February 7, 2013

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B1G commissioner says university will have to ‘get better’ after conference move

By Yasmeen Abutaleb Senior staff writer Conference realignments are nothing new to Jim Delany. He’s seen plenty play out in the 24 years since becoming Big Ten commissioner, with even his own conference dramatically reshaping in that time.

When he oversaw Nebraska’s move from the Big 12 to the Big Ten in 2010, Delany thought his conference was set. But he was seeing something new take hold across the country. Conferences weren’t simply adding or losing members, he realized. They were expanding geographically. It wasn’t enough to have members in only one region of the country because a wider

cial, Delany and Loh have audience meant better TV both said. But if the move contracts, which meant is to be truly successful in more financial security. the long term, Delany said, So a couple of years the university will have to ago, Delany thought strengthen its financial of university Presibacking among graduates dent Wallace Loh. He and alumni and play its thought of this univerway to more of a presence sity’s proximity to major in major media markets media markets in Wash— and that can only come ington and Baltimore. from top-notch revenue He thought about the sports teams that rake in similarities between the wins and championships. university and the con“I think Maryland is a ference’s dozen members, jim delany, Big Ten commissioner, said the university should improve soon. file photo/the diamondback great university, has had about how the university solidified in the university’s agreement good success, but not great success, was also a flagship institution committo join the Big Ten before the 2014 athin recent years,” Delany told The Diated to research. letic season, has been mutually benefimondback. “It’ll be important to us For the most part, their partnership,

By Jim Bach Senior staff writer Swept up in a nationwide push for stricter gun control laws following the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting, lawmakers in Annapolis set the stage yesterday for hearings on laws aimed at curbing gun violence.

Among the proposed measures are laws that require purchasers to have a license before obtaining a firearm, stricter background checks, a limit on the amount of rounds in a magazine and an assault weapons ban, all of which are embraced by Gov. Martin O’Malley, several legislators and gun control advocates.

“It’s going to save lives,” said Vincent DeMarco, president of Marylanders to Prevent Gun Violence, adding other states have enacted similar gun laws. “It really does work to reduce gun violence.”

STATE GUN CONTROL Lawmakers in Annapolis began hearings yesterday on state gun control measures in the wake of December’s Sandy Hook shooting. Among the proposed measures are:

1. Purchasers to have a license before obtaining a firearm 2. Stricter background checks 3. Limited rounds per magazine 4. Assault weapons ban Following a shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary in Newtown, Conn., that killed 20 children, six adults and the shooter, DeMarco said the debate on gun control has become more pressing, and lawmakers have become more receptive to legislation that would attempt to avoid further massacres.

“The Newtown tragedy really changed the dynamics, so I think that [the legislature] will pass reasonable See hearing, Page 3

Police make arrest in armed robbery case

By Yasmeen Abutaleb Senior staff writer

student’s laptop, University Police spokesman Maj. Marc Limansky Prince George’s County said.

Police arrested a 21-yearThe student did old College Park man not comply, and Wednesday in connection after a confronwith an attempted armed tation, Spearman robbery last week in The fled the scene. He Varsity. was previously Demonte Antonio demonte antonio spearman found guilty of Spearman, a resident of photo courtesy of county police p osse ss i o n o f the 4700 block of Navahoe marijuana in July 2011, according to Street in College Park, is charged court records. with first-degree assault, secondAn armed robbery that occurred degree assault, attempted robbery, Tuesday on Paint Branch Parkway firearm use and carrying a handgun. near Rhode Island Avenue is still He admitted his involvement in under investigation. Police have the Jan. 27 incident after being internot found a connection between the viewed by detectives, according to a two incidents thus far, said Prince county police blog. Spearman allegGeorge’s Police spokeswoman edly entered a fourth floor common Nicole Hubbard. area at about 1:15 p.m., displayed what police believe to be a fake handgun and demanded a university newsumdbk@gmail.com

INDEX

See Delany, Page 2

ON-CAMPUS REPAIR

State gun control hearings underway O’Malley, several lawmakers throw support behind proposals after Sandy Hook shooting

for Maryland to be successful and in any partnership, both partners should improve and get better as a result of that partnership.”

Loh announced the school’s decision to leave the ACC on Nov. 19, and university officials have since spoken of the benefits of the conference’s revenue-sharing model and the increased academic opportunities offered by membership in the Committee on Institutional Cooperation, an academic consortium of member schools and the University of Chicago.

Unlike most of the Big Ten’s members, however, this university isn’t a football-first school, much less

Senior repairs students’ iPhone screens out of his apartment to pay for tuition

By Laura Blasey Senior staff writer For Harrison Baum, fixing iPhones is a labor of love.

He’s not an engineering major, and he has no background in business. But with nothing more than a passion, a set of instructions and a willingness to take a risk, the senior economics major created onCampus Repairs, an iPhone repair business.

Growing up, Baum loved to find the secrets behind technology by taking gadgets apart and putting them back together. It was also a means of bonding with his father, who designed security equipment and also started his own business in college.

“In high school, I would always tinker and take stuff apart and if I ever had a question, I would run into his office and he would answer it,” Baum said.

Toward the end of high school, Baum began investigating the structure of cell phones, noting the complexity of smartphones, with their paper-thin wires and fragile frames.

“I have so many people bring me phones that they’ve tried to fix themselves and ended up just messing up the whole thing,” Baum said.

Most fragile of all was the glasscased iPhone. And from what Baum

saw upon arriving at the university, the only thing as common among this university’s students as the iPhone was a broken iPhone screen.

“I saw everyone was walking around with a cracked screen, and it’s like, ‘Wow, I could definitely do a good business fixing them,’” Baum said.

He launched his business at the end

of last spring, charging just $70 for a broken screen — among the lowest prices on the market, Baum said —and repairing phones within an hour.

What began as an experiment with testing his skills on friends’ broken phones quickly caught on with other students, and now, Baum fixes between 50 and 70 phones a month.

Though he’s quick, repairing a phone is a complicated process, Baum said. It takes him 37 steps to replace the screen of an iPhone 4.

“I had to make sure that I was 110 percent familiar with everything in the phone, because you can’t screw around with and mess up other people’s phones,” Baum said, adding that he was nervous at first.

