Massachusetts Daily Collegian: Jan. 29, 2015

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Thursday, January 29, 2015

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UMass asks for responsible Super Bowl celebrating Game-day resources website online today

By Aviva Luttrell Collegian Staff

U n ive r s i t y of Massachusetts officials have taken a number of steps in the week leading up to Super Bowl Sunday to reduce the likelihood of a large, crowd-related disturbance taking place in the Southwest Residential Area after the game, including modifying the school’s guest policy and planning alternative activities for students.

For 24 hours, beginning at noon Sunday, no guests will be allowed in any residential hall on campus, and students will only have access to the dorm in which they live. UMass residents will be allowed to sign in a total of four guests from

Friday to Sunday morning, but only two can be non-UMass students.

Additionally, University administrators have been monitoring social media closely in preparation for the event and plan to unveil a new website Thursday with a variety of game-day resources for students.

UMass has a long history of crowd-related disturbances, especially after Red Sox and Patriots championship games, Vice Chancellor Enku Gelaye told the Collegian.

Last October, 15 students were arrested after a World Series celebration got out of control, and 14 arrests were made after a similar disturbance took place after Super Bowl XLVI in 2012.

In anticipation of this year’s game, Gelaye said administrators have been

watching all forms of social media closely, including Twitter, Fade and Yik Yak. “Most of the UMass Super Bowl posts have the word ‘riot’ in them and ‘riot’ is a very specific word,” she said. “‘Riot’ is not the same thing as ‘celebrate.’ I think if social media was abuzz with celebrating the Patriots winning or going to the Super Bowl, I think we may be having a different conversation.”

Gelaye and UMass spokesperson Ed Blaguszewski said former Boston Police Commissioner Ed Davis’ report on large, crowdrelated disturbances at UMass was a central aspect of the planning process for Sunday. The 65-page report, released in September, outlines a number of findings and rec-

ommendations for how the University can better deal with these disturbances, with a focus on community policing, police planning and response, high-risk drinking, social media, student and University accountability and public perception.

Blaguszewski noted that administrators understand that the vast majority of students are not inclined to engage in destructive activities, but an important piece of the Davis report talks about how the broader student body can easily get swept up into the crowd mentality when things start to get out of control.

“Those who go to watch it are also unknowingly swept up into the dynamic of what happens in the Southwest area because those people need onlookers to be validated,” Gelaye

COLLEGIAN FILE PHOTO

Almost 3,000 people gathered in the Southwest Residential Area in 2013 after the Red Sox won the World Series. UMass administration is trying to prevent a similar incident this year. said. “Those people need somebody with a cell phone to take a picture and post it. That feeds that environment in ways that makes it dangerous for everybody involved.”

During last year’s World

Series disturbance, a crowd of more than 3,000 gathered in the Southwest concourse and a structured celebration was trashed, prompting police to deploy see

SUPER BOWL on page 2

Bright lights glow on a chilly night Jordan may take

ISIS hostage deal Pilot and Japanese journalist requested

By Donna Abu-Nasr and Isabel Reynolds Bloomberg News

CADE BELISLE/COLLEGIAN

The library is lit up at sunset as students hurry to and from classes in the subfreezing degree weather on Wednesday.

Beautiful encourages discussion on body image and loving oneself Club looks toward “I went to the first empowering students

By Catherine Ferris Collegian Staff

When Adrienne Gagne, a psychology and public health major, was a freshman, she spoke with friends about a club that would focus on body image. She later discovered that Beautiful, a relatively new club, was just that.

One year later, the sophomore Gagne is now the president, with one friend the vice president and the other an active member.

“I went to the first meeting, and just felt very safe.

It was nice to talk about these things and not feel like you’re in a class discussion where some kid in the back is rolling his eyes at what you’re saying,” she said.

Founded in the fall of 2013, Beautiful is a club focusing on young people accepting themselves and their bodies.

“The point of this club is to encourage open discus-

sion about body image in the media and in our society, particularly in college,” Gagne explained.

Gagne said she has noticed subtle changes since the club’s founding. While the message of body image continues to be heavily discussed, she said the club also encourages members to love themselves for who they are physically, mentally and emotionally.

“I think that’s one of the things I like being part of a club that’s new. We’re still testing the waters,” she said.

The first semester of the club’s existence did not have as many events as it had meetings and discussions.

However, Gagne said last semester, Beautiful became involved in more events.

For the Nearly Naked Mile the club made and held up posters. The club also held a masquerade ball.

Gagne said she saw those

events as “come one, come all” affairs.

“When you get into a college environment I feel like people are less likely to want to come to those events unless there’s more of a purpose. It’s no longer like middle school where it’s like ‘Let’s sit here and make arts and crafts and talk about our feelings,’” she said.

As opposed to throwing large events, the club is trying to hold more condensed ones, focusing on a variety of topics including an anti-tanning campaign, a No Makeup Day and setting aside a warm day to smash scales to empower body image.

Gagne said the club has roughly between 30-45 members.

“It changes from time to time,” she said. “It’s hard because a lot of people will come for half the semester and then they’ll drop out, but come back the next semester.”

Although the club talks about body image, she said males are welcome to come to meetings, and there are about four males in the club

meeting and just felt very safe. It was nice to talk about these things and not feel like you’re in a class discussion where some kid in the back of the room is rolling his eyes at what you’re saying.”

Adrienne Gagne

now.

“One of the struggles is trying not to feminize it too much,” Gagne said. She explained the discussions are not totally focused on the way women are portrayed in the media and that there are meetings that talk about men’s roles and image in the media.

“With eating disorders, that can be a very big topic geared only toward women, see

BEAUTIFUL on page 2

BEIRUT — Jordan will release a militant that Islamic State wants freed in a prisoner swap only if a captured Jordanian air force pilot being held by the group is part of any deal.

Islamic State has demanded that Jordan hand over Sajida al-Rishawi, a convicted Iraqi jihadist on death row, as its price for freeing Japanese war journalist Kenji Goto being held in Syria. The militant group didn’t mention releasing the pilot, Muath al-Kaseasbeh, in a video posted on the Internet on Tuesday offering the swap for Goto.

Jordan has said it is taking unprecedented steps to ensure the freedom of the two hostages, and Bassam Al-Manaseer, chairman of the foreign affairs committee in the lower house of parliament in Amman, said on Wednesday that he expected to hear good news “in the next few hours.”

In the latest video, Islamic State threatened to kill both men if Jordan failed to release al-Rishawi within 24 hours. The deadline passed with no word on the fate of the hostages. The Jordanian government was seeking proof from Islamic State that the pilot was still alive before a transfer could be considered, Foreign Minister Nasser Judeh said in a post on Twitter at about midnight in Tokyo.

Islamic State’s threat to execute the two men ratcheted up pressure on the governments in both Amman and Tokyo to resolve the crisis. Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has repeatedly said he would never cave in to terrorists. A deal would involve a public concession to the militant group, potentially straining relations for both

Japan and Jordan with the U.S., which has pushed allies not to negotiate with terrorists.

Goto was shown in the video released on Tuesday holding up a photo of alKaseasbeh, who was captured in Syria last month after his plane crashed during a bombing run against Islamic State.

“Please don’t leave us to die,” Goto said in the video. “Any more delaying tactics will simply see both of us getting killed. The ball is now in the Jordanians’ court.”

The video was distributed by Islamic State-linked Twitter accounts, according to SITE, a company that studies militant movements.

Al-Rishawi was convicted for her part in attacks on three hotels in Amman in 2005 that killed dozens of people. Her husband carried out a suicide bombing, while her bomb failed to explode.

As the deadline neared in Tokyo, more than 100 people gathered outside the residence of Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe for a vigil in support of Goto, a war correspondent who specialized in drawing attention to the plight of children. The crowd held up signs saying “I am Kenji” and “Free Kenji” in English, French and Arabic.

Earlier in the day, Goto’s mother made an emotional appeal to Abe on behalf of her son.

“Please save Kenji’s life.

Please put all your strength into negotiations with the Jordanian government right until the end. There is very little time left,” Goto’s mother Junko Ishido said in a faxed letter to Abe that was also distributed to journalists.

Islamic State first made the offer to swap Goto for alRishawi in a Jan. 24 video that contained images of the see

JORDAN on page 3

2

Thursday, January 29, 2015

THE RU N D OW N ON THIS DAY...

