Vermont Cynic Issue 16

PRESIDENTIAL SEARCH

Focusing on candidates Randhawa and Hay

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VERMONT FALLS IN FROZEN FENWAY REMATCH

RELAX FOLKS - IT’S JUST A GAME

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Zach Despart’s opinion column

C YNIC THE VERMONT

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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 | T h u r s d a y , J a n u a r y 2 6 , 2 0 1 2 – Vo l u m e 1 2 8 I s s u e 1 6 | B u r l i n g t o n , Ve r m o n t

Bookstore buys back own textbooks in hoax Man brings titles from shelf to register

By Kevin Santamaria Staff Writer

The beginning of a new semester brought in hundreds of students to the UVM Bookstore, but one individual took advantage of the book-buying commotion for personal profit.

A person who is not a student was caught allegedly stealing books from the first floor of the bookstore and reselling them on the second floor, raking in a profit that could range from a couple hundred dollars to $2,000, according to Jay Menninger, director of the UVM Bookstore.

“The red flag for us was that the gentleman started to sell a fair number of high-end books all at the same time,” Menninger said.

The books were not in the same genre, ranging from electrical engineering to a psychology textbook from the Community College of Vermont (CCV) section, which also tipped off the wholesale buyer, Menninger said.

The seller was making a lot

of money on every book, which Menninger called unusual.

“The red flag for us was that the gentleman started to sell a fair amount of high-end books all at the same time.”

Jay Menninger Director of the UVM Bookstore “Normally, as most students know, you bring a big stack of hardcover books and a couple have no value,” he said. “That’s just the way the market is.”

From what the bookstore staff could gather, the suspect

was taking the books right off the shelf and walking upstairs in order to resell them, but UVM Police Services are still reviewing the tapes.

“We try to be vigilant during this time of the year,” Menninger said. “We want to trust our students and customers, but unfortunately someone like that is the reason we have to ask people to leave their bags at the front of the store.”

The individual was seen twice at the store, and was approached

by UVM Police the third time, he said.

“The books he brought in the third time were compared to the beginning inventory, how many we sold that day and how many were supposed to be on the shelf,” Menninger said. “In each case, we were missing the exact number he had in his pile.”

The suspect denied all the charges at the scene, he said.

See on STEALING page 4

YDALMI ESTRELLA The Vermont Cynic

Junior Steven Menken purchases books from UVM Bookstore director Jay Menninger, at the UVM Bookstore on Jan. 24.

Pres. mansion plans still under construction

Renovation costs reach $2 million, trustees will decide on practicality of fixes

By Mat Degan Staff Writer The debate over what to do with Englesby House, the brokendown UVM presidential mansion on South Williams Street, is inching forward.

In an email, Board Chairman Robert Cioffi stated that UVM trustees are still considering the issue and that a plan for the presidential mansion is expected in the coming weeks.

Built in 1913, Englesby House has served many past University

JAMIE LENT The Vermont Cynic

Director of capital planning and management, Bob Vaughan, in his office on 109 South Prospect Street in Burlington, Jan. 25.

NEWS 1-4 Six empty seats prompt SGA election

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LIFE 5-6 Dream is upheld

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ARTS

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Azealia Banks impresses with fresh tracks

Want to work for The Cynic? We will train you. Contact cynic@uvm.edu

presidents, but has not been occupied since former Interim President Edwin Colodny resided there in 2001.

Though the mansion’s status and all related costs of its repair came before the board as early as October, no specific timeline for renovations to the building has been established, nor has a firm declaration of how extensive those renovations will be.

“We had really looked at two different elements for the building: one for the exterior work that needed to be done, and one for the interior as a separate review,” said Bob Vaughan, director of capital planning and management. “We have done the design work for the exterior and are waiting for a decision to be made.”

Despite reports that trustees were dawdling and that plans to refurbish Englesby House have been stalled, no consensus had ever been formed regarding the future of the house, said Richard

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OPINION 10-12 The disappearance of proper etiquette

Cate, vice president for finance and administration.

“There was never a declaration that we were going to do something about it.

Some of the media coverage led people to believe that we were going to do a certain thing.”

Richard Cate vice president for finance and administration “There was never a declaration that we were going to do something about it,” he said.

“Some of the media coverage led

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DISTRACTIONS Cat Tales

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people to believe that we were going to do a certain thing.”

Cate also said the administration has done what the trustees asked, and now all there is left to do is wait.

University officials said they have concerns that overshadow the aging house, such as the presidential search process, which has been narrowed down to five candidates.

“The trustees have been engaged with the presidential search and that has taken priority,” Cate said. “[The Englesby House] was no sort of emergency.”

According to Cate, last year’s preliminary estimates for renovation were running over the $2 million mark.

Of the improvements, the most pressing is a solution to the flooding problem that initially rendered the building See on ENGLESBY page 4

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SPORTS 14-16 Another awesome Aussie Open

WE’RE ONLINE TOO! www.vermontcynic.com

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NEWS

THURSDAY, JANUARY 26, 2012

UNVERSITY OF VERMONT PRESIDENTIAL SEARCH 2012

Sabah Randhawa

By Keegan Fairfield Staff Writer, Devin Karambelas Assistant News Editor His name may be difficult to pronounce, but his presidential plan is simple: make the student experience “exemplary.”

The current provost and executive vice president at Oregon State University, Sabah Randhawa is one of five finalist candidates vying to be UVM’s next president and was the first to participate in an intensive round of on-campus interviews.

He held an open forum at the University on Jan. 19 that was attended by roughly 150 people.

Soft-spoken and reserved, Randhawa spoke about himself for several minutes, touching on his career at OSU and how OSU and UVM are similar, given that they are both land-grant institutions.

The quality of the undergraduate and graduate education programs figures prominently in Randhawa’s JONATHAN POLSON The Vermont Cynic interpretation of UVM’s identity as a Candidate Sabah Randhawa speaks at his small research university. open forum in the Davis Center, Jan. 19.

“The student learning experience and student success need to be reorganize] with the intention of building exemplary in terms of exceeding our a stronger program for social justice.” competitors,” he said. “It’s critical to One of Randhawa’s more maintain sustained programs in all controversial policies came in 2010, academic areas.” when OSU faculty was asked to In an interview with the Cynic, participate in furlough days between Randhawa praised UVM’s emphasis on January and June due to state budget undergraduate education. cuts. He said, however, that faculty Although Randhawa said it was too had actually voted on the issue with 86 premature for him to pinpoint exactly percent in favor. where UVM is falling short, his hope for The political move ended up saving the future is that the University develops OSU approximately $2.5 million, a more globalized image and recognized according to the Daily Barometer. graduate programs that can rival the “Furloughs may not always help a medical program. university in terms of making money, He also said this could enhance the but it sends a message to the staff University’s humanities departments at that we are in this process as a whole the graduate level. community,” Randhawa said.

In the past few years, OSU invested Although Randhawa’s resume is mightily in six initiatives that included extensive — nearly seven pages, singlemedicine, biology, the environment, spaced — he was hesitant to really computer science and mathematics – delve into his many qualifications. almost nothing related to the liberal arts Still, he said he believes that his or humanities. candidacy is well-suited to fit UVM’s Randhawa said he believes the liberal needs. arts contribute to well-rounded students “As I looked at UVM’s intentions and a creative environment, but from a and then looked at what I had done at financial perspective, research in the Oregon State, it appeared to me that this humanities tends to bring in less money position would be a good fit,” he said. to a university.

M. Tonga Hopoi, president of the Last year, Randhawa also Associated Students of Oregon State reorganized OSU’s College of Liberal University, said that OSU students see Arts into six distinct schools, an article Randhawa as an “ally” who is not afraid in OSU’s student newspaper the Daily to listen to student concerns.

Barometer stated.

“Dr. Sabah Randhawa is a remarkably He said that the key reason for intelligent and strong individual with these alignments was to enable greater proven experience to understand and collaboration across faculty units that listen to students and their proposals were complementary to an overarching to improve the college experience,” she theme. said.

“One of our schools, for example, The idea of student and brings together ethnic studies, human administration collaboration could be studies, foreign languages and appealing to some students who feel anthropology,” he said. “We decided [to that former President Fogel’s leadership pitted the administration against students.

Randhawa’s thoughts on...

“I think the majority of what students were Burlington Community: “Just walking around and concerned about had to seeing the variety of shops and restaurants, people do with financial issues,” seem open and friendly. Burlington has a lot to offer junior Max Dansky said.

UVM as a thriving arts community.”

“I think this is what fed the authority and antiThe library: “As the dissemination of knowledge authority interactions.” changes, we need to bear in mind how to evolve in Randhawa said that changing times.” He emphasized the need to be technologically up-to-date and how the library is integral to transparency is critical to fostering a cohesive UVM’s success as a research university. community.

“I meet with student Athletics: “We can’t allow athletics and academics to leadership at least become separate entities. Athletics are important for once a month with no bringing recognition to the institution, but athletes are agenda,” he said. “We first and foremost students.” don’t always desire the same outcome, but it’s Diversity: Diversity and research are complementary. important to maintain “Most of the research problems that students and clarity in decisionfaculty work on are in fact global. Certainly we want to making.” attract students and faculty from across the globe.”

Meredith Hay very specific investments in certain programs, and today the University is stronger than [...] it was in 2008.

I learned a lot in the process about how to communicate better.”

Some faculty members at the University of Arizona said that they supported Hay’s Transformation Plan.

“In the end, we were all stronger, and many of the people who complained the most now appreciate that things are better,” Vice President of Human Resources Allison Vaillancourt said in email correspondence with the Cynic. “Dr. Hay’s detractors have gotten far more airtime than the people who know the real score.”

After talking with her colleagues about what they call ‘Meredith’s Legacy,’ Vaillancourt also said that Hay’s Transformation Plan enabled the University of Arizona to develop. “[Hay] made us changeable,” Vaillancourt said. “By that I mean she LORENA LINERO The Vermont Cynic helped the University community Candidate Meredith Hay speaks at her learn how to change. That is a tall open forum in the Davis Center, Jan. 23. order for many higher education institutions, and we have been wellBy Lauren Drasler served by it.”

Assistant News Editor, Ted Hay said that she could draw on her Levin Staff Writer experiences as provost at UA to help Meredith Hay, the second UVM her as University president, because presidential candidate to visit campus, budgets and major university decisions held in-depth interviews with University almost always run through the provost officials and conducted an open forum office. on Jan. 23 to answer general public “I have also had a lot of experience questions. working with state legislatures, In an interview with the Cynic, Hay government leaders and community discussed the importance of listening, leaders to build support for the because it helps to give her different University,” she said. perspectives on why the University is In December 2010, Hay was one great. of three finalists for the position “Listening to the students, listening of president at the University of to the faculty and staff, listening to Massachusetts, but withdrew under the legislatures in the state and to unknown circumstances, according to governor’s office and the business the Boston Globe. owners,” Hay said. “That’s really tapping “That was a confidential search and into the collective wisdom of the entire that information was leaked,” Hay said community and deciding how to move when asked why she dropped out of the the University of Vermont forward.” race. “It was a personal reason.”