“I’ve done 1,000 to 1,500 phones so far, and I haven’t messed up a single one, but there’s really no room for error.”

His passion for technology goes beyond just screen repairs — Baum will look at any problem.

“This past winter break, my sister’s iPhone had water damage and I asked him if he could take a look at it,” said junior accounting major Hermela Hailemeskel.

“He was able to fully fix it — and for a fair price, too. He is seriously the doctor See baum, Page 3

Amended withdrawal policy to go before University Senate this month

By Alex Kirshner Staff writer Although students suffering from mental illness can withdraw from classes after their grades are finalized, the University Senate will vote this month on a proposal that expands and clarifies the policy for students.

Officials approved recommendations from the Academic Procedures and Standards Committee to revise the university’s current policy on retroactive withdrawal, which allows students to

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drop classes from their transcripts past the withdrawal deadline in special circumstances. The revision allows the proposal to move forward for a full vote by the University Senate at its next meeting.

The committee first looked into adjusting the withdrawal policy last year, after 2012 graduate Samantha Roman proposed it could aid students whose academic performance suffered due to extenuating circumstances.

The university’s policy on general withdrawal allows students to withdraw from the university up until the last day

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of the semester by submitting a written notice to the university registrar. Roman suggested that the university consider extending the policy to students whose grades had suffered during a period of mental or emotional distress after the semester had ended with minimal damage to their transcripts. Roman also proposed allowing them a path to reentry that bypasses petitioning the Faculty Review Board — a requirement for anyone withdrawing with a grade

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See Withdrawal, Page 2

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THE DIAMONDBACK | NEWS | thursDAY, FEBRuary 7, 2013

delany From PAGE 1 a powerhouse. Byrd Stadium doesn’t often sell out; indeed, slumping ticket sales contributed to the athletic department’s financial struggles and, ultimately, Loh’s openness to a more lucrative conference affiliation.

Perhaps most importantly, the university’s alumni and fan base, in terms of booster support, fall well short of the likes of the University of Michigan, the University of Wisconsin and Ohio State University. And that’s why there will have to be improvements if the move is going to work in the long term, Delany said.

But he’s confident it will. So is Loh. “We want to be top-20 in athletics, which is not going to happen overnight, but we’re going to go down that path,” Loh said. “If you’re going to go down that path, we need to have the resources to do it. And we’re never going to get the resources in the ACC, not because there’s anything wrong with the ACC,

withdrawAl From PAGE 1 point average less than 2.0.

After investigating, the committee found the university already had a retroactive withdrawal provision in place, but it lacked the scope of Roman’s proposal, and it was missing from the university’s undergraduate catalog and published withdrawal policy.

Committee chair and engineering professor Chris Davis said the change was therefore being treated as a “clarification” — changing the current language to make the policy more easily understandable and accessible to students.

“There’s always been a university policy to grant these [withdrawals],” he said, “but

but just because it’s a totally different ball game.”

That goal seemed far-reaching and increasingly unattainable on the athletic department’s previous path. It had been hemorrhaging money for several years, causing the deficit to balloon to a projected $4.7 million in fiscal year 2011. That prompted Loh and Athletic Director Kevin Anderson to cut seven varsity teams, some of which they plan to later bring back with revenue from the conference shift. Before the cuts, the university ranked last among the ACC’s 12 schools in studentathlete support, with $67,390 spent per student-athlete.

“This is really going to benefit how we take care of our studentathletes,” Anderson said of the move. “This is going to give us an opportunity to invest more.”

But the onus isn’t just on the university to adjust to the rigors of joining the Big Ten. The conference is equally obliged, Delany said, to strengthen its presence on the East Coast, so this university’s fans are as passionate about competition at Northwestern as they are at North Carolina.

“If you expand your footprint, you have an obligation to build relationships, build friends, make competitions friendly — and there’s a lot of competition in this footprint,” he said. “There will be more competition, more games, and we’ll try to do it in a way … that reinforces fans and alumni and students in all locations.”

Many have speculated that the Big Ten is hardly done changing, that another ACC school could soon follow the university’s lead.

But Delany declined to comment on further changes, maintaining he is “100 percent focused” on the addition of this university and Rutgers, which announced its departure from the Big East on Nov. 20.

Once this university and Rutgers join, the conference will have a trio of schools on the eastern corridor — Penn State has been a member of the conference for 20 years — and those media markets are different beasts.

While Midwestern markets are dense and populous, the conference’s East Coast schools reach into Washington, New York City and Philadelphia, all major na-

it wasn’t clearly stated in the undergraduate catalog.”

Davis added that the policy already called for similar exceptions to the ones Roman’s initial proposal called for, like requiring documentation for students withdrawing due to a mental or emotional disorder.

Davis said the committee opted not to include Roman’s suggestion for easier reentry in the final proposal because they felt setting standards for allowing students to bypass the review board would be too limiting.

“We’re actually not trying to be too prescriptive, because we want to retain friendly accommodation,” Davis said.

Clearer wording would help students who face issues like depression or anxiety and may not be in a position to understand the current policy’s

jargon, said Jeri Boliek, the University Health Center’s triage services and suicide prevention program coordinator.

“Certainly we see it with major depressive episodes,” she said. “Students can become very depressed very slowly, and they may miss that withdrawal date, that drop date, and not even realize that they are depressed.”

Boliek cautions that officials need to consider students on a case-by-case basis, but some anxiety disorders can cause intense panic attacks and prevent students from being able to concentrate or remember information. If students’ anxiety struggles have translated to difficulty in the classroom, Roman said, their grade point averages shouldn’t be permanently saddled as a result.

Roman, however, isn’t so sure

WALLACE LOH, university president, said the Big Ten move will bring academic and financial benefits to the school. To be successful, Big Ten Commissioner Jim Delany said the school must strengthen its fan base and generate more media attention on athletics. file photo/the diamondback tional cities. There seems untapped potential for growth.

For the time being, university and Big Ten officials alike say they will do everything in their power to plan and prepare for the impending changes. At the end of the day, though, Delany

about the committee’s decision to keep the policy’s review board provision. Forcing students before the review board — making them “argue their way back into the school” — could hurt those who have withdrawn because of anxiety troubles, she said.

