cancer research.

“I think it will do a lot for the reputation of the cancer center, but being able to make a difference in someone’s life is far more important than valuing the prestige,” Stein said. “I’d rather chase the problems that are facing the disease rather than try to get my name on something.”

Stein is studying epigenetic control, or the reversible changes in gene function that does not involve changing DNA sequences.

“It became evident that to understand cancer, it is important to understand two types of control: genetic control and epigenetic control,” Stein said.

Stein said he thinks that epigenetic control, which controls the process of cell division, is as important as trying to detect tumors in early stages to prevent cancer.

The Vermont Cancer Center’s attainment of this grant is a sign that the staff is trying to reverse nearly a decade of steady decline.

The center lost an annual $1.3 million stipend from the National

Cancer Institute as well as separately funded grants totaling $9.2 million in 2002 and falling to $1.7 million in 2009, according to the Burlington Free Press.

“I think it will do a lot for the reputation of the cancer center.”

Gary Stein Chair of biochemistry With two new co-directors hired in 2012, the center’s staff hopes to gain national prestige,

recruit more faculty and receive increased donations, the article stated.

Under the leadership of the new co-directors, Claire Verschraegen and Gary Stein, the Vermont Cancer Center will focus its attention and resources on revitalizing important programs over the next three to five years, Dean of the College of Medicine Frederick Morin said.

“Having a comprehensive Vermont Cancer Center is vital to our standing as Vermont’s flagship research university and a leading academic medical center in our region,” Morin said.

Stein said he believes the Vermont Cancer Center will once again be successful because of its

unique and collaborative environment.

“Most places are more for prestige, but that’s why I came back here,” he said. “The team approach is extremely gratifying and a hell of a lot more fun.”

Many students said that the grant for the cancer center ended up in the right place.

“Although cancer is not a personal issue involved in my life, funding is important to the center because I’m sure for others it is,” junior Joseph Prather said. “It’s good that the center is being recognized.”

Stein’s epigenetic research will be a three-year project, but he said he will hopefully be able to progress further than that.

N EWS

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 25, 2012

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Peyton vows state will be off oil soon

Governor candidate visits Slade Hall Lauren Giery Staff Writer

NATALIE WILLIAMS The Vermont Cynic

Author Bill McKibben (center left) signs a petition from UVM club, Student Climate Culture presented to him by sophomore Dan Cmejla (center right) after McKibben’s talk in Ira Allen Chapel, Oct. 13.

DIVESTMENT ...continued from page 1 Cmejla said he and other SCC members believe that investing student tuition dollars in corporations that use fossil fuels is a direct violation of UVM’s core values.

“Climate change is a human rights issue as well as an environmental issue,” he said.

To understand why colleges should change the way they invest, Cmejla said that author Bill McKibben explained it best in his July article for Rolling Stone magazine titled, “Global Warming’s Terrifying New Math.”

McKibben wrote that during the 1980s, 155 universities, including UVM, withdrew money invested in companies that did business in South Africa to show that they did not support Apartheid, racial segregation enforced by the South African government.

McKibbon stated that the incentive for universities to divest this time around should matter even more to students because climate change isn’t just happening in one part of the world — it is everywhere.

“If their college’s endowment has fossil-fuel stock, then their educations are being subsidized by investments that guarantee they won’t have much of a planet to make use of their degree,”

BARSTOOL

Group wants investments out of fossil fuels McKibben wrote.

The SCC will be making their case before the Socially Responsible Investment Work Group (SRIWG) at the public commentary portion of the next Board of

“It would be great to see the ‘Environmental University’ fund alternative energy projects.”

Kesha Ram Vermont representative Trustees meeting in November.

The SCC has already had some support from trustee members, including UVM alumna and Vermont Rep. Kesha Ram. “It would be great to see the ‘Environmental University’ fund alternative energy projects to help propel us into a sustainable 21st century,” Ram stated in an email.

But some students question how divestment will affect the University’s finances.

“I’m not against divestment, but I do think we need to consider the impact on the endowment,” said junior Derek Neal. “Could something like this end up raising tuition?”

As of last May, an advisory council representing students, faculty, staff and the administration was formed to work with the Board of Trustees and SWIRG, trustee Samuel Bain said.

“This process is transparent and will incorporate plenty of opportunities for public commentary,” he said.

UVM’s most recent investment conflict was in 2011 when student organizations proposed that the University dissociate from corporations profiting on Israel’s military occupation in Palestine, the Cynic reported.

“Advocacy and sponsorship began to dissipate shortly after it was brought forward,” Bain said.

“There was no consensus.”

In the meantime, he said the process was going to take into account all potential risks and benefits of a divestment campaign.

“It’s a big question,” Bain said.

“I truly believe it’s a situation dependent.”

But SCC members said they think UVM’s response would define just how committed the administration is to sustainability.

The students of Slade Hall welcomed independent candidate for governor, Emily Peyton, as they came together for a potluck dinner and a few songs to hear her speak Oct. 9.

Peyton vowed in her platform, “The Vermont Pledge,” that the state would be off oil in five years and addressed various other issues including the economy, renewable energy, health care, the education system, the legalization of hemp and marijuana, war and agricultural security.

Peyton said she would like the state to use hemp oil exclusively to power cars, or use alternate means of transportation such as a statewide monorail or motor scooters.

“These things are a matter of reasoning and a matter of will,” Peyton said. “We need [legalized hemp] like yesterday.”

Besides hemp, she would also like to legalize high THC marijuana, claiming marijuana is already the state’s major cash crop.

Recreational use of marijuana encourages creativity, Peyton said.

“Incidentally, I used to smoke when I was your age,” she said.

Besides recreational uses, Peyton said she believes marijuana oils can cure cancers and alleviate various other illnesses.

“Weed cures cancers, but no one tells us this,” Peyton said.

“We deserve to be healing with the weed instead of the chemotherapy.”

With regard to health care, Peyton plans to base Vermont’s system on the Cuban model, in which the state would pay for the education of doctors and nurses in return for their services in the health field, according to her campaign platform.

Peyton also would like to see more creativity and fine arts implemented into the state’s education system. She said she believes public schools are oppressive places for students whose learning styles differ from what is taught.

To turn many of her goals into reality, she stresses the im-

portance of a reward system, in which people would get some kind of incentive in return for complying with her ideas.

As an example, Peyton said the government could pay for students’ tuition in return for service to the state of Vermont.

“Weed cures cancers, but no one tells us this.”

Elizabeth Peyton Independent candidate for governor

COURTESY OF EMILY PEYTON

Junior Alex Gemme, who organized Peyton’s visit, said one of her major reasons for visiting was because of her frustration with the nation’s two-party system and its limits.

“Support for either political party is to perpetuate the harm, harm that is accelerating drastically,” Peyton said.

Sophomore Merraz Mostafa said he admired Emily’s ideas on democracy — or lack thereof — in America.

“She understands the drawbacks of the political system, but is not willing to conform to those drawbacks,” Mostafa said.

In 2010’s gubernatorial race, Peyton ran against Gov. Peter Shumlin, but dropped out before the general election for what she claimed was lack of recognition.

This year Peyton will be facing Shumlin again, as well as the Republican candidate Randy Brock.

Blackout event brings more than 2,400 to Memorial auditorium, mayor raises safety concerns

...continued from page 1 wrote under his pseudonym, elpresidente. “The safest people at the entire UVM campus were the ones at our party with professional security. Not the ones pouring shots down their face in their dorm rooms.”

Considering the total number of people who attended, Portnoy stated that 16 incidents shouldn’t be cause for concern.

“There were 16 total ‘incidents’ out of 2,400 people,” he stated. “For all you mathematicians, that is less than one percent of the crowd.

“Bottom line is nobody was hurt — there were no fights,” Portnoy said. “Everybody had a great time.”

Senior Charlie Kelley questioned the level of attention Weinberger has given to the tour in a Facebook post in the group,

“UVM Students for Fair Treatment in Burlington.”

“For all you mathematicians, that is less than one percent of the crowd.”

David Portnoy elpresidente, Barstool Sports “It’s funny how the mayor raised such unwarranted scrutiny on this event,” he stated. “I didn’t see him hold a press conference after all those armed robberies.”

Sophomore Caroline Cadieux had a different take on the issue.

“I agree that the city should not sponsor such an event anymore,” she wrote. “I mean, let’s be real, it’s called Barstool ‘Blackout’ – obviously that’s going to come with issues.”