Hay said she was attracted to UVM Some faculty members at the and the position for four reasons: the University of Arizona said that they quality of the academic programs, the think Hay was extremely successful commitment to the land-grant mission, during her three years as Provost of the the investments being made in the University. facilities and faculty and the absolute “In the 24 and a half years I’ve been beauty of the state. here, I would say that Meredith did more Hay was previously the provost at for the University of Arizona in three the University of Arizona (UA) from 2008 years than all of past provosts before to 2011. her put together,” said Jeff Goldberg, After UA lost 43 percent of its state dean of the College of Engineering. appropriation, Hay introduced the Goldberg also spoke about Hay’s controversial Transformation Plan, abilities to lead if she were selected as which resulted in criticism from a president of UVM. number of professors on her handling of “I think she’s great, and she hired state budget cuts, and many called for some great people while here,” Goldberg her firing, according to a 2011 article in said. “I think Meredith’s been given the the Tuscan Sentinel. short stick and she is far stronger than When questioned about the people give her credit for. controversy, Hay said she firmly believes “You would be lucky to get her in that the University is better off because Vermont,” he said. the plan was focused on shared governance and Hay’s thoughts on... input from those at the University.

Athletics: “[It’s an] important area in which the Universi“We asked for ty portrays itself to the state.” Hay said that because the proposals from the entire University is the only Division I school in the state, it should campus,” she said. “We represent Vermont as a whole. had a shared governance committee review those The medical community: “Not just the College of proposals and the faculty Medicine. Everybody’s engaged.” Hay said that medisenate voted on those cal facilities should not be reserved for students under proposals by December specific programs, but rather be open to everybody in of 2008, and in 2009 we the community. implemented them.”

Hay said that when UVM as a land-grant institution: “Take what you these kinds of difficult learned at the University of Vermont and share it with the decisions must be state of Vermont.” made, not everyone will be pleased with the Faculty: “There’s no such thing as a great University outcome. without a great faculty.”

“Certainly some people were unhappy in the end,” she said.

“But we made some

N EWS

THURSDAY, JANUARY 26, 2012

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Six empty seats prompt SGA election

Lack of time commitment cited among reasons for students leaving the club

By Taylor Jones Staff Writer The Student Government Association (SGA) held midyear elections on Jan. 25 and Jan. 26 after five students dropped out of the club over winter break.

Four students left the organization due to time commitments, one student is studying abroad and there was one vacancy left over from last semester, Vice President Will Vitagliano said.

“Some of them [dropped] to fulfill both minors and majors,” Vitagliano said. “They had to get a class that met during the time of senate.”

Vitagliano said he believes others were too busy with academics and extracurricular activities to give their full attention to SGA. “I’m assuming they couldn’t give as much time as they wanted to, so they didn’t want to hold up the organization,” he said.

Director of Student Life Pat Brown said that having a number of students drop out of SGA halfway through the school year is fairly normal.

“I think there are times when people’s priorities shift,” Brown said.

Brown said that the idea of a midyear election came about five or six years ago as an effort to open up more access to the

senate. “[The election] was created by them because there were some years when there were vacancies, probably like there are now, and they just felt it would be more fair to open it up to students,” he said.

“They like to dress the part and go through the motions, but when things don’t go their way they don’t act like adults; they don’t act like real politicians.”

Jonathan Lott Former Senator One former senator, Jonathan Lott, said that he quit last semester due to different reasons, but admitted that time constraints also had an effect on him.

Lott said he disliked the way some SGA members acted and said he did not want to “play by their rules,” but re-ran for senator in the midyear elections this week.

“Everyone on SGA likes

ALANA LUTTINGER The Vermont Cynic

SGA Vice President Will Vitagliano glances at a list of students who dropped out of SGA, Jan. 23. to pretend they are a serious politician,” Lott said. “They like to dress the part and go through the motions, but when things don’t go their way they don’t act like adults; they don’t act like real politicians.”

In response, Vitagliano said SGA members are dedicated to their duties, but still like to have

fun when they interact as a group.

“We take our responsibilities and our due diligence for the student body seriously because that’s why we do SGA, but I don’t necessarily think we take ourselves too seriously,” he said.

President Julian Golfarini said he agreed with Vitagliano.

Former Sen. Mike White

dropped out over the summer due to time commitments.

People leaving is just part of the natural ebb and flow of the SGA, White said.

“I didn’t have the time or energy to put into it,” he said. “It’s all of your time, so if you don’t have all of your time to put into it then it’s not worth it.”

Dreams abroad become reality Medical student office

By Amanda Sherwood Staff Writer Students at UVM have the opportunity to immerse themselves in new and unique cultures by studying abroad, but sometimes money can be a factor that keeps many in town.

Five students were awarded the Benjamin A. Gilman scholarship to help aid their study abroad experience this semester.

For over a decade, the Gilman scholarship has been a way for students to achieve their dreams of temporarily pursuing their education in other areas of the world, according to the Gilman scholarship website.

“The Gilman is a nationally competitive award given to accomplished students with financial need who wish to study abroad,” a University Communications article stated.

“UVM students received a total of $20,500 in study abroad scholarship money from the Gilman awards.”

Kim Howard, director of the Office of International Education, praised the importance of scholarships because she said that some students need financial support to make study abroad possible.

“Study abroad scholarships are very important,” Howard said, “both from the perspective of affordability and from the perspective of giving students the opportunity to see future careers in something they may not have considered before.”

Howard said there are not many scholarships of a sizeable amount, and that although government aid does go with students in their travels, it doesn’t cover everything.

“Students always need to put forth money in the process,” she said.

There are nearly 37 percent of undergraduates studying abroad in nearly 80 countries each year, Howard said.

Some scholarships, such as the Boren scholarship, encourage students to consider pursuing study in a language that is deemed to be a critical need, she said.

This is because there is a need for students with expertise in a language not often studied in school, she said.

The recipients for the spring 2012 semester are sophomore Anders Christiansen studying economics in Brazil, senior Alexandria Frechette studying

sociology and political science in Gabone, Botswana, junior Ariel Henley studying English and political science in the United Kingdom, senior Lisa Sayoko Kubotera studying animal science in Namibia and senior Storm Leland studying social work in Belize.

Henley spoke of her gratitude for the Gilman scholarship because without it, she said it would not have been financially feasible to study abroad.

“These are tough times financially for a lot of families,” she said. “I think it’s fantastic that there are groups like Gilman that are willing to recognize the importance of travel and studying abroad.”

Henley was also appreciative of the experiences she is having in England.

“My time in Canterbury has meshed vibrant college life with experiencing the history of England, which has been really fun to experience,” she said.

The Gilman scholarships are offered each semester to students.

The deadline to apply to study abroad this fall is March 1, 2012.

Gilman Scholarship Recipients Anders Christiansen

sophomore economics

Alexandria Frechette

senior

sociology and poli-sci Botswana

Arial Henley

junior

English and poli-sci

UK

animal science

Namibia

social work

Belize

Lisa Sayoko Kubotera senior Storm Leland

senior

Brazil

adds new leadership

Professor Tracy named to position

By Sarah Strohmayer Staff Writer Paula Tracy, professor of biochemistry, has been named foundations director of the Office of Medical Student Education, according to a University Communications article.

Her new role will be to lead and manage the foundations level of the Vermont Integrated Curriculum, which includes tasks such as evaluating the curriculum and assisting course directors in the administration, University Communications stated.

“I am confident that Dr. Tracy will be an excellent steward who will see and understand changes that need to happen and work effectively to bring them about.”

Cynthia Forehand Professor of anatomy & neurobiology Some faculty members have expressed positive feedback toward Tracy’s new position.

“I am looking forward to working with Dr. Tracy in my role as a course director for the foundations level,” professor Cynthia Forehand said in an email. “She will bring

to this position outstanding commitment to students, faculty and the academic mission.”

Forehand also stated that Tracy’s new position will help maintain the national reputation of the medical school and will lead to continued opportunities for the advancement of medical education at UVM. Tracy has replaced Forehand, who stepped down after 10 years as Foundations director.

Forehand will continue in medical education as a professor of neurobiology and course director of the neural science program in the department of anatomy, according to University Communications.

Forehand said that she is certain of Tracy’s abilities.

“I am confident that Dr. Tracy will be an excellent steward who will see and understand changes that need to happen and work effectively to bring them about,” she said.

Since her arrival in 1985, Tracy has become very involved with teaching in both the graduate and medical schools, according to the UVM website.

She is a strong proponent of academia and splits her time between administration, research, teaching and mentoring her students, the website stated.

Other professors said they are looking forward to working with Tracy.

“I am very excited about Dr. Tracy’s new position,” professor Tania Bertsch said. “She brings a wealth of knowledge as a teacher.”

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NEWS

THURSDAY, JANUARY 26, 2012

ENGLESBY

Trustees weigh cost analysis of repairs to mansion

...continued from page 1 uninhabitable.

After insulating the drainage system and waterproofing the foundation, the improvements alone could cost over $600,000, Cate said.

Additional exterior work includes a new roof, estimated at $180,000, and the replacement of windows and touch-up of wood trim, which may require another $100,000, he said.

Once renovations move inside the house, another slew of needed repairs confront University decision-makers.

Trustees are weighing the cost analysis of the renovations, which could be done in pieces, and deciding whether or not they are essential, Cate said.

When asked if he thought the opportunity for a president to live in the Englesby House was advantageous to the campus community, Cate said that his view did not necessarily reflect the view of the board.

“To be honest, in this day and age I don’t think that a president is disadvantaged in any way by not living on campus,” he said.

Cate added that many

modern college presidents live on campus due to substantial investments made by universities in on-campus residences decades and even centuries ago.

Senior Matt Parisi and junior Rachel Wellman find the renovation price tag a bit steep, but support the idea of having the next president close at hand, acknowledging that he or she is the “face” of the University.

“If you’re going to restore [the Englesby House], the future president shouldn’t have a choice whether or not to live there,” Wellman said.

Trustees to discuss ‘workplace climate’ Bill gives standards for employees

By Samantha Sawyer Staff Writer The Board of Trustees has discussed a new bill regarding “workplace climate” expectations and standards for employees at UVM. This bill, which has been approved by the University’s Ad Hoc Report Oversight Committee, will be voted on by the entire board during their Feb. 3 and Feb. 4 meetings, according to the Burlington Free Press.

The bill lays out expectations of respectful behavior and depicts how employees will be protected when reporting disobedience.

This initiative identifies informal ways to resolve conflicts that are not considered policy or legal violations, yet are still problems within the workplace, according to meeting minutes from the Board of Trustees.

These new workplace standards are a result of the

STEALING

resignation of former President Dan Fogel following the incident that occurred last summer.

The Rachel Kahn-Fogel scandal made national headlines when it was discovered that Kahn Fogel had an inappropriate relationship and a sexually suggestive email correspondence with Michael Schultz, associate vice president for development and alumni relations, according to a past Cynic article.

“Human error and fallibility will always be a part of life, a 2011 Review Report conducted by the Board of Trustees stated.

“However, it is important that we learn from our mistakes and take appropriate corrective action to avoid them in the future, for the benefit of the entire University.”

Employees of the University can make anonymous calls to a tip line in order to report violations of these new guidelines, Burlington Free Press stated.