“It may disadvantage someone who has a social anxiety disorder, someone who cannot connect with other people or is too anxious to do so, or somebody who’s maybe embarrassed,”

can’t be certain how it will all play out — the product on the field will decide that.

“I’m very hopeful that Maryland has success, that its programs prosper, because I think that will lead to more fan interest, more fan affinity, more

support for the university that will eventually make the expansion appear to be successful,” he said. “If you’re a successful member of the Big Ten, you’re going to be nationally relevant.” newsumdbk@gmail.com

“Students can become very depressed very slowly, and they may miss that withdrawal date, that drop date, and not even realize that they are depressed.”

JERI BOLIEK

University Health Center triage services and suicide prevention program coordinator Roman said. “If someone had a suicide attempt, they might not want to share that.”

The Senate Executive Committee’s proposed language changes, though, are a step in the right direction, both Roman

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and Boliek said. The Senate will vote on the new language as well as a slew of other bills at its first meeting of the semester on Feb. 14. newsumdbk@gmail.com

thursDAY, FEBRuary 7, 2013 | NEWS | THE DIAMONDBACK

baum

times hard work to balance his time, though, he said.

“There’s been nights where I literally worked straight through the night, didn’t sleep and went to class the next day,” Baum said.

“Sometimes, it can be ridiculous as a full-time student.”

But helping students is worth the lost hours of sleep, he said.

Customer satisfaction has earned him a 100 percent satisfaction rating on eBay. He refuses to accept payment until customers see the repairs and he promises to match any lower repair price a customer might find.

“I haven’t heard of people going to other places, and I’d like to think that’s why, but I do know there are a few other places on campus that do it,” Baum said.

When he’s not fixing phones, Baum spends most of his free time

doing community service with Alpha Phi Omega, a community service fraternity. He’s also the first student business to sponsor Terp Thon, an on-campus group that raises money for the Children’s National Medical Network.

“I think it’s awesome that there’s aMarylandstudentthathasenough business and is able to sponsor us,” said Hank Rich, Terp Thon supply and logistics chairman.

Ultimately, Baum plans to put his earnings toward opening an assisted living home with a friend after college. In the meantime, he hopes to expand his business to cover Android phones and one day

bring onCampus Repairs to other schools, training new employees.

“The job offer is that you fix phones on the campus for me, and I’ll pay your tuition,” Baum said.

The most rewarding part of his work, Baum said, has been gaining the opportunity to pay back his parents back for his own tuition.

“I saved 95 percent of [my earnings] in a college fund,” Baum said.

“I couldn’t ask for more than that.”

They never asked for the money — it was Harrison’s motivation that pushed him, Ron Baum, his father, wrote in an email.

“I am very proud of him, not just for his continuing success,

but for his business ethics — he doesn’t want anything given to him without working for it,” Baum wrote.“The fact that he has offered to pay back for college — he is getting closer by the month — was of greater value to me then [sic] the money involved.”

Starting and running his own business has been an educational experience for Harrison Baum, the self-taught repairman said.

“I love business and I love technology. I love doing stuff like this and dealing with people, so hopefully I can keep this going.”

tional restrictions on law-abiding citizens, I don’t feel we’ll change the violent gun society we have today. We’ll only put a burden on law-abiding citizens.”

The focus should instead narrow to helping serve school safety and mental health, which Reilly said the legislation fails to address in a substantive manner.

“All of the major tragedies that have happened in the United States occur with people who have mental health issues,” Reilly said, adding while O’Malley allocated an additional $53 million in state dollars for mental health issues, it

was a relatively small expenditure in the context of this year’s $37 billion budget.

Also underlying the gun violence debate is culture,a matter left out of discussions in Annapolis, he said.

“TV, movies, video games, Internet; we need to have a healthy, transparent discussion about violence,First Amendment and where we as society should draw the line,” Reilly said.

The hearings and debate unfolding in the state serve as a model of what is also being played out at a national level. By getting the conversation going in Annap-

olis, leaders in Washington may be energized to respond as well with modifications to the country’s gun laws, DeMarco said.

In a news conference last month, President Obama unveiled several gun control measures that included provisions similar to those being presented in the state, such as limiting the amount of rounds in a magazine to 10, and an assault weapons ban. The former of those two options would likely be the best way to seize on the heightened appetite for gun control, public policy professor Christopher Foreman wrote in an email, and the

nation may not get the same type of assault weapons ban it got in 1994 under the Clinton administration.

“Round-for-round the typical ‘assault weapon’ is less lethal than many traditional high-powered hunting rifles. It would seem more important to limit ammunition capacity rather than gun type,” Foreman wrote. “The administration is aware of this and perhaps prepared to trade an assault-weapons ban away to get a final bill emphasizing other things, including capacity limits, background checks and freedom to conduct gun-related research.”

But any sort of policy measure will energize Obama’s “grassroots enemies,” Foreman wrote.

“The [gun rights] fundamentalists, to whom the final clause of the Second Amendment is tantamount to sacred scripture, will never be happy with any regulation,” Foreman wrote. “The irony, however, is that any overt move toward enhanced regulation benefits them organizationally as it plays into their narrative of a ‘[slippery slope] towards confiscation and tyranny.’”

From PAGE 1 of iPhones.”

If a phone is beyond repair and someone plans to upgrade, he’ll take it anyway, refurbish it and sell it overseas.

There’s a huge market for expensiveAmerican smartphonesinAsia, Baum said. A refurbished iPhone 4 can go for as much as $600 in Russia, China or the Middle East.

But whether the repair is being done for someone across the globe or in the city, Baum takes pride in his customer service. It’s some-

hearing From PAGE 1 measures to reduce gun violence,” DeMarco said.

But more laws won’t solve the problem, said state Sen. Ed Reilly (R-Anne Arundel), and will only create more hurdles and red tape.

“We have some of the most restrictive gun control laws in the United States,” Reilly said. “When you look at Chicago and Washington, D.C., that have the most restrictive city gun laws, it doesn’t stop violence, so by putting addi-

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Opinion

THE DIAMONDBACK | THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2013

EDITORIAL BOARD

YASMEEN ABUTALEB Editor in Chief

Mike King

Managing Editor

Learning when to make exceptions As editors, we’re faced with decisions every day that test us and sometimes let us see how far we’re willing to push the boundaries of journalism and ethics. Should we pull that ad? Is that cartoon OK to run in the paper?