In 1936, the first inductees into the National Baseball Hall of Fame are announced.

The inductees were Ty Cobb, Walter Johnson, Christy Mathewson, Babe Ruth and Honus Wagner.

AROUND THE WORLD

India

NEW DELHI — President

Obama joined Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi for a lengthy celebration of India’s Republic Day on Monday in a symbolic series of events summarized by a long parade in cold rain.

Shielded partly by

an umbrella, Obama sat attentively for more than two hours by Modi’s side, watching camels and dancers parade down Rajpath, a grand ceremonial boulevard in central New Delhi.

The display of respect

is the purpose of Obama’s trip. After years of rocky relations between their two countries, the White House is hoping that the growing personal warmth between the president and prime minister will turn into a more cooperative relationship between their governments.

Los Angeles Times

Turkey

ANKARA, Turkey -

Kurdish fighters are claiming victory over the Islamic State in Kobani, the Syrian border town where months of urban guerrilla warfare backed by U.S. airstrikes has held up the militant group’s expansion.

“Islamic State is not in

Kobani anymore,” Meryem Kobane, a rebel commander, said by phone from the city on Monday, as celebratory gunfire echoed in the background. On the Turkish side of the border a few miles away, thousands of refugees from Kobani danced and hugged each other, Faysal Sariyildiz, a Kurdish member of Turkey’s parliament, said by phone.

Bloomberg News

Yemen

The U.S. Embassy

in Yemen’s capital city has closed to the public amid deepening instability in the country, the U.S. Department of State announced Monday.

The State Department

cited “ongoing security concerns” as the reason for the Sanaa embassy closure after the resignation of the Yemeni president, prime minister and Cabinet.

Los Angeles Times Distributed by MCT Information Services

THE MASSACHUSETTS DAILY COLLEGIAN

DailyCollegian.com

Fed holds the line, no hint on rate hikes Liftoff date still remains unclear

By Kevin G. Hall McClatchy Washington Bureau WASHINGTON — Seeing no signs of building inflation and making no mention Europe’s widening financial woes, the Federal Reserve on Wednesday kept its benchmark interest rate at near zero and gave no hint of an imminent change in policy.

Mainstream economic forecasters did not expect a policy shift from the Fed, which has been widely expected to in June make its first move up on interest rates since December 2008.

But there has been growing speculation that efforts by the European Central Bank

to stimulate the economy of its region may complicate the Fed’s so-called liftoff date.

If so, the rate-setting Federal Open Market Committee didn’t show its cards. It repeated in a statement Wednesday that it will make its decision based on available data and that it could move earlier or later as it sees fit.

“Based on its current assessment, the Committee judges that it can be patient in beginning to normalize the stance of monetary policy,” the Fed said.

That means financial markets will have to keep waiting on the Fed for signs of future action.

“The statement allows everyone to hold to their positions on the timing

SUPER BOWL smoke and pepper balls to disperse the crowd. In that particular event, Gelaye said the dynamic changed almost instantly after a small number of students got out of control.

“One of the saddest things we see, which is hard to communicate to students because there’s a new group of students coming in every year, are the consequences of coming to one of these things,” Blaguszewski said, adding that students who refuse to leave after a dispersal order has been issued will be arrested.

“These are examples of students who get swept up in these events and end up getting charged,” he said.

However, Gelaye and Blaguszewski hope alternative options for students will reduce the likelihood of that happening.

Faculty, staff and students have developed about 45 separate events for game day, according to Gelaye. These include viewing parties in the Recreation Center and Student Union, a tailgatetype event in each dining hall, late night food at Franklin and Worcester Dining Commons and viewing parties and giveaways in every residential hall.

Additionally, members of the Team Positive Presence community policing initiative will be around campus to help curb destructive behavior by talking to students and making students aware of the pre-planned activities.

A list of all activities will be available on a new website the University plans to unveil Thursday.

The site will also feature resources including the

BEAUTIFUL and a lot of men may feel they aren’t allowed to say they have an eating disorder,” Gagne said. However, she said the club is not geared specifically for women, but for anyone who wants to participate in discussions.

Beautiful has teamed up with the Belly Dancing club in the past, and Gagne mentioned she would like to see the club collaborate with other social groups on campus in the future.

“I see it progressing forward much more quickly than it did last spring semester. We had a good three semesters to get our foot in the door and see what did and didn’t work.

I have a feeling it will grow,” she said.

Gagne’s involvement with the club and her majors complement each other as she thinks about her goals for the future.

“I would like to work with young females who

of lift-off !” said Steven Ricchiuto, chief economist for Mizuho Securities USA. Although June has long been thought of as a potential start date for rate hikes, Europe factors into the equation. The aggressive stimulus plan announced in Europe this month has driven up the value of the U.S. dollar against the euro and other currencies.

Thus, here’s the rub for the Fed: Raising interest rates tends to strengthen the dollar further and push down inflation. The latter is already well below the Fed’s target of 2 percent, and a strong dollar threatens not only U.S. exporters but also many domestic industries.

For instance, foreign steel or lumber becomes cheaper to import relative to steel

continued from page 1

town’s bylaws for off-campus students planning to throw Super Bowl parties, the student code of conduct, information about responsible fan behavior, dispersal orders, student safety and Residential Life community standards.

However, some students are not convinced the activities will be appealing to the masses.

“I think for the most part, not many people are going to utilize that,”

“Those who go to watch it are also unwillingly swept up into the dynamic of what happens in the Southwest area because those people need onlookers to be validated.”

Enku Gelaye, Vice Chancellor, on crowdrelated disturbances said Patrick Jackman, a sophomore BDIC major who lives in John Adams Tower. “I think the majority are going to watch (the game) with friends in their room or maybe in the lounge within the building.”

And many are unhappy about this weekend’s modified guest policy.

“My roommate is a big football fan, but I really enjoy watching with my friends from school, so personally I’m not too happy about it because I won’t have a chance to watch the biggest game in maybe 10 years with my friends,” said Jack Nardi, a sopho-

continued from page 1

struggle with eating disorders when I’m older.

I knew a fair amount of people who had eating disorders,” she said.

But for now, she remains focused on the club and where it is going.

“I think it’s a really great organization we started, especially in college. It’s important to remember that there are things more important than how nice your body is,” she said.

Gagne said meetings tend to be every other week. The first one is coming up on Monday in a location that has yet to be decided.

Catherine Ferris can be reached at caferris@umass.edu and followed on Twitter at @Ca_Ferris2.

more sports management major who lives in John Quincy Adams Tower. “I don’t really think it’s going to stop anyone from celebrating because we have social media and texting. …You can just text people if you want to go outside or meet up after. I don’t really see how it’s effective – it’s more of an annoyance than anything.”

Junior Jacqueline Saunders, a studio arts major who lives off campus, said she was present for the 2012 Super Bowl disturbance and last year’s World Series celebration, and was not surprised by the University’s decision to restrict its guest policy.

“Overall, I think it will probably help their situation and make it a bit of a safer celebration, and it really shouldn’t turn into a destructive celebration anyway,” she said, adding that past disturbances were fueled by alcohol.

Senior biology major Joseph Nardella, who also lives off campus, echoed Saunders.

“I’m not sure how the students are going to react to (the policy). I think they’ll still drink and whatever,” he said.

Blaguszewski said although Sunday’s guest policy is restrictive, students are not being placed in isolation and are free to leave their buildings.

He added that he still expects people to gather in Southwest after the game, but a minimal crowd will be better for everyone.

“Deterring people from coming to the event really can short circuit that whole atmosphere,” he said.

Aviva Luttrell can be reached at aluttrel@umass.edu and followed on Twitter @AvivaLuttrell.

made or lumber processed in United States.

Adding to the intrigue, the Commerce Department is set to on Friday report economic growth data for the final three months of 2014. After sharp upward revisions to initial estimates from the prior quarter, fourth-quarter growth is expected to be stronger than originally forecast.

Normally, that would support the argument for a rate hike to make sure the economy doesn’t begin to overheat, but given extremely tame inflation, the Fed appears to have breathing room.

One of those hoping for the Fed to hold off on rate hikes is Caterpillar CEO Doug Olberhelman.

“I encourage the Fed not

to raise interest rates sooner than they have to because the underlying (economic) foundation is not that strong yet,” Oberhelman told CNBC television on Tuesday.

In its statement, the Fed did point to signs of continuing economic improvement.