Man resells stolen books

...continued from page 1

JAMIE LENT The Vermont Cynic

The Englesby House, on 112 South Williams Street, Sept. 28. The presidential mansion, built in 1913, has been left unoccupied since 2001, yet plans for Englesby are expected in the coming weeks.

According to Menninger, UVM Police questioned the suspect who originally said he was selling them for his sister, and then changed his story by saying he was selling them for his sister’s boyfriend.

The police concluded that he did not have a sister who was a student at UVM or CCV. The individual refused to give his name, date of birth, or Social Security number and could not produce an ID. The individual was escorted off campus and was requested by authorities not to return.

UVM Police are still investigating for possible charges.

“Due to [this] ongoing investigation, I don’t have anything to offer… at this time,” Officer Matthew Collins said.

With a number of strangers

Crime log

By Lauren Drasler Assistant News Editor

Drugs/alcohol

A student was taken to the hospital for alcohol intoxication on Jan. 15.

Marijuana, alcohol and other drug-related objects were taken from students in University Heights North on Jan. 16.

Alcohol was taken from students in Simpson Hall on Jan. 16.

appearing around campus, such as the man in Tupper Hall who looked in on a female student showering, many students have questioned their safety.

“The ease at which outsiders can get into secure areas of the school might require a review of current security procedures,” first-year Jon Kascenska said.

Menninger said that when events like this happen, the employees have to question how they can secure the products better.

“This does roll downhill,” said Menninger. “We have to either spend money to increase security or raise prices to cover those loses. And we don’t want to do either.”

Theft An iPod was stolen out of a car parked in the Wing/ Davis/Wilks parking lot on Jan. 15

Suspicious Calls

There was a report of numerous phone calls to the Continuing Education office on Jan. 17. The calls were later determined to be a child playing with a phone.

A student in Davis Hall received a bias phone call from an unknown source on Jan. 15.

Medical Asisstance Medical assistance was needed for someone who is not a student, who fainted at the bookstore on Jan. 17.

Someone who is not a student required medical assistance after slipping and falling on ice at Southwick Hall on Jan. 17.

LIFE

THURSDAY, JANUARY 26, 2011

5

This little piggy should not go to markets

Live broadcast convention advocates a revamping of America’s food system

By Ann Cromley Assistant Life Editor An independently organized TEDx talk titled “Changing the Way We Eat” was broadcast live from NYC to UVM students on Jan. 21 to teach the concerns and advances surrounding the U.S. food system today.

The day began at 10:30 a.m. and was broken into three sections: Issues, Impacts and Innovations. Topics of discussion included food sustainability, meat consumption and health and factory farming.

Leading TEDx Manhattan into full swing was a video presentation by 11-year-old Birke Beahr.

“What’s wrong with our food system and what can we do to change it?” he asked.

By uncovering the dark side of industrialized farming, he encouraged his audience to buy local organic fruits and vegetables to support small farms.

Dr. David Wallinga, of the Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy, spoke next, explaining that the resistance to antibiotic and synthetic fertilizers of insects often found in crops is increasing.

The bacteria are getting smarter and becoming immune to the chemicals — if they infect us, we will not be able to fight infection, Wallinga said.

By increasing the dosages of antibiotics over the years, we will

have worked our way into a pickle, he said.

The meat industry is a nasty multibillion dollar business, according to Wenonah Hauter, executive director of Food & Water Watch, who presented next.

“We won’t change the way people eat by judging them - we have to excite them.”

Cara Rosean Cofounder of RealTimeFarms.com Hauter works extensively on food, water, environmental and energy issues at the national, state and local level.

Of all of the antibiotics distributed in the U.S., 80 percent of them, or 29 million pounds, go to animals on industrial farms, according to data provided by Wallinga.

Seventy-four percent of this number, or 21.5 million pounds, is administered through food.

It may be unclear to some as to why so many antibiotics and synthetic hormones are used, but, Wallinga said, conventional living quarters for animals are breeding grounds for filth and disease.

Sickness and disease would run rampant if not for the anti-

EMMA HANSEN

Cynic Video Emma Hansen presents: BTV Beats It is 8 a.m. and hiking up the hills of Burlington to class in four-degree weather is not the best way to start your day. How on earth are you going to survive the semester? With my help, you hopefully will.

Last semester, I visited a number of bars, restaurants and breweries to give you some ideas when your social life was lacking. This semester, I’ll show you how to keep the party going despite the frigid air and icy sidewalks.

Take a look on our YouTube page to see where we went last semester and Tweet us @cynicvideoteam if there’s a bar you want to see covered. I hope to complete the Vermont Beer Challenge this semester. Road trip anyone? http://www.vermontcynic.com/life

biotics. In the same case as vegetables, the harmful bacteria of E. coli, MRSA and salmonella are becomming immune, he said.

Hauter describes the living condition of chickens as a “dark, filthy warehouse packed with 35,000 chickens.”

In a study described by Wallinga, a team of experts uncovered the truth of supermarket pork and disease. The selected pork was tested for the bacteria MRSA, which is no longer a bacterium we can kill, according to the study.

Of the pork sampled, 6.5 percent tested positive for MRSA, according to Wallinga.

Urvashi Rangan, leader and director of the Consumer Safety and Sustainability Group for Consumer Reports magazine, spoke about the confusion surrounding food labels.

The food labeling system in the U.S. misleads the consumer daily, Rangan said. She insisted that food labels must be truthful and trusted, although they tend to seem vague to the consumers who read them.

By uncovering the meanings of labels, Rangan stressed that the power is ours as consumers to change the way we eat because “consumer demands are powerful.”

Celebrity chef and food revolution advocate Jamie Oliver presented on the impacts of our current food system. Diet-related diseases such as type II diabetes

and heart disease are the number one killers in the U.S., according to Oliver.

All diet-related diseases are 100 percent preventable, he said.

He urged that children be taught about food, where it comes from and how to prepare it, so they are able to make informed food choices later in life.

Although there are many issues concerning the health and well-being of this nation and its people, there is still hope, said TEDx speaker Patty Cantrell.

Of all the antibiotics distributed in the U.S., 80 percent of them go to animals on industrial farms, according to data provided by Dr. Wallinga.

New and exciting initiatives such as Slow Food USA, Slow Food UVM and the Localvore movement are well underway and have a strong following, she said.

In addition, urban school classrooms are growing their own gardens. Steven Ritz of Bronx, New York is a teacher helping his students find inner strengths.

Popping up in cities across the U.S. are Green Carts. Leading this motion is Kerry McClean, director of community development at WHEDco, a non-profit organiza-

tion working to create a more vibrant Bronx, New York.

The small stands of fresh fruits and vegetables help to provide less fortunate sections of the town, coined as “food deserts,” with fresh and healthy options to feed their families, while offering steady jobs to those who would otherwise be unemployed.

The Internet is also advancing the food revolution by becoming a main source of information on green practices and local farmers’ market.

Resources like RealTimeFarms.com allow you to pinpoint exactly where your food is coming from at your favorite restaurant.

Paul Lightfoot, CEO of Bright Farms, is redefining where the produce in supermarkets hails from. Instead of shipping produce across borders, the objective of Bright Farms is to limit the amount of travel of produce. To do this, gardens are being built on top of the grocery stores in which the vegetables will be bought.

A greenhouse equipped for all seasons is built on the roof, and a farmer is paid to grow and supply the vegetables to the people of the very same community.

In the case of reforming our food system, it will not happen overnight.

“We won’t change the way people eat by judging them — we have to excite them,” cofounder of RealTimeFarms.com Cara Rosean said.

6

LI FE

THURSDAY, JANUARY 26, 2012

Feet fetch sweet steps

Local b-boy teaches break-dancing style

By Hannah Ullman Life Editor B-boy Calvin Walker held a free break-dancing workshop open to UVM students and the public at the North End Studios on Jan. 21.

Walker has been breakdancing for nine years and began when he had to perform at a talent show in middle school.

“Back when I was learning, I had dial-up and we would wait an hour for a three-second video on one move to load,” Walker said.

“It’s like we’re speaking the same language but with a different dialect.”

Calvin Walker Break dancer His crew, the Rhythm Riderz, is one of the few break-dancing crews in Vermont, which Walker described as “a hip-hop desert.”

For competitions, the crew always has to travel to a big city.

During these competitions, top competitors might show up late to a tournament that they think they can win, Walker said.

This is so that a crew can see their competition, he said.

“Everyone on the floor is essentially a gladiator, though;

PHOTO COURTESY OF CALVIN WALKER Calvin Walker dances for onlookers on Church Street in Burlington.

you have a lot of respect for your competitors,” Walker said.

Break-dancing originated with people who did not have much and made due with what they had, he said.

“Nowadays you see the people who have made a lot of money off of it,” Walker said.

Walker said he credits DJ Kool Herc as being the sole catalyst in the development of breakdancing.

DJ Kool Herc would loop the drumbeat on a record continuously, which would create a “break” that his “break boys” and “break girls” would dance to.

“Break-dancing is more than just a series of moves. It’s really wide-open for experimenting. It is still evolving,” Walker said.

Though hip-hop might share

some of the same elements that are in break-dancing, the two types of dance are not identical.

“It’s like we’re speaking the same language but with a different dialect,” Walker said about break-dancing versus hip-hop.

Choreography is a dirty word to break-dancers, he said.

“Break-dancing is moving for the sake of moving — it’s a sign language,” Walker said.

There is no limit on the creativity you can put into a move.

At one break-dancing jam, Walker saw a b-boy do a headspin on top of a soda can.

Walker only warned of doing headspins without wearing a hat, which will lead to a bald spot, Walker said.

Walker will be holding another workshop at the North End.

Illustration by Lilly Xian

Dream is upheld Actors honor activists’ lives

By Keegan Fairfield Staff Writer Hundreds of people filled Ira Allen Chapel on Jan. 24 for “An evening with Martin and Langston,” an event featuring actor and director Felix Justice and actor Danny Glover, which honored the lives and works of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Langston Hughes.

Glover has been a longtime champion of civil rights. While attending San Francisco State University, he was an active member of a five-month long student protest, the longest in history, which culminated in the creation of the first School of Ethnic Studies in the United States.

In addition to his support of civil rights, Glover has been an outspoken advocate of union workers, renewable energy and the Occupy movement, and has been critical of the invasion of Iraq, capital punishment and the humanitarian crisis in Darfur.

Glover and Justice were invited to the campus as part of UVM’s annual Martin Luther King Jr. celebration, sponsored by the Office of the Chief Diversity Officer.

The weeklong celebration is intended to honor Dr. King’s principles of community service and humanitarianism. Marie Waterworth, assistant to Chief Diversity Officer Wanda Heading-Grant, said.

Many had recommended Glover and Justice, and that her office decided on the duo because their work with civil rights and equity issues seemed fitting with [UVM’s] college campus, Waterworth said.

Other events include “curriculum opportunities” through partnerships with “faculty and academic departments,” Waterworth said.

Unity, tolerance and progress were the themes of the evening, expressed through singing, oration and acting. Both keynote performances implied a similar sense of inspired solidarity for a better tomorrow.

Justice delivered an impassioned rendition of Dr. King’s

famed final speech, “I’ve Been to the Mountaintop.”