Does this source deserve anonymity?

It’s a difficult line to toe, one that often leaves us questioning ourselves and wondering whether we’re really fit to run this newspaper. We’re put in charge with no faculty oversight, and most of the time, we feel pretty confident — but then again, we’re students, and I know I’ve had my share of self-doubt in this position.

So when Lauren Redding — The Diamondback’s online editor and last year’s editor in chief — told me she wanted to author a University Senate proposal mandating sexual assault prevention education for the university, I hesitated. Her doing so would violate this newspaper’s policies by taking a political stance of sorts and being heavily involved in one of the university’s governing bodies.

But after some thinking, I realized some issues are bigger than us, and

Managing Editor

maria romas Opinion Editor

nadav karasov Opinion Editor

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FROM THE EDITOR

YASMEEN ABUTALEB

Tyler Weyant

there are times to make exceptions.

When that exception could protect so many people and prevent future assaults — traumatizing experiences no one should have to endure — it’s time to stop and reconsider.

Here’s the thing: Sexual assault affects every community of this university, including the community of Diamondback staff members. Lauren herself is a sexual assault survivor, and she’s not the only one on the staff.

There was simply no way I could point to a newspaper policy to prevent this initiative from launching when so many people we all know are personally affected by it.

The proposal is quickly moving through the senate; it’s already been approved by the Senate Executive Committee, the most powerful subcommittee, and is now under review by university President Wallace Loh’s Sexual Harassment Task Force. It could go before the full senate as soon as next month for a vote and, if approved, make its way to Loh’s desk for his signature.

We could have brushed Lauren’s involvement under the rug and simply mentioned her authoring the bill in any articles related to the proposal. But that’s not The Diamondback’s mission.

We seek to deliver the truth as accurately and fairly as possible.

Yes, Lauren is the driving force behind this potential policy, and yes, I allowed it. Lauren’s job does not require her to be in the newsroom while we work on the paper, so she is not involved in day-to-day decisions, and she is not involved in deciding news content. The reporter on the story does not know Lauren on a personal level, so there is no conflict of interest. And I’m not editing stories that have to do with this proposal to ensure we report as objectively as we possibly can.

Maybe some people will frown upon or disapprove of my decision. That’s fine — being a journalist is never about being popular. If this policy is passed, so many students could be protected from assaults on the campus. I doubt anyone will remember that Lauren, a Diamondback editor, broke the newspaper’s policy to get it passed.

What will be remembered, however, is someone stood up for sexual assault victims and put in place a preventative measure to create a safer campus. And if that means my judgment is questioned in the meantime, that’s a small price to pay.

Ya s m e e n A b u t a l e b i s a j u n i o r journalism and microbiology major. She can be reached at y.abutaleb7@gmail.com.

EDITORIAL CARTOON

A lurking disaster Social Security threatens your future ANDREW DO We have barely entered the workforce and the last thing on our minds is retirement. You’ve probably heard something about how Social Security is broken. But our generation seems to care little — collecting those checks is about 40 years down the road — but the fact is this: It affects us now.

Every time we get our biweekly paychecks, as sparse as they are, money is taken out of them in the form of a payroll tax, which is used to fund the Social Security trust for beneficiaries now. We are essentially paying it forward in the hope that, when the time comes for us to collect our Social Security checks, there will be funds for us to collect. But according to former Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner, without extensive reform, there will be nothing to collect, noting, “In 2033, incoming revenue and trust fund resources will be insufficient to maintain payment of full benefits.”

And so I ask, why am I paying and investing into a broken system?

Would you invest in a stock, knowing that you will never get anything in return in the future?

Social Security talk scares the average citizen. It actually scares our politicians even more. The fear that reform means gutting the program and taking away the older generation’s means of income causes politicians to do nothing. Some have talked about reform, like Paul Ryan, but we saw what happens when you mention reform and Social Security in the same sentence during an election year — you get run over by the AARP, the political left and even people from your own party. Remember those super PAC and candidate commercials from both parties claiming the other’s plan will cut or ruin Social Security or Medicare benefits? All was made in an attempt to sway voters by

inciting fear — a disgusting tactic that kicked the can further down the road.

The fact is, 20 percent of the federal government’s budget is dedicated to Social Security. All of the nonessentials such as education, transportation and scientific research are all funded by borrowed money. All the while, 6 percent of the federal budget alone is used to pay down interest on the debt. So when we talk about meaningful debt reduction, Social Security reform has to be in the equation.

But reform is unheard of. This all stems from the fact that the backers or beneficiaries of the current Social Security and Medicare systems are a large voting bloc for both parties, and the AARP is an influential lobbying group. And so I ask, where is the strong, influential lobbying group for our generation, Generation Y, or even Generation X? Why can’t we counter what the AARP is doing for its members and have an interest group that stands up for our interests?

This is not a progressive, Democrat, Republican or libertarian issue — it’s a generational one. It is the responsibility of our generation to oust or change something that has us bearing all the cost with no reward in the end. Remember the politicians work for us, and when they see a large voting bloc calling for action and reform, they will have no choice but to listen. But in case they only listen to interest groups, we should band together to create an interest group — the American Association of Youngin’ Persons, or whatever we want to call it.

The next time you receive your biweekly paycheck, remember to look at the deductions: minus $8.50 for payroll tax (aka Social Security funding), and even minus $3.60 for Medicare. Think about how we are putting money into a system that won’t be there for our benefit unless it’s reformed. For now, all we’re doing is standing by and watching our money continue to disappear.

AndrewDoisaseniorbiochemistrymajor.He can be reached at doandy09@yahoo.com.

Cynical Super Bowl In New Orleans, everyone sucks but me joey lockwood/the diamondback

Snow: Where reckless meets feckless ERIK SHELL As I’m sure you noticed, the drive to College Park Monday was brighter than usual. More specifically, you may have noticed the normally gray asphalt had become a white sheet with tiny gray splotches.

No, this was not snow on the ground.

This was a blanket of salt, dumped at the first hint of a flurry the day before.

Despite the absence of measurable snow, this layer of sodium chloride has attached itself to every car, van, bus and slow-moving scooter over the past few days and wrought havoc on both paint jobs and salt reserves.