Sophomore Jake Cohen said the event was the same as a typical party he would go to downtown, just with more people.

“I feel like it was overhyped a little bit, but still entertaining,” Cohen said. “I went to Skrillex last year at Memorial — there were more people and it was rowdier.”

When Cohen heard that 16 people were detoxed, he said he was shocked.

“It seemed a lot calmer than a usual concert,” he said. “The number of detoxes seem disproportional to how big it was. I’d like to see stats of other concerts that had gone down there.”

PHOTO COURTESY OF RYAN WIKLUND, BARTSOOL SPORTS

DJ Dante the Don spins his music for Barstool Blackout hosted

by Barstool Sports at the Memorial Auditorium Oct. 19.

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NEWS

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 25, 2012

EXCELLENCE ...continued from page 1 ask donors to make donations by mail, telephone, electronically or in person.”

Attendee Jay Bigman, class of 1986, said the Celebrating Excellence event has not always been so formal.

“Back in the day, we just had a really simple [event],” he said.

“It was just nice to be able to recognize certain people, because they had given a lot of time and money, as people who have done a lot of good.”

Although he is not at the level of those who are asked to make some of the larger contributions, Bigman said the University still contacts him regularly.

“They will follow up with a letter saying I hope you can make an annual donation,” he said. “It is a high pressure tactic, the way they approach people. I can tell you from working with many organizations, they research the people they really want to get donations from before they go out and ask those people.”

Although they do not have the

Five percent of funds come from alumni expenses totaled, the Celebrating Excellence dinner is paid for entirely by the UVM Foundation, Goyette said.

“The cost of the event is part of the UVM Foundation’s yearly stewardship budget, which is

“Last year, donors committed $45 million to the University.”

Rich Bundy Vice president for alumni relations used to recognize and promote the impact of private philanthropy on our campus,” he said.

Bigman said he thinks the money for the dinner is most likely used in an appropriate manner.

“There have been times when I’ve had some mixed emotions that they spend a lot of money on their thank you event,” he said. “I’ve thought, why don’t

they take the money and put it toward something else? But it builds doors and relationships so that it’s money well spent, and I’m sure the money comes back to them tenfold over the course of the years.”

Although the dinner has changed over the years, Bigman said he thinks it was and still is an important event.

“The majority of the people in the room are donating with money or sweat equity and it is really important for the University to develop a relationship with those people,” he said. “It’s not just a question of here’s the money — it’s very important to maintain those relationships over time.”

UVM President Tom Sullivan reiterated the importance of alumni for the success of the University at the dinner.

“We can all be proud of tonight,” Sullivan said. “The people in this room clearly demonstrate the success stories that come out of UVM. This University is deeply proud of its alumni.”

ALEX GOLDENBERG The Vermont Cynic

Honors College Dean Abu Turab Rizvi speaks about a new scholarship honoring late professor Cark Reidel Oct. 11.

Lauding a legacy

Fund honors prof. Carl Reidel Steph Beland Staff Writer A new scholarship honoring the late professor Carl Reidel will be used to fund student-led environmental projects for students in the Honors College, beginning next school year.

As founder of the first university-wide interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary environmental studies program in the Honors College, Reidel’s family and friends set up a fund in honor of him after he died in November 2011.

“Reidel was a very important person on the UVM campus; he was well-known nationally,” Dean of the Honors College Abu Rizvi said. “It was fantastic to hear that his family wanted to remember his legacy by starting this scholarship.”

Students in any major who demonstrate strong academic interest can receive the scholarship to go toward a project of their choice, Rizvi said. “[Reidel] felt that environmental studies covered more than one subject,” Rizvi said. “He wanted students from all across the University to get involved in

the study.”

First-year Rachel Mellen said she thinks the scholarship will be a good way for students majoring in various subjects to get involved in environmental studies.

“It might be something I would look into, although I’m focused on pre-vet,” Mellen said.

“There’s a lot of opportunity to

“Reidel was a very important person on the UVM campus.”

Abu Rizvi Dean of the Honors College get involved in [environmental projects] here.”

The family of Reidel is leaving it up to the staff to determine which students will be eligible for the scholarship, Rizvi said.

“For us, it is really fantastic,” Rizvi said. “It promotes environmental thinking through education.”

Alums donate $1 mil Katy Cardin Assistant News Editor Two UVM alumni, Robert and Carolyn Brennan, donated $1 million to the Honors College, which will be dispersed throughout the next five years.

The donation will be split into two equal parts, half going to the Brennan Family Scholarship Fund, established in 2006, and the other half to establishing the Brennan Summer Research Fellowship, the University Communications website stated.

“One of the things Carolyn and I think is very helpful in en-

riching the academic experience is experiential learning,” Robert Brennan said. “We think summer research positions are a way to increase the classroom experience.”

Both funds give scholarships and grants based on merit and need, he said.

“We are very impressed with what Dean Rizvi has done with the Honors College,” Brennan said. “Carolyn and I are really focused on trying to help elevate academic excellence at UVM and I think that the Honors College is the expression of that.”

LIFE

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 25, 2012

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10 ‘Rancing’ races to Burlington Top Costumes Supporters against bullying join running and dancing Erin Focone Assistant Life/Features Editor Rance like no one is watching and rance to your own beat: that is the motto of Rancing Revolution, a social movement that uses rancing, a combination of running and dancing, to bring awareness to bullying.

The rancing movement was started at the College of William and Mary by Kailee BricknerMcDonald, director of the Dewey House for Civic Engagement, to spread her message about anti-bullying in an unconventional way.

The Rancing Revolution group hit Church Street Oct. 20 as anti-bullying supporters gathered in their neon green shirts to run and dance toward the waterfront while handing out fliers which posed the question, “Why bully?”

This was the first Rancing Revolution in Burlington and they hope to make it an annual event in October because it is anti-bullying month.

Corey Richardson, the executive director of the Rancing Revolution, kicked off the event with a speech about their mission.

“Rancing is a great metaphor, but it’s also a form of activism, happy activism,” Richardson said. “If we make ourselves visible and rance hard enough, who knows? We might just cre-

3. “I’m doing a superhero theme this Halloween: I am going to be Batman one night, and then Superman the next night.” – junior Myria Luty.

4. “My friends and I are going as the village people; I’m going as the construction worker.” – senior Ike Tucker.

5. “I am going as a sock monkey.” – senior Abby Hutchinson.

MAX LANDERMAN The Vermont Cynic

A resident ‘rances’ down Church Street Oct. 20. ‘Rancing’ is a combination of running and dancing. The Rancing Revolution group held the event in order to protest bullying in honor of anti-bullying month. ate a cultural shift toward kindness.”

The rancers got into position at the top of Church Street and blasted Jackson 5’s song, “ABC,” as they ranced their way down the street.

Carin Hoffman, program specialist of the Dewey House for Civic Engagement, emphasized the importance of standing up against bullying.

“Bullying is pervasive; it

AWARA grapples with little interest Sarah Kerson Cynic Correspondent White students make up about 85 percent of the UVM population, according to the Princeton Review’s website.

Aspiring White Anti-Racist Allies (AWARA) hopes to provide some insight into that statistic.

AWARA is a group dedicated to raising awareness about racism, specifically around issues of whiteness and white privilege.

They hope to provide a space for students to talk about these issues. Their first meeting was Oct. 17 at the ALANA Student Center on campus.

“We all feel really passionate about it,” said Chris Nile, a graduate student and adviser to AWARA. “It’s exciting that we can really take it anywhere that the group wants to take it.”

Senior Ally Croteau, president of AWARA, became involved with the group last year after attending NextUp, a social justice retreat for students hosted by the departments of Student Life Leadership and Civic Engagement.

“I think we’re just slowly trying to bring awareness to whiteness, white privilege, white culture and how to be an ally to people of color,” she said.

The group is indeed slow going: there were no participants at the initial interest meeting Oct. 17.

1.“We are going as Phil and Lil from the Rugrats.” – juniors Kaitlyn DeAngelis and Rachel Haab.

2. “My friends and I are putting a twist on the Spice Girls costume: I am going as Paprika Spice.” – senior Sarah Pietryka.

“I would consider us a struggling group, to be honest,” said Macki Snyder, an intern at the ALANA Student Center and one of two advisers to AWARA. Croteau agreed, noting that many of last year’s AWARA members have graduated.

“We’re kind of in a new growth period,” she said.