King’s words called on his fellow citizens to seek unity through nonviolence in the face of economic inequality and divisive intolerance — conditions uncannily similar to those of contemporary society.

Justice said he was inspired by this particular speech because it epitomized King’s “greater moral courage.” He maintained his dignity and courage despite being aware of his impending death and took a stand against the then-popular Vietnam War, which elicited criticism from his “natural enemies and friends,” according to Justice.

Glover’s performance presented a snapshot of the life and times for African-Americans during the 20th century, through the lens of Langston Hughes.

Some of Hughes’ more popular works, including “Let America be America Again” and “Dream Deferred,” were fused together in a depiction of challenging times in a country that had digressed from its original promises and foundational objectives.

Glover and Justice fielded questions from the crowd following their performances on such topics as their perception of King’s thoughts on the Occupy movement and voting, and whether they believed genuine equality is attainable in the near future.

Both expressed concern about the “de-emphasis on the sense of participation” among young people in the context of making progress toward shared goals. They said that they are cautiously optimistic about the Occupy movement, but Justice noted that he does not anticipate full equality happening in his lifetime.

Justice had high praise for Burlington, however. In a culture searching for equality and tolerance, Justice said that the “careful thinkers and compassionate hearts” that comprise Burlington serve as a “beacon of light for sanity.”

ARTS

THURSDAY, JANUARY 26, 2012

7

Music review

Rubblebucket revamped

By Jack Dougher Staff Writer

PHOTO COURTESY OF DAMIR ALISA Up-and-coming hip-hop/rap artist Jacob Helman poses in Burlington.

Jacob Es stirs up sound UVM junior Jake Helman balances life as an English major and emerging musician

By Natalie Slack Arts Editor When you look at all that up-and-coming hip-hop/rap artist Jake Helman has accomplished, it is hard to believe that he has only been singing for a year and a half.

When Helman opened for Mac Miller at UVM’s Fall Fest this past October, it was only his fourth performance.

Helman said that it was a nerve-racking but incredible experience. “It was huge being on stage in front of that many people so early on,” Helman said.

Helman, who goes by Jacob Es on stage, is a junior and an English major here at UVM. He has always had a passion for words, so it is no surprise that Helman writes all of his own music.

“I really found a connection with words and with my writing. It has such a healing effect on me,” Helman said.

Helman’s interest in writing is not the only reason that he got involved in music. In fact, his first love was baseball.

He was heavily recruited to play in college, but after a string of serious injuries throughout high school and early college, baseball was no longer an option for Helman.

His struggles with this and other life experiences eventually developed into a newfound love for creating music, which became a huge outlet for Helman.

“I started writing music for a very personal reason,” Helman said. “It was such a release for me.”

Helman said that he tries to live by Gandhi’s words “Be the change you seek.” This

quote sums up much of what Helman hopes to convey through his music.

“I believe that you can have as big of an influence on the world as you choose to,” Helman said. “Your life is measured by the people you affect on a daily basis.”

After being featured on popular music website Fresh New Tracks, Helman’s version of “Pumped Up Kicks” has received over 30,000 views on YouTube.

His music has also been played on Burlington radio station 96.7.

Helman just released the first part of his latest project, The Road, on Jan. 10.

“The Road is a three-part mixtape series that will be released over the course of this semester, “Helman said. “It draws influences from many genres musically, and features relatable and relevant content lyrically.”

Though Helman is constantly kept busy by maintaining a balance between being a full time student and musician, he said that he loves every minute of it.

“I feel like I’ve gotten a second chance and I try to take advantage of that every day,” he said.

Helman has an upcoming performance at Higher Ground on Jan. 28, where he will be opening for OCD Moosh & Twist.

You can connect with Jacob Es and find out about his music and upcoming shows through his Facebook page, http://www.facebook.com/ JacobEsMusic.

My knowledge of the band Rubblebucket emerged when a friend told me about a Hurricane Irene benefit concert that was being put on by a band from Vermont. She also told me that the show was free. I was sold.

I turned to the Internet to find out more about the band. They had a few albums and even a couple of interesting music videos, and their infectious blend of psychedelic dance and jazzy Afro pop caught my attention.

Rubblebucket got their start here at UVM, where founding members Kalmia Traver and Alex Toth first met. They soon began touring with reggae collective John Brown’s Body.

In 2008, they formed Rubblebucket Orchestra, which was eventually shortened to Rubblebucket.

The band has since relocated to Brooklyn, N.Y. Their music combines that of world and pop music, but their sound remains distinctly Vermont.

This is in part because of their eclectic musical composition and the influence of lead singer and saxophonist Traver’s multi-generational

PHOTO COURTESY OF JESSICA ROSE LEHRMAN Vocalist and saxophonist Kalmia Traver of Rubblebucket perform live.

Vermont family, who would sing folk songs together at dinner. The band’s heavy touring cycle has honed their live act into a force to be reckoned with.

The blaring horn, Traver’s tremendous pipes and, in their final song, a wickedheavy breakdown that would put most metal core bands to shame.

Rubblebucket is not just a live extravaganza; all three albums and the EP are full of quality material.

The band makes sure that their recorded music has the same quality and energy as their live shows.

Rubblebucket’s trumpeter and bandleader, Alex Toth, realizes the importance of the recorded content in representing a band.

“The production has to

be as intricate, nuanced and passionate as the live show, and that means putting time into it and taking time off the road if we want to have a recording that fully represents us,” Toth said.

The band appears to be as active as ever, and they certainly have a busy schedule ahead of them.

They will continue to tour throughout the year in support of their 2011 album Omega La La. In addition, songs are currently being demoed for a new album.

Rubblebucket will play at Higher Ground on Jan. 27.

Look out for a couple of new tracks, 14-foot tall robot puppets – oh yeah, you read that correctly – and an energetic performance from one of the most exciting new bands in America.

8

ARTS

THURSDAY, JANUARY 26, 2012

Campus bands take to stage for battle

Five finalists compete for one opening slot at this year’s Springfest

By Molly Philbin Staff Writer With bluegrass, ska, a Stevie Wonder cover and Senegalese lyrics, it’s fair to say that the Battle of the Bands final at UVM on Jan. 21 was something to see.

Student bands One Over Zero, Llama Tsunami, Sloe Loris, Yo Tengo Soy and The Walk were chosen out of 12 bands to compete for the coveted Springfest opening act slot.

“All the bands that entered were really great. I wish all of them could have been in the finals,” said Alex McVarnish, University Program Board Music Committee member.

The finalists, competing to be the opening act for Springfest, performed in the Grand Maple Ballroom on the fourth floor of the Davis Center.

The room was set up with a large stage at the back and a multicolored light show that highlighted the students and family members in the audience.

“We just kind of wanted to put something on that would give bands that have UVM students a platform to showcase what they’ve got.”

Alex McVarnish

University Program Board Music Committee member

Each band played three to five songs, not all of which were originals. All five bands had their own distinct sound.

One Over Zero, a reggae/ hip-hop/funk infusion band, began the night with a Beasty Boy-esque sound.

WALKER SULTZBACH The Vermont Cynic UVM’s Battle of the Bands winner Sloe Loris plays in the Grand Maple Ballroom on the fourth floor of the Davis Center, Jan. 21. Other bands competing included One Over Zero, Llama Tsunami, Yo Tengo Soy and The Walk. All performers had at least one UVM student band member.

Graduate student Modou Ndione sang in French and Senegalese while vocalist Matt Murphy rapped. The band’s drummer, sophomore Jake Mayers, said he found the band on Craigslist.

Llama Tsunami lead singer Nick Perry encouraged the crowd to get up and dance to their ska/rock sound. With two trumpets, a trombone and a sax, the band brought new light to songs like “Walking on Sunshine” by Katrina and the Waves.

“With a ska band you never really know – people either really love it or really hate it,” guitarist Ben Perry said.

“There’s never anybody who’s like, ‘yeah I guess they’re OK,” Perry said.

Sloe Loris, a jam rock band, had no vocal component, but did not lack in musical talent or the ability to get the crowd hyped up.

“They’re really fun to dance to,” junior Emily Cseh said.

“Their type of jam music is really fun to see live.”

Yo Tengo Soy — formerly known as Dirty Dave — incorporated a great keyboard sound that made all the difference because, like Sloe Loris, the band did not have a vocalist.

The Walk was the last to play. Their playlist’s variety was the most evident – they performed a Stevie Wonder cover followed by a ballad written by the lead fretboard player and vocalist Antonio Miravete.

The event was put on by the University Program Board, who planned, supervised and funded the entire night.

“We just kind of wanted to put something on that would give bands that have UVM students a platform to showcase what they’ve got,” McVarnish said.

Instead of having the students decide the winner — as was the case prior to the finals — there was a panel of elected judges.

According to Stabile, everyone has their own method for

WALKER SULTZBACH The Vermont Cynic Guitarist Dave Fine plays with his band, Sloe Loris, in the Grand Maple Ballroom on the fourth floor of the Davis Center, Jan. 21. Sloe Loris consists of Mitch Manacek, Zachary Zimmerman and Sam Brown.

deciding who their favorite is.

The crowd’s reception of the bands was taken into account as well. “ They’re going to be performing at Springfest, so you want someone that’s going to be great at that event,” Stabile

said. “So far it’s a really tough call,” McVarnish announced that there was a tie, but that the preferred Battle of the Bands winner, Sloe Loris, will be opening Springfest this May.

Music review

SEAN HOOD

Azealia Banks impresses with fresh tracks

I get the impression that Azealia Banks doesn’t give a shit. She’s moving fast and I’m certain that it won’t be long before she finds herself in a world that moves even faster.

However, she is collected.

You can hear it in her voice and steady flows and you can see it on her kinda-smirky face.

It appears as though Banks has carefully planned her every move – as planned as an overnight celebrity can be. While most of the listening public is still trying to figure out what to make of her, Banks is already radiating fame. Her confidence is intoxicating. She’s cool.

With no album out and only a handful of MP3s floating around music news sites

and blogs, Banks is the most exciting act to emerge from the abstract Internet world in the past month, and probably year. In fact, it has only been one month since “212,” Banks’ first single, was made available online.

What’s so great about Azealia Banks is that it is hard to explain why she is great.

Banks is hard to define.

Her playfully pornographic rhymes are reminiscent of Lil’ Kim in her heyday, and her beats dance somewhere between electronic and old school.

There is a simple aesthetic at work, though it is sometimes hard to notice underneath all of the sounds and effects coming and going throughout each of her songs.

Keep in mind that there are still only five or six of them to speak of.

Crafting a cohesive response to a piece of art – a single moment in time – is never an easy task. Maybe some of you have noticed that I rarely even try to do it.

If I was forced to explain why Azealia Banks deserves the praise I am so prematurely giving her, I would simply say it is the badass feeling I get when I listen to her music.

The mystery, whatever it is that she does so well, pours out of my speakers like magic and awakes something awesome in me every single time.

Just a few weeks ago, Banks signed to Universal, and I expect that things are really about to start moving.

This period in a musician’s career is crucial. Most of us have seen or at least heard about Lana Del Ray’s farfrom-great Saturday Night Live appearance, and a decent percentage of us have probably sold our Del Ray stock since then. We have forgotten that she is a new artist still building her public persona.