But this is no mistake. No rampaging salt truck driver has decided to take revenge on the puny cars around him and dump a metric ton for fun. No, this is merely symptomatic of the culture of fright and overreaction when it comes to snow in this state.

Allow me to put this into a national context. In the theme of the university’s new Big Ten membership, let me begin with the great state of Ohio.

Terps can rest easy knowing those Buckeyes, politically adept though they may be, exhibit the same paranoia toward snowy roads this state does. Both states burn through salt

loads by mid-February, delay professional work days and even shut down schools for no more than two inches of snow. Take notes, as this could be a great conversation starter when the Bucks roll through town for football season in 2014.

Now take a look at another state close to my heart: Minnesota. As anyone within Minnesota borders will promptly inform you, Minnesotans go to school in feet – yes, plural – of snow each winter and are grateful for the opportunity. One look at the Maryland system of school closure would prompt hearty laughter followed by a Vikes game in negativedegree weather.

Why does this state do it? It could possibly be for safety, which is the most feasible argument for closing schools. Just on Friday, there were no less than six major car crashes, all the day after a storm and adequate plowing. Maryland drivers – at least those on the Capital Beltway, Route 29, Route 1 and Route 100 – seem to be incapable of driving even in stable, post-snow conditions. This is indicative more of a paranoia around snow than an actual safety issue around wet roads.

Even if it was the roads, the methods of snow removal are even more ridiculous. Anyone driving after a minor snowfall will typically see a convoy of

eight snow plows, all driving side by side, traffic held up behind them for more than half a mile. What’s more, some streets are being salted at least twice before other neighborhoods get a first layer. Both of these indicate a serious issue in both the allocation and the training of salt truckers. Both of these things are blowing taxpayers’ money and propagating a system that is clearly broken.

While those living on this campus might not feel the same anger over road conditions, it’s something commuters have to deal with every day.

And the tax money allowing you a cheap public education is also going to this disaster of emergency response systems. A more efficient system might keep down tuition costs, or at least allow for less inflation by freeing up more money. If you don’t believe me, wait until we get a real snow storm and have to ship in salt from Virginia or Delaware. That price tag goes up in a hurry.

There are better ways to deal with winter weather, and it’s time this state takes a look at them before something really serious comes through — like a snowfall more than five inches.

E r i k S h e l l i s a so p h o m o re classical languages and literatures and history major. He can be reached at erik1434@gmail.com.

AIR YOUR VIEWS Address your letters or guest columns to Maria Romas and Nadav Karasov at opinionumdbk@gmail.com. All submissions must be signed. Include your full name, year, major and phone number. Please limit letters to 300 words and guest columns to between 500 and 600 words. Submission of a letter or guest column constitutes an exclusive, worldwide, transferable license to The Diamondback of the copyright of the material in any media. The Diamondback retains the right to edit submissions for content and length.

DREW FARRELL On Sunday, Feb. 3, I spent most of the day glued to my seat (section 641, row 16, seat 9) in the Mercedes-Benz Superdome in New Orleans for Super Bowl XLVII, my shoulders and neck weighed down by hoards of Mardi Gras beads and a purple teddy bear I had caught on Bourbon Street earlier that day. Then the power went out and the stadium became dark. Colin Kaepernick had just been sacked for a big loss and the Baltimore Ravens led 28-6, their momentum never higher. On the field, the emergency lights showed Jacoby Jones and Ed Reed, New Orleans natives, waving their arms, pumping up the crowds and orchestrating the Ravens faithful in the day’s best impromptu renditions of The White Stripes’ “Seven Nation Army.”

Despite all these “bon temps” (as they say in the French Quarter), the eeriness of the dark and the growing ominous feelings in the crowd led me to one conclusion: Some real voodoo was going on. My mind immediately and cynically darted to conspiracy theories and NFL commissioner Roger Goodell pulling strings to get the San Francisco 49ers back into the game.

When play resumed and the 49ers roared back to obliterate the deficit, my cynicism was so high that the heavy beads I once wore as a badge of love and support for my team and city had become crippling. It was as though they were crushing my soul from a diamond back to its natural state — a chunk of coal.

As a Monday-morning quarterback, I can analyze this short bout of cynicism and say that, like most moments of cynicism, it was just a defense mechanism meant to distract me from the fact that my team wasn’t

playing well at the time. What’s funny is most Ravens fans I talked to during the power outage had the same cynical reaction: Why are they doing this to us?

This phenomenon got me thinking about the nature of cynicism, and why the thousands of Ravens fans in the stadium who had just watched their beloved team race out to a 22point lead — and undoubtedly had a once-in-a-lifetime weekend — would employ such a bummer of an attitude.

It’s because cynicism is the universe’s get-out-of-jail-free card. It’s a onesize-fits-all attitude we keep in our back pocket to simultaneously apologize for how things are while deflecting blame and remaining above everything else. In short, it’s a zero-sum philosophy born from shameless ignorance breeding with blind arrogance, and almost all of us are guilty of it at some point.

I am cynical in almost every situation because no matter what goes wrong, it’s never my fault. It’s not that I didn’t prepare myself well enough for the exam and got a bad grade, my teacher just hates me. It’s not my fault I stupidly walked to R.J. Bentley’s with the line at peak length, it’s all the underage kids’ fault for conspiring against me so I won’t have a good time even after I wait an hour. That girl doesn’t dislike me for me, she must just have a thing for dumb guys who listen to dubstep and do more drugs than I do.

My cynical plight must resonate on some level with all of you, because I can’t be the only cynical person in the world; even though, as a cynic, I think as if I am the only person in the world.

Our selfishness and cynical philosophy is inherently bad because we can’t see it. It’s morphing us into the youngestever generation of misanthropes whose motto is simply “everybody sucks but me.” And that’s what really sucks.

But at least it’s not our fault.

Drew Farrell is a senior English major.He can be reached at dfarrell@terpmail.umd.edu.

POLICY: Signed letters, columns and cartoons represent the opinions of the authors. The staff editorial represents the opinion of The Diamondback’s editorial board and is the responsibility of the editor in chief.