In the past, the group has been involved with events such as Reading to End Racism, a project where students go into Burlington area schools to read books that discuss racism.

Currently, AWARA is working on building its membership.

Though they are affiliated with the ALANA Student Center, they have not been able to gain SGA recognition because of their lack of participants.

Croteau also said that white students might be less inclined to participate in an anti-racism group because they do not have to face the realities of racism on a daily basis like students of color do.

“It’s not a big turnout because people don’t need to be aware of themselves,” she said.

Croteau and Snyder both maintained that while AWARA is a group that intends to discuss issues of whiteness, it is not intended for only white students.

“Race and racism affect us all, and white privilege affects us all,” Snyder said.

doesn’t end in high school,” Hoffman said. “We are striking a pose against bullying so people are comfortable in their own identities.”

Various people came out in support of the Rancing Revolution, including students and alumni.

“I think it is a positive thing to do,” said Anne Bouchard, an alumna of the class of 1979. “You can get out and exercise.”

Another supporter of the Rancing Revolution was pleased with the group’s message.

“I am completely against bullying and this seems like a unique way to discourage it,” said Hannah Nasta, a high school student.

For more information on how to join the Rancing Revolution, visit www.rancingrevolution.com.

6. “Gynecologist,” – senior Stevie Mone.

7.“We are going as Bud Light Lime bottles.” – sophomores Rachael Zeno and Kristin Sibley.

8. “My friends are going as a pig and a cow – lots of people will want to be their farmer.” – sophomore Max Blake.

9. “My sorority sisters and I are going as ROYGBIV: the colors of the rainbow.” – junior Kelley Wheaton.

10. “I am wearing all orange and going as Hypercarotenemia: it is when your skin turns orange from eating too many carrots.” – sophomore Kailey Bruno.

6

ARTS

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 25, 2012

Debussy at 150

Series highlights Impressionism Natalie Slack Arts Editor

PHOTO COURTESY OF MISSION SOUTH

Washington, D.C. based rock and blues band Mission South poses in a front of an airplane. Mission South is set to play at Red Square Oct. 27. Alumnus Max Harwood is part of the three piece band.

Mission South heads North

UVM graduate takes band to Red Square Dillon Baker Assistant Arts Editor Sometimes looking back to the past can lead to the most perceptive looks forward. Washington, D.C. based band Mission South stands on the shoulders of rock and blues giants to create a sound all their own.

With strong, gravely vocals, powerful, bluesy guitar riffs and a keen knowledge of what makes rock music great, Mission South seems poised to take off in the music scene.

Featuring UVM alumnus Max Harwood on drums, this trio is currently on their first national tour in support of their 2011 EP “Migration Vol.1.”

The Vermont Cynic talked with Harwood about the crazy story behind the beginnings of Mission South, what it’s like to be on the road and what’s next for this up-andcoming band.

The Vermont Cynic (VC): So first things first, could you describe Mission South’s sound for anyone that has never heard of you guys? Do you have any influences worthy of a shout out?

Max Harwood (MH): Well, we’ve gone with dubbing ourselves an alternative blues trio. It’s rock music, but there are a lot of blues influences. We call it blues because it’s got that soul and that raw emotion, but we kind of take our own direction and make our own unique arrangements that go beyond just the 12 bar blues tradition.

As far as influences, there’s a huge range; going back to the blues tradition, guys like Taj Mahal and B.B. King, and up to more contemporary stuff, there’s the Red Hot Chili Peppers and even the Black Keys. I’m actually a huge Led Zeppelin fan so I try to bring that into the equation as well.

VC: What is Mission South’s story? Where are you all from and how did you get started playing music together?

MH: We actually got started way back in the day.

We’ve been friends since elementary school and grew up just hanging out and jamming together. High school was the first time we got together and officially dubbed ourselves Mission South.

“Honestly, I think [playing in Burlington] is going to be surreal.

I hope a lot of people come out and check out the show; it’s going to be an awesome time.”

Max Harwood Mission South Drummer Then what happened is that we all ended up going to different colleges. I ended up going to UVM, Dan (the lead singer) went to Tulane down in New Orleans and John (the bass player) went to Virginia Tech. At first, we were all separated and basically Mission South was our summer job. Junior year of college, we began to write more of our own original compositions and that’s when our style evolved. We started bringing in those blues influences and crafting our own sound. At one point we just kind of noticed, ‘Hey, these tunes are actually pretty good’ and people at shows would be like ‘is that yours; did you write that?’

Senior year, instead of looking at the distance between our schools as some kind of setback, we started viewing it as an opportunity.

What we did was try to book

as many shows as we could at each other’s schools so that for a while we’d have these three week tours in the middle of school where we’d drive or fly to each other’s schools over the weekend.

It was honestly totally insane. We’d have to borrow equipment from people and it was so raw because the last time we had played together was over the summer. Basically we were just doing it live, but it went well and it was a lot of fun.

VC: So you guys just started your first big national tour. How does it feel to be hitting the road and spreading your music?

MH: It’s exciting. That’s all it is, just really exhilarating. It’s a cool change of pace from working in the practice room on all the nitty-gritty work. You hit the road and from there it’s just a show.

VC: I’m sure coming back to Burlington and your old college stomping grounds has to be particularly exciting for you, right?

MH: Oh yeah, definitely.

Honestly, I think it’s going to be surreal. I hope a lot of people come out and check out the show; it’s going to be an awesome time.

VC: So what’s on tap for Mission South? Any new material to look forward to?

MH: Absolutely. We’re already in the process of writing five or six new tunes that we’re bringing on the road with us for the fall tour.

Then, as soon as the fall tour ends, we’re straight back into the studio for Vol. 2.

We have a music video coming out early 2013, and then Vol. 2 will probably release March of 2013. It’s all moving forward for Mission South.

Download “Migration Vol.1” for free on missionsouth.com, and if you’re 21+, check out Mission South live at Red Square Oct. 27. Read the complete interview at www.vermontcynic.com.

One hundred and fifty years after Claude Debussy’s birth, musicians and audiences are still captivated by the composer’s brilliant and innovative body of work.

In celebration of Debussy’s immense impact on the modern era, the Music and Literature Series is hosting a concert in the Music Building Recital Hall on Thursday, Nov. 1 at 7:30 p.m., free of charge.

The program will include three of Debussy’s last sonatas, along with a variety of other works for the piano, violin, viola, cello, harp and flute.

The Vermont Cynic had the chance to speak with two of the concert organizers, pianist and UVM affiliate artist Paul Orgel and professor Tom Simone.

Orgel is the featured pianist on the program.

The Vermont Cynic: What makes Claude Debussy a critical figure in the transition to the modern era in the Western music tradition?

Paul Orgel: Debussy was one of the most original composers in music history.

His music is understated, highly refined and colorful, humorous and never pompous or perfunctory.

VC: How does this program highlight Debussy’s immense impact on modern music?

PO: The program presents a cross section of Debussy’s music, featuring three important late works and several other pieces with shared references to classical Greece.

VC: How does Erik Satie’s piano composition “Gymnopédie No. 1” serve as an introduction for the rest of the program?

PO: Satie was an eccentric, primitive composer whose unusual use of harmony had a big influence on Debussy.

Both composers broke many established rules of composition with their use of parallel chords, non-functional harmonic progressions and melodies based on modes and the pentatonic scale, rather than major and minor.

VC: What kind of innovations can we hear in Debussy’s music that had not been implemented up until his time? What should the audience be listening for?

PO: Debussy, and French music in general, takes great pleasure in sound for its own sake, in the timbres of flute and harp, instruments not heard in chamber music before the 20th century, as well as the more standard violin, viola and cello – all used with extreme ingenuity and exploitation of color.

His piano writing creates atmosphere with extreme delicacy, imaginative use of the pedal, new textures and

lots of rhythmic variety.

VC: What are some of the parallels between Debussy’s innovative musical style and the literature of the modern era?

Tom Simone: We are reading Proust’s “Swann’s Way,” the beginning of one of the masterpieces of literary modernism, in my Dawn of Modernism course. Proust’s biographer William Carter speculates that Proust saw his advances in literature as complementary to those of Debussy in music. Where Debussy extends harmony, rhythm and texture to new dimensions in music, Proust follows new paths of reflection, artistic nuance and psychological detail in his literary world. Proust knew Debussy and admired his music deeply.

VC: The three Sonatas on the program are among Debussy’s final compositions; they were all composed within three years of the composer’s death.