Internet sensations are not granted the time to perfect their presentation on small stages, and the majority of them suffer for it.

I am keeping Azealia Banks in my prayers, but I really don’t believe she needs my help. I am excited in a way I haven’t been in what feels like forever. At the same time, I am way too cool to really care all that much.

ARTS

THURSDAY, JANUARY 26, 2012

9

Barstool Blackout takes on Burlington

‘World’s biggest blacklight party’ wows students at Higher Ground

By Julia Wejchert Senior Staff Writer A UVM-heavy crowd donned white and neon attire and danced under black lights, bubbles and balloons on Jan. 20 at the second sold-out night of the Barstool Blackout Tour’s stop at Higher Ground.

The tour, put on by the popular sports website Barstool Sports, is called the “world’s biggest blacklight party” according to banners for the event.

“It’s no big deal, really,” an early webpage for the tour said. “Just touring around the country going to some of the biggest party campuses in the world to throw down barstoolstyle with a DJ and, like, a truckload of lights and lasers and shit. Basically throwing massive parties leaving nothing but a path of destruction across the U.S.” Partygoers showed up on Friday decked out in glowing hipster garb, but many of the guys chose to wear simple white T-shirts and let the backlight do the rest.

As teens and young adults flooded into the Higher Ground ballroom, people passed out glow sticks to the crowd, which were worn as necklaces, headbands and belts.

The event began with local DJs Cake Effect, DJ Jackels and DJ Ordan, and eventually featured Chicago-based DJ

Dante the Don, who performs at all of the Barstool Blackout shows.

The back balcony area provided a chance to get a drink, watch the lights and crowd from afar and carry on some semblance of a conversation with other attendees.

The real party, however, was on the dance floor.

People danced for four hours straight to electronic dance music mixes as colored lights flashed from the stage.

“The entire crowd was yelling with enthusiasm as everyone reached up their hands to pop bubbles and toss balloons.”

Gianna Vannelli UVM Senior For some songs, DJ Dante mixed cuts from popular tracks, such as LMFAO tracks “Shots” and “Sexy and I Know It,” and Kid Cudi’s “Pursuit of Happiness,” with electronic beats.

On others, he sampled more classic tracks such as

JONATHAN POLSON The Vermont Cynic Neon colors glowed under the blacklights at the Barstool Blackout Tour at Higher Ground in South Burlington, Jan. 19 and 20. The tour was advertised as the “world’s biggest blacklight party,” and visited 22 U.S. cities.

Nirvana’s “Smells Like Teen Spirit.”

The show concluded with a symphony of fog, confetti, bright lights and the second balloon-drop onto the crowd dancing to Flo Rida’s “Good Feeling.”

“The DJs and light show were awesome throughout the entire show and they did

a great job bringing the show to a close with a massive release of balloons, bubbles and smoke,” senior Gianna Vannelli said. “The entire crowd was yelling with enthusiasm as everyone reached up their hands to pop bubbles and toss balloons.”

With a final plea from Higher Ground workers to

“get home safely,” the crowd flooded out of the steamy venue into the chilly Vermont air.

In the area outside the doors, attendees discussed the show and engaged in vicious contests to catch cabs home or continue on with their nights elsewhere.

10

Opinion

THURSDAY, JANUARY 26, 2012

STAFF EDITORIAL

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OPERATIONS Operations Manager

The past few weeks, UVM has become enamored with the attention-grabbing feat of finding the next UVM president. On Jan. 13, the five finalists were revealed, and they are currently being interviewed, poked and prodded.

While most are worried about the vision that the new president will bring with them, we at the Cynic have our concerns placed elsewhere.

We are concerned with the fact that the future president is not going to have a place to live.

In past issues, we have discussed the heated debate over what to do with Englesby House, the broken-down UVM presidential mansion on South Williams Street.

The house has not been occupied since 2001, when Interim President Edwin Colodny resided there. After years of unrepaired damage, the mansion remains as uninhabitable as it was 11 years ago.

Once again, the UVM Board of Trustees has been contemplating the prospects of renovation, yet no plans have been officially established. According to University officials, the main reason for this is the current presidential search.

What the trustees do not get is that housing will be a big factor in the candidates’ decision whether to continue in the race.

If this house is not ready for the president when he or she arrives, what is the University to do? We do not think our tuition dollars should be spent keeping our new president in a fancy hotel while $2 million is spent to repair his or her house at the same time.

It is time to face the facts: the University let the Englesby House get this bad and we cannot just turn our backs now.

This is a major priority and the construction needs to happen.

When the trustees narrow their search, will the final candidates feel good about relocating their families to Burlington if there is no house for them to move into?

Planning ahead, it will take months to finish the massive amount of work needed on the presidential mansion.

If the proper motions are set in place, this construction job can be done and the new president will move into their new house just in time for the start of next semester.

Even though President Fogel chose not to live in the mansion during his time in office, he still had the option. We believe our next president should too.

COLUMNISTS

Relax folks – it’s just a game

ZACH DESPART

Some sports fans need to take it down a notch.

Reports surfaced Jan. 23 that San Francisco 49ers’ wide receiver and fill-in punt returner Kyle Williams received death threats after making two costly errors in the 49ers’ loss to the New York Giants on Jan. 22.

In the fourth quarter, Williams allowed a punt to hit his leg, permitting the Giants to recover the ball and score a goahead touchdown. In overtime, he fumbled while returning another punt; the Giants then kicked a game-winning field goal.

Kenny Williams, Kyle’s father and also the general manager of baseball’s Chicago White Sox, said the threats “certainly mak[e] you question our culture of sports as it stands.”

It is apparent that many have lost sight of the fact that, at the end of the day, it is just a game. Yes, Williams’ blunders may very well have cost the 49ers the NFC Championship and their first Super Bowl ven-

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DISTURBING QUOTE OF THE WEEK

ture since 1994. But athletes, just like anyone else, make mistakes.

Being a kick returner is probably the most pressureladen position in football, after being a kicker. Adding to the pressure on Williams was that starting kick returner Ted Ginn Jr. was injured.

The threats were made on the social media website Twitter. Many tweets had a similar theme — the word “awful” and its synonyms, punctuated by a conjugation of the work “fuck.”

But a few were markedly darker. One commenter, @ javpasquel, said “I hope you, youre wife [sic], kids and family die, you deserve it.” Notwithstanding the fact that Kyle Williams is 23 years old, is not married and has no children, who says that?

I’d like to see @javpasquel stand still while 318-pound offensive tackle football players are running full speed at him, in the rain, in front of 70,000 people, and catch a football.

Williams wasn’t the only player to make a costly mistake Jan. 22. Baltimore Ravens’ kicker Billy Cundiff shanked a 32-yard field goal attempt that would have forced overtime against the New England Patriots. We’ll never know, however, if Cundiff would have received the same treatment — he, wisely? — is not on Twitter.

Sadly, the world of sports has had its share of death threats directed against players, and in some cases, fans. Chi-

cago Cubs fan Steve Bartman received death threats after he prevented Cubs left fielder Moises Alou from making a play on a foul ball in the 2003 NLCS. The concern for Bartman’s safety was so great that then Florida Gov. Jeb Bush offered Bartman political asylum.

Boston Red Sox first baseman Bill Buckner received death threats after making an error in the 1986 World Series on a routine ground ball.

Despite a stellar career that included a batting title and All-Star selection, Buckner is remembered most for that play.

And it is not just professional athletes erring in playoff games who are threatened.

A 2009 article on AOL News stated that college football players from Tennessee, West Virginia and Ohio State have all received threats on their lives for mistakes made on the field.

Social media and the Internet make it much easier to contact someone than just a decade ago, but it does not make it any less deplorable to threaten to harm an athlete or their family. It can take a serious psychological toll and takes the enjoyment out of the game for athletes and fans alike.

It’s just a game, folks. And there will always be next year.

Zach Despart is a senior political science major. He has been writing for The Cynic since fall 2009.

“I DON’T LIKE BIG BALLS ON A DOG.”

–Kim Kardashian on “Keeping Up With the Kardashians” about Kim’s dog, Rocky, who got neuticles, which are basically ball implants for dogs.

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, JANUARY 26, 2012

11

COLUMNISTS

The disappearance Meet the web’s new enemies of proper etiquette

BIANCA MOHN

Brrring. It is a glorious Friday night, and your cell phone is ringing. Ignoring the person sitting next to you — with whom you are in the middle of a conversation — you lunge for your precious device and immediately commence talking.

We have all been there: reaching the best part of your story, when a cell phone rings and suddenly your audience is gone. It is rejection at its finest.

As William of Wykeham said in the 14th century, “Manners maketh man.” Now, William may not have had an iPhone, but even in the 1300s he knew a few things about right and wrong.

As kids we learned that good manners gave us what we wanted. We were schooled in the art of writing thank-you cards and in sharing our toys. A simple “please” or “thank you” kept the cookies coming — or, in my case, juice boxes.

But then the cell phone caught on. By this time, our parents were long tired of molding their offspring and schlepping them all over the country for soccer matches, so they bought us phones and told us to be quiet.

Or so I think.

How else can you explain the epidemic of lewd cell phone behavior? From the loud conver-

sations one overhears, to the exasperating interruptions during class, clearly we missed a critical lesson in our development.

Letitia Baldrige, author of more than 20 books on etiquette and former chief of staff for Jacqueline Kennedy, writes that, “You don’t answer the phone ever in front of anybody ... You never make a call in a restaurant.” And yet we see people texting through dinners and placing cell phones on the table.

Baldrige also says, “If you’re not paying attention because you’re so into your iPhone or Blackberry, you might miss somebody who needs help, even an old friend.” Texting is a perfect way to pass time when you are alone or waiting to meet someone, but when you are with them, show some respect and listen to him or her. This applies to your professors, too.

The best thing about etiquette is that it is easy — all you have to do is be considerate.

Before embarking on a texting or phone call crusade, observe who is around you. I don’t want to hear every detail you have to say to your significant other or to your mother, and I’m guessing that the other 50 people in the room don’t want to either.

Just as Justin Timberlake “brought sexy back,” let’s bring decorum back to the 21st century. Enough with the self-absorption — put the phone away and live a little. Who knows what you are missing while you play Angry Birds.

Bianca Mohn is a first-year business administration major.

She has been writing for The Cynic since fall 2011.

PEYTON ROSENTHAL

Recently, I’ve had little patience for ridiculous politics and big-money capitalist companies.

It’s one thing that recent GOP potential candidates make me ashamed of our country, never mind our government, but all the hype regarding anything political is driving me crazy.

The GOP debates continue to lead nowhere; the American population is fostering, or at least once fostered, candidates like the joke-of-a-politician Rick Perry and the sleazy pervert Newt Gingrich.

And now we’re introduced to Congress’ misbegotten twins, SOPA and PIPA. The Stop Online Piracy Act, SOPA, as well as its sister bill, the Protect Intellectual Property Act, PIPA, have racked up a considerable amount of infamy over the past few weeks.

I’m sure everyone was aware on Jan. 18 of the high profile websites like Wikipedia, Google and Reddit that blacked out their content in protest against these two bills.

Since U.S. legislation hopes to shut down sites sharing pirated content, these high profile websites know their fate is in the government’s hands. These Internet companies are concerned that if both these acts are passed, they will target legitimate sites such as their own.