“On balance, a range of labor market indicators suggests that underutilization of labor resources continues to diminish,” the Fed statement said. “Household spending is rising moderately; recent declines in energy prices have boosted household purchasing power.

Business fixed investment is advancing, while the recovery in the housing sector remains slow.”

Mexico nixes mall project in Cancun ‘Mega-mall’ poses ecological issue

By Cecilia Sanchez Los Angeles Times

MEXICO CITY — Mexico has ordered closed a massive construction project in Cancun that would have created the largest venue for selling Chinese goods in the Americas.

In the works since 2013 but opposed by environmentalists and others, the $200 million Dragon Mart mega-mall would have covered nearly 1,400 acres and housed 3,040 exhibition spaces for more than 1,000 vendors, most of them Chinese.

After a long legal battle, however, Mexico’s federal environmental protection agency said the project had done serious harm to the Cancun area’s sensitive beaches and seaside flora.

“We can determine with all clarity that the activities the developers were conducting have deteriorated, impacted and damaged conditions of ecological balance, forest ecosystem and biodiversity of the zone,” Guillermo Haro, federal prosecutor for environmental protection, said Tuesday at a news conference.

He said about 370 acres had been badly damaged just south of Cancun, one of Mexico’s top tourist destinations.

In addition to ordering the project shut down, the environmental agency is fining Dragon Mart the equivalent of about $1.5 million. Haro called the penalty “historic” and said the Dragon Mart owners could also face a criminal

prosecution, with sentences of up to nine years.

Speaking to the Los Angeles Times in 2013, Dragon Mart’s executive director Juan Carlos Lopez compared the planned retail center to a giant, permanent “trade show in Vegas.”

On Wednesday, Lopez told the Times that he considered the shutdown temporary and that his company will continue to fight the decision in court. Dragon Mart was being financed by a consortium of Mexican developers and a Dutchregistered firm run by a Chinese businessman.

The city government of Cancun originally denied Dragon Mart a building permit, but the developers obtained relief through the courts and by appealing to state and federal governments more sympathetic to the project and keen on growing trade with China.

In the current judgment, however, federal authorities acknowledged they erred earlier and reversed themselves.

Environmentalists welcomed the decision. The Mexican Environmental Law Center said the move set an important precedent by requiring builders to get permits and respect environmental impact, steps developers in Mexico routinely skirt.

“Development projects are very necessary in our country to promote growth and job creation,” the center’s representative in the Cancun area, Alejandra Serrano Pavon, said in a statement. But “development must come with a vision of sustainability.”

THE MASSACHUSETTS DAILY COLLEGIAN

DailyCollegian.com

Thursday, January 29, 2015

Health law may lead to tax penalties

JORDAN continued from page 1

Millions may pay for no insurance

body of Haruna Yukawa, a second Japanese hostage beheaded by the militants.

Goto went last year to the region to seek Yukawa’s release. The Japanese government said the video appeared genuine.

Yukawa was killed after Japan failed to pay a $200 million initially demanded by the group in a Jan. 20 video that showed Goto and Yukawa kneeling before a knife-wielding militant. Islamic State set the amount of the ransom to match the amount of non-military aid Abe pledged on Jan. 17 to countries affected by the group.

Islamic State dropped the ransom demand in the second video when it called for al-Rishawi’s release.

By Tony Pugh McClatchy Washington Bureau WASHINGTON — An estimated 3 million to 6 million households that file 2014 income tax returns might incur penalties this tax season for failing to secure health insurance last year under the Affordable Care Act. Senior officials at the Treasury and Health and Human Services departments wouldn’t confirm the estimates during a telephone briefing Wednesday. They did, however, say that 2 percent to 4 percent of an estimated 150 million taxpayers are likely to be penalized.

The health law’s “individual mandate” required last year for the first time that most Americans obtain health insurance or face a

penalty equal to 1 percent of their annual household income, or $95 per adult and $47.50 per child – whichever is higher.

The 2015 penalty, which will be levied next year, jumps to 2 percent of income or $325 per person. In 2016, it rises to 2.5 percent of household income or $695 per person.

An estimated 25 percent of personal income-tax filers didn’t have health coverage for all or most of last year, officials said. That’s roughly 37.5 million taxpayers.

Some will face no penalties by claiming any number of exemptions to the coverage mandate based on religious affiliation, immigration status, income and other factors.

In addition, some who received tax credits to help purchase their 2014 marketplace coverage might face a partial or complete loss of their income tax refunds – or end up owing the government

money – if the income estimate used to calculate their subsidy is below their 2014 earnings.

It’s unclear how many people might be subject to these financial penalties, but tax credits were distributed to an estimated 3 percent to 5 percent of tax filers last year, officials said. That’s an estimated 4.5 million to 7 million households.

Marketplace plan members were instructed to notify their insurers and HHS when their incomes or life statuses changed so that their tax credits could be adjusted accordingly. Doing so would lessen the likelihood of surprising financial penalties when they filed their income taxes. Changes that could trigger subsidy adjustments include relocation, marriage, a job loss or a large pay raise.

Those who had individual marketplace coverage last year will get a new federal

income tax form – 1095-A – that must be filed with their 2014 returns.

The Obama administration is partnering with large tax-preparation businesses and nonprofit organizations to help spread awareness of and answer questions about the new health insurance tax provisions.

Taxpayers with additional questions can contact HHS call centers at 800-318-2596.

While some consumer confusion is inevitable as the tax season swings into high gear, Andy Slavitt, principal deputy administrator at HHS’ Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, said the agency was ready for the challenge.

“We’re not going to predict how things are going to go . . . but we feel as good as we can” about preparations for the upcoming tax season, Slavitt said.

Study: Placebo effect influenced by perceived cost

Pricier replacement appears to help more

By Karen Kaplan Los Angeles Times

How do you convert a simple saline solution into a useful treatment for people with Parkinson’s disease? Tell them it’s a drug that costs $100 per dose. And if you want to make it even more effective, tell them it costs $1,500 instead.

That’s what researchers from the University of Cincinnati discovered in an unusual clinical trial. Instead of testing a placebo against an actual drug, they pitted two placebos against each other. The only difference between the two sham treat-

3

ments was their purported price.

Medical researchers are well aware that the dummy pills used in clinical trials often provide as much relief as the actual drugs being tested. This is what’s known as the placebo effect, and it’s quite common in people with Parkinson’s, a movement disorder that causes tremors, stiffness and balance problems. A 2008 meta-analysis found that placebos used in clinical trials of Parkinson’s treatments improved symptoms by an average of 16 percent.

The team from the University of Cincinnati and their colleagues had a hunch that patients would be more responsive to a fake drug they

thought was real if it came with a heftier price tag. The higher price would be seen as a signal that the treatment was better, they figured.

So they recruited 12 patients with “moderately advanced” Parkinson’s and asked them to participate in a clinical trial of a medication described as “a new injectable dopamine agonist.”

Patients with Parkinson’s lose the brain cells that produce dopamine, and a drug like this could pick up the slack.

The study volunteers were told that there were two versions of the experimental drug and that both were believed to work equally well. The main difference, the story went, was the way they

Fighting on Israel-Lebanon border keeps heating up 2 Israeli soldiers killed in retaliation

were killed, and seven other servicemen were wounded, the army said.

Video images from the

By Joel Greenberg scene showed the mangled, McClatchy Foreign Staff burning wreckage of the two JERUSALEM — Hezbollah vehicles. Hezbollah said the militants in Lebanon fired assault had been carried out anti-tank missiles Wednesday by “the Quneitra martyrs at a pair of Israeli army vehi- group,” alluding to the Israeli cles on the edge of the Israeli- strike on the Hezbollah held Golan Heights, killing convoy near the town of two soldiers in retaliation for Quneitra. an Israeli strike in Syria that The area of Wednesday’s killed six Hezbollah opera- attack is near a disputed bortives and an Iranian general.

The ambush by the Iranian-backed guerrilla group triggered Israeli artillery and airstrikes in Lebanon that killed a Spanish member of a United Nations peacekeeping force. The exchange of fire, the deadliest across the Lebanese frontier since a 2006 war between Israel and Hezbollah, raised concerns of a possible slide toward wider conflict.