How do these works compare to his early chamber music compositions?

“Debussy was one of the most original composers in music history.”

Paul Orgel Pianist PO: In 1915, during World War I, Debussy planned a project of composing six sonatas for “diverse instruments.” He only lived to finish three, and I think it will be an unusual treat to hear them together on one concert. They represent the start of a new style for Debussy, less impressionistic and more precise, with a kind of concision and clarity that looks back to the French baroque composers Rameau and Couperin.

Debussy invents his own musical forms in these sonatas, and the exotic influence of Spanish music – beloved of French composers – can be heard in each of them.

VC: How does the juxtaposition of music and literature give us a heightened appreciation of the arts as listeners and readers?

TS: As Proust portrays so elegantly in “Swann’s Way,” music offers a beauty and a haunting power that language often tries to capture. While music often presents beauty and emotion in ways that complement written language, the novelist or poet often tries to evoke and include a sense of auditory as well as conceptual suggestion that is inspired by music. As readers and listeners, the achievements of literature and music supplement and inform each other.

ARTS

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 25, 2012

This Week in Arts Monday

The Cynical Listener

Oct. 29

Mildred Moody’s Full Moon Masquerade Club Metronome, 9 p.m., 21+ SARAH STICKLE

By Sarah Sickle Arts Columnist This Week in Arts highlights upcoming events at UVM and in the Burlington community. Sarah Sickle provides her recommendations for local concerts.

Friday Oct. 26

Hair Down Radio Bean, 8 p.m.

Hair Down is a duo comprised of Burlington singer/songwriters Joe Adler and Samara Lark.

Adler is a big man in town: Radio Bean agent, founder and host of Burgundy Thursdays, co-manager of Mildred Moody’s Full Moon Masquerades and a great stage personality. Lark is a classically trained jazz vocalist.

Together, these two are amoung the funniest and most evocative performers in Burlington. Quiet, contemplative, talented, hilarious and energetic are all words that describe this duo. This is a show for everybody.

Saturday Oct. 27

Justin Levinson Band Radio Bean, 11:30 p.m.

Justin Levinson is something special. He is a fantastic songwriter whose tunes will be stuck in your head for days in the most pleasant way possible.

Stories from a heart that’s been truly shattered come through in his innovative lyrics full of imagery and clever metaphors.

The best way to hear Levinson is with his incredibly talented band comprised of Simon Plumpton (drums), Sean Witters (lead guitar), Joshua Glass (keyboard) and Seth Barbiero (bass).

Check out his latest album “This Side of Me, This Side of You” to be convinced.

Sunday Oct. 28

Bohemian Blues Quartet Radio Bean, 11 a.m.

I always give a shout-out to this series. The monthly Mildred Moody’s Full Moon Masquerade never disappoints.

This month features the prominent Kat Wright & the Indomitable Soul Band, along with regular and always stellar headliner The Human Canvas (THC).

Tuesday Oct. 30

Zach duPont Radio Bean, 6 p.m.

Zack duPont is one of the best and most esteemed musicians in all of Vermont.

He’s also a really great guy.

His low-key style is accentuated by some of the most innovative and well-practiced fingerpicking there is in the Western music world, and a gorgeous voice that floats over his warm guitar in perfect pitch with wonderful emotion.

Don’t miss out on hearing this stellar singer/ songwriter live. Be sure to tip him well: he’s free.

Wednesday Oct. 31

Halloween Dance Party with Josh Panda and the New Undead Skinny Pancake, 8 p.m., $5 suggested donation The Skinny Pancake is usually a low-key setting where Panda and his crew play acoustic sets, but on this special occasion, the restaurant is clearing out all its chairs and hosting a dance party, costume contest and Halloweenthemed cocktails to accompany their already great selection of drafts.

The party goes until midnight. Don’t miss hearing this guy let loose with his ridiculously talented band.

Thursday Nov. 1 Toni Catlin Shelburne Vineyard, 6 p.m.

Toni Catlin combines pop country and roots country beautifully. A great songwriter, gorgeous singer and all-around wonderful musician, Catlin has been known to collaborate with artists such as local Honky Tonk king Brett Hughes.

7

DILLON BAKER

‘Lonerism’ casts a hypnotic spell Comparing a band to the Beatles is not something to take lightly. It’s rare to read a review calling a new band Beatles-esque because, let’s face it: few bands can replicate their mastery of the pop song, let alone the enormous influence they had on both music and popular culture.

Well folks, your humble reviewer is about to cross the line. I’m going to call a band Beatles-esque. That band is psychedelic pop outfit Tame Impala.

Hailing from Australia, Tame Impala is relatively new to the music scene, having released their first LP “Innerspeaker” back in 2010. This was not your everyday LP, as it received a place on many end-of-theyear lists, including winning Rolling Stone’s album of the year.

“Lonerism,” their latest offering, manages to eclipse their past success by building on their trademark psychedelic sound while moving to a more poppy yet

incredibly inventive direction.

Though I’ve been referring to Tame Impala as a group, this is a bit of a misnomer as the songs are primarily written and recorded by one man: Kevin Parker.

Parker, as this solitary style of music-making and the title of “Lonerism” suggests, is a bit of a loner.

Most of the songs on this new album, despite their joyful sound, revolve around themes of social isolation.

The cover of “Lonerism” itself suggests a separation from the normal social world. A metal gate separates the viewer from the relaxing crowd within; we the viewers are merely voyeurs of this inaccessible crowd of sunbathers.

Dreams, love and conceptions of the self dominate most of the lyrics: “This could be the day that we push through/It could be the day that all our dreams come true/For me and you/ Till we’re at the end of just another day,” Parker pines on the early album epic “Apocalypse Dreams.”

Loner issues of social disconnect also play heavily on songs such as “Music to Walk Home By”: “I guess I’m alright/But they’re all doing so well/What would I give/To be under that spell.”

The introspective lyrics provide a sympathetic arm to guide the listener through the lush and hypnotic spell of the instrumentation behind it.

This instrumentation is distinctly psychedelic pop that sometimes strays into harder rock. There have been few bands that have truly pulled off the genre of psychedelic pop since the Beatles, but Tame Impala succeeds with bright, mindaltering colors.

Reverb effects, fuzzy guitars, jaunty percussion, deep layers of texture and even Pink Floyd-esque background conversation in the jam tune “Keep on Lying” highlight the psychedelic style that permeates the album. Parker’s voice, which aptly sounds remarkably similar to John Lennon, swoops in and perfectly completes this psychedelic sound.

Tracks such as “Mind Mischief,” “Endors Toi” and “Feels Like We Only Go Backwards” encapsulate the upbeat, inventive and mind-melting song style that makes “Lonerism” truly great.

The pure execution with which Tame Impala captures everything that can make psychedelic music great, combined with catchy and clever pop song structures, make up an album that is both imminently listenable and deeply rewarding of, at least in my case, an inordinate amount of listens.

So, do you like the Beatles? Do you like music?

I don’t really know what you’re waiting for then – Tame Impala’s “Lonerism” needs some company.

8 THURSDAY, OCTOBER 25, 2012

S P E C TAC LE

Spectacle a look through the lens

Pumpkins have faces The Haunted Forest Pumpkin Carving drew volunteers at the Catamount Outdoor Family Center in Williston Oct 13. Champlain College senior Andria Alpaugh (top left) and Bolton resident Anthony Granger (middle right) carved their pumpkins at the event, which was held to line the Haunted Forest walk with carved pumpkins.

PHOTOS BY Alexa Algios

SP ECTACLE

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 25, 2012

9

Slightly Stoopid plays heady jams

Southern California band Slightly Stoopid played a sold out event at Higher Ground in South Burlington Oct. 17.

The members of the band often switched guitars and positions mid-song. The band is known for combining rock, blues, hip-hop, reggae and punk. They are currently touring around the U.S. in support of their new album, ‘Top of the World,’ which was released in August.