You may be wondering what is so harmful in attempting to rid the Internet of piracy and

infringement, but upon further examination it is more than the amount of human rights these bills are violating – it’s the disturbing lengths studios and record labels are going to in order to accomplish their goals.

SOPA and PIPA emerged from the lobbying of rich and powerful studios and labels such as the Motion Picture Association, MPPA and the Recording Industry Association of America, RIAA. Lobbying is questionable, however — I associate it with complaining and whining combined with under-the-table money deals.

It is more than the amount of human rights these bills are violating – it’s the disturbing lengths studios and record labels went to in order to accomplish their goals.

Much to the humiliation of Hollywood, MPPA, the Entertainment Software Association and many other supporters, the bills, SOPA and PIPA, have been delayed for now, but unfortunately not forever.

The White House is revisiting SOPA next month, however.

PIPA was set to appear before legislation on Jan. 24, but Sen. Harry Reid announced through his Twitter that, “In light of recent events, I have decided to postpone Tuesday’s vote on the Protect IP Act #PIPA.” It seems the Senate took notice of the protestors’ message that Ameri-

cans will not tolerate any form of media control in this country.

In essence, these bills are not just about piracy and copyright infringements — they have the ability to control what a person can look at, read, watch and listen to online. This is the greatest form of censorship; I guess America’s not past all that yellow journalism and propaganda.

Congress is a fool to think the implications of these bills could be obscured from the public, let alone believe the bill could be willingly passed.

What is this: a dystopian America under a totalitarian government? I think not.

The Obama administration issued a statement this past month in response to an online petition titled, “Veto the SOPA bill and other future bills that threaten to diminish the free flow of information.”

In the official White House response, the administration states, “while we believe that online piracy by foreign websites is a serious problem that requires a serious legislative response, we will not support legislation that reduces freedom of expression, increases cyber security risk, or undermines the dynamic, innovative global Internet.”

Now that the White House says that SOPA has gone too far, the petitions have gotten even more public support. The response even prompted MPAA to quickly retaliate in defense.

It is absolutely unacceptable for the government to manipulate the Internet by blocking or redirecting hit results. If passed, these two bills could result in the end of millions of useful and economy boosting websites as well as a violation of our First Amendment rights.

Peyton Rosenthal is a first-year anthropology major. She has been writing for The Cynic since fall 2011.

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Following the news isn’t easy Dear Editor, The Iraq War ended the week of Dec. 12th, right in the middle of finals week. Yet, was anyone talking about it, were there groups of people discussing it, rejoicing over it, was the campus abuzz with the news? No. Everyone was hunkered down behind a thick wall of books, studying.

Campus is always full of activity. If you have an interest there’s probably already a club for it, anything from knitting to riding bikes to Quidditch. But the hard part of being a college student is weeding out the actual news from the club announcements.

People say that no social change movement has ever succeeded without the support of college kids. This is the reason why Occupy Wall Street might be having some problems. I’ve met more people asking what the movement is about than people who actually know the exact reason for the protests.

Now, this might have to do with the fact that Occupy Wall Street doesn’t have just one goal and the aim of each OWS city is slightly different from the next;

however, I feel like the fact that playing on your Xbox is easier than contributing to huge social change probably isn’t helping either.

In my house we had the radio on all the time; I heard the news as it was unfolding. I read about local news in the paper each morning.

I would have called myself a well-informed person before I left for college, but now I don’t have time to read the paper in the morning — and I mean the real newspaper that contains world news, not just strange tidbits about college life.

And while I’ve found my radio station online, I can’t always listen to it because it’s distracting to my roommate and eventually just becomes background noise most of the time anyway.

Somehow, staying informed has become a responsibility, something I must conscientiously make an effort to do.

I never realized this at home because the news, radio and current events overlapped with my everyday life, but now there are so many other distractions at school that I have to actually set aside time to find out what is happening in the wider world

outside of UVM. It is not the most thrilling way to pass the time, but I believe it is important. How can we expect to be leaders in the world or change it for the better if we know nothing about what is going on around us? We are on the verge of entering the world as — gasp — adults and fully-fledged members of society.

It’s not like we will be handed manuals, how-to guides and care information for the planet Earth on graduation day along with our diplomas.

Nobody is going to say, “Here, let me break down what’s been happening in the past couple of years while you were sucking on that hookah and taking down the minutes at the Dining Hall Improvement Society Meeting.”

No — we have to come prepared. History is being made this very minute and we have the chance to have an impact on it, but have to know what is going on first.

Sincerely, Isabella Browne Lorcher Class of 2015

Quick Opinions Zach Despart “Lay off Tim Thomas. The man’s got a right to his beliefs.”

Bianca Mohn

“You know you are in Vermont when 30 degrees feels balmy and the guy next to you is in shorts.”

Peyton Rosenthal “Using giant headphones as an alternative to earmuffs is quite efficient.”

12

OPINION

THURSDAY, JANUARY 26, 2012

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Saving lives, not killing them Break out the skis Dear Editor, I read last week’s letter to the editor by a Mr. Thomas Naylor with puzzlement and amusement at his allegations of a “culture of violence” that UVM has allegedly been “benignly neglecting” for the past 20 years.

Particularly offensive in Mr. Naylor’s disjointed and illogical diatribe was his characterization, and indeed wholesale condemnation, of the University’s ROTC program, of which I am a member.

Mr. Naylor suggested that ROTC at UVM did little more than “train professional killers,” and in doing so contributed to an underlying culture of violence to which the recent SigEp controversy, and seemingly every other bad thing that has happened at this school in the last two decades, may be attributed.

I take this opportunity to speak to something with which I have firsthand experience, and correct Mr. Naylor’s gross mischaracterization of UVM Army ROTC. First, I would call Mr. Naylor’s attention to what the initials ROTC stand for; it is the Reserve Officer Training Corps.

The majority of Cadets who have the privilege to study in this or any ROTC program in our country wind up in their respective states’ National Guard or in the Army Reserve, as opposed to the regular active duty Army.

The United States has a long tradition of citizen soldiering,

from the fabled “minutemen” that comprised our colonial militias, to the droves of everyday men and women who served during the Second World War. That tradition continues to this day.

Contrary to what Mr. Naylor suggests, ROTC is not in the rough business of minting killer but leaders.

It is a healthy thing that the regular army is leavened with competent, but not necessarily “professional,” soldiers and officers. Without the deep bench of well-rounded citizen-soldiers that ROTC produces, that would not be possible.

An excellent, local example of this would be the Vermont National Guard. While it is true that the Vt. Guard recently came home from a deployment to Afghanistan, it is also true that that very same outfit saved thousands of lives in the wake of Hurricane Irene, and helped in the aftermath of devastating flooding in Vermont last year.

UVM ROTC products were integral pieces of both operations. Contrary to what Mr. Naylor suggests, ROTC is not in the rough business of minting killers but leaders.

On a personal level I can refute Mr. Naylor’s claims from my own experience. I am a history and a political science

major.

I intend to spend a few years as an Army officer because I believe in service to our country, and I am interested in the unique leadership training that the military offers. I am not a warmonger or an imperialist. It is the same story for my peers in the Green Mountain Battalion.

We are all typical students.

Perhaps we wake up a little earlier than the rest of the student body, but as a population that is all that distinguishes us.

The basic military training we are given at this stage of our careers only serves to strengthen us in other aspects of academic and personal life.

I can testify that the emphasis of our ROTC education is on leadership and personal development, not the means and methods of “professional killing.”

ROTC is an integral part of this school’s history. Indeed, until 1948, participation in the program was mandatory for all male students.

It strikes me that this institution functioned as well as any other in the country for most of that time.

I find it laughable, the notion that a “culture of violence” exists at UVM at all — Groovy UV of all places! — but the suggestion that ROTC has contributed to that alleged culture is recklessly misguided and deeply offensive.

Very respectfully, John Hart Class of 2014

ROTC — not molding killers Dear Editor,

It was to my great shock, even as a self-proclaimed “commonsensical liberal progressive,” that I should open my web browser and continue to read the words of Thomas H. Naylor stating, “UVM has an active ROTC program whose aim is to train professional killers to support the American empire’s policy of full spectrum dominance.”

With full knowledge that Mr. Naylor will not be affected by my words, I seek rather to appeal to the reasonable left as opposed to his brand of radicals.

I myself am a cadet in the Army’s Reserve Officer Training Corps. I venture to say that everything about myself runs contrary to Mr. Naylor’s stereotypical view of the American soldier as the race-hating, ignorant foot-soldiers of the American empire.

Of similar importance is the fact that I am not demographically atypical to my fellow cadets. I, unfortunately, cannot claim to represent any view or opinion of the U.S. Army, but I can represent myself as a citizen of the United States.

I am a “flaming liberal” from Massachusetts, prochoice, pro-gay marriage, and anti-death penalty and, dare I say, anti-war. What’s that you ask? How can I possibly be anti-war but still want to be

an officer in the United States Army?

All of my being hates war.

The act intrinsically leads to suffering, death, destruction and, dearest to my heart as a practicing Catholic, a degradation of human dignity.

The only thing I hate more than war is the thought of other human beings having to endure more of it than they otherwise would, because the world’s “haves” don’t consider the lives of the “have-nots” to be valuable enough to warrant intervention.

I truly believe, in a way unaffected by illusion or selftrickery, that potential dangers that I may endure will relieve the suffering of the oftenoppressed people of certain Middle Eastern nations, and that if death should find me, that it does so in substitute of an innocent American who is saved by the relocation of the front lines to the Middle East rather than our homeland.

As a history major who has concentrated almost exclusively on the Second World War and the modern Middle East, I can say without a moment’s pause that the removal of Saddam Hussein’s regime made the world a better place.

The memory of torture chambers, gassed Kurdish and Shiite children and the psychopath son of a dictator raping and murdering teenage girls abducted from the streets of

Baghdad have all but passed from the cradle of civilization.

In a more abstract sense, I hope that we may not be so naive as to forget that the implied safety and freedom that we enjoy, our elevated and protected state of dignity, was earned for us by men across history who endured the suffering and depravity of war and who visited violence upon others in our name.

Mr. Naylor, it is your inalienable right to disrespect the men and women of the military and to slander their intentions, and this I do not dare contend to take from you. Such action would make me the greatest hypocrite of all, since it is our devotion to freedom and, legally under contract and oath, the Constitution that defines the Army’s being.

It is thus that I come to you as a brother ever-concerned for your continued well-being, and present to you this appeal.

I have an unending love for you as a fellow human being, so return my kind affection by lending your ear when I beg of you, soften the caustic product of your pen not for some abstract allusion to patriotism, but for the people like me who wish upon you nothing less than life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.

To your future, Dominick B. Healey

Dear Editor, Winter is the season of electric blankets, hot chocolate, sitting on the couch and waiting for springtime. Fortunately, I have found a way off the couch and the only thing going downhill this winter is me, on my skis.

I grew up approximately 10 minutes from the famous Pico Mountain in Killington. Living so close to a mountain and growing up in a house full of skiers, it was an unavoidable fate to ski year after year.