“Whoever is behind today’s attack will pay the full price,” Israeli Prime Minister der zone known as Shebaa Benjamin Netanyahu warned Farms, which Hezbollah before a meeting with secu- claims as part of Lebanon, rity chiefs. However, ana- though it was under Syrian lysts said that neither Israel control before Israel occupied nor Hezbollah wanted to be the Golan Heights in the 1967 Middle East War. drawn into a full-blown war.

A retaliatory attack by Israeli forces responded Hezbollah had been wide- to the lethal ambush with ly expected after the group artillery and airstrikes on vowed to respond to the kill- what the army described as ing of its men on Jan. 18, “Hezbollah operational posiwhen Israeli aircraft targeted tions” in Lebanon. A Spanish a convoy of Hezbollah vehi- peacekeeper with the United Nations Interim Force in cles in Syria.

On Wednesday morning, a Lebanon was killed, a spokesgroup of Israeli soldiers on an man for the force said. inspection tour of the frontier Spanish Foreign Minister between the Golan Heights Jose Manuel Garcia-Margallo and Lebanon were approach- told reporters later that he ing the border village of had received a phone call Ghajar when their vehicles from Israel’s ambassador to were hit by five Russian-made Spain, offering condolences.

Kornet anti-tank missiles, Lebanese officials said the said Lt. Col. Peter Lerner, an Israeli shelling was directed at the border villages of army spokesman.

An officer and a soldier Majidiyeh, Abbasiyeh and

The exchange of fire, the deadliest across the Lebanese frontier since a 2006 war between Israel and Hezbollah, raised concerns of a possible slide toward wider conflict.

Kafr Chouba.

Hezbollah responded with mortar rounds that landed near Israeli army positions on Mount Dov and Mount Hermon in the Golan Heights, the army said, and an adjacent ski resort was evacuated.

Roads nearby were closed to civilian traffic.

Analysts said that despite the serious flare-up, neither Hezbollah nor Israel had an interest in escalating their exchange into a full-scale war. Hezbollah is wary of provoking a conflict that would cause extensive damage in Lebanon, and Netanyahu, who is in an election campaign, would have little to gain from a potentially costly conflagration at this time, commentators said.

Amos Harel, military correspondent for the Haaretz newspaper, wrote that Hezbollah had responded in kind to the Israeli strike on its convoy with an assault that was “calculated and limited.”

Israel, for its part, appeared to be seeking “containment, not escalation.”

The hostilities died down by afternoon, though tensions remained high on both the Lebanese border and the frontier between the Israeliheld Golan Heights and Syria.

Early Wednesday, Israel launched airstrikes on what the army said were Syrian artillery positions after two rockets fired from Syria hit the Israeli-held Golan on Tuesday.

Israel Ziv, a reserve general and former army chief of operations, told reporters that the situation was “flammable,” but “Israel understands that it needs to contain it.”

were made. As a result, one version cost 15 times more than the other.

In reality, both placebos were composed of the exact same saline solution. And yet, the patients perceived the expensive version to be more effective than the cheaper one, according to results published Wednesday in the journal Neurology.

Both of the placebos improved motor function compared with a base line test. But when patients got the $1,500-per-dose placebo, their improvement was 9 percent greater than when they got the $100-per-dose placebo, the researchers reported.

In another test, 67 percent of the patients were judged “very good” or hav-

ing “marked improvement” after they took the expensive placebo, compared with 58 percent of patients after they took the purportedly cheap placebo.

The researchers also used functional MRI scans to assess the patients’ brain activity and found that the “cheap” placebo prompted more action than the “expensive” one. To the researchers, this was a sign that the patients expected less from the placebo they believed cost less, so their brains responded by doing more work.

“Patients’ expectations have an important role in the efficacy of medical therapies,” the researchers wrote.

Another manifestation of this is the preference many

patients have for name-brand drugs instead of their generic counterparts, they added.

Placebos may be fake, but understanding the placebo effect – and finding ways to make the most of it – is a real priority for researchers.

To the extent that doctors can use placebos to improve patients’ symptoms, they can use the real drugs less, which may be expensive or toxic.

“Placebo can be the physician’s friend,” a pair of neurologists wrote an editorial that accompanied the study.

“The outcome of this study ... opens our eyes to another nuance of placebo effect.”

Opinion Editorial THE MASSACHUSETTS DAILY COLLEGIAN

“If you are going through hell, keep going.” - Winston Churchill

Thursday, January 29, 2015

Editorial@DailyCollegiancom

Why I want to be a teacher One evening, the thought of my future crossed my mind.

“So I was thinking: I could switch my major to history and

being laid off. Our town voted in 2010 not continue with initiatives to build a new school system.

It is concerning that even Brianna Zimmerman teachers working in relatively affluent towns need to fear be a teacher—but I don’t know,” unemployment. Most teachI said to myself. ers in my high school however, However, I did know. would not trade their passion I verbalized this desire only for their work for increased job recently but quickly became security. hesitantly obsessed. I was hesi- I want to be a teacher sometant because, as an occasionally day because I believe in edumiserable high school student, cation. Education could be a I claimed that I would never become a teacher regardless of my adoration for history.

However, only a few weeks ago, I began to fall in love with the idea.

I have a strange relationship with school.

Reading, writing and learning about history are most comfortable for me. While I excel and take pride in these subject areas, I have remained behind in math and science.

These areas of unfamiliarity powerful force in reducing povfrightened me in high school. erty and improving innovation.

While I would be happy to read Education is an investment a few pages in my AP United that has the potential to yield States History textbook for fun, unprecedented beneficial ecoI would shy away from even nomic and social results. beginning to comprehend math An increase in teachers and better learning facilities would homework.

However, when I reflect on mean a lower student-to-teacher what I gained from high school ratio and improved technology as a learning experience, I do to aid learning, investments that not remember painstakingly may improve quality of educalate nights of science projects. tion and economic development.

I remember how supportive my More education could mean teachers were, particularly in vast improvements in innovasubjects that I was interested tion and science and mitigation in, and engaging discussions of social issues such as income in a history or English class. I inequality. feel thankful that my teachers While it is upsetting that only catered to the interests of future one percent of United States college students rather than the federal tax dollars are devoted interests of silly high school to education according to the Center on Budget and Policy kids.

While students in my small Priorities, there is a potential high school were generally priv- for education to reach the foreileged, our school’s condition front of Americans’ concerns did not reflect this. There were in the future, especially with often issues with the technol- America’s relative weakness in ogy in classes, which frustrat- education compared to other ed teachers when their lessons countries. revolved around it. Instructors I do not only see the national were often concerned about and macroeconomic benefits of

I want to be a teacher someday because I believe in education.

Education could be a powerful force in reducing poverty and improving innovation.

education; like anyone else, I consider personal experiences as well.

I want to prepare students and give them reason to strive for a college education, like my teachers aimed to do. Some teachers gave me a reason to care about my education beyond simply making the grade for future college applications; they convinced me that whatever they were teaching had value to my life. They encouraged me to strive beyond my comfort zone.

Receiving this encouragement from my teachers meant something different from the reinforcement of friends and family, something more genuine.

When I was only in second grade, my teacher told me that she was impressed by my writing skills and to send her my first published book.

Then in fifth grade, my teacher hugged me when she realized that I had won a statewide writing award for a short story.

During my junior year, my history teacher pointed out my study habits and strengths in writing when I dwelled on my weaknesses. My English teacher assured me that I was one of the best writers in my class.

I include these anecdotes not to illustrate that I was a teacher’s pet but to point out that like so many other students, teachers strongly influenced my decisions and improved my selfworth for twelve years of my life.

With any moment of selfdoubt that I voiced in school, the people who educated me gave me reassurance.

I strive to be half of the inspiration and support system to students that my teachers were to me and I can only hope that Americans increasingly value education in the future by committing more tax dollars to spending on education.

Brianna Zimmerman is a Collegian columnist and can be reached at bzimmerman@ umass.edu.

Cheap gas, a speed bump for the planet As a college student with barely taking advantage of these low prices, any money, I can’t help but love the it isn’t tough to imagine others could price of gasoline these days. In the be doing the same on a much larger scale. Even though we might all hope Ian Hagerty that most renewable and clean energy projects were developed to help prolast several months, gas has dropped tect our environment, we would be to prices cheaper than I can ever wrong. remember seeing. This drop has done Often, clean energy projects have wonders for my finances and even been developed because they have the made it easier for me to visit home potential to create cheaper energy when I have free time. Unfortunately, that fossil fuels do. When it comes lowering gas prices does absolutely down to it, most of the people with nothing to stymie the environmental the power to create such projects are impact of burning fossil fuel. During, primarily concerned with making or I was always thankful on a broader saving money. With expensive gas, scale, hopeful that maybe expensive renewable energies represented a gas would push people to seek out win-win for investors as well as the alternative energy. environment.