PHOTOS BY Jonathan Polson

D I S T RAC T I O N S

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 25, 2012

____ 16. A Thanksgiving favorite 2. Baby back or spare 17. Italian staple that needs to 4. Great for a rainy day or when be boiled to be eaten you are sick 18. A type of cabbage that is of7. Can be poached or boiled ten enjoyed in the form of chips 11. One of the most popular 19. A dried grape kinds of candy, also a great 20. Classical group of comic source of antioxidants strip characters, also a type of 12. A dish topped with cheese is nut referred to as __ ______ 22. Comes in many varieties 14. Often red, yellow or green, and bookends sandwiches can be enjoyed in juice form 15. A dessert dish served with ice cream is referred to as _ __

Across

Down

1. There are many ways to eat this food, such as fried or mashed 3. I scream, you scream, we all scream for this 5. An American favorite that can be covered in a range of toppings from every food group 6. Sweet and sour fruit that resembles a large pinecone 8. Letting food soak in a liquid mixture in order to make it more flavorful

11

9. This fruit is grown in clusters and can also be made into juice or alcoholic beverages 10. A food we pop 11. Made from pressed curds of milk 13. A poor college student’s main go-to food 15. The desired texture of cooked pasta 17. A prune is a dried version of this fruit 21. A vegetarian favorite that can be used in a variety of dishes

Camp Morning Wood by Scott Womer

Answers to last week’s crossword: Space

Across

3. Pluto 5. Galileo 6. Solar system

11. Galaxy 17. Telescope 19. Astronomical unit

21. Supernova 22. Star 23. Aurora borealis

24. Asteroids 25. Orbit 26. Curiosity

Down

1. Planet

2. Terrestrial 4. Light year

7. Milky Way 8. Gas giants 9. Copernicus 10. Moon

12. Saturn 13. Comet 14. Nebula 15. Dwarf

16. Meteor 18. Sun 20. Constellation

12

Opinion

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 25, 2012

STAFF EDITORIAL

THE VERMONT

C YNIC

EDITORIAL BOARD Editor-in-Chief Brent Summers cynic@uvm.edu

802-656-0337

Managing Editor Corrie Roe

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News

Becky Hayes

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Opinion

Peyton Rosenthal

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Sports

Mike Eaton

cynicsportseditor@gmail.com

Life/Feature Hannah Ullman

cyniclifeeditor@gmail.com

Arts

Natalie Slack

cynicartseditor@gmail.com

Web

Kathleen Murray

vermontcynicweb@gmail.com

Photography Natalie Williams

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Jasmine Hughes

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STAFF Assistant Editors

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Divesting from oil, working together A few savvy students recently took a look at the stocks UVM invests in. The findings? There are a few black marks on our very green campus.

They argue that a university cannot preach sustainability when it is profiting from investments in petroleum and oil companies.

To make complex investing simple: when you give UVM your precious tuition dollars, they don’t hide it under President Sullivan’s mattress. Instead, our University makes a profit off of the money by investing in large index funds, which are made up of individual stocks.

While it takes some digging, a close look at these funds reveals that UVM has made money off of Exxon Mobil, Chevron, Dominion and other companies that suck fossil fuels out of the Earth as fast as they can.

Regardless of your political affiliation, climate change is a real issue. And while it was troubling to see the issue not discussed in any of the US Presidential debates, these students are hoping that they can get our administration to make a change on campus that has global repercussions.

The response so far is one of cooperation that we at the Cynic are glad to see. The administration has recognized the problem and has gone on the record to say that they are open to change. This issue seems to be one where student activists will be sitting in Waterman, problem-solving with the Board of Trustees, instead of standing outside protesting.

We are going to hold the administration accountable to their words and look forward to seeing this large step between student and administrator cooperation.

The balance: finding an investment strategy that does not compromise the profitability of UVM’s portfolio while slowly divesting from fossil fuels.

Distribution Manager Kyle DeVivo kdevivo@uvm.edu

Advertising Manager cynicalads@gmail.com

ADVISER Faculty Adviser Chris Evans

crevans@uvm.edu

Illustration by Vicky Mooney

COLUMNISTS

We deserve a fair campaign in the privacy of his own home – not to a horde of reporters.

The word “liar” is severe in that it questions the intentions, honor and credibility of an opponent.

It’s not just saying that the other person is wrong; it implies that the person knows he/she is incorrect and tries to mislead BIANCA MOHN

A word that was once reserved for schoolyard taunting has made it onto the national stage.

Welcome to the rhetoric of the 2012 presidential campaign, where one can use the word “liar” to accuse an opponent at every opportunity. A venue that once held a scrap of dignity has been degraded to the playgrounds of Washington, D.C., where politicians run around calling each other names until the teacher – or moderator – calls for a timeout.

Let’s look at who said what.

The Obama campaign has made the word “liar” a choice word for describing Mitt Romney.

Brad Woodhouse of the Democratic National Committee was quoted in The Week as saying, “Plenty of people have pointed out what a liar Mitt Romney is.”

If Woodhouse was trying to sound like an uncouth urchin, he succeeded. Calling someone a liar is petty and accusatory, but also quite serious.

In the days of etiquette, a gentleman did not call his enemies liars, especially not on the national stage. He might do so

While the Obama campaign has been swinging the word liar around like a golf club, Romney and his campaign have refrained from using the word directly, but Romney’s record is far from clean. you anyway.

At a press conference aboard Air Force One, David Plouffe, a top adviser to President Obama, said that Romney “lie[d] to 50 million Americans” according to The Wall Street Journal.

Clearly this is a snide, petty remark, but what is less obvious is why Plouffe thought the comment was worthy of being voiced to the press. Politics is inherently a mudslinging contest, but “liar” didn’t used to be part of the territory.

While the Obama campaign has been swinging the word liar around like a golf club, Romney

and his campaign have refrained from using the word directly, but Romney’s record is far from clean.

At a campaign rally in Ohio, Romney accused Obama of keeping the truth from the American people. Quoted in Yahoo News, Romney asked how Obama could “go out there and just tell people things that aren’t true?”

It appears that the strategy is to repeat accusatory phrases until voters believe that they are true.

It makes the candidates look like finger-pointing slobs who do not possess ideas worth voicing other than finding ways to creatively blame everyone around them.

Obama is guilty of this too.

After the first debate, he condemned Romney for being intentionally vague about his beliefs, and said that he “owes American people the truth,” according to The Globe and Mail.

Americans deserve the truth.

But you know what we are also owed? A fair and honorable campaign.

So far, we have witnessed low blows, superficial debates and poor sportsmanship from both sides. The repetitive use of the word liar from the Obama campaign is disgraceful and shameful from the current president.

Respect, honor and dignity – these are the qualities that should shine in an election year.

Enough with the name-calling — let’s discuss the issues.

Bianca Mohn is a sophomore business administration major.

She has been writing for The Cynic since fall 2011.

CONTROVERSIAL QUOTE OF THE WEEK

“AW ADELE GAVE BIRTH TO A BABY. IS IT FAT AND HANDICAPPED LOL? JUST MURDER IT ALREADY LOL.”

- Twitter user, @PerfFemale, responded to the birth of Adele’s newborn baby and the account was then promply deleted.

Unsigned editorials officially reflect the views of The Cynic and its staff. All signed opinion pieces and columns do not necessarily do so. The Cynic accepts letters in response to anything you see printed as well as any issues of interest in the community. Please limit letters to 350 words. Send letters to cynicopinion@gmail.com

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OPINION

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 25, 2012

COLUMNISTS

Measuring Graham’s reach as in the case of South Africa’s apartheid system. Accordingly, I cannot earnestly find fault with Mr. Romney’s desire to meet with him.

Instead, I find myself disheartened by the overreaching influence of the aging religious leader.

JOSH GACHETTE

Presidential hopeful Willard M. Romney — you may know him better as good ol’ Mit — made the rounds in North Carolina while campaigning for the state’s 15 electoral college votes.

One scheduled stop placed the Republican nominee at the home of the Evangelical Rev. Billy Graham. Reports of the meeting indicate that although the latter did not outwardly endorse the former, he offered his “support” and prayers.

Despite my numerous theological and moral disagreements with the reverend, he is deserving of respect for being a public figure who has established clout for himself from over half a century’s worth of ministry.

He used the pulpit as a podium from which to speak out against the scourge of institutional racial discrimination – both domestically, in the form of Jim Crow, and abroad,

I find myself disheartened by the overreaching influence of the aging religious leader.

Mr. Graham has met with every sitting American president since Harry Truman, including President Obama, and served as a close spiritual adviser to nearly all of them – once again, including President Obama. Considering how he played a seminal role in the 1980s’ evangelical revival, which led to the re-establishment of America’s religious right — social conservatives — I am not incredibly inclined to support his unique access to the office of the presidency.

His son, the Rev. Franklin Graham, with whom he has gone on speaking tours, has made himself known for a litany of of-

fensive comments in response to unfortunate news events.