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2013 | THE DIAMONDBACK

5

Features ACROSS 1 Coming out 6 Sari sporter 10 Gizzard 14 Puts on guard 15 Ever’s partner 16 With us now 17 Delete a file 18 -- -- to win it 19 Peter Gunn’s girl 20 Threat ender 21 Overly romantic, maybe (hyph.)

23 From memory (2 wds.)

25 Strong-arms 26 Bad-mouth 27 Host -- Philbin 29 Wielded an axe 32 Happen again 33 Large amount 36 Lemony 37 Knight’s weapon 38 Layered cookie 39 Keep fit 40 “Ah Sin” playwright 41 Book jacket ad 42 Makes yawn 43 “Get -- of that junk!”

44 Half of the biathlon 47 Shrewd 51 They’re often rifled (2 wds.)

54 Jumble 55 Sarah -- Jewett 56 London district 57 Deep distress 58 Poker holding 59 Adult cygnet 60 Situate 61 Depot info 62 Isle of exile 63 Poisonous snake

CROSSWORD

32 Hard to find 33 Capote on Broadway 34 Poet’s contraction 35 San Francisco hill 37 Generosity

38 Eastern hemi sphere (2 wds.)

40 Hagar’s daughter 41 Profile 42 Sturgis visitors 43 ER personnel

DOWN 1 Dork 2 Far back in time 3 Impudent 4 Lying fallow 5 Mao -- -tung 6 “Luck of the Draw” singer 7 -- Karenina 8 Film - 9 Conspiracy 10 Twitters 11 Change colors 12 Movie mermaid 13 Lawn spoilers 21 Almost grads 22 Giant slain

by Odin 24 Give alms 27 Housing fees 28 Livy’s “Lo!” 29 Mecca pilgrimage 30 Environmental prefix 31 Sham locks

© 2013 United Features Syndicate

PREVIOUS DAY’s puzzle solved:

Today’s crossword sponsored by:

44 Extent 45 Green-eyed Thai cat 46 Ancient Greek colony 47 Swedish currency

48 Homer opus 49 Sister’s girl 50 Errand runner 52 Lower jaw 53 Crazed captain 57 Cum-laude stat

B

HOROSCOPE STELLA WILDER

orn today, you are one of those tenacious individuals who is able to hang on to what you have through thick and thin, ensuring yourself a kind of professional longevity that is rare -- even among those for whom longevity is expected. Once you get started you’re likely to make a name for yourself quickly, and once you have made a name for yourself, you’re not likely to fade from the scene -- even when you have to endure the kinds of slowdowns and dry spells that affect everyone at some time or another. You’re always going to be around -- and there will be times in which others remark upon your “comeback” when, in fact, you never went anywhere to begin with!

You are never one to confuse love and lust -- but neither are you the kind to prefer one over the other, at least when you are young. Both are valuable to you in their way, as you are a highly sensual individual with a great deal of passion that burns at a very high heat.

Also born on this date are: Ashton Kutcher, actor; Chris Rock, actor and comedian; Garth Brooks, country singer and songwriter; James Spader, actor; Buster Crabbe, actor; Sinclair Lewis, writer; Laura Ingalls Wilder, writer; Charles Dickens, writer.

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

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 8 AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18) -- A glimpse of something out of the or-

COLLEGE INTUITION RICHIE BATES ROGER DOES COLLEGE

dinary today gives you the courage you need to pursue an idea that you thought was far too unconventional.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20) -You may be approached by someone who has a certain agenda that is at once exciting and completely incompatible with your own. Use caution.

ARIES (March 21-April 19) -- You may be welcoming a certain amount of danger into your domestic situation without even knowing it today. Put your guard back up.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20) -- You may be looking forward to something new even before that old set of responsibilities has been fulfilled. Don’t move too fast.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20) -- You know how to keep things in order today even when those around you are behaving in a way that invites chaos. They’re not in charge; you are!

CANCER (June 21-July 22) -- You have good reason to go against the good advice that you are getting from people who have been in your position before.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22) -- You could be anticipating something

that you simply cannot have -- and it’s all because you have misinterpreted what someone else has said.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22) -- You may not be able to progress at the same pace today simply because there are more obstacles in your way than usual -- large and small.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22) -- You may not be ready to take a leading role today, but you can certainly lend support to another’s starring efforts.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21) -Take care today not to get sucked into a situation that gives you too little room to maneuver. You need a certain amount of freedom.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21) -- You are likely to take on your opponent today before anyone else -- so you must be sure that you are ready as early as possible.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) -You may find yourself wishing that you had done what someone else did today -- until you realize that he or she paid a heavy price.

COPYRIGHT 2013 UNITED FEATURE SYNDICATE, INC.

Today’s HOROSCOPE sponsored by:

Max Siskind

su | do | ku © Puzzles by Pappocom

Fill in the grid so that every row, column, and 3x3 grid contains the digits 1 through 9.

PREVIOUS DAY’s puzzle solved:

DEGREE OF DIFFICULTY:

HARD

Today’s SUDOKU PUZZLE sponsored by:

6

THE DIAMONDBACK | THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2013

Diversions

REVOLUTIONARY FILMMAKING

ON THE BLOG

Senior staff writer Warren Zhang writes about his love of Steven Soderbergh (of Che, Ocean’s 11 and Contagion) and laments his imminent retirement. For more, visit diamondbackonline.com.

LASTING IMPACT | THE STROKES

back to basics

The Strokes, who will release a new album next month, started an alt-rock renaissance by stripping the genre of its pretenses and irrelevant flourishes

By Joe Antoshak For the Diamondback I still remember the first album I ever bought. Unfortunately, it’s not an especially fond memory. I was 6 years old, and through a promotional campaign with McDonald’s, ’N Sync tricked me into paying money for their music — a sin I have yet to repeat — with clever marketing

tactics and relatively cheap thrills.

This sticks out in my mind as significant on some metaphorical level, too. By the end of the 20th century, popular music had become synonymous with cheap, conveyor-belt food with a reputation for causing arterial clotting if consumed on too frequent a basis.

When The Strokes — whose next album comes out March 26 — burst

onto the New York music scene in 2000, people began to turn away from this studio-ified music trend and revel in a more authentic sound.

Upon releasing their debut EP The Modern Age in early 2001, they generated an unlikely amount of success for a fledgling rock band.

Positive reception led to a bidding war among labels and a massive amount of hype generated primarily, but not exclusively, by the British press. Sudd en ly, t here

photo courtesy of fanpop.com

was this group of ragged 20-yearold uptown New York kids playing garage rock — The Velvet Underground fused with a new wave sound reminiscent of The Cars.

Contempt is readily bred in the American music industry for young bands that have acquired seemingly unearned exposure. As a result, critics called The Strokes’ sound hackneyed and lead singer Julian Casablancas’ vocals a cheap imitation of an early Lou Reed. Some even went so far as to say they were representative of all that was wrong in the world of music.

Nonetheless, the g roup’s f i rst f u l lleng th a lbu m, Is T hi s It , ga r nere d widespread acclaim, including a 9.1 out of 10 from the historically hype-hating Pitchfork, even after writer Ryan Schreiber declared the band had “seen enough publicity in 2001 to make bin Laden jealous.”

T h e y e n c ap s u l ate d a moment in time by finding the balance between angst, apathy and artistic emotion that can be found in all great ro c k s o u n d s , w h i l e s t i l l making it their own. They cared just enough to play their songs for you but not nearly enough to act happy about it.

Sure, T he W hite Stripes were a rou nd before T he Strokes, and sure, The White

Stripes were very influential. But they weren’t a group of guys who went to school together and then decided to play music with each other. Compared to The Strokes, they weren’t even a band; they were a truly talented duo that was, quite honestly, less relatable.

The Strokes struck the match that sparked the rock band again. From them sprung groups like Franz Ferdinand, Arctic Monkeys and The Kooks, to name a few. They influenced what looked cool, too. Tattered thrift shop jeans became infinitely more trendy than studded earrings and spiked bleached hair.

That’s right — even hipsters owe something to The Strokes.

The Strokes did not by any means invent a genre — they liberated one.

And despite more tepid reactions to their three albums since Is This It, the band has progressed and experimented without deviating too far from the sound that won them acclaim in the first place.

When the band’s newest album is released next month, I’m willing to bet critical reviews will again be mixed. There will be complaints that they’ve just mirrored Is This It, or that they’ve taken a step or two in the wrong direction. Don’t believe it.

While it may not be considered the quintessential rock album of the modern era, it will be The Strokes.

No pretense, no mainstream nonsense. Just good old rock with 21stcentury relevance. diversionsdbk@gmail.com

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2EVEN THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2013 | SPORTS| THE DIAMONDBACK

HOKIES From PAGE 8 could prove crucial for the Terps’ NCAA tournament chances. Pundits tend to review road records when deciding whether a team deserves to move off the bubble and into the NCAA tournament bracket. Even if the Terps manage one or two more upsets at home, a sub-.500 conference road mark could spell the Terps’ third straight absence from March Madness.

“That’s the next step,” Turgeon said. “We want to be a part of the NCAA Tournament, we have to win road games. We know that, but we’re not putting a ton of pressure on ourselves.”

Turgeon proved as much when he decided to cancel two practices earlier this week. After the Terps played arguably their best game of the season in an 86-60 rout of Wake Forest on Saturday, the second-year coach told his players to stay home and enjoy the Super Bowl on Sunday.

He gave them another opportunity for a break Monday, but most of the roster showed

up at Comcast Center anyway to hoist extra shots and work out with team trainer Kyle Tarp.

“It was good to get those two days off for recovery,” forward Jake Layman said.

“But we had a great practice [Tuesday], and now we’re ready to beat Virginia Tech.”

The Terps (16-6, 4-5 ACC), who boast a 10-6 record at the Hokies’ (11-10, 2-6) Cassell Coliseum, have a simple game plan tonight: Force guard Erick Green into ill-advised shots.

The nation’s leading scorer at 25 points per game, Green has a knack for getting his numbers.

He has finished with less than 20 points only two times this season and has topped the 30point mark in three games.

But Virginia Tech tends to struggle when Green isn’t efficient from the field, owning a 2-6 record in contests the senior shot below 50 percent.

The Terps’ Jan. 5 win over the Hokies provides the perfect case study. Green managed a game-high 28 points on 8-of-18 shooting, and the Terps ran away with the 23point blowout.

“We know he’s going to score 25 points, but we want to make him do it in 25 shots,” said guard Seth Allen, who

THE DIAMONDBACK THE DIAMONDBACK | XXXDAY, | FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER AUGUST XX, 31, 20127

RECRUITING From PAGE 8

Coach Mark Turgeon and the Terps are searching for their first ACC road victory of the year. charlie deboyace/the diamondback figures to mark Green for stretches tonight. “We want to make him earn it.”

If the Terps can do that, they’ll all but ensure their first ACC road win of the season.

Just don’t tell Turgeon. He’s trying to temper expectations and keep his team relaxed.

And why wouldn’t he? In his mind, the Terps are right where they need to be.

“We just want to play the way we’re capable of playing,” Turgeon said. “Hopefully it’s good enough to win by one.” sportsdbk@gmail.com

in the Big Ten, according to Rivals, falling behind only powerhouse programs Ohio State, Michigan and Nebraska. It doesn’t hurt that they swiped Jacobs from the Buckeyes, either.

“All the kids we talked to were excited to play in the Big Ten,” Edsall said. “They wanted to partake in the challenge of playing in the conference.”

Regardless of the conference, though, the class was centered on securing local talent. Fourteen of the Terps signees hail from either Maryland or Washington, including all three who made their decisions yesterday.

“The DMV area is huge for us,” recruiting coordinator John Dunn said. “I think that’s where you always build your program, with guys from your home base.”

That held true for the Terps’ two biggest commitments entering yesterday. Long, a junior college transfer who hails from Washington, caught 25 touchdown passes for Iowa Western Community College this season and is the team’s lone five-star recruit.

“Basically, just growing up in the area, and coming up here to watch the games since I was a

young kid … I missed home, and I am excited to be back,” Long said. “Also, working out with Vernon Davis and Torrey Smith, and just always knowing I wanted to be a Terp.”

The Terps also stayed local to snag dual-threat quarterback Shane Cockerille from Gilman High School in Baltimore. Yesterday, Edsall praised Cockerille — who Rivals ranks as the nation’s 16thbest quarterback — as a potential leader of the program.