The last time I went to the pump, Luckily, some clean energy options, regular was $1.99 a gallon, and I was such as solar energy, are still cheaper able to fill up my Honda for about energy producers even in the face of thirty dollars. I remember paying dropping oil prices. However, with more than double that in high school. low gas prices, the cost of solar isn’t too much better than that of oil. With high gas prices, the price difference between solar and oil was staggering, now it is only slight. Clean energy options are still being considered the way of the future, but cheap oil prices are pushing utilities to, at least at the moment, chose oil over renewable sources of energy. It is still generally agreed that a push for renewable energies will continue into the foreseeable future. Many clean energy projects are subsidized by the government, and will always represent Current gas prices make something as savings for interested parties. Again, simple as driving home to my town in I’d like to say the environment is the Connecticut on a day off entirely more push for this changeover, but it never manageable. The drop in the price of is. gas is so significant that is has actu- While it is plain and obvious that ally affected the quality of my life in a there will be a general push for clean noticeable and positive manner. energy projects in the future, the cur However, my own personal benefits rent drop in gas prices is sure to delay derived from these lower gas prices some of these projects. We probably come at a cost. Although I am able won’t notice these delays in our dayto move about more freely and do as to-day lives; pollution is a changing I please, I’m just burning more fossil of tide, not a crashing wave. In fact, fuel and letting it flow into our atmo- all that most people will notice is the sphere. Whether or not you believe in ease in filling their car or home fuel global warming, gas fumes in the air tanks. It wont hurt as much to drive are definitely not a positive thing, and across New England or turn up the we can all agree that smog is real. I heat in the house a notch or two. Right guarantee I’m not the only consumer now though, we are at a turning point whose life has been positively affected in protecting our environment. Most by this drop in gas prices. reputable sources agree that the plan People feel more comfortable to et is warming and humans are directdrive further, carpool to work less ly involved. Dropping gas prices may or maybe take that big SUV out of simply cause a delay in more clean their garage they haven’t been able energy projects, but even a delay is to afford to drive much. It’s nice not something the world might not be able being hampered down by high prices, to afford. And no matter how you feel but I can’t help but think we were about global warming, do you really better off before. How soon will it be want more burnt gasoline fumes floatbefore the positive effects of lower gas ing in the air, mixing with the oxygen prices grossly affect our judgment in you breathe into your lungs? relation to our own carbon footprints?

Have they already? Perhaps most Ian Hagerty is a Collegian columnist and can be importantly, if we as consumers are reached at ihagerty@umass.edu.

“Clean energy options are still being considered the way of the future, but cheap oil prices are pushing utilities to, at least at the moment, chose oil over renewable sources of energy.”

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The Massachusetts Daily Collegian is published Monday through Thursday during the University of Massachusetts calendar semester. The Collegian is independently funded, operating on advertising revenue. Founded in 1890, the paper began as Aggie Life, became the College Signal in 1901, the Weekly Collegian in 1914 and the Tri–Weekly Collegian in 1956. Published daily from 1967 to 2014, The Collegian has been broadsheet since January 1994. For advertising rates and information, call 413-545-3500.

PRODUCTION CREW on staff for this issue NIGHT EDITOR - Patrick Hoff COPY EDITOR - Catherine Ferris WEB PRODUCTION MANAGER - Claire Anderson NEWS DESK EDITOR - Anthony Rentsch O p /E d DESK EDITOR - Ian Hagerty ARTS DESK EDITOR - Cory Willey SPORTS DESK EDITOR - Ross Gienieczko COMICS DESK EDITOR - Tracy Krug GRAPHICS DESK EDITOR - James Desjardin

Arts Living THE MASSACHUSETTS DAILY COLLEGIAN

“Just what do you think you’re doing, Dave?” - HAL

Thursday, January 29, 2015

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TECHNOLOGY

Microsoft wants augmented reality in the modern age Windows 10 and HoloLens unveiled

By Cory J. Willey Collegian Staff

Microsoft took the stage on Jan. 21 in an event that encompassed everything from operating systems and universal apps to video games and holograms. At the focal point of the event was the next generation of its operating system – Windows 10.

The latest iteration of Microsoft’s operating system does not yet have a release date, but the company revealed it has 1.7 million users currently beta testing the software before its release, and it stated Windows 10 would be available as a free upgrade for the first year of its release. This free upgrade only applies to those who are currently running Windows 7, Windows 8 or Windows Phone 8.1, for mobile device owners.

Not only will Windows 10 run on all Microsoft platforms, there will also

use by way of universal apps. Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, Outlook and Photo will all have mobile versions that can access documents across multiple devices using OneDrive. In many ways this is Microsoft playing catch-up, as these apps have existed for use on Android and Apple devices for some time now.

Windows 10 will be rolled out with a new Internet browser pre-installed as well. The new browser, codenamed Spartan, will be offered alongside Internet Explorer and will include integration with Cortana, Microsoft’s A.I. assistant, similar to Apple’s Siri. The browser will allow users to save articles to read offline later, and include a builtin PDF viewer and distraction-free reading mode.

Spartan is being billed as a more streamlined browser, and has been likened to Google Chrome and Firefox.

Cortana, named after an A.I. character from Microsoft’s popular “Halo” video game series, is not being left out of the upgrade frenzy. The A.I.

The HoloLens will be able to operate both independently and along with Windows 10 enabled PCs.

Windows Phone users, will be added to Windows 10 and gain new features exclusive to the PC version. Cortana will be able to access users’ OneDrive as well as their local hard drive and will be able to actively filter search results based on what she believes is most relevant to the user’s search and situation.

On the gaming front, Microsoft’s head of Xbox Phil Spencer announced their upcoming game, “Fable Legends” will allow cross-play between players on PC’s running Windows 10 and those playing the game on Xbox One. This is possible, Spencer explained, due to the introduction of DirectX 12, the latest iteration of the Microsoft API. DirectX 12 purportedly allows for more complex programs MICROSOFT and higher frame rates Microsoft has yet to announce a release date or price range for HoloLens. while simultaneously taking less processing power to run, thus allowing for be greater communica- assistant, which is cur- higher end applications tion and cross-platform rently only available for to run across platforms.

Spencer also revealed users will be able to stream Xbox One games they have installed on their console to Windows 10 PC’s and tablets.

By far the most intriguing portion of Microsoft’s two-hour event was the unveiling of the Microsoft HoloLens and Windows Holographic. The HoloLens is an augmented reality headset equipped with

MICROSOFT

Holographic, a new feature built-into Windows 10. It can also operate without connection to a phone or a PC, as it contains an onboard CPU, GPU and HPU, or holographic processing unit. The HPU is the first of its kind. In a demonstration video, users can be seen exploring Mars alongside the Mars Rover, making design changes to a motorcycle plucked from

The technology is truly mindblowing and futuristic, but as this was simply a demonstration video and not a live demo, we should temper our expectations. transparent lenses through which the wearer can see 3-dimensional holographic images laid over their real-world surroundings.

Alex Kipman is the chief inventor of the project, which he has been developing for over five years.

The headset will work in tandem with Windows

done however, as this could be the realization of every tech-enthusiasts dream, if it works correctly. No price or release date has been announced for the device.

If one thing can be said following this information-packed event it’s that Microsoft’s definition of “present day” is much different from many of their counterparts. On the one hand they are climbing their way out of the recent past, constantly playing catch-up on fronts such as multiplatform communication and universal apps.

They are just now replacing Internet Explorer, a browser that has been widely considered irrelevant for quite a few years now. Much of their coming tech, including Cortana and Spartan, as well as their work with Windows Phone seems more like a response to companies such as Samsung and Apple, who are still years ahead, than anything else.

On the other hand they are intent and excited to bring us into the future with the HoloLens and Windows Holographic, no matter how close or distant that future may be. The project has near limitless research, educational and entertainment possibilities. The hype and expectations surrounding the project could lead to a flop akin to the deflating and disappointing Kinect. However, if Microsoft handles its release correctly, it could propel us into a future we’ve previously only been able to imagine.

their computer screen and playing Minecraft in a living room, atop couches and tables.