Following 2005’s Hurricane Katrina, he claimed that the storm might have been God’s means of bringing about “revival” to combat the city’s “wicked” nature. On the topic of MuslimAmericans in an interview with ABC news, he said that he understood that Muslims want to build as many mosques and cultural centers as possible in order to convert as many Americans as they can to Islam. He expressed that he did not have the freedom to do something similar in most Muslim countries — building churches and synagogues is forbidden there.

I do not bring up Franklin’s views to insinuate that his father shares them; I have no means of proving such an accusation.

However, his associations with radical factions of conservative Christianity makes him a liability, in turn souring perceptions of the office of the president abroad.

With that being said, even more noteworthy is the profound desecration of Thomas Jefferson’s core principal of separation of church and state, brought about by the close rapport between Mr. Faldwell and all of the past 50 years’ executives.

Josh Gachette is a undeclared major. He has been writing for The Cynic since fall 2012.

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Sex and gender are not equal Dear Editor,

Although I understand that the Cynic does not necessarily endorse all signed editorials, I remain shocked that the editors of a paper known for its journalistic integrity would choose to print something as facile, condescending and blatantly offensive as Tony Yasi’s Oct. 11 Letter to the Editor.

To begin, although Mr. Yasi’s main complaint with his fundamentally flawed conception of feminism is its “false male-female dichotomy,” he actively perpetuates this binary according to his own asinine explanation: “dudes got dicks and bitches got tits.”

To use Mr. Yasi’s terms, this is “a gross oversimplification of reality.” This statement is incredibly insulting, as women should NEVER be referred to as “bitches” — this is a significant part of my disappointment in the editors — but also because this represents a false binary which fails to take into account the experiences of intersex and/ or trans-folks.

Yasi’s assessment assumes that sex and gender are the same thing; they are not. The assignment of biological sex, which is in itself a deeply complicated and fairly fallacious process, plays little to no role in an individual’s development, unless it is paired with cultural assumptions surrounding gendered behavior.

In order to understand this, I highly suggest that Mr. Yasi read some of Anne Fausto-Sterling’s work on sex and gender, such as “Sex/Gender: Biology in a Social World.”

In short, there are women with male genitals, men with breasts and people for whom sex and gender are concepts that cannot properly convey their experience of the world.

It is fascinating to me that Mr. Yasi can write of individuals who “don’t fit into an ideal ‘male’ or ‘female’ mold” while still promoting such ignorant views on gender and contending that physiological and neurological differences lead to “different paths in life.”

If Mr. Yasi would like to educate himself on these issues before submitting further tired and hateful rhetoric for public consumption he’s in luck.

Again, I urge Mr. Yasi to consult the vast collection of both popular and academic literature on the subject of culture’s role in creating sex difference, rather than taking his own shallow observations as ultimate truths; Judith Butler’s “Gender Trouble” and Cordelia Fine’s “Delusions of Gender” would be great places to start.

To add insult to injury, Mr. Yasi goes on to explain that he couldn’t POSSIBLY be espousing sexist views because he doesn’t “care if you’re a man or a woman.”

Ostensibly, all he cares about is “how good you are at what you do.” This demon-

strates a cognitive dissonance in Mr. Yasi’s views — if men and women are so different, how could he judge them based on their performance? Wouldn’t he need gender-specific scales of evaluation? — and also indicates his misperception of our society as a meritocracy.

To understand the United States as a place in which all people begin on, to use Mr. Yasi’s term, by his definition, “equal” ground is to ignore the long and ongoing history of privilege and oppression on the bases of sex, gender, race, ethnicity, class, sexuality, ability ... I assure you, the list goes on.

If Mr. Yasi would like to educate himself on these issues before submitting further tired and hateful rhetoric for public consumption, he’s in luck.

As a UVM student, Mr. Yasi has access to dozens of courses on social justice, resources like the Women’s Center, the ALANA house, and the LGBTQA center, active student organizations run by friendly and enthusiastic people, a library featuring literally thousands of books and articles concerning power and privilege — all of the books I’ve cited can be found in the Bailey/Howe catalog.

In fact, I’d argue that the only way a UVM student could be here WITHOUT gaining insight into these critical subjects is by willful, intentional ignorance, and I think I speak for the whole UVM community when I say that I expect better than that.

Sincerely, Indigo James Class of 2014

13

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Are false facts a trend?

Dear Editor,

Today I saw a “cute” cartoon in The Water Tower. The cartoon was of a lone Muslim bouncing a pebble off of a massively armed American tank while meekly asking us not to insult Muhammad. The voice bubbles show the Americans in the tank hysterically yelling that this little pebble is a threat to our freedom.

I get what the cartoon implies — we all do — and it is the hackneyed, academically lazy, yet widespread attitude that the West is always wrong, intruding, killing and bullying the rest of the world and that we see threats where they don’t exist. I would like to explain to the artist of this cartoon that his cartoon is misinformed, misleading and exceedingly naive.

Replace the pebble which the Muslim is throwing with an RPG, and replace the massively armed tank with Ambassador Chris Steven’s car, and we have a less cliché, less comical, but more accurate portrayal of the actual situation.

For those who buy into the old colonial guilt rhetoric that the West can do no right and we had no business in Libya, President Obama made sure to eloquently note in his address following the attack on Ambassador Stevens that Stevens was not in Libya in a tank insulting Muhammad, but was in fact instrumental to building schools and hospitals in a country ravaged by war.

In Pakistan, a 14-year-old girl was recently shot in the head by the Taliban for promoting female education; I don’t think the Taliban threw a pebble at her for insulting Muhammad. But our adorable cartoonist at UVM knows that it’s the West with its huge military which is responsible for the problems in the rest of the world.

What is it that leads many American youths to associate military superiority with the moral low ground, and give military inferiority an automatic moral high ground?

People forget that without the advanced U.S. military machine, low technology killers have butchered thousands with machetes in Nigeria.

And while Israel boasts one of the world’s most modern militaries, two Palestinian teenagers from Awarta slaughtered the Fogel family, including toddlers and a 3-month-old baby with a kitchen knife.

While the cartoon in The Water Tower is trendy, clever and hip, its inaccuracy and the deluded and naive worldview it promotes is an embarrassment to the American youth.

Just today, a would-be Muslim suicide bomber from Bangladesh was arrested planning to detonate a 1,000 pound car bomb in New York: a guy with a pebble, right?

To focus the blame for violence and aggression on the West while ignoring things that are politically incorrect, like saying, “Hey, the Taliban murders women and children,” and “radical Islam is a threat which must be fought,” diminishes us in the eyes of the world, especially when the majority of Muslims in the world are oppressed by radical Islam and stand in solidarity with Ambassador Stevens and the young girl in Pakistan.

So, while these cartoons show just how pervasive and hip this anti-Western sentiment is on U.S. campuses, maybe we should analyze the facts which lead to the conclusion that maybe the West isn’t so bad, and maybe the menace of radical Islam isn’t some little guy throwing a pebble at a tank.

Sincerely, Jeremiah Aryeh Rozman Class of 2014

A different perspective Dear Editor,

The weekly articles written

by Joseph Brown provide the Cynic with a quality that not many college newspapers can achieve. They revolve around atypical UVM ideas that aren’t fastened down by the pressure of conformity or acceptance.

Instead, these articles display a different perspective, representing the true mean-

ing of the Opinion section of this paper. It is a highlight of mine each week to delve into an original, intelligently composed column, whether my personal beliefs reflect those of Brown’s or not.

I look forward to reading more as new issues are published.

Thank you, Anonymous

Quick Opinion

“It’s interesting that adult women’s costumes can be constituted of less fabric than that of a young lady’s.”

- Jacob Lumba

Illustration by Andrew Becker

14

Sports

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 25, 2012

One final plea

Why more UVM students should care about sports

WILL ANDREYCAK

ALEX EDELMAN The Vermont Cynic

A Catamount player readies to kick the ball in a matchup against Niagara on Virtue Field Sept. 9.

Vermont tied Niagara in double-overtime, the first of six double-overtime ties in 15 games this season.

Cats tie rival Wildcats, clinch spot in playoffs Men’s soccer undefeated in America East, in first place above Stony Brook Colin Hekiaman Staff Writer The men’s soccer team played the University of New Hampshire Wildcats on Oct. 20 to a 0-0 double-overtime draw in America East play. The Catamounts clinched a spot in the America East Tournament from the tie. The game drew a crowd of 726 people at Virtue Field — the highest attendance at a men’s soccer game in the facility’s inaugural season.