“It looks great; I’m really, really excited to play with all of these guys,” athlete Milan Collins, who signed his letter of intent yesterday, said last week.

“It seems like we’re bringing in a lot of talent.”

Still, nabbing Ngakoue, Veii and Jacobs on national signing day makes a big impact.

Ngakoue, who choose the Terps over Florida State and South Carolina, is expected to challenge for playing time at linebacker right away after an accomplished career at Friendship Collegiate Academy.

Meanwhile, Veii chose to come to College Park after considering Nebraska and Iowa, and will likely play cornerback at the college level.

The team’s first of three big signings, though, may have

been the most surprising.

Jacobs, whose brother LeVern is a sophomore receiver for the Terps, seemed set on going to Ohio State. Even after decommitting from the Buckeyes, the Suitland native was still considering playing in Columbus, Ohio.

But Jacobs ultimately chose the Terps, likely because he wanted to be closer to his 1-yearold daughter.

“I think he really cared about that,” Edsall said. “He wanted to fulfill his obligation as a father, to be there.”

Jacobs’ decision certainly benefits the Terps. He and Long will join a deep receiving corps that already includes sophomore standout Stefon Diggs and junior Marcus Leak.

Just as importantly, though, Jacobs started a wildly successful day for the Terps.

Before yesterday Jacobs, Ngakoue and Veii hadn’t made their college decisions. Now, they’re all preparing to make an impact in College Park.

“It adds depth on the defensive side and the offensive side of the ball,” Dunn said. “And most importantly, those three guys are good athletes and have some real playmaking ability.” sportsdbk@gmail.com

V A L E N T I N E ’ S D A Y G I F T P A G E S

QUOTE OF THE DAY Randy Edsall Terps football coach

“We never worry as coaches.

Believe that and I’ll sell you some waterfront property in Arizona, too.”

Sports

NEAR THE TOP OF THE POLLS The Terps women’s lacrosse team is ranked No. 4 in the nation. For more, visit diamondbackonline.com.

Page 8

ON THE BLOG

THURSDAY, February 7, 2013

MEN’S BASKETBALL

FOOTBALL | NATIONAL SIGNING DAY

Terps searching for first ACC road win Team travels to play at Virginia Tech tonight

By Connor Letourneau Senior staff writer M ark Turgeo n h as b een h ere before. The Terrapins men’s basketball coach has seen young teams struggle to win road games, and he’s watched them grow more frustrated with each mounting defeat.

After all, Turgeon won just one conference road game during his first two years leading an inexperienced Wichita State team in the early 2000s. But as years passed and the Shockers became a more veteran squad, victories piled up.

Wichita State won five Missouri Valley Conference games on the road during his third season, and six in his fourth.

So Turgeon’s not fretting over the Terps’ 0-4 ACC road record. He’s not scrapping game plans or overhauling lineups. Instead, Turgeon is taking a more macro approach. With another road test looming at Virginia Tech tonight, he’s giving his players extra rest and encouraging them to play loose.

“I see it coming,” Turgeon said of the Terps’ first ACC road win. “We all want it to happen now, but we’re getting there.

We just want to go out there relaxed.”

The Terps, a unit featuring six newcomers in its 10-man rotation, have struggled in a variety of ways on the road this season. They scored just 14 first-half points at Miami, tallied 21 turnovers at North Carolina and failed to defend the three-point arc during a 20-point blowout loss at Duke.

Though Turgeon’s squad improved mightily at Florida State last Wednes-

day, it couldn’t make the necessary plays down the stretch. Center Alex Len botched an alley-oop with 13 seconds remaining, and the Terps left Seminoles guard Michael Snaer wide open for a buzzer-beating 3-pointer that captured a 73-71 Florida State win.

The narrow defeat was a painful reminder of each possession’s importance.

But it also served as a much-needed confidence boost for a youthful group still growing accustomed to the ACC’s many raucous crowds and venues.

The Seminoles defeat showed the Terps they’re more than capable of securing road wins against the conference’s top teams. They just need to calm down, Turgeon said. They just need to avoid putting unnecessary pressure on themselves and focus on making the simple play.

“You don’t know what to expect from the crowd, the referees, the court,” forward James Padgett said.

“There’s going to be a lot of different things, so I just think it’s something we have to become familiar with.”

That learning process should grow easier in the coming weeks. After starting their conference slate with visits to four programs in the top five of the ACC standings, the Terps face four of the league’s bottom five teams on the road over the regular season’s final five weeks. They boast a better overall record than all five remaining road tests, and should be favored in each game.

Feasting on those lower-tier teams See HOKIES, Page 7

Coach Randy Edsall landed three previously undecided recruits on signing day, vaulting the Terps’ class from No. 49 to No. 31 in the nation. file photo/the diamondback

Making a statement With three last-minute commitments, Edsall hauls in No. 31-ranked recruiting class

By Aaron Kasinitz Staff writer At 9 a.m. yesterday morning — college football’s National Signing Day — the Terrapins football team already had a serviceable 19-player recruiting class. Rivals.com ranked it No. 49 in the nation, not a bad haul for a team that owns a 6-18 record over the past two seasons.

But as the morning went on, the faxes started pouring in to coach Randy Edsall’s office. And by the end of the day, that top-50 class had morphed into a top-35 class.

First, three-star wide receiver Taivon Jacobs, who originally committed to Ohio State, signed with the Terps. Linebacker Yannick Ngakoue, the 2012 D.C. Gatorade Player of the Year, followed suit. And later, threestar athlete Jacquille Veii did the same.

By noon, all three players still considering College Park had picked the Terps. As a result, the recruiting class jumped 18 spots in just three hours, rising all the way up to No. 31 in Rivals’ national rankings.

“We felt good about all three going into it, but you just never know until they call you,” Edsall said yester-

day. “To go 3-for-3 on signing day makes a big statement about what we’re doing here and the direction that we’re going.”

Overall, the class consists of 22 total players, including five-star wide receiver Deon Long and six players that Rivals or ESPN rate as four-star prospects.

It was an important recruiting class, too, considering the school is planning to move to the Big Ten in 2014. The Terps used the conference switch as a recruiting tool, and it worked.

The Terps’ class would rank fourth See RECRUITING, Page 7