The technology is truly mind-blowing and futuristic, but as this was simply a demonstration video and not a live demo, we should Cory J. Willey can be reached at temper our expectations. cjwilley@umass.edu and followed on That’s easier said than Twitter @cojwilley.

H E A LT H

Tips for creating and maintaining a healthier lifestyle True change doesn’t happen overnight

By Sarah Gamard Collegian Staff

At some point in our lives, whether it’s selfmotivated or prompted by doctors and loved ones, we make the promise to ourselves to be healthier. But there are times the promise can be seemingly impossible to keep. This becomes harder as we get older: reallife obligations like jobs, academia and taking care of family can get in the way.

From someone who has been in that position and has stuck on the diligent path to eating right and exercising regularly, here are some tips for actually sticking to that intimidating resolution to improve your life for the better.

Know when your classes and club meetings are, and find windows you have to go to the gym or have a sitdown meal with protein and vegetables. With a scattered day, you will find yourself eating whatever you can whenever you can, which will make a measly bag of chips a poor excuse for lunch. Some choose to plan out every meal for the week (“meal-prepping”), which makes healthy choices easily accessible. The same goes for workouts: plan ahead of time. Create a routine that sticks.

2. Keep reminders

Put alerts on your phone, Post-Its on your fridge, follow fitness accounts on Instagram or other social mediums – anything that will help you remember to maintain your goals.

Sometimes a tray of brownies or long walks/drives 1. Create a schedule to the gym can make you Planning ahead is key. lose sight of your goals,

but achieving them is made much easier when there are constant reminders and motivators that you have created for yourself.

3. Think before you buy And, more importantly, avoid grocery shopping when you are hungry. This will cause you to instinctually buy calorie-dense foods. You will end up with a shopping cart full of unprecedented Cheetos and Ben & Jerry’s Ice Cream, which will eventually end up tantalizingly sitting in your kitchen. If you are like me and do not like wasting food, you will end up eating it, which may counteract your original plan to have a healthier meal or dessert that day. If you are on a meal plan, avoid going to the dining hall when you are starving. If you wait too long between meals, especially if you are active, you may end up over-eating when you get there and making too many

trips to the dessert bar. The your own goals. Everyone is sooner you go, the less of different. an overpowering appetite 5. Make one change at you will have, thus you will a time make smarter choices.

You have made an impor4. Take others’ advice tant resolution to change with a grain of salt your entire lifestyle, which In a time when we are is great, but it doesn’t hapbombarded with informa- pen overnight. Take things tion, we find the overwhelm- slow. Switching immediing amount of articles, ately from a lifestyle of an blog posts, etc. about ideal unstructured diet and minihealthy living. For example, mal activity to one of strict this week The New York diet and constant, strenuTimes released an article ous activity can make the about morning exercise transition unnecessarily being best for losing weight, hard to keep up. You do not which contradicted an older have to begin your journey article on exercising being with extreme workouts like optimal in the afternoon. Insanity or Crossfit. Ease Some will recommend yourself in. Otherwise, the vegan diets, others the Paleo sudden change may be too diet. The science is inexact, difficult and thus discouragand many times seemingly ing. authoritative voices online 6. Don’t be too hard on are actually less educated yourself than they seem. The truth is there is no absolute right It is normal to break answer to optimizing health some of the promises for via fitness and diet except yourself when you start on to do what works for you for your journey to change. To

err is human. Just because you had a cookie after promising yourself not to eat sweets does not mean you should give up. It is okay to be flexible and allow yourself slips once in awhile.

Live a little and enjoy the process.

If you make unrealistic expectations for yourself when resolving to be healthier, which many often do when they decide to change such a big part of their lives, it becomes much more difficult maintaining them for long. Being healthy and active should be fun and should not get in the way of other parts of your life. Be flexible.

Remember you are changing your life for the better and the amount of benefits that come with healthy living far outweighs the work that comes with initiating it.

Sarah Gamard can be reached at sgamard@umass.edu.

6

Thursday, January 29, 2015

THE MASSACHUSETTS DAILY COLLEGIAN

Comics You

can’t put

“I

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made the perfect pancake” on a resume.

D inosaur C omics

B y R yan N orth

Buttered Roll

P oorly D rawn L ines

B y R eza F arazmand

aquarius

HOROSCOPES Jan. 20 - Feb. 18

If you really want to strengthen the ties you have with your acquaintances, might I suggest a double knot?

pisces

Feb. 19 - Mar. 20

leo

Jul. 23 - Aug. 22

If you are what you eat, I have definitely become an ice cream cone in this weather.

virgo

Aug. 23 - Sept. 22

Some nights I am roused awake with the impending fear that the “Mambo #6” will never fall upon this earth.

There has to be a way to make a blanket coat without it being a “Snuggie” and able to be worn outside of the home without shame.

aries

Mar. 21 - Apr. 19

libra

Sept. 23 - Oct. 22

taurus

Apr. 20 - May. 20

scorpio

Oct. 23 - Nov. 21

gemini

May. 21 - Jun. 21

Sometimes it’s pretty cool to realize that in your day to day life, you never have to worry about alligators, or even cobras.

It’s a weird day when getting your inhaler prescription makes you cry.

Some people’s Internet cookies give them ads all over for inappropriate things. Yours give you ads about carrot soup.

It would be great if someone figured out how to make something frozen but not cold so I can enjoy this ice cream cone outside.

sagittarius

Nov. 22 - Dec. 21

In this day in age, you wield a very large amount of power if you have no qualms about calling people on the telephone.

Ah, yes, the weekend is here. Time to resume the fight to find the ever elusive perfect buttermilk pancake.

cancer

capricorn

Jun. 22 - Jul. 22

A nice thoughtful email thanking your professor for a reference is the reason why that professor didn’t write you a reference.

Dec. 22 - Jan. 19

Using the word résumé as often as I do tells me that I have succumbed to infinite depression of being an adult.

THE MASSACHUSETTS DAILY COLLEGIAN

DailyCollegian.com

HOCKEY

Thursday, January 29, 2015

7

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL

Improved UM set for BU Stopping Bonnies duo Minutemen more mature, experienced B y Jason K ates Collegian Staff

After taking three of four possible points last weekend against Merrimack College, the Massachusetts hockey team will head to Boston to take on No. 2 Boston University Friday night.

When the two teams met Oct. 10 in Amherst for the season opener, the Terriers left the Mullins Center victorious in an 8-1 rout over the Minutemen.

But since the second half of the season began, UMass has looked like a vastly improved squad and are pleased with the way they’ve been playing.

“We’re definitely happy with our performance over the weekend and we definitely want to carry that throughout the week and into the game Friday,” said senior captain Troy Power.

Since returning from their shortened winter break, the Minutemen are a respectable 4-4-1. They’re still tied for last place in the conference, but sit just three points out of eighth place, which would guarantee UMass home ice-advantage in the first round of the Hockey East tournament.

Coach John Micheletto is excited about his team’s recent play, but knows how important it is to stay focused on the task at hand.

“We’ve obviously been playing well and got

VETERANS team that has national respect and played in the final eight last year.”

“They have a lot of guys back from last year’s team that made a run in the NCAA Tournament,” Gordon said. “They’re coming into our house, we have to be able to win in our house.”

Kellogg acknowledged that Dayton carries an added emphasis due to their recent success, specifically within the conference. It’s a game the Minutemen would desperately love to have if they want to embark on a run.

To do that, they’ll need someone – or a collection of veterans – to play assertively. Gordon said he spoke with Kellogg and vows to play more aggressively now.

“We have to find something,” Gordon said. “We have about (12) games left until the conference tournament. There’s still a lot of room to move up in the

rewarded with some points in the league which is important,” he said.

“We know we need to get a couple of work days in before we head down to Agganis (Arena). They’re going to be ready to play so we need to make sure we bring our A game.”

Despite how the first meeting between these teams went, Power doesn’t think his teammates will be thinking about the previous encounter with BU too much, although the idea of revenge is present.

“We haven’t really touched on it too much,” he said. “Monday we did a split-skate with the forwards and defensemen skating at different times working on skill work.

I think we’ll touch on it before Friday, I still think it’s in the back of everyone’s minds.”

Over the past three months, there has been clear growth from the Minutemen, especially the underclassmen.