This will be the third straight year that UVM has competed in the tournament, and the eighth time in nine years while being coached by Jesse Cormier. The Catamounts remain in first place in America East standings, 3-02, and move to 6-4-5 overall.

“I don’t think we played well enough to win it.”

Jesse Cormier Vermont men’s soccer head coach

“I have mixed emotions because you always want to win at home, you always want to come away with three points,” said head coach Jesse Cormier.

“But I don’t think we played well enough to win it.”

The game was delayed during the first overtime at 3:28

ALEX EDELMAN The Vermont Cynic Junior defenseman Scott Kisling works the ball away from a Central Connecticut State intruder in the UVM win on Virtue Field Sept. 7.

because of lightning, with play resuming after 30 minutes.

Neither team had many opportunities to score in the 110 minutes of action. In the final minutes of regulation, a UNH header appeared bound for the back of the net, but UVM goalkeeper, junior Conor Leland, came up with the save. Leland finished the game with two stops.

In the second overtime, UVM sophomore Jesse Scheirer had his shot attempt blocked by

a UNH defender, keeping the game scoreless.

UNH goalkeeper Travis Worra was credited with two saves on the day.

The Wildcats move to 5-6-4 overall and 1-2-2 in league play.

Vermont returns to action on Wednesday, Oct. 24 when they travel to Albany for a 7:30 p.m. match. The game will be played at the College of St. Rose in Albany, N.Y.

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I am being completely honest when I say I love this university.

I am more than a quarter of the way done with my senior year and I emphatically believe that UVM has provided me with an incredible college experience on both the educational and social level.

That being said, there are two things that I would change in a heartbeat, things that get under my skin on an almost daily basis, one of which is the food distribution at UVM. Sodexo, your food sucks.

Other than the food issue, however, my biggest gripe with UVM is the inexcusable lack of sports culture.

I have written on this subject before, but it seems necessary to call attention to a problem that consistently goes by the wayside in the UVM community.

As Cynic columnist Jacob Lumbra wrote two weeks ago, “At most colleges, drunken parades and revelries of pride typically support athletics. This last homecoming weekend would have been a pivotal opportunity to display such enthusiasm, but, alas, this passion for athletics proved barren.”

Sadly I have no choice but to agree with Mr. Lumbra. The sports culture at our school is pathetic and should be offensive to the athletes that represent our university.

The basketball games are dominated by local Burlington residents, not students, and student hockey attendance usually fizzles out by the end of the season.

Perhaps even more egregious is the fact that our women’s sports teams get little to no attention from the student body, and sports other than basketball or hockey get a similar lack of recognition and support.

It is obvious that we – as a student body – do not care about sports. It is my responsibility in less than 300 words to convince you that we should.

Some of the best memories I have of UVM have involved the athletics program.

I remember my first hockey game as a surreal experience that opened my eyes to what a Division I collegiate athletic event is like.

I remember Marqus Blakely

throwing down vicious jams on the rest of the conference as the men’s basketball team reached the NCAA tournament my firstyear.

I remember Evan Fjeld’s mustache and his emotional performance after the passing of his mother.

I remember being at last year’s America East Conference Championship in Stony Brook as our men’s basketball team upset Stony Brook and the student section rushed the court live on ESPN. And I remember covering nearly every sports team as a member of the Cynic.

These are all memories that will fuel my nostalgia for this university more than anything else. But to you – especially to the apathetic and casual bystander who hasn’t been to a single sporting event in your four years – these memories likely mean nothing and will fail to move you to act.

So instead I will simply say that going to a hockey game on a Friday night is the best thing you can do between the hours of 7 to 10 p.m — you owe it to yourself to at least try it.

There is something about coming together and supporting a mutual cause as a community that is only present at a sporting event. I assure you that if you come to a hockey or basketball game this winter, you will not only enjoy yourself – you will be back again in the future.

Some people are of the view that because our sports culture is so abysmal, the University should not spend millions of dollars on a new athletic facility.

But I believe that if we want to continue to grow UVM as a prestigious public university, we have to make our athletic facilities – at the very least – passable. By committing to build a state-of-the-art arena for our two most popular sports, UVM has set itself up to become a premier athletic institution over the next several decades and this can only help the University at large.

But as students, there is a responsibility that is attached to the construction of the new arena: We need to develop a sports culture that matches the quality of our sports teams and the building they play in. It is a challenge that will be difficult, but one that seems entirely possible.

Consider the alternative: How tragic would it be if when the day comes to open up UVM’s gleaming new athletic facility, the student body is nowhere to be found?

S P O RT S

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 25, 2012

Featured club: Salsa and Swing Society Julia Dwyer Assistant Sports Editor The Salsa and Swing Society (SASS) is an avenue for students who wish to either socially dance or compete in salsa and ballroom dance styles.

SASS was started in the fall of 2005 by salsa dancer Tin Bechard. Since 2005, SASS has grown to the fourth largest club on campus. Part of the appeal to the club is that no previous dancing experience is necessary and no partner is necessary, either.

The only thing the club specifies is wearing dance shoes or dress shoes, as street shoes are prohibited, according to their club website.

“My favorite part about SASS is its inclusivity,” SASS president, senior Annette Rubin-Crump, said. “I love how accepting and welcoming the atmosphere is at these lessons, and that the students of SASS are able enjoy the greater Burlington area through social dancing.”

If a student gets more involved in the club, he/she is encouraged to join the Ballroom competition team or the Salsa Performance Team, which has more rigorous lessons and attends competitions.

The Competitive Ballroom Team does not hold team tryouts, but team members are expected to pay a $10 fee each semester to help with the cost of instruction, competitions and transportation,

according to their club website.

Newcomers do not have to pay the fee until they rise up in skill level. On average, the ballroom team attends three ballroom competitions per semester. The team has participated in competitions such as the USA Dance National Collegiate DanceSport Championship and the Manhatten Amatuer Classic.

“Competitions are so much fun. It’s not just about winning and losing; competitions are about having fun,” RubinCrump said. “There’s nothing like it.”

The Salsa Performance Team, on the other hand, holds tryouts for the team. The team practices four times a week as well as performs at UVM events such as the Orchesis Showcase in the spring.

Students wishing to get involved with SASS can attend free beginner salsa social classes every Tuesday from 10 to 11 p.m. in the Dance Studio at the Patrick Gymnasium; beginner ballroom social classes are every Thursday from 9 to 10 p.m. in the Dance Studio. There are also intermediate ballroom classes every Thursday from 8-9 p.m. in the East Basketball Courts at Patrick Gymnasium.

On Oct. 26, SASS is hosting two different social dances. At 7 p.m. there will be Argentine Tango lessons and at 7:45 p.m. there will be a Halloween themed costume dance.

15

Club football’s final stretch Mike Eaton Sports Editor Catamount club football made a strong statement in their welcoming of North Connecticut State to Vermont on Oct. 20, beating the small roster team 42-6.

Four Catamounts contributed touchdowns to the win, with sophomore Jake Bielecki and junior Evan Amery each reaching the end zone twice.

The game began with a 4-yard touchdown by Amery near the end of the first quarter, but was quickly answered by a North Connecticut touchdown.

Connecticut failed to convert a 2-point play after the score, marking what would prove to be the start of their collapse.

Bielecki found himself in the end zone twice in the second quarter, reeling in a 20yard pass for one touchdown and taking a direct snap at the 10-yard line past the goal line for another six points. Sophomore Paolo Rossi didn’t miss an extra point on the day, kicking it through the posts on all six tries.

The Cats’ defense, led by senior Mike McCormick, collected two interceptions on the day and returned a forced fumble on a sack for a touchdown in the second half, as the Cats were on their opposing quarterback.

The game ended on a 2-yard touchdown run by Amery.

Amery said the team has struggled this season, but he has seen improvements and a hope for the playoffs to come.

ALEX GOLDENBERG The Vermont Cynic

Sophomore defensive end Connor Brisson celebrates after stopping the Clarkson offense in the Cats’ first win of the season Sept. 15.

“Our weakness this year has been our inability to put up some points when needed,” Amery said. “However, that has been a point of emphasis lately and we feel like our offense is starting to come around.”