Skiing all the time eventually became a chore, so I decided to find other activities to keep entertained. However, many years have passed and I have run out of new activities to try, and evidently I have become a winter-hating couch potato.

This winter season I am making an effort to get my skiing legs back and do a few runs with my loved ones and friends. I think more students — or winter-haters, in my case — should try it, too.

You live in Vermont, now give it a go! It may be the one thing to save you from hibernating this winter.

I think it is a great way to bring people and families together. During this time of year, places to go and things to do are hard to find.

What would be a better place to bring that guy or girl you are interested in than on a romantic chairlift ride as you take in the beautiful sight?

No matter how beautiful the sight may be at the top of the mountain, it is always difficult to find the motivation to get out in the cold. I like to remember that after a cold run down the mountain, I can always go into the lounge and warm up by the fire.

Being in a gym on a cold day has become a lackluster routine. Next time, before you grab your sneakers, grab some hand warmers and a winter coat instead.

Try heading to the nearest mountain for some skiing or snowboarding to fully take advantage of living in Vermont.

If it absolutely does not work out for you, there is always sledding.

Sincerely, Arielle Boutwell Class of 2015

Stand up for UVM Dear Editor, Last week’s letter to the editor written, by a Mr. Thomas H. Naylor, has left me and many of my friends scratching our heads and wondering, is this guy serious? And if he is, what was he smoking?

Using the incident involving a terribly worded survey question written by one member of the Sigma Phi Epsilon fraternity, he lambasted UVM as a “place where wealthy kids from the Northeast who can’t get into the Ivy League come to play in the snow.”

A few paragraphs later, Naylor uses the SigEp incident to direct contempt and vitriol at the hardworking students in ROTC who work their way through college, sacrificing their time, energy and, indeed, lives.

What, Mr. Naylor, does ROTC have to do with what happened at Sigma Phi Epsilon? Was the SigEp member also part of ROTC? I have it on good information that he was not.

To come out of extreme-left

field with a shameful attack on ROTC, the University and the United States, and somehow connect them with rapes at UVM, is not only ludicrous but also highly offensive.

I am not a member of ROTC, but I respect the fact that these hardworking and dedicated students are getting up every morning while it is still dark, in the bitter Vermont weather, to train with the goal of protecting American civilians — including Mr. Naylor — and his right to baselessly defame them.

Mr. Naylor’s cynical use of the incident involving SigEp to spout his radical political beliefs is his right, but it is by no means honorable. To attack ROTC when they are not even relevant in the slightest to the SigEp incident is not fair to them, and frankly, it makes a lot of mainstream Americans and college students sick to their stomachs.

Sincerely, Jeremiah Rozman Class of 2014

Have a Quick Opinion?

Send it to:

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D I S T RAC T I O N S

College Life by Rodney Rhea

Cat Tales by Emma Cipriani

Camp Morning Wood by Scott Womer

Sudoku

THURSDAY, JANUARY 26, 2012

13

14

Sports

THURSDAY, JANUARY 26, 2012

Sports Another awesome Aussie Open Shorts

By Mike Eaton Sports Editor

By Jeremy Karpf Staff Writer

Women’s hockey Northeastern topped Vermont 5-1 behind first-year Husky Kendall Coyne’s hat trick in Boston. The loss drops Vermont to 3-16-2 overall and 2-9-2 in America East play. The team next plays in Durham, N.H.w Jan. 28 against New Hampshire.

Swimming and diving In their final home match of the season, swimming and diving fell to Northeastern 184116. The loss puts Vermont’s record at 7-4. Prior to the races, 12 seniors on the team were honored for senior night.

Swimming and diving is back in action Jan. 29 at Rhode Island.

Women’s basketball Vermont junior Shanai Heber recorded her second double-double of the season as the Catamounts fell to University of Maryland, Baltimore County 67-58 at home on Jan 22. The loss drops Vermont to 8-13 and 2-6 in America East play. The team returns to action on Saturday when they travel to Stony Brook for a 2 p.m. tip-off.

One of the four biggest tournaments in professional tennis is well underway in Melbourne, where the top performers vie for the Australian Open grand slam title.

As play progresses into the semifinals, we’re seeing much of what we expected when the tournament started: Novak Djokovic has lost only one set, Roger Federer and Rafa Nadal are once again in the semis, Maria Sharapova is nearing a comeback victory and Kim Clijsters is fighting her little heart out.

But now, in the semifinals, is when every player has something to fight for.

Nadal, coming back almost injury-free, will set out to prove that he still has it in him — that his dominance is not only limited to the French Open and is still a No. 1 contender. His goal is to put together a season that will boost him past Bjorn Borg and Rod Laver, placing him third of the all-time grand slam winners. The Australian Open is the necessary starting point.

Federer is setting off once again to prove he is not washedup and can close out his historical career with one more grand slam. He’s up to 1,000 career matches at age 30, but that just might be his limit.

Andy Murray will continue trying to win his first grand slam, inevitably failing and solidifying his status as the best-worst professional tennis player.

Djokovic, perhaps, has the greatest challenge of all. He will set out to make history as the greatest male tennis player to ever play the game. He has the chance to become the first male to put together a calendar year Golden Grand Slam, joining Steffi Graf, the only player to ever do so.

The calendar year Golden Grand Slam requires a player to win all four major grand slams, as well as the Olympic gold medal within one calendar year, feats that Djokovic has claimed are his goals. Last time he had a goal, he ended up winning 43 straight matches and became the number one male tennis player in the world.

On the women’s side, the No. 1 spot has a guaranteed opening with Caroline Wozniacki out due to a straight-set pummeling by the injured Clijsters in the quarterfinals. Victoria Azarenka, Petra Kvitova and Sharapova all have a chance at jumping to the top.

Yet the championship is in the sights of Clijsters more than in all of the others.

She entered the Aussie Open as the 11th seed, played through an ankle injury, hip spasm and unspecified neck problem in a dramatic three-set victory over Li Na before destroying the No. 1 seed. She is looking to rebound after an injury ridden 2011 and defend her Australian Open title, her last success before an abdominal problem plagued the rest of her season.

So now we find ourselves in the midst of the semifinals with exactly who we expected — minus, perhaps, Clijsters.

The question remains, however, who will win it all?

On the men’s side, I think it will come down to the top two: Nadal and Djokovic. Murray is a great tennis player, but he is not the best and cannot beat the best. He lacks the strategic play

Torii Hunter @toriihunter48

I felt like Reggie Jackson in batting practice yesterday but today I felt more like Janet Jackson. Lol

THIS WEEK Saturday 1/28

1/27

Friday

Men’s hockey vs.

Northeastern Gutterson Fieldhouse @ 7:05 p.m.

Men’s hockey vs.

Northeastern Gutterson Fieldhouse @ 7:05 p.m.

SNOW REPORT

Stay in school or hit the slopes?

Friday (1/27)

Pat McAfee

@PatMcAfeeShow

Wintry mix 25°/35°

Saturday (1/28)

Just went thru customs.. ‘Have you ever been arrested before?’... ‘Ahhh yeah, tough to explain, just know whatever you read it’s all alleged.’

Joe Paterno @NotJoePa

If it’s possible to come back as a ghost, I am going to haunt the shit out of Matt Millen

field is more open. I think all of the four contenders are equally skilled, but there may be one area that will determine the winner.

Sharapova may be on her way to a comeback, but I don’t think it will be in Melbourne.

Kvitova is strong and getting stronger, while Sharapova is somewhere between rebounding and losing her edge. Kvitova is my guess to be the heir to Wozniacki, most likely earning a place in the Aussie Open final matchup.

On the other side is Clijsters versus the No. 3 seed, Azarenka. Azarenka has been cruising through, yet she proved that she can come out weak when she dropped the first set to the No. 8 seed Agnieszka Radwanska.

This brief period of weakness may be enough for the strongwilled Clijsters to dominate.

And dominate I think she will do.

I see a Clijsters versus Kvitova final. As much as I will be rooting for Clijsters to make her “Kimback,” I think Kvitova has the weapon to beat Clijsters.

Clijsters’s only real weakness is that she has a hard time handling a high bouncer or a hard serve on her backhand side.

Few female tennis players have the ability to take advantage of this and that is why Clijsters has been able to excel.

Kvitova, however, has a hard left handed shot that tends to draw her opponents away on their backhand side. Clijsters may not be able to handle this, especially with her collection of injuries. She will play a strong match, but may come up just short to the increasingly powerful Kvitova.

Either way, this Australian Open is one for the books. There is a lot for each player to fight for, and a fight we will see.

SCOREBOARD

athletetweets

By Taylor Feuss Staff Writer

needed to oust Djokovic and, although versatile, can only play the defensive against Djokovic’s strong groundstrokes and ability to move the ball anywhere on the court.

Federer is undoubtedly one of the greatest tennis players ever to play the game, but his age and match count suggest an inability to top the younger and more aggressive Rafa. Federer has a convincingly failed record against Nadal and his aging is not going to change that.

Even though the championship may be a potential mustwin for Nadal if he wants to maintain his dwindling dominance, Djokovic is simply too good to lose.

Both have a similarly heavy topspin on their shots, excel in ball placement and are fast as hell. The only area in which they really differ is the serve.

Djokovic has an incredible serve, capable of throwing his opponent past the sideline so he can place it at the farthest possible point on the opposite side of the court. Nadal, on the other hand, has a good first serve, but an easily attackable second serve. When given that opportunity, Djokovic will not hesitate to attack.

I have no doubt that Nadal can keep up with Djokovic in a rally and can probably beat him in an intensity contest. It will come down to the serve and how Rafa responds to Djokovic’s strong baseline play, and I think Djokovic might just be too great of a tennis player, at least off of the clay court.

On the women’s side, the

Cloudly 22°/35°

Sunday (1/29)

Snow showers 14°/28°

Monday (1/30)

Partly cloudly 23°/23°

Tuesday (1/31)

Few snow showers 17°/31°

Wednesday (2/1)

Snow showers 19°/30°

Thursday (2/2)

C BC+ B BBA

Snow showers 21°/29° A+ = don’t miss out, B = why not?, C = stay in school

Sunday Women’s hockey vs. UNH Gutterson Fieldhouse @ 2 p.m.

LAST WEEK

Men’s basketball vs. Albany (1/19) W (73-69) vs. UMBC (1/22) W (90-62) Women’s basketball vs. Albany (1/19) L (73-69) vs. UMBC (1/22) W (67-58)

Men’s hockey vs. UMass Amherst (1/20) L (4-3) Women’s hockey vs. Boston University (1/21) L (6-2) Swimming & diving vs. Northeastern (1/21) L (184-116) Skiing Bates Carnival First Place (1,004) Track & field vs. Middlebury (1/20) Women W (110-41) Men T (77-77)

1/29

Men’s basketball vs.

UNH Patrick Gym @ 12 p.m.

CONFERENCE STANDINGS A - East men’s basketball 1) Boston University 11-11 (7-1) 2) Stony Brook 11-7 (6-1) 3) Vermont 12-10 (6-2) 4) Albany 12-9 (4-3) A - East women’s basketball 1) Boston University 15-6 (8-0) 2) Albany 12-8 (6-1) 3) UMBC 11-10 (5-3) 4) Bighamton 10-10 (4-3) ...