“For both teams, we have a lot of youth, so I would imagine that both would be more disciplined in terms of how they want to play,” Micheletto said.

“I know we are, and I would imagine they’re the same way. Hopefully it’s an entertaining game and we get to play the way we want to play, which is important for us in terms of trying to have success.”

Power believes the team is a completely different version of the one BU routed back in October, with

lessons learned over the course of the season a key factor in their growth.

“I think the maturity level between now versus back then is night-andday,” he said.

“We’re a very young team, so the first half of the season there were a lot of lessons that we knew were going to happen.

Especially coming back from break, guys know what to expect, know how this league works, and they know what they need to do to have individual success, as well as helping out the team.”

Since returning from break, talk of “turning a corner” and becoming better has picked up, and with a showdown versus the Terriers rapidly approaching, UMass now has a chance to prove it can compete against one of the best teams in the conference, and the country.

“I think right now we’re just focused on getting better every day, and continuing our process towards finishing the year strong and making improvements every game,” Power said.

“Right now it’s not a sprint, it’s a marathon, and we’re looking to be the best team at the end of February and early March and carry that throughout the playoffs.”

Jason Kates can be reached at jkates@umass.edu and followed @ Jason_Kates.

continued from page 8

CADE BELISLE/COLLEGIAN

Zach Coleman readies to shoot a free throw against Rhode Island. standings but we have to take it one game at a time.”

Kellogg said he’s still waiting for someone to take charge.

“When I say waiting, I mean I’m still looking for

somebody to grab the bull by the horns and take it,” he said.

Mark Chiarelli can be reached at mchiarel@umass.edu and followed on Twitter @Mark_Chiarelli.

B OX I N G

Mayweather, Pacquiao talk fight

By Lance Pugmire Los Angeles Times

Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Manny Pacquiao’s unscheduled meeting at a Miami Heat game has triggered rapid movement toward the long-anticipated Super Bowl of boxing.

Pacquiao advisor Michael Koncz told the Los Angeles Times on Wednesday that the unbeaten Mayweather visited Pacquiao at his Miami hotel suite Tuesday night after the game, expressing his feelings on what can help finalize talks that are currently centered around how to broadcast the May 2 pay-per-view fight jointly on Showtime and HBO. “Floyd was sincere,” Koncz said.

Koncz said as a result of that talk, he has received confirmation of an agree-

ment between CBS/ Showtime chairman Leslie Moonves and HBO chief executive Richard Plepler that the fight will feature two broadcasters from each premium network.

HBO’s Jim Lampley and Max Kellerman and Showtime’s Mauro Ranallo and Al Bernstein are the respective networks’ lead broadcasters and analysts, but Koncz declined to say which four would work the fight.

Koncz said each network also will produce an hour-long show on its fighter, Showtime doing a Mayweather story and HBO airing a Pacquiao special.

Showtime’s “All-Access” series and HBO’s “24/7” will not exist for this mega-bout, which is expected to generate a record number of pay-

per-view buys, perhaps in excess of 3 million.

“With ‘24/7’ and ‘AllAccess,’ I don’t believe either are necessary,” Koncz said.

“This is not a normal boxing match, these two guys are superstars, as they showed just by meeting courtside at the basketball game.

“What more can you add to the fight? We don’t need those programs. So each network will do an hour special on their own fighter. That’s fair and reasonable.”

Mayweather and Pacquiao’s unexpected huddling only came about, Koncz said, because he couldn’t get two business-class airline tickets for Pacquiao and his wife, Jinkee, on a Tuesday flight out of Miami, where Pacquiao was judge in Sunday’s Miss Universe contest.

key for Minutewomen A-10 matchup set for Sat. in Amherst

By Frank Corona Collegian Staff

Earlier this month, UMass women’s basketball was handed their first loss of the season against an Atlantic 10 opponent when they dropped a 65-53 decision against St. Bonaventure.

More recently, the Bonnies (11-9, 1-6 Atlantic 10) have been the victims of a sixgame losing streak, while the Minutewomen (8-11, 2-5 Atlantic 10) are suffering a losing streak of their own, dropping their last three games.

For UMass, their opponents during the streak included the two top teams in the conference – George Washington along with defending Atlantic 10 champion Fordham.

Following their 64-44 loss against Richmond on Jan. 24, the Minutewomen had a full week to prepare for their home game against St. Bonaventure this Saturday.

The break came at an optimal time for the team, according to head coach Sharon Dawley.

“I think it takes a big toll, and we even forget in the offseason how much travel takes a toll on you,” Dawley said.

“Case and point; playing a two o’clock game at Richmond on a Saturday and then getting back at two in the morning.

You forget about that and when you add that up for a

season it takes a toll on them, I think this time of year is difficult.”

One member of the team feeling the ramifications of fatigue has been Rashida Timbilla. The junior is third in the conference in minutes played, logging 34.7 minutes per contest.

Considering Timbilla sits second in the conference in rebounds (10.0 rebounds per game), second in steals (2.3 steals per game), and leads her team in assists (3.9 per game), she’s been a fairly big reason for UMass’ success this year. Timbilla rested Wednesday during practice, as recommended by coach Dawley.

“Rashida’s still resting, we’re going to give her until Thursday so she’s rested for this weekend and the remaining nine games, plus A-10’s,” Dawley said.

Despite the fatigue coming from some of the players, there’s no denying the team will certainly be energized as they gear up for a shot at redemption this weekend.

“We have a great opportunity to regroup, we’ll be here all week and Saturday against a team that we really want another shot at,” said Dawley.

“We feel like we should’ve got them the first time around so it’s a good week all and all.”

In the previous matchup between the two squads, the Bonnies were led by juniors Katie Healy – who put up 25 points – and Hannah Little, who dropped a double-double with 19 points and 10 rebounds. Despite cooling off

after a hot start to the season, the junior leaders have had consistent campaigns this year. Healy is averaging 13.8 points per contest along with 6.3 rebounds, while Little adds 10.6 points a game off of a consistent .493 field goal percentage, on top of the 6.7 rebounds she brings in every game.

The duo is a large part of the scouting report for UMass, who have run specialized drills in practice this past week to plan for the impact the pair will bring to the floor.

“We did a drill for Healy today, she’s just a really good player, she’s a guard in a forwards body so we prepped for her a little today,” Dawley commented. “For Little, we did a drill for her, but you don’t box her out. She’s crazy good on the boards and she has a sense for where the ball’s going.”

Even with the preparation, Dawley seems confident the team’s bigger bodies can contain the impressive duo from St. Bonaventure.

“I think Kymber Hill can take her one-on-one, as well as Rashida since we’ll play her a little down low on Saturday,” said Dawley.

“But if we box out Little we’ll be in good shape.”

UMass faces off against St. Bonaventure this Saturday in the Mullins Center at 2 p.m.

Frank Corona can be reached at fcorona@umass.edu.

THE MASSACHUSETTS DAILY COLLEGIAN

Thursday, January 29, 2015

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MEN’S BASKETBALL

Statement game

UMass looks for veterans to step up Kellog seeks an ‘alpha dog’ player B y Mark C hiarelli Collegian Staff

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Trey Davis (12) and the Minutemen face off against Dayton, who is coming off an Elite Eight appearance last year in the NCAA Tournament.

UMass hopes to use size advantage

By Andrew Cyr Collegian Staff

The contest against Dayton this Thursday is more than just a regular Atlantic 10 conference game for the Massachusetts men’s basketball team – it’s a statement game.

Similar to the Minutemen, Dayton achieved great success in the 2013-2014 season.

Unlike UMass, however (which got eliminated in the second round of the NCAA tournament), the 11th seeded Flyers played Cinderella in the tournament, making it to the Elite Eight before falling to top-seeded Florida in the regional final.

However, as the Minutemen haven’t reached the same dominance they had a season ago, the Flyers have picked up right where they have left off, posting an impressive 16-3 record this season and trailing only Virginia Commonwealth University in the A-10 standings with a 6-1 record in conference play.

But when looking at Dayton, it’s hard to overlook its lack of size on the roster.

After Devon Scott and Jalen Robinson were dismissed from the team earlier this season, the Flyers have had to switch to a smaller lineup that consists of two players standing 6-foot-6, with the other three starters at 6-foot4, 6-foot-2, and 6-feet respectively.

UMass big-men Cady Lalanne (6-foot-10) and Maxie Esho (6-foot-9) should be licking their chops, and head coach Derek Kellogg knows his frontcourt will have to take advantage of the smaller Flyer lineup.

“Absolutely,” Kellogg said.

“Those two, for us to be good, have to be good every night.

Especially when you have the size advantage, or you guys are the biggest guys on the court. They have to realize that (Dayton) is going to be slapping you, whacking you, putting five guys on the floor around you. So that can’t be an excuse of why we aren’t making layups or finishing plays.”

Both Kellogg and Lalanne mentioned the Jan. 14 game

against Dayton as a benchmark for playing against smaller teams.

“Just like Davidson we have to establish an inside post position and dominate the paint,” Lalanne said.

Despite the lack of size for the Flyers, they still have three players averaging in double-digits scoring. Jordan Sibert leads the way averaging 15.7 points per game while Dyshawn Pierre (12.7) and Kendall Pollard (11.4) follow closely behind.

Point guard Scoochie Smith organizes the offense for Dayton and is fourth in the conference with 4.2 assists per game. Kellogg described Smith as a typical New-York point guard who drives to the basket and can create plays for himself and other teammates.

Kellogg scouted Smith out of high school and has been impressed with the improvements he’s made, especially to his outside shot, as he is a 42.6 percent shooter from 3-point range this season.

Although in a perfect world Kellogg would like to take full advantage of the mismatches inside, he said that he was going to let the flow of

the game dictate whether or not the Minutemen play big or go with a smaller lineup to matchup with the Flyers speed.

“They’re playing a lowpossession game when you watch them play. That will be the question mark: are we trying to get the game moving or are playing within the context of what they’re trying to do and try to win it that way,” Kellogg said.

Lalanne was quick to point that although he needs to establish his presence early on, he can’t get too flustered and pick up cheap, early fouls, something he’s been guilty of far too often this season.

“It’s kind of tough especially when you are playing against a small team. You have to be aggressive but not overly aggressive, at the offense and defensive end.”

Tip-off from Mullins Center will be at 7 p.m. and will be aired nationally on ESPNU. Andrew Cyr can be reached at arcyr@ umass.edu, and can be followed on Twitter @Andew_Cyr.

When Derek Kellogg looks across the broad landscape of college basketball, he sees a number of teams in the same position as his.

As the calendar turns to February, teams embark on the meat of rigorous conference schedules.

Every game has significant ramifications. Those with lofty expectations begin to sense it’s time to hit the gas.

So f a r, the Massachusetts men’s basketball team (10-9, 3-3 Atlantic 10) has tried to hit the gas and stalled out.

Disappointing conference losses to St. Bonaventure and Saint Joseph’s sandwich a 71-63 home loss to Davidson – a loss which the Minutemen believe shouldn’t have happened.

UMass’ most glaring bugaboo is a lack of consistency and, in crucial situations, a lineup which can produce offensively. To this point, the Minutemen still seek “the guy.”

“You listen to college games across the country and they make a point of the teams who have that so-called alpha dog,” Kellogg said Wednesday.

“A lot of teams around the country are still trying to formulate who that is. I think we still fall in that category. You know, ‘Who’s going to take that shot in crunch time or an important time?’ We’ve tried to go through different guys and we’re still waiting for the guy that’s going to do it consistently every time, all the time.”

Naturally, Kellogg looked to his most tenured players first, but it’s only come in flashes. Maxie Esho’s 19 points and 12 rebounds in a win over La Salle, Derrick Gordon’s 19 points in a win over Iona and Cady Lalanne’s

23-point, 16-rebound perfor mance against Manhattan come to mind.

But it’s been a struggle to get multiple veterans – or even one of the three – playing at a high level consistently.

“I’m still trying to figure out why that is,” Gordon said. “It’s like we have games where we’re going good and then we have games where we go on droughts. We’re practicing hard and everything and for some reason it doesn’t carry over to the game.”

UMass saw it firsthand against St. Joe’s last Wednesday, when Esho scored only two points.

The offense sputtered and the Hawks pulled away in the second half, winning 62-56. Neither Lalanne nor Gordon have scored more than 10 points in the Minutemen’s last two games.

Yet just as the roster composition isn’t changing any time soon, neither is the expectation that, on most nights, the veteran players must lead the way.

“I think the step up guys have to be the guys who have been here and played,” said Kellogg, who rattled off the names of Lalanne, Esho, Gordon and Trey Davis.

“I need the more mature guys who have been here to play the way they can play every single night out.”

What better opportunity to start than at home against one of the top teams in the conference?

UMass hosts Dayton Thursday at the Mullins Center. The Flyers are winners of nine of their last 10, were briefly ranked No. 22 in the AP Top 25 polls and went to the Elite Eight in the NCAA Tournament last season.

It’s a golden opportunity.

“Obviously, they’re one of the two top teams now in our league,” Kellogg said. “They’re a very good see

VETERANS on page 7

HOCKEY

Minutemen set for rematch with No. 2 Terriers

First game vs. BU since 8-1 Oct. loss

By Anthony Chiusano Collegian Staff

Sunday’s win over No. 14 Merrimack was arguably the Massachusetts hockey team’s most impressive performance of the year, and its first victory over a ranked Hockey East opponent.

Now, UMass (8-16-1, 3-11-1 HEA) has a chance to bring its winning streak to two in a rematch against another tough conference opponent who sent a disappointed Mullins Center crowd home following a season-opening seven-goal defeat in October.

The Minutemen travel to Boston this Friday to face No. 2 Boston University for their second and final meeting of the regular season.

In UMass’ season-opening game on Oct. 10, BU exploded for six third period goals en route to an 8-1 victory in Amherst.

When recalling the defeat

on Wednesday, freshman Dennis Kravchenko said the young Minutemen team – composed of 15 underclassmen – may not have been ready for the then-No. 20 Terriers out of the gate.

However, the forward added that this time around, he expects a close battle between the two in-state rivals.

“I don’t think anything like that will ever happen again,” Kravchenko said. “I think our team has come a long way and we’re going to grind it out and do as much as we can to come out with two points.”

Coach John Micheletto echoed the belief in UMass’ growth since the start of the second half – in which the team has been 4-4-1.

Micheletto said early losses like the one against BU have aided in their improvements by exposing certain areas to focus on.

“Over the first half, we’ve had to learn a lot of lessons,” Micheletto said. “Holding

leads or being competitive and coming back from deficits in the third period are certainly two areas that we’ve addressed and we’ve certainly done a better job of lately.”

This ability to establish and maintain a lead was on display in Sunday’s 4-1 victory over the Warriors.

The Minutemen took a 1-0 lead in the waning seconds of the second period before tallying three more goals to clinch the victory in the final frame.

Kravchenko, who scored the first two UMass goals in the win, said limiting turnovers and other mistakes was key in preserving the victory.

“Guys are just doing the little things,” Kravchenko said. “We’re playing a full 60 minutes and not giving up any little points in the game or making any little mistakes. We’re gutting it out and never taking a shift off.”

While Kravchenko’s

scores provided all the offense needed for the win, the Minutemen’s defense also stood strong behind a 44-save day from senior goaltender Steve Mastalerz.

“Our goalies are playing well and the forwards are falling back and helping us so that’s been a really important aspect,” defenseman Brandon Montour said.

“Even from practicing every day, you see the improvements keep coming.”

Montour, who joined UMass in late December after being declared eligible, said their defensive performance must be duplicated against a strong Terriers’ attack with the second highest scoring offense in the conference.

“We’re just going to have to be a lot smarter in our own end and make the simple plays instead of forcing things, because that’s when you are going to get in trouble,” Montour said.

Micheletto added that

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Dennis Kravchenko looks to make a play with the puck Sun. vs Merrimack special teams play will be “Against BU’s power play, particularly crucial in we’re going to have to be Friday’s matchup. Coming darn near perfect to conoff a defensive perfor- tinue the success that we’ve mance on Sunday that held had,” Micheletto said.

Merrimack to 0-for-7 on the Friday’s puck drop is power play, Micheletto said that limiting the confer- set for 7:30 p.m. at Agganis ence’s top three scorers in Arena.

Jack Eichel (13 goals), Danny O’Regan (16) and Evan Anthony Chiusano can be reached at Rodrigues (9) is a top prior- achiusano@umass.edu and followed ity. on Twitter @a_chiusano24.