Vermont sits at 3-2 on the season, suffering losses to rivals Southwestern Connecticut and Boston University earlier in the season. They will play one last regular season game at home against New Jersey, Oct. 28 at 1 p.m., before entering the playoffs.

The Catamounts lost in the Yankee Bowl Championship Game last season to Southwestern Connecticut, who defended their title from the previous year. While Vermont ranked in the top spot nationally at the end of last season, they currently sit in 11th on the Intercollegiate Club Football Federation’s top

35 national rankings.

If the Cats want to find themselves at the playoff finale this year, Amery said he knows what it will take.

“We will have to play well in all aspects of the game; we will need to improve and add in some new twists as well,” Amery said. “Every team is gunning for us because they know how good we can be, so we will need to play our best game from here on out.”

Amery said he thinks the Catamounts could find themselves in a similarly close game against Southwestern Connecticut as their 6-2 loss to the Grizzlies in last season’s championship game, but thatt hopefully they will come out on the other end.

“That championship will be one hard-fought game, and one big play will probably decide the champion,” he said.

16

S P O RT S

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 25, 2012

Swimming and Diving season update

Team opens strong with wins against Boston, Rowan, falls to Army Taylor Feuss Staff Writer After finishing a close fourth at the 2012 America East Championship last season, the members of the UVM swimming and diving team are hoping to find similar success.

“Every year our goal is to compete at the highest level we can,” said Vermont swimming and diving head coach Gerry Cournoyer, in a preseason interview with CatamounTV. The Catamounts opened up their 2012-2013 season on Oct. 5 and earned two separate wins against Boston College and Rowan College, while the team fell to host Army.

First-year Christa Weaver had two personal victories in the 100 and 200 freestyle events, also setting a new first-year record of 24.03 seconds in the 50 freestyle.

“This first meet has shown us what we need to improve on going forward,” stated Cournoyer in a post-meet interview.

Weaver was also a huge part in the 177-121 win over Wagner during Vermont’s first home meet of the season, Oct. 13. Weaver’s performance earned her the title of America East Swimmer of the Week. The victory came as Vermont secured the top two spots in

six separate events, earning wins in a total of 10 races.

Other top spots at Wagner were held by first-year Diane Brown, coming in second place in the 50 and the 100 freestyles, with first-year Andie Blaser right behind. Senior Kailey Gardner and first-year Carah McClure took one and two in the 1,000, while senior Chelsea Krisanda and Gardner grabbed another first and second place in the 400 Individual Medley.

“Every year our goal is to compete at the highest level we can.”

Gerry Cournoyer Vermont swimming and diving head coach This past week, the Catamounts hosted the New Hampshire Wildcats in a dual meet, ending with wins in four events.

However, Vermont fell to their competition by a score of 186114, bringing their season record to 3-2.

Finishing in first place for the Catamounts were Gardner, who picked up yet another first

place finish in the 1,000 freestyle, Weaver, who held onto her title by winning the 50 freestyle, and senior Susannah Gruner, earning first in the 1-meter diving competition.

After graduating a strong class of 14 girls from last season, Cournoyer formed a recruiting class of a matching 14 first-years in an attempt to fill the seniors’ big shoes.

These new recruits have proved very helpful with the start of the season, earning both first and second spots each meet thus far.

They have clearly stepped up and are taking on the roles of leaders in the pool, acting as major catalysts in the team’s strong performance record thus far.

The first-years are led by an even stronger group of upperclassmen that have been solid leaders both in and out of the pool.

“At these meets we gain confidence by seeing what we can do in the pool,” said Gardner in a post-meet interview with CatamounTV. UVM heads back to the pool on Nov. 3 as they hit the road to face the Sienna Saint Bernards.

The Catamounts topped Sienna last season in their home pool, earning 177 point to Sienna’s 104.

JONATHAN POLSON The Vermont Cynic

Senior Susannah Gruner dives into the pool in a meet against Wagner Oct. 13. The Catamounts beat the Seahawks 177-121.

NFL Picks Week 8 ATL 6-0 at PHI 3-3 Many analysts consider the Falcons to be the best team in football, largely because of their 6-0 start. Moreover, Philadelphia is a mess. Coming off of their bye week, Philadelphia has fired their defensive coordinator, and I wonder if that is enough.

Despite impressive wins against Baltimore and division rival the New York Giants, Philadelphia has lost two straight games entering their bye week, and they have looked terrible.

On offense, the Eagles can’t score. Michael Vick got his $100 million dollar contract, but has not been a $100 million dollar quarterback.

He has eight interceptions to go with his eight touchdowns, and he has fumbled the ball nine times. His counterpart in Atlanta, Matt Ryan, has made his case as an early candidate for MVP. He

has 14 touchdowns, is top 10 in passing yards and, oh yeah, his team is undefeated. Atlanta’s defense isn’t great, but their bend-but-not-break approach has them top 10 in points allowed. With Philadelphia’s offensive struggles, the outlooks have to look good for Atlanta.

The Eagle defense ranks middle of the pack across the board. Between Ryan and running back Michael Turner, the Falcons should run away with this one.

The Picks

Atlanta: Jeremy, Colin, Will Mike Philadelphia: Jake, Josh

WAS 3-4 at PIT 3-3 Robert Griffin III has exceeded expectations in his rookie season. He is arguably the most dynamic player playing

the game, and his young offense with running back Alfred Morris already ranks in the top five in total yards and rush yards per game. Pittsburgh, though, is known for their defense.

Not surprisingly, the Steelers are number two in yards allowed as well as pass yards allowed per game. Where this game will be decided is when Washington is on defense. The Redskins do not have a good defense.

Despite being top 10 in rush defense, they are near the bottom of the league in all other defensive categories. Likely, this will mean that although it may be a back and forth game, ultimately the Steelers’ offense will execute when Washington’s stalls. Interestingly, on the road Washington has excelled, getting two of their three wins outside of Lincoln Financial Field.

RGIII’s dynamic abilities will in the end not be enough to push the Redskins to a win in Pittsburgh and will drop the ‘Skins to 3-5.

The Picks

Scoreboard: Will 13 -15 Mike 14 -14

Jeremy 16 - 12 Josh 19 - 9

Colin 17 - 11 Jake 14 - 14

Washington: Colin Pittsburgh: Jeremy, Jake, Josh, Mike, Will

NYG 5-2 at DAL 3-3 Dallas surprised the country when they beat the Giants in New York in the season opener.

Since then, the Giants have been one of the best teams in football.

Their only additional loss was to division opponent Philadelphia, and by only two points. Eli

Jeremy Karpf Staff Writer

Each we ek, the C ynic Spo predict th rts staff w e winner ill anticipate of some of d matchu p Karpf, Mik s. The pa the week’s most rt e Eaton, Will Andre icipants are Jerem y ycak, Co Josh Aro lin Hekim nson and ian, Jake Bie lecki.

Manning is the best quarterback in the NFL playing today, and I hate to admit it. New York is top five in points, total yards, and pass yards and top half of the NFL in rush yards.

Plus, Manning has 22 career comebacks in the fourth quarter or overtime. A healthy Ahmad Bradshaw only improves the Giants. And besides, the Cowboys are the perpetual mess they always are. Presently, running back Demarco Murray is injured and top receiver Dez Bryant is still nursing an injured groin. Defensively the Cowboys are pretty strong, but give up a lot of points.

Tony Romo is a good quarterback, but he alone can’t beat can’t beat New York. The Giants avenge their season opening loss in a rout.

The Picks

New York: Jeremy, Mike, Jake, Will, Colin and Josh

SF 5-2 at ARI 4-3 Since the Cardinals went 4-0 to start the season, they have dropped three straight and it doesn’t get any easier against division rival San Francisco.

With quarterback Kevin Kolb out weeks with a serious rib injury, Arizona has been forced to go to John Skelton. Skelton has shown himself to be a proficient NFL quarterback, and time will allow him to sync with star receiver Larry Fitzgerald.

In the mean time, Arizona will need a big contribution from the running back tandem of Ryan Williams and LaRod StephensHowling. The 49ers, on the other hand, are strong on both sides of the ball. They are the second best running team in the league and will need it, as Arizona is top 10 in all defensive categories except rush yards allowed.

San Francisco’s defense is comparable if not better than Arizona’s. In Arizona and in primetime on Monday Night, I expect San Francisco to make their case for the best team in the NFC if not the NFL. I expect San Francisco to win by double digits.

The Picks San Francisco: Jeremy, Colin, Mike, Jake, Will and Josh