8) Vermont 8-13 (2-6) A - East men’s hockey 1) Boston University 15-6-1 (12-4-1) 2) Merrimack 13-5-5 (9-4-3) 3) Boston College 14-10-1 (10-7-1) 4) Maine 12-8-3 (9-7-2) ...

10) Vermont 5-17-1 (2-13-1) A - East women’s hockey 1) Boston College 17-6-2 (10-2-2) 2) Northeastern 16-5-2 (10-2-2) 3) Boston University 12-12-1 (7-7-0) 4) Maine 12-8-6 (6-6-2) ...

8) Vermont 3-14-6 (2-8-2)

S P O RT S

THURSDAY, JANUARY 26, 2012

15

Vermont falls in Frozen Fenway rematch

By Diana Giunta Senior Staff Writer

UVM fell to UMass Amherst 4-3 on Jan. 20 on the road. This was a prime chance for the team to gain back some momentum after the heartbreaking loss to UMass in the final seconds of overtime at Frozen Fenway in Boston.

This game was also a chance for the Catamounts to make a final push for the Hockey East playoffs. Now, the team’s chances of making the playoffs are dwindling quickly as the season nears its end.

Vermont currently occupies last place, according to the Hockey East standings, with 11 games remaining in the regular season.

Of the 10 teams in Hockey East, the top eight go on to the conference playoffs.

UVM is currently behind ninth-place Northeastern University and eighth-place New Hampshire for the eighth and final playoff spot.

“I think we’re in a situation where every game is a playoff game,” Vermont head coach Kevin Sneddon said.

UMass’ Danny Hobbs scored a hat trick, the first of his career, against Vermont at the Mullins Center on Jan. 20.

It was UMass’ Connor Allen who snapped a 3-3 tie with just minutes left in the third period, dealing the final blow to edge out Vermont in another close contest against the Minutemen.

UMass scored the opening goal of the night at 8:39 of the first period. This was the start of Hobbs’ three goals of the eve-

JONATHAN POLSON The Vermont Cynic

Junior Sebastian Stalberg races toward the puck in the Catamounts’ Jan. 7 loss to UMass Amherst. In their Jan. 20 rematch, Vermont fell short again by only one goal. UVM remains in the bottom spot of the America East standings, this weekend’s series being a crucial one. ning. UMass carried the lead into the second period, but it did not take long in the second for UVM to tie the game.

Senior captain Brett Leonard scored his first goal of the year at 1:54 with a wrist shot.

Later in the second at 13:01, first-year Michael Paliotta scored with a slap shot, giving the Catamounts the lead.

Danny Hobbs completed his hat trick next, scoring two con-

Featured club sports team of the week

UVM freeskiing team

By Taylor Feuss Staff Writer

The wait is finally over.

The ski season has officially begun in the Green Mountain state and no one could be happier than the UVM club freeskiing team. The trails are white and the excitement is building as members of this club team get ready to hit the slopes of their home-turf mountain of Stowe.

The freeskiing team, formerly referred to as the freestyle ski team, is made up of dedicated students who share an interest in competing and developing both as individuals and as a unit. Despite the laid-back atmosphere, admittance to this club does require moderate to advanced park and pipe skills and the ability to compete during the season.

New coach Noah Labow joined t h e

UVM freeskiing family this past year, after previously founding the Johnson State freeskiing team in the ‘98/’99 season and coaching for Carrabassett Valley Academy in Maine. Labow has many goals for his Catamounts and says that he is “extremely excited” to work with the team daily, to “progress talent level, competitive presence and simply improve the skiers.”

The team is only a few years old, but the number of participants has grown to 51 members this season. When they are not out on the slopes, the team practices indoors on trampoline beds at the Green Mountain Gymnastics Center, helping them prepare for the wintery wonderland waiting for them outside its doors.

Members get a season pass to Stowe, from which they can be transported back and forth via two vans provided to the team by their sponsors. The greatest perk of being on the team though is ultimately the chance to meet new people and make friends from all over campus.

Illustration by Stephanie Feinberg

secutive goals in the third period.

Vermont followed up the hat trick with a goal from sophomore Matt White at 12:21 of the third. White notched a goal from the slot with a wrister.

Though White’s goal tied the game for the Catamounts, Allen scored at 16:16 to lift the Minutemen over the Catamounts for the final time.

“Effort-wise, I couldn’t be

any more proud of how we played tonight,” Sneddon said.

Aside from Brett Leonard’s goal, the other two Catamount goals were scored by underclassmen.

“I think our younger players continue to get better; they’re playing a ton of key minutes right now on a team that’s pretty depleted with injuries,” Sneddon said.

“It hurts sometimes in the

short run, but I think they’re getting better and better as time goes on,” he said.

The next games for the Catamounts will be played at Gutterson Fieldhouse, as Northeastern comes to Burlington on Jan. 27 and 28 for a two-game series.

Due to Northeastern’s current placement in the Hockey East playoff push, this will be a key series for UVM if the team hopes to make the playoffs.

16 THURSDAY, JANUARY 26, 2012

S P O RT S

NFL awards

SUPER BOWL

XLVI PREVIEW

By Jake Bielecki Staff Writer

Dre w B r e e s New ints

Jim H a r b a u g h Sa s n Francis c o 4 9 e r

Orle a n s S a

You could make the argument for Tom Brady or Aaron Rodgers, both of whom had monster — in fact, all time — seasons at the quarterback position. Brees’ numbers are remarkable; 72 percent completion percentage, 46 touchdowns and 5,476 yards good for most all-time in a single season. Brees has never won the award and it is hard to imagine that voters will overlook him breaking the single season passing record. Not only is Brees the most valuable player on the field, he is one of the most e charismatic and idolized players in the game. lIllustrations by C or ri

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While Marvin Lewis deserves a great deal of consideration for guiding the Bengals to a playoff appearance in a year where many picked Cincinnati to be one of the league’s worst teams, Jim Harbaugh led an even more remarkable turnaround.

Harbaugh took over a team that went 6-10 the year before his arrival and guided the 49ers to a 13-3 record, an NFC West divisional title and an appearance in the NFC championship game. Perhaps the best part of the story – he resurrected Alex Smith’s career and made the storied franchise relevant once again.

Jason

Pie r r e - P a u

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New York Gia n t s

Some people would argue Justin Smith deserves this award and he certainly deserves consideration for being the rock of the 49ers defense, but it’s hard to ignore Pierre-Paul’s numbers and visible impact he makes each game for the Giants. In just his second season, Pierre-Paul recorded 86 tackles and 16.5 sacks. He also anchored the Giants defensive line during a year where sack specialists Justin Tuck and Osi Umenyiora consistently struggled to stay healthy. Pierre-Paul isn’t just a numbers guy he is a defensive playmaker in the clutch for a team that is going to the Super Bowl.

After Kyle Williams of the San Francisco 49ers handed Sunday’s game to the Giants, the stage is now set for a rematch of the historic 2007 Super Bowl. Both conference championship games were decided by somewhat fluky plays, which was rather disappointing considering the quality of both games up until those points. Ravens’ kicker Billy Cundiff shanked a 32-yarder, which gives me an excuse to preach my theory that they should be able to declare a field goal anytime they make it past the opposing team’s 20-yard line.

The Patriots’ defense held Ray Rice to 67 yards on 21 carries and Tom Coughlin would be savvy to continue passing the ball as often as he did against the 49ers – 58 of the Giants’ 84 plays on Sunday were passes. The Illustration by Stephanie Feinberg Patriots’ front seven looked good against the Ravens, but Joe Flacco threw for 306 yards with 8.5 yards per attempt, so their secondary can still be exploited. The Patriots face off against a much better quarterback in Eli Manning and a receiving core loaded with two No. 1 options in Victor Cruz and Hakeem Nicks. Preventing those receivers from making big plays after the catch will be should be emphasized in the Patriots’ secondary.

The Giants’ defense will once again rely on their front four getting pressure on Tom Brady, so they can drop seven players into coverage to hide a suspect secondary. A good offensive balance for the Patriots that avoids clear passing situations will be key for the Patriots’ offense.

The Giants should have a hard time committing enough players to stop the run while bracketing Gronkowski or Hernandez, so the threat of the run will be essential. The scarcity of athletes in the Giants’ linebacking core outside of Michael Illus Boley means the trat ion Giants will often

by R odn commit two to the ey R hea tight end not covered

by Boley. Hernandez and Gronkowski are matchup nightmares for teams without cover linebackers; I was excited at the prospect of seeing 49ers linebacker Patrick Willis match up against those tight ends.

I have the Giants winning 34-27 on the strength of their passing game and pass rush. I think the Patriots’ lack of skill in the secondary will be exposed by the Giants, the only quality passing team they’ll have faced in the playoffs. I expect the Patriots to move the ball against the Giants, but their lack of a deep threat will ultimately put too much pressure on Tom Brady being pinpoint over long, methodical drives.

Big plays could be plentiful for the Giants as Victor Cruz and Hakeem Nicks are simply better than the Patriots’ cover men.

Three things that could determine the outcome of the Super Bowl

Prior to this season, the book on the Jets was that they were loaded with talent at the skill positions, a top five defense and a strong offensive line that could protect the biggest question mark on the roster, Mark Sanchez. Moreover, the Jets were predicted to make another deep run in the AFC playoffs after making it to two consecutive AFC Championship games. It turned out that the Jets had a slow defense that failed to pressure opposing quarterbacks, had weak play up the middle from their undersized safeties, had a mediocre offensive line, couldn’t run the football or protect the quarterback and — worst of all — had a corrupt and disjointed locker room. The Jets are in a lot of trouble moving forward and easily take the title as the most disappointing team of 2011.

The R a c e f o r Andre w L u c k

While the Tim Tebow madness deserves some consideration here, there was some warrant to it. The drama that was around the Colts and whether or not Andrew Luck would be replacing Peyton Manning as quarterback was a topic of discussion each and every week. It now looks like the Colts are in full blown rebuilding mode, which doesn’t bode well for those Colts fans who are in favor of brining back Manning. This storyline is far from over and it will dominate the NFL headlines long after the draft in April.

New Yor k J e t s

By Will Andreycak Senior Staff Writer

1. The turnover margin Earlier in the season when the Giants and Patriots squared off, Tom Brady threw two interceptions and the Patriots fumbled twice. The Giants only turned the ball over two times in the game. Eli Manning must continue to make good decisions and Tom Brady needs to protect the ball against a swarming Giants pass rush.

2. Sack margin This remains constant with the 2007 Super Bowl. If the Patriots’ offensive line can keep Tom Brady upright then there’s a good chance he’ll find the open receiver.

Like most quarterbacks, Tom Brady will play noticeably worse if you hit him consistently.

3. Limiting Brandon Jacobs to five or less carries No, seriously, stop giving this guy the ball. The biggest difference between the 2007 Giants and this year’s version is the Giants’ offensive structure. The Giants once boasted an excellent run blocking line and two very effective running backs in Ahmad Bradshaw and Brandon Jacobs that masked what was at times iffy quarterback play. Now the Giants have a subpar offensive line, one effective runner and a quarterback who arguably joined the NFL’s elite with his performance this season. Limiting Brandon Jacob’s carries, and the number of runs called in general, should give the the Giants their best